Sam stood on the docks and watched the elves unload crates and barrels of this and that. It was an hour or two past sunset. The moon was beginning to show his pale face above the mountain behind them. The dock was well lit with tall torches and light that leaked out from the fishermen's huts. Aunie and Pulin were trying unsuccessfully to start a game of "tug-o'-war" with a piece of rope they had found. The problem arose when it was discovered that not only could Pulin drag Aunie across the dock with the rope, her pulling or no, but he could also lift her up and carry her. The latter of these soon send Aunie and Pulin into a game of "catch the fish" with Aunie as the fish.
Sam watched them half-heartedly. His mind was full of thoughts. He wanted to see Frodo badly, desperately. He was still thinking of the words Corbin had spoken to him hours ago in his room. And he wondered what ever happened to that mysterious Mr. Needles. During the entire journey, Sam had seen him only three times.
As if in answer to his thoughts, Sam suddenly spotted a hunched figure dragging a large sack down onto the dock. Sam recognized the figure immediately as Mr. Needles. There was no mistaking the almost hunchbacked stature, the glimmering green eyes, and the strange drooping pointed hat. Sam could almost make out the strange star-patterned purple robes that he had always seen Mr. Needles draped in.
As the figure reached the dock, he slung the sack over his shoulder and trudged off into the dark beach. Sam assumed he knew what he was doing. Perhaps he was working for the elves or something. Still, he felt suspicious of the strange little man. Narrowing his eyes, he focused his thoughts on Frodo. Soon they would be together, but not soon enough. Sam still feared the presence of the Ringwizard, Alesu. He hoped that they were not too late.
The beach was surprisingly quiet. Although Sam could see many, many elves bustling about here and there, their feet were silent and their voices minimized to hushed whispers. Aunie and Pulin must have noticed this too, because it was not long before they quieted down and came to stand beside Sam.
'What I'd give for a good Shire song,' Sam muttered.
'We know some,' Aunie said. Pulin nodded.
'We've been… around… you might say.' Meaning that Pulin and Aunie had indeed spent much time in and around the Shire before figuring out who Sam was and that he had already left for the boat… Not that they would admit as much to Sam.
'How's the one about torches?' Aunie asked. 'I liked that one, and it's sort of fitting for the surroundings, you know.'
Sam and Pulin agreed. They decided that Sam should start, since he knew it best. Typical.
Sam began softly, his voice blending the melody and words to the surroundings. It wasn't exactly upbeat, but it was from home.
Burning, burning in the night
The army's torches, oh so bright.
They go off and lead me from my home,
But I had sworn that I would never roam…
Burning, burning far away.
I hear you whisper 'Can't you stay?'
Now wipe that teardrop from your eye,
Take my hand, and promise not to cry.
Aunie joined the song then, harmonizing with Sam, her voice lending strength and beauty to the melody.
Burning, burning through the days,
The torches sing so many ways.
They remind me of what I left behind:
A life, and love to me was kind.
Pulin joined then for the chorus, his elven voice lifting the others into a harmonized climax of music that flowed down the beaches. The elves at work paused to watch the trio.
Fire in the night, show me the way.
I long to see the day
When I return.
Can I return?
Let me return to you.
Burning, burning ever clear,
The torches say 'You'll never fear.'
But I've gone, shall I ever see again
The fields of my home in the rain?
Burning, burning strong and fast,
Shall I return to you at last?
The torches shining through your eyes
Make me believe such simple kinds of lies.
Their voices soared, blending perfectly with each other, as they sung the final chorus:
Fire in the night, show me the way!
I long to see the day
When I return.
Can I return?
Let me return to you!
Help me return!
Make me return!
I shall return to you!
There was a burst of cheers and applause from the elven crew and passengers. Sam, Aunie, and Pulin looked around with bewildered expressions for a moment. They had not been aware of the power in their music. Aunie blinked to clear the mist from her eyes, and found that there were tears on her cheeks. She looked at Sam and Pulin. Tears glistened in their eyes as well. Their faces held expressions of happy contentment, not sorrow. Aunie was learning a thing that none of her people had known before her: music is a force that can be used to one's advantage or disadvantage. The elves knew this. The hobbits had some idea, and managed to use it where it was needed. Even the orcs could keep themselves going with rough chants. But the otters were warriors, hunters, little rascals at times, but not musicians. They had few songs of their own. Of all the races of Middle-earth, the otters alone had not been granted the gift of music.
When the elves finished their cheering, they turned back to their crates and baggage. Pulin and Aunie still stood uncertainly by Sam's side, unsure what to do. They didn't have long to wait, though. A moment later, a leather-clad wolfrider elf approached them. He was small, being one of the wolfriders, but just as graceful and beautiful as the other elves. By his side was an aging wolf. When Aunie saw this, she quickly jumped onto Sam's shoulders and curled herself around his neck, watching the wolf with narrowed eyes.
