Thranduil held dinner that evening in the Great Hall. He invited Gandalf and Aragorn to sit at the high table with himself and Legolas. Luindil joined them, as did Galion and another strange Elf, whom Thranduil introduced as Menellir, the captain of his guard. Aragorn guessed from the presence of the advisors that this dinner would not be a purely social occasion. However, Thranduil proved to be a considerate host, allowing his guests time to ease their hunger before turning to business.

The fish which Aragorn and Legolas had collected had been coated in a mixture of acorn meal and savory seeds and fried. With the fish went chestnuts and wild onions cooked together. It was plain food, but expertly prepared, and after his lengthy stint in the Wild, Aragorn was happy to be eating food cooked by someone else in a proper kitchen. While they ate, Gandalf told the Elvenking news that he had collected from various parts of the world, and Thranduil listened attentively. Legolas and the three advisors also listened, and Aragorn was sure that, between the five Wood-elves, not a single detail of the world's events would remain unexamined by the next morning.

"And have you had word from your Hobbit friend, Bilbo Baggins?" Thranduil asked.

"I have," Gandalf replied. "Indeed, I made sure to pay him a visit directly before going forth to collect Gollum, for I knew that you would ask after him."

"And how does he fare?"

"He dwells in Imladris with Elrond," Gandalf said. "He expressed a desire to go wandering again, but I fear that age has caught up with him at last, and he does not have many more journeys left in him."

"That is a pity," Thranduil said. "I remember him fondly, and I would gladly have seen him again." Galion and Menellir exchanged a meaningful glance, but remained silent. Their exchange did not escape Thranduil's notice, however, and he winked at them with an amused look on his face. The corners of Legolas's mouth twitched a little, and he bowed his head over his plate.

Gandalf pretended not to notice this, and smiled benignly through his beard. "Bilbo spends his days writing poetry, and he is content," he said. "When he heard that I would be traveling through Mirkwood, he begged me to send his greetings to you, King Thranduil. It flatters him, I think, that you ask after him."

"Then I will continue to do so," Thranduil said. "I do not believe I have had the pleasure of being introduced to your current companion, Mithrandir."

Aragorn felt the blood rush to his face as five pairs of Wood-elf eyes turned to look at him. Gandalf harrumphed, as though he had been suddenly reminded of a failing of old age.

"Of course," he said placidly. "May I present Aragorn, son of Arathorn. He is the Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North."

"I see," Thranduil said. "Be welcome in my Halls, Aragorn son of Arathorn." He inclined his head courteously, then signaled one of the waitstaff to refill the pitcher of cold water on the table. Aragorn relaxed and felt his blush begin to fade. Clearly, Gandalf felt that the Wood-elves could be trusted with his true identity, and Aragorn had faith in Gandalf's judgement.

"I prefer the name Aragorn to Strider," Legolas told him.

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Because it is your own. You wear the name much more easily than Strider. All through this afternoon, when you were Strider, you started whenever I addressed you."

Aragorn smiled. "Keen are the eyes of the Elves," he said. "In truth, I am known by many different names. Though I was named Aragorn at my birth, I did not bear the name during my childhood. I was called Estel then. When I was twenty years of age, Elrond revealed to me my true name. . . and the history of my family," he added cautiously.

Legolas nodded. "I know of the lineage of the Dúnedain," he said. "My father has had dealings with Elendil and his line throughout this Age of the world." He laid down his fork and appeared to consider his next move for a moment. Then he turned to look directly at Aragorn. "Tell me about Imladris," he said.

Aragorn blinked, startled by the question. "What do you wish to know?"

"Everything. I have heard that it is a house as large as the delvings, but above ground, in a valley that is hidden away from all dangers. Is it very beautiful?"

"Oh, yes," said Aragorn. "The mountains shield the valley from the harshest weather, and the Last Homely House is built over a hot spring, so there is always warm water available. Between the House and the Bruinen lie many fields and gardens, several orchards, and meadows where the cattle and sheep and horses all graze together. Inside the House are libraries filled with more books of lore than anywhere else in Middle-earth. The beds are warm and soft, and there is a great hall, the Hall of Fire, where songs are sung and stories are told. Evil things do not enter that valley."

