Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings however sad it may be. I only hope to represent Tolkien's work with an OC of my own. What you do not recognize from the books or movies or appendices or anything else of Tolkien's belongs to me.
"Not all those who wander are lost." ~J.R.R. Tolkien
12.
Treebeard was then guiding horse and rider north. After the initial introductions were made and Erynell dissuaded the Ent from picking her up for closer examination, Treebeard said something quite strange.
"Your presence has…not been felt here," Treebeard took a great breath and released an unearthly moan the likes of which Erynell had never heard before. He continued speaking as if nothing had happened, "for a long, long while."
"The presence of the elves?" She asked. Or…no. She couldn't bear to get her hopes up.
"Your particular Elvish…presence…if that is what you…mean." He said. How could he say this? Treebeard had no idea the significance of his words to Erynell.
"You mean I've been here before?" Erynell asked. As she walked, she almost tripped over an aggressive tree root. Treebeard strained to bend down and command the offending tree in old Entish before they continued moving.
"Quite recently, in…fact." Treebeard said. Erynell tried to press him some more, but he would have none of it. Why did he say she hadn't been "here for a long, long while" but then say she visited "quite recently"?
"Don't…be hasty" was evidently his favorite philosophy, and Erynell seemed to be the epitome of a hasty elf.
The two traveled for a few more days through the never-ending dark of Fangorn Forest before Treebeard allowed the conversation to return to Erynell. She was more than relieved, as their path began sloping more and more uphill with every step they took. Erynell thought the forest may've been purposely trying to suck them in more.
"You must know of Eregion if you know of me, then, Treebeard. Are you familiar with where I hail from?" Erynell implied. Treebeard blinked and his torchlight eyes rounded on her.
"Eregion?" The word sounded gruff as it resonated through his old bark. "Eregion..." Erynell wanted to shudder as he tested the word. Then, he started sweeping his great treetop from side to side. Erynell had to throw her arms up over her head to avoid the rain of twigs and moss flying off his beard.
"I do…not…know of this Eregion. Are you…making your way there…now?" He asked. Erynell could only shake her head, though he wasn't looking down at her to see it.
"No. It was destroyed, I'm afraid. Lost to history." Erynell felt sad. Evidently she was still endued with a sense of Nationalism even to the land she could not recall to memory.
At her words, however, Treebeard's eyes brightened. The stringy bark on his forehead rose as if in realization.
"Lost!" His voice shook the forest. Erynell could feel the discomfort of the trees nearest to him. "The…Entwives are lost!" Erynell couldn't make heads or tails of his new statement, so she decided to drop it.
Another day passed. Then another. Erynell guessed that they were almost out of the forest, at least that is what the few trees she attempted to converse with were saying. The rest of them told her to turn around and stay in the forest so they could keep her safe, or they told her she'd been going in circles for days. All in all, not very reassuring.
At the River Limlight, Erynell was able to bask in the light of the sun once more. The gap between the trees was small, but it definitely gave her some relief. She had become attached to this forest and would leave it regretfully, however, there was too much. Too much pain, sorrow, anger. How could she ever comprehend the true nature of this place?
Erynell took a long, lingering drink. Léod bent beside her to lap up some water as well, and Treebeard simply stood in the current letting it wash up from his roots. It tasted wonderful—cool and crisp—and Erynell could've stayed there for ages. Soon however, she felt the moss of Treebeard's beard brushing over her.
"That's quite enough…don't want you to be…to treeish." He said. Erynell was slightly confused but nodded, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and mounted Léod just for across the river. Erynell didn't notice the slightly green tinge that her vision had taken on.
The current of the Limlight was swift but Léod's gait was steady. The travelers were soon across the river and venturing into the adjacent brush, leaving the sun behind.
As they traveled another day, Erynell's mind wandered. How was everything back in Gondor? Were her friends worried about her or thinking 'good riddance'? True, her thoughts weren't very positive but simply thinking of those she'd left behind made her feel better in the dark.
No matter what they felt about her, Erynell had a place to return to. Aragorn and Arwen would welcome her back with open arms and hopefully smiling faces. Eowyn probably hadn't given her much thought, not with Faramir hanging off her arm at all times. Erynell smiled as well; perhaps she'd be able to enlighten them then on who she really was upon her return.
