Riley – Hi hi! I'm glad that you enjoyed this fiction and I know my
summaries really stink. I think I've even said that in my summaries. I
know they need work, but my mind seems to freeze up when I have to write
two little sentences to encompass something that I haven't planned out to
the end. I'm glad that you are enjoying the ride. Happy to have you one
board!
Nancing Elf – Wouldn't it be great to sit at Elrond's feet and listen to his tales all day long?!!! No, you didn't miss anything. Jess' decision was rather abrupt and it was indeed misguided. Poor kid!
LOTR lover – You humble me. Thank you for the review. Glad you like my meshing of the Master's great story and my own. Instead of all these Orc stories I had wanted to write the Gollum in Mirkwood story. Who wants to write about Orcs after all. But this way I got to do both. And about Jess…well… you'll just have to wait and see.
Horus – I'm glad that you liked my take on the Council, nin mellon. And poor little misguided Jess may be in for more than he bargained for!
Ayod - You ate my son, indeed! You slay me, nin mell! I may have to use that somewhere now! Watch for it!
Lakergurl13 – Hi hi! I'm glad you like my normal person Orc. I also want to thank you for reading and reviewing my other fics! And I do indeed know that Uruk-Hai and Orcs are two separate entities! Everyone should know that, but I think you are right that some don't. I guess they figure Orcs is Orcs and who cares. Well, some of us do! And you were right. I typoed in chapter 8 using Brethil's name instead of Tavor's. Thank you!!! I will change that!
Ranger – I never thought much about Legolas telling the Council about what happened the night Gollum escaped until I wrote my own AU of it. Then I saw it in a different light. It is nice that Tolkien leaves us some room to play in. I think that you are right about Gandalf being the only one who could use the Black Speech in Rivendell and get off with a very mild reprimand. That struck me, too. I hope you like the part in this with Nirnaeth.
JastaElf – I'm afraid that I left this one hanging, too. I ran out of steam and nothing was making any sense so I halted the chapter. You ever get that way?? Elu's gift of carving presented itself when I was thinking about the Black Arrow and how he had carved it. So something good and constructive can come of something bad. Di d that make sense? My brain is mush right now. Sorry.
Katharine the Great – I know you will reach this point at some time and when you get here I hope you will have changed your mind about that JERK ELF! He is one rude dude, but he is a hurting dude, too. Also, shovels and red hankies seem to abound in this fic!
Karina – Jess' decision to leave will affect them all, I fear. I'm glad that everyone liked my take on the Council. It's hard to rewrite something already written so well by the Master. And don't worry about Aragorn's reaction. He's a pretty cool guy!
Author Note *Sorry for the brevity of this chapter. Next one will have some action I promise. I wrote the part with Nirnaeth last (even though it is now the first part) and had to stop there, so that is all there is for this one. Wanted to leave him in his present mood for one chapter.
Nirnaeth had gone for a walk just before dawn, needing to spend some time alone. He had known that Jess would be very upset with him for leaving during the song, but he could not stay and listen to his son play a song with the Orc. And not when the words of that song spoke to him. He should have guessed that it was beast that his son was planning a song with, but he had deliberately blinded himself to this, hoping that he was mistaken. Better the Dwarf then the Orc. The child's silent tears had hurt, oh, so very much and he found himself regretting his decision. Then Jess had gone to bed refusing to speak with him about it.
: How can he forgive me, : He wondered. : When I cannot forgive myself. :
As he walked down the path shaded with brilliant trees, their colors subdued in the predawn light he found himself wondering how he had accepted the Dwarf Eikenstan. He hadn't like the Dwarf when he had first arrived in Imladris and he didn't know how he had come to change his mind in regards to him. Could he possible learn to accept the Orc as he had the Dwarf? No, he told himself angrily. He could never accept any Orc. Not even one who sang.
"Born in darkness, bred in hate;
A life without hope beneath the stars
Ruled by violence, death and torment;
How do I still the cry of my heart?"
How could those words, written by an abomination, touch him so? Why did they still live within his head?
