I won't go into the whole tale of the ring but this is something the
happened in Lorien that Tolkien didn't tell us about.
* * *
Lorielwen ran swiftly through the woods. She had to get to Galadriel. She had seen a strange company headed towards the forest. The people had to be warned.
she soon came to Lorien and climbed through a small opening in the busshes surrounding the Elf-city. She ran as fast as her feet could carry her, to the top of the hill. She found a small wooden gate, opened it and entered. She was in a beautiful garden. An elf stood before her, clothed in white, her golden hair in braids.
"Lady Galadriel! I am coming to warn you. I was on the Western edge of the woods..."
"You were where?!?"
Not heading her comment, Lorielwen continued, "...when I saw an odd group. There were eight I think. I heard Haldir speak of capturing them. I could tell from that distance that at least one of them was an elf. And they were headed this way." she said all this in only a matter of seconds ingnoring her own breathlessness.
"I already know of their coming and I ordered Haldir to watch for them and bring them to me. Why were you out there?"
"I wanted to watch the sun set." was her simple answer. Apparently, Galadriel didn't buy it.
"You can watch the sun set from here, you know that. You are not to leave Lorien. It is too dangerous outside. the shadow from the East is growing and we all must be cautious. What would your father do to me if anything happened to you because of your own carelessness."
Lorielwen looked up at these last words as Galadriel clamped a hand over her mouth.
"My father? You know him? So I do have parents. I never thought I would see the day when you would slip up. Please, tell me more. I'm old enough."
"You're not even eighteen and you are still my pupil. Lorielwen, you are like daughter to me. you are the sole heir to the realm of Lothlorien. Please, let it go. Be happy knowing that you will be told everything someday."
"Alright. As you wish Madame." Lorielwen made her way to her tree. In the center of the town, there was a tall, tall oak tree in which Galadriel and Celeborn resided. Around the tree there was a clearing lined with trees and the tallest of these, a Mallorn, was where Lorielwen lived. She climbed a silver rope ladder to a flet in the tree and fell asleep almost instantly. But her dreams were haunted. Haunted by a face so fair, it frightened her. eyes of a swirling grey storm cloud waiting to strike, shining in starlight.
Lorielwen awoke the next morning in a cold sweat. That face would be her doom if she wasn't careful about it. She got up, changed her robes for they were to have guests in the evening. She spent the day in Galadriel's gardens, gazing into her mirror over and over but always she saw that same sweet, haunting face. When it came time for dinner, she made her way to Galadriel's place to eat. Once they finished their meal, they had to go to the entrance hall where all the lords and ladies of lorien were sitting in anticipation. Galadriel and Celeborn departed to the waiting room while the rest of them waited. After a while, the Lady sitting next to Lorielwen leaned over and whispered in her ear.
"Lorielwen, would you sing us all a song? We are rather nervous. Stranger's have not entered Lorien in ages. You have the most beautiful voice in Lorien. It might calm all of them a little."
So she started to sing without hesitation, singing being one of her great loves. she sang a light, joyful song that she had absolutely adored in her childhood. The air in the room became less tense. At the end of the song, Haldir entered. Behind him by a few minutes walked what looked like a boy. Lorielwen later found that it was a hobbit (or halfling). Beside him was an elf. Tall and very handsome. Lorielwen's breathe caught in her throat. It was the face from her dreams. Galadriel and celeborn greeted both of these beings with warmness. The hobbit was Frodo of the Shire.
"Welcome son of Thranduil! Too seldom do my kindred journey hither from the North."
Thus, Lorielwen learned that he was Legolas Greenleaf, from Mirkwood in the North. After came three more hobbits, two men, and a dwarf. She had counted right and she was right in the fact that one was an elf. After the guests had departed for their sleeping area, Lorielwen went back to her tree only to find that a few white tents had been placed underneath it. Sitting around inside the tents, she could see seven figures of all sizes. So instead of going to bed, she went to her favorite garden. It wasn't fenced in for it was wild. It was overgrown with wildflowers in Pale blue, gold, silver, and green. At one side, there was a natural pond, surrounded by white lilies. Lorielwen sat herself among these and began to sing a slow mournful song, thinking of the parents she nver had known and probably never would know.
* * *
Legolas was walking through the woods when he heard it. That voice. When they had gone to see galadriel, he had heard that voice coming from above as he stood in the clearing beneath the tree. It had been bouncy and joyful then. Now it was slow and sad. The sound brought tears to his eyes. He worked his way towards it trying to find it before it stopped. He suddenly stumbled upon a clearing. The clear moonlight glittered off the surface of a pond but he didn't notice that for a young Elf-maiden sat gazing into the pond. Her hair was Black, and it shined with golden streaks and her eyes were the clear blue of a rain-washed sky on a clear spring afternoon. She was clothed in gold, shining in the moonlight. It looked almost like the sun was sitting before him, singing mournfully about the night. He noticed that she wore no shoes. She was the one singing.