And the Hobbits! Oh, her dear Hobbits. They'd probably have arrived in Rivendell by then. She could only imagine how they'd be welcomed back on their little ponies and in their little cloaks. The saviors of Middle Earth; half as tall as any man but with twice the valor.
Finally, Erynell thought of Gimli and Legolas. The smile drifted off her face, but she wasn't sad that they weren't beside her. The two had traveled together on a promise and were probably underground at that very moment.
Erynell longed for another discussion with Legolas. Every time they met, Erynell would have questions about Middle Earth or of the Elves, but she could never voice them. One of the last times she had spoken to him, she'd made quite a fool out of herself. However, he wasn't judgmental and genuinely cared for what she'd had to say…
Erynell was thinking too much into it. She shook thoughts of the Elvenprince out of her head and instead thought ahead to her meeting with the elves of Lothlórien. She couldn't help but get her hopes up again, though she wasn't sure that she could survive her heart being crushed again with disappointment. She already felt…broken.
Treebeard slowed down as they reached the incline to another hill. He looked ahead and spoke, "This…is the oldest part of the forest…the most dangerous."
Erynell looked around with apprehension. There was…something different about what they were walking into. The trees were covered in a dark—almost black—moss that hung down in vines from the treetops. The trunks themselves were twisted into almost unnatural looking shapes with knots and tendrils of wood sticking out at odd, random intervals.
The very forest floor seemed alive with the roots squirming underfoot.
Treebeard told her sternly to mount her horse and follow in his exact, uh, trunk-steps. Erynell heeded this without thinking. Wherever the Ent stepped, the roots would stop moving for a few seconds and form a sort of weave for him to step over without trouble.
The Ent also told Erynell to refrain from directly contacting any of these trees. It could be dangerous. Erynell obliged, and shrunk into herself as far as she was able on Léod's back.
Every once in a while, a vine or a tree branch would come sloping down from above or around the travelers and reach out to Treebeard or Erynell. Treebeard would embrace the contact with his own branches but would hiss whenever a branch got close to stroking Erynell. All in all, it was very unnerving.
Léod was sure-footed and not skittish when the roots wavered underfoot. Erynell was glad, as Treebeard seemed to be walking faster. Looks like someone was a little hasty.
The elf couldn't look down. Around exactly where Léod's hooves met the ground, the writhing roots would go into a frenzy. They waved around them fluidly, and it almost reminded Erynell of the movements of water.
There was that feeling again, the sea-longing. Erynell had half a mind to close her eyes and allow herself to fall backwards into the sea of wood because maybe—just maybe—it'd take her home.
When she looked back up, however, Erynell snapped out of it and chided herself for such thoughts. She was sounding ridiculous. However, her eyes drifted shut…
"Ah!" Treebeard creaked. "We are almost…out. You've handled that well…,elf."
They all emerged into the evening light. To the West, the sun was setting behind the mountains. Streaks of red, yellow, orange, and violet snaked throughout the sky and Erynell felt at piece. She was debating whether or not to simply sleep until morning to continue, but realized that she wanted to see the lights of the city for herself as they were most brilliant at night.
"Well, Treebeard," Erynell looked back into the expanse of darkness they had emerged from and then up at the Ent's old, weathered face, "I hate to, er, be hasty as you say, but Lothlórien is my destination and it mustn't be far. I see the forest up ahead." That was true; across the Field of Celebrant, Erynell spotted the green and silver trees of Lórien Forest.
It was quite a ways off, but if Erynell could see it, she knew it could be done. Treebeard squinted ahead all the same.
"So be it…take this for your…journey…May it bring you luck when…the sun sets in the East." Treebeard said. He then extended a mossy hand down towards Erynell. She was confused, but took the small item balanced on the tip of his branchy fingers. It was a piece of wood; small and oval shaped with a small knot protruding from the otherwise smooth surface just off-center.
"Treebeard, what is this? What do you mean?" Erynell asked. The sun sets in the West, not the East…The old being had already started to turn around. When she looked at the small wooden oval more closely, it seemed to be whispering to her. She shrugged that thought off because as soon as it crossed her mind, the small whispers stopped.
