Chapter III: Back on the Road
The sun was just beginning to rise as we left the town of Bree. I had no idea how many hours I had spent there. I felt both relieved and afraid to be leaving. I knew not what awaited us on the road. Hopefully no characters worse than that Bill Ferny. Little did I know then what things really did wait for us on our journey.
We passed through the tall gates and I remembered the night before, when the portly gatekeeper had warned us of "strange happenings". I could not help but wonder where Bill Ferny fit in with all this. Why was he looking in the window? What about Sam, and Merry and Pippin and Frodo? What about us? I suddenly began to wonder what Ali had been speaking to Darion about. They had both seemed so nervous and distraught. I suddenly felt overwhelmed. Where were we going? I had so many questions, but where to start? Did Ali have the answers? I decided I would at least ask.
"Ali," I said timidly, "I've been meaning to ask you some questions."
Her glance turned from the road onto me. She seemed to know that my curiosity had been eating away at me an that I could not hold it in anymore.
"Well," I continued, "I was just wondering, since we're going to be riding and all for quite some time, and, well, I was just curious as to where exactly we're going off to."
"I thought you might be asking that soon," she said, "and I am sorry for not telling you anything earlier. As for now, we must go to Rivendell. It is imperative that I speak with Elrond."
"Rivendell?" I asked excitedly. The thought of going there brought a smile to my face. I had heard so many tales of the paradise from both the elves I knew from the Shire and my dear friend Elaina. "Elaina!" I thought, "She left for Rivendell years ago. Perhaps she's still there, perhaps I'll see my dear friend again!"
I smiled at the thought of seeing someone from home. Home. I suddenly became saddened again. The Shire. My heart sank even more. I wondered now when I would return. While I was there I had wanted nothing more but to leave. But now, a part of me wished I was sipping tea with Sam in my kitchen, sharing stories. "What stories I'll have to tell after going to Rivendell," I thought, "Although, I'm sure wherever Sam is now, he's making stories of his own. Samwise Gamgee, what messes have you gotten yourself into now?" I grinned when I thought of Sam telling stories to me instead. "If I ever return home." I sighed.
Ali disturbed me from my thoughts when she pulled tightly on Arauka's reigns. The horse jolted to a stop. I looked up and realized that I had fallen asleep again and gotten lost in my thoughts. It seemed as if many hours had passed since the sun was now high overhead. I felt remarkably well-rested.
"You know, my friend," Ali spoke, "It is difficult to carry on an important conversation with you when all you do is sleep." I blushed. "Well, if you have any questions now, they mustn't be very important. If you need answers which you cannot find, it is no one's fault but your own, you know."
I nearly kicked myself for falling asleep and missing the answers I so desperately wanted to hear, but I sat quietly upon Arauka as we continued to ride on. Ali seemed focused and we journeyed on hastily.
Hours passed and Ali and I made conversation from time to time about little things; my parents, the Shire, and the places she had seen on her travels. I nodded intently at the mentioning of different locations and pretended that I was familiar with them all, though I actually knew none of them. "Well, Ms. Brandybuck," I said to myself, "for one who prides herself on being such a wise, worldly hobbit, you don't seem to know much of anything outside of the Shire."
* * *
The sun was now setting on our sixth day of travel. The previous days, we had ridden with only a few brief stops to eat some lembas and rest. Ali had said that we were making excellent time. "At this rate," she had smiled during the sixth day, "we may make it to Rivendell in four days from now."
I smiled at the thought of getting to Rivendell.
"But for now we must rest. For the next few days we must ride even swifter than before and we will barely be able to stop, we must get to Rivendell as soon as it is possible."
She got off of Arauka and helped me down. It felt good to stand on the ground again. I had, by now, become accustomed to riding so high above it, but I still preferred to be safely on the earth. Tinalion reached into her pack to find some lembas.
"Wait," I said, "This entire trip, all we've eaten is elf food, and not that I have anything against it, but won't you allow me to treat you to some wonderful hobbit-cooking? I have spent much time with Samwise and he has made me many a meal. I have learned a thing or two. And I have the pan that he let me borrow stowed in my pack. I didn't want to leave it behind."
Ali smiled. "If that would make you happy, Laurelin, then by all means, go ahead."
I grinned. I thought back to days in the Shire, when Sam used to come and visit me at my house. I would tell him stories and he would use his treasured pots to cook me a delightful meal for breakfast, or second breakfast, or eleventies, lunch, tea, or even for supper or dinner.
He had also taught me the best herbs and spices and where and when they were best in season.
"Now, if only I knew where I could find some nice rabbit meat, or perhaps a big pheasant," I said.
"Pheasant?" Ali replied. With that, she took out her bow and fitted an arrow she released it up a ledge and seconds later a large brown pheasant fell from above. I looked at her and she smiled.
