*~* "Now you are in for it at last, Bilbo Baggins," he told himself. "You
went and put your foot in it that night of the party, and now you have got
to pull it out and pay for it!" ~ J.R.R. Tolkien "The Hobbit"*~*
THE FAERIE GOBLET
Chapter 21 ~ "A Dwarf Alone"
(A/N: Once again, we're backtracking in time a little. Faerie time does not run at the same speed as our own, nor is it consistent. Confused? Hang in there! :D )
~ ~ ~
Gimli yawned and shook his head, forcing himself to stay awake. He'd not slept again, staying instead beside the Faerie Ring. He told himself that it was because he wanted to be there for when Alede brought Legolas out of the Faerie realm. But a tiny voice in the back of his mind told him that it was also because the abandoned Elvin buildings gave him the shudders. Rivendell was a peaceful valley, but with the Elves gone, it was haunted by memories.
So, Gimli had spent the last three days and two nights beside the ring. He'd built a small fire for warmth at night and brought food and drink to his little campsite.
When he wasn't pacing or fretting, he checked on the horses in the stable. He knew little of horses, but he didn't want the animals to suffer from neglect. So, he did what he could. The horses were not locked in. They came and went for grazing at their own will and seemed to avoid the numerous Faerie rings by instinct. Gimli saw to it that they had water in their troughs, though they also wandered down to the river. Aransûl had a tendency to snuffle him, as if expecting to find his Elf concealed in the Dwarf's pocket.
Gimli was nearly mad with inactivity. He was reluctant to leave and go in search of the ice gathering crew. Nor could he send a message to King Thranduil, since there was no one to take it. He certainly wasn't going to go to Mirkwood himself. He wanted to be here, where Legolas was.
That he could not accompany Alede still tormented him. To occupy his mind he brought the book "Demons and Other Denizens of Darkness" to his campsite and whiled away the tedious hours by painstakingly translating it to Common. Gimli did not speak much Quenya, but he was familiar enough with most of the Elvin languages that he could slowly and painfully translate the words onto a piece of parchment.
There seemed to be a great many rules to the Faerie world. Rules that governed a visitor's conduct and rules that would see them safely out again. Various amulets could be used to allow a mortal to pass safely through Faerie without succumbing to the ravages of time.
Gimli began to wonder if the amulet that Alede had prepared for Legolas might be proof against the Faerie magic. The Dwarf was itching to go below and help his friend. It was obvious from his translations that Alede, in her haste, had skipped over several important passages.
He found one in particular that was very informative.
He had just set the book and the parchment down and gotten up to check the yarn, when he heard a strange noise. It seemed to be coming from underground, as if a great battle were being fought beneath the earth.
Following the sound, Gimli wandered across the clearing, sometimes getting down on his hands and knees to press his ear to the grass. At one point, he heard a cry of pain and was certain that the voice was Legolas'. Desperately, Gimli looked around, seeking a way to go to his friend's aid. His helplessness nearly made him weep.
Making his decision, he started toward the library where Legolas' amulet still lay on the desk.
"I'm coming, my friend," the Dwarf said grimly. But before he could take a step, Radagast the Brown suddenly appeared out of thin air and toppled into Gimli's arms. Cyrus the Blue followed right behind him and they sprawled on the grass in an ungainly heap.
"Where is Legolas?"
"Where is Alede?"
Both Gimli and Radagast spoke at once. Several moments were lost while explanations were made and several more were lost as each party bemoaned the fate of those trapped in Faerie.