"To rise to the dawn
To feel the warmth of the sun
Life begins anew.
The time of awakening has come
Follow the strength within you."
He had heard no more. Anger and unexpected confusion welled within him and he had fled, tears coursing down his thin cheeks. He had run into the darkness, into the night, his soul rising in anguish at the pain that assailed him. How long he continued to flee he knew not, he ran heedlessly away, trying to escape the pain the words had brought to him.
The same feeling welled in him now. He felt ragged sobs tear through him and he ducked into a small private garden walled with tall yews and hemlocks. He fell to his knees and cried into his hands.
"Medlin, nin meleth. [my love] I miss you so!" He cried out, his face lifting to the lightening sky. "I have failed you. I have failed our sons… I have failed Jessolothrad. Oh, my Jess. Tell me, Medlin! Tell me how to live with this emptiness and pain! Help me! Help me!"
But the only words that echoed in his tormented mind were the words sung by the Orc.
"Life begins anew.
The time of awakening has come.
Follow the strength within you."
: I have no strength. : He thought bitterly. : I have no strength left. The Orcs stole that from me as they stole everything else. I have no strength. :
He found himself thinking of Jess then and how the boy's resilience amazed him. He knew that the child did on occasion suffer from nightmares of their ordeal, but usually he was so happy and so…strong.
: He is strong. He is stronger than I am. : Nirnaeth trembled and closed his eyes. : I need to find my strength again. I have been robbed of it long enough. Jessolothrad needs his father back. Not this broken thing that I have been for far too long. My anger is not strength. It is a weakness. I must find my strength again. For my child. And for myself. :
He sat back drawing a deep steadying breath. He gazed at the clear sky the darkness bleeding away, allowing its splendor to fill him. The stars were disappearing slowly, but he knew that they were always there, shining even when he could not see them.
"Thank you for their beauty, Elbereth." He whispered, smiling slightly. He sat quietly, allowing his mind to fill with the thoughts of his son and the love that he held for him. He recalled the way the fair hair smelled sweetly of flowers and how the bright eyes shone and sparkled like sun warmed emeralds. He remembered the day he had been born and the day he took his first tottering steps; the first song that he had learned to sing in a high childish voice. With these memories came others – unbidden - of his lost ones: Medlin with a wreath of pale roses on her head laughing as she danced in the sunlight; of Hithlan, his silvery eyes alight with delight as he rode beneath the golden trees of Lorien, his fingers stretched to the branches overhead; of Ninniach so quiet and serious, yet taking joy with all that he found about him. As these images filled his mind, he found that the pain he had held so tightly was not so great any more. He allowed a few more tentative memories through. Here was his strength: in his memory – in his love: in the things he still held in his heart. He swallowed, hearing once more the words of the song, no longer so hated.
"Life begins anew
The time of awakening has come.
Follow the strength within you."
He raised his arms to the dawn, to the warmth of the rising sun, and felt the strength that had eluded him fill him once more. He could be strong now. He would be strong now. Life was beginning anew this morning. He had awakened. He would follow the strength that resided within.
Elu stood with Aragorn and the Mirkwood Elves after the Council meeting was finally ended. There had been talk of many more things, but ultimately Frodo, his blue eyes haunted, had volunteered to take the Ring to Mordor to be thrown into the fire whence it was forged. And of course it came as no surprise when Sam jumped up and out of the bushes.
"But you won't send him off alone surely, Master?" He had cried at Elrond, his eyes imploring, darting from Elrond to Frodo who was smiling gently at him. Though it was Frodo's eyes, weighed down with the immensity of what he would undertake, that tore at Sam's soul.
"No, indeed." The Elf Lord smiled down at him in amused affection. "You at least shall go with him. It is hardly possible to separated you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."
Sam's face flushed as many pairs of eyes fixed on him. He hurried to sit on the ground by Frodo's feet.
"A nice pickle we've landed ourselves in, Mr. Frodo.'
