Fifteen Years Later
The world had changed.
The peace that had existed after Smaug's defeat had slowly eroded, replaced by a growing tension that anyone with eyes to see could feel. Orcs grew bolder. Dark creatures emerged from forgotten places. And in Mordor, it was said, the forges burned day and night.
Sauron had returned.
Not in body, not yet, but in spirit, in influence, in the darkness that spread like a plague over Middle-earth.
And with his return came the inevitable war.
Escanor stood on a balcony in Rivendell, gazing eastward, feeling the weight of what lay ahead. He was twenty years older than when he had first arrived in this world, though his body barely showed the passage of time. His power kept him young, strong, but his eyes… his eyes had seen too much. They bore the weight of years of vigilance, of battles against the encroaching darkness, of nights spent wondering if it would be enough.
-Dad.
He turned to see Eldarion approaching, no longer the small child he had been, but a young man of twenty. Tall, strong, with his mother's dark hair and his father's golden eyes. And power... power practically radiated from him.
"Eldarion," Escanor smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You should be training with your brothers."
"We finished early." Eldarion stood beside him, also looking east. "I sensed your unease. We all did. What's wrong?"
"War," Escanor said simply. "It's coming. Sooner than anyone wants to admit."
"Then we shall fight," Eldarion said with the certainty of youth. "You have trained me all my life for this. To defend Middle-earth. To use my power wisely."
"I've trained you to survive," Escanor gently corrected. "There's a difference. And son... when the war comes, when the darkness is finally unleashed... I need you to promise me something."
- That?
—Protect your brothers. Protect your mothers. If something happens to me, if I don't come back...
"Don't say that," Eldarion interrupted, his voice suddenly fierce. "You won't speak like that again. You are the Lion of the Sun. The Dragonslayer. You can't..."
"I can die," Escanor said firmly. "We all can. And I need to know that if I do, my family will be protected. Can you promise me that?"
Eldarion looked at him for a long moment, then nodded slowly.
—I promise. But Dad... you won't have to do it alone. I'll fight with you. We all will.
"Not all of them," Escanor shook his head. "Your brothers are still too young. Caladorn is only seventeen. Taurohtar is fifteen. And the twins..."
"The twins are eighteen and better archers than most of the elven warriors I've ever seen," Eldarion smiled. "Aunt Tauriel made sure of that."
"Even so," Escanor insisted. "This war... will be different. It won't be like the skirmishes we've fought. It will be apocalyptic. And I won't put my children in unnecessary danger."
"Then we disagree," Eldarion said calmly. "Because if war comes, if Middle-earth is in danger, then every one of us will fight. Not because we have to, but because you have taught us that those with power have a responsibility to protect those without."
Escanor looked at his son, seeing not the child he had been but the man he had become. Proud. Noble. Strong not only in power but in character.
" When did you grow so much?" he asked gently.
"I had a good teacher," Eldarion smiled. "The best."
Before Escanor could respond, a presence made itself felt. Powerful, ancient, unmistakable.
Gandalf had arrived.
The mage looked older than Escanor remembered, his beard whiter, his face more etched with worry. But his eyes... his eyes still shone with that same ancient wisdom.
"Escanor," Gandalf bowed. "It's good to see you, old friend. Though I wish it were under happier circumstances."
"Gandalf," Escanor returned the bow. "It's been too long. What news do you bring?"
"Dark," Gandalf said gloomily. "Very dark. May we speak? In private."
They went to Elrond's study, where the Lord of Rivendell was already waiting, along with Arwen. Her expression was serious, and when Escanor entered, he immediately went to her side.
"Gandalf has been telling us about the Ring," he said quietly. "The One Ring of Sauron. It has been found."
Escanor felt his blood run cold.
— Found? Where? By whom?
"For a hobbit," Gandalf said. "Bilbo Baggins, your old friend. He's had him all these years, ever since his adventure in the Misty Mountains."
"Bilbo..." Escanor slumped into a chair. "So when I asked him about the ring I saw in his pocket, when he seemed uncomfortable... it was the One Ring."
