~Bird songs~
by Ola
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A/N~ finally, the whole story put into one chapter. There's no author notes in between the chapters. And nothing has been changed from the original story. It's just so that it's easier to read and you don't have to always change pages for a new chapter. Ok? And now enjoy the story, although don't forget to review please.
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Part 1~
I couldn't believe how beautiful it was, as I stood in awe, overlooking the valley. I have been a field researcher for three whole years now, and have been "out in the woods" ever since I was a little girl, but every time I went on a new assignment, I marveled at how…wondrous certain places still were. And I can tell you that I am often sent out into the most remote places. Part of that is because my boss has a happier life when I'm not around (don't ask. People think I'm a bit strange), and because not many other scientists appreciate being alone for 6 months, away from their family and kids, studying common little brown birds. And I ask (very strongly and loudly according to my boss) to be sent to those most remote places. Don't get me wrong. My boss is a funny little guy (but he has a strange sense of humor) and I do have friends (who understand that I want to lead my life a certain way). They are happy every time I come back, but do not plead for me to stay. They understand. So that is why I was standing on the rim of a wide Canadian valley, with a wide smile on my face, and a rather heavy hiking backpack digging into my shoulders. I was happy. This is what I was born to do.
I have been dropped by a helicopter about fifty miles away from where I was now standing, and left to make my way to wherever I needed to go (standard procedure): on the map I carried in my bag, it was a small dot right in the middle of the Canadian wilderness. It was early spring and a cool northern breeze just barely swayed the topmost branches of tall dark pines. Still a few miles away, a silver sparkle in between tree trunks caught my eyes: the Bernille. My plan was to make my base camp near the banks of that river (still rather small at this point near the mountains) and to make trips from there, so as not to carry all my baggage. Not that I had much. Only what I could carry, and what I could not somehow borrow form the land. It was out of the question to bring food for 6 months (for obvious reasons), nor a good idea to be weighted down by unnecessary things. I preferred traveling light (although I would never journey without a few necessary objects such as rope, knife, flint, radio…). I was not completely a bush woman. But I would construct myself a mini-hut and hunt or gather my own food. But by now, you are probably wondering what exactly I was here to study. Nothing magical or out of the ordinary. There is a little story attached to my assignment that I will tell you as I sit down on this sun warmed rock to rest my feet.
Some time ago, two Canadian trappers were hunting in these parts of the country. One of them was an amateur bird watcher and during their excursion, he heard, several times, the trilling of a bird. He was interested in what specie the bird belonged to but he could not, only by looking up in a book, find out about the creature. He was a curious fellow, so he went to an avian expert and explained the noise the bird made. The scientist was baffle. No such bird was known! That was 5 years ago. I guess no one was really interested in a new little bird way out in nowhere. Finally, my boss dredged up some money (not enough by anyone's standards) and so I volunteered. So here I was, contemplating a piece of land untouched by man (mostly), and looking for a mysterious little bird.
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Part 2~
~A month later~
I beamed as I put the final touch to my little "house." It was a simple structure with four walls and a low roof, just big enough to let me sleep and cook in. I haven't yet insulated it against icy autumn drafts, but it was late spring, the weather was beautiful, and I didn't really feel like doing that at the moment. For now it was enough to shelter me against the occasional thunderstorm. In the month since I arrives, I acquainted myself with "my" little valley and began looking for that bird. I had some ideas as to how to go about doing that, but it would be quit long and uninteresting to tell you that just now. Half an hour later, I was off, walking under dark green pines, parallel to the river, and toward the end of the valley. A small pack gently bumped against my back with every step I took. I had with me some food, the basic hiking necessities, a notebook, and a book on birds, as well as bird seeds and binoculars. From the short report I had available from the trappers' account, I knew that the bird lives somewhere near the pass between "my" valley and the next. Since spring was the matting season and by now there would probably be several more of the mysterious birds, I was to camp for a few days near the location previously mentioned and listen for the bird. This may sound idiotic and a waste of time, but what would you do in such a case? And I could always come back next year to continue my research. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
A warm wind blew in my face and I inhaled the musty scent of the woods. Soon, I arrived at my destination and proceeded to strategically place little piles of bird seeds on the ground and in tree branches. Then I sat down and listened. The best way to "open you ears" is to relax, while not falling asleep. You might remember that I mentioned being here a month already, and wonder if I had only just started to do my research now. I would truthfully tell you that I had already "combed" two areas, albeit unsuccessfully. I had also gone through my "bird book" as my friends called it, trying to identify characteristics common to birds of this area. Here is what I came up with: brownish in color, living in high trees (and nesting there in early spring), probably having 1 to 2 offspring, size unknown but most likely small…and a few others. When night fell, I had not heard the bird's warble, but I had glimpsed a small brown shape flitting from branch to branch. It had been high up in the top most part of the tree, and I did not get the opportunity to discover if it was the bird; two more brown birds were common to this area.
Next morning before the sun rose, I comfortably installed myself on a wide branch of a tree next to the one I had seen the bird in. back against the rough bark, legs hanging down, each on one side of the branch, and binoculars in hand, I stood watch. About an hour later, a stray movement caught my attention. It was that little brown bird again! Yea! But now I could calmly observe it. I drew a quick sketch of it, then another, much more detailed drawing. I also wrote down any other information concerning the bird that came to mind. Unfortunately, it did not make any noise, but I had the strong suspicion that its nest was up there, although I couldn't see it. Its offspring were surely hatched by now, but not yet able to fly. The perfect time to observe the parents. A short time later, it flew off. I took the opportunity to dig into the small bag that I had taken up with me into the tree and hung on another branch, and take out a bite to eat. Then I again waited for the bird, as it had most probably taken off to search some food for itself. The sun was now half way to its zenith, and the wind had died down to the barest hint of a breeze. It would be a warm day. I wasn't tired, but the peaceful surroundings lulled me into a semi-trance, and I committed the grave error of closing my eyes, promising myself that it was only for a minute.
