Chapter Seven

Dòmhnall seem to have easily accepted the role he was to play and the journey ahead. He ate his breakfast quickly and my sensible, younger brother could barely sit still in his seat. Like me he had many questions, very few of which I could provide satisfactory answers for, I sympathised with his frustration but he seemed to care little that there was so much we did not know.
The guardsmen soon knocked on our door and I hastily finished my porridge, the day would be long and it would be unwise to journey on an empty stomach. I picked up my sack. My sword I carried at my side and I had my bow and quiver on my back. Dòmhnall just had his bow, he had never been as good with a sword, but he had his dagger.

As we walked along the veranda, Lord Elrond and Arwen came out to see us then, to give us their blessing and to wish us well on the journey. Arwen embraced us both,
"Stay safe. No gelin i vin, adh aphado i chwest."
"Novaer, hiril nîn." I replied. She deftly touched my cheek and smiled.
Lord Elrond then placed his hands upon Dòmhnall's and my own head, as our father should have done. Giving us his blessing.
"'Na lû n'i a-goveninc." he said, my brother gave him a bow and I followed his suit. The guardsman helped us onto our horses and Arwen and her father, along with the few remaining of our own servants, and the servants of Rivendell waved us off. The majority of our servants had travelled to Bree after asking my brother and I whether they could. I was content to let them go and be able to work for their own money; I thanked them heartily for their sacrifice and loyalty to our house. Lord Elrond even gave them a little money to establish themselves comfortably before they found work. I looked back to the home that was almost the home of my childhood, then beyond that to the woods and river where my real home had been. If I journeyed to Gondor would I see it again? I decided to think not upon it, but followed the guardsmen up the valley, away from Rivendell.

Dòmhnall rode to my side, "Do not fear, we shall see them again."
"Did not you say that about father, about Hamnet and Cobryn?" I asked.
His face turned grim, "Yes, but we know Hamnet and Cobryn live and they will return to us."
"How do you know that?" I asked.
He gave a smile, possibly the first one without any fear for a year or so,
"Melusine." he said simply.
"You know Melusine only comes to the women in our family." I sighed.
He gave a shrug, "I am still one of her descendants, I know in my heart they live; as does Thorongil."
I frowned, "Why does it matter if Thorongil lives?"
"You are not as cold as that, we like Thorongil and I believe he intends to marry Arwen, she deserves to be happy."
"How do you know he intends to marry Arwen?" I snorted.
"Lord Elrond likes him and so does Arwen."
"That does not mean they will marry."
"Doesn't mean that they won't."
"How can Arwen marry a mortal man? He'll die long before her."
"Death holds no fear or bounds for those in love. How many stories have lovers willing to die for each other? Thousands."
"That is nonsense," I said, "You cannot reciprocate love when dead." I spurred my horse onwards, but my brother caught up with me.
"Of all the people to say that, I would never think of you…"
"I'm not saying I dislike the idea of love or even dying for it, I just think…Well if a person dies then they leave the person to live out the rest of their life without the love or companionship of the other person."

"Melusine still loves us all, that is why you can hear her cries when someone you love dies."
"A fine gift that is." I snapped.
He came closer to my side, "I know why we journey on to Lothlórien, it would be easier to go straight onto Rohan, but the Lady Arwen knows. She told me a little of what our history means and how the Lady Galadriel will speak of your fate."
"Do you believe I have one?"
"We must all do, but perhaps yours is more important." he grinned. I smiled back at my youngest brother.
"I wish I understood it better."
"Well that is why we seek out the Lady Galadriel."
I liked his simple confidence, believing that when we came to Lothlórien all the questions would be answered, all the problems resolved. I do not believe I ever had such innocence and faith in others, had I always believed there would be some questions that could never be answered? Perhaps when I was younger it was more that there were questions, but it was easier to dismiss them and forget.

