Chapter 7: Distant Doors Untold.
Aire walked, the mist slowly began to clear, and before he now, were great trees, they towered far above her. Ancient trees, Aire could tell. She felt a love for those trees, a love that went deep within her. She felt oddly enough so old standing under them.
"Where are we Gandalf?" Aire asked. She noticed her voice; it was fairer, and soothing. The beautiful voice of the Elves.
Gandalf turned to her. His eyes now seeming more level to hers, though he was not crouching. She looked down, she was taller!
"What's going on?" she asked.
"You have become an Elf again Aireromen. I told you that you would become altered upon entering. Middle-Earth is your true home, and this is your true form. And to answer your earlier question, we are near the Forest River in Mirkwood." Stated Gandalf.
"Mirkwood." Repeated Aireromen. She looked around. Yes. She remembered this.
"We will make our journey to Mirkwood Palace, we will speak with Thranduil." Said Gandalf.
He let out a cry, and then stood very still. Aireromen then heard it; her keen elven ears picked up the sound of pounding hooves.
"Horses, two of them." Declared Aireromen, focusing on the sound.
And as she said this, out of the forests sprang Shadowfax, his silver coat glittering. And behind him came a black horse, he was both beautiful and frightening to behold, his eyes blazed in a deep blood red, and you could see the fire in them. This was no ordinary horse.
Shadowfax stopped in front of Gandalf, who stroked the silver neck fondly.
"Hello, old friend." He said, smiling. He then looked to Aireromen; he pointed to the giant black horse standing next to Shadowfax.
"That is Morwing, he is beautiful isn't he?" Gandalf commented.
"He is that indeed," agreed Aireromen. "And he is also frightening."
"Yes" agreed Gandalf nodding. " He is that. Morwing is a very special horse; his Sire was Dimernil, a Nazgul's steed. And his Dame was Annun Fennas, a beautiful and fair elven horse from Rivendell. How the two came together is beyond me, but Morwing was the result. Unfortunately his sire had to be slain; he was far too dangerous. But out of good graces, Morwing was allowed to live. No Elf wanted him, there is a deep and fearful hatred within him, and a fire that no man nore elf can control, none but you." Gandalf looked at Aireromen.
"He's mine?" Aireromen breathed, looking at Morwing.
"And only yours, he will accept no other rider." Said Gandalf.
Aireromen looked at her horse; he turned his black head to face her, his blood red eyes glittering. She walked up to him; a memory of her and Morwing riding across an open field came to her and then left. She smiled.
"It's been a long time Morwing my friend." She said.
She touched his head and kissed his muzzle. The fire in his eyes died as her hands touched him. He let out a soft nicker.
"Come," said Gandalf "Let us ride." He leaped onto Shadowfax and turned and trotted off.
Aireromen looked then sprang nimbly onto Morwing's back. She stroked his jet-black neck and whispered into his ear.
"Niror lim Morwing! Niror lim!"
Morwing sprang forward with a joyful neigh, it felt good to have Aireromen back with him, he had long missed her.
They rode to Mirkwood palace in silence, side by side. Aireromen was deep in thought.
'If we go to Mirkwood, then Legolas will be there. What will I do? I wonder if anything will be different.'
"For Legolas it wont be." Said Gandalf.
Aireromen was startled out of her daze.
"Wha- how did you-" she stuttered.
Gandalf laughed, "I know your mind Aireromen, don't forget that." He looked at her, and she smiled.
"I do wish to return here and stay, Gandalf, but I could not bare to grieve my earth family by leaving them. Although coming here has made me realize that this is where my heart belongs, in Middle-Earth. And never will it rest if I go back." She sighed. "Decisions Gandalf, too many decisions." She shook her head.
"Do not worry Aireromen, when the time to make your decision comes, you will know." Said Gandaf.
"I feel so at home here, I know and remember all these woods. All my memories of this world are with me, and they are clearer when I'm here. I feel like a different person." Exclaimed Aireromen.
"Because you are a different person." Stated Gandalf.
Aireromen fell silent as they reached the palace; she looked up at the tall grey stoned that it was built with, along with much woodcraft. Trees were all around; Aireromen could see a garden with a running stream through it. They stopped at the foot of the stairs that lead into the palace. Aireromen slid down off of Morwing's back. She patted him on the neck and followed Gandalf up the stairs.
'What am I doing?' she again thought.
As they reached the top, Aireromen turned to look out around her.
"Aireromen" called Gandalf. She turned. "Come with me." He said.
She walked down a hall with him; they came to a door where an Elf stood guard. He smiled at Gandalf, but upon seeing Aireromen he fell shocked. His eyes searched Gandalf's and with a nod from him, he opened the door and let them pass. His eyes never leaving Aireromen.
