Chapter 6 : Compromise
"The archers above have a clear view, my king, I can signal them" Madoc suggested. Aragorn understood what he meant. He meant the he would signal the archers to shoot the wargs dead where they stood. Aragorn thought better of it. The wargs were surprisingly acting only out of kindness and loyalty. They did not deserve to be slain for their efforts.
"No, we will not be repeating your mistakes tonight" Aragorn reprimanded.
Elrond ignored their conversation and fumbled around for something.
"At least let us return the girl this" Elrond said taking Vera's scepter out of his tunic.
"The fetching stick" The warg said suddenly more indecisive. Vera had talked about it a lot during their trip.
"Throw it" The warg beckoned. Elrond lightly tossed the warg the scepter and he caught it in mid air.
He set the scepter upon Vera's opened hand and then he used his muzzle to close her fingers around it. He looked for a moment expectantly, tail wagging hoping that it would somehow revive her. It did not. She was gravely injured.
Then she died….. The end
Okay I'm sorry, I was only jesting. I just wanted to gauge your response. You see, I know you are quite smart. Heroes, while facing terrible monsters and horrible circumstance are never in any real danger. Or at least you as the listener, feel that heroes are bound to survive despite it all. You of course see that there are many more words ahead in this chapter so you have already rationalized it.
Plus it would be a terrible tale.
Where was I? Oh yes, she was gravely injured.
"Step aside, or else she will die" Gimli said angrily
"You not command us. We are free. We are moon children. Obey no one" The wargs defied. Their anger waxed with bared teeth, hackles raised.
"Let me shoot them down my king" Madoc urged.
"It should be said the same of me. You don't command me" Aragorn said blackly then he sent the soldier away. That's the last we see of him. You see, cowards often have but one or two lines in a tale.
"Surely you must be hungry, we can bring you food and water, and bandages for the girl" Elrond proposed. He was only focused on bartering with them.
"Food" The wargs softened at the mention "Yes, now"
It was Tauriel's quick thinking that had saved the day. Oh yes she had been there standing for quite some time, waiting for her chance to be useful. Tauriel threw them three sleeping apples. That was all she had on her. She was planning on using them to concoct a sleeping gas of some sort. She was a weapons expert and saw the potential.
The wargs sniffed at them greedily, unable to detect anything wrong. After devouring them in a few second, the wargs yawned, whined and fell over.
Tauriel raised a water sack from her side.
"You can have some of this after we get her inside" she told them as their eyes shut
"Poison" They managed to utter.
"The girl, hurry" Elrond commanded. Legolas carefully took Vera into his arms and then ran to the healing ward.
Everyone took a seat out side, except Elrond. He was luckily one of the best healers in all middle earth, he was elected chief surgeon. Tauriel was pacing. Legolas on the other hand was so still, one might have thought him a statue.
Every so often an elf lady would be rushing in the door with hot water, or bandages, or some sort of medicine bottle.
After an hour or so, Elrond emerged with a sweaty brow.
"I have done all I can. If she has the will to live, it will be so" Elrond said sadly.
"Can we see her?" Merry and Pippen asked.
"One at a time you must. The arrow hit the girl very close to the heart, I beg your discretion" Elrond said sternly
"Don't touch anything" He shot a warning as a afterthought to the two hobbits
They each took a turn to see her and then retired for the night being shooed away by the nurse.
It was Eldarion's second birthday. Everything was decorated spectacularly. They were in the court yard. The White Tree of Gondor was strung up with golden lights. But despite the brilliance of this, the celebration lacked mirth. It was not for the lack of fine food or spectacular wine, but simply because of the one so gravely injured.
"Your father has sent word. He will be here tomorrow" Aragorn said to Legolas amidst the celebration. They sat a high table, while others stood around talking. Usually there would be dancing but not tonight.
"I thought I was to take his place in the council meetings" Legolas explain confused "Perhaps he has decided to see Vera…"
Since traveling was such an arduous task, celebrations doubled as times when kingdoms could meet and discuss business. Birthdays were not especially important to call out the far and foreign but it had been two years since the fall of the ring, it was a good time to start widening out trade routes again. Aragorn had plan this event accordingly. Kings and lords, major and minor would be at the meeting tomorrow.
