Pictor Ignotus
Chapter Twenty-Eight--Wandering on the Edge of a Dream
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Legolas POV
It was like wandering on the edge of a dream. But maybe that was just it…this was a dream. Standing on the pier, looking out to the golden horizon line, I watched as she alighted the light vessel that would carry her out to sea and away from me forever. There was no grief or tears, only an aching that continued to remind me that I would not see her again for a very long time, and for an elf--that was a long time indeed.
For a moment, she hesitated on the edge of the boat, and then--lifting her head high--she descended quickly to come stand before my father who was at my side. I saw her trembling hand reach up and caress my father's face slowly as though memorizing his features for a later date.
"You understand why this must be, Thranduil?" Her pale face was flushed with the radiance of the sun and at the same time the dismal heaviness of rain-bearing clouds.
My father lowered his eyes for what I was sure must have been the first time in his life and took her other hand. He kissed it swiftly and placed it against his chest. "No. No, I do not."
She started to cry then. I rushed to wrap my arms around her legs, for suddenly I felt the grief that I knew I should be experiencing. This was what it meant to love and to lose. I felt her hands grasp my head and pull me to herself. Then, far sooner than I wished, she pulled away and looked down on me with watery eyes. "It's all up to you now, my little Greenleaf. You must help take care of Eryn Lasgalen."
Within myself, I despaired. "But I cannot."
Kneeling in front of me, she parted strands of hair on either side of my face and began to weave them in the intricate pattern of our full-grown males.1 When she was done with either one, she then turned me around and wove them together in a thicker braid down the back of my head. Finished, she turned me about and cupped my face with her hands before lightly kissing my forehead. "Now, Legolas…now, you will do well."
Surprised and thrilled with her actions, I could only watch dumbly as she stood, looked once at my father and then once again mounted the vessel. We watched the boat until it was no longer visible and had disappeared on the horizon line, and when I turned to return home my father had tears in his eyes.
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Iorwen POV
The River Limlight was swift and wide but it was also shallow. Most of the elves were able to easily cross. Legolas, though, had to be brought across at a safer part further down the river. My crossing was easy enough, but that was partially due to the fact that Valandil kept his eye on me the entire time and when my horse began to lose his footing on the rocky bottom, he managed to steady him using his own mount.
Once crossed, the Limlight looked far less ferocious than it had before and I was feeling much renewed, if but a little wet. We had to wait a good ten minutes though before the elves bearing Legolas and their small host arrived at our position further upstream. Once reassembled though, we made magnificent time. Most of the elves were on foot, but they were just as swift as any of the horses and I soon discovered that I was the only one who really needed one. Even Valandil walked beside his horse for the majority of the trip. So, feeling thoroughly displaced, I fell to the back of the group and rode alongside Legolas, occasionally stealing glances at his sad form and wishing more than anything else to hear him speak and see him well again. I wanted Marian there alongside me more than I ever had before. I wanted her comforting presence. I hadn't realized how much I would miss her, and now, amidst all these strange foreign creatures, I felt like a complete outsider who truly needed to be returned to where she came.
My anger at the Valar bloomed and I realized that I was practically squeezing the life out of Beriadan's reins. What right did they think they had to rip me out of my own life and place me in such unfamiliar territory? What made them think I would eventually become used to this? I was doomed to die in a world that I would never understand, with people I didn't understand, with a life I didn't understand, and no hope of ever righting myself. I was completely and utterly alone.
Nessa gave me a small smile and pointed ahead, "We are entering the forest now."
Forgetting my own self-pity, I looked ahead and felt a wave of awe wash over me. Lothlorien.
There it was. Directly ahead of me. Just like in the books.
It was just so…real, though. I was living Lord of the Rings. And ahead of me, in all its fantastical glory, was Lothlorien where the fellowship had once passed, where Lady Galadriel had once dwelled, and where one of the most ancient races of middle earth had spent countless years.
The trees towered overhead like veritable skyscrapers, their thick branches touching each other affectionately like close relatives. As we came nearer, I saw that most of the tree trunks were too large for three full-grown men to wrap their arms around. And their bark was exquisite. I was suddenly very honored to have had my hair compared to the bark of the mallorn trees, for they were unlike any tree I'd ever seen. Their golden-brown skin practically shone in the light of the sun overhead and glowed like the tan skin of a human.
