The Trees Remember
Chapter Five
"On the Open Sea"
Father and son stood silently under the moonlight. It had been many long millennia since they had been together, but it did not dull their connection any.
"Why did you not come to Valinor?" Legolas asked.
He continued to look straight ahead. In the far distance, lights flickered in Washington, D.C. They cast a strange glow into the sky and veiled the stars.
"Why do you ask such a thing? You know wood-elves do not wish to depart this world."
"You are Sindarin, adar. When you wished for death, why did you not sail West?"
Thranduil sighed softly. "I did not know if I would be welcomed."
Legolas turn to his father. Hurt and disbelief clouded his blue eyes.
"Why would we have not welcomed you? Did I not shed tears when we parted at the last? Did I not invite you and naneth to my future home on Tol Eressëa?"
Thranduil shook his head. "I did not mean you. I meant … the Valar. The Sindar defied the Valar in never completing the journey to Valinor in the First Age. When I did not return in the Fourth Age … I did not know if the grace of the Valar had been lifted." He fell silent for a moment. "There were some wood-elves during the darkest times who said we should try to enter the Blessed Realm. The majority, however, chose to move once more to a land less hostile to us."
"And the ones who did not?"
"They chose another King, with my blessing." He released a strangled sigh. "They were slaughtered not a month after we departed. We joined the men of Aragorn in the snowy wilderness of Finland. There has ever been friendship between our people since that time."
Thranduil smiled proudly at his son. Legolas was stunned to see such a look of admiration. It seemed to him that he had always caused his father grief in Middle-earth. From his daydreams, to Gollum's escape, to sailing to Valinor, he had always felt like a disappointment to his father.
"Your friendship with Aragorn is the basis of this second alliance." The King chuckled softly. "Do you know what I am called by the men of that line?"
Legolas shook his head.
"They know me as your father. They say I am the King of the wood-elves, of the House of Legolas." The King smiled. "You did well, my son, very well."
Elaneth dumped an armload of clothes on the sofa. The Elves looked at the pile suspiciously.
"What is wrong with our current attire?" Haldir questioned.
The elleth studied the Elves in front of her. They were dressed as warriors. Elladan and Elrohir wore almost identical royal blue and silver uniforms, the colors of Imladris. Legolas wore brown and green, while Haldir dressed in red and gray. It appeared that fashion had changed little with the journey West.
"Well, for starters, most people nowadays do not carry bows or swords. Men do not wear leggings, tunics, or have long hair."
All four Elves immediately protested. Elaneth held up her hands. "Fine, keep the hair, but try on these clothes."
She handed out the suits, each slightly different in color and style. She kept the clothes consistent with the colors of the Elves' Houses and realms, for their own comfort. She gave a navy blue suit to Elrohir, blue pinstripe to Elladan, brown to Legolas, and gray to Haldir. The march warden looked at the other suits, then back to his own.
"Why can I not have a red suit? Red is color of Lothlórien Captains."
Elaneth bit her tongue. "Most men do not wear such bright colors."
"You have on a red dress," he protested.
"Do I look like a man? Now, go change in those rooms over there. I want to see how you look."
Elaneth sat on the sofa flipping through a magazine while the Elves changed. Thranduil entered a few moments later.
"What is all this, Elaneth?"
The elleth looked at the pile of clothes, then back to her King. "You didn't expect me to travel to Europe with them in those clothes, did you?"
"That's funny because I see a few dresses in that pile."
"They're for Haldir," Elaneth deadpanned.
"He's probably your size?"
"Yes," she answered. "Though not in the chest."
Thranduil ignored the cheeky comment.
"I know this is a sudden change."
"Change is all I've known. The last 3,000 years have changed more rapidly than all other Ages of the world, and I have not even been alive for all those 3,000 years. I am glad to meet other Elves. Did you know Haldir is a Silvan Elf?"
"Yes," he answered. "I knew his father before Greenwood and Lórien were sundered."
"I would have never guessed. He wears armor and fights mostly with his sword, and yet, Legolas is Sindarin, but continues to live like a true wood-elf."
Haldir appeared a moment later, frustration evident on his face. When she saw him, Elaneth burst into laughter.
"Oh, Haldir! You've put the suit on wrong."
She walked over to him and began straightening out the suit. He had tied the belt around his waist, over the jacket, and the buttons of his shirt were uneven. His tie lay over his shoulder as if it were a sash.
"I suppose I should have been more helpful," she said.
When she moved to unbutton his shirt, Haldir stepped away. "What's wrong? Here, let me fix it."
"It is not proper, Lady Elaneth."
Elaneth stood back, shocked and amused. Apparently, the customs of the Eldar in Valinor were stricter than among the Silvan folk. Haldir began to fix the buttons himself. Elaneth took a deep breath as his shirt opened, exposing his chest. He was not as thin as most Elves, and his muscles were defined by many years of fighting. She swallowed hard, wishing he had let her unbutton his shirt.