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I dreamt that I was hearing someone's voice. It sounded like chiming bells, but I had no idea what it meant. I have never come across such a strange sounding language. That is probably why I kept my eyes closed, still thinking myself in dreamland, unaware of my surroundings. That is, until I felt something cold and hard touching my arm. Then I opened my eyes…and came face to face with a gleaming arrow tip, pointed straight in between my eyes. I gasped trying to get some saliva back into my dry mouth, and started backing up, completely forgetting that I was sitting in a tree. I remembered that crucial fact only when I felt myself falling. I was so surprised that I didn't even scream. Nor did it occur to me to grab onto something to slow my fall. Not that it would have made much difference, but it was worth a try. All too quickly, the ground rushed up to meet me. Pain flared up all over my body, and I sank into the blissful embrace of darkness.
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Part 3~
As I regained consciousness, I couldn't help groaning. My head felt like it would explode, as the sun pierced my eyelids. So this is what it feels like to get run over by a car? Came the thought out of nowhere. I tried moving my fingers and my toes. I nearly bit my tongue off when I did so with my left leg. After the pain ebbed somewhat, I opened my eyes and looked around. Right over my head, as if taunting me, my bad swang slowly from the branch. Whoever had pointed that arrow at me was gone, but I had the nagging feeling that it had all been a dream; that I had foolishly fallen asleep in the tree, and woken up on the ground. The sun was in about the same position, but I didn't know if I had been lying here for a few minutes or a whole day. However, it didn't really matter right now. I sat up, and this time did not block the flow of curses that left my mouth. I knew quite a lot of them. And in several languages too. It didn't help the situation, but it took my mind away from the pain for a short while. Way too short. But I finally ran out of breath, and had to stop, panting. As I calmed down, I assessed the damage. I had some minor scratches, lots of bruises, and ouch a fractured lag. A badly fractured leg. The bone was sticking out. My stomach did a flip when I first saw it, and I wondered how on earth I was going to fix it. I knew rudimentary first aid, but I did not have the materials or the knowledge to set a bone. All I knew was to clean the wound, not try to set it myself, and cal for help. Except that my radio was swinging on that branch up there, and even if I had it with me, it would take half a day for help to arrive, that is if they had a good guide of this region and knew where I was.
At that moment, that damn mysterious bird chose to pipe up. Its voice and melody was beautiful. I finally burst into tears, cursing myself for this weakness, but unable to stop. I had prided myself for being an independent woman, and here I was, sitting on the ground, bawling like a two years old. I wouldn't let myself argue that I had just fallen off a tree, broken a leg, and maybe gotten a concussion as well. That was no excuse. With one last hiccup, I pulled myself together. I would not quit.
Just then, out of the shadow stepped three tall men. I hadn't heard or seen them coming. It was as if one second, there was no one, and the next, here they were. All three wore dark green leggings and green jackets of some kind, and all had long bows hung on their back. So it was true! One of them did try to kill me! I immediately shrank back, painfully aware of my own lack of weapons. Once again, my eyes briefly glanced to hat bag in the tree. But the men did not draw their bows. They simply stared at me. And I didn't like when people did that.
"Hello? Do you speak English?" I tried, hesitantly at first. When no one answered, I continued.
"Parlez-vous francais? Italiano? Hablan usted espanol? Czy movi panstwo po polsku?" that was the extant of my foreign language experience, and those guys still hadn't moved. I was about to try making some signs with my hands when the one on the left asked:
"Who are you and what do you seek in this region?"
I was flabbergasted. Oh yeah; just stand there and let me make an ass of myself! I almost shouted. But before I could answer, the one next to the man who had spoken said something to his comrade in a tongue I did not understand. It sounded Scandinavian. And all three guys were tall, blond (with uncommonly long hair, but hey, who was I to judge? I was a woman and my hair was as short as could be without being almost bald. Well not quite, but it didn't even reach my ears.), had a very fair complexion, and bright blue eyes. I had taken them to be brothers, but after some scrutiny, I realized that they were actually quite different. The one who had spoken in that melodious language turned to me.
"Please excuse my friend for his behavior. He is still young and acts on impulses. But you are hurt. If you do not object, we will carry you back to our camp and tend your leg?" it was phrased as a question but almost sounded like an order.
With one last glance at my bag, then at my poor leg, I nodded. What did I have to loose? Only then did it come to my mind that the first speaker didn't look any younger than the other two, so why was he called so? It didn't make sense, but it was too late now. The third man who had kept silent picked me up as gently as possible, careful not to hurt my leg even more, and we were off into the trees.
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A/N~
Parlez-vous francais ?- do you speak french ?
Hablan usted espanol?- do you speak Spanish?
Czy movi panstwo po polsku?- do you speak polish?
Italiano is Italian (deuh! =) lol.
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Part 4~
Their long strides quickly took them over the pass and into the next valley. I wanted to ask them many questions, but I did not really know how to begin so instead I discretely looked at each one of them, trying to figure out a bit more about them. They didn't look like murderers. And what would they be doing in the Canadian wilderness? They could have killed me lots of times by now. And anyway, why would they go to all the trouble of carrying me to their camp? An answer to that particular question came to mind, but I quickly blocked it, preferring not to think about it too much. It made my stomach heave.
The sun was still on its way up, although it was near its zenith, when we stopped. At first, the little space under the trees seemed empty, "unlived in." but one of the men kneeled and rolled open a mottled green blanket, and then another, and another. A few other objects appeared out from the underbrush, previously hidden by their earthy coloring. The man carrying me put me down on the surprisingly soft seeping blanket.
"Too bad Haldir did not come with us. He is an excellent healer." I suppose he was speaking English to put me at ease. "But I will do my best, lady."
One of the other two had build a fire and boiled some water. I had no intension of thinking about or talking to them as 'the tall one,' 'the one who had carried me,' and 'the one who had first spoken,' so I asked them what I should call them. 'The tall one' looked at me for a moment before answering.
"I excuse myself lady. I am named Legolas. This is Mirime, and that (pointing to 'the one who had carried me') is Alrovir…and what should we call you, lady?" he asked with a lightly raised eyebrow.