We journeyed for many days and I was surprised the journey was not fraught with difficulties, I had expected orc attacks to be a daily occurrence and so when we left Rivendell the only relative danger was being soaked by rain. I once mentioned this to Elladan, who laughed.
"You see fears beyond every turning. It would take a particularly stupid group of orcs to attack seven elves, all of whom had weapons. Besides, even if they did risk it, your skill with a sword is as good as anyone's here, they'd be fools to try and take you."
"Why would they take me?" I asked, thinking they would be far more likely just to kill me outright. Elladan shifted nervously in his saddle and I frowned.
"They sometimes eat the flesh of men, but we shall not think upon that. They would have a weighty opponent if they tried." he smiled, but I knew there was some hidden truth kept within the depth of his eyes. I kept staring at him, but his face remained inscrutable. What would they take me for? Who would they take me for? Had the ransacking of my own home meant something other than a violent and savage attack? I'd always assumed that it had no cause, just the bloodlust and violence of orcs, but perhaps Elladan's slip meant they were after something else…I'd become practiced in soothing my temper when people told me everything yet nothing, I knew there was little I could do about it. I just hoped the Lady Galadriel did not deem it best that I should remain in darkness and though I found lights I always found another brighter and larger light beyond that.

Another difficulty seemed to be the direction we ought to take; Elrohir argued fiercely we should go over the mountains, rather than through Isengard. Orc attacks aside, seeing him argue with his twin brother, who normally agreed with him on nearly every account was probably the most surprising to my brother and I.
"Why? Why would you not have us go through Isengard, it is the easiest way. I realise it is not the quickest, but how can you expect nine horses and two mortals to go over the mountain?" said Elladan.
"I realise it would be difficult, but we can just go over the mountain and reach the Lady Galadriel that way, rather than going all the way through Isengard, back up through Rohan and then onto Lothlórien."
"What is it you fear will happen in Isengard?" Elladan asked.
Elrohir gave a shrug, Elladan sighed.
"Father trusts Saruman."
"In the same way many of our people trusted Annatar?"
There was a unanimous shiver amongst the Elves and many looked up to Elrohir, frowning at him.
"You compare Saruman to him?"
"No, I'm just saying unwavering trust is not always wise."
"Saruman has done nothing wrong, Sauron did, and you would be wise not to compare the two."
Elrohir moodily went back to his supper, as his brother got up to assist with the watch.

"Why do you fear Saruman?" I asked.
Elrohir shrugged, "I know not, I have never found his company…I never feel at ease with him." He finished.
"He is an Ithron, powerful beyond all, even among his own company." Dòmhnall said.
"How do you know that?" I asked.
"I actually find the history books in Lord Elrond's library interesting." he teased, but then looked back to Elrohir, "Perhaps you are both fearful and respectful of the talents he possesses."
Elrohir's brow creased in concentration, then he shook his head.
"I am naturally in awe of the power he has, but it is not just that, it is something within his nature I dislike." He gave a quick smile, "I suspect I am being foolish, it is just childish fears from when I was younger and was looking up at this white cloaked column of a wizard."
He finished his dinner and then went inside his tent, but the strangeness of his words unnerved me. Of either brothers Elladan was always the more cautious, probably taking after his father a little more than Elrohir. Although they were very close, with similar temperaments and humour, I believe Elrohir's smile often came a fraction faster than Elladan's. So why did fear cloud his eyes? I bid my brother goodnight and then hastened to my tent, pulling out my reading cards from the pocket of my bag I safeguarded them in. I sat crossed-legged on my bed and shuffled my way through them,

"Silver moonlight, and Sunlight of Gold,
Light my way clearly and be bold,
Show me the desires,
And secrets untold,
Mother and Melusine be with me and bless me,
As the cards unfold.
So I will it, so it shall be."