"Don't…remember…" He said. "Don't be hasty!" Treebeard was nodding to himself as he retreated back into Fangorn and was enveloped in darkness.
The elf shrugged and tucked the piece of wood into a small pouch on her hip.
"Boe i 'waenc. Tolo." We must go. Come. Erynell whispered to Léod as she bid him to run. Together, the two flew across the Field of Celebrant and into the Forest of Lothlórien after it was completely dark.
It was completely breathtaking. As it was spring, Léod's hooves disturbed the golden leaves completely coating the forest floor. Above them, in the boughs of the trees bloomed yellow flowers almost as golden and ethereal as the ground below. Few peeks of green shown though the canopy, and the moonlight that shown through illuminated the towering trees themselves. They resembled silver columns as their bark was smooth and grey.
Instead of the pressure Erynell felt in Fangorn, she felt a floating sensation in Lothlórien. The wood was silent and peaceful, and the trees friendly. In passing, Erynell stroked the trunk of one softly, and the hymn of hundreds of trees singing together entered her ears. The notes were high and jovial. The wood elf was truly relaxed for the first time in…well, forever it seemed.
She didn't try to converse with the trees. She didn't need to. Erynell only listened to their beautiful song.
The elf was giddy. She didn't expect any danger around her or anything amiss with the world. Erynell kept urging Léod forward through the trees even though her clouded mind couldn't concentrate hard enough to feed her a direction. She simply followed the path, closed her eyes, and hoped for the best.
It wasn't the sound of a bowstring being drawn that caused or to open her eyes and finally become aware, nor was it the non-treeish whispers surrounding her. It was a disembodied voice in her head.
There were no words, but the tone held plenty of meaning; confusion, distrust, curiosity were apparent. The voice sharpened her senses and caused her to gasp and draw a knife from Léod's saddle.
Instantly, before she could hold it up fully, a voice sounded from above. "Man de? Man ídhrog?" Who are you? What do you want? Erynell glanced up and sheathed the knife. At least a dozen assailants were above her with their bows drawn. She could figure her chances. They were all dressed in grey cloaks with the hoods up.
"Im Erynell a mellon nîn Léod. Ídhron peded a Galadriel." I am Erynell and my companion is Léod. I wish to speak with Galadriel. Erynell said. Quickly she dismounted Léod so as to look less like a threat.
"Lady Galadriel does not simply offer audiences to any who come to call." One of them spoke in Elvish.
"I have been referred to come by Mithrandir the Wizard. That and I am also friend to Prince Legolas of Mirkwood and Lord Elrond of Rivendell." Erynell hoped this would work. She couldn't just turn away again.
At her words, two of the elves leapt down from their platforms in the trees. They pulled back their hoods and Erynell studied them closely.
"Mae g'ovannen, Erynell." Well met, Erynell. She noticed this was the formal greeting of the elves, not the informal as had been used for her before. Looking between the two elves, Erynell noticed a few similarities in their appearance. "I am Rúmil of Lothlórien and this is my brother Orophin. We are the wardens of this forest."
Both elves were blond and had stern looks upon their long faces. However, in their eyes there was acceptance and assurance.
"Mae g'ovannen." Well met. Erynell nodded to them both.
"We shall lead you to Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel with the dawn. Tether your steed and rest with us on the flets." Rúmil spoke and bowed his head as well. Erynell noticed that Orophin didn't do much of the talking.
By flets, the brothers referred to the lifted platforms attached to the trees. After she climbed up, other wardens would lift the silver ladders so no one could follow. Only a few of the cloaked elves stayed below. One was guarding Léod and the others started to patrol. Erynell leaned back against the tree trunk protruding from the middle of the platform.
"Are you expecting much animosity, then, with such a patrol?" Erynell asked. The elves all turned to look at her, but she was staring at Rúmil.
"The evil of Sauron was destroyed," he looked at her as if waiting for a reaction. Erynell nodded but didn't tell him that she was there "but still orcs venture close to our borders from Dol Guldor and Southern Mirkwood." He said.
The tree behind Erynell was singing softly, lulling Erynell to sleep. It had been about a week since she last allowed herself to fall into a slumber, and she knew she really didn't need it so she shook herself awake.
