Lord of the Rings 1. Chapter 1 The Ships Have Come

**The Tales of New Shadow**

**Chaper 1: The Ships Have Come~**

**For The Professor~**

**Author's Note: "The Scribe Ruel" that is frequent throughout this series, was indeed inspired by Professor Tolkien,himself. **

**~Dear Sir, I hope you don't mind that you will make a sort of cameo appearance now ,into the world of your own mythology. Love, The Servant of Fire, your long time student, though you were with God, and unaware.~**

***the italicisized quote is from a scene in Fellowship of the Ring, Extended Edition**

So it was that the Servants of Tirgil rose up, and went as one to the newborn Sea. It was awash with foam from stars, that had died of their heart's bursting,all along the great grey-green-and sapphire field of that one last anxious battle,with the Dark.

But just like Death is the throes of the Nightmare, and Dieing like the exhale of peace, and Eternity like the Un-Hindered Rest, and an Endless Dream, so now did the ocean breathe apoun the shore, like the rising and the falling of the sheet about the sleeper. And behold, veiled in white sails, adorned with hulls of gold, the ships were come, like the Bride of the Horizon, forever racing to the arms of the loved one, come...atlast, to carry them Home.

Eowyn, Last of All Shieldmaidens, was first to find the sea. And Legolas Greenleaf, soon came behind her. The stern maiden cried out, with the delight of a child, and fell to her knees, hands covering her mouth, steel- grey eyes gone wide in wonder, and her armor glinted in the sun about her, like the scales of a fish, and one wondered if a mermaid awaited the merry mariners?, who were now come. And Legolas wept, shamelessly, even to racking sobs, and no one else who saw it, was any more ashamed, for he had passed a great long way, though all the gates of Hell, to see the sea, and now he gazed apoun her at last, the one desire of his heart fulfilled.

Then came Boromir, and Faramir his brother, and Aragorn with them. And Faramir gave a loud cry, as if he was pierced in the heart,and his face was stricken with absolute astonishment, and so great was his joy it almost looked like pain, to think that he had passed through all the leagues of Darkness, and all the waves of blood, and walls of flame, to at last come to the Shores of the One.

Boromir panted and looked at Aragorn his lord, who's eyes were brimming with tears, and he smiled broadly, and they laughed like boys, even as Gimli came from behind and gasped,"OH!" And stood beside Legolas, perhaps more stunned by the Elf's reaction, than by the sight of the water.

Then there was a sound, a ringing, clear and high and like the song of a thousand spirits,singing the One's praises; no,not spirits, trumpets, silver trumpets! And Boromir looked at Aragorn his lord again, remembering a conversation they had had long, long ago:

_Have you ever been called Home, Aragorn,by the clear ringing of silver trumpets?..._

_I have seen the White City, long ago..._

_One day our paths will lead us there..._

"Now you can say..." Boromir listened to the wind, and Aragorn knew what he meant, knew as if he had read his mind:

"This day...It is THIS day!" he cried ,and wept.

And nobody asked. Because they knew.

"All the years I longed for the Sleep to come..."Eowyn whispered to Faramir, who had come near to standing beside her." But now...No more need have I of Sleep...Now I wake...And the sea calls me Home."

And in that moment, her winter finally passed, and she understood her heart,atlast.

"And now, I will no more sing the Songs of Slaying. I will be a shepherd of the Wind and Sky, and arm the Hosts of the Ice. I will be the Rider of the Winds of Change..."

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the excited cries of Master Samwise:

"MASTER FRODO! OH FRODO,M'DEAR! WELL, BLESS ME, MASTER, BUT YOUR HAND! LOOK,LOOK AT YOUR HAND!"

All the wonder of the Lords of Heaven ,coming to take them to Rest, had not even touched the heart of Sam, so blind was he ,with absolute ecstasy, to see what he saw. Frodo gave a startled cry ,for he had felt it. He held his hands before his face, utterly astonished. For behold TEN Fingers!, were on the hands of Frodo called Nine-fingered. And his malady fell away from him, like snake's skin, golden scales of the Ring of Power's ashen memory, blown away in the wind.

