Author's Note: Sorry again for any formatting fuckups. I did my
best...Oh, and Orlando the fish says hello to all who bid him the
same....
-Spike
Chapter Seven: The Temple of Eärendil
Aragorn and Gimli stood rapt as the creature spoke to them. Neither could tear their eyes away, for although Oenú was bathed in such a light- indeed, it was as though he were created from it- the brightness did not assail their eyes as it had done when the darkness had been warded off.
"There is much danger here; many things stalk you in the shadows of the wood. I will guide you now to where you may be safe, and heal the pain in your hearts."
Gimli, ever bold, shook his helmeted head sadly. " Begging forgiveness, good sir, but I must doubt your words. Our hearts are hewed deeply with grief from a loss that shall never be replaced."
The light around Oenú shimmered for a moment, and it seemed to Aragorn, though he could not see a face, that the light-creature was smiling.
"Come," he said, and wordlessly, knowing naught else to do, they followed him.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The light obscured all around them, protection no doubt from that which still hunted them. Oenú led them for what seemed like days, the time passing as slowly winter thaw, until at last the creature stopped, and turned to them. Before Aragorn and Gimli there stood a ring of light amidst the sullen trees. Oenú seemed to be smiling again as he reached out a long arm and thrust the portal inward in a burst of starlight, and suddenly they were drawn into a place as bright as Eärendil himself.
When at last their eyes had cleared and the light seemed to dim, Gimli and Aragorn could see that they were standing in a white room, surrounded by figures of the same nature as Oenú; indeed, he had moved amongst them and could not be distinguished from the others. One moved forward and extended its hand in greeting.
"Our sincerest welcome, Aragorn and Gimli. I am Renália, a light-being of Middle Earth and servant to Lord Eärendil, as are we all."
" Why have you brought us here?" Aragorn whispered, confused.
Renália laughed, a shimmering laugh beset with the jewels of the stars. " We mean you no harm, son of Arathorn. We were called upon by our Lord at the request of the Lady Galadriel, who sensed your distress and bid us come to your aid. Our Lord knows well of your quest; indeed, he has known of it long before you were born. But the events that befell you two days prior were not foreseen, and the darkness in the forest deceived you, and indeed the very wood itself, and we regret that we could not catch it before it was upon you. For the evil that lies in Mordor sent forth an enemy that travels by shadow; indeed, only one of the many evils that the Dark One has birthed from that foul place."
" How did Sau-"
" Hush," Renália silenced Gimli gently, raising a long and shimmering hand. "You must not speak that name here. We shall not summon even echoes of what lies in the dark land, simply words though they are."
" You speak of aiding us, and of the deception we suffered," said Aragorn. "This I understand, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart of hearts, but I must admit...I am confused as to why you brought us here, and why the deception of the forest and ourselves plays such a part in your quest to bring us aid."
" You are wise and stout of heart, and very shrewd to seek such knowledge," replied Renália. "May these qualities serve you well for the rest of your days. Now come," the creature beckoned, turning from them and leading them further into the light. "I shall give unto you the Gift that our Lord Eärendil hath bestowed upon you."
Aragorn and Gimli followed as though in a daze, and they were taken to a small outcropping that led into another small room; herein all furnishings were ornately carved in the likeness of all beasts beauteous and fair, yet all was as white as starlight, and in the middle of this room, the shade of freshly-fallen snow, there was a great bed, its four posts carved into trumpeting swans. Its bedclothes were of silk and satin and velvet and all the wondrous fabrics beneath and amidst the stars, and a glimmering shroud of some light fabric draped over it. At its head there was a window that had no glass nor shutters, but the room was not chill, and outside there could be seen only the night sky, the starts brighter and more brilliant than could ever be seen all across the lands of Middle Earth. It was then that Aragorn realised where the portal had taken them:
They were in the Palace of the Twilight Sky; the temple of Eärendil.
The light-beings moved before them, and encircled the room, their separate brilliance becoming one in these close corners, and they appeared as a ring of light, pure and soft, encircling the two weary travellers and holding them safe and soothed, away from the terrors and filth of the bloody wood. Renália stood before them, next to the bed, and he smiled again and bid them draw closer. Aragorn and Gimli walked side by side and stood flanking the light-being, and watched in wonder as a shimmering hand drew back the shroud that covered the bed.
"Behold," Renália said softly, "The Gift of our Lord. We give unto you what the darkness had taken away."
And indeed it was true.
Gimli dropped to his knees weeping as he beheld the sight before him, and Aragorn clutched at his friend's shoulder, his lips moving but unable to make a sound. After much effort he finally was able to whisper, and as his lips formed the word tears ran unbidden down his cheeks, catching the brilliance of the light-beings and shining like the stars outside the window.