"I do not think he knows either of her supposed death, or her miraculous rediscovery, or her tragic mishap. Or perhaps he does, the way of the Eldar are still beyond me" Aragorn argued
"I am beyond you, husband?" Arwen suddenly appeared in jest. Arwen was of course, as it was well known, no longer counted among the Eldar.
"Queen Arwen" Legolas bowed…. She laughed at the title among friends.
"Prince Legolas" She retorted.
"You seem in good spirits, perhaps you know something we don't" Legolas said hopefully.
"It is my son's birthday," Arwen said. She knew they spoke of Vera.
"I do not know anything more. But I have more than you, hope of course. The Valar sent the girl, their purpose could not possibly be to have her slain" Arwen explained.
As they spoke the merriment ceased. The men among them confused, the Eldar among were alarmed. All eyes eventually turned on the White Tree.
"She is here I know it. The Green Queen…. But why does she not sing" It suddenly spoke. Its voice like one waking up after a thousand year nap. The men could not hear it, but Eldar could, and it startled them.
"White Tree of Gondor, I welcome you to the feast" Arwen bowed. The tree seemed rather offended by that
"Tree of Gondor? Do not sully me by calling me after a kingdom of men. And do not be so brazen to address me at all, little babe"
"I am the Queen of Gondor" Arwen explained.
"There have been many Queens of Gondor, and Imaldris and Greenwood. I am among but four, and if you should speak to me, call me Sir Sycamore" The sycamore.
"Sir Sycamore, why have you awakened now?" Arwen pressed. She knew that trees didn't particularly like much except Ents.
"Hard of hearing. You are one of many, I am one of four, the Green Queen one of two. She is here, send for her, now" The Sycamore said in an ancient voice, urgent and grumpy.
"She is hurt very badly. She is asleep and won't be moving for many days" Arwen said at last. She feared the tree would burst into violent curses. But he did not.
"Nay, I feel she is awake, tell her that I am asking for her. In fact she is not injured at all," The Sycamore simply replied.
Arwen turned around, feeling unsure. Legolas nearest to the doors, ran straight the healing ward.
He turned the corner. The girl came into sight. She was sitting upright in bed
"Hello" Vera simply said. Her wound was gone, her scepter glowing in her hands. She had power to heal herself on the spot, she awakened from an all knowing dream.
"Vera, you are awake" Legolas said smiling.
"I am… I feel like I might be dreaming, I am not sure" Vera said uncertainly.
"Do you know who I am" Legolas asked, looking at her confused expression. She studied his face in the candlelight.
"No, or maybe yes… or not yet" She finally said. Legolas felt his heart drop
"Do you know who you are?" He asked.
"I am Vera the Green of the Order wise. I was sent here to wait for someone though unfortunately not you" She said unsurely.
"For Radagast, remember" Legolas felt as if he were walking on glass. Her expression cleared.
"Oh yes, my cousin, I was to seeking him out. I remember" She exclaimed.
"Why, what else do you remember?" Legolas pressed
"Something… something… yes…about Blue Jays? No… that doesn't seem right" She said flustered.
Suddenly Merry and Pippen burst into the room.
"Oy, she's awake, that's a mighty relieve" Pippen said. Legolas held out his arm baring the way.
"Please wait outside, I think she's feeling a bit overwhelmed" Legolas demanded. The two hobbits lingered for a moment shooting Vera confused gazes which she mirrored. They begrudgingly left.
Legolas excused himself leaving the Girl alone. "Stay here please" He said urgently
Arwen and Aragorn had quickly joined the waiting area having received no word.
"She's awake, but she's seemed to forgotten everything" Legolas explained.
"How severe is it" Arwen gauged.
"She remembers nothing, like when she first arrived, if Tauriel's account is accurate" Legolas said in a panic.
Finally Tauriel arrived to scene.
"Everyone is very worried downstairs, what's going on" She asked
"Vera is awake but she's…" Legolas exclaimed. At that Tauriel pushed passed Legolas not caring for the end of his sentence.
Vera looked up at Tauriel. Vera looked befuddled.
"Is this a dream?" Vera asked her.