'Do not fear, young otter,' the elf said. He bowed to the three. 'I am Stargrass, and this is my wolf-friend Lakeshine. You need not fear him,' he grinned at Aunie. 'I have come to be your guide. Follow me, I know you'll need rest after the journey.'
Stargrass and Lakeshine walked off into the thick grass that grows on the sand. Without questioning or introducing anybody, Pulin followed. Sam, trusting Pulin's judgment of elves more than his own, kept close with Aunie still huddled around his shoulders.
Stargrass and Lakeshine led them along a narrow path that branched from the beach into the dense forest beyond. 'The House is not far from here,' Stargrass said. Sam was about to ask what The House was, but Pulin silenced him.
'All will be explained when we come to our resting place,' Pulin whispered. 'The Wolfrider elves are a strange race, almost more wolf than elf. They have the power to communicate silently with their wolf-friends.'
Sam stared at Stargrass. No matter how much he knew of them, it seemed to Sam that the elves always had more secrets, more magic.
It was not long before shimmering lights could be seen through the trees. They had almost reached the base of the mountain now. As they drew closer to the lights, Sam could just see the shadow of an enormous structure leaning out from the mountain's face. It was the biggest thing Sam had ever seen, more enormous even than the house of Elrond or the castle at Minas Tirith. There was no need for a wall, so Sam could see the building in its entirety. There was first a row of small windows, most of them with dim orange light glowing faintly from inside. Then, enormous arch-shaped windows of stained-glass. Out of each of these, multicolored light spilled out onto the gardens surrounding the castle. Above these arch windows were floors and floors of windows that were apparently shaped for variety rather than symmetry. Many of these windows had the same dim orange glow of the bottom windows, but most were either totally dark or lit by a single flickering flame. The roof of the building was a forest of chimneys that poked up from apparently random spots in the roof then gradually joined to become a single mushroom-capped brick structure.
Sam, Aunie, and Pulin were speechless, but the same could not be said for Stargrass. When they stepped into the huge courtyard, he let out a long, loud wolf howl. Lakeshine joined in the howl, and soon there was an answering chain sounding from various parts of the mountain base and The House itself.
When they reached the doors of the house itself, Stargrass had only to mutter a few wolf-like yips and the door was flung open. There stood a tall, beautiful elven woman.
'Welcome,' she said in her silvery voice, 'to The House. We have been expecting you, great Ringbearer, for a long time. You and your friends are welcome to stay here as long as you wish. Stargrass will show you to your rooms.'
The golden-haired elf stood aside and let them enter. Stargrass whispered a few soft words to his wolf-friend. Lakeshine turned and ran off into the trees. Sam fancied he saw more yellow eyes there. He wondered if there wasn't really a whole pack of wolves around. Stargrass skipped to the front of them and motioned for them to follow.
They were led up a bright winding staircase, lit by beautiful metal lamps with frosted glass. Stargrass skipped and ran ahead, sometimes even scrambling up the stairs on all fours like a wolf, stopping every few steps to wait for Sam and Aunie. Aunie still hadn't decided it was safe to climb down onto the floor, so she contented herself with running up the railing.
Pulin kept up easily. He apparently thought Stargrass's method of going up on both hands and feet more effective, and so, to the great amusement of the others, adopted that way for going up all the stairs. All the company was in good spirits, but Sam was still eager to see Frodo.
When they got to their rooms, exhausted from their trek up the hundred stairs or so and from the day's travels, all three eagerly leaped onto the over-stuffed red couch that stood against the wall in these luxurious surroundings. Stargrass took a seat on the tall back of a nearby armchair facing the three. 'Any questions?' he asked.
'When can I see Frodo?' Sam demanded.
'Well, you see, when your friend hobbits arrived, they decided to move into a deserted cottage on the other side of the mountain. It won't take us long to get there, but we'll still have to save such a trip for tomorrow. Besides, you three need rest. A messenger went hours ago to inform Frodo of your arrival. Normally, he would have been here to greet you as soon as your boat came in, but he's getting on in years.'
'How do you plan to get us there?' Aunie asked.
'Through the tunnels. These mountains are full of tunnels.'
'And exactly where are we?' Sam piped up.
'Ah, this is the house of Galadriel. Long ago, when she and Elrond first arrived, they set up this great place together, to welcome all who arrived.' Stargrass grinned. 'I helped them do it. The House was built by elves, and can be destroyed by nothing but elf magic. Galadriel passed on years back, but The House still serves as a home for all who wish to spend their last days here.'
Sam was decidedly uncomfortable with the last statement. A death House? Sam shuddered.
'But what about you, Stargrass?' Pulin spoke. 'You are yet young. Surely you have not come here to fade?'