They entered into a room that was lit with many candles. The blue light from the early morning casting a mystic light to the room. Thranduil stood at this window, he turned when he heard the doors open.
"Mithrandir!" he exclaimed. Thranduil walked briskly up to Gandalf, they embraced in a hug.
"Thranduil, I would like you to great our guest." Said Gandalf.
Gandalf stepped out of the way, and Thranduil beheld Aireromen. He stared in shock and disbelief.
"Aireromen!" he finally declared.
She smiled.
"Then she has returned!" said Thranduil.
"No, not returned, visiting. As I have told you before, she has not decided. She must be given time to make her choice." Stated Gandalf.
"Yes, but perhaps this is not wise, what will happen if Legolas sees her?" asked Thranduil.
"Then he will see her." Mocked Gandalf.
"Where is Legolas?" piped in Aireromen.
"Oh, he is with Aragorn, he is visiting with us as well." Said Thranduil.
A longing came to Aireromen eyes. She wanted to see him, but what would happen if she did? Did he still love her? No, that was stupid, of corse he still loved her. She sighed and looked longingly out the window.
"How long will she stay?" asked Thranduil.
"A few days, I cannot open the gates again for at least that long." Replied Gandalf.
"A few days!" interrupted Aireromen. "What about my family? They'll think I've been kidnapped!"
"No, they won't even realize you left. I have a few tricks of my own, I'm not a wizard for no reason." Laughed Gandalf.
Aireromen calmed down; she had to trust Gandalf.
"Would you like to be shown to your room?" Asked Thranduil.
"Yes please." She said.
"I will have some clothes brought to you as well." Said Thranduil.
"Thank you." Smiled Aireromen.
Thranduil opened the door from the room and lead Aireromen down the hall and up a staircase. They passed three doors before coming to a stop.
"Here is your room." Said Thranduil as he opened the door for her.
Aireromen looked inside, the room looked very cozy, a cherry wood four poster bed sat by the door to the balcony. The covers were of Royal blue, a cherry wood desk and dresser sat around the room too, and a beautiful hand made rug sat in the middle. The doors to the balcony were opened and a breeze was coming through. A few Elves came in with clothes for Aireromen. They laid them on the bed and then left.
"I will leave you to your self now, you may walk around if you please. Gandalf and I have other things to discuss." Said Thranduil.
"Thank you." Said Aireromen.
Thranduil embraced her in a warm hug. "It is so good to see you again Aireromen." He smiled and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Aire walked, the mist slowly began to clear, and before he now, were great trees, they towered far above her. Ancient trees, Aire could tell. She felt a love for those trees, a love that went deep within her. She felt oddly enough so old standing under them.
"Where are we Gandalf?" Aire asked. She noticed her voice; it was fairer, and soothing. The beautiful voice of the Elves.
Gandalf turned to her. His eyes now seeming more level to hers, though he was not crouching. She looked down, she was taller!
"What's going on?" she asked.
"You have become an Elf again Aireromen. I told you that you would become altered upon entering. Middle-Earth is your true home, and this is your true form. And to answer your earlier question, we are near the Forest River in Mirkwood." Stated Gandalf.
"Mirkwood." Repeated Aireromen. She looked around. Yes. She remembered this.
"We will make our journey to Mirkwood Palace, we will speak with Thranduil." Said Gandalf.
He let out a cry, and then stood very still. Aireromen then heard it; her keen elven ears picked up the sound of pounding hooves.
"Horses, two of them." Declared Aireromen, focusing on the sound.
And as she said this, out of the forests sprang Shadowfax, his silver coat glittering. And behind him came a black horse, he was both beautiful and frightening to behold, his eyes blazed in a deep blood red, and you could see the fire in them. This was no ordinary horse.
Shadowfax stopped in front of Gandalf, who stroked the silver neck fondly.
"Hello, old friend." He said, smiling. He then looked to Aireromen; he pointed to the giant black horse standing next to Shadowfax.
"That is Morwing, he is beautiful isn't he?" Gandalf commented.
"He is that indeed," agreed Aireromen. "And he is also frightening."
"Yes" agreed Gandalf nodding. " He is that. Morwing is a very special horse; his Sire was Dimernil, a Nazgul's steed. And his Dame was Annun Fennas, a beautiful and fair elven horse from Rivendell. How the two came together is beyond me, but Morwing was the result. Unfortunately his sire had to be slain; he was far too dangerous. But out of good graces, Morwing was allowed to live. No Elf wanted him, there is a deep and fearful hatred within him, and a fire that no man nore elf can control, none but you." Gandalf looked at Aireromen.
"He's mine?" Aireromen breathed, looking at Morwing.
"And only yours, he will accept no other rider." Said Gandalf.
Aireromen looked at her horse; he turned his black head to face her, his blood red eyes glittering. She walked up to him; a memory of her and Morwing riding across an open field came to her and then left. She smiled.