My hand hovered over one of the hidden cards in the pack; I drew it out and turned it over. I nearly laughed, well that wasn't particularly helpful! The Hierophant, of course it would be him. The keeper and safe guarder of magick and spiritual knowledge, a chosen leader and guide. But he was by no means particularly troublesome, just a man who remained steadfast in his opinions and the authority that he maintained. But then my mother's voice crept into my mind as I put the card back into the pack, a lost memory of her showing me the cards and teaching their meanings to me:
'The Hierophant can be a teacher and wise man, but he also holds ground over forbidden knowledge. He can guard his secrets well.'
He is an Ithron that would be why, he would hardly wish for mortals or even the elves to know all his secrets and everyone guards their own secrets, I reasoned. But my mother's voice had shaken me a little and perhaps it was that idea of hidden knowledge that scared Elrohir.

I put my cards away when I heard Dòmhnall's footsteps walking towards our tent, normally I spoke with my brother about what the cards revealed, but I had no desire to do that tonight. I climbed into my bed and closed my eyes. I heard him shuffling around the tent, kicking off his boots and climbing into his own camp bed. When I finally heard his quiet snores I opened my eyes again, wasting away the hours of sleep I could have had by thinking, but eventually the day's travelling proved too much for me and fell asleep. Most of the nights spent on our journey had proved dreamless thus far and I was grateful for that. My dreams had often been puzzling and confusing to me.

This night I dreamt though, I dreamt of a beautiful city, seemingly made of white marble. It almost looked as if it had grown from the mountainside it clung to, rather than having been built. I walked around the city, gazing at the fine cloths held in the market stalls, the sweet smells of perfumes and a dozen spices I knew not. It struck me that this city was quiet and cold, but that did not worry me at all. Perhaps they are all asleep, I thought, though the thought seemed strange to me. It was a large place and took forever reaching one circle from the one below, but I enjoyed the walk, the cool air blowing over the walls and ramparts as I took my journey upwards.

Finally I ascended the stairs to the last circle, as I took in the beautiful palace and long stretch of lawn. It struck me that at the end of that lawn should have stood a tree, I knew not why there should and I was certainly not intending to garden here. But as I turned to look back up at the great marble Hall, some strange moment of fear made me feel like ice had poured through my blood. I turned to look back at the grass, seeing a dark mass at the end, where the tree should have stood. I frowned, the tree should not be dark. I ran towards it, until I was close enough to realise a man was lying there. I stopped, not wishing to go any closer, but knowing I had to. I eventually neared him and almost shouted out in surprise, why did Thorongil lie here? I ran to his side and tried to shake him awake.
'He shall not stir; the Kings of Gondor shall stir no more."
I looked up; it was the man who had been in my other dream, the one in the boat. I got up, seeing the white tree on his tunic again. I pointed to it.
"Where is that?" I asked.
"The tree?"
"Yes."
"You were not here, so they cut it down."
"Why?" I said, shocked, though not knowing why I was shocked.
"You were not here." he said again, as though this explained all. I sat next to sleeping form of Thorongil, put my head in my hands.
"I wish I could understand, I wish I could know everything."
It frightened me that he said nothing and so I looked up; I jerked away from Thorongil, seeing the place suddenly littered with bodies and I knew these forms were not sleeping.

"Sister, sister, hush…"
I opened my eyes. Dòmhnall and Elrohir were standing over my bed, both looked worried and Dòmhnall pulled me into a tight embrace.
"You were dreaming…" Dòmhnall said.
"A little more than that," smiled Elrohir, "You have woken many of the guard; they believed you were being attacked. I had to stop my brother from running into your tent fully armoured."
"What happened?" I asked.
"It was just a dream and you were shouting out in your sleep."
"Oh?"
"I could not make out all of your words, but you were muttering something about a city and a sleeping king." Dòmhnall smiled, "Were you going to have to kiss him like our mother's tale of Briar Rose?"
I scowled at Dòmhnall and straightened out my mess of bedclothes.
"I should have no desire to kiss this sleeping king, it was Thorongil."
I irritably plumped my pillow into a more comfortable mass and lay back down on it. My brother looked at me bemused.
"Thorongil was king?"
"Don't ask me how or why, he just was. It was just a dream Dòmhnall."
But as I said this I caught Elrohir's eye, he looked frightened, disturbed even more than Dòmhnall was; who was now acting as though this was not something to be concerned with.
"Elrohir I am alright, please will you apologise on my behalf to your men and your brother."
He nodded, but still said nothing.
"What is wrong?" I asked.
"Nothing, it just sounds like a strange dream."
I nodded, "Yes, the ending was horrible, everyone was dead."
"You did not mention that." said my brother from his bed, I shrugged.
"It was just a dream," I yawned, "There is nothing more to…"

