"Othorion Taltharion! You better not be hiding under the bed!" Celestine's exasperated voice rang out through the house.
Meanwhile, I just looked up from the leather-bound book that recorded a copy of the journal belonging to one of the elven commanders who served under Glorfindel during the Wars of the First Age. Though a lot of the details were... Censored to an extent.
Though it wasn't surprising. Evils had a power in their knowledge, still I called out helplessly. "You know I woudn't hide under my bed!"
Celestine, already bee-lining her way to my room, folded her arms under her ample bosom and gave me a look of loss as she almost pouted. "A mother can always hope to find their child in a tight spot to make fond memories."
I could only helplessly shake my head. What else could I do as Celestine came over and made a noise of disapproval at my book choice?
"Even if suppressed, there is many dark things in this book, Othorion... You shoudn't taint your mind and dreams with such things." She chided gently as she took the book from my unresisting hands.
"Were you rather busy today?" I asked.
Celestine hummed thoughtfully before she said with a small smile. "I was quite busy indeed. I spoke with Lady Arwen at length while we worked to sow together a veil for her hunting outfit."
I tilted my head to the side and asked slowly. "The Evenstar... What is she like?"
She was quiet for a moment before she gently patted my head and said in amusement. "She is a beacon of kindness. While also having a strong heart."
I was quiet for a long moment. Considering her words as well as the lore of The Lord of the Rings in my mind.
Should I get involved in Arwen's life? Her marrying Aragon was not only a tragedy due to how it led to her losing her immortal heart and dying in utter grief as her love passed a mortal's life.
But her death as the Evenstar was the death cry of the elven people in the mortal lands.
"Anything else you can tell me?" I asked curiously.
Celestine poked my cheek and said, almost teasingly. "Aww, are you getting bored of me?"
"I am just curious." I pouted as Celestine giggled happily before she asked.
"Want to do more archery practice?"
I nodded and followed Celestine to the front hall of the house, and I took the large for me, elven short bow along with a quiver of arrows before we headed out.
At the base of Rivendell's small city built into the surrounding mountains, there was a large archery range that was carefully taken care of. As archery being one of elves' best talents in war resulted in it being a hobby as well as a way to earn respect in the city of very mild-mannered elves.
As Rivendell wasn't as beset by enemies like my kin in Mirkwood Forest and such so the elves here were even more tolerant of the other races.
The archery range had several targets set at different lengths so multiple people could practise at the same time and every ten minutes round a bout. The grounds watcher would gently ring a bell to stop us from shooting so we could all go get our arrows without any danger.
As I was carefully shooting my bow, Celestine gave me guidance and even the range master would come over and give me tips... Being an adorable elf 'child' with literal divinity running through its veins had it's perks.
But after a good bit of practice, a voice of soft velvet and musical notes rang out from behind me after I released an arrow that hit a good way above the bullseye of the target down the range.
"So this is Othorion hmm?"
And my gaze was filled with the sight of who could only be the Evenstar.
Even for an elf, she was... Painfully beautiful, a song of perfection made manifest in flesh. There were no words to describe her radiance and beauty and I could only stare as she leaned in with a soft smile, as she likewise inspected me.
"Truly a son of the stars... His eyes are like the moon reflected, and his veins bear sunlight themself." She mused as she gently cupped my cheek to inspect me.
And I saw her natural smile turn a bit introspective as she seemed to take in my every detail for a long moment before she squeezed my jaw as she drew her hand away slowly.
"Hmm, yes, he is quite the treasure we have been given, isn't he, Celestine?"
Not even waiting for an answer, however, she smiled and said softly. "Would you like some guidance on archery, Othorion?"
In the corner of my eye... I could see that Celestine had a rather stiff smile on her face.
But I still nodded, and I turned around to begin setting myself up before pausing as I felt Arwen push against me with her hands, trailing across my arms to rest on my hands that held the bow and arrow.
"You are not a human archer who will be standing in a line of others to rain an unaimed shade of death upon an army of orcs. Nor are you a hunter who is crouched and aiming to take down prey. You are training to be a ranger, you need to train to hold yourself to shoot even facing forward, so you can shoot while in motion."
Even as Arwen happily instructed me how to hold myself in different positions and still maintain optimal accuracy, besides centuries of experience as an archer...
I had an awkward thought that hit my mind. 'Isn't Arwen the ultimate groomer as well? She is more than two thousand years old and basically helped raise Aragon when he was fostered here?'
'Am I in danger?'
I let loose the arrow and with a soft zipping noise it shot through the air before slamming home, just below the bullseye with Arwen patting my shoulder and saying with a soft chuckle.
"You indeed have talent Othorion. I would enjoy teaching you again, but now I must get my own practise in."
With that she let go of me and I watched as she went and looked at the beautiful bow she carried that looked to have been made out of bone and what could only be Mallorn wood with it's golden sheen.
'That bone that makes up her bow... Could it be elven elk or maybe even dragon bones?' I mused thought a part of me knew that using dragon bones in anything in this world would likely lead to the item becoming tainted with the evil greed that filled dragons so entirely.
My face was squished as Celestine poked my cheek and said with a hum. "Are you done with your archery Othorion? How unusual of you."
But I just shook my head with a firm look crossing my face. As regardless of whether I got involved with the world of Elden Ring, or go with Bilbo on the journey. I needed to be strong and skilled with my weapons regardless.
Though as I continued my training... I coudn't help but wonder something.
'I wonder at what point of Elden Ring's timeline I will arrive? With how I am well before the events of the Hobbit... Woudn't it be poetic for me to arrive just before or at the start of the Shattering of the Elden Ring?'
I bet all my 'siblings' would be so suprised to learn that Marika had a secret child that they never knew about. Ranni would probably try to have me killed for sure.