Once they were outside, she began to lead him, arm still entwined with his.
Legolas caught a glimpse of Gimli being led through the forest by the same
elf he had seen earlier, and he looked surprised. Surely he had thought
caves were nowhere to be found near an elven land! How mistaken he was. The
Noldor were craftspeople, and they enjoyed dealing with stone and jewels.
There had to be caves near. She spoke little on their way through the
woods, but would occasionally speak to a passing elf or a tree briefly.
"Now, Master Legolas, we will soon enter the most beautiful part of these
woods. No other elf but I has ever seen it, and no language, Westron or
Sindarin have been spoken there, so I must ask you to make no sound. Our
only communication shall be through our minds." Legolas nodded.
"I understand, Aerlinndû." She walked him slowly into a patch of trees and he went to gasp but was sure to make no sound. He stood in awe for at least a moment before he closed his mouth and stepped away from the queen and looked around. It was truly more beautiful than anything he had ever seen, and he told Aerlinndû so. Why has no one else ever seen this?
I have not wished for anyone else to see it. You are the first because I believe you can understand it. He looked at her.
I am honored. She stepped over to him and took his hand. Her skin was softer than the softest material he had ever felt. It felt like what a cloud must have felt like and was pleasantly cool.
This is a magical place, greenleaf, and magical things may happen. Do you believe in the celebcaras?
The Silver City of lore? I would think that I might have to, now that I have seen this.
But did you before?
Yes.
Then do you believe in magic?
I have met wizards, so yes, I do.
I mean elven magic. There was a humor to her voice.
Oh. Yes, I always have. She rested a hand on his chest and brought herself close to him, looking into his gray eyes.
There is much in this place, in me, and in you, Legolas Greenleaf. He could feel her slight breath on his face and could smell a scent more pure than the morning air surrounding her and himself. She leaned forward and let her lips brush his then began to pull away. Almost instinctively, he took her by the waist and brought her back into his embrace.
Was this your magic that did this, Aerlinndû? She smiled with her mind.
Think as you wish, but stay in the magic for the moment. The sun began to dim and a music was heard floating through the trees. Legolas pulled out of the kiss and looked around him. None were there, as was expected, but the music, almost like a bird's whistle, continued. Soon it sounded like an entire group of music players but no one could be seen.
What is this music? She looked at him.
You know the answer. Forgetting that he was not to speak, Legolas said only one word.
"Aerlinndû." The music did not stop, but seemed to sound like they agreed with him. Aerlinndû stepped back up to him.
Yes. This is what I was named for, the song of the nightfall. They will sing until the Sun has left the sky. He turned to her.
It is beautiful.as are you. She simply smiled and held out her arm. He took it and she led him back out of the wood and to the building. "Does this.palace have a name?" Aerlinndû looked at him, almost amused.
"Minas Tinnu." He smiled.
"Tower of the Dusk. Very pretty." He walked into Minas Tinnu and saw Gimli at once. Gimli was ecstatic.
"Legolas, there are caves here, and they are more beautiful even than the Aglarond! Oh Legolas you should have seen them, you could not even imagine!" Legolas kneeled beside his friend.
"I too have seen beautiful things today, perhaps even more than one. I am happy that you have found something more to your liking here in these forests. You may stay as long as you wish."
"I will leave if you are ready, Master Elf, but I cannot see why you would be tempted to so soon as we have come." Legolas shook his head.
"No, I am not prepared to leave quite yet, Gimli, but we may have to soon. I sense evil still, even in the midst of all this beauty."
"When you do leave, you have an invitation to return anytime, Master Legolas," Aerlinndû said. Legolas nodded to her.
"Thank you.my queen." Legolas turned back to Gimli. "I recommend that we both take some rest, for we do not know what awaits us in the morning. We may find that we need strength we do not have." Gimli nodded.
"Then I shall wish you good night now, Master Elf."
"The same to you, friend." As Gimli left, Legolas looked at his arm and noticed that both wounds he had received had been healed. Aerlinndû smiled.
"Our woods possess certain.healing properties." Legolas looked at her and smiled.
"So I can see." He bowed deeply to Aerlinndû. "Sleep well, my queen. I hope to share such an amazing day in your company tomorrow as I did today." Aerlinndû smiled.
"Events can be arranged." He left, following a young male elf up to his quarters.
A few days later, Legolas was lying in his quarters when he realized how close the evil seemed. He quickly made his way to Aerlinndû's quarters and tapped on the door. "Come in," came her soft response. He entered and she smiled at him. "Legolas, come in. Is something wrong?"
