Chapter Three- Unusual Ancestry
I looked up at where I imagined Strider's face to be. "Yes- I am descended of the Dunedain, of Deucein and Deucefin, the elf- friends that wanted to explore all places. Deucefin was my grandfather."
Strider's voice seemed breathless with disbelief. He sat beside me, and I heard him moving- a ring was pressed gently near to my hand. "Daughter of Deucefin, please tell me your father's name and of the significance of this ring for you..."
I absently answered, trying to recall a man named Strider descended from the Dunedain, and building a picture of the ring in my mind. "My father is Deucemir, and my mother a distant descendant of..." It clicked. The ring showing two serpents, Strider's aura of power ever so slightly similar to Legolas and Gandalf's, although much diminished, and my mother's parentage.
"The house of Kings. Of which, I believe you are also a descendant?" Aragorn gently took back his ring, and his voice was low. "Aye, we are kin, Mina. Never did I think descendants of your house would return to walk Middle Earth's calm shores. Much we have to speak of, and I offer you the ties of kinship that we have to be renewed- distant cousin. I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn and Gilraen." I smiled joyfully. Distant was perhaps an understatement, but cousin- true enough! I had a measure of security in my cousin, who would surely not forsake me. I had family, an honorable man of the line of Kings, who I could learn to trust. And to be King! Perhaps, in some small ways I could help- a King always has need of people to do things, and my blindness is not completely debilitating within a safe environment, such as a well-known house! I could at least be loyal and true. Most importantly, I could be and now had, a friend.
"Should I call you still Strider, my lord? Or cousin, which I vastly prefer?" He reached out a friendly arm, patting my shoulder. "I have great need of a cousin, and will always have, and would be honoured if you would call me as you choose. I also like 'cousin'. Or 'friend' if you would prefer." Damn the man, he was almost mind reading! If I could have wept, I might have, but as it was I continued folding blankets with my heart light and my mind rejoicing.
A few moments later, Gandalf called us together to speak of my future. We all sat, and Troy laid his head on my knee, watching suspiciously, aware something vital was happening.
"Let me start by summing up our options.
We can turn back, and take Mina to Rivendell, which would take roughly two weeks, perhaps three.
We can continue, and leave Mina somewhere safe at the next suitable spot we pass, to be collected after the quest is completed.
We can continue on our way, and have one or two members of the fellowship take Mina to the nearest safety, or we can keep Mina by us for the time being.
I suggest either the second or third options. Mina, of course, may have a say in this, but Frodo's decision is crucial. Aragorn?"
"Mina is my kin, and I vote that she stays with us at least until the next place of safety. Mina?" When in doubt, agree with Gandalf and Aragorn, the leaders of the pack. "I would like to stay with you until the next safe place at least- but only if that is ok with everyone. I am aware that I might be a burden at times, but I have skills that could be an asset to the fellowship." A voice I didn't know spoke up. "Arwenenamin Mina seems good and kind. I respect her wishes, and agree. She should come with us for the moment." Gandalf seemed to be smoking a pipe. "Quite right, Frodo my lad. Gimli?"
Another voice, also deep and gravelly, but more rough and ready- Gandalf had eloquence and smoothness of speech not found among Dwarves- shifted and I could hear metal clinking. "Does Lady Mina realize the difficulties? The possible chance of death- it's a high risk, we take? And not the most dangerous..."
There was a silence. I did not know what he spoke of, and for once I wished I could see the expressions on the males' faces so I could look for clues. What did they mean? Oh! The Ring that Frodo carried! How stupid of me to have forgotten. I felt with my 'sixth sense' and encountered a whisper of pleasure that fast turned into speech extending from Frodo. It recoiled briefly after touching me, in surprise I think, and before it could return, I withdrew, clamping down on that sense tightly- The Ring would tempt all, no exceptions, and its power, even in that small taste was immense. What a burden for such a good soul!
"I trust in Aragorn, my kin. I trust in Boromir, who found me and led me to you. I trust in Legolas, who helped me, and I trust in Merry and Pippin for their bravery in allowing me to 'see' them. I trust in Gandalf, because he is known to me. I trust in Frodo, Sam and Gimli, because I trust in their companions. I will trust in your judgement- whatever this unknown peril- if you think I can try to face these dangers, I will do all that I can to prove your judgement correct, and if I fail or your trust in me is diminished, send me away."
I have no idea where my sudden eloquence appeared from, but I spoke from the heart. There was a moment of quietness, before Legolas spoke fervently and softly. "That is all one may ask of another in tasks such as this. I thank you for your trust, and you have my faith."
I smiled gratefully to my right, in the rough direction of his voice. "Thank you, Legolas." "I agree with Legolas!" That was Pippin, and as soon as the youngest Hobbit spoke, the others all chipped in, making me blush with their agreement that I should travel some way with them. All agreed, they told me their adventures so far, which I knew already, thanks to my English Lit professor who had insisted we read Tolkein- not that I hadn't enjoyed it, of course, but I wouldn't have picked 'The Lord of the Rings' off a shelf otherwise. I listened, and made noises of surprise etc when necessary, my mind full of the upcoming journey. It would be quite a trip.