"Legolas..."
-Spike
Chapter Seven: The Temple of Eärendil
Aragorn and Gimli stood rapt as the creature spoke to them. Neither could tear their eyes away, for although Oenú was bathed in such a light- indeed, it was as though he were created from it- the brightness did not assail their eyes as it had done when the darkness had been warded off.
"There is much danger here; many things stalk you in the shadows of the wood. I will guide you now to where you may be safe, and heal the pain in your hearts."
Gimli, ever bold, shook his helmeted head sadly. " Begging forgiveness, good sir, but I must doubt your words. Our hearts are hewed deeply with grief from a loss that shall never be replaced."
The light around Oenú shimmered for a moment, and it seemed to Aragorn, though he could not see a face, that the light-creature was smiling.
"Come," he said, and wordlessly, knowing naught else to do, they followed him.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The light obscured all around them, protection no doubt from that which still hunted them. Oenú led them for what seemed like days, the time passing as slowly winter thaw, until at last the creature stopped, and turned to them. Before Aragorn and Gimli there stood a ring of light amidst the sullen trees. Oenú seemed to be smiling again as he reached out a long arm and thrust the portal inward in a burst of starlight, and suddenly they were drawn into a place as bright as Eärendil himself.
When at last their eyes had cleared and the light seemed to dim, Gimli and Aragorn could see that they were standing in a white room, surrounded by figures of the same nature as Oenú; indeed, he had moved amongst them and could not be distinguished from the others. One moved forward and extended its hand in greeting.
"Our sincerest welcome, Aragorn and Gimli. I am Renália, a light-being of Middle Earth and servant to Lord Eärendil, as are we all."
" Why have you brought us here?" Aragorn whispered, confused.
Renália laughed, a shimmering laugh beset with the jewels of the stars. " We mean you no harm, son of Arathorn. We were called upon by our Lord at the request of the Lady Galadriel, who sensed your distress and bid us come to your aid. Our Lord knows well of your quest; indeed, he has known of it long before you were born. But the events that befell you two days prior were not foreseen, and the darkness in the forest deceived you, and indeed the very wood itself, and we regret that we could not catch it before it was upon you. For the evil that lies in Mordor sent forth an enemy that travels by shadow; indeed, only one of the many evils that the Dark One has birthed from that foul place."
" How did Sau-"
" Hush," Renália silenced Gimli gently, raising a long and shimmering hand. "You must not speak that name here. We shall not summon even echoes of what lies in the dark land, simply words though they are."
" You speak of aiding us, and of the deception we suffered," said Aragorn. "This I understand, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart of hearts, but I must admit...I am confused as to why you brought us here, and why the deception of the forest and ourselves plays such a part in your quest to bring us aid."
" You are wise and stout of heart, and very shrewd to seek such knowledge," replied Renália. "May these qualities serve you well for the rest of your days. Now come," the creature beckoned, turning from them and leading them further into the light. "I shall give unto you the Gift that our Lord Eärendil hath bestowed upon you."
Aragorn and Gimli followed as though in a daze, and they were taken to a small outcropping that led into another small room; herein all furnishings were ornately carved in the likeness of all beasts beauteous and fair, yet all was as white as starlight, and in the middle of this room, the shade of freshly-fallen snow, there was a great bed, its four posts carved into trumpeting swans. Its bedclothes were of silk and satin and velvet and all the wondrous fabrics beneath and amidst the stars, and a glimmering shroud of some light fabric draped over it. At its head there was a window that had no glass nor shutters, but the room was not chill, and outside there could be seen only the night sky, the starts brighter and more brilliant than could ever be seen all across the lands of Middle Earth. It was then that Aragorn realised where the portal had taken them:
They were in the Palace of the Twilight Sky; the temple of Eärendil.
The light-beings moved before them, and encircled the room, their separate brilliance becoming one in these close corners, and they appeared as a ring of light, pure and soft, encircling the two weary travellers and holding them safe and soothed, away from the terrors and filth of the bloody wood. Renália stood before them, next to the bed, and he smiled again and bid them draw closer. Aragorn and Gimli walked side by side and stood flanking the light-being, and watched in wonder as a shimmering hand drew back the shroud that covered the bed.
"Behold," Renália said softly, "The Gift of our Lord. We give unto you what the darkness had taken away."
And indeed it was true.
Gimli dropped to his knees weeping as he beheld the sight before him, and Aragorn clutched at his friend's shoulder, his lips moving but unable to make a sound. After much effort he finally was able to whisper, and as his lips formed the word tears ran unbidden down his cheeks, catching the brilliance of the light-beings and shining like the stars outside the window.
"Legolas..."