A hard clearing of the throat brought Elaneth back into the moment. She quickly glanced away to see Thranduil staring at her. Legolas had exited his changing room a moment earlier, and was watching Elaneth's appraisal of Haldir with a small smirk. He, however, had done no better dressing himself. Elaneth distracted herself by attempting to straighten up Legolas's clothes. She was barely done when Elladan and Elrohir appeared, just as disheveled.
"Everyone else I dress can figure out their clothing just fine," she muttered.
"You leave in the morning, correct?" Thranduil asked. "You should all get some rest tonight."
"Yes, we have a long day ahead of us," Elaneth agreed. "I'm afraid you'll have to endure another car trip, a train ride, the horribly industrial city of New York, and unpleasant immigrant dock workers all in one day, but New York is the closest civilian port and the only harbor on the eastern shore with routes to England."
The ellyn only shrugged. Nothing Elaneth said made much sense to them.
When the Elves awoke the next morning, breakfast had been prepared from them, and their bags were sitting by the door. There did not appear to be any servants around, but Elaneth did not look as if she had been working in the kitchen all morning.
"Good morning," she said.
"Good morning, Lady Elaneth," Haldir answered, bowing slightly.
"Please, Haldir, call me only Elaneth. I am no Lady."
"True. You are descended from a Prince of Doriath, are you not? Therefore, you are a princess."
Elaneth seemed surprised that he had guessed her parentage correctly. "Who told you?"
"I overheard a march warden call you Princess Elaneth."
A forced smile stretched across her lips, but she shook her head. "I am only Elaneth."
Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas entered at odd intervals during breakfast. It seemed that only the five Elves preparing to depart were in the palace. The Valinóreans began to wonder how many Elves lived in Eryn Lasgalen. They had seen only fifteen Elves, including Elaneth and Thranduil.
"Here is some breakfast for you," Elaneth said, placing a plate of scrambled eggs in front of Elladan.
"Thank you. Please, sit down. I need to discuss this trip with you." After she sat, he began his questioning. "How long will it take for us to reach Germany?"
"Hitler will be in Berlin. The voyage to Dover is three weeks. From there, we could be in Switzerland within a day. The harder part is entering Occupied Territory. The Nazi regime is very cautious."
"With no delays, how long may it be until we can see Hitler?"
"He gives speeches to the German people all the time. Seeing him will not be hard to do. Getting to Berlin will be the hardest part. Perhaps it will take one month."
Elladan sucked in his breath. "Is there no other way that is faster?"
"There is, but it is extremely unreliable. Cancellations could delay us longer. Transatlantic flights are very new."
The Elf nodded. "Well, if the Fellowship can plan on walking to Mordor, then I suppose we can spend a month in travel. Tell me about Hitler and his minions."
Elaneth smiled. The Nazis certainly were minions. They had been called far worse, but Elladan's assessment was the most accurate she had heard.
"Adolph Hitler is Austrian, but governs the country of Germany. His party is the Nazi party, a fascist regime. The state controls everything from elections to what is read in the newspapers. He has taken over all the countries of Eastern Europe and France. His allies are Italy and Japan. Japan attacked the United States. Mostly, our military fights in the Pacific, but some men have gone to Europe."
The Elves did not understand everything she said, but Thranduil had shown them modern maps.
"The Nazis are a vile party. Hitler has ordered a mass extermination of the Jews of Europe. They are of Easterling decent, but they never served the Dark Lord. Their origin is traced through Bór, the Easterling who proved faithful in the First Age. For thousands of years, they fought to defend their homeland and their way of life, but now they are scattered. The Jews are placed in Concentration Camps and executed in the most heinous ways. Those who do not immediately find death must work for the Nazis. They receive no food or wages, only regular beatings and torture. The worst of all of it is that their toil furthers Hitler's plan to annihilate their people. Yet, if they do not work, they are submitted to more torture."
Elladan closed his eyes at her descriptions. "This sounds like the work of the Dark Lord himself. Let us hope it is not so."
"People follow his rule willingly?" Haldir asked, horrified.
"Their willingness is questionable. Mob mentality and the human need to belong are fickle states of mind," she replied. "The Germans flock to him as if he has promised them Valinor. They march through the streets, chanting war songs, proud to be Nazi Germans. The soldiers murder at will, and I do not mean only on the battlefield. They will murder anyone who publicly opposes them, anyone who aids a Jew, even because a person is crippled."
"How much of Europe still stands free?"
Elaneth shook her head. "Switzerland, Sweden, and Ireland have claimed neutrality, but Hitler does not always honor such pacts. Spain and Portugal are weak. Mussolini is attacking the Balkans as we speak. The U.S.S.R fights, but the Eastern Front has pushed into their own country. The only defense Europe has is England."
