The Fellowship's Loosely Daily Life: Coexistence in Middle-earth - Lone Rivendell

"Let's all take it easy together for a change!" That one sentence was how it all began. Some time had passed since the War of the Ring ended. Frodo Baggins sent letters to his companions, who had each returned to their homelands. The replies came quickly. Everyone agreed. The place: Rivendell. A week of shared life at Elrond's estate. The Fellowship of the Ring—nine of them. No, Boromir was gone now. Eight, plus Gollum. And so that strange plan for communal living began to move. And now, Frodo stood alone at the entrance to Rivendell. On the slopes of the Misty Mountains. A hidden valley surrounded by steep cliffs. The sound of waterfalls echoed from somewhere unseen. The air was cool, and the green of the trees was so vivid it stung the eyes. "It's been a long time." Frodo murmured softly. He narrowed his clear blue eyes and gazed at the valley. His brownish curly hair swayed gently in the mountain wind. A white shirt, a brown vest, loose-fitting shorts. No shoes on his feet. The thick hair growing on his soles felt the cold stone paving directly. The chain hanging from his neck swayed faintly against his chest. The chain that had once held that Ring. Now there was nothing on it. But his body remembered the weight, and sometimes, in unguarded moments, it recalled that sensation. "Lord Frodo, welcome." He turned to find an elven guide standing there. A tall elf with silver hair. About two thousand elves lived in Rivendell. They all knew Frodo as a hero of the War of the Ring. "Thank you. Has no one else arrived yet?" "No. You are the first guest, Lord Frodo. Please, come inside." Frodo followed the guide toward Elrond's estate. A great hall blending stone and wood. Three stories tall, with two hundred rooms, they said. He remembered the council held here before the War of the Ring. So many people had gathered then. Now it was dead silent. "It's so big. Just as I thought." "Yes. It may feel a little lonely, just you alone." The guide smiled gently. Frodo shook his head. "No. Everyone will be here soon. Until then, I'll enjoy the quiet." But honestly, he was a little uneasy. Alone in an overly large estate. Every time his footsteps echoed in the corridor, they sounded terribly loud. "This is the great hall. It's used for councils and banquets." The guide opened the door to reveal a long wooden table. Elven lights cast a soft glow. Seasonal flowers were arranged here and there. The ceiling was high, and voices echoed. "...Amazing." His voice shrank involuntarily. "Lord Frodo, there is one thing I wish to tell you." The guide turned with a serious expression. "This estate has an ancient law. No guest may ever be cast out. It is the law of hospitality laid down by Lord Elrond." "No guest may ever be cast out..." Frodo repeated the words in his mind. (So that means Gollum will be accepted too.) Frodo had included Gollum in the plan for this week. He wanted to give that pitiful creature a place to belong. He hoped that by spending time with everyone, Gollum might regain his heart as Sméagol. That was his wish. "Thank you. I won't forget that law." "Please, make yourself at home. We've prepared a private room on the second floor facing east. It has a fine view of the valley from the window." The guide bowed and quietly departed. Frodo was left alone in the great hall. The long table. Chairs no one sat in. Banners on the walls. Everything reminded him of the day of that council. That day, everyone had discussed earnestly what to do with the Ring. Boromir had said to use it. Gandalf had stopped him. And Frodo had decided he would carry it. "I was so scared back then." Frodo sat down in a chair. He traced the grain of the table with his finger. Memories of the journey came flooding back one after another. The Mines of Moria. The forest of Lothlórien. The wilderness of Mordor. And that mountain of fire. His chest ached, just a little. The weight of the Ring. Sauron's eye. That dark voice that had crept inside him. It should all be over, yet sometimes he still dreamed of it. The sensation of heat creeping up the back of his neck. The feeling of the Ring's chain biting into his skin. Frodo shook his head and stood up. "No. This is a long-awaited reunion. No more gloomy faces." He told himself that and left the great hall behind. That evening, Frodo was shown to the dining room. The elven head chef had outdone himself. On silver plates, delicate arrangements. Vegetables sliced thin as flower petals. Soup so clear it seemed translucent. The fragrance of herbs drifted softly. It looked like nothing short of art. "Wow... beautiful." But after one bite, Frodo was at a loss. The flavor was faint. No—not faint, too delicate. Completely different from hobbit cooking. Hobbit food was simpler, warmer, the kind that filled your belly. Stews, bread, freshly baked pies, plenty of potatoes. Frodo set down his spoon. "...I want to eat Sam's stew." The honest words slipped out before he could stop them. He remembered the smell of the stew Sam had made for him during the journey. Steam rising from the pot over the campfire. That stew with potatoes and carrots and dried meat. That warmth had soaked into his exhausted body. "I wonder if Sam's doing well. Happy with his wife and child, I hope." Frodo looked out the window. The sound of the waterfall came from far away. The setting sun dyed the valley red, and the shadows of the trees stretched long. (Do you remember the promise you made with Sam?) He remembered the words exchanged during the journey. "Mr. Frodo, when this is all over, let's live together in the Shire." Back then, Frodo had smiled and nodded. But now it was different. Frodo's wound from the Ring had never healed, and he was thinking of sailing west. He hadn't told Sam yet. (Sam will surely object.) Frodo let out a quiet sigh. "But I want to leave a place for Gollum. Sam might object, but... even so." Gollum. That pitiful creature. A being whose heart had been corroded by the Ring, who had nearly lost