Chp. 21
I knew having a dwarf on this journey would be more hassle than good. I knew he was not going to be happy about being blindfolded for the rest of the journey. Legolas calls me stubborn, but he should spend more time with this dwarf. Then we will see who is stubborn!
"The agreement was made without my consent. I will not walk blindfolded like a beggar or a prisoner. And I am no spy. My folk have never had dealings with any of the servants of the Enemy. Neither have we done harm to the Elves. I am no more likely to betray you than Legolas, or any other of my companions," Gimli says.
"I do not doubt you, yet this is our law. I am not the master of the law, and cannot set it aside. I have done much in letting you set foot over Celebrant," Haldir replies.
Gimli stands a few feet away from me with his feet planted firmly in the dirt. The look of defiance in his eyes tells me that this dwarf is going to ruin this sojourn to Lórien for all of us. And his promises against betraying the elves are naught but meaningless words. One of his kin ran me through; who says he will not do the same to another elf - or even to me?
"I will go forward free or I will go back and seek my own land, where I am known to be true of word, though I perish alone in the wilderness," Gimli answers him in a curt voice.
Please let him go back. It is all I ask. I would be infinitely less stressed about my safety and well-being if he left. Legolas would be happy with it as well.
"You cannot go back now you have come thus far; you must be brought before the Lord and Lady. They shall judge you; to hold you or to give you leave, as they will. You cannot cross the rivers again, and behind you there are now secret sentinels that you cannot pass. You would be slain before you saw them," Haldir replies.
Gimli pulls out his axe, and I hold my breath. What rash thing is he going to do? Haldir and his company immediately bend their bows.
"A plague on Dwarves and their stiff necks!" Legolas exclaims next to me.
"Come! If I am still to lead this company, you must do as I say. It is hard upon the dwarf to be thus singled out. We will all be blinded, even Legolas and Miriel. That will be best, though it will make the journey slow and dull," Aragorn says.
Gimli laughs at this and replies," A merry troop of fools we shall look! Will Haldir lead us all on a string, like many blind beggars with one dog? But I will be content, if only Legolas and Miriel share my blindness."
"We are both fellow elves and I am a kinsman here," Legolas says raising his voice slightly. The vein in his forehead is starting to show signs of his frustration.
Being blindfolded scares me. What if me or my child is harmed? I cannot protect either of us if I cannot see. Having the gift of knowing the future has spoiled me. I do not like the unknown, it frightens me.
"Now let us cry: a plague on the stiff neck of Elves! But the company shall all fare alike. Come, blind our eyes, Haldir!" Aragorn replies to Legolas' comment.
I know that Aragorn is trying to do what is best for the group, but I can see in Legolas' eyes that he does not like that Aragorn did not side with him.
"I shall claim full amends for every fall and stubbed toe, if you do not lead us well," Gimli says as they blind his eyes first.
"You have no claim. I shall lead you well, and the paths are smooth and straight," Haldir replies.
"Alas for the folly of these days! Here all are enemies of the one Enemy, and yet I must walk blind while the sun is merry in the woodland under leaves of gold!" Legolas remarks.
Haldir places a cloth over my eyes and I reach out to grab Legolas' hand. I trust only him to guide me through this.
"Folly it may seem. Indeed in nothing is the power of the Dark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divides all those who oppose him. Yet so little faith and trust do we find now in the world beyond Lothlórien, unless maybe in Rivendell, that we dare not by our own trust endanger our land. We live upon an island amid many perils, and our hands are more often upon the bowstring than upon the harp," Haldir replies.
As we begin to walk forward, I take notice of the soft earth beneath the soles of my shoes. The forest is alive around us with a cacophony of sounds, mostly different birds chirping. I can feel Legolas' thumb rubbing soothing circles onto the top of my hand. I can only imagine the stream of thoughts and worries going through his mind. I can imagine his face is scrunched and that deep furrow has appeared above his eyebrows. I can feel that he is slightly in front of me as we walk. He is too over-protective for his own good. That thought recalls to mind a story I once heard about my childhood that I do not remember well myself.