"Am I?" he whispered, eyes wide, almost frightened, with wonder.

"Whole and well again?! I'd say you are indeed,Frodo! GLORY AND TRUMPETS, AND SHIPS ON THE SEA! EVERYTHING SAD IS COMING UNTRUE!" Sam shouted.

And Tirgil pulled Eowyn to her feet. "Follow me, friends! Haste! Why wait, why wait?! We've glory to conquer, a city to build, and crowns to don! Come, shy not, be swift as eagles, the sea will bear you up at My command!" and with a child-like laugh,the Prince of Eternity, was running ,as free as a foal, on the water.

Legolas was the first to follow Him.

Then the others followed, at a break neck speed.

As if running into an embrace, the sailor's cast their fish nets, and bore them up in them.

"BARD?!"Bilbo cried, aboslutely bewildered. He'd barely had time to process it all, when he and Thorin started runnning after their Lord.

"Hallo, Bilbo, and welcome to the future home of Minas Tirgil!" the named boatman cried, smiling brightly, as he bore his old friends up into the ship, together with their friends, and the Prince of Heaven, and he bore them all away, to where the Feast of Ground Breaking was about to begin.


	2. Chapter 2 The Rise of the Ice Lords

**Chapter 2: Rise of the Ice Lords~**

And, thus it was, that the ships set ground, and Bard wisked all the Halflings, and the Dwarfs, and Gandalf away with him , saying that he needed a "Council of MerryMakers" and ,said he," What better council than they who hosted both Unexpected and Long Expected parties?Come, friends, there is a Feast to prepare!"

And the Istari took Aragorn, and the sons of Ecthelion , with them, to show them great and terrible things ,that they did not know, for no man's eye had ever seen them.

Legolas and Gimli were left to their own devices thus,and went to the shores of the mysterious ocean surrounding them, to find whatever adventure lay in wait.

Tauriel and Arwen went to find the stars at the End of the Ages ,for they had always longed to see them.

The Lady Galadriel went walking along the Firmament, the Girdle of the Horizon, to take Council with the Valar, for preparation of Feasting.

So that left Eowyn ,Eomer,Theodred, and Theoden alone with the Prince of Eternity.

"So now," the Lord turned and took the Last of Shieldmaidens by her right hand, "At the end of all time, and wars, and ruin, will you be queen of the wind and sky?Will you be the Rider of the East wind, and captain of the hosts of the Cold?"

"If this is what my Lord wills, than most assuredly!"

He turned to Theoden and his sons, "Will you herd the steeds of water, and tame the beasts of fire? Will you be the Masters of the Horses of the Dawn?"

Theoden echoed Eowyn,"The very wish of Tirgil is mine own command, and that of my sons." The young men gave their silent agreement, pressing their fists into their chests ,and nodding gravely.

Tirgil laughed, and it was merry ,like the waking of water, in the veins of stone.

"Then follow me!For it is time for the Lords of Ice to be born!"

~ So climbed they as high as the Crown of Morning, past Varda's throne, and higher than Manwe's wings could bear to rise up. Higher and higher they rose,till they were standing on a mountain of purest white, so white that it sent daggers into the heart of the Prince, in its purity, and He smiled,for nothing delighted Him more , than things clean and clear, and willing.

"Behold, today the eyes of men shall witness the Heart of the Snow break forth with her first born!"

Then He stretched forth His arms, and hands, as if reaching out to embrace a swift-approaching little child, and smiled as if He could already see him.

Then the snow began to swirl, the many crystals of ice hanging in the air, like jewels encrusted in an ancient Dwarf-king's armor.

And lo, out of the ice, bones began to appear,or rather they looked like bones, and lay like bones scattered about the barrow, but they were clear as living crystal, and wrought of living ice.

"Stand." the Prince commanded, "Become as flesh."