Stargrass laughed. His laugh was reassuring to Sam's troubled heart. 'I am young! Only forty years yet are on me! I'm still a babe in the eyes of most on this island. I was born here, and have never seen anywhere else. But enough questions for tonight, you need sleep. Do not worry about sunrise, you'll sleep as long as you wish. The House is a place of healing. Sleep well.'
With that, Stargrass hopped off of the chair and was gone. Sam, Aunie, and Pulin looked around. The room was large, but it was full of things. All sorts of things. Books, furniture, gadgets and artist materials of all shape and description. The color scheme of the room was deep forest color, lit here and there by the brightness of elven lamps, tapestries, and multicolored hues of the paint-splattered rug. It was a room built so that anyone could call it home, but especially these three country dwellers, who were used to seeing these particular shades of green mixed in with the almost sunlit floor and earthy curtains.
There were actually three beds in the room. One was a normal elf bed, but the other two were smaller, closer to the floor. All three were equally comfortable. Resting on the pillow of the elf bed was an envelope. Pulin grabbed it and tore it open. He read the note silently, then aloud to the others.
'The note says, "Welcome, travelers, to The House. Here you are welcome to stay or go as you please, to wander the great island at your leisure. You may stay here as long as you wish, there is more than enough room. Should you wish to leave, Eressea has many abandoned dwellings for you to choose from. If you need anything, pull the rope hanging near the door. Out on the island, our Wolfriders, one of whom you have already met, roam freely throughout and are always on hand should you get lost.
' " In the adjoining room, baths have been prepared for you. Signed, Housemaster Voll" Well, what do you think?'
'I think I like the sound of that last line, the one about baths,' said Aunie.
'Well let's go!' Pulin quickly found the door and opened it to a face full of steam. He grinned. 'This is the place all right!'
All three removed whatever garments they had on and dove into the three separate tubs of hot water. There was quite a great deal of splashing, most of it from Aunie the river-dweller. Whatever qualms the others had had about bathing in the same room as the young female were quieted by her assurance that she bathed in the river all the time with other elves.
Presently, they grew tired of splashing each other, and their remaining energy was spent. Aunie sent Sam and Pulin out to the room to dry off and dress, stating that, 'It's not polite for men to watch a lady groom herself.' The two "men" left, of course, but giggled to each other about it while Aunie stood on the sink dripping with water and clutching a hairbrush in her paw.
Naturally, it took Aunie the better part of an hour to finally 'make herself look presentable,' as she put it. In other words, she managed to discover the purpose of some curlers and temporary hair dye.
Sam and Pulin were nearly rolling on the floor laughing. Even Aunie had to admit that she DID resemble a clump of weeds, the dye having turned her fur an interesting greenish color. Pulin explained with a giggle that may elves found green hair attractive and often used it as a form of camouflage.
It was another half-hour before they were able to remove most of the green and un-curl Aunie's fur. Finally, exhausted but happy, the three travelers decided it was time to go to sleep. Pulin was the first. He backed up to the wall and ran forwards toward the bed, ending in a graceful swan-dive under the sheets. Sam was less of a gymnast, and contented himself with climbing up onto his bed. Aunie refused to sleep alone in her bed, and instead curled up next to Sam. When all were settled, Pulin flicked a little switch that dropped candle snuffers onto all the lamps around the room.
'Aunie, sing us another lullaby.' Sam had never been comfortable sleeping in strange places.
'Yes, please sing, Aunie.' Pulin wasn't fond of this new darkness either. In fact, none of them were. Aunie scooted closer to Sam and began to sing softly.
May marigold sunlight find refuge in dreams,
And may you wear bright mithril too.
May you fly on the wind and see wonderful things.
May the night-time show kindness to you.
Fall asleep and be peaceful among ivory clouds.
Do not wake, for no monster brings pain.
Find your comfort in things that no one else can see,
And hear music in pattering rain.
You are safe now, my dear ones, my wonderful dreams.
You are safe now in gardens of love.
You have wings, you can fly now. Fly safely for me!
Let the starlight shine down from above.
Sam could hear tears breaking through in Aunie's voice. He listened closely: Pulin was asleep. He heard Aunie's song suddenly change from this new lullaby to a softer version of the one she had sung not long before on the elf ship.
Sing, gentle wind,
And wrap me up close.
It's here in your arms that I love you the most.
Whisper your sweet music,
Sing it in my mind.
Help me leave my fears behind.
As if by some forces of magic that neither Sam nor his loyal friend understood, Sam joined in an answer, still following the tune of Aunie's lullaby.
Everything's gonna be all right.
Aunie please, please be safe and sleep well tonight.
Soon the sun will rise
And the day will come,
And the dark will run…
Aunie joined in the song again, finishing it with a final plea.
Oh wind, don't whisper away.
Keep safe my heart till the day.
Sam gently laid an aging hand on Aunie's soft shoulder. Aunie slept, and Sam felt as if he were home once again, sleeping with one of his own fur-wrapped babes in his arms.