In Place of a Dark Lord (2/36): A Realignment of Fates
This fic is rated: G this chapter, PG-13 overall
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Characters: the Fellowship, Galadriel
Summary: What would have happened if Galadriel accepted the Ring from Frodo?
Series warnings: au, violence, character death, my own mixture of bookverse and movieverse, a complete and utter lack of pr0n.
Word Count: 669
Feedback: yes, please! Concrit welcomed.
Distribution: archiving, linking or remixing ok, just credit me and drop me a line!
Author's Note: also, an experiment in writing in the omniscient POV.
My FanFic Masterlist
Disclaimer: Tolkien’s. Just borrowing. Please don’t sue!
The story so far.
Frodo opened his eyes, feeling as if he'd rested better than he had in months. Better, he realized, than he had since Gandalf had told him about the ring, and laid the burned on him.
Reflexively, his hand grasped for the chain at his neck.
It was gone.
He'd already started a frantic search of the ground around him, when he remembered what had happened the night before. Galadriel's long, pale fingers closing over the One Ring.
He sat still, feeling both free and empty.
But the motion had drawn Aragorn's sharp eyes. "Where is the Ring, Frodo?"
"I gave it to Galadriel."
For a moment, Aragorn froze. An expression like he'd just taken an arrow to the gut flickered across his face. Then he put a hand on Frodo's shoulder. "Come," he said, "We will speak with her."
"Why?"
"The task was appointed to you, Frodo."
"But I don't want it! I never did!
Hearing him call, the rest of the Fellowship gathered close. Aragorn turned to face them. "Frodo has given the Ring to Galadriel."
"Then we can go home?" Pippin asked.
Aragorn sighed. "I am not willing to accept this so easily."
"Certainly you cannot believe that Galadriel means any harm!" Gimli protested.
"Even the Elves are not immune to the effect of the Ring."
"But she has borne a Ring of Power for an age!" Legolas pointed out.
"The one Ring is far above Nenya as Gimli's axe is to a simple tool -- "
And suddenly, Galadriel was among them. "What has brought conflict to my realm?"
"For your own safety," Aragorn said, "you must return the Ring to Frodo."
"Surely I have more strength than he." And in his mind, Aragorn heard Galadriel's voice. I will speak to Elrond on your behalf. If Arwen's heart is given to you, she should not have to wait while you risk your life in a needless quest.
"It is not a matter of strength."
She whispered into Boromir's mind, He cares not for Gondor, but only wishes to claim Arwen for his own.
"But it is a matter of strength," Aragorn protested. "The obstacles he still faces ... "
And Sam heard her say They ask him to bear to great a burden.
" ... would be enough to break any mortal,"
Galadriel slipped the Ring off her finger. "If you ask it, Frodo, I will return it." If Gandalf were here, he would tell you that it is for the best.
Frodo frowned; Gandalf had been very clear that he was the ringbearer. But Gandalf hadn't seen his own death. Still, his fingers twitched, almost involuntarily, toward the Ring.
But then, Sam took his hand. "Come on, Mr. Frodo. It's time to go home."
Galadriel smiled, and slipped the Ring back on her finger. "Very well," she said. "I will prepare for your departure." She turned, and glided out of the clearing.
After a moment, Boromir bolted after her. "Milady, wait."
She looked over her shoulder. "I know what troubles you, Boromir of Gondor, son of Denethor."
"Do you?" he asked, as she led him away from his companions, who were still arguing.
"Aragorn did not tell you his true motives."
"I believed that he cared about Gondor." Try as he might, he couldn't keep the pain out of his voice. "I wanted to believe it."
Galadriel turned and laid one hand on his cheek. "Were I looking for a general to lead my army, I would choose you. You are a leader of Men, and he has spent too much time in the Wilds."
"I would not say -- "
She laid a finger on his lips. "Your loyalty does you credit." She smiled beatifically. "For too long, the Elves have let Men wage our battles." She took his hands between his. "Boromir of Gondor, will you take a message to your father? Will you tell him, for me, that the Elves wish to renew the old alliance, and fight beside Men once more?"