Elu felt a moment of panic. He glanced at Legolas who was sitting quietly, looking impassive, a slight smile on his lips as he gazed at Sam and Frodo. Surely they wouldn't send him on this journey to Mordor. The Orc's gaze moved from his friend to Lord Elrond. They wouldn't, would they? But nothing else was said about who was to accompany the two Hobbits on their perilous journey.
But even standing here next to him while he spoke to Dunadan – Isildur's heir! - He found his worried thoughts coming back.
: They won't send him. Why would they? :
He forced himself to calmness and listened as the two conversed quietly.
"I am sorry that I hadn't spoken to you earlier, Estel. I knew that you would be upset by the news."
Aragorn shook his head and gripped Legolas' arm.
"Don't fret, Legolas. I am glad to know about this and I do not like what may befall because of it, but I know that it could not be helped." He smiled wryly. "It was almost worth it to see the look on Gandalf's face. There is not much that surprises him, but this did."
Legolas frowned. He had not wanted to upset Mithrandir either.
There were footsteps behind them and they turned to see the man of Gondor approaching. His eyes were on Aragorn, but took in the Elves and then moved to the Orc. He halted, his blue-grey eyes widening with shock. His mouth fell open and he reached for his sword, which did not hang at his side.
"An Orc!" He gasped, turning his eyes to the others. Why weren't they attacking it? And then a thought crept slowly in. Why wasn't it attacking them?
Aragorn smiled lazily at Legolas and Elu. Then he gently touched Boromir's tense arm, still angled to pull a sword from its sheath.
"Peace, Boromir. This is not an enemy."
"It is an Orc." He said, staring at it intently, noting with horror the blue eyes. "Isn't it?"
Elu gaped at him. He looked so familiar that it was bothering him that he could not remember where he had seen him.
"Yes." Aragorn answered, his lips twitching with amusement. "He is an Orc. His name is Elu Heneb and he lives in Mirkwood."
"Mirkwood?" The man's eyes passed slowly over the pale haired Elves. "Mirkwood?" Across the Misty Mountains. His eyes widened even more. "You!" He hissed, his gaze returning to the Orc. "I saw you in the Misty Mountains. You spoke to me. You were going to kill me!" His eyes flashed angrily as he remembered the strange encounter. Perhaps it had not been a dream after all.
Elu flushed and hung his head. So that was where he had seen the man before. Gonthalion squeezed his arm encouragingly and Tavor was slightly surprised to see a somewhat wicked gleam in the older Elf's grey eyes.
"But he didn't kill you, did he." Aragorn said, flashing a look at Legolas, his eyes saying quite clearly: "Just what else haven't you told me!"
"No." Boromir admitted, running a hand through his hair, looking not unlike Aragorn when he did it. "It was very strange indeed." His eyes raked up and down the Orc, not certain what to make of it. "He spoke to me. He said that I was lucky that Legolas someone was nearby and –" His eyes traveled to the four Elves. One of them must be Legolas, probably the one who looked discomfited. "You are Legolas?" When the Elf's fair cheeks were touched with pink and he nodded, Boromir felt a smugness fill him. He had guessed rightly. "He said that you had saved me." He shook his head in bewilderment. He looked back at the Orc, and was amazed to see it looking very embarrassed and ashamed. "What devilry is this?"
Aragorn laughed shortly.
"Not devilry, Boromir. I don't know what it is precisely myself, but it is not devilry."
"I am sorry, Man of Gondor." Elu said, raising his eyes to meet Boromir's. "I would not truly wish to kill you, but it was Legolas Elvellon's singing that stopped me." He looked hopefully at the man hoping that these words would clear up the misunderstanding.
"His singing?" Boromir did remember the voice singing just as the Orc had nearly split him in two. He shook his head. Perhaps it was best to think it was a dream after all. The reality was beyond his comprehension. "Oh…thank you, Legolas Elvellon…for saving me." His voice was filled with utter bewilderment and perturbation.
Just then someone else approached, the footsteps heavy. It was Eikenstan and Gimli. The Dwarf's bearded face was filled with worry.
"There you are." He said, his eyes taking them all in. "I need your help."
"What is it, Eikenstan?" Aragorn signed, speaking the words for the others' benefit.