He just stood admiring her, wondering what could make her sad enough to sing such words. But she finished singing and sat there in silence.
"Please, don't stop." Legolas urged.
"What are you doing?" she gasped in surprise, spinning around to find him watching her."
"I was walking when I heard your singing. It was so beautiful and yet so sad. I followed the sound." then noticing the silent tears running down her cheeks, he asked, "why are you crying?"
"It is not you problem or your business. So stay out of it." She tried to leave but he grabbed her arm as she ran past him.
"Answer me first."
She suddenly found herself throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. She spilled her soul to him that night. she told him that her parents had abandoned her when she was born and sent her here where she had grown up with Galadriel as a mentor.
"Sh...sh...it's okay. It's alright. I'm here. Don't be frightened. I won't leave." Legolas comforted her. so they sat there in each others arms 'till sunrise, when they both had to leave. But they left hand in hand and headed to Galadriel's gardens. They were there most of the morning, talking until Galadriel came in.
"I thought I would find you two here. Legolas, I wish to speak to you in private. Lorielwen, will you excuse us?"
"Yes Madame. Legolas, I will see you later." and she left to go work on her sewing.
* * *
"Legolas, I don't know if you want to get involved with Lorielwen. She is uncontrollable. You can't handle her."
"Lady galadriel, Nobody is more uncontrolable than me. I can handle her."
"That is not it. Come! Look into my mirror." Galadriel led him to a deep bowled basin which she filled with water. As he looked into it, all he saw was the stars but it quickly faded into an image of the Lady Evenstar. Then, he saw Aragorn. Was the mirror telling him they were lovers? He already knew that. But the image changed again and he saw Lorielwen stood there, shining like the sun, clothed in gold. Beside her stood another Elf-maiden. She was even more beautiful, shining like Earendil's star, clothed in silver. Her hair was also black but with light auborn streaks and her eyes were a deep violet. But suddenly, Legolas realized there faces were exactly the same. They were twins. but that was impossible. Elves don't have twins. It had never been heard of before. Then he realized that the images of Arwen and Aragorn before were to tell him that these two young elves were sprung from Arwen. Theu were arwen's and Aragorn's daughters. But was the other one? Legolas looked up at Galadriel to find her smiling at him.
"Now you know." was all she said before leading him back out of the garden.
* * *
"Don't tell Lorielwen. I know you. But she must not know. She will know in due time. And I am afraid even you have a greater part to play than you yet realize....Don't go falling in love with Lorielwen, for I fear it will injure your future greatly. Heed my words, Legolas for there are far greater powers than mine at work." Legolas ran over Galadriel's words in his head as he lay awake in his tent. Gimli snored softly a few feet away but Legolas tuned it out. He wished he could understand the words. He wanted more than anything to run and tell Lorielwen, but Galadriel was one of the wisest in Middle-earth and if she had reason to keep this kind of secret for all these years, then it had to be a valid one.
The rest of the time he was in Lorien, he avoided Lorielwen. Anytime he went anywhere, gimli accompanied him and the two became very great friends. Legolas didn't see her again untill the day they were to leave. He thought it best that he at least say farewell to her so he awoke before all the others and found his way back to the place where they had met. He found her there, knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. She was crying into her folded arms as he approached her and sat down next to her. Sensing a presence, she looked up quickly, drying her eyes.
"Legolas!" she whispered hoarsely. "You came back." she threw her arms around him and he hesitated before he hugged her back.
"Lorielwen. I came to say goodbye. We leave today."
At this, she started to cry again and to cling to Legolas like a lost child.
"Please...Don't leave me!" she cried between sobs, "I don't know if I could live without you."
"I was sworn not to leave the fellowship and I'm not going to abandon my friends and my quest for a girl. But I'll return when it's all over. I will have to go home first to let my father know that I am alive. I'll return...eventually."
With that, he left her to her own sorrows and went to meet the others. They had to discuss their plan of action. What they didn't know was that Lorielwen was in the tree above them listening and crying every time she heard Legolas' sweet voice. She suddenly remembered the dreams and understood. She would die from the grief of losing him if he didn't return.
