At the invitation of Lindir, Elrond's aide, Kael was led to the Elven lord's private chambers, accompanied by Elrohir and Elladan. Gandalf was already there, waiting for them.
"Father," the Elven twins said in unison, bowing respectfully to Elrond.
Elrond nodded, his eyes filled with a deep, paternal love as he looked upon his sons. He and his wife, Celebrían, had been blessed with two sons and a daughter. But years ago, while traveling to visit her parents in Lothlórien, Celebrían had been ambushed by Orcs in the Redhorn Pass. She had endured unspeakable physical and spiritual torment before her sons bravely ventured into the Orc lairs of the Misty Mountains and rescued her.
Though her body healed, her spirit was grievously wounded. In time, she could bear the weight of Middle-earth no longer and had sailed west across the sea to Valinor, the Undying Lands, hoping to find peace. Their youngest daughter, Arwen, was raised by her maternal grandparents, Celeborn and Galadriel, and lived in Lothlórien. And so, only the twin sons remained by their father's side.
"Lord Elrond," Kael said after greeting him, a hint of curiosity in his voice, "is there something you wish of me?"
"Wizard Kael," Elrond began, his gaze thoughtful and direct, "may I take a look at your wand?"
Surprised by the request, Kael glanced at Gandalf, who simply smiled and gave a subtle nod. With that silent reassurance, Kael did not hesitate and handed over his wand.
Elrond took the slender piece of wood and examined it with great care, a look of growing astonishment on his face.
"This is truly an exceptional invention," he murmured, his fingers tracing the grain of the wood. "Using magical wood and materials imbued with magic… a simple combination, yet it can produce such unique magical effects." He paused, his keen eyes analyzing its composition. "If I am not mistaken, the body of the wand is made from the willow of a Huorn? As for the wand core…"
"The core is a strand of hair from Goldberry, the River-daughter, and a beard hair from Tom Bombadil," Kael explained.
A flicker of understanding crossed Elrond's face. With a keen interest, he gripped the wand and gracefully waved it.
Outside the palace, the great waterfall that cascaded down the cliffside was swept up by an unseen force. The water condensed, forming a magnificent horse of liquid silver that galloped into the hall, its passage creating a cool, refreshing breeze. It then charged out again, leaped high into the air, and plunged back into the river gorge below.
"Very impressive!" Elrond praised, his expression one of clear satisfaction. "Although your wand does not greatly amplify power, it is an excellent conduit for magic. Even young Elves could use your wand to cast effective spells."
He returned the wand to Kael. "Wizard Kael, would you be willing to make wands for us? Of course, as part of the exchange, we promise you a satisfactory reward."
"This…" Kael hesitated, glancing again at Gandalf, who showed no particular reaction. "Lord Elrond, I would be very happy to make wands for the Elves. But crafting wands is a time-consuming process, and I am currently on an expedition with my companions. I am afraid I don't have the spare time right now."
This was not just an excuse. He still had not fulfilled his promise to Gandalf. The wizard's vinewood staff was already carved, but a suitable core remained elusive. He had tried using troll sinew back in the Trollshaws, but it had proven a poor match for Gandalf's spirit and had to be abandoned.
Hearing Kael's answer, Elrond waved it off. "Time means little to us. We can wait until your expedition is over—years, decades, even centuries if need be."
Kael was surprised—he had forgotten that Elves were immortal. He quickly replied, "It won't take that long. After this mission is over, I promise to make wands for Rivendell. But the process is complex. How many wands do you need? If it's too many, I might not be able to manage."
A rare smile graced Elrond's lips at Kael's agreement. "No need to worry, Wizard Kael. You only need to make wands for my two sons."
Kael breathed a sigh of relief. "That's manageable. But you will need to prepare your own magical wood and materials. I will only handle the crafting."
Elrond readily agreed. "Wizard Kael, since you are helping us, is there anything you desire in return?"
Before Kael could answer, Gandalf winked at him, coughed lightly, and spoke first. "Lord Elrond, Kael would like to have a staff of his own, but he hasn't found a magical gem for it yet. Do you know where he might find one?"
Kael opened his mouth, not expecting Gandalf to ask for something so valuable on his behalf. He immediately felt his face flush, worried Elrond would think this was his own exorbitant idea. Magical gems were incredibly precious; even if he made a thousand wands for Rivendell, it wouldn't equal the value of a magical gem—let alone just two.
But to Kael's relief, Elrond did not think the deal was unfair, nor did he get angry. Instead, he shook his head.
"Unfortunately, Rivendell doesn't have a tradition of collecting gems, so we do not have any magical gems here. However," he continued, "I recall that Lady Galadriel in Lothlórien has a few precious gems in her collection. I will contact her and convey your request, but I cannot guarantee she will agree."
He then looked at Gandalf. "But with you as an advocate, Gandalf, and given your relationship with Lady Galadriel, there is a good chance you will get a magical gem."
Gandalf nodded, indicating he was willing to help.
Once the matter of the wands was settled, Elrond turned the topic to the dwarves. Though Thorin and his company had tried to hide the true purpose of their quest, they could not fool Elrond's ancient and wise eyes.
Gandalf had no intention of hiding it either, and called for Thorin to bring the map to Elrond for deciphering.
"This has nothing to do with the Elves," Thorin grumbled, even now unwilling to show Elrond the map, still full of hostility and distrust.
Gandalf's eyes flashed. "By the Valar, Thorin, set aside your dwarvish stubbornness and show Lord Elrond the map."
"This is a family heirloom, and I must protect its secrets," Thorin insisted stubbornly.
"Don't give me that dwarvish stubbornness again," Gandalf said, his voice sharp with frustration. "Your pride will be your downfall! The man before you is one of the few in Middle-earth who can read that map. Let him see it."
Thorin raised his chin, his face dark, and stood off against Gandalf, neither giving way. Kael and Elrond simply stood by, silent observers of the standoff.
In the end, Thorin was the first to yield. With a heavy sigh of defeat, he took the map from his cloak and handed it to Elrond.
Elrond ignored Thorin's sullen attitude and began to examine the map carefully.
[Check Out My For More Chapters On All
Of My Fanfics!!] [www. [email protected]/meowthtl]
[+300 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]