The Dwarf's eyes filled with sudden tears. Gimli stepped forward.
"It's the child." He said gruffly, glaring up at them. "He's run away."
Nancing Elf – Wouldn't it be great to sit at Elrond's feet and listen to his tales all day long?!!! No, you didn't miss anything. Jess' decision was rather abrupt and it was indeed misguided. Poor kid!
LOTR lover – You humble me. Thank you for the review. Glad you like my meshing of the Master's great story and my own. Instead of all these Orc stories I had wanted to write the Gollum in Mirkwood story. Who wants to write about Orcs after all. But this way I got to do both. And about Jess…well… you'll just have to wait and see.
Horus – I'm glad that you liked my take on the Council, nin mellon. And poor little misguided Jess may be in for more than he bargained for!
Ayod - You ate my son, indeed! You slay me, nin mell! I may have to use that somewhere now! Watch for it!
Lakergurl13 – Hi hi! I'm glad you like my normal person Orc. I also want to thank you for reading and reviewing my other fics! And I do indeed know that Uruk-Hai and Orcs are two separate entities! Everyone should know that, but I think you are right that some don't. I guess they figure Orcs is Orcs and who cares. Well, some of us do! And you were right. I typoed in chapter 8 using Brethil's name instead of Tavor's. Thank you!!! I will change that!
Ranger – I never thought much about Legolas telling the Council about what happened the night Gollum escaped until I wrote my own AU of it. Then I saw it in a different light. It is nice that Tolkien leaves us some room to play in. I think that you are right about Gandalf being the only one who could use the Black Speech in Rivendell and get off with a very mild reprimand. That struck me, too. I hope you like the part in this with Nirnaeth.
JastaElf – I'm afraid that I left this one hanging, too. I ran out of steam and nothing was making any sense so I halted the chapter. You ever get that way?? Elu's gift of carving presented itself when I was thinking about the Black Arrow and how he had carved it. So something good and constructive can come of something bad. Di d that make sense? My brain is mush right now. Sorry.
Katharine the Great – I know you will reach this point at some time and when you get here I hope you will have changed your mind about that JERK ELF! He is one rude dude, but he is a hurting dude, too. Also, shovels and red hankies seem to abound in this fic!
Karina – Jess' decision to leave will affect them all, I fear. I'm glad that everyone liked my take on the Council. It's hard to rewrite something already written so well by the Master. And don't worry about Aragorn's reaction. He's a pretty cool guy!
Author Note *Sorry for the brevity of this chapter. Next one will have some action I promise. I wrote the part with Nirnaeth last (even though it is now the first part) and had to stop there, so that is all there is for this one. Wanted to leave him in his present mood for one chapter.
Nirnaeth had gone for a walk just before dawn, needing to spend some time alone. He had known that Jess would be very upset with him for leaving during the song, but he could not stay and listen to his son play a song with the Orc. And not when the words of that song spoke to him. He should have guessed that it was beast that his son was planning a song with, but he had deliberately blinded himself to this, hoping that he was mistaken. Better the Dwarf then the Orc. The child's silent tears had hurt, oh, so very much and he found himself regretting his decision. Then Jess had gone to bed refusing to speak with him about it.
: How can he forgive me, : He wondered. : When I cannot forgive myself. :
As he walked down the path shaded with brilliant trees, their colors subdued in the predawn light he found himself wondering how he had accepted the Dwarf Eikenstan. He hadn't like the Dwarf when he had first arrived in Imladris and he didn't know how he had come to change his mind in regards to him. Could he possible learn to accept the Orc as he had the Dwarf? No, he told himself angrily. He could never accept any Orc. Not even one who sang.
"Born in darkness, bred in hate;
A life without hope beneath the stars
Ruled by violence, death and torment;
How do I still the cry of my heart?"
How could those words, written by an abomination, touch him so? Why did they still live within his head?
"To rise to the dawn
To feel the warmth of the sun
Life begins anew.
The time of awakening has come
Follow the strength within you."
