The Scars of a Loyal Traitor

The Govennath

I was going to wait another day but I was super excited so here I am!

60 years later

"Ha! You may be a better shot with a bow but with a knife, you know I'm better! Admit it!" I yelled tauntingly, throwing accurately at another target.
"For someone raised in Mordor, you're quite polite," Legolas said sincerely adding to the sarcasm in his skeptical face. He threw another and it missed by many inches.
"ADMIT IT!" I yelled.
"Yeah, fine!" Legolas conceded giving me a kiss on the lips. I smiled. I was so happy. Every day I would wake up and my heart would fill with love and gratitude that I was alive and safe and free. I walked over to the target and retrieved my knives. Legolas did the same. A gentle breeze swept the courtyard and picked up autumn leaves spinning them around in a gentle circle. Here in Arda, the city of Valinor were the homes of the Maiar. Their very presence was powerful yet peaceful. The elves had dwelt here long before my time so when the ship arrived it was like everything went back to normal. I had no connection to Middle Earth but now 60 years after I left the shores at the Grey Havens, most people I knew would have died. I thought about them often but I knew I could never see them again.
"Care for another round?" Legolas said challenging.
"Sure."
"And no cheating!" He added.
"I could beat your ass with or without my gifts," I said confidently.
"If you insist!"
"I do." He laughed. He had been starting to laugh more often, ever since Gimli died, then the hobbits, we both felt deep remorse for our friends. It felt unfair that we could go on living if we chose while they had no choice. Their spirits hung around us though, whispering in our dreams and laughing in the wind watching us now. Every now and again I would hear Tao's whinny and know he was still watching out for me. We had no need to train anymore so Legolas and I were one of the few who did. We enjoyed the rush of dodging, stabbing, throwing, and shooting. We thew another round before Legolas suggested we go to the govennath. (Gathering/ council)
"Why?" I asked curiously. Legolas didn't love social events and neither did I.
"I have heard it has news about Middle Earth and I want to know if Aragorn has passed.
"Oh," I said "Yes. We should."
We went back to our house and changed before walking to the Thamb (Great Hall) for the council. The Thamb was round with seats all around it. In the middle, the Maiar and Valar would stand addressing the small imperfections in this perfect life. Gandalf stood with other Maiar in the middle looking very grave as we sat down. The Thamb filled up with hundreds of Elves all respectfully silent. I spotted Elrond and Celebrian sitting nearby holding hands.
Manwe who was the ruler walked into the middle.
"It has come to attention that Middle Earth is under threat." I tried not to gasp. "The late king Ellesar has passed and his wife Arwen has faded from a broken heart" I saw Elrond and Celebrian silently despair and I began to miss my sister more than I had before. "There son Eldarion has been crowned king but he is weak. Morgoth has foreseen this and moves to attack Middle Earth." I bit my lip to stop myself from crying out. I tried to remind myself that everyone I loved there would have died but it didn't make the pain any less unbearable. Their children were under attack and they had no chance against Morgoth.
"We have to choose. To return to Middle Earth and fight or to forsake them building better defenses here." Thranduil, Legolas's father rose from his chair and spoke against the heavy silence.
"We left Middle Earth to escape the wars of men. We should strengthen our defenses here."
"NO!" I found myself yelling. Thousands of heads turned my way and Manwe gave me an icy glare.
"I fought for the free people of middle earth and I will not let it fall down like this."
"Yes and if I remember correctly you spent most of your life fighting for your father. Then you decided to recklessly attack your father after he upset you by killing your horse" Thranduil spat. Legolas bit his lip and I flushed red to embarrassed to speak.
"Lady Elinor is right. This is our fight and we are obligated to defend Men from our foes." Gandalf said rising steadily. "It was not long since we left, we still have friends."
"Friends worth defending." A honey-haired Elleth yelled out. Manwe did not smile but but his wife, Valar Elentari was nodding. 
"We have all failed yet we are getting a chance to redeem our chances. We should honor the host of men by appointing Elinor daughter of Marion (Sauron) to lead our armies across the seas and to the aid of Gondor, Arnor, and Rohan. She is a worthy asset to represent us."
 "Why her!" Thranduil yelled out. "She is nothing to us." Irmo (One of the Valar, Master of Dreams) Stood up suddenly.
"She is more than we know! Let me remind you that things have changed now. Elinor is far more powerful than any other elf. She has the blood of the Maiar. Evil of not Marion was still a powerful force. We sat here watching as two halflings diminished him but Melkor is a bigger threat. He is one of us and we need all the power we have to destroy him."
Everyone broke out into spontaneous discussion with one another glancing at me.
"Silence!" Manwe yelled and all the noise diminished at one.
"If Elinor will accept, she is the captain of Valar." He looked at me and nodded. "Elinor?"
I nodded. 
"Yes, I will accept," I said.