* * *
So they left and Lorielwen went with Celeborn and Galadriel to see them off. And (if you have the book you will understand this better) They all heard Galadriel singing a farewell to them. At least they all thought it was Galadriel. All except Legolas. He knew that voice and tears brimmed his eyes as he listened to her sad farewell:
"'Ai! Laurie lantar lassi surinen,
yeni unotime ve ramar aldaron!
Yeni ve linte yuldar avanier
mi oromardi lisse-miruvoreva
Andune pella, Vardo tellumar
nu luini yassen tintilar i eleni
omaryo airetari-lirinen.
Si man i yulma nin enquantuva?
An si Tintalle Varda Oilosseo
ve fanyar maryat Elentari ortane,
ar ilye tier undulave lumbule;
ar sindanoriello caita mornie
i falmalinnar imbe met, ar hisie
untupa Calaciryo miri oile.
Si vanwa na, Romello vanwa, Valimar!
Namarie! Nai hiruvalye Valimar.
Nai elye hiruva. Namarie!'"*
And so it was that Legolas went on to represent the elves in the War of the Ring. But all the while, his mind kept turning to Lorielwen and Galadriel's words.
* * *
After the war, Legolas and gimli went to the glittering caves of Helm's Deep and to Fangorn. After that, Legolas went home to Mirkwood, going around Lothlorien so as not to run into Lorielwen. But only a day after he returned home, he found himself faced with another journey.......
TO BE CONTINUED.......
* For those true LotR dorks, the translation is on page 424-425 in Fellowship. but for those of you who don't have the books, here's the translation:
"'Ah! like gold fall the leaves in the wind, long years numberless as the wings of trees! The years have passed like swift draughts of the sweet mead in lofty halls beyond the West, beneath the blue vaults of Varda wherein the stars tremble in the song of her voice, holy and queenly. Who now shall refill the cup for me? For now the Kindler, Varda, the Queen of Stars, from Mount Everwhite has uplifted her hands like clouds, and all paths are drowned deep in shadow; and out of a grey country darkness lies on the foaming waves between us, and mist covers the jewels of Calacirya for ever. Now lost, lost to those from the East in Valimar! Farewell! Maybe thou shalt find Valimar. Maybe even thou shalt find it. Farewell' Varda is the name of that lady whom the elves in these lands of exile name Elbereth."
This isn't in verse form because it isn't in the book and I had a little trouble with it. If you wan't it in verse form, try to figure it out yourself and if you can, please E-mail it to me. I would really appreciate it and I would give you credit and I would put it in here.
* * *
Lorielwen ran swiftly through the woods. She had to get to Galadriel. She had seen a strange company headed towards the forest. The people had to be warned.
she soon came to Lorien and climbed through a small opening in the busshes surrounding the Elf-city. She ran as fast as her feet could carry her, to the top of the hill. She found a small wooden gate, opened it and entered. She was in a beautiful garden. An elf stood before her, clothed in white, her golden hair in braids.
"Lady Galadriel! I am coming to warn you. I was on the Western edge of the woods..."
"You were where?!?"
Not heading her comment, Lorielwen continued, "...when I saw an odd group. There were eight I think. I heard Haldir speak of capturing them. I could tell from that distance that at least one of them was an elf. And they were headed this way." she said all this in only a matter of seconds ingnoring her own breathlessness.
"I already know of their coming and I ordered Haldir to watch for them and bring them to me. Why were you out there?"
"I wanted to watch the sun set." was her simple answer. Apparently, Galadriel didn't buy it.
"You can watch the sun set from here, you know that. You are not to leave Lorien. It is too dangerous outside. the shadow from the East is growing and we all must be cautious. What would your father do to me if anything happened to you because of your own carelessness."
Lorielwen looked up at these last words as Galadriel clamped a hand over her mouth.
"My father? You know him? So I do have parents. I never thought I would see the day when you would slip up. Please, tell me more. I'm old enough."
"You're not even eighteen and you are still my pupil. Lorielwen, you are like daughter to me. you are the sole heir to the realm of Lothlorien. Please, let it go. Be happy knowing that you will be told everything someday."
"Alright. As you wish Madame." Lorielwen made her way to her tree. In the center of the town, there was a tall, tall oak tree in which Galadriel and Celeborn resided. Around the tree there was a clearing lined with trees and the tallest of these, a Mallorn, was where Lorielwen lived. She climbed a silver rope ladder to a flet in the tree and fell asleep almost instantly. But her dreams were haunted. Haunted by a face so fair, it frightened her. eyes of a swirling grey storm cloud waiting to strike, shining in starlight.