"I, err, I'm Alexandra, but you can call me Alex." I felt my skin burning a little, which made me feel even more stupid.
"That is a beautiful name. We are pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Alex," said Legolas in that bizarre way of speaking of his.
"As am I," I managed to say. I couldn't fathom these guys.
"Would I now look at your wound, Lady Alex?" asked…Alrovir? (I still had some difficulty telling them apart). I nodded, as he crushed a few leaves into the bubbling pot, and kneeling beside me, began to tend my wounds. Either to distract me from the pain or simply for information, the other two began asking me what I was doing here, so I explained about my research and the birds, not seeing the glances shared between the three. I kept on talking until I bit my tongue, unwanted wetness gathering in the corner of my eyes, and I chocked a scream as Alrovir tried to set my tibia with a quick thrust of his hand. Silence descended on this part of the forest until Alrovir profusely excused himself.
"My abilities unfortunately do not extend to such wounds," he said both to me and to his companions. "The least I can do is to bind the gash close."
"*We should bring her to Rivendel. Alone she cannot make it back to her camp. And it is our fault the she broke her leg. We cannot leave her here,*" said Mirime in that strange musical language. Legolas sharply turned his head toward him, eyes flashing, before answering something in turn. I felt left out, as I was sure they were talking about me. Alrovir listened to the exchange before giving me a cup of something that looked like tea.
"It will help with the pain, Lady," he said, after again apologizing for unnecessarily hurting me. I drained the bitter liquid thankfully, since my whole leg had started to throb to the rhythm of my heart. Although my head was spinning with unasked questions and the sun had only began its descent from its heavenly summit a few hours ago, I felt tired, and my eyes began to close on their own accord. I tried to fight this sudden apathy, realizing that the "tea" was probably much more than that, but the drugs were strong, and I could not stop my body from reacting to them. Finally, exhausted, I gave up and slipped into dreamless sleep.
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Part 5~
Legolas was in deep thoughts and only noticed Alex again when she was fully asleep, but he instantly understood what was going on.
"Alrovir! You didn't!"
"It was necessary…my lord."
"It is not the time for your usual sarcasm, Alrovir."
"Nay, you are right Legolas. But both of you had some good points in your…discussion," he said, referring to the little argument between the other two. "We have to bring her back to Rivendell. It is only right. She was hurt because of us, and we cannot heal her with our skills."
"Oh," said Mirime with sarcasm, "so first you point your arrow at her and try to kill her, and then you want to bring her into the enclave, where few humans have come to and left with their lives!"
"Stop arguing you two," Legolas finally put an end to their bickering. "If we leave her here, she might call whoever brought her here for help. We do not want more people here than necessary. Also, also, did you not hear what she told us about the object of her study?"
For a moment, Legolas looked at them, letting his words sink in. "She will find what they are. And if not her then someone else…We will bring her to Rivendell, then we will see what can be done about it."
After a moment, his companions nodded.
~*~*~
I awoke to darkness. No, not complete darkness. The moon was a thin crescent, and cast a silvery, cold light, which allowed me to see, although barely. The three men sat together, talking in hushed tones, their dark silhouettes casting long shadows on the forest floor. They looked strange, almost as if their pale skin was glowing under the moon, and I wondered if I did too. Suddenly they turned around; whether because they heard me move in the blankets or saw me, I don't know. The one I thought to be Legolas (I wasn't sure since in the semi-darkness they all looked alike) said "Lady Alex, we would bring you to Rivendell, for true healing, if you but accept to come with us." His words were softly spoken, and yet they held authority.
"What is Rivendell?...and where is it? There is no city around here for hundreds of miles." I caught one of the other two smiling.
"Rivendell, also called The Last Homely Home is…a place of peace and rest. It is a place where our people live in tranquility, unconcerned about the world, since the world does not know of its existence. If we depart now, we will arrive ere the night ends."
I didn't really know what to do. I had no idea where I was now, my leg had started hurting again, and I was sure that it wasn't good for my bones to be protruding out of my skin for much longer. On the other hand, I had no idea who those guys were. But then, why would they go to all that trouble of carrying me around and making up weird stories? I sighed and accepted their proposal. What had I to lose? That nagging little voice in my head again replied: plenty.
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Part 6~
I awoke to the singing of birds. A clear, soft light filtering through a multitude of leaves fell in through the open window, which allowed a light breeze to slightly ruffle white curtains. I was lying in a bed, under a cool white cover. Well the entire room was white, full of air and light. The windows had skillfully wrought frames of some kind of metal, thin strands that intertwined together like ivy. The bed post was similarly fashioned, as was the only chair, all silvery white. Was this Rivendell? I brushed off the bed cover. My leg was neatly bandages and straight again; although it hurt with a dull and slightly remote pain, it was much more bearable than the previous night. Those people did have, indeed, a skillful physician. Except for my leg, I felt great. But with my mental capacities fully restored, I began thinking about the trip to this place. I didn't remember much, except for a few moments of lucidity, while we had passed under the boughs of tall trees, clouded in darkness. I had no idea how long it took us to get here, but it was not yet dawn when I last saw the world. Lying in this room, I also became quite curious about my surroundings, and…my stomach rumbled quite hungrily. As if waiting on the other side of the door to hear a sign that I was up, someone knocked.
"Yes?"
A young woman, dressed in light green, entered, carrying a platter of food and some clothes thrown over her arm.
"For you, Lady," she said with an accent, flashing a brilliant smile. She had the same long, blond hair as the three men, and was tall and slim. Very lovely. I became conscientious of my own hair, and passing a nervous hand through their cropped length wondered whether everyone in this place was blond.
"Need…help?" she asked haltingly, searching for words.
"Oh, no thank you, I'll be fine."
She deposited all she had brought and with another smile, left, softly closing the door. I attacked the food hungrily, delighting in the taste of freshly baked bread and melting butter with an abundance of golden honey. For desert, I munched on some fruit, juicy and sweet. After licking my fingers clean, I inspected the clothes. There was a loose white blouse, loose light-green pants tied at the waist with a string, and a long, sleeveless vest of a darker green. I didn't know much about clothes, but these felt extra comfortable.
