Middle-Earth Role Playing Campaign

Of the six adventurers who had arrived in Rivendell, Araquenval and Rhôn adjusted the easiest to their celebrity status. Araquenval enjoyed it thoroughly, while Rhôn merely ignored it all and replied in brief sentences to those who talked to him. Dennenor and Mîriel seemed uneasy at all the attention, and more than once Mîriel entertained only a question or two before ordering the curious away.

Bradlegar did not overly mind the attention, although as a Hobbit he received a double dose. But today he was nearly beside himself. His beloved Luinár seemed to have disappeared: she did not take breakfast with him as he had expected her to, and later that morning did not answer his knock at her door. When he persisted, an Elven maid informed him Luinár was busy and not seeing anyone. Hurt and confused, Bradlegar went outside and walked the grounds. His expression was sad, and the cheerful Elves found it difficult to raise a smile from him.

At noon a bell sounded from the House. An Elf appeared on a balcony and called out in a loud voice, "The presence of Bradlegar the Bold and his company is requested in the Hall of Elrond!" Half a dozen fleet footed Elves fanned out from the House to locate Bradlegar and his friends. Within ten minutes they had located everyone and brought them to the meeting hall. One by one they were escorted in, Bradlegar last of all.

And Luinár was there, standing with Elrond on the dais at the head of the great table. But in place of her customary armour she wore a long white dress with a beautifully embroidered hem. Her hair had been unbraided and fell in graceful waves upon her back and shoulders. Upon her head rested a fine silver circlet of Elvish make.

"We welcome you to the wedding feast of Bradlegar and Luinár," said Elrond when all had gathered.

Bradlegar went scarlet. See his beloved standing there in a white dress, he felt completely unprepared, as though he had invited all his cousins to a birthday party without preparing any gifts. Embarrassed and nervous, he said quietly to Luinár, "I thought we weren't going to get married until after we had destroyed the Shard."

She smiled at him, then bent down to him and said, "I changed my mind. We may not survive the war. If one of us perished in battle we would not be able to wed."

Now tears came to Bradlegar's eyes. He tried as best he could to wipe them away gracefully, and at last smiled broadly.

Elrond smiled too. Then he looked at the people gathered and said, "Bradlegar and Luinár have asked me to marry them. Although I have no authority within their realm to declare such a thing--the King of Arthedain is probably a better person than I to do this for them--neither shall I refuse their request.

"I am not well versed in the traditions of Men in such matters. So I shall keep this simple and not say many words." He paused for a moment, then looking at the Hobbit asked, "Bradlegar, will you take Luinár as your wife?"

"Yes," said Bradlegar.

Turning to the bride, he asked, "And you, Luinár, will you have Bradlegar as your husband?"

"Yes," said Luinár, and her voice was full of joy.

"Therefore, as these two have said they wish to be married, and everyone here in this room are witnesses to their words, I declare that from this day forward they shall be husband and wife."

Luinár bent low so she and Bradlegar could embrace and kiss. Everyone seated at the table rose to their feet and cheered. And so Bradlegar and Luinár were married by Elrond in his house. The Elves served a good meal to all present; Silvanar sang an impromptu song for the new couple. During the meal Luinár told many stories of the deeds of her brave husband. Although still a little embarrassed at the unexpected wedding, Bradlegar enjoyed himself, eating, drinking, and accepting the embellishments Luinár gave her tales of him.

The Council of the Wise met again that afternoon. Only Araquenval and Dennenor attended; the others were on the grounds with Bradlegar and Luinár, congratulating them on their marriage and teasing them about what their children would look like. But when the council concluded its proceedings that evening, the adventurers gathered together for the last meal they would take in each others' company.

"The Kings of Elves, Men, and Dwarves are putting together a small band to slip quietly into Angmar next summer to seek out and destroy the shard," said Dennenor. "Escarnol and I are joining for the Elves. Who of our company will join for their people?"

"Bradlegar and I will gladly go to represent men--and Hobbits," said Luinár. "In the meantime, we will accompany my sister back to Castle Greycrag so she can keep watch over Bauglir. After that, we may make the journey back to the home we lost to the Orcs."

"Are you thinking of retaking it?" asked Araquenval.

"We will try. But the army in Arthedain will have brave other matters on their minds, so I doubt we will be able to enlist their aid."

"Not only that," said Mîriel, "but the only way we will be able to re-take our home would be to put an army of our own together. And unless things change drastically in Angmar, we probably would not be able to hold it for long. Alas, our home is lost to the darkness next door, and I doubt even my sister's grandchildren will be able to live there. But we still have Castle Greycrag, and if I can get the trade routes going again we will make it a rich place, and a fitting one for our family to hold."

"What about, you, Rhôn?" asked Bradlegar. "Are you going to join us on a journey north?"

Rhôn shook his head slowly. "No. Rhôn-Hari-Rhôn has seen many strange things. Things elders of his tribe do not know of. Rhôn-Hari-Rhôn goes at sunrise; goes to woods to see elders, tell them of things they have not seen. After that, who knows? Woods need to be guarded. Prevent men and gorgun from taking woods away from Wildmen."

They fell silent for a while, pursuing their own thoughts. Bradlegar and Luinár sat side by side, holding hands but not looking at each other. Rhôn sat still as a statue, staring at the wall across the room. Mîriel looked around at the others, lost for words. In a few days, she knew, she would be on her own at Castle Greycrag while her sister and brother-in-law made the perilous journey to Arthedain. The Elves would stay at Rivendell until they were ready to make their way to Angmar. And Rhôn-Hari-Rhôn she probably would never see again.

"A toast," said Araquenval at last. "A toast to us all. To success on our journeys, wherever they may lead!"

"Wherever!" said the others. They raised six silver goblets. They came together at the centre, a reminder of the times they had spent together. Then each drank their wine quietly, contemplating the times that lay ahead separately for them all.

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Epilogue: Reunion

Day 41: Journey's End

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Based on events played to August 07, 1998. Accesses since September 30, 1998: