Warning: First this is decidedly AU, unlike most of my other fairytales which could have happened even in canon. Second I am going with the original, unedited tale of Rapunzel which is surprisingly graphic and violent. I am not going to be horribly graphic and like the original it does have a happy ending. Any physical harm in NOT lasting. I want no crying Legolasses moaning about the treatment of the prince. Also Niphredil is my Elven Rapunzel, it means Snowdrop.
Rapunzel in Orthanc
A tiny golden-haired elfling skipped about her mother as they wended their way towards the fair land of Lothlorien. Saelroval and Sulwen glanced at each other, their joy and love apparent to all that could see them. It was a lovely day, a day that the elves remembered for many years. Anor smiled upon Ennor and her glorious rays glanced down brightening all that they touched.
They shone upon the dark silver hair of Saelroval and on the soft brown tresses of his beautiful wife. But most of all they danced among Niphredil's bright locks turning them to shimmering gold.
Alas, for all their joy and merriment, evil drew near though neither sensed it yet. For though the first shadows had fallen upon the Greenwood still peace reigned in most of the realms of Ennor. Above them the great tower of Orthanc clove the clean sky in twain, its quadruple spikes menacing against the blue and white.
They feared it not though for all its seeming terror for Saruman the Wise, whom the elves suspected to be one of the Maiar in mortal form, dwelt there. And he was counted wise among the elves and the other wizards. But many who are wise fall from the path of wisdom, and Saruman had studied long earnestly all the devices of the great enemy. Such wisdom is the ruin of many loyal and true heart, and so it was with Saruman.
He exaggerated his greatness in his own eyes and began to mimic the works of the Great Deceiver. Orcs he bred and evil wolves, carrion birds flocked to do his bidding and yet the wise knew not of his treachery. Certainly Saelroval and wife had no such knowledge or much pain and sorrow could have been avoided.
Saruman himself choose to inspect the abilities of his newest orcs that day, and so fell out that as Saelroval first realized their peril, the fallen wizard was watching unknown to the elf lord. Saelroval was a stern and mighty warrior at need and commanded the defenses of the Grey Havens for he was great among the elves of Mithlond. But no warrior, however mighty could stand against the tide of orcs that rushed towards the little family.
There was no escape and lord and lady fell together, Sulwen still clutching her child to her breast. It was thus that Saruman found them, the child still unharmed but frightened. Perhaps some corner of his heart was still unsullied or he recoiled from the punishment for cold-bloodedly slaying a child. Whatever the reason Saruman called back his orcs and lifted the child from her mother's final embrace.
And from that day forth she dwelt as the ward of the tower. Saruman cared for her in his own strange fashion, coldly and callously and by his magic and the long years of her dwelling her hair grew long and fair beyond the lot of any other.
So long and sturdy were the golden tresses that she could lift his weight by them. And as she grew older and wiser it fell out that she did indeed lift him by her hair. For no elf could be forever bereft of the open world and at length she grew curious and attempted to see the outside world for herself. And Saruman was very wroth for a time and set her in a high room near to the pinnacle with no entrance save a single window.
When he wished to see her he would order that she throw down her shining tresses and he would climb up to visit her, reminding her that she was bound to obedience and respect for him. Niphredil had grown wise under his tutelage for though he had fallen by the dark arts he did not teach her what he knew of evil but rather the long and colorful history of Arda.
It so happened that as she completed her one thousand seven hundred and fiftieth year the elven prince of Greenwood the Great set out to the fair valley of Imladris, bearing a missive for his father, the Elvenking Thranduil. The High Pass was unsafe at the time and so he took the southern road through the Gap of Rohan passing near to the Orthanc.
As he rode near the tower his eyes caught the glimmer of gold in one of the windows and he watched in amazement as a curtain of golden hair was flung down in answer to a strange hail. Silently he crept closer determined to solve this puzzle. His wait was rewarded the very next day.
As he watched an old man robed in shimmering white stood at the base of the tower and called out,
"Niphredil, Niphredil ribo en bas i fîn malthen lîn!" (Niphredil, Niphredil fling down your golden hair)
Again the fall of golden hair hung shining in the sun and as he watched the old man pulled himself up by the glowing strands until he had vanished through the window. Surprised and a little apprehensive he was about to turn away to continue his errand when he caught sight of a beautiful face looking sadly through the window upon the green world.
No words were said but he read in her face a plea to return and aid her in some way. And so it was that he found himself standing at the foot of Orthanc the next evening having carefully watched Saruman, for so he guessed the identity of the old man, depart.
"Niphredil, Niphredil ribo en bas i fîn malthen lîn!" he called, his voice strong and pure as the golden flood slithered down to him. Swiftly he climbed it until he passed the window and stood before a beautiful elven maid with sad, wise eyes.
"My lady" he said bowing low. She smiled then, an enchanting smile of unquenched joy and abiding sorrow.
They spoke long into the night and she told him of her life in the tower and he of his among the darkening woodland. And before he departed at dawn he promised to come again. Happy indeed were the next few days, for his mission was not urgent and so far he had made good time. He was pleasantly surprised by her knowledge of what was passing in the outside world though she had not entered since she was a child.
He plead with her to leave the dull tower and her severe guardian behind, that he would see her well and happy among her kin, whether of Imladris, Lorien, Mithlond or the Greenwood. Sadly she refused, least the wrath of Saruman fall upon him too.
"I would not see him angered with you" she said softly, "For he was harsh and cruel when I only asked of the lands beyond and my desire to see them. I dread what he would do to you if he knew of our meeting."
Legolas smiled and shook his head, "I do not fear for myself Niphredil. And I would gladly risk his anger to see you happy and well among your own people."
They parted at last, for Legolas would not take her unwilling, but he promised to return when he passed back that way and aid her if she had changed her mind.
His journey to Imladris was uneventful, and though the valley brought him peace he could not rid his mind of the image of her sorrowful eyes and was less merry than was his wont among his friends. Elladan and Elrohir noticed his uncharacteristic melancholy, but said nothing though they wondered for the cause.
Niphredil had never felt more lonely and isolated as she watched Legolas' horse vanishing into the distance. Having talked and laughed and song with another elf rendered her confinement the more irksome. Imperceptibly she began dwell upon his laughing eyes as they sparkled under the stars and his merry songs. His lean and wiry strength, the quiet power he possessed and his firm brow all crept within her thoughts, until at last she determined to accept his offer and flee.
And so she assured him when he perched once more upon the window ledge. He laughed merrily at her acquiescence for the thought of leaving her behind had burdened him greatly. Legolas slid down the long fall of gold that night, light-hearted and free to prepare for her escape with a promise to return at moonrise.
Saruman scowled angrily as he listened to the two plan. He had wondered that change had been wrought in the maiden and so watched her carefully. His patience was rewarded that night and his wrath was boundless as Niphredil promised to leave with the prince and he swore vengeance on both but especially Legolas.
Legolas shone brightly in the light of the stars as he stood beneath the window at moonrise. Softly he called out.
"Niphredil, Niphredil ribo en bas i fîn malthen lîn!"
The golden strands were flung down and he climbed hastily up. Niphredil stood bound and gagged her hair cropped short in one corner her eyes brimming with unshed tears and before the window stood the wizard the shorn locks clenched in his hands and triumph in his eyes.
Legolas straightened and stared definitely at the Istar.
"What have you done to the lady?" he asked angrily, "She has done nothing, unbind her at once."
Saruman glared at him and laughed. "She has defied me" he said, his voice hard and cold, "I raised her for all these years and for that she throws me aside for you O Prince! Such ingratitude will be punished."
"She is not at fault" retorted Legolas, "I alone choose to trick her into letting me in. If you must make someone pay let it be me, for I will not see the innocent pay for my mistakes. Even when I plead with her to leave with me she refused."
Saruman studied the prince's face for a moment, noting the firm chin and lofty brow. It was a face that inspired love and respect, that was written with both compassion and strength, the bright grey eyes gazing fearlessly at the wizard.
"Very well" he said, an evil smile upon his thin lips, "You may take the punishment of both your misdeeds and she may watch."
Legolas bowed and held his hands out as the wizard bound them, his eyes seeking out Niphredil's and silently offering her comfort.
Niphredil wept as she had never wept before as she watched Saruman order the prince cast out. The orcs flung him roughly down the stairs, his tunic shredded and bloody and his sightless eyes looking upon the empty sky.
He staggered up, trying to accustom himself to his lost vision as he sought the nearest forest. Niphredil saw him vanish amid the darkness of the trees wavering on his unsteady feet. When all trace of his green and brown clad form was gone she slumped upon the floor of her prison trying to forget the images that that were branded into her memory as surely as the prince's merry eyes had been burned from his face.
How long she lay there weeping she knew not, only that Saruman came to her finally laughing still at the thought of the sightless prince and his hopeless courage as he stood bound and blind before the orcs.
Niphredil raised her tear-streaked face to his as he stood over her.
"Go!" he ordered harshly, "You wished to leave, go now and see how the elves receive you now that you have doomed their prince to everlasting darkness."
She walked alone down the long stairs, her thin dress whipping in the wind and her ill-cut hair blowing in her face. She had nothing, no provisions or supplies, not even a cloak upon her back.
Hastily she followed the prince's tracks until she reached the eves of the wood. Long she wandered amid the ancient trees seeking news of his passing without any answer until at last she came to the borders of the Hidden Valley. Little food had she had and almost no shelter.
Unknown to her, there Legolas had gone also, led only by his sense of direction, the whispers of the trees and his own stubbornness. He knew not what to do once he reached there, only that he would die alone and sightless in the wild. And his heart still yearned to free the elleth for whom he had given so much, and as he thought of her during the long empty days he knew that there was only one maiden on all of Arda to whom his heart was given.
And he was blind and broken and she, a prisoner of the cruel wizard. He could have wept. It was then that he heard for the first time in weeks the sound of another living being. A soft sound of tears from what would have been his right. Carefully he followed the sound, deftly avoiding fallen branches and low boughs.
Niphredil had all but given up hope of ever finding Legolas or even other elves when she heard a gentle whisper from the trees. She looked up and cried out, for he was standing there, one hand resting against rough bark and his un-seeing eyes looking down at her.
"Niphredil?" he asked softly.
"Legolas? It is me, Saruman threw me out after" she returned quietly. He stepped forward uncertainly until his long fingers brushed her face.
"I feared for you" he said in a whisper, "Are you well?"
She wept then, to see him still tall and fair despite the mutilation, inquiring after her well-being was too much for her over-wrought heart.
Legolas dropped to his knees and gathered her in his arms, unable to bear her tears without offering comfort.
And so it was that Elladan and Elrohir found them together as they came investigating the strange whispers of the trees. Legolas had fallen into elven slumber after his long ordeal, for he had dared not rest much. His golden head lay pillowed on her lap and as they watched her tears trickled down and touched the empty eye-sockets. As they touched the skin grew fair and white again and bright grey-green eyes filled out and grew whole again, until they stared up glazed in elven dreams.
Niphredil glanced down and started back, breathing a prayer of thanks to Nienna. And Legolas' eyes cleared and he looked up amazed and joyful and read her heart. He stood then and held her close as their lips touched gently.
And unseen the sons of Elrond watched and smiled, hidden beneath the wild roses that tangled about the border of the valley.
Blame it on the old wives who invented the story not me! The prince really does get his eyes put out and they do grow back with her tears in the original!
To Reviewers (everyone as a whole)
Thank you all for the encouraging comments, I hope this wasn't too dark. Yes, here is Rapunzel, you asked for it :)
Erynel is my own OC and I love her very much...
I have the 12 Dancing Princesses (Aragorn's Daughters and Elfwine of Rohan), Beauty and the Beast (Beorn and an OC) and Snow-White (in which someone (not Galadriel) misuses the mirror) up next...
And of course tell me how my first Legomance worked...
Till next time,
Shire Rose (I have a history paper on Augustine's confessions, and English paper on Beowulf and Astronomy this week, so I'll do my best).