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Characters: the Fellowship, Galadriel
Summary: What would have happened if Galadriel accepted the Ring from Frodo?
Series warnings: au, violence, character death, my own mixture of bookverse and movieverse, a complete and utter lack of pr0n.
Word Count: 669
Feedback: yes, please! Concrit welcomed.
Distribution: archiving, linking or remixing ok, just credit me and drop me a line!
Author's Note: also, an experiment in writing in the omniscient POV.
My FanFic Masterlist
Disclaimer: Tolkien’s. Just borrowing. Please don’t sue!
The story so far.
Frodo opened his eyes, feeling as if he'd rested better than he had in months. Better, he realized, than he had since Gandalf had told him about the ring, and laid the burned on him.
Reflexively, his hand grasped for the chain at his neck.
It was gone.
He'd already started a frantic search of the ground around him, when he remembered what had happened the night before. Galadriel's long, pale fingers closing over the One Ring.
He sat still, feeling both free and empty.
But the motion had drawn Aragorn's sharp eyes. "Where is the Ring, Frodo?"
"I gave it to Galadriel."
For a moment, Aragorn froze. An expression like he'd just taken an arrow to the gut flickered across his face. Then he put a hand on Frodo's shoulder. "Come," he said, "We will speak with her."
"Why?"
"The task was appointed to you, Frodo."
"But I don't want it! I never did!
Hearing him call, the rest of the Fellowship gathered close. Aragorn turned to face them. "Frodo has given the Ring to Galadriel."
"Then we can go home?" Pippin asked.
Aragorn sighed. "I am not willing to accept this so easily."
"Certainly you cannot believe that Galadriel means any harm!" Gimli protested.
"Even the Elves are not immune to the effect of the Ring."
"But she has borne a Ring of Power for an age!" Legolas pointed out.
"The one Ring is far above Nenya as Gimli's axe is to a simple tool -- "
And suddenly, Galadriel was among them. "What has brought conflict to my realm?"
"For your own safety," Aragorn said, "you must return the Ring to Frodo."
"Surely I have more strength than he." And in his mind, Aragorn heard Galadriel's voice. I will speak to Elrond on your behalf. If Arwen's heart is given to you, she should not have to wait while you risk your life in a needless quest.
"It is not a matter of strength."
She whispered into Boromir's mind, He cares not for Gondor, but only wishes to claim Arwen for his own.
"But it is a matter of strength," Aragorn protested. "The obstacles he still faces ... "
And Sam heard her say They ask him to bear to great a burden.
" ... would be enough to break any mortal,"
Galadriel slipped the Ring off her finger. "If you ask it, Frodo, I will return it." If Gandalf were here, he would tell you that it is for the best.
Frodo frowned; Gandalf had been very clear that he was the ringbearer. But Gandalf hadn't seen his own death. Still, his fingers twitched, almost involuntarily, toward the Ring.
But then, Sam took his hand. "Come on, Mr. Frodo. It's time to go home."
Galadriel smiled, and slipped the Ring back on her finger. "Very well," she said. "I will prepare for your departure." She turned, and glided out of the clearing.
After a moment, Boromir bolted after her. "Milady, wait."
She looked over her shoulder. "I know what troubles you, Boromir of Gondor, son of Denethor."
"Do you?" he asked, as she led him away from his companions, who were still arguing.
"Aragorn did not tell you his true motives."
"I believed that he cared about Gondor." Try as he might, he couldn't keep the pain out of his voice. "I wanted to believe it."
Galadriel turned and laid one hand on his cheek. "Were I looking for a general to lead my army, I would choose you. You are a leader of Men, and he has spent too much time in the Wilds."
"I would not say -- "
She laid a finger on his lips. "Your loyalty does you credit." She smiled beatifically. "For too long, the Elves have let Men wage our battles." She took his hands between his. "Boromir of Gondor, will you take a message to your father? Will you tell him, for me, that the Elves wish to renew the old alliance, and fight beside Men once more?"