"There is your pheasant," she said, "Now, I expect a delicious meal."
Ali started the fire and I went to look for herbs. I found some thyme, sage, and rosemary and brought it back to the fire. From my pack, I took out the one pan which I had brought with me. I looked at it and it reminded me of Sam. I smiled and could almost taste his delicious cooking.
I poured a bit of water into the pan and crushed up the herbs. I put them in the hot water and prepared the pheasant. I began to cook it and soon the smell of spices filled the air.
It was a wonderful night. The stars shone brightly all across the sky, a million tiny jewels in a large blue-black crown. The soft glow of the fire lit the area just enough so that I could see my friend. And there we sat, under the silent sky, and for an hour or two, I was happy. For the first time in a very long time, I was genuinely happy. For those hours, our worries completely disappeared, and though I had seen her smile before, I saw Ali really, truly smile for the first time. I told her stories about events in the Shire and the time I had dropped a pot on Sam's head. The lump had lasted for at least two weeks. "Good thing I have such a big brain," he had said.
After we talked for a while, I laid down in the soft grass and tried to sleep. I laid there for hours, but every time I closed my eyes, thoughts plagued my mind about the whereabouts of my friends. Dreams kept me from relaxing all night. Finally, I was able to sleep, but only for a short while. When I awoke, I opened one of my eyes and looked around for Ali.
Suddenly, I heard a beautiful voice. The soft, sweet sound wafted in the air like the fragrance of a flower. I sat up quietly and saw that Ali was sitting atop a small mound a little distance in front of me. She say perfectly still and from her lips, a beautiful song poured forth:
A Elbereth Gilthoniel,
silivren penna míriel
o menel aglar elenath!
Na-chaered palan-díriel
o galadhremmin ennorath,
Fanuilos, le linnathon
nef aear, si nef aearon!
A Elbereth Gilthoniel!
o menel palan-díriel
le nallon sí di'nguruthos!
A tiro nin, Fanuilos!
As she sat there, a single ray of sunlight came through the clouds and shone on the regal elf. From my place below, she seemed no longer to be my friend Ali, but a queen crowned upon her throne. She was Linmenel again, the way I had remembered her from when I was young, and I again felt a sense of admiration for all she had done.
Suddenly, she turned around and saw me. "Oh," she said, "I did not mean to wake you, my dear friend."
"Oh, no need to worry, I was awake anyway. That song, it was beautiful. What was it?" I asked.
She smiled. "It is an elvish song, one of my favorites. I learned it when many many years ago. Perhaps I can share some more with you on the road. But, now that you are up, let us continue, we have a long way to go and not much time."
We again prepared to depart and soon we were on our way again. After we had ridden for some time, Ali offered to tell me the origin of my name, since it had been she who named me. I smiled at this and was filled with excitement.
As we rode, she sang me this song:
For countless years, her footsteps fell,
In land of Valinor,
Her song enlivened all that grows,
On the golden hither shore
Bird and beast and tree she made,
Leaf and claw and fin,
But the rarest gift of all she gave,
Was golden Laurelin
:
She kissed the ground and sang a song,
Of silver and of gold,
And sprouted first a silver leaf,
As legends all have told
Soon beside a gold leaf grew,
They sprouted to the sky,
Trumpeting their brilliance,
Waving banners high
For years they took their turn in bloom,
First gold and then the white,
Yellow filled their every day,
And silver every night
But soon a sour note was made,
That killed Yavanna's song,
Before the Valar even knew,
The lovely trees were gone
Nienna offered all her tears,
To save the shining trees,
Yavanna beckoned every night,
Singing through the breeze
From Teleperion there grew,
A shining tree once more,
Replanted and regrown in,
The realm of Numenor
But from Laurelin no seedling saved,
No fruit to grow again,
Save the flower in the sky,
Naught is left of Laurelin
If e'er again I see the shining
Coast of Tirion,
My heart will ache for I will know,
That Laurelin is gone.
I smiled each time she sang my name. I suddenly felt that I had a connection the mystical word of elves and the history of middle earth.
"Well, you sang me such a great song, but I have nothing to give you in return," I said.
"Oh, come. You must know some song, you hobbits always have something to sing about."
I thought for a moment and then began to sing the only thing I could think of:
Hey, Ho! To the bottle I go,
To heal my heart and drown my woe,
Rain may fall and wind may blow,
But there'll still be,
Many miles to go!
Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain
And the stream that flows from hill to plain,
Better than rain or rippling brook,
There's a mug of beer inside that Took
Ali smiled.
"I used to sing it with my friends. How I miss them." I said.
"Well, perhaps you can share some more as we ride," Ali replied. She seemed delighted to hear my light-hearted songs.
I felt proud and grinned at the memories of the days at home with my friends.