"It's been a long time Morwing my friend." She said.
She touched his head and kissed his muzzle. The fire in his eyes died as her hands touched him. He let out a soft nicker.
"Come," said Gandalf "Let us ride." He leaped onto Shadowfax and turned and trotted off.
Aireromen looked then sprang nimbly onto Morwing's back. She stroked his jet-black neck and whispered into his ear.
"Niror lim Morwing! Niror lim!"
Morwing sprang forward with a joyful neigh, it felt good to have Aireromen back with him, he had long missed her.
They rode to Mirkwood palace in silence, side by side. Aireromen was deep in thought.
'If we go to Mirkwood, then Legolas will be there. What will I do? I wonder if anything will be different.'
"For Legolas it wont be." Said Gandalf.
Aireromen was startled out of her daze.
"Wha- how did you-" she stuttered.
Gandalf laughed, "I know your mind Aireromen, don't forget that." He looked at her, and she smiled.
"I do wish to return here and stay, Gandalf, but I could not bare to grieve my earth family by leaving them. Although coming here has made me realize that this is where my heart belongs, in Middle-Earth. And never will it rest if I go back." She sighed. "Decisions Gandalf, too many decisions." She shook her head.
"Do not worry Aireromen, when the time to make your decision comes, you will know." Said Gandaf.
"I feel so at home here, I know and remember all these woods. All my memories of this world are with me, and they are clearer when I'm here. I feel like a different person." Exclaimed Aireromen.
"Because you are a different person." Stated Gandalf.
Aireromen fell silent as they reached the palace; she looked up at the tall grey stoned that it was built with, along with much woodcraft. Trees were all around; Aireromen could see a garden with a running stream through it. They stopped at the foot of the stairs that lead into the palace. Aireromen slid down off of Morwing's back. She patted him on the neck and followed Gandalf up the stairs.
'What am I doing?' she again thought.
As they reached the top, Aireromen turned to look out around her.
"Aireromen" called Gandalf. She turned. "Come with me." He said.
She walked down a hall with him; they came to a door where an Elf stood guard. He smiled at Gandalf, but upon seeing Aireromen he fell shocked. His eyes searched Gandalf's and with a nod from him, he opened the door and let them pass. His eyes never leaving Aireromen.
They entered into a room that was lit with many candles. The blue light from the early morning casting a mystic light to the room. Thranduil stood at this window, he turned when he heard the doors open.
"Mithrandir!" he exclaimed. Thranduil walked briskly up to Gandalf, they embraced in a hug.
"Thranduil, I would like you to great our guest." Said Gandalf.
Gandalf stepped out of the way, and Thranduil beheld Aireromen. He stared in shock and disbelief.
"Aireromen!" he finally declared.
She smiled.
"Then she has returned!" said Thranduil.
"No, not returned, visiting. As I have told you before, she has not decided. She must be given time to make her choice." Stated Gandalf.
"Yes, but perhaps this is not wise, what will happen if Legolas sees her?" asked Thranduil.
"Then he will see her." Mocked Gandalf.
"Where is Legolas?" piped in Aireromen.
"Oh, he is with Aragorn, he is visiting with us as well." Said Thranduil.
A longing came to Aireromen eyes. She wanted to see him, but what would happen if she did? Did he still love her? No, that was stupid, of corse he still loved her. She sighed and looked longingly out the window.
"How long will she stay?" asked Thranduil.
"A few days, I cannot open the gates again for at least that long." Replied Gandalf.
"A few days!" interrupted Aireromen. "What about my family? They'll think I've been kidnapped!"
"No, they won't even realize you left. I have a few tricks of my own, I'm not a wizard for no reason." Laughed Gandalf.
Aireromen calmed down; she had to trust Gandalf.
"Would you like to be shown to your room?" Asked Thranduil.
"Yes please." She said.
"I will have some clothes brought to you as well." Said Thranduil.
"Thank you." Smiled Aireromen.
Thranduil opened the door from the room and lead Aireromen down the hall and up a staircase. They passed three doors before coming to a stop.
"Here is your room." Said Thranduil as he opened the door for her.
Aireromen looked inside, the room looked very cozy, a cherry wood four poster bed sat by the door to the balcony. The covers were of Royal blue, a cherry wood desk and dresser sat around the room too, and a beautiful hand made rug sat in the middle. The doors to the balcony were opened and a breeze was coming through. A few Elves came in with clothes for Aireromen. They laid them on the bed and then left.
"I will leave you to your self now, you may walk around if you please. Gandalf and I have other things to discuss." Said Thranduil.
"Thank you." Said Aireromen.
Thranduil embraced her in a warm hug. "It is so good to see you again Aireromen." He smiled and left the room, closing the door behind him.