And the bones began to connect together, forming the shape of a man's form, and the snow stretched out and became as whitest woolen fabric, and spread as flesh apoun the bones, and into this fleshy snow, streams from the mountain flowed, and Tirgil turned water into blood, within the white flesh, and he cealed it all within,with flesh of ice, that froze as hard and solid as a million years of winter,and was as clearest crystal, as stern as adamant, yet appearing not rough or ridged as stone or crystal, or even the purest gem, with the lines that showed how it was hewn, but appeared seamless and smooth like unto skin. Eyes opened out of the face, eyes with color like deep amethyst stones, and hair as golden, and riveted with red and blue and likewise amethyst as the shadow of sunset, fell over the ice-hewn form. Then of steel and the vein of silver, and the living gold from the root of the very mountain, Tirgil maid him armor, and crowned his head with gold. Eowyn gave a gasp, even she as stern as steel, felt small and childlike before this new- born creature.

" I name you Nordi, the Lord of Ice-Lords. And your brothers, Sudri, Ostri, and Westri!" and up from the south, the east,and the west, ice-formed men, the likeness of the first, with eyes of ruby, emerald, and sapphire hue, rose from out of the snow from whence they came(and to the snow ,at rest, they may return).

"Behold, your queen!" Tirgil gasped, and turned apoun Eowyn. And behold, she was changed, in that moment, with skin the likeness of their skin, and her eyes, were purest silver, and her hair as white as Dawn before its birthing, by far more white than the snow of the mountain, and her armor was of steel that gleamed to blind living lighting, if steel, than greater than any steel that ever was wrought by the hands of Elves, and Dwarves, and Men, yea, than even that of the Valar.

Her kinsmen also were changed, armor of her like, and hair as gold as that of the Ice Lords.

"And these the Masters of the Dawn-steeds. And whenever there is the rise of the Memory of Shadow, you shall lead your host with them."

Nodri knelt before Eowyn,and kissed her hand.

"Hail, Queen of the Four Winds."

"I am honored,Tirgil, my lord. Far more, than I may ever say with words."

Tirgil smiled,"Then honor Me. Command your host. Call for them, to attend my feast."

Eowyn drew her sword, "Rise" she bid Nodri. And she strode to the cliff at the very peak of the mountain, and gazed into all the winds, that swirled the Ever-Yet-More-White Snow about,and she cried,

"AWAKEN ,YOU LORDS OF THE COLD, AT MY COMMAND, ARISE!, AND GIVE YOUR MASTER HONOR!"

Then ,from whithersoever the winds may roam, they rose, a hundred million- million, and of the likeness of the First Four, but also each diffrent in his(and her) own way, each suit of armor diffrent, each face somewhat diffrent, the glance of all the north-lights, dancing across each face in unique patterns.

"Behold, no flake of snow is the same,"laughed Tirgil, leaning on his staff,"And so ,too, are they, the children of the Cold."

With a great shout, they drew their swords, and Eowyn gave a cry,and assembled them, and each called to their horse, and he came, from out of the Dawn.

Then came also Windfola, and Snowmane, and the steeds of Theodred and Eomer, and they ,too, were changed to the likeness of the Horses of the Dawn, like stars incarnate, as though they were sired by the Sun.

Then Tirgil whistled for Helios, the Father of the Dawn-Steeds, and behold he came, and his likeness was ten- thousand -thousand times brighter than the countenance of the Day-star.

"Ride,ride,ride, we must the Fire wake!"Tirgil cried, and spurred the Steed , to the heart of the mountain.


	3. Chapter 3 The Meeting of Frodo and Ruel

**Chapter 3: The Meeting of Frodo and Ruel~**

Even while the heart of earth was burning, the soul of the Eternal stirring in the fire,which is the spirit's blood, Frodo Nine Fingered, and his faithful Sam, wandered under green trees, and their white boughs, veiled like the brides of spring ,in the foam of the surrounding sea, carried to their leafy hair by the soft breath of wind.

"Oh,Frodo m'dear, why look! And bless me ,Master! -have you ever seen the like of trees?"

"You couldn't have wished for a better garden,Sam!"Frodo gasped, smiling brightly. "Perhaps Lord Tirgil will make you its master, for all of your troubles?..."