himself as Sméagol. But at the very end, there had still been a conscience left in him. Frodo wanted to believe that. "Gollum needs a home too. A place where he won't be cast out." Frodo's voice reached no one. It dissolved alone into the quiet dining room. Just then, footsteps came from the corridor. "Lord Frodo!" A messenger came running in, out of breath. "Lord Aragorn and Lord Gandalf have arrived!" "Really!?" Frodo leaped from his chair. His heart pounded with joy. The dark mood from moments ago blew away in an instant. "I'm coming!" Frodo dashed down the corridor at a jog. His bare feet pattered against the stone floor. He turned down the long hallway, ran down the stairs, and headed for the entrance hall. He ran regardless of his shortness of breath. When he reached the entrance, two familiar figures stood there. One was Aragorn. King of Gondor and Arnor. A tall, broad-shouldered, imposing man. There was a little more white in his hair than during the journey. But his sharp gaze and quiet dignity were unchanged. He wore no crown. He stood in simple traveling clothes, as if waiting to welcome Frodo. "Frodo, it's been a long time." A low, calm voice. Aragorn smiled. Though he bore the weight of a king, the look he turned on his companions was as warm as ever. "Aragorn! I've missed you!" Frodo ran over and grasped Aragorn's hand with both of his. Aragorn's hand was large, hard, and warm. "You look well. I'm relieved." Aragorn placed a hand gently on Frodo's shoulder. In that gesture, there was less a king's dignity than a tender concern for an old friend. "So you arrived first. Sorry to keep you waiting." "No, not at all. More importantly, where is everyone? Sam? Pippin and Merry? Gimli and Legolas?" Aragorn smiled wryly at Frodo's rapid-fire questions. "Calm down. Everyone's coming later. Sam, Pippin, Merry, Gimli, Legolas—all of them. The Shire folk seem to be having trouble getting ready to leave." "Ah, I can imagine. Pippin must be up to something." Frodo laughed, and Aragorn laughed too. "No doubt. Even Gandalf has his hands full with that one." "Who has their hands full with whom?" A low, carrying voice came from behind. Frodo turned to see Gandalf standing there, his long gray hair and beard swaying. A wizard. The sage who had guided the Fellowship. He wore a blue pointed hat and a gray cloak. In his hand, a gnarled staff. His eyes were sharp beyond his years, yet held a glint of mischief. "Frodo, good to see you. I'm glad you're well." "Gandalf! I've missed you!" Frodo ran to Gandalf this time. Gandalf crouched and lightly ruffled Frodo's head. A large, gnarled hand. Yet its touch was astonishingly gentle. "Your proposal surprised even me. Living together, all nine of us." "Well, everyone went home separately. I thought it'd be nice to gather and talk at leisure for a change." "A good idea. But in a week, who knows what could happen. Especially with those two—no, three, I suppose." Gandalf stroked his beard and smiled wryly, imagining something. "You mean Pippin and Merry, and Gimli and Legolas?" "Yes. I'm already worried whether the estate will survive intact." The three looked at each other and laughed. "Come, let's go inside. You must be tired from the long journey." Aragorn urged them on, and the three began walking into the estate. "By the way, Gandalf. What of the palantír?" Aragorn asked as they walked down the corridor. "Ah, that. It's kept in the estate's library. Securely, among Lord Elrond's collection." "The palantír is a stone that shows distant places, right?" Frodo tilted his head, and Gandalf nodded gravely. "Yes. But it's not merely a stone for far-seeing. It tests the will of whoever looks into it. And the stone Sauron once possessed is especially dangerous. If you look, you can be seen in return. An evil power can touch your mind." Gandalf's voice dropped low. "...I remember when Pippin looked into that stone." Frodo's voice trembled slightly. That night, Pippin had peered into the palantír and been tormented by Sauron's eye. Frodo could never forget Pippin's scream. "Yes. That's precisely why I'm keeping it under strict guard this time. But the very fact that the stone is in the estate—well, it's precarious, to say the least." "What do you mean?" "I only hope there's no one with an overly curious nature." Gandalf looked at Frodo meaningfully. Frodo immediately pictured Pippin's face. "...Pippin, please don't peek this time." Frodo murmured softly in his heart. A flicker of unease passed through his chest. But he didn't say it aloud. That night, Frodo couldn't sleep. The private room on the second floor, facing east. From the window, he could see the valley bathed in moonlight. The sound of the waterfall was strangely distinct in the night's silence. Even lying in bed, his eyes stayed wide open. The joy of the long-awaited reunion, the anticipation of the week ahead. And since hearing about the palantír, a small unease lingered deep in his chest. (I wonder if everyone will make it safely. Will Gollum really come?) Frodo turned over. Just then, something seemed to move outside the window. Frodo sat up and looked out. A corner of the garden. The shadows of the trees. Moonlight painted the ground silver. Within it, there was a small shadow. A thin, small creature. Crawling on all fours, moving as if searching for something. Its eyes glinted sharply. (...Gollum?) Frodo's chest stirred. That look. That movement. No mistake. He had seen it countless times during the journey. But why? Gollum shouldn't have arrived yet. Frodo approached the window. He hesitated, wondering whether to call out. But before he could open the window, the shadow slipped away into the darkness. "...Was I imagining things?" Frodo stared at the garden for a while. But he could see nothing more. Only the sound of the waterfall

日本語

What is Novelia? →

Episode 1

Name: The Fellowship's Loosely Daily Life: Coexistence in Middle-earth
Author: Novelia

What is Novelia?

Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.

Learn more about Novelia →New sign-ups get 5,000pt