"Achoo!"
Far on the other side of the Misty Mountains, Gandalf wiped his nose with the back of his weathered hand and pulled his gray robes tighter around his shoulders. He huddled on a piece of rotting driftwood beside a meager fire, its flickering flames providing scant warmth against the persistent chill.
"The weather grows warmer, spring approaches, yet the ring remains nowhere to be found," he muttered to himself, stirring the coals with a blackened stick.
"Perhaps it truly is no longer in this region."
This desolate area had clearly lost its investigative value. Any clues that might have existed had long since been washed away by time and weather.
Gandalf rose stiffly to his feet and gazed toward the eastern borders of Mirkwood, then shifted his attention to the southern end of the mountain range. Dol Guldur had been abandoned not long ago and had shown no signs of renewed activity since Sauron's retreat.
So where should he search next?
His thoughts turned reluctantly to Isengard, and he couldn't help but light his pipe, his weathered face twitching with distaste. If possible, he genuinely preferred to avoid encountering that sharp-tongued White Wizard. Unfortunately, the world's most comprehensive libraries and wisdom-filled tomes were housed within Isengard's towering walls.
He had no realistic alternative.
With a long, weary sigh, Gandalf ultimately chose to travel south toward Saruman's fortress, steeling himself for what promised to be an unpleasant reunion.
While Gandalf altered his course toward an uncertain welcome, Roadside Fort received a completely unexpected visitor.
"Legolas?"
At the city gate, Levi called out in genuine surprise, hardly believing his eyes.
The elven prince nodded gracefully and offered a respectful bow. "Greetings, my friend. How have you been faring lately?"
"Lately? Quite well, actually."
"But I truly didn't expect to see you here. This is quite a journey from the Woodland Realm."
"My father guided me to seek you out," Legolas replied, his usually composed expression showing hints of deeper emotion.
Seeing Levi again stirred complex feelings within the young elf. The Battle of Five Armies had spawned countless legends, and most of those tales centered on the man standing before him. Wall-builder, Orc-bane, Great Enemy, Walking Army, Iron Golem Summoner. The titles had multiplied until bards were running out of creative ways to describe his achievements.
"King Thranduil sent you?" Levi's voice grew noticeably warmer as he addressed this ally who had always treated him with respect and friendship.
"In that case, please come in and see what we've built here."
"Speaking of timing, yours is absolutely perfect. We're about to hold a seven-day celebration banquet to commemorate the founding of Roadside Fort. Would you like to join us?"
"A banquet? Of course I'd be honored."
Walking into the settlement beside Levi, Legolas tilted his head toward the sky as if retrieving distant memories.
"This kind of meaningful occasion is perfect for grand celebration, much like our Woodland Starlight Festival."
"I'd be truly delighted to participate in your festivities."
"It's unfortunate you haven't experienced our traditional celebrations. The outside world constantly spreads ridiculous rumors that elves never cook with fire when preparing meals, but I must tell you those are complete fabrications. At our banquets, you can witness many delicious things roasted over great fires."
Legolas paused, his expression growing slightly melancholy. "For the next Woodland Starlight Festival, I sincerely hope you can attend as our honored guest, Levi. But please forgive me, I might not be present myself by then."
"I'll make the journey if circumstances permit," Levi agreed readily.
Legolas fell silent after that, simply walking alongside his host while curiously observing the bustling territory around them. Everywhere he looked, residents were engaged in purposeful activity, their faces showing contentment and genuine happiness.
They proceeded all the way to the castle, arriving just as the evening meal was being prepared. Levi quickly assembled relatively light fare and brought out fresh fruits and vegetables as hospitality for his distinguished guest.
With the first bite, Legolas froze completely.
"This surpasses any similar dish I've ever tasted," he said with obvious amazement.
Coming from an elf, whose people were renowned throughout Middle-earth for their refined palates, this statement carried extraordinary weight.
"If it pleases you, please eat as much as you'd like."
Levi found himself somewhat curious whether elves were even capable of gaining weight. He'd traveled extensively throughout this world and encountered many elves but had never observed a single one whose figure had strayed from elegant perfection.
After finishing his meal, Legolas remained seated at the table, staring into the distance with a troubled expression.
"What's troubling you? Was there something that didn't suit your preferences?"
Levi opened a barrel of fine wine from Dorwinion, poured a generous cup, and offered it to his guest.
"No, quite the opposite. I couldn't identify a single thing to criticize," Legolas replied, shaking his head while accepting the cup.