"Yes," Gandalf confirmed. "And he has passed it on to his nephew, Frodo. Who now bears the most dangerous burden in all Middle-earth."
" And what shall we do with it?" Elrond asked. "It cannot remain in Rivendell. It cannot remain anywhere. The power of the Ring is too great, too corrupting."
"It must be destroyed," Gandalf said. "Thrown into the fires of Mount Doom, where it was forged. Only there can it be undone."
"Then I'll take him," Escanor said immediately. "I can resist his corruption. My power..."
"Your power would make you vulnerable in ways you don't understand," Gandalf interrupted. "The Ring corrupts through power. The stronger you are, the more tempting it is to use you. No, Escanor. You cannot be the Ring-bearer."
—So who?
"Frodo," Gandalf said. "The hobbit himself. He is small, humble, less susceptible to the call of the Ring than any warrior or lord."
"But he will need protection," Arwen said. "He cannot walk to Mordor alone."
"He won't," Elrond nodded. "I will convene a council. Representatives from all the free races. Together, we will decide how to proceed. And Escanor... I will need you there. Your counsel, your strength, will be invaluable."
"I'll be there," Escanor promised. "And Gandalf... what about Saruman? What do the other Istari say?"
Gandalf's expression darkened.
—Saruman has turned. He has been corrupted. He serves Sauron now, whether he knows it or not.
"Then we're more alone than I thought," Escanor murmured.
"Not alone," Elrond said. "We have allies. The elves of Rivendell and Lothlórien. The dwarves of Erebor. The Rohirrim. The men of Gondor. And we have you."
"One man," Escanor said. "Against the darkness of Mordor."
"A man who slew a dragon," Gandalf pointed out. "A man whose power rivals that of the Maiar. Do not underestimate yourself, Escanor. You are one of our best hopes."
"Then I won't disappoint you," Escanor said, standing up. "When is the council?"
"In three days," Elrond said. "Give the travelers time to arrive. And Escanor... bring your family. All of them. This affects everyone, and they deserve to have a say."
The Council of Elrond, Three Days Later
The circle had gathered. Representatives of every free race in Middle-earth sat in the beautiful open space where Elrond conducted such meetings.
There were the elves: Elrond, Arwen, Legolas of Mirkwood.
The dwarves: Gimli, son of Glóin.
The men: Aragorn, Boromir of Gondor.
The hobbits: Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin.
And Escanor sat beside Arwen, with Tauriel on his other side. Their children were also present, standing in the shadows, watching with serious expressions.
When Elrond asked for silence and began to explain the situation, Escanor felt the weight of history settling upon them all. This was the moment. The moment when everything would change.
"The Ring cannot remain here," Elrond concluded. "It must be taken to Mordor and destroyed. The question is: who will carry it?"
"I'll take it," Frodo said, rising, his voice small but firm. "Though I don't know the way."
"I'll go with you," Sam said immediately, getting up next to his master.
" Me too!" Merry and Pippin said in unison.
"You have my sword," Aragorn said, taking a step forward.
—And my bow— Legolas added.
"And my axe," Gimli roared.
One by one, they offered themselves. Gandalf. Boromir, though with an ambitious gaze fixed on the Ring, which worried Escanor.
"And you have my power," Escanor said, rising. "Rhitta and I will be with you to the end, little Frodo. I will not fail my old friend Bilbo by allowing his nephew to walk to his doom unprotected."
"No," a voice spoke from the shadows, and Eldarion stepped forward. "They will have our power. All of us."
Aelindë and Aurëlindë also came out, their bows in hand. Followed by Caladorn, his sword drawn. And finally Taurohtar, young but fierce.
"No," Escanor said firmly. "Absolutely not."
"It's not your choice," Eldarion said calmly. "Father, you've trained us all our lives for this. To defend Middle-earth. And now that the time has come, you expect us to sit idly by?"
"I hope they survive," Escanor said. "I hope they live to see the world we're trying to save."
—And we will —Aelindë said—. Fighting for it.
Escanor looked at Arwen, seeking support. But his face was calm, though there were tears in his eyes.
"They're adults," he said gently. "And they're right. You trained them for this. And now you must trust that the training was enough."