Lorielwen awoke the next morning in a cold sweat. That face would be her doom if she wasn't careful about it. She got up, changed her robes for they were to have guests in the evening. She spent the day in Galadriel's gardens, gazing into her mirror over and over but always she saw that same sweet, haunting face. When it came time for dinner, she made her way to Galadriel's place to eat. Once they finished their meal, they had to go to the entrance hall where all the lords and ladies of lorien were sitting in anticipation. Galadriel and Celeborn departed to the waiting room while the rest of them waited. After a while, the Lady sitting next to Lorielwen leaned over and whispered in her ear.
"Lorielwen, would you sing us all a song? We are rather nervous. Stranger's have not entered Lorien in ages. You have the most beautiful voice in Lorien. It might calm all of them a little."
So she started to sing without hesitation, singing being one of her great loves. she sang a light, joyful song that she had absolutely adored in her childhood. The air in the room became less tense. At the end of the song, Haldir entered. Behind him by a few minutes walked what looked like a boy. Lorielwen later found that it was a hobbit (or halfling). Beside him was an elf. Tall and very handsome. Lorielwen's breathe caught in her throat. It was the face from her dreams. Galadriel and celeborn greeted both of these beings with warmness. The hobbit was Frodo of the Shire.
"Welcome son of Thranduil! Too seldom do my kindred journey hither from the North."
Thus, Lorielwen learned that he was Legolas Greenleaf, from Mirkwood in the North. After came three more hobbits, two men, and a dwarf. She had counted right and she was right in the fact that one was an elf. After the guests had departed for their sleeping area, Lorielwen went back to her tree only to find that a few white tents had been placed underneath it. Sitting around inside the tents, she could see seven figures of all sizes. So instead of going to bed, she went to her favorite garden. It wasn't fenced in for it was wild. It was overgrown with wildflowers in Pale blue, gold, silver, and green. At one side, there was a natural pond, surrounded by white lilies. Lorielwen sat herself among these and began to sing a slow mournful song, thinking of the parents she nver had known and probably never would know.
* * *
Legolas was walking through the woods when he heard it. That voice. When they had gone to see galadriel, he had heard that voice coming from above as he stood in the clearing beneath the tree. It had been bouncy and joyful then. Now it was slow and sad. The sound brought tears to his eyes. He worked his way towards it trying to find it before it stopped. He suddenly stumbled upon a clearing. The clear moonlight glittered off the surface of a pond but he didn't notice that for a young Elf-maiden sat gazing into the pond. Her hair was Black, and it shined with golden streaks and her eyes were the clear blue of a rain-washed sky on a clear spring afternoon. She was clothed in gold, shining in the moonlight. It looked almost like the sun was sitting before him, singing mournfully about the night. He noticed that she wore no shoes. She was the one singing.
He just stood admiring her, wondering what could make her sad enough to sing such words. But she finished singing and sat there in silence.
"Please, don't stop." Legolas urged.
"What are you doing?" she gasped in surprise, spinning around to find him watching her."
"I was walking when I heard your singing. It was so beautiful and yet so sad. I followed the sound." then noticing the silent tears running down her cheeks, he asked, "why are you crying?"
"It is not you problem or your business. So stay out of it." She tried to leave but he grabbed her arm as she ran past him.
"Answer me first."
She suddenly found herself throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. She spilled her soul to him that night. she told him that her parents had abandoned her when she was born and sent her here where she had grown up with Galadriel as a mentor.
"Sh...sh...it's okay. It's alright. I'm here. Don't be frightened. I won't leave." Legolas comforted her. so they sat there in each others arms 'till sunrise, when they both had to leave. But they left hand in hand and headed to Galadriel's gardens. They were there most of the morning, talking until Galadriel came in.
"I thought I would find you two here. Legolas, I wish to speak to you in private. Lorielwen, will you excuse us?"
"Yes Madame. Legolas, I will see you later." and she left to go work on her sewing.
* * *
"Legolas, I don't know if you want to get involved with Lorielwen. She is uncontrollable. You can't handle her."
"Lady galadriel, Nobody is more uncontrolable than me. I can handle her."
"That is not it. Come! Look into my mirror." Galadriel led him to a deep bowled basin which she filled with water. As he looked into it, all he saw was the stars but it quickly faded into an image of the Lady Evenstar. Then, he saw Aragorn. Was the mirror telling him they were lovers? He already knew that. But the image changed again and he saw Lorielwen stood there, shining like the sun, clothed in gold. Beside her stood another Elf-maiden. She was even more beautiful, shining like Earendil's star, clothed in silver. Her hair was also black but with light auborn streaks and her eyes were a deep violet. But suddenly, Legolas realized there faces were exactly the same. They were twins. but that was impossible. Elves don't have twins. It had never been heard of before. Then he realized that the images of Arwen and Aragorn before were to tell him that these two young elves were sprung from Arwen. Theu were arwen's and Aragorn's daughters. But was the other one? Legolas looked up at Galadriel to find her smiling at him.