He examined the wine carefully, then leaned forward to appreciate its aroma. The scent proved quite pleasant and inviting.
Unlike his father, Thranduil, who was something of a legendary drinker, this young elven prince rarely indulged in alcohol. But considering it had been personally offered by Levi, and the wine did smell remarkably appealing, Legolas hesitated only briefly before beginning to taste it with careful appreciation.
Before long, the cup was empty.
Observing Legolas's expression of wanting more, Levi smiled and refilled it without being asked.
Perhaps it was the warming effect of the alcohol, or perhaps he had finally begun to relax, but Legolas's conversation started flowing more freely.
"I don't know what I should be doing with my life," he confessed, his usual composure giving way to vulnerability.
"Even now, after all this time, I don't truly understand what love means, what familial affection encompasses, or what genuine friendship requires."
"I've tried searching for answers through action, traveling to Gundabad, to Erebor, to Lake-town, to Dale, but I couldn't find what I was seeking anywhere."
At this revelation, Levi also poured wine for himself, settling on the opposite side of the table. He raised his glass to lightly touch Legolas's cup and spoke with thoughtful consideration:
"Although I can't claim extensive personal experience in these matters, if you're genuinely asking for my perspective..."
"Love isn't something you discover through the journeys at your feet, nor is it a fixed treasure hidden in some specific location that you can find simply by traveling far enough or visiting enough places."
"It should be experienced from within your heart, flowing from inside outward like a natural spring."
"It's not knowledge you suddenly acquire one day, but rather like wine slowly filling an opaque vessel. When you observe from the outside, you can't determine if there's anything inside. Only when it's completely filled to overflowing, with wine spilling over the rim, do you suddenly realize the truth of what was always there."
"I believe it should be a gradual process of accumulation rather than sudden revelation."
"Is that truly how it works?" Legolas asked earnestly, draining his wine in one determined gulp before falling deep into contemplation.
"Uh, probably?" Levi responded, feeling somewhat embarrassed by his own philosophical attempt. One hand pressed against the table edge, nearly knocking over his own cup.
After all, Legolas had come here specifically under Thranduil's guidance. If Levi offered no meaningful help, that would seem rather inadequate to the trust placed in him. No matter what, he should at least attempt to provide some wisdom and encouragement.
"I still don't quite grasp the full meaning."
"Then remain here for an extended period," Levi suggested, gesturing toward the lively scene visible through the window. "Live among the residents, make genuine efforts to integrate with their community."
"Don't worry about acceptance. They're all fundamentally good people with generous hearts. They won't reject you if you approach with sincerity."
"Listen carefully, feel deeply, and think honestly about what you experience."
"Perhaps this immersion will help you discover what you're truly seeking."
"I understand," Legolas said, setting down his wine cup with newfound determination. "Please arrange meaningful work for me. I'll apply myself diligently to whatever tasks you assign."
"Well, I don't yet know what type of work would interest you most or suit your particular skills. How about this approach: go find our community representative, Vide. Usually, newcomers to the territory receive their initial guidance from him."
Legolas retained his characteristic impatience despite the philosophical conversation. As soon as Levi finished speaking, he hurried from the castle, asking various residents for directions to locate this 'community representative' that Levi had mentioned.
Somewhat to his surprise, the community representative proved quite easy to locate. When Legolas finally found him, he discovered Vide peacefully tending a garden in his modest backyard, hands dirty with honest soil.
Such a remarkably down-to-earth leader?
"Hello there," Legolas called politely from the garden entrance.
"Greetings to you, young..." Vide began, then paused as he took in the unmistakably elven features. "Ah, no, you're clearly an elf, aren't you?"
"Well, you're definitely older than me despite appearances. What can I do to help you?"
"Lord Levi directed me to seek you out, hoping you could arrange suitable work for me."
"I see," Vide replied, setting down his gardening tools and adopting a more formal demeanor.
From the casual way this elf had addressed their lord, his relationship with Levi was probably quite significant. At minimum, his social status was definitely elevated above that of ordinary visitors.
The lord had specifically requested work arrangements for him. Should such assignments be particularly easy or ceremonial?
No, wait. There didn't seem to be any genuinely difficult work available within the territory. Everything they did was relatively relaxed and manageable.
After brief consideration, Old Vide reached his decision.
"Please follow me."
The community representative ultimately chose to follow standard procedures exactly as he would for any newcomer. After all, given his lord's straightforward nature, Levi always said precisely what he meant, never engaging in indirect communication or offering hidden implications.
If that assessment was accurate, then simply doing his job properly would be sufficient.