Leaving Without Saying Goodbye

A hazy moonlight blanketed Rivendell.

In the attic at the top of the mountain.

Gandalf sat at the round table in the center, facing a tribunal of three: Galadriel, the Elf Queen; Saruman, the White Wizard; and Eldrond, the Elven lord of Rivendell.

A fierce debate was underway. Their voices were calm, but their words were anything but.

"Tell me, Gandalf. Do you think no one will find out about your plans?"

"Of course not. I'm simply doing what I believe is right."

"Gandalf, we've lived in peace for four hundred years, and carefully maintained this hard-won peace."

"The Dwarves' journey to the Lonely Mountain is certain to awaken that dragon."

"Has it really been peace all this time?"

"Do you know the surrounding residents have started calling Greenwood Mirkwood?"

"Radagast told me he found traces of a Necromancer in Dol Guldur."

"Don't mention Radagast the Brown to me. He's a fool who's eaten too many poisonous mushrooms and lost his mind. They even turned his teeth yellow. I've been saying that for ages."

"You still haven't convinced me, Gandalf."

"I don't think I can stomach this expedition of the Dwarves."

"If the Dwarves came to me, I wouldn't give them any hope."

Of the three presiding over the tribunal, Saruman was the most opposed to the Company's expedition.

Seeing that words alone wouldn't satisfy all three of them, Gandalf finally reached carefully into his robes and took out an object wrapped in layers of white cloth. He set it on the round table in the middle of the hall.

He had received it from Radagast the Brown several days earlier, on the morning the Company encountered the three giant Stone Trolls.

After arguing with Thorin Oakenshield, Gandalf had gone out for a walk to clear his head. That was when he'd met Radagast, who told him about the grave upheaval in Greenwood.

"What is that?"

Seeing the object Gandalf had carefully brought out, Lord Elrond immediately asked. He even reached out as if to touch it.

Just as Lord Elrond was about to make contact, Galadriel's voice rang out from beside him. "Those are the remains of Mordor."

At her words, Lord Elrond snatched his hand back as if he'd been pricked.

The atmosphere in the attic fell silent.

Gandalf reached out and peeled back the white cloth. A short sword appeared, with a black hilt and a silver blade.

It looked ordinary, but the traces of age and evil that clung to it made it clear that it was anything but.

"This is a Morgul-blade," Lord Elrond said, astonished.

The other two were no ordinary people, either. They immediately sensed something strange about the short sword.

The atmosphere in the attic grew heavy.

At the same time,

Morgan rose and followed Kili through the garden where the Company was staying.

"What else did Thorin say?"

Morgan casually asked his "student" beside him.

"Nothing. He just ordered us to leave right away. He didn't say anything else."

"Though we all want to know why."

At Morgan's question, Kili shook his head.

Kili's expression was sincere. He really did want to know. After all, the Elves had treated them very well these past few days.

If they were leaving, they should at least say goodbye to Lord Elrond.

Besides, Kili wouldn't lie to Morgan, who was practically his teacher by now.

"I think I might know."

Morgan spoke softly, but said nothing more.

Kili looked as if he wanted to ask something, but since his "teacher" Morgan wasn't willing to say more, he didn't press him.

By the time the two returned to their quarters in the garden,

the Dwarves had already finished packing and were nearly ready to go.

Morgan didn't waste time. He went straight back to his room and quickly gathered his things.

He didn't have much to pack. Once he was done, he even had time to trim his hair.

His black hair had grown to his shoulders. He cut it to chin length, so it would be comfortable to wear loose and easy to tie back in a ponytail.

He shaved off his beard, then shaved the sideburns on his cheeks, which had given him a rugged, masculine look.

After more than a month of dangerous travel, Morgan had become more and more manly. He'd lost the hint of a pretty-boy look he'd once had.

Now, freshly groomed, he looked mature and handsome.

"I never thought I'd get this handsome."

Morgan muttered as he stood before the ornate glass mirror.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

The Dwarves' voices followed from outside.

Morgan picked up his bundle and strode out.

Once outside, he saw the Dwarves, all packed and ready to go.

Since they'd planned from the start to leave at some point, the Dwarves had asked the Elves for extra supplies while they were preparing provisions for the Company. They'd stocked up on things like jerky, flatbread, and liquor.

Now those supplies were finally coming in handy.

The Dwarves' bulging packs were filled almost entirely with food and provisions.

Morgan spotted Bilbo in the crowd.

The Dwarves' sudden departure, along with Gandalf's absence, left Bilbo looking utterly confused.

Earlier, while exploring Rivendell, he'd run into the Elven lord, Eldrond.

Lord Elrond had openly told him that Rivendell would welcome him to stay, if he wanted.

The sudden turn of events brought Lord Elrond's words back to Bilbo's confused mind.

But he'd promised Gandalf, signed an agreement with the Dwarves, and grown accustomed to adventuring with them over the past month. He just couldn't bring himself to leave the Company and stay in Rivendell.

As the Dwarves urged the utterly bewildered Bilbo onward, he saw Morgan, fully equipped.

Aside from the wizard Gandalf, Morgan was the person Bilbo got along with best in the Company.

Seeing him now, Bilbo, who hadn't been able to make up his mind about leaving, felt as if he'd seen his savior—his only companion.

Morgan was strong. He never mocked or looked down on Bilbo, and they got along well.

Memories of their adventures flashed through Bilbo's mind. His wavering resolve suddenly found an anchor, and he quickly made up his mind.

Seeing Bilbo looking so lost, Morgan naturally understood how he felt.

He quickly walked over, patted Bilbo on the shoulder, and smiled. "You all right, Bilbo? Relax."

Morgan's words and the pat on the shoulder visibly steadied Bilbo.

"Morgan, are we really leaving just like that?"

"And where's Gandalf? Isn't he leaving with us?"

Now that he'd calmed down, Bilbo moved closer and asked Morgan in a low voice.

"Thorin's the one who wants to leave."

"As for Gandalf, he'll definitely come back. He just has to be away for a while."

"Relax, Bilbo."

Walking at the back of the Company, Morgan quickly explained in a low voice.

"Come on, keep up!"

Thorin Oakenshield's voice came from up ahead.

Morgan patted Bilbo once more, then strode toward the front of the Company.

Bilbo thought it over briefly, then hurried after Morgan.

Under the hazy moonlight, the Company quickly made its way out of Rivendell beneath the night sky.

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