"Yes, Aerlinndû, I think there is. The evil I have sensed ever since I came here has drawn even closer. I do not think we have much time before they attack." Aerlinndû smiled and shook her head.
"I fear you must be mistaken, Legolas, there is no reason to think that there is evil here. We are across the Sea, dear elf, we are no longer bound by the Man's wars." Legolas looked at Aerlinndû and saw that she was lying, but no longer thought it was a lie; she had convinced herself that it was real.
"Aerlinndû, listen to me. Sense the feelings of the trees around us. They sense it too. It is close to you, to me, to all of us here as Minas Tinnu." Suddenly her eyes grew chilled as she too began to feel the impending danger.
"You are right, Legolas, but I fear your concern is misplaced. The danger is within these very walls. My own people will rebel against me. I can do nothing against their forces." Legolas looked at her unbelievingly.
"What do you mean, you can do nothing? You can fight them, I can tell you have the power! How else could you make this entire wood reflect your beauty?" Aerlinndû froze, then rose and stepped over to a small chest. She picked up the contents and showed it to him. "What is this ring?"
"It is Denya. She is the Fourth Elven Ring, forged by the Elven-smiths of Eregion. She is not a Ring of Power, but bears the same power. An elven- smith under Sauron left him immediately and forged the Fourth Ring in secret. He brought it over the Sea so that its powers may be held even if all the others they forged would lose their power. He was my father. When he felt I was ready, he gave me Denya and told me even though he was an old Noldor exile, this ring could keep me from being exiled ever again."
"If you were exiled, would the Ring have not lost its power?"
"No, my father hid the ring when we were forced to leave Valinor. He retrieved it when we were forgiven." Legolas nodded, then had one last question.
"Why has no one ever known about the Fourth Elven Ring?" Aerlinndû smiled.
"Denya has been well hidden and kept only in my family." Legolas nodded.
"Why do you not wear the ring?"
"I do not wish to always bear so much power. I have only ever worn Denya on a chain around my neck. She has never rested on my finger." Legolas took Aerlinndû's hand.
"Aerlinndû, if you wield Denya, you can overcome the evil in Minas Tinnu." She seemed hesitant, but did take the ring in her hand. He smiled and started to say something, but there soon was a knock on the door. Legolas took a casual seat in the corner and Aerlinndû rose to answer. The young elf-maiden Gwilwileth was standing there.
"My queen, Cammorn has attacked Elessar."
Like it? Hate it? Utterly confused? Bored? It gets better. Review please!
-Silver
"I understand, Aerlinndû." She walked him slowly into a patch of trees and he went to gasp but was sure to make no sound. He stood in awe for at least a moment before he closed his mouth and stepped away from the queen and looked around. It was truly more beautiful than anything he had ever seen, and he told Aerlinndû so. Why has no one else ever seen this?
I have not wished for anyone else to see it. You are the first because I believe you can understand it. He looked at her.
I am honored. She stepped over to him and took his hand. Her skin was softer than the softest material he had ever felt. It felt like what a cloud must have felt like and was pleasantly cool.
This is a magical place, greenleaf, and magical things may happen. Do you believe in the celebcaras?
The Silver City of lore? I would think that I might have to, now that I have seen this.
But did you before?
Yes.
Then do you believe in magic?
I have met wizards, so yes, I do.
I mean elven magic. There was a humor to her voice.
Oh. Yes, I always have. She rested a hand on his chest and brought herself close to him, looking into his gray eyes.
There is much in this place, in me, and in you, Legolas Greenleaf. He could feel her slight breath on his face and could smell a scent more pure than the morning air surrounding her and himself. She leaned forward and let her lips brush his then began to pull away. Almost instinctively, he took her by the waist and brought her back into his embrace.
Was this your magic that did this, Aerlinndû? She smiled with her mind.
Think as you wish, but stay in the magic for the moment. The sun began to dim and a music was heard floating through the trees. Legolas pulled out of the kiss and looked around him. None were there, as was expected, but the music, almost like a bird's whistle, continued. Soon it sounded like an entire group of music players but no one could be seen.
What is this music? She looked at him.
You know the answer. Forgetting that he was not to speak, Legolas said only one word.
"Aerlinndû." The music did not stop, but seemed to sound like they agreed with him. Aerlinndû stepped back up to him.
Yes. This is what I was named for, the song of the nightfall. They will sing until the Sun has left the sky. He turned to her.