He had heard no more. Anger and unexpected confusion welled within him and he had fled, tears coursing down his thin cheeks. He had run into the darkness, into the night, his soul rising in anguish at the pain that assailed him. How long he continued to flee he knew not, he ran heedlessly away, trying to escape the pain the words had brought to him.
The same feeling welled in him now. He felt ragged sobs tear through him and he ducked into a small private garden walled with tall yews and hemlocks. He fell to his knees and cried into his hands.
"Medlin, nin meleth. [my love] I miss you so!" He cried out, his face lifting to the lightening sky. "I have failed you. I have failed our sons… I have failed Jessolothrad. Oh, my Jess. Tell me, Medlin! Tell me how to live with this emptiness and pain! Help me! Help me!"
But the only words that echoed in his tormented mind were the words sung by the Orc.
"Life begins anew.
The time of awakening has come.
Follow the strength within you."
: I have no strength. : He thought bitterly. : I have no strength left. The Orcs stole that from me as they stole everything else. I have no strength. :
He found himself thinking of Jess then and how the boy's resilience amazed him. He knew that the child did on occasion suffer from nightmares of their ordeal, but usually he was so happy and so…strong.
: He is strong. He is stronger than I am. : Nirnaeth trembled and closed his eyes. : I need to find my strength again. I have been robbed of it long enough. Jessolothrad needs his father back. Not this broken thing that I have been for far too long. My anger is not strength. It is a weakness. I must find my strength again. For my child. And for myself. :
He sat back drawing a deep steadying breath. He gazed at the clear sky the darkness bleeding away, allowing its splendor to fill him. The stars were disappearing slowly, but he knew that they were always there, shining even when he could not see them.
"Thank you for their beauty, Elbereth." He whispered, smiling slightly. He sat quietly, allowing his mind to fill with the thoughts of his son and the love that he held for him. He recalled the way the fair hair smelled sweetly of flowers and how the bright eyes shone and sparkled like sun warmed emeralds. He remembered the day he had been born and the day he took his first tottering steps; the first song that he had learned to sing in a high childish voice. With these memories came others – unbidden - of his lost ones: Medlin with a wreath of pale roses on her head laughing as she danced in the sunlight; of Hithlan, his silvery eyes alight with delight as he rode beneath the golden trees of Lorien, his fingers stretched to the branches overhead; of Ninniach so quiet and serious, yet taking joy with all that he found about him. As these images filled his mind, he found that the pain he had held so tightly was not so great any more. He allowed a few more tentative memories through. Here was his strength: in his memory – in his love: in the things he still held in his heart. He swallowed, hearing once more the words of the song, no longer so hated.
"Life begins anew
The time of awakening has come.
Follow the strength within you."
He raised his arms to the dawn, to the warmth of the rising sun, and felt the strength that had eluded him fill him once more. He could be strong now. He would be strong now. Life was beginning anew this morning. He had awakened. He would follow the strength that resided within.
Elu stood with Aragorn and the Mirkwood Elves after the Council meeting was finally ended. There had been talk of many more things, but ultimately Frodo, his blue eyes haunted, had volunteered to take the Ring to Mordor to be thrown into the fire whence it was forged. And of course it came as no surprise when Sam jumped up and out of the bushes.
"But you won't send him off alone surely, Master?" He had cried at Elrond, his eyes imploring, darting from Elrond to Frodo who was smiling gently at him. Though it was Frodo's eyes, weighed down with the immensity of what he would undertake, that tore at Sam's soul.
"No, indeed." The Elf Lord smiled down at him in amused affection. "You at least shall go with him. It is hardly possible to separated you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."
Sam's face flushed as many pairs of eyes fixed on him. He hurried to sit on the ground by Frodo's feet.
"A nice pickle we've landed ourselves in, Mr. Frodo.'
Elu felt a moment of panic. He glanced at Legolas who was sitting quietly, looking impassive, a slight smile on his lips as he gazed at Sam and Frodo. Surely they wouldn't send him on this journey to Mordor. The Orc's gaze moved from his friend to Lord Elrond. They wouldn't, would they? But nothing else was said about who was to accompany the two Hobbits on their perilous journey.