The elves passed through the trees slowly like the steady-moving waters of a river around smooth rocks, admiring their mightiness and brushing them appreciatively with their white fingertips. I found myself wishing I had a camera, for the scene I was witnessing was probably the most beautiful interaction of nature and sentient species I had ever seen. I wondered if maybe the elves were talking to the trees. I vaguely remembered something about that in the books; one of those little facts that got lost in the overall plotline of the books.
Overcome with the emotion in the atmosphere emitted by the elves and possibly even the trees, I laid back on Beriadan and watched the passing of the trees' canopy overhead, examining the way the light spilled through the leaves and branches.
When I opened my eyes again, I realized that I had fallen asleep. I could not in fact remember having actually drifted off, but the fuzziness in my head and the aching of my back quickly informed me that I'd just spent several hours asleep on the back of a horse. I sat up too quickly and reeled slightly left. A hand quickly righted me before I was able to slip off, though, and I looked down to see Valandil give me a reassuring grin. He gave me a short nod and pointed ahead, "You have perfect timing, Astaldea. We have arrived."
"What?" Turning forward, I felt my jaw drop slightly as we neared the most massive tree I'd ever seen. A white staircase wrapped itself around the tree all the way to the top and blue lights seemed to glow from every area of the copse. All about us, glittering pools of water blinked with silver lights and white-skinned elves seemed to appear as though from nowhere, emerging from behind thick foliage and coming to stand next to our procession. Several of said elves took our horses and a few more quickly assessed Legolas' condition and whisked him away. I watched them march off into the woods until nature's shadows prevented me from seeing more. Valandil followed my line of sight and put a consoling hand on my shoulder before pulling me lightly towards the massive tree in the center of the copse.
"Come. The elders of the golden wood have afforded us safe haven and care. You may see the prince tomorrow when he is no doubt returning to health," he then pointed at the main tree, "That was once the dwelling place of the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn. Now it is as vacant as Eryn Lasgalen. It pains the Lorien elves to see the home of their lords so empty. No one dares go near it; not till a new leader is decided upon."
I looked gravely at the tree, inwardly disappointed to know that I'd never get to meet Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn. They had to have been more than legend. But inside I was slightly confused. Turning quickly to Valandil, I gave him a questioning look. "Did the lord and lady not have any heir?"
Valandil looked at me oddly, as though just then remembering that I had in fact not been in Middle Earth my whole life and all this was news to me. "Well, after the Lady left, the Lord Celeborn went to Imladris and there dwelled with the only true successors to his realm: the Sons of Elrond. But the sons would not stay. They followed their father before them, and it was at that time that the Lord Celeborn departed as well. The only other heir would be their sister, Arwen, Evenstar of Imladris, but she is ruler alongside King Aragorn in Gondor."
"Yeah, yeah. I know." I said, absentmindedly waving off further explanation.
"You do?" he questioned, one blonde eyebrow rising elegantly.
"Yeah…" I rummaged through my memory, "Didn't I tell you? Lord of the Rings is a book series where I come from. I know most everything there is to know about Middle Earth. I can't remember a whole lot about the ending though."
Valandil nodded, "Now that you mention it, you did say something to that effect. I suppose that at the time I just did not really consider it. It must have somehow seemed significant in the midst of everything else that was taking place."
I looked at him, slightly incredulous. "You are a strange one, Valandil. Oh--I guess I should call you Lord Valandil or something like that…"
Valandil shook his head, "I'm not a lord by any standards. Simply Valandil will do just fine."
I smiled and gave him a slow nod, "Okay….Valandil. I guess I'll just find Nessa and Earane…" I started to walk away, but was halted by the suddenness of his voice.
"Wait."
I turned around, surprised and confused. "What is it?"
Valandil took a slightly uncertain step towards me. "Well…I was wondering if you might like to take a walk. After all, we're liable to be here a while, and it would be beneficial for you to know this new area…"
I was slightly stupefied. "You mean, like…a tour?"
Valandil looked sort of abashed and opened his mouth slightly in explanation. I cut him off. "Alright."
At my acceptance, he smiled and put his hand out. I took it and he held it aloft as we went down a set of steps leading down to a large pool near the base of another great tree. The moon overhead sent slants of silvery-blue light through the trees, and I thought to myself—for what must have been the thirtieth time that day—that all of this was like wandering on the edge of a dream.
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: Forgive the delay….yet again. At any rate, people, please review. My response was rather dismal last time. I understand that sometimes I take forever to review, but it's always a little disheartening when nobody really reviews.
1 I fully admit, I have no idea whether this has any Tolkien truth to it. It's just something I have conjured for my purposes. I thought I heard it somewhere and now I'm running with the idea where I will.