Then Sam stammered ,and became very bashful, "Well, bless you ,Frodo, ...a kind thought...a kind prayer for your poor Sam... But troubles, sir? It wasn't a lot of trouble at all, to serve you such, well, if you understand me,master, it was very hard, a very heavy burden...but a joy to bear considerin' who I bore it for ...If you understand me ,master..."

Then Frodo took Sam's hands in his own, and there were tears in his eyes."Oh,Sam..."he smiled, shaking his head, "I understand you very well...But still it would do my heart a great good ...to see such trouble rewarded. A laborer ,after all, is worthy of his reward. And of all those that labored, in the turmoil of the Nameless...you ,Sam...I think you had the greatest care of heart..."

And his words died away,and he didn't say why he thought so, but Sam needn't ask. Frodo knew that Sam loved him. And likewise Sam knew Frodo loved him,and to the point of a mutual death in the Black Land. And Sam had greatest care of heart, for that he must watch his much-loved master going mad under the weight of the Ring of Power, and he must watch this, and have to allow it to continue..."

Behind them a voice chuckled..."It is a joy of heart to make the acquaintance of Frodo of Fingers Nine, and Samwise the Brave..."

They spun in suprise. And Sam smiled, at the stooped old man, somehow familiar, sitting under the tree. "Oh, beggin' your pardon, but, Frodo ,you see..."he held up his master's hands, and spread his fingers to the sunlight, "Has all ten fingers now, as the world is new again."

The old man laughed, and took a long draw off his pipe. "Well now! Should I say, then, that we will call him Frodo of Fingers Ten,and all those who come after, will be filled with wonder, and the younger people think perhaps you had more than natural,and that you lost them down to ten?And then we have the fun of setting them straight on that."

Frodo let out a merry laugh.A use of his voice not heard, since his long-gone youth in the Shire. And Sam felt warmth stir through the fingers he yet touched, that had not been there in far longer than he could remember. It coursed through his own soul to think, that the master grown far dearer than ever could have been in comfort,by enduring the pains of hell together, and the master of sweeter days in the Shire, could somehow now become one and the same.

"Alright then, what do we call you? Old Toby? You smoke enough of it,it would seem we have met the father of herb lore beyond the gates of Evermore." Frodo cried.

"Haha! Keen eyes, Master Baggins! Indeed, you have! But herb lore was only a habit and a hobby of mine. Actually, I am the scribe of the King, and thus I chronicle, well, whatever he wants chronicled, especially the many tounges of the nations, and their history. So, in a way, I am the Guardian of the Myths..."

"All this and many more things, I am sure. But you still haven't told me your name." Frodo laughed. Sam folded his arms, to hide his tears behind his hand, never having hoped, beyond all hopes, to have the Frodo that he knew blended again with the Frodo he now knows, in the balance of peace.

"I am called Ruel." the old man laughed, stood and bowed, and his floppy, bag-like ,bell-strewn hat almost fell off his head.

Frodo motioned Sam closer, and knelt in front of the scribe.

"Well, if we are to make a feast worthy of a king..." he began, "Then we will need to hear the wisdom of the ages, from the scribe's mouth,and not, rather, his us,Ruel, how came you to know the Master?"

Ruel took a thoughful puff of his pipe..And began a story too wonderful for my pen, and stretching far more ages than the glasses of my soon- passing sand can relate within the fragile hour of my life..

And when the Scribe of Eternity was done, Sam sat before him bright-eyed, but Frodo had fallen into a peaceful sleep. So that Sam wept ,bashful-yet-openly, and smiled,

"I have not seen him , the "old" him ,beggin your pardon,sir, in ...so...so very long.I thought I would never see him like this, merry and peaceful I mean, ever again..."

Ruel drew another puff of his pipe,as Thorin and Company, came merrily singing over the hill, carrying bags on their shoulders, (save Bilbo ,he had a rather large pale)..

"The Days That Despaired of Coming are upon us,Sam,lad...Which is ,in principle, far better than The Days of Yester-year or the Days We Dreamed Of..,for unlooked for,unheeded, silent and swift ,as the feet of deer, they have overtaken our darkest nights, and greater dawns lie before us, better for the shadows..."