"The Shire?" Legolas questioned. "That is all?"
Elaneth nodded.
"This task will be harder than I thought," Elrohir said. "How quickly will this war spread?"
"If England falls, there is no hope of victory," Thranduil answered, entering the room.
"I have called Andre," Elaneth said.
Thranduil nodded. "Good. We will need him."
"Who is Andre?" Elladan asked.
"Andre Walker. He is a good friend of mine. He will be waiting for you in London with whatever help he can find."
The Elves left the house directly after breakfast. Their bags had been loaded, along with a separate trunk that contained their weapons.
"How long do you travel with us, my Lady?" Legolas asked.
"I will go as far as London. If Andre is on active duty, then I will go further. If he is free to join you, then I will remain in London."
"You can fight?" Haldir asked.
"My skill is not in such areas, though I can defend myself if I must. I will go as a translator. I speak German and Italian among other languages."
"Very impressive," Elrohir smiled. "Quenya, Sindarin, English, German, and Italian … any others?"
"Spanish and French. Finnish and Welsh also, but those don't count. They are too similar to Quenya and Sindarin."
Most of their day was spent in transit to New York City. Thranduil left them at the Washington D.C. train depot with well wishes and falsified passports, the latter more helpful than the former. From there to the depot in New York City, Elaneth explained various mechanisms of the modern world. Subway systems, factories, and Universities caught the Elves' attention. At the New York depot, they were met by a chauffeur who drove them to New York Harbor.
New York Harbor smelled like dead fish and toxic factory exhaust. The HMS King Edward bobbed proudly in the harbor, dwarfing the cruise liners docked on either side of the massive British ship. The Elves halted for a moment on the wharf, surveying the ship in awe. Not even the Teleri could build something so large. It was made from metal and coated with lustrous white paint. A hundred circular windows lined both sides of the ship, and three giant smoke stakes rose from the main deck.
"Where are the sails?" Legolas wondered aloud.
"This ship uses coal engines," Elaneth explained.
She led them up the gangplank where a customs agent waited on the deck of the ship.
"Passports," the man said.
Elaneth handed him five passports. The man looked at her skeptically, but flipped open each booklet, and stamped them all.
"Your rooms are on the top deck, Miss Livingston. All three of the suites were reserved for you, ma'am. George will show you the way."
The young man identified as George escorted them through the many hallways of the cruise ship and up to the top deck. The Elves looked around in awe at the massive ship. They were very intrigued by the carpet, something they had never seen before.
Elaneth smiled at the young man. She hoped he would ignore the Elves making such a fuss about carpet. He blushed and ran into a doorframe. Haldir and Legolas snickered at the man. He continued on, embarrassed.
"Here are your rooms."
The boy scurried off with one last glance at Elaneth.
The ship's steam horn blew loudly, signaling their departure. The Elves covered their ears and looked around for what could have caused such a loud sound.
"It was the ship's horn. That's all," Elaneth explained, laughing softly. "We should prepare for dinner. It will be served in a few hours."
Elaneth stood on the deck of the ship, looking up into the night sky. It was so rare to see the stars clearly. She loved living in the western United States where there was little industry, but she couldn't leave Washington, D.C. too much anymore.
Another person stepping next to her broke her concentration. She looked over to see Haldir standing several feet from her. She sighed deeply.
"What do you want, Master Elf?"
Haldir ignored her obvious attempt to goad him. "I did not know you were here."
"This is a big ship. Are you telling me you just happened to come to the same spot as I?"
"Yes, but since I am obviously not welcomed, I will go to another place."
Elaneth sighed, "You needn't do that. I do not mind your company that much."
The march warden stepped to the railing beside Elaneth.
"Eärendil is not in the sky," Haldir stated, somewhat confused.
"Eärendil? You mean Venus. That is what men have named him. It has always upset the older Elves, but I think it is quite funny."
"Why is that?"
"Well, Venus is the Roman goddess of love. She is something like Melian is to Elves. They should have named Eärendil's star Neptune, but men do not know about Eärendil. He is visible only at sunset and sunrise during certain times of the year. We should be able to see him before the voyage is through."
"What about the Sickle the Valar?"
"That is always in the sky."
"Above Germany?"
Elaneth sighed. "Yes, and many besides. This world is fraught with peril. War is not the most dangerous of them. Look, right there it is." She pointed to the left. Haldir started at the location of the Sickle. "Men call it the Big Dipper."
"Well, look who we have here."
Both Elves turned around at the stranger's voice. The man standing behind them was shorter than the Elves, yet tall among men. He wore a black pinstripe suit with a long black trench coat and a black fedora tipped forwards.
"Can I help you?" Elaneth asked.
"Perhaps," the man replied. "Was that Sindarin you were speaking?"
Haldir and Elaneth exchanged worried glances.
"I see," the man smiled. "It was."
He drew from under his trench coat a black pistol.