"Now you know." was all she said before leading him back out of the garden.
* * *
"Don't tell Lorielwen. I know you. But she must not know. She will know in due time. And I am afraid even you have a greater part to play than you yet realize....Don't go falling in love with Lorielwen, for I fear it will injure your future greatly. Heed my words, Legolas for there are far greater powers than mine at work." Legolas ran over Galadriel's words in his head as he lay awake in his tent. Gimli snored softly a few feet away but Legolas tuned it out. He wished he could understand the words. He wanted more than anything to run and tell Lorielwen, but Galadriel was one of the wisest in Middle-earth and if she had reason to keep this kind of secret for all these years, then it had to be a valid one.
The rest of the time he was in Lorien, he avoided Lorielwen. Anytime he went anywhere, gimli accompanied him and the two became very great friends. Legolas didn't see her again untill the day they were to leave. He thought it best that he at least say farewell to her so he awoke before all the others and found his way back to the place where they had met. He found her there, knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. She was crying into her folded arms as he approached her and sat down next to her. Sensing a presence, she looked up quickly, drying her eyes.
"Legolas!" she whispered hoarsely. "You came back." she threw her arms around him and he hesitated before he hugged her back.
"Lorielwen. I came to say goodbye. We leave today."
At this, she started to cry again and to cling to Legolas like a lost child.
"Please...Don't leave me!" she cried between sobs, "I don't know if I could live without you."
"I was sworn not to leave the fellowship and I'm not going to abandon my friends and my quest for a girl. But I'll return when it's all over. I will have to go home first to let my father know that I am alive. I'll return...eventually."
With that, he left her to her own sorrows and went to meet the others. They had to discuss their plan of action. What they didn't know was that Lorielwen was in the tree above them listening and crying every time she heard Legolas' sweet voice. She suddenly remembered the dreams and understood. She would die from the grief of losing him if he didn't return.
* * *
So they left and Lorielwen went with Celeborn and Galadriel to see them off. And (if you have the book you will understand this better) They all heard Galadriel singing a farewell to them. At least they all thought it was Galadriel. All except Legolas. He knew that voice and tears brimmed his eyes as he listened to her sad farewell:
"'Ai! Laurie lantar lassi surinen,
yeni unotime ve ramar aldaron!
Yeni ve linte yuldar avanier
mi oromardi lisse-miruvoreva
Andune pella, Vardo tellumar
nu luini yassen tintilar i eleni
omaryo airetari-lirinen.
Si man i yulma nin enquantuva?
An si Tintalle Varda Oilosseo
ve fanyar maryat Elentari ortane,
ar ilye tier undulave lumbule;
ar sindanoriello caita mornie
i falmalinnar imbe met, ar hisie
untupa Calaciryo miri oile.
Si vanwa na, Romello vanwa, Valimar!
Namarie! Nai hiruvalye Valimar.
Nai elye hiruva. Namarie!'"*
And so it was that Legolas went on to represent the elves in the War of the Ring. But all the while, his mind kept turning to Lorielwen and Galadriel's words.
* * *
After the war, Legolas and gimli went to the glittering caves of Helm's Deep and to Fangorn. After that, Legolas went home to Mirkwood, going around Lothlorien so as not to run into Lorielwen. But only a day after he returned home, he found himself faced with another journey.......
TO BE CONTINUED.......
* For those true LotR dorks, the translation is on page 424-425 in Fellowship. but for those of you who don't have the books, here's the translation:
"'Ah! like gold fall the leaves in the wind, long years numberless as the wings of trees! The years have passed like swift draughts of the sweet mead in lofty halls beyond the West, beneath the blue vaults of Varda wherein the stars tremble in the song of her voice, holy and queenly. Who now shall refill the cup for me? For now the Kindler, Varda, the Queen of Stars, from Mount Everwhite has uplifted her hands like clouds, and all paths are drowned deep in shadow; and out of a grey country darkness lies on the foaming waves between us, and mist covers the jewels of Calacirya for ever. Now lost, lost to those from the East in Valimar! Farewell! Maybe thou shalt find Valimar. Maybe even thou shalt find it. Farewell' Varda is the name of that lady whom the elves in these lands of exile name Elbereth."
This isn't in verse form because it isn't in the book and I had a little trouble with it. If you wan't it in verse form, try to figure it out yourself and if you can, please E-mail it to me. I would really appreciate it and I would give you credit and I would put it in here.