I walked out of the room, looking for any of the three men to show me around and satisfy my curiosity. The buildings mixed and blended with the forest in a very harmonious way, and I instantly fell in love with this place. It was just so…peaceful. It made me want to enjoy every moment of my life to the fullest, to live my life by the minute, without worry of the past or the future, although acknowledging those two presences. I had not noticed that I had stopped to admire the view of the sunny mountain peaks until someone spoke to me.
"Good morrow Lady Alex."
It was Alrovir. I smiled, happy to see a familiar face.
"I…err," I didn't exactly know what to ask. "What do I do now?" I finally blurted out.
"You do not do, you simply are."
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing, just an old saying of our people. I am to bring you to Lord Elrond. Please follow me." And he turned around.
He was walking slowly, shortening his strides to allow me to keep up with my wounded leg. We walked along winding paths and open walkways until we came to a complex of buildings with the same type of metal working as the one in the window of the room I awoke in. a man with long dark hair (the first I've seen in this strange place) kept out of his face by thin braids, sat on a high-backed chair, near one end of a long, high-ceilinged room. He sat straight and still like a statue; he made me feel very small and insignificant, but not afraid. When he finally spoke, his voice was deep, but soothing, more like a grandfather's than the important person he seemed to be. For the next few hours, he questioned me on my motives and my life, asking me what I was doing here and the likes. I didn't get the chance to get much out of him, since he was not very forthcoming with his answers, but from what I understood, this Rivendell's existence was not known to the outside world except to a few trusted persons. (That made me wonder what they did with the people who blundered into this place like I did.) I was given time to heal, and then, according to Lord Elrond, "we will see."
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Part 7~
I had thought that with no way to distract myself or to continue my studies, I would easily become bored. I was very wrong. The days simply seemed to flow by. Even when it rained, the people were happy. Every night, Rivendell's inhabitants sang haunting melodies in their halls among the trees, telling stories of ages past. Thus, I spent my first night sitting on my balcony, listening to them. The wind, with its coolness, also brought along the music from the Hall of Flames; sometimes softer, sometimes louder. The night had set its arms around Rivendell, and its inhabitants celebrated the rise of stars.
"Is something wrong, Lady Alex?" (Jeez… "Lady Alex!" that always gets me. It's just sooo romantic. I'm being sarcastic here of course). Alrovir was standing under the balcony, and the only thing I could think of was that I could see the top of his head for the first time.
"What?"
"Why aren't you enjoying yourself with everyone else?" Mmmm, good question.
"I don't know anyone. And anyway, I wouldn't be able to understand them."
"Good point. But you know me and can understand me, so come. Please? Or I will come for you."
I sighed. Well. Why not?
The Hall was lighted by a great fire which shone in everyone's eyes. Some people were singing along with the musicians, others were dancing, while some were sitting around, simply listening or talking quietly among themselves. Alrovir, meandering in between people, slowly because of my wound, led me to a group of young people and introduces his friends, although I can't remember their names now. They smiled and waved, so I did too, feeling self conscious because I had no clue what they were telling each other. We sat next tot hem, and Alrovir started translating a bit, until the music changed and he asked me to dance.
"What?" but I can't!" I tried to get out of it. I didn't want everyone looking at me.
"Why?" he sounded hurt.
"Because I don't know how and…and…" I pointed to my leg, wrapped in a white bandage from the ankle up to the knee. I have had enough trouble coming over here already. But he only smiled, satisfied that nothing was wrong from his point of view and stood up, holding my hand, so I had to stand too.
"I'll show you how," he whispered and took me near the end of the dance floor, half in shadows and far away from curious eyes. The music was instrumental this time. It was slow and mellow. He put my arms around his neck and his around my waist and slowly showed me the steps.
"Don't be afraid," I felt his breath near my ear, "no one is looking."
No, no one. Except you.
But the music became softer and I continued dancing, with my eyes closed and my head against his chest, so I wouldn't have to look into his eyes. Several songs later, my leg throbbed from the constant movement, but I didn't want to tell him; I didn't want to stop. I squeezed my eyes shut and willed the pain to go away. It didn't work. Other than my knee wobbled and bumped against his and I had to suppress a hiss of pain. Maybe he heard it anyway because he picked me up into his arms and continued to sway with the music. We danced that way half the night, unaware of people coming and going, until the fire burned out and the ambers glowed red.
"Thank you," I whispered, as we stood alone in the dark.
"It is I who should thank you, maelene*."
That night, I didn't sleep much. And not because of the pain in my leg.
~*~*~
Part 8~
The floor was smooth and white with green inlays, as were the columns supporting the ceiling of climbing plants. I would be repeating myself if I told you that this hallway was peaceful and cool, but I couldn't find many other words to describe those surroundings, especially since they all felt that way. You shouldn't be surprised then that I loved walking in and around Rivendell. It was during those walks that I met Alrovir several more times. Sometimes I wonder whether he was purposefully sitting in my path. I can tell you about a few of those meetings, and maybe that will clarify what exactly was our "relationship", in lack of a better word.
That same walkway bordered one of the many little gardens of the enclave. There, sitting silently on a bench, was Alrovir. I thought he was meditating, so I stopped and looked at him from behind a column. It was a one of time chance to really "look" since he couldn't see me in the act and so would not pull strange conclusions out of it. Or so I thought, until he said "Good morning Lady Alex," with a smile and turned his head in my direction. I got out from behind my hiding place, feeling like a fourteen years old girl who was found observing older boys taking showers. (And I know how that feels, believe me). Alrovir didn't help the matter any, smiling at me as if he knew exactly how I felt and was amused by it. I felt my face grow hot so I changed my train of thoughts.
"How did you know it was me?"
"Because of the way you walk," he said, pointing to my still bandaged leg. I tried not to put too much weight on it. He stood up and offered me his arm. I didn't know how to refuse; even though I didn't want to accompany him for the simple reason of fearing of making a still bigger fool of myself.