"By the power of Lady Galadriel are our lands kept safe, but soon our Lady of Light will diminish and travel into the west." He seemed sad, and clutched his bow a little tighter.
"So that is the fate of us all, then?" Erynell asked. When Rúmil looked on at her with confusion, she reiterated. "We are all to go west? By boat to the undying lands and to live forever apart from Arda?"
Rúmil shrugged. "That is our homeland. We were never meant to come here as it is. By the Valar, we have interfered too much with this world." This time, Erynell was confused, but she let it slide.
The elves started singing stories around the flets to pass the time as the moon became dark with cloud cover. Every once in a while, the silver ladder would be dropped for another elf to scamper up and report to Rúmil or Orophin. They would either wave off the words or give them an order. At one point, Rúmil himself stood with a scout and dropped down the ladder.
"Orcs have been spotted to the east. Stay here with Orophin 'til the dawn and my brother will guide you to Caras Galadhon in one piece." Rúmil said. He didn't give her time to offer her help before he leapt down the ladder and faded into the forest soundlessly. Erynell looked at Orophin apprehensively before focusing on the tree's song.
A hand shook Erynell slightly to bring her back to focus. It was now barely light out and Erynell looked up to find Orophin before her.
"You slept." He said simply, gruffly, but with a strange look in his eyes. Yes, Erynell slept a lot for an elf but he didn't have to seem so judgmental. Shaking the fog out of her head, Erynell stood and realized she was being childish. Instead of glaring, she sent Orophin a smile. One he did not return.
They climbed down from the flet to meet Léod who seemed pleased that Erynell was back on solid ground. She didn't mount him, but she did stay as close to his side as she could while they were marching with the elves.
Once again, Erynell felt that disembodied presence inside of her head. She looked around at the wardens guiding her, but none would meet her gaze. They ventured to the center of the whole forest, and once the incline gave way, Erynell saw a valley of trees spread before her eyes.
In the midst of green and gold, Erynell gaped at the sight of one tree taller than all the rest, even towering over the surrounding hills. It must have been thousands of years old and was event taller than Treebeard. Without a doubt, it was the most impressive being of Arda she had yet seen, and that included the Mûmak of Harad.
It was a few more hours before they had all ventured into the city's stronghold. With a start, Erynell realized that the city wasn't just centered around the tree, the city was the tree. She tried not to gape too widely, but Erynell noticed the smug looks on many of the wardens' faces.
At some point, an elf had approached to lead Léod to the stables for food and drink, and Erynell let him go without a second thought. She would find him again, but in this moment, all she wanted to do was make contact with the tree. She felt its power and life force buzzing around in her head, it was almost painful. However, she wanted to appreciate it in full.
As she reached out to lay a hand on the tree, another hand shot out to stop her. This one wasn't covered in the grey cloak of the wardens but in reddish-gold armor that extended all over the elf's body. Looking up, Erynell took in the sight of him.
He, too, resembled Rúmil and Orophin, but this one was more regal. He had a small silver battle-circlet flattening the long gold hair around his head, and his eyes were a piercing blue. Where Legolas was lithe and quick, this elf was strong and sturdy.
"You do not wish to do that, she-elf. It would be too overwhelming." He spoke in Sindarin. His eyes shone bright with amusement but his expression was grim. Erynell deflated a bit and looked back at the tree, sadness clearly evident in her eyes. The elf was still holding her wrist, so he turned her to look at him and bowed his head.
"I am Haldir, March-warden of Lothlórien." Haldir's eyes drifted behind her to Orophin and the rest of the wardens. "I have a report to give, so I shall take her to Lady Galadriel, brother."
Erynell looked behind her to see Orophin nodding. He bowed his head once to her and then led the wardens back the way they had come. Haldir released Erynell's wrist and smiled.
"Welcome to Caras Galadhon, Lady…?" He trailed off and led her around the tree to the start of a grand staircase. There were no guardrails, but Haldir still positioned himself in between her and the tree.
"Erynell." She breathed. She hoped he didn't expect her to say where she hailed from.
"Lady Erynell." Haldir left it at that and walked up the staircase, his red cape trailing behind him. Erynell noticed a few patches and streaks of black blood spattering his cloak and armor, but didn't say anything. He must've been busy with those orcs.