A faraway look came into Legolas's eyes, and he smiled as he imagined Imladris. "It sounds lovely," he said. "A great, rich House full of good things to eat and pleasant diversions, protected from evil. I think I would like to see it one day." The tone of Legolas's voice made it clear that he considered this no more likely than if he had wished to sail the sky in the ship of Eärendil.

"Perhaps you may yet come there," Aragorn said. "No one knows what the future will bring."

The rest of the meal progressed amiably. When the waitstaff began pouring cups of tea, Thranduil straightened and became serious, and Aragorn knew that the social portion of the evening was finished. "Tell me, Mithrandir," Thranduil said, "what have you learned from that creature, Gollum?"

"Not nearly enough," Gandalf replied. "I fear that I must impose upon you for a few days more, King Thranduil. But I have learned enough to hope that Gollum may, in time, be cured."

"Cured of what?" Luindil asked. "Is he ill?"

"Not precisely. Say rather that he has fallen under a great shadow."

"That much is clear," Luindil said. "When I brought him to the storage rooms, the light from the torch I carried appeared to pain him."

"I fear you will find it so," Gandalf said. "He has lived long in the dark places of the earth, and he has grown unaccustomed to light and warmth."

Menellir tilted his head and gazed searchingly at Gandalf. "It is the nature of this great shadow which concerns me," he said. "We in Mirkwood are not as safe as perhaps you had guessed, and the evil in the world has grown rapidly in these later days. The presence of a shadowed creature in our halls will certainly not improve this situation. What new perils come with Gollum?"

"He bites," Aragorn said. "I found it useful to keep him leashed when I traveled with him."

"Were he a simple prisoner, I would agree without reservation," Gandalf said. "But I still hold out hope that he may be redeemed. I think, Menellir, that you should use caution when handling him, especially at first, but that you should also treat him with kindness and mercy, for he has had little enough of that in the long years of his existence. Try to return to him what dignity you may."

"That will take some doing," Galion put in. "Luindil told me that he would eat fish raw. I gave him one of today's catch, and he did just that. He bit into it as though it were a fruit."

"If that is what he prefers to eat, then that is what we will feed him," Thranduil said. "You do not need to watch the process, I think." He turned to Gandalf. "You did say that we would not need to keep Gollum indefinitely. How will we know that his sojourn here is ended?"

Gandalf sighed. "I cannot tell you that, King Thranduil. Perhaps, if luck is with us, I will come and collect him. Perhaps he will die. Perhaps something else will happen, something that none here can foresee."

Though the Elves pressed him, Gandalf would say no more about Gollum, explaining that what the Elves did not know, they could not reveal to unfriendly ears. Thranduil's smile grew somewhat forced, and Luindil and Menellir glowered openly.

"So be it," Thranduil said. "I will care for your wretched Gollum and do what I may for his wellbeing. May I hope that some day, when this business is over, you will explain who or what Gollum is and the nature of your interest in him?"

"When this business is over," Gandalf said. "Though what may be meant by 'over' is far from clear. Perhaps this business will never truly be over. But I will tell you the tale of Gollum one day, King Thranduil, if you and I should find ourselves together and the world at peace."

Aragorn left early the next morning to make his way back over the Misty Mountains. Gandalf stayed two more nights with the Wood-elves, spending his days questioning Gollum in his storage closet. He did not learn anything new from the creature and departed on the morning of the third day, saying that he would go to seek other counsel. After he had gone, Galion went to the kitchens to supervise the day's work of cooking preserves. Passing a barrel of imported wheat flour, he was surprised to find it full.

"That barrel was half empty when last I looked at it," he reported to Thranduil. "I have been cautious and sparing as ever with the wheat flour, but I know that we have eaten our share of it."

Thranduil smiled. "I believe you, Galion," he said. "I suspect that this is Mithrandir's doing. He has entrusted us with the care of Gollum and seeks to ease our burden by supplying us with a little luxury. That is why I trust Mithrandir. He is a good friend who sweetens those blows he must inflict."