It is beautiful.as are you. She simply smiled and held out her arm. He took it and she led him back out of the wood and to the building. "Does this.palace have a name?" Aerlinndû looked at him, almost amused.
"Minas Tinnu." He smiled.
"Tower of the Dusk. Very pretty." He walked into Minas Tinnu and saw Gimli at once. Gimli was ecstatic.
"Legolas, there are caves here, and they are more beautiful even than the Aglarond! Oh Legolas you should have seen them, you could not even imagine!" Legolas kneeled beside his friend.
"I too have seen beautiful things today, perhaps even more than one. I am happy that you have found something more to your liking here in these forests. You may stay as long as you wish."
"I will leave if you are ready, Master Elf, but I cannot see why you would be tempted to so soon as we have come." Legolas shook his head.
"No, I am not prepared to leave quite yet, Gimli, but we may have to soon. I sense evil still, even in the midst of all this beauty."
"When you do leave, you have an invitation to return anytime, Master Legolas," Aerlinndû said. Legolas nodded to her.
"Thank you.my queen." Legolas turned back to Gimli. "I recommend that we both take some rest, for we do not know what awaits us in the morning. We may find that we need strength we do not have." Gimli nodded.
"Then I shall wish you good night now, Master Elf."
"The same to you, friend." As Gimli left, Legolas looked at his arm and noticed that both wounds he had received had been healed. Aerlinndû smiled.
"Our woods possess certain.healing properties." Legolas looked at her and smiled.
"So I can see." He bowed deeply to Aerlinndû. "Sleep well, my queen. I hope to share such an amazing day in your company tomorrow as I did today." Aerlinndû smiled.
"Events can be arranged." He left, following a young male elf up to his quarters.
A few days later, Legolas was lying in his quarters when he realized how close the evil seemed. He quickly made his way to Aerlinndû's quarters and tapped on the door. "Come in," came her soft response. He entered and she smiled at him. "Legolas, come in. Is something wrong?"
"Yes, Aerlinndû, I think there is. The evil I have sensed ever since I came here has drawn even closer. I do not think we have much time before they attack." Aerlinndû smiled and shook her head.
"I fear you must be mistaken, Legolas, there is no reason to think that there is evil here. We are across the Sea, dear elf, we are no longer bound by the Man's wars." Legolas looked at Aerlinndû and saw that she was lying, but no longer thought it was a lie; she had convinced herself that it was real.
"Aerlinndû, listen to me. Sense the feelings of the trees around us. They sense it too. It is close to you, to me, to all of us here as Minas Tinnu." Suddenly her eyes grew chilled as she too began to feel the impending danger.
"You are right, Legolas, but I fear your concern is misplaced. The danger is within these very walls. My own people will rebel against me. I can do nothing against their forces." Legolas looked at her unbelievingly.
"What do you mean, you can do nothing? You can fight them, I can tell you have the power! How else could you make this entire wood reflect your beauty?" Aerlinndû froze, then rose and stepped over to a small chest. She picked up the contents and showed it to him. "What is this ring?"
"It is Denya. She is the Fourth Elven Ring, forged by the Elven-smiths of Eregion. She is not a Ring of Power, but bears the same power. An elven- smith under Sauron left him immediately and forged the Fourth Ring in secret. He brought it over the Sea so that its powers may be held even if all the others they forged would lose their power. He was my father. When he felt I was ready, he gave me Denya and told me even though he was an old Noldor exile, this ring could keep me from being exiled ever again."
"If you were exiled, would the Ring have not lost its power?"
"No, my father hid the ring when we were forced to leave Valinor. He retrieved it when we were forgiven." Legolas nodded, then had one last question.
"Why has no one ever known about the Fourth Elven Ring?" Aerlinndû smiled.
"Denya has been well hidden and kept only in my family." Legolas nodded.
"Why do you not wear the ring?"
"I do not wish to always bear so much power. I have only ever worn Denya on a chain around my neck. She has never rested on my finger." Legolas took Aerlinndû's hand.
"Aerlinndû, if you wield Denya, you can overcome the evil in Minas Tinnu." She seemed hesitant, but did take the ring in her hand. He smiled and started to say something, but there soon was a knock on the door. Legolas took a casual seat in the corner and Aerlinndû rose to answer. The young elf-maiden Gwilwileth was standing there.
"My queen, Cammorn has attacked Elessar."
Like it? Hate it? Utterly confused? Bored? It gets better. Review please!
-Silver