"We'll lose them," Escanor whispered. "I'll lose them all."
"Or you will trust them," Tauriel said, taking her hand. "As I trust them. As we all trust you."
Escanor looked at his children, saw the determination in their eyes, the nobility of purpose, and knew he had already lost this argument. Not because he was wrong, but because they were right.
"Then let's all go," he finally said. "The Fellowship of the Ring will be bigger than planned. But it will also be stronger."
"Not everyone can go," Elrond said. "The party must be small and quick. Too many will attract unnecessary attention."
"Then the elders," Escanor decided. "Eldarion, Aelindë, Aurëlindë. They are the most trained. The smartest."
"And the rest," Arwen added, looking at Caladorn and Taurohtar, "will stay here. They will help defend Rivendell if the war comes here."
"It's not fair..." Caladorn began.
"He is wise," Tauriel interrupted. "Your time will come, son. But today, your older brothers bear this burden."
Caladorn and Taurohtar looked bitterly disappointed, but they nodded.
"Then it is decided," Elrond declared. "The Fellowship of the Ring: Frodo the Ring-bearer, Sam his companion, Merry and Pippin his friends. Aragorn the Ranger. Legolas the Elf. Gimli the Dwarf. Gandalf the Grey. Boromir of Gondor. And Escanor the Lion of the Sun, with his three eldest sons. Thirteen in all. A mighty, if ominous, number."
" When do we leave?" Frodo asked.
"Tomorrow at dawn," Gandalf said. "Time is running out. Every day the Ring remains out of Mordor is another day Sauron seeks it."
"Then tonight," Escanor said, looking at his family, "we'll spend it together. All of us. Because tomorrow... tomorrow everything changes."
That night
The family gathered in Arwen's chambers, all together for what might be the last time. Escanor sat in the center, surrounded by his beloveds and his children, feeling the weight of what was to come.
"I want you to know," he began, his voice deep with emotion, "how proud I am. Of all of you. Arwen, Tauriel, you have given me twenty years of happiness I never dreamed possible. And my children… my children, they have given me purpose beyond power. They have shown me what truly matters."
"Dad," Eldarion said gently, "don't speak as if it's goodbye."
"Because it isn't," Escanor insisted. "We'll come back. All of us. But in case we don't... I need you to know. I need you to understand how much I love you. How completely, how totally."
"We know," Aurëlindë said, tears on her cheeks. "We've always known."
"And you need to know this too," Arwen added. "Your father is the noblest man I've ever known. And if anything happens to him, if we lose him... we will live on honoring his memory. By being the best versions of ourselves. Just as he taught us."
"Nothing will happen to me," Escanor tried to sound confident. "I am the Lion of the Sun, remember? I killed a dragon. A short trip to Mordor should be a piece of cake."
Everyone laughed, although the sound was tinged with fear.
"Promise us you'll be careful," Tauriel said. "That you won't do anything unnecessarily heroic."
" Me?" Escanor feigned offense. "Never."
"Liar," Aelindë smiled through her tears.
They spent the night sharing stories, reminiscing about happy times, building memory upon memory to sustain them through the dark days to come.
And when dawn finally arrived, when it was time to leave, they embraced with a ferocity born of love and fear combined.
"Come back to us," Arwen whispered against Escanor's chest. "Please. Come back."
"Always," he promised. "I will always come back to you."
"And me too," Tauriel added, hugging him as well. "Don't be a hero, Escanor. Just be smart. And survive."
"I'll try," he promised. "For all of you, I'll try."
They separated, and Escanor turned to join the Fellowship, his three eldest sons walking beside him.
The search had begun.
The journey would be long. Dangerous. Possibly deadly.
But as Escanor looked back one last time, seeing Arwen, Tauriel, and their two youngest children standing on the balcony, watching his departure, he felt his resolve solidify.
I would survive.
I would protect them all.
And when this was over, when Sauron was defeated and the Ring destroyed, he would return to his family.
The cost didn't matter.
The price didn't matter.
I would return.
Because the Lion of the Sun did not break.
And his promises were absolute.
End of Chapter 18