Gollum seemed content to sit alone in the dark, muttering to himself. Three times a day, Galion sent one of the kitchen staff to bring him water and a fresh fish. These Gollum devoured greedily and messily, spitting curses at the Elf who had brought his meal. Once every day, someone cleaned his cell. None of the kitchen staff enjoyed these duties, and Galion made sure to rotate those assignments so that no one was forced to visit Gollum any more often than was necessary.

After a month had passed, Thranduil decided that the situation could not continue. One day he declared that he would bring Gollum's morning fish personally. After the creature snatched it from his hand and scuttled off into a dark corner, Thranduil sat down on a bench and watched him. He sat with Gollum for the entire day. At first he attempted to speak to the prisoner, asking him if he was comfortable or if there were anything special he required, but Gollum spat at him and then retreated into a shadow, moaning about the horrible nasty Elves who visited him.

"Have a care, Gollum," Thranduil said lightly, "for those are my folk whom you so casually malign, and they are the ones who bring you the sweet fish you like to eat."

"Sss," hissed Gollum. "Nassty Elves, always watching us with their sharp bright eyeses, they do. We would hide from them, we would, but the Precious is gone. Our birthday present, gollum, gollum."

"What happened to your present?" Thranduil asked.

"A Baggins stole it from us, Preciousss. He stole it, and we hates him forever, poor Gollum, poor Precious."

Thranduil raised an eyebrow at that. As far as he knew, the name Baggins could only mean the Hobbit who had been an unwilling guest in the delvings many years before. He wondered if Gollum was telling the truth, if Bilbo had indeed stolen something from him. Thranduil recalled that Bilbo had introduced himself as a burglar the night he had unveiled the Arkenstone, but he had not struck Thranduil as being especially malicious. Bilbo had been under some sort of contract with the Dwarves, Thranduil remembered, though he could not fathom how Bilbo might have encountered Gollum.

"How did Baggins come to steal this thing from you?" he asked. Gollum did not answer for a long time, hissing and whining.

"Riddleses, my Precious," he said at last. "What has it got in its pocketses? Not fair, not fair, that is not a proper riddle. It tricked us, it did, gollum, and it stole our Precious."

Thranduil smiled in the gloom. He was familiar with the game of riddles. The Wood-elves' children played it often during the long winter evenings. Legolas had been quite skilled at the game. As a child, he and several of his friends loved to play with pretty glass marbles from Lake Town. Legolas had won some of his more unusual specimens from his friends by playing the game of riddles with them.

"No," he agreed. "It was not a fair question." Then he had an idea. Mithrandir had requested that the Wood-elves treat Gollum with kindness. "What sort of thing was your Precious?" Thranduil asked. "Perhaps I can replace it from my treasury."

"Never," Gollum wailed. "There is only one Precious. Our birthday present, it was, and nassty Baggins has stolen it from us forever. Bright nassty Elveses do not have the Precious. Only cold, dead fisheses, poor Gollum, gollum, gollum."

"I am sorry for your loss, then," Thranduil said, and he spoke truly. There were some objects that were dear to a person's heart and therefore irreplaceable. He knew that he would be as heartbroken as Gollum if someone were to steal his golden marriage ring, a connection to his vanished Queen that was second only to Legolas in its value to him. Whatever the Precious was, it had likely been the only lovely thing that Gollum had ever owned, and Thranduil was indeed sorry that Gollum had lost it.

Later that evening, Thranduil summoned Legolas, Luindil, Menellir and Galion to his library. "We cannot keep Gollum locked forever in the storage rooms," he said without preamble when they arrived.

"It is a waste of good fish, certainly," Galion said. "And the chore of coaxing my staff to feed and care for him grows less amusing by the day."

"That storage chamber begins to smell foul," Luindil said. "I do not mean to slight the efforts of those who clean it, but it seems to me as if there is something horrible about the creature which has seeped into the walls."

"He is horrible," Thranduil agreed. "I will not dispute that. However, I think we must reconsider our treatment of Gollum in light of Mithrandir's words. You will remember that he instructed us to show the creature some kindness and mercy."