But even standing here next to him while he spoke to Dunadan – Isildur's heir! - He found his worried thoughts coming back.
: They won't send him. Why would they? :
He forced himself to calmness and listened as the two conversed quietly.
"I am sorry that I hadn't spoken to you earlier, Estel. I knew that you would be upset by the news."
Aragorn shook his head and gripped Legolas' arm.
"Don't fret, Legolas. I am glad to know about this and I do not like what may befall because of it, but I know that it could not be helped." He smiled wryly. "It was almost worth it to see the look on Gandalf's face. There is not much that surprises him, but this did."
Legolas frowned. He had not wanted to upset Mithrandir either.
There were footsteps behind them and they turned to see the man of Gondor approaching. His eyes were on Aragorn, but took in the Elves and then moved to the Orc. He halted, his blue-grey eyes widening with shock. His mouth fell open and he reached for his sword, which did not hang at his side.
"An Orc!" He gasped, turning his eyes to the others. Why weren't they attacking it? And then a thought crept slowly in. Why wasn't it attacking them?
Aragorn smiled lazily at Legolas and Elu. Then he gently touched Boromir's tense arm, still angled to pull a sword from its sheath.
"Peace, Boromir. This is not an enemy."
"It is an Orc." He said, staring at it intently, noting with horror the blue eyes. "Isn't it?"
Elu gaped at him. He looked so familiar that it was bothering him that he could not remember where he had seen him.
"Yes." Aragorn answered, his lips twitching with amusement. "He is an Orc. His name is Elu Heneb and he lives in Mirkwood."
"Mirkwood?" The man's eyes passed slowly over the pale haired Elves. "Mirkwood?" Across the Misty Mountains. His eyes widened even more. "You!" He hissed, his gaze returning to the Orc. "I saw you in the Misty Mountains. You spoke to me. You were going to kill me!" His eyes flashed angrily as he remembered the strange encounter. Perhaps it had not been a dream after all.
Elu flushed and hung his head. So that was where he had seen the man before. Gonthalion squeezed his arm encouragingly and Tavor was slightly surprised to see a somewhat wicked gleam in the older Elf's grey eyes.
"But he didn't kill you, did he." Aragorn said, flashing a look at Legolas, his eyes saying quite clearly: "Just what else haven't you told me!"
"No." Boromir admitted, running a hand through his hair, looking not unlike Aragorn when he did it. "It was very strange indeed." His eyes raked up and down the Orc, not certain what to make of it. "He spoke to me. He said that I was lucky that Legolas someone was nearby and –" His eyes traveled to the four Elves. One of them must be Legolas, probably the one who looked discomfited. "You are Legolas?" When the Elf's fair cheeks were touched with pink and he nodded, Boromir felt a smugness fill him. He had guessed rightly. "He said that you had saved me." He shook his head in bewilderment. He looked back at the Orc, and was amazed to see it looking very embarrassed and ashamed. "What devilry is this?"
Aragorn laughed shortly.
"Not devilry, Boromir. I don't know what it is precisely myself, but it is not devilry."
"I am sorry, Man of Gondor." Elu said, raising his eyes to meet Boromir's. "I would not truly wish to kill you, but it was Legolas Elvellon's singing that stopped me." He looked hopefully at the man hoping that these words would clear up the misunderstanding.
"His singing?" Boromir did remember the voice singing just as the Orc had nearly split him in two. He shook his head. Perhaps it was best to think it was a dream after all. The reality was beyond his comprehension. "Oh…thank you, Legolas Elvellon…for saving me." His voice was filled with utter bewilderment and perturbation.
Just then someone else approached, the footsteps heavy. It was Eikenstan and Gimli. The Dwarf's bearded face was filled with worry.
"There you are." He said, his eyes taking them all in. "I need your help."
"What is it, Eikenstan?" Aragorn signed, speaking the words for the others' benefit.
The Dwarf's eyes filled with sudden tears. Gimli stepped forward.
"It's the child." He said gruffly, glaring up at them. "He's run away."