"Have you been outside Rivendell?" I shook my head.
"Then I will show you my favorite place. It is not very far from here, but if you feel tired or your leg pains you, please tell me."
"Uh, eu."
We walked in silence then, me both because I didn't know what to say and because I was too busy looking at the scenary around me. We walked uphill and the higher we went, the more I could see of the area around Rivendell. After a while, we came to a shallow stream.
"Come. You should not wet your wound." He carried me across it I his arms, but didn't put me down afterwards. Errr, okay? Ummm. Did he always choose things for us to do in which he just had to take me in his arms? Not that I had anything to complain about. Lol. I glanced at him and saw him quickly looking away, then straight ahead. To tell you the truth, I was happy he kept going because I liked the feel of his arms around me. No, there was nothing between us, but a woman can dream, can't she? Unfortunately not for long; soon we topped a hill, and I gasped in wonder. From here, Rivendell was a little circle of tiny white buildings that shone in the noon sun, surrounded by a vast see of green, cut here and there by a watery ribbon. It reminded me of the ancient Maya temples hidden in the Mexican jungle. The hill we stood on however, was empty but for a majestic oak that stretched its mighty branches out into he sky and seemed to year to touch it. Alrovir deposited me in its shade and sat down, looking at me expectantly.
"It's…wonderful…I wish there were places like this closer to home so I could go there as often as I liked."
After a moment, Alrovir said "you can come here, in the meantime…no one does but me."
Damn, why did the guy have to be so nice? He brought me to his little secret hiding place and acted as if it was nothing!
"Thank you Alrovir."
Suddenly, his face changed from mysterious and serious to mischievous.
"Are you ticklish?"
Errr, what? I slowly edged away, narrowing my eyes, and Alrovir's smile only became bigger, until he shortened the distance between us and his fingers began to dance mercilessly on my stomach. I didn't know whether to scream or laugh, so I did both. Jeez, but he knew exactly where it tickled the most. (Because he had it too? Ummm, worth a try).
Yea! Now it was his turn to scream for mercy, although his clothes were thicker than mine. So I decided on the feet, taking off his shoes. Gotcha!! If someone saw us then, he would think we were torturing each other. But neither one of us had the advantage for long, as roles were constantly reversed. Finally, I couldn't support it anymore and laid down like a pancake right where I was, which happened to be Alrovir. But I didn't feel like moving off and neither did he, so we stayed that way for a while. Then I guess I dozed off, because the sun was nearing the horizon. When we came back to Rivendell, the enclave was in shadows and people were eating supper. It just so happened that to get to my room, I had to pass through the main hall, full of people, as well as Lord Elrond, Legolas, and Mirime. And since Alrovir was still following me (hey, only because his room was that way too!), all three gave knowing looks. I felt blood rushing to my ears, and wondered what Alrovir was thinking.
I didn't stay to find out.
~*~*~
A few days went by during which I purposefully avoided Alrovir a bit. (I hope you're not asking why. And if you are, well, it's because I'm not the type of person who throws herself into the arms of others. I'm kind of slow on the romance side, in other words). But I did like his company, so when he finally caught up to me and asked if I wanted to see his friends practice archery, I agreed to come and watch.
Damn he was good! (Good looking?) Good at archery! (But good looking too!) Especially when he concentrated, right before a shot.
Then he let me try it too, and during my shots, he made such funny faces that I laughed so hard I couldn't even draw the string. In between gales of laughter, I managed to wonder where would my arrows have ended up, and thanked whoever was listening that they never left the ground.
In such a way, another day went by, during wish we behaved like idiots, (but happy idiots in any case, lol). And the day of my departure slowly drew near.
~*~*~
Part 9~
Much too quickly, my leg healed. I had to leave soon, both to return to my studies and to stop abusing from the hospitality of those nice people. I will miss those mountains, the little brooks, the scent of the air, and the simple peacefulness of this valley, for somehow, it was different from all the others. But my heart will miss something else…
~*~*~
That was it. I left one morning. "One," because I had lost count of days in this strange place. Alrovir, Legolas and Mirime would again accompany me back to my camp, both because they knew where it was and I didn't, and because the woods around here "weren't safe." I would have objected to the second reason; I knew how to defend myself and disliked being thought of as an innocent and vulnerable young woman. But I could not contradict the first point, so I kept my mouth shut. No point in getting them angry and leaving me to find my way back by myself.
The morning was fine, the weather cooperating. We were walking along no defined trail, and yet the going was not hard. I took the time to admire the trees we passed silently (well, at least they did, and I tried to, without really succeeding), and to wonder at their age. How would it feel to live that long? What would I do if I was allowed such a long life? I didn't know. Probably take it one day at a time. But in the long run, maybe it was better that we humans had a limited time?
~*~*~
It was not long after we had a quick bite to eat and a little break that I heard it. It seemed such a long time ago that I had last heard it that it took me a moment to realize what it was. But it could be nothing else than the strange bird that I had come here for in the first place, and I still had no idea as to where we were, so I would not be able to come back here to study it. That irritated me quite a bit. So close and yet so far. My thoughts took no longer than a few seconds to assemble into coherent clumps and during that time, the expression on the usually impassive faces of those men turned into worried looks. I didn't understand (again). What was wrong? The three spoke quickly in their native tongues then two of them left, or rather, simply disappeared into the shadows under the trees. It was a small comfort that it was Alrovir who stayed with me, although he didn't seem to happy about it.
"What's going on?"
For a moment, he was silent, as if considering what he could safely tell me. Finally, he settled on "trouble." His bow was out and he fitted an arrow in a smooth movement, looking all around him, on his guards, listening.
Later, I was a little amazed at how long it took me to put two and two together. It was rather simple, really, if you knew what you were looking at. However, at that time, when I realized what was going on, I acted on impulse, without really thinking of the consequences (even now, I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had stayed like I was supposed to). But I didn't. I left. I ran in the direction I last heard the "bird's" twirling from, Alrovir a step behind me. He didn't try to stop me except for an initial and somewhat undignified squeak of protest. I suppose he wanted to go there too, wherever "there" was.
