2. Crossroads - by Tanaqui
They had fallen in together at the Prancing Pony, both travelling to Rivendell. The wizard was known to all, but had not marked his companion for aught but another Ranger. Only the following day, when he caught sight of the ring, did he guess.
In the wavering light of their campfire, sharing a pipe, Gandalf coaxed the young man to reveal his dreams. A great doom, a great trial… a great love?
Gandalf blinked. Then he smiled. Would the Lady of Rivendell refuse the King of both Arnor and Gondor?
Another chance meeting in Bree; another opportunity for mutual aid.
***
2941 Thorin Oakenshield and Gandalf visit Bilbo in the Shire. […] Bard of Esgaroth slays Smaug.
2951 […] Arwen, newly returned from Lórien, meets Aragorn in the woods of Imladris. […]
2956 Aragorn meets Gandalf and their friendship begins.
The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix B, The Tale of Years: The Third Age
[Gandalf:] “When you think of the great Battle of Pelennor, do not forget the Battle of Dale. Think of what might have been. Dragon-fire and savage swords in Eriador! There might be no Queen in Gondor. We might now only hope to return from the victory here to ruin and ash. But that has been averted – because I met Thorin Oakenshield one evening on the edge of spring not far from Bree. A chance-meeting, as we say in Middle-earth."
Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 3, The Quest of Erebor
That day therefore Elrond called him by his true name, and told him who he was and whose son; and he delivered to him the heirlooms of his house.
"Here is the ring of Barahir," he said, "the token of our kinship from afar; and here also are the shards of Narsil. With these you may yet do great deeds; for I foretell that the span of your life shall be greater than the measure of Men, unless evil befalls you or you fail at the test. But the test will be hard and long. The Sceptre of Annúminas I withhold, for you have yet to earn it."
The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: Here Follows a Part of The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen
This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.