Suddenly something in my brain clicked into place. The tree, the tree should have been white. Like the white tree on the unknown man's chest and the tree I had seen on the front cover of Lord Elrond's book of Gondor. That was Gondor, a part of Gondor. Why did I dream of Gondor? How could I when I had never seen that country?
"What is it?" asked Elrohir.
I would have told him too, as well as my brother, I liked and trusted them both, but something told me not to. This was a dream to speak about with the Lady Galadriel, not with a man and an elf, who would not really understand it.
"Nothing, just remembering the worse parts of it. We should all sleep." I said.
Elrohir bid us both goodnight and then left the tent, my brother rolled back over and fell swiftly asleep. But I stayed awake, musing through the dream.

'What does a sleeping man mean…? And why did I not come to aid them…? To aid them with what…? Why did it matter whether a tree was cut down or not? Why did it matter if a tree was white? Gondor…Gondor…My father hailed from Anfalas, my mother from Belfalas and they met in Minas Tirith…Minas Tirith, that is the capital of Gondor. Was that Minas Tirith? How could I know of Minas Tirith if I have never seen it? Those pictures I have seen and descriptions I have read are not in any way akin to seeing a place in the flesh…so how could I dream of it…? Why was the man from the river there? He wore their uniform, that much I can guess, but only soldiers wear a uniform like that surely? So he is a soldier…'

I rolled over to my side, angry and frustrated as thoughts buzzed around my head like bees in a hive. No matter how I reasoned it out or thought about it I kept coming to questions I did not know the answers to. I buried my head in my pillow. At this point I would have happily punched the soldier that kept reappearing in my dreams. Or myself. If I ever saw that soldier again I would insist on him telling me his name at least, I just hoped that in my dreaming I would think of doing that, rather than waking afterwards and having no satisfactory answers. A name could be at least one of them.

Sorry for the slight delay, I've been busy writing chapter eight and helping with a creative writing group project (so much work). For some weird reason I loved writing the dream in this part. I've no idea why, but there you go, dream writing is fun.

Sindarin translation (with many thanks to Certh):
No gelin i vin lîn, adh aphado len i chwest = May thy paths be green and the breeze on thy back
Novaer, hiril nîn = Farewell, my Lady
Na lû n'i a-goveninc = Until next we meet

Certh - I am rolling indeed! But this just happens to be one of those rare stories of mine where I don't get stuck in a rut and my muse is actually full of good ideas.
*New notes: Apologies for the commas and the false Sindarin getting in, next time I shall be less trusting of any websites I've found. Lesson learnt!
Sorry to Elladan/Elladen! Either I've done this out of sheer absent mindedness or my computer has, because it did the same to poor Eowyn and changed it to Ewoyn, for some bizarre reason.
I realise the route is a little obscure, but there is reason behind my madness! :) Elrond has planned this route and though he knows of Elrohir's fears, he does believe they are unfounded. The characters in the previous chapter are pivotal to her life/fate, so Elrond has done some sneaky backstage work. That's the only hint I'm now going to drop. But I think you are right, in that it needs more explanation, so in the next chapter I may have Arwen talking to her father about the route or Elladan and Elrohir arguing about it.

Guests - This is a general thank you to you all, as I don't know all your names :( But I have been receiving all your kind words in my emails and I'm sure my muse will be happy, even though she keeps me awake very early in the morning!

Also, I miss Astraea Concord, where ever you are! Your comments are greatly appreciated too.