They trudged up for what seemed like hours, but Erynell noticed that the width of the tree trunk didn't shrink hardly at all. Her earlier impression of this great tree didn't do it justice. It was massive.
Every few revolutions, a silver arch would be structured off to the side of the staircase, with silver rope bridges connecting the main stair to smaller (but still huge) branches. Erynell wondered why these elves would ever need to touch the ground at all.
Haldir didn't make conversation, but it was a comfortable silence as they walked. Every once in a while, an elf would pass going down the stair and would acknowledge them. Other than that, everything was…peaceful.
As they walked up, however, Erynell started to feel a pressure in her head. It felt much like in Fangorn before she had made contact with those trees. She had half a mind to push Haldir out of the way and finally lay a hand on the smooth silver bark of the great tree, but she had to push that thought aside. Her expression must've fallen, because even Haldir started glancing at her oddly.
With the pressure, came the disembodied voice again. Still, no words, only emotion was transmitted. Erynell could tell that the emotion was foreign, but the two conflicting sides of her head were starting to get on her nerves.
After a few times of shaking her head, Haldir took her arm and tucked it through his for support. Perhaps he assumed she was tired and simply wanted to assist. Still, Erynell was frustrated.
Soon came a third impression on her mind. A tiny whispering. Erynell could barely feel it but if she tuned in on that it was easier for her to cope with the pressure and the voices.
Erynell's free hand rested on her hip and came into contact with the little pouch holding Treebeard's piece of wood. She took out the small oval and rested her hand on the knot and suddenly everything was bearable.
She still had no clue what the little piece of wood was, where it had come from, or what kind it was. Erynell knew this wasn't the luck Treebeard had referred to earlier due to the fact that the sun was not setting in the East, but still, the little piece of wood had some impact on the madness of her mind.
She clutched the oval in her fist without Haldir noticing, and when he glanced at her again she smiled reassuringly. Returning her focus to their climb, Erynell was relieved to find that they had come to the end and were now standing on a suspended platform high above the forest floor. Although Erynell could fall off and be sent to her doom in a split second, she was at ease.
Haldir unattached himself from Erynell's arm and stepped forward, kneeling before the backs of two figures. One was in blue-grey robes and the other in a long white gown with impressive train.
"My Lord and Lady of Lothlórien, I come to report… " Haldir spoke calmly and with measure. Erynell had started out listening to him, yes, but when the two beings turned around the elf could no longer focus on Haldir's words.
Celeborn was definitely lordly, everything you'd expect from such a being. He held himself high and glistened with authority. However, it was Lady Galadriel that truly stole the air from Erynell's lungs.
Interestingly enough, Galadriel was barefoot, though the pristine quality of her skin allowed no dirt to show. He dress was long and glowed brightly, as if there was a light shining within. Gaze trailing up, Erynell noticed her shining hands held before her and clasped together, with a ring weighing down one finger. Oddly, the ring was the least interesting thing about Galadriel, as it was almost dull.
Like most elves in Lothlórien they'd encountered, Galadriel's hair was long and blond with a slight wave to it. Those piercing blue eyes were focused politely on Haldir for his report, and her lovely face was finer than the brightest star. Erynell understood then why she was known as the Lady of Light, and Erynell thought that this high elf was the most beautiful creature she'd seen in her short time.
At the end of Haldir's report, he stood and conversed shortly with Celeborn and Galadriel. When silence finally fell, Haldir beckoned Erynell forward and she bowed awkwardly.
"And may I present Lady Erynell for an audience with my Lord and Lady. She is friends of Mithrandir the Wizard and Prince Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood." Haldir bowed his head and stepped away.
When Erynell lifted her head again to look at the Lady Galadriel, she stepped back slightly. The Lady of the forest was looking at her with a mix of horror and surprise. She only spoke quietly in Sindarin.
"You should be dead."
Reviews:
LucyXHeartifiliaXFan: Haha, I'm glad I can entice that sort of a reaction from you! I hope it's starting to get more exciting here.
jdsnape: You're welcome! I'll try not to keep Legolas out for too long, just trying to stick to canon and his adventure with Gimli, I always aim to keep things interesting! Thanks a lot for the read and the review, you're very faithful haha