From a way off, the sound of fighting came to us, and we both ran even faster, Alrovir to help, and me…I don't really know why. I heard an arrow fly from right behind my ear and saw it thump into an awful looking beasty. I had no idea what the heck it was, and the fact that I hadn't seen it until it was gurgling with blood from its wound throat didn't seem to faze me too much. In a moment of lucidity, I wondered if during my stay in Rivendell I wasn't constantly high on something. This whole little adventure was just a bit too strange. Anyway, soon after, silence descended on this part of the forest. Legolas and Mirime looked at me then at Alrovir reproachfully, but he just glanced at me and shrugged it off, as if to say "no big deal bro, nothing happened."
Three more tall, blond men (what other kind was there around here?) sat on the ground, wounded in different degrees and places. One of them had a bleeding gash on his forehead and looked rather pale. So I was right. This "bird" that I had spent the past three months studying was nothing more than a secret code call for those men. They knew all along what I was here for because I had told them. But did they tell me that I was looking for something that did not exist? Of course not, the bloody idiots! I was not extremely happy, to say the least. I was about to leave and try to find my own way back when Alrovir shouted and threw himself toward me. What the heck?!!
I heard the whoosh and saw his stagger, and I still didn't understand…until I saw the pain in his eyes, looking directly into mine, and his feeble smile before he fell into my arms. I almost let go of him when I saw the black arrow protruding from his back. Before I could call the others for help, they were there, taking Alrovir away from him and laying him on his stomack on the ground. When they yanked the arrow out, I saw Alrovir's body jerk with pain. He bravely clenched his jaw to keep from crying out. I marveled at his strength of will, and could not help a tear of my own from falling. I stood nearby like an idiot, not knowing what to do. I knew that had Alrovir not done what he had, it would have been me lying there, with an arrow sticking out of my chest. I felt guilty, and at the same time oddly disconnected from reality, as if what was happening wasn't true. A dream. Yea, right, who was I kidding? I could go on deluding myself for a time or face the facts head on. Alrovir had saved my life and was now loosing his. I had run here like an airhead, not thinking about what the "trouble" could be and here we were.
Alrovir was ghostly pale and his blue-gray eyes empty, but open. The others were stemming the blood flow from Alrovir's wound and talking among themselves in that melodious language of theirs. One of them was standing guard, looking outward at the forest surrounding us. I felt useless.
"He will be all right…eventually," said Legolas calmly.
Yea right, I thought, feeling my insides squeezing in sadness and anger.
~*~*~
Part 10~
I felt strangely empty when everybody had left, Mirime carrying an unconscious Alrovir back to Rivendell. I wasn't sure what to believe. I had seen Alrovir's wound, and although I was no doctor, I had enough field expertise to know that it was lethal. However, I also trusted Legolas's knowledge of his healers. So I walked back to my camp in silence, led by Legolas. As it turned out, it wasn't that far off from the place where we have been attacked.
"They will not come here," said Legolas before it even occurred to me that they could.
"They are only after us."
He left it at that, so I didn't inquire more. I stood in silence for a while, gazing at my little hut, not knowing what else to say. Legolas finally broke the silence again.
"It is… unusual to let people know about our existence…it renders our enclave unsafe. You understand?" I nodded.
"We have a way of erasing your memory of the things you know about us, but we deemed it unnecessary." Before I could get too afraid at his words, he continued.
"WE trust your moral and god personality, and think you will not betray us Lady Alex."
I was peeved that he should doubt me, but then, the lives of hundreds of people depended on me now. It frightened me somehow, but also hardened my resolve never to speak to anyone about all I have seen here. However, one question remained…
"What am I supposed to say about the "bird" chirpings?" I asked, knowing that he would understand what I was talking about.
Legolas's mouth turned into the cheesy grin of a schoolboy who knew something you didn't.
"You will see." I must have looked rather unconvinced, because he added: "do not worry; it has been taken care of."
Did all of those people have the innate tendency to say only half of what you wanted to know, and leave you hanging? Maybe it was the seclusion of the place going to heir head, I thought wryly, taking a look at the forest around me. When I turned back to ask Legolas another question, he was gone.
"Legolas?"
Only the birds answered back. I rolled my eyes in exasperation and went on with my life.
~*~*~
Part 11~
Two days later, I was back, up in the tree from which I had fallen, studying the little brown bird I had seen nesting there. I knew that it wasn't "the" bird, but still, it was my job to study nature, and I enjoyed it. Anyway, I still had quite some time before I had to go back to the "big word." As it turned out, that little brown bird was not mentioned in my "bird book." I was so excited! (Blame the scientist in me for being so nerdy). I wanted to shout in joy, but I stopped myself just in time, in case I frightened the poor bird away; and that would certainly have been bad. With a happy grin on my face, I installed myself in that same tree, on the same branch, and waited for the bird. When it flew into its nest, I starred at it through my binoculars, and my heart soared. I had just seen three little featherless heads peeking out form the cocoon of twigs, moss and branches. I couldn't think of anything else except the little brown birds. That is, until something brown blocked the view of my binoculars...and didn't go away. For a split second, I thought it was another bird, sitting on a nearby branch in "my" tree that just happened not to be scared of the "big bad human." But somehow I didn't think that was the right thing. Come on now, I knew birds! I wasn't an idiot.
But I certainly felt like one as soon as I lowered my binoculars and screamed my head off. What happened next seemed a repeat of that first day. I tried to back off, and momentarily forgot that I was several feet off the ground. I slipped, lost my balance…and found myself hanging from the tree by the back of my jacket.
Damn luck! Why does it always happen to me! I gulped audibly and looked up…right into someone's green eyes.
"Alrovir," I groaned "you scared the be-jeezes out of me! Get me out of here. Please?!" I couldn't help it sounding like a plea. Well, I think it's understandable in the position I was in.