"But the Man Aragorn said that he was dangerous," Menellir said. "He does not seem to be ashamed to bite, and that is the least of my fears. I do not trust the look in his eyes when he is muttering to himself."

"What does he mutter about?" Luindil asked. "Does he ask for anything that we could give him?"

Thranduil sighed. "Most of what he says is pure self-pity," he said. "But I did learn that, some time ago, he lost some object that was precious to him. I offered to replace it from our treasury, but he would not even tell me what his precious thing was. I think that the only things Gollum desires from life are fish and his treasure."

"Perhaps he lacks something that he does not know he desires," Legolas suggested. "Were I shut up in a darksome hole, I would desire nothing more than fresh air and sunlight."

"He cannot abide sunlight," Luindil said. "But perhaps you are right about fresh air. He was wandering in the open country when Aragorn captured him. I wonder if his disposition would improve if he were allowed to feel the air."

"How?" Menellir asked. "We cannot turn him loose. Nor can we give him a window. There are few enough windows in the delvings as it is, and I do not wish to go to the trouble of building a pen that would hold him."

"Perhaps he does not need to be outside all the time," Legolas said. "I think that he could be taken for short walks. Aragorn kept him leashed. We could do the same."

"He does not love the sunlight," Luindil said slowly, as if he spoke his thoughts aloud. "But there are many places in Mirkwood where the trees are thick and little light ever reaches the forest floor. Those places might appeal to him."

"He would have to be guarded," Menellir cautioned.

"But when he is outside, he can forage for his own food," Galion countered. "I can assign those of the kitchen staff who would ordinarily have brought him fish to walk with him instead. Perhaps they might find the duty marginally more pleasant."

"What say you, King Thranduil?" Luindil asked.

Thranduil considered the words of his advisers for a while. At last, he nodded. "It is an idea worth trying, I think," he said. "Let us try walking Gollum outside for a month. If it is an improvement over our current situation, then we will adopt the practice permanently. But if there is the slightest increase in the danger to our folk because of it, we will shut him inside again and debate a better course of action."

"I recommend that, at least for the first few days, a guard accompany Gollum's minders," Menellir said. "If he becomes overly excited by the change in his surroundings, the guards might prevent him from attacking his minders."

"So noted," Thranduil said. "I will see that it is done. I propose that we take him outside tomorrow."

Legolas raised his hand. "I volunteer to be among the guards," he said. "I have a turn of guard duty tomorrow in any event, and as the idea for walking him was mine in the first place, I feel that I should help to bear some of the risk."

"Thank you, Legolas," Menellir said. "By your leave, King Thranduil?"

Thranduil nodded. "Yes. Legolas may be among the guards. I do not think he should be the only one, though."

"Of course not. I will choose others from the list tomorrow."

"Good." Thranduil looked around the library. "If there is nothing more to discuss, I bid you all good night." He rose, and his advisors rose with him. "Go to your rest. It will be an interesting day tomorrow."

The next morning, Legolas and his friend Heledir appeared at the entrance to the storage chambers. Each carried a long knife in his belt. Legolas had his hunting bow, and Heledir carried a pike. Menellir's lieutenant, Inglor, inspected them, then gave them each a small coil of rope. He himself carried a weighted net. "I think we are as prepared as we will ever be," he said. "If this creature attacks you or one of the minders, or attempts to escape, your instructions are to bring him down, but do not kill him. Mithrandir has not seen fit to tell us who this Gollum is, nor why he is important, but it is clear that he has some interest in the wretch. Let us therefore attempt to preserve him for whatever his fate may be."

Legolas and Heledir nodded. The door to the storage corridor opened, and two kitchen Elves emerged with a blindfolded Gollum on a leash of rope. Gollum scuttled around awkwardly on all fours, and Legolas realized that this was because his arms had been loosely hobbled to his legs. One of the kitchen Elves followed his gaze. "We did not wish to bind his hands, but neither did we wish for him to remove the blindfold," one of them explained.

"That is fine," Inglor said. "We will remove the hobbles and the blindfold when we reach a spot where he may play."

Without any more discussion, the five Elves escorted Gollum outside into the fresh, warm air so that, for the first time in a month, he might breathe freely.