"No girl, It's me" Tauriel said.
"I am sure this is a dream, this has happened once before" Vera suddenly remembered.
"But this is all wrong, It wasn't here that this happened" Vera continued.
Tauriel realized that she was talking about their first meeting. Legolas walked back into the room
"What is wrong with her" Tauriel asked, frightened of the strange creature before them.
"She's …. Probably just tired" Legolas said "Maybe we should let her rest"
"You're lying, you think I've forgotten everything but in fact I've remembered it" Vera protested. It was true, but remembering everything at once seems just the same as forgetting everything.
"Please get some rest Vera, we can talk in the morning" Legolas pleaded. Vera looked defiant for a moment before she reluctantly turned over.
"Two guards at her door" Aragorn commanded suspiciously.
Vera pretended to be asleep until two past midnight. Then she heard the guards outside her door fall asleep. Men snore quite loud. As quiet as a hobbit she escaped the room. Her convoluted memories failed her. She was back to her old escapist (right out king's hands) ways again. She quietly walked to the court yard. Finally something familiar.
"Sir Sycamore" She whispered, very quietly.
"Stay where you are, out of sight" It whispered back. There were guard stationed on the walkways and some near the tree.
Fortunately they couldn't hear the tree speak, being men and all.
"Don't speak, or they will catch you, Green One. I wish it were not so, for how I have longed to hear you sing once more. You must get away from here, from these juveniles. They have already found out of your escape. I know a path hidden in the mountain, since my roots run deep. Take the stairs to your left, and go all the way down. You will meet my roots there" The Sycamore said.
Vera was panting, they had already found out of her escape? The alarmed suddenly sounded. It was followed by running and huffing.
She quickly took the stairs to her left and ran as fast as she could. Twice she hid from guards on her way down in the shadows. Again big folk were not so good on spotting her if she didn't want them to. Of course little folk were much more keen, Merry and Pippen would have been the best searchers except they were going up instead of down.
She arrived unseen to the cellar, and there was a root just a sliver on the floor.
"The stone, here press on it" The Sycamore said.
The cellar was made of brick, and one of them was loose on the floor. Vera pressed very hard on it and it fell through. The others followed until there was a small hole. She saw that there was tunnel.
"How come one stepping here did not fall through before this" She wondered
"I kept my root there, but have withdrawn it for you. Go no Hurry. I will close the floor up when you are gone" Sycamore urgently requested.
Vera climbed though the hole.
"Wait, just one verse of a song. I fear I will not hear it again for a long time" The Sycamore said full of ancient grief
Men sing of merry days and fortresses and caves
A third tree, the Sycamore, for men is what he saves
Grow strong my little friend, for you must alone defend
Your place forever holds with the strength that you lend
That was four verses, a generous gift indeed. The tree wept as trees do, their branches seeming to downcast. Vera was gone.
It was nearly morning when she surfaced. There was a big bolder which she pushed out of the way. She had gone back up the river. The tunnel led the east side of the river, it was still in site.
"That was a spectacular tunnel" Vera exclaimed. The trees agreed. After the initial hole it spanned out quite wide, but it looked rounded and gouged out, almost as if it was dug out by the roots of trees.. She rolled the bolder back into place.
She walked up the path until she came to a patch of blue flowers. That seems very familiar. She fashioned herself a cloak to wear over her hospital robes. It was déjà vu for her at least. She walked up further hoping to find something to eat.
Then she heard singing. She quickly retreated to the trees. As singular boat passed with a single traveler. He sang with such a deep commanding voice. He wore a dark green hood that covered his face. Vera mistook him for a child of nature, Tom himself perhaps.
Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream…. I'm only kidding.
Sing all ye joyful, now sing all together?
The winds in the free-top, the winds in the heather;
The stars are in blossom, the moon is in flower,
And bright are the windows of Night in her tower.
She quickly came out of hiding coaxed by the song.
"Hello" She waved after him with a smile.
The man, at the sight of her, quickly docked the boat. He stood up and Vera realized he was quite a bit too tall to be a child of nature.
"Vera?" The man asked. He lowered his hood.
"I know you…. I think" Vera said looking intensity at his face.
