1I do not own Labyrinth or Lord of the Rings. This chapter starts the tale of Galadriel crossing into the breach between Middle-Earth and Aman by entering into the Sundering Seas. The fortification of this sea and the Twilit Isles makes for dangerous passage. For a few chapters the story will solely focus on Galadriel. But I promise you it will never be borring!
Chapter Four: The Sundering Seas
"O Lorien! The Winter comes, the bare and leafless Day; The leaves are falling in the stream, the River flows away. O Lorien! Too long I have dwelt upon this Hither Shore And in a fading crown have twined the golden elanor, But if of ships I now should sing, what ship would come to me, What ship would bear me ever back across so wide a Sea?"
- Galadriel's Lament from Lord of the Rings
Galadriel
It had been a week now, since I sailed out of the Grey Havens. I was drawing closer to the Breach where I would come upon the Sundering Seas. I had no doubt the crossing would be just as dangerous as crossing the Helcroxie when Feanor had betrayed us. Dark days those were. So many of us had died. Doomed we all were, though just how much we did not yet know at the time. We thought of survival and retribution against Morgoth and Feanor and his sons. I sometimes wonder if Feanor had known the folly and Shadow that would come from this if he would have still set out upon that journey.
I spent the time resting. The strength I would need to endure would have to last the entire crossing once entering the Breach. Beyond the danger of the Seas was the enchantments set on the Twilit Isles. My thoughts would drift back and forth. I thought of all the years spent upon Middle-Earth. Mostly my thoughts traveled back to the 3rd Age. The Age of Men began with much promise. There were some who tried to hold on to the lore and magick of the older days. But the dominion of Men had caused in me bitter dissapointment.
Would it really had been that different, really, if we had failed, and Sauron had won? Would Men of had the power to defeat him? I do not know. I only knew that I had over spent my time there. I was soon to be far removed from the world of Men. I had Ulmo and my wits to guide me now. I drew to the edge at last, to the viel that seperates Aman from the rounded world Middle-Earth had become. It was time to summon my strength and enter the waters. I stood on the deck of the boat and sent forth the call. "Ulmo, Lord of the Waters, give me passage unto the Sundering Seas!" A deep voice answered. "Passage granted!"
The viel of this world rolled back with a flash, and I entered into the Breach. The sea was rocking and violent, it seemed wind blew from every direction, and the only light came from the boat itself! To be able to make the first part of the journey, I would have to keep my wits about me in the darkness and the termult and not allow my boat to depart from the Strait Road. It would take navigating by sending forth my power alone, and navigating by the pull of magick. This would be difficult, for discerning from the right pull and one that would lead me unto the Twilit Isles would be difficult.
I sent forth my power, calling out to Ulmo's vassels to guide me true. They would be my key in discerning the path. I had to ignore the water entering into the boat and slamming into me, and the rocking that seemed as though it would turn me and itself over to be torn apart. True to his word, Ulmo's vassels did help navigate, but the numerous pulls in energy was confusing and it was exhausting to continue on the right path. Nevertheless I continued on. The grey of the boat was now silver in the light. It was small comfort. I was becoming drenched and I was cold. No matter. There would be no rest for a time.
As I continued further the turmult of the waters grew worse. I was beginning to slide with the boat. A pull stronger than the others was trying to send me east. One of the isles I imagined. It took about all I had to not seek for it. Dangerous as it was, I could not be diverted. If I did, I would be lost, either to the sea or one of the isles, and Jareth, and anyone else for that matter would never see or hear from me again. And thought of the fae brought a small smile. He had better appreciate this! He had better be worth the risk I was taking!
The hours were long, and I did not know whether it was day or night, nor how much time had passed. It could have been days or years even. It seemed an Age before the waters began to grow calmer, and the skies less dark. Black gave way to dark gray skies, and not far before me I could see that I was approaching near one of the Isles. Tricky of the Valar to place one of them directly in the path! The magick cracked in the air around that place. The land seemed almost alive, speaking to me of rest, of a small departure from the quest. And the closer we drew to it's edge, the stronger those feelings became.
A thought came to me, an idea from the Greek tale of Odysseus. It had spoken that when his ship had come close to the Isle of the Sirens, he had them tie him up with ropes to the ship up on deck. And luckily (and somewhat to easy) there was a bit of silver rope still hanging from the side of the boat from where Jareth had cut it before sending it to me. I took out my ancient knife, a present from long ago fallen and lost Gondolin and cut what was left of it from the side. There was just barely enough of it to be able to achieve my ends. I then followed the ancient Greek's example, and tied myself to the ship.
Though not untieable, I made sure it was difficult, so that it would take time to get undone, should I become over wrought with desire to seek onto that isle. I thought of the irony of it. A mortal teaching an immortal how to reach the land of those who were Undying. How very fitting almost! Not long after that thought I passed by the foot of that island, and it appeared his example served me well, for I was over come! My will would not have been strong enough to resist. For the island looked beautiful. Lush grass and great trees were there. White flowers growing right up the shores!
It seemed that the wind became music over it. The sound of my people was floating in my ears, and I wondered if any could perhaps be there. The island was large, the size of a continant really. It took a day before I was finally sailing past the end of it. The closer to the end I got the more desperate I become get undone from the roap. Luckily, the rope held till we had passed outside of the mile range of the island. I had finally got the rope untied. Not a moment to soon! For now, underneath the boat I heard the groan of a great creature. It looked to be a giant whale, far larger than the modern world I had left had in it's oceans! It looked rough, and was the color of dark grey. It strangely had a mouth full of shark like teeth, which I noted when it broke through the waters just at the back end of my boat!
I had to send forth power, weary as I was to push the boat faster than it was willing to go. The waters had gone entirely still and there was no wind. I had to push as hard as I could with telekinesis! It ended up being a long chase. There were to many close calls where the whales strange jaws almost closed down on the back end of the boat. Magick as it was, the wood would not be able to withstand that! And with the passing of that first temptation and the out running of the great beast, the first leg of the journey had been a success. But I was beyond exhausted and did not know if I would be able to continue to endure for the duration.
Time would only tell.
Alright I know this chapter is short. Hopefully it is not to lame or to fast paced. I did the best that I could. The next chapter will pick up with the second leg. We will be keeping to the Odysseus theme by making her pass through 12 different challenges. And then it shall be onto some good old fashioned romance!