On a cold and rainy morning, my whole family, with the addition of Legolas, set out to go somewhere I do not remember. We rode on horses through the forest,and I was cuddled into my mother. I was no more than three or four at the time. I remember the rain being fat and coming down hard against my mother's black mare.
We rode for a while when I felt my mother tense up behind me; my brother glanced back at her with an odd look upon his face. Soon after, I began to hear strange noises. Before long what my childish self would call monsters. I now know those were Orgs. It was my first encounter with these beings and I know too well it was not my last. They appeared surrounding our group. The monsters cut us off, and we were forced to stop. Swiftly fighting began.
I was terrified, but I did not cry, knowing that would only distract the others. Everyone protectively circled around me. It seemed to me that we were winning until my mother was knocked off the horse behind me. I turned around coming face to face with my imagination's worst fear. A lone tear rolled down my face as I saw the monster's sword come into view. Its jagged teeth set in a smile.
I was knocked off the horse and fell to the ground. I hurt, everywhere. Darkness soon took over. I woke up later in my bed chamber, dazed and confused. At the time, I was told it was naught but a bad dream.
But Legolas has a scar on his right shoulder.
A breeze has rolled in. I can smell the fresh pines all around us. The birds do not make as much noise know hinting to me that is may have become dark around us. I only hope nothing happens to us in the darkness.
I think back to how Legolas told me about his scar.
One sunny day, Legolas and I are lounging by the lake, not too far from my bed chamber, enjoying the day on which we first began courting. I was lying on the lush, green grass, resting my head on his stomach, Legolas mindlessly playing with my hair. I began laughing at the thought of our going swimming in the lake.
"What are you laughing at?" he inquires.
I sit up and turn to lie facing him, propping myself up on my left arm. I smile at him mischievously.
"No good ever comes out of that smile," he replies.
"We should go swimming in the river," I say, the same coy smile playing on my lips.
"Right now, when your brother could come here and see us at any minute?" Legolas asks. He has always been too uptight for his own good, but especially so in the days when he worried our relationship would ruin his friendship with Arvaldon.
"It is so hot out... But I suppose I could go and find Faeron; I know he will go swimming with me. I mean, those flowers he gave me last week were so lovely, and I haven't really denied him yet..." I say with a wide smile as I begin to get up. I know I should feel remorse for teasing him like this but I do not. I know he knows I am only teasing him to get what I want.
Legolas grabs my arm to stop me.
"You wouldn't," Legolas replies.
"Oh, but I would. Arvaldon talks incessantly about how nice of a boy he is. Maybe I should start listening to him," I tell Legolas, another smile plastered on my face.
I knew how Legolas disliked Faeron for his pursuit of me, but I found the rivalry of sorts endearing. However, if I had to play that card to get my way, I did not really care. At any rate, though, I was only teasing him.
Legolas with gritted his teeth and sits up. He pulled off his shirt to reveal the muscular figure I have only twice before seen but I was a child then my body did not react the same then to him as it does now. I could not help but notice a raised white line on his right shoulder. Curious, I gingerly traced over the scar with my finger; he shivered slightly.
"When did you get this?" I asked him.
His eyebrows came together as if his answer took much contemplation. At last, he exhaled loudly.
"Do you remember the nightmare you had when you were but a child?" Legolas asked me, not looking at my face. " It was about the monsters in the forest; your mother and you were knocked off of her horse."
"Yes," was all I replied.
"It was not a dream, Miriel. I pulled you off of the horse to save you, and as I did the knife cut me along my shoulder," Legolas replied.
Protective then; protective now. My reverie took up most of the day and night, and word soon travels to Haldir that the Lord and Lady are going to allow our group to enterthe Naith. We take off our blindfolds to reveal that Caras Galadhon is in the distance.
A/N: Sorry for this taking so long. I went through and edited this fic again, so if you have some free time, feel free to reread it. I posted a poll about what Miriel should do after departing from Lórien on my profile; feel free to vote as well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I cannot wait to hear from you. As always, thanks to my beta CrackinAndProudOfIt. A lot of dialogue from this chapter comes from The Fellowship of the Ring, so a big thanks to J.R.R Tolkien as well.