R&R!
I looked up at where I imagined Strider's face to be. "Yes- I am descended of the Dunedain, of Deucein and Deucefin, the elf- friends that wanted to explore all places. Deucefin was my grandfather."
Strider's voice seemed breathless with disbelief. He sat beside me, and I heard him moving- a ring was pressed gently near to my hand. "Daughter of Deucefin, please tell me your father's name and of the significance of this ring for you..."
I absently answered, trying to recall a man named Strider descended from the Dunedain, and building a picture of the ring in my mind. "My father is Deucemir, and my mother a distant descendant of..." It clicked. The ring showing two serpents, Strider's aura of power ever so slightly similar to Legolas and Gandalf's, although much diminished, and my mother's parentage.
"The house of Kings. Of which, I believe you are also a descendant?" Aragorn gently took back his ring, and his voice was low. "Aye, we are kin, Mina. Never did I think descendants of your house would return to walk Middle Earth's calm shores. Much we have to speak of, and I offer you the ties of kinship that we have to be renewed- distant cousin. I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn and Gilraen." I smiled joyfully. Distant was perhaps an understatement, but cousin- true enough! I had a measure of security in my cousin, who would surely not forsake me. I had family, an honorable man of the line of Kings, who I could learn to trust. And to be King! Perhaps, in some small ways I could help- a King always has need of people to do things, and my blindness is not completely debilitating within a safe environment, such as a well-known house! I could at least be loyal and true. Most importantly, I could be and now had, a friend.
"Should I call you still Strider, my lord? Or cousin, which I vastly prefer?" He reached out a friendly arm, patting my shoulder. "I have great need of a cousin, and will always have, and would be honoured if you would call me as you choose. I also like 'cousin'. Or 'friend' if you would prefer." Damn the man, he was almost mind reading! If I could have wept, I might have, but as it was I continued folding blankets with my heart light and my mind rejoicing.
A few moments later, Gandalf called us together to speak of my future. We all sat, and Troy laid his head on my knee, watching suspiciously, aware something vital was happening.
"Let me start by summing up our options.
We can turn back, and take Mina to Rivendell, which would take roughly two weeks, perhaps three.
We can continue, and leave Mina somewhere safe at the next suitable spot we pass, to be collected after the quest is completed.
We can continue on our way, and have one or two members of the fellowship take Mina to the nearest safety, or we can keep Mina by us for the time being.
I suggest either the second or third options. Mina, of course, may have a say in this, but Frodo's decision is crucial. Aragorn?"
"Mina is my kin, and I vote that she stays with us at least until the next place of safety. Mina?" When in doubt, agree with Gandalf and Aragorn, the leaders of the pack. "I would like to stay with you until the next safe place at least- but only if that is ok with everyone. I am aware that I might be a burden at times, but I have skills that could be an asset to the fellowship." A voice I didn't know spoke up. "Arwenenamin Mina seems good and kind. I respect her wishes, and agree. She should come with us for the moment." Gandalf seemed to be smoking a pipe. "Quite right, Frodo my lad. Gimli?"
Another voice, also deep and gravelly, but more rough and ready- Gandalf had eloquence and smoothness of speech not found among Dwarves- shifted and I could hear metal clinking. "Does Lady Mina realize the difficulties? The possible chance of death- it's a high risk, we take? And not the most dangerous..."
There was a silence. I did not know what he spoke of, and for once I wished I could see the expressions on the males' faces so I could look for clues. What did they mean? Oh! The Ring that Frodo carried! How stupid of me to have forgotten. I felt with my 'sixth sense' and encountered a whisper of pleasure that fast turned into speech extending from Frodo. It recoiled briefly after touching me, in surprise I think, and before it could return, I withdrew, clamping down on that sense tightly- The Ring would tempt all, no exceptions, and its power, even in that small taste was immense. What a burden for such a good soul!
"I trust in Aragorn, my kin. I trust in Boromir, who found me and led me to you. I trust in Legolas, who helped me, and I trust in Merry and Pippin for their bravery in allowing me to 'see' them. I trust in Gandalf, because he is known to me. I trust in Frodo, Sam and Gimli, because I trust in their companions. I will trust in your judgement- whatever this unknown peril- if you think I can try to face these dangers, I will do all that I can to prove your judgement correct, and if I fail or your trust in me is diminished, send me away."
I have no idea where my sudden eloquence appeared from, but I spoke from the heart. There was a moment of quietness, before Legolas spoke fervently and softly. "That is all one may ask of another in tasks such as this. I thank you for your trust, and you have my faith."
I smiled gratefully to my right, in the rough direction of his voice. "Thank you, Legolas." "I agree with Legolas!" That was Pippin, and as soon as the youngest Hobbit spoke, the others all chipped in, making me blush with their agreement that I should travel some way with them. All agreed, they told me their adventures so far, which I knew already, thanks to my English Lit professor who had insisted we read Tolkein- not that I hadn't enjoyed it, of course, but I wouldn't have picked 'The Lord of the Rings' off a shelf otherwise. I listened, and made noises of surprise etc when necessary, my mind full of the upcoming journey. It would be quite a trip.
R&R!