"I should think so, you spent a night in my dungeons" He replied. He looked a bit angry but it waned when the perplexity did not leave her face.
"Are you hurt? Where are the others? You should have made it to Minas Tirith by now. I left but a day after you" He said in rapid succession. He looked for a brief moment, worried
"Thranduil?" She said, some of the confusion leaving her eyes. But in a moment her eyes clouded over once more.
"I am sure, this is a dream, this has already happened" Vera said blackly before running for the marshes. It told you remembering everything could be quite like forgetting everything, especially when remembering things yet to pass.
The Woodland king chased after her but quickly lost track of her. His books sank in the mud, while hers did not.
He cursed himself. He had no idea what was going on. He had been on his way to the council meeting fearing that his son would not be clearheaded on the matters of the newly arrived Istar. But from the panic he suddenly felt, he doubted that he was clearheaded either.
Vera was not well, hurt, possible with a concussion. He had to think clearly. He took a breath. What had drawn her out in the first place. What had he been doing. Oh right, he had been singing. It was something he rarely did in public anymore.
Dance all ye joyful, now dance all together!
Soft is the grass, and let foot be like feather!
The river is silver, the shadows are fleeting;
Merry is May-time, and merry our meeting.
He stood still for a moment. He thought himself a fool, it didn't work. But then after a few moment he saw a blue hood peaking at him from a tree, fifty paces away. She slowly walked closer until she was about ten paces away. She remained behind a tree, shyly.
"I quite like that song" She finally said, very quietly.
"Do you know any songs" He said coaxingly. She thought for a moment, and again the confusion seemed to lift.
She sang in Eldarin, but it wasn't really that either. The Marsh around them previously gray and brown turned slowly green and lively from it. Thranduil felt that this was a song too beautiful for ears. He looked around at what was happening. The marsh ground began to solidify into forest. Butterflies and birds appeared by magic. The gray colorless day became a myriad like the infractions of a diamond. He could only understand a few words, but it was tune that ensnared him.
*(&^*(%%^^*&^%*& skip (*)&()*& house
$%^&)*)(* who are you #$%^&#$%^&
One must go and one must stay &*()
#$%^&#$%^&* river $%^&*#$%^&
%^&*(%^&*( decide ^&*()#$%^&*
%^&*() canvas %^&*() page ^&* night
Vera sang with beauty unknown, and Thranduil at last understood. The tune was incredible because...
"This is the song of creation" He realized.
"Stop" He finally said, fearing the power it invoked. Vera stopped, and when she did Thranduil immediate forgot the tune, and was desperately sad because of it. He longed to hear her sing the next verse but fought the impulse.
Vera looked around her, and everywhere was loveliness. The marsh had become a paradise. Trees glistened with dew, flowers of every color decorated the ground.
"I remember this… in the beginning" Vera said looking around. She had tears in her eyes and the confusion set back in.
"We are not in the beginning anymore" Thranduil finally said.
Vera thought for a long minute
"I think you are right, then is this the end" Vera said sadly.
"What is to happen at the end?" Thranduil asked curiously.
"Why do you think I would ask? The end looks the same as the beginning" Vera laughed. Then she eyed the King turning her head to the side.
With her hand she reached up and covered the left side of her face. When they had first met, he was still scared by fire. Realization downed on her face. She remembered where in the story she was. Suddenly the future was lost to her, and also the deep past.
"Thranduil" She said again and hopped back. This time she said his name with certainty
"What am I doing here?" She looked out at the stretch of Paradise.
"I should be asking you that?" Thranduil chuckled. Which for him was quite a feat, laughing I mean.
"Where are we?" Vera asked
"How should I know, you sang, and this place burst forth" Thranduil said flinging his arm out.
"I was…confused and ran away" She finally remembered.
"Yes I could see that, but you seem better now" Thranduil commented
"We'll it was not long ago I helped you get rid your body of the fire" Vera explained
"Then I realized when I was" It was a poor explanation.
"You helped me? I think I would give the credit to it's saliva not you" He explained.
I think I'll spare the king of explaining that to you.
Vera laughed.
"Come now, there is enough room on the boat for the both of us" Thranduil beckoned.