	4. Chapter 4 Barrels Bursting Bond

**Chapter 4: Barrels Bursting Bond**

"Oh, but you know we'll be needing that ale, Merry! So why are you drinking it all?"Pippin gently jibbed his kinsman.

"Well, you know, it takes a finely tuned tounge to sample it and make sure it's fit for the lords awaking from ice,and fire,and stone, which I see coming over the hill rise."

Merry ,for the moment, got the attention off himself,as he pointed a finger to the troupe of Shieldarm, the lords of newborn ice, and the unlooked for Lords of Fire.

Now it appears as though I have skipped their creation,but this is not so. For they are not a new race. They have shapes like men or elves do, only they are robed in living fire. They are the people that the desolation of the Great Worms took down to their pits, the Dwarves of Erebor, the fallen of Laketown, many elves and dwarves,and men,and even a few Halflings, all born anew, all carrying arm loads,and wagon fulls of treasure brought forth from the Hordes of the Void, rended from the teeth of such as Smaug,and Ancalagon the Black.

They were lively dancers, they who had mastery of firey,and could now use it for their Lord's merrmient. Many colored torches, the like of Gandalf's fireworks, began to strow the way.

"Mithrandir!" Tirgil called, running with a dwarf maiden,and a human boy, balanced on either side of his hips. "Mithrandir, a word with you, my friend.I would like you to teach the woken young lords of fire, in the art of fire-craft..." He began ,and lead the wizard off to the side.

"What do you make of that?"asked Bilbo, beaming, hoping for fireworks that would trump his memory.

"Well, Bless me! Finer rockets than we knew, if Tirgil has a say so in it!" cried Sam,as he and Frodo joined them that prepared the celebration, their new friend ,the scribe Ruel,in their company.

"And to think , these won't be a memory!" Frodo laughed, taking a deep breath of the cinder- littered wind. There is a scent in the wake of fire, that makes the heart glad. For smoke is that that seasons merriment.

Frodo's friends that were all gathered about now, from what ought else they had been doing, now staired at how changed he was ,from he who'd been compelled to bear the ring.

"Oh, aye, better than memory! Actually happening!" Gimli gasped, stomping forward. "And FOOD, my young hobbit! FOOD, GALORE! Look at all these things Bilbo is pulling forward, the sewers of this city are all cellars,instead, packed to bursting with food that cannot perish!"

Bilbo rolled forward another barrel,and knocked the lid off of it. "Well,it looks like I always find my way roped into barrel duty, eh, Frodo-lad?"

Thorin laughed, "Well, you could be stuck riding them, which is worse, you don't care to discover, do you Master Baggins?"

"Well, no I..."

Just then,Thorin had stuffed Bilbo playfully headfirst in an empty apple-barrel.

"WHY?!"he cried from within.

"A pity really, you'll discover it anyway." Thorin laughed, ignoring him.

All of the dwarves joined their leader ,in dunking Bilbo's barrel in the river,and watching it float away.

"WHY?!" Bilbo called as the waters bore him away, sounding too exasperated to even be annoyed.

"Barrels bursting bond, dear fellow,and enjoy the swiftness of clean waters!" cried Radagast from the shore.

None even recalled when he joined the company, but the cellars were full,and everyone felt as though everyone fit, like when a house is in order, ever tool's on it's hook, every bowl in it's place, every shoe set on the mat, in its row.

Sam took a breath, and laughed. "Well...I'm back." he thought aloud.

"Back where?"Merry and Pippin asked at the same time.

"Back home."Frodo answered for Sam,having understood.

The four younger hobbits exchanged a smile,as Bilbo returned ,like a half drowned kitten, yelling at Thorin, unintelligbly.

The dwarves clapped,and Thorin was praising Bilbo on his voyage, but entirely in Dwarvish speech where he couldn't understand, to further annoy him.

And with such child-like banter did a feast begin to take its shape.


End file.

Lord of the Rings