"Why do you insist of climbing into trees, if you do not seem to stay in them?" he grinned.
"Arrrg!"
"All right, all right."
As it turned out, it had been him holding me by the scruff of my neck (or rather my jacket), and not the tree, so he simply hoisted me back up onto the limb, where I sat, shaking, and clinging to him so hard he had trouble breathing. I relaxed my hold after a while, when I could hear more around me than only the frantic beating of my heart.
It took me a few extra minutes to realize that after what had happened a few days ago, he should not have been out of bed, let alone well enough to climb trees. In that strange way of his that he had, even before I voiced my concern, he simply said:
"Do not worry. I am well." I must have looked a bit suspicious, for he untied his vest. Where yesterday an arrow was sticking out of his chest, there was now the smallest of scars, a pale little circle. I stared at it, then at his serious face. He hooked a strand of his sunny hair behind an ear, and watched me.
Again, he brought his gracious hand up to his ear and fingered the tip. Finally, exasperated, he sighed, and said slowly, waiting for my reaction: "I am an elf."
"Err…what?"
I knew I must have sounded a bit unintelligent.
"We of Rivendell are elves. We are…immortal, and have a heightened healing ability."
"Oh…"
Sooo convincing, I thought sarcastically. Living in the forest and having pointy ears (that for the matter I only noticed now that he showed them to me) doesn't make him an elf. He took out a little silver knife out of his belt and gave it to me, hilt first. With the palm of his hand upward, he told me to cut it.
"W…what? Unh unh. No way."
I shoved the hilt of the knife back at him, now afraid of accidentally harming him. He took the knife (a lot more deftly than I did) and put it back wherever it was he kept it. He rolled up the left sleeve of his shirt ( I was intrigued to notice how neatly it was done), then before I could register what he was doing, the tip of the knife ran on his smooth, pale, forearm. I watched in silence as a crimson tendril found its way down the side of his wrist, as it dripped onto the bark, as it found a path in between too-green leaves, and lost itself somewhere below us. And then I watched as his blood stopped flowing, as the wound closed itself under my eyes, as it lost its angry red color and became a thin, white line, then disappeared completely. Only then could I take my eyes away from his arm and look into his gray-green eyes. They were too deep to understand, but I was sure there was sadness there. And resignation. (to what?) I let him take me into his arm and hold me. It made me feel safe and gave me butterflies in my stomach. I don't know how long we stayed that way. It didn't matter. Only the sound of his soothing voice broke the silence.
"I am falling into you, maelene. Like a leaf into emptiness*; it and I will fall forever, and never find a place to rest."
I didn't say anything. I couldn't. the rest of that day, we talked about nothing and everything, for nothing could express our feelings for each other. I don't even know if we knew them ourselves. And yet, I learned many things about his people. Rivendell was not the only such enclave. A few others were scattered around the world; at least one on each continent. But the number of elves was dwindling as they left this world for Valinor, or occasionally departed for the Halls of Mandros. Each community kept contact with all the others. It was as much to keep among themselves as a way to survive. Of course, they sometimes mingled with the outside world to keep track of news and technology. But elves preferred above all to live in the cool heart of the forest and seldom wanted to leave for the polluted cities of our ear. And when I asked how they managed to keep their existence a secret, Alrovir only said that they "have their ways." To end the matter, elves have existed here for a "very" long time, and will stay here until it pleases them to leave. And that was the end of that.
The stats came up. They were unordinarily beautiful that night, and I couldn't keep my heart from saying that "so was Alrovir." We kept each other company, sometimes talking, sometimes simply enjoying each other's presence. I knew it would end someday, and I knew that the quicker, the better. For the both of us. At least for me. For I knew that even now, my heart would feel his loss. My problem (him) solved itself. As the moon rose, so did he, and helped me get off the tree (I have had enough precipitated descents). Under the tree's canopy, I looked into his eyes, and he into mine. I wonder what he was thinking, and what he saw in them. He seemed unsure of himself. And then he gave me a kiss. As we stood under the moon, all around us was silver. The night was warm. But it could have rained, for all I cared. Do I need to tell you that I melted into his arms? I heard him whisper something in elvish, then say: "I am sorry, maelene." With one last look, he disappeared into the gloom and was gone.
But I could still see his eyes; his deep, beautiful, gray-green eyes, that said more than simple words ever could. Those eyes, which I never forgot.
~*~*~
Part 12~
I stayed in Canada two more months, and each day I found myself unconsciously looking for a pair of gray-green eyes and pointy ears. And each time I realized what I was doing, I would smile, shake my head, and go on. There was no use dwelling in the past, I knew, but sometimes I had to force myself to do what I had come here for, instead of letting my mind wander too much on the paths my heart told me to follow.
But one day I woke up, and knew I had to leave. A thin layer of powdery snow had dusted the grass. It was time for me to go. So that's what I did. I dismounted my "house." (it took me much less time than to build it). I was sorry to do that, for I had come to love it and think of it as my home. I took back everything I had arrived with, and tried to restore this place as much to its original as I could. Packing took my mind off of other things, which I was glad for. I had radioed the company, and a helicon was to meet me at the same place it had that first time. With one last good look at the place in which I had spent such strange moments, I realized that I would probably never come back here. I turned my back on it and with a determined step began the trek to the helico's meet point.
The air was cold and crisp; as I walked, I puffed white misty balls, and watched them dissipate. This place made me so melancholic I wanted to cry. I wanted to sit down under a tree and stop thinking. I wanted to simply be.
Far away, I heard the steady beat of the helico.
But I have a job, a life to go back to. Really? Why can't you live here? A little voice said in my head?
The roar was getting louder, and I took the radio in my hand.
You've succeeded perfectly well until now, so why not keep living here? Well, why not? I can't!
I squeezed the radio until my hand hurt.
Think about yourself instead of your friends and your boss…think about the elves and Rivendell… … think about Alrovir…
I touched my cheek with a trembling hand, and found a tear.
"I'm sorry Alrovir," I whispered into the air, half wishing he would materialize out of thin air and take me into his arms. I shivered, and radioed the helicon my exact position.
That's it; can't change anything now. It's done.
You can still walk away from here. They won't know better.
No! The helicon landed. I stepped in and closed the door. It took off. A second tear ran down my Face. I watched the valley recede then completely disappear from view.
Where was he now?
~*~*~
It was always strange to go back to ordinary life after the months I spent away. Each time, it seemed as if I somehow saw life differently than anybody else. My friends usually quickly put me back on track. But this time, I thought for a moment that I had finally lost my marbles. When I came to the office for my "end of mission" report, my boss asked me for information about the little brown birds. I was stumped. How the heck did he know? I was supposed to have gone to Canada to investigate those strange sounding twittering, not study some brown bird. What was going on? I asked him for the official introductory report of my study, under the pretext that I would arrange everything together and that I still had to make final notes. That gave me some time to think about this. "Da Boss" was acting exactly like he always did, which meant being sarcastic, funny, and serious all at the same time; but he wouldn't joke about important facts of missions. I went down to the café, sat down near the window, and took a look at the folder while drinking a cup of tea. I almost chocked to death, and I know I looked as if I had seen a ghost. But it amounted to the same thing. In the folder, it was written that I had gone to Canada to investigate a new species of birds, for now unnamed. A few general information were given about them. I skimmed all the pages. Nothing about the two trappers and the twittering they had heard. I sat back. What the heck? No one had access to this file until I came back and gave my authorization. Only my boss, but he had no way of knowing about the little brown birds, and most importantly, why would he go to all that trouble of changing this fact? To facilitate my life, and the promise I had made to the elves? Then did he know about them? Jeez!...the elves!! I laughed, remembering Legolas' "you'll see" and his mischievous expression. Yea, obviously, I "have seen." But how did they do it? I guess I'll never know. I silently laughed to myself again. From across the small café, and old man smiled at me. I noticed him because of his long gray beard and merry blue eyes. He seemed to be wearing something resembling a bathrobe (I told you I wasn't big on clothing =) ). And then he winked at me. I was in a good mood so I laughed for the third time, and waved, although I had no idea who this grandpa was. He left, though, before I could ask.
~*~*~
Part 13~
Would it seem strange if I told you that this had happened more than 75 years ago? I will be a hundred years old tomorrow; and I have never forgotten about the elves, nor about my promises to them. But I never promised that I wouldn't go back there. So that's what I did. I packed some food, a tent, a sleeping bag and a few other things, and I went to Canada. I was old, and it was a lot harder to walk those few miles with a backpack and a cane, but I had no intention of returning to the "real world," one way or another. Either I would find what I was looking for, or my mind and memory would finally abandon me for good. The sun was about to set so I settled down on a little hill, from where I could see the sky clearly. It was early June, but the evening breeze was cool; I wrapped my old bones in a green fleece blanket, sat under a tall, dark oak, and leaned against its rough bark. The stars slowly twinkled into life, and I watched them, feeling small and insignificant. I never tired of watching the stars. They held a surreal attraction I was drawn to. Some time later, the moon rose over a distant peak, and drowned this part of the world in its silvery light.
I could never hear him come, and he always appeared as if out of nowhere, as he did now. He was suddenly silhouetted against the pale orb; a dark figure in a slightly less dark night. But I knew it was him.
"You came," I whispered.
"No. You did. I was always here." His voice held no reprimand.
"You haven't changed. At all." I stated the fact, wondering whether I should be surprised or whether I expected it all along.
"No." he sat down next to me, turning his face toward the moon. He was exactly as I remembered him. His eyes were still…sad? And they sparkled in the night. I sighed.
"A penny for your thoughts." Those eyes, looking into mine.
"I wish you did not ask maelene. Not now." His arms felt strong around my shoulders. More so now that age had stolen my strength.
His head against mine; our hair intertwined, both long. Under the moon, both silver; each the symbol of opposite ends of time. His of infinity, mine of finished mortality.
"Don't cry maelene. Please," he whispered. My thoughts, love, are yours. They always were, and will be, wherever you go.
The moonlight caught a tear on his face. My fingers brushed it away. My lips curved into a little smile as I imagined how we looked. A grandmother comforting her grandson, while reality gave him millennia more than me.
"I don't want to leave you again Alrovir," I whispered, afraid that if I spoke just a little louder, this moment would end. I was afraid of what would happen if he said there was no place here for me. And I was afraid of what he thought about me now. Now that my face was hollowed and wrinkled, that my feet could not carry me as far and fast as they once did, that my hug felt to him like the touch of butterflies.
"You will never have to maelene." I smiled. And the night didn't seem so dark and cold anymore, nor my body so weak.
~*~*~
Many centuries later, in the Canadian wilderness, it was said that every night, a tall young man in green and a lady clad in white sat on the Hill of Hope and looked at the stars. Their long hair, silver in the moonlight were like frozen cascades of ice; their figures seemed to glow with a fire within and under the lone oak that graced the Mont, could be seen from far away. The legend, told to little children at night, went that the young man was the spirit of trees meeting the spirit of air. Only at night could the two lovers reunite and spend time together. No one had ever seen one without the other, and at dawn, they disappeared under the cover of mist, as silently and unseen as they appeared at twilight.
~*~*~
Forgotten under dusty prints of old newspapers laid a yellow obituary page of "The Herald" of an unknown village. Unrecognizable form all the other announcements, near the bottom left of the page, was a paragraph, special only because it was not exactly an obituary. No body was found and no funeral was performed, but death was in any case assumed because of certain circumstances. The lady in question was reported missing several weeks before the printing of the paper, and her last movements traced to a flight into the heart of the Canadian wilderness. She had been a somewhat known scientist, famous for her discovery of a specie of birds named by her as Alrovirae Elfina. At the time of her disappearance, she was nearing her hundredth birthday. No signs of her were found up to the printing of this announcement, which was made for obvious reasons.
May she rest in peace, wherever she lays.
~*~*~
~End~
A/N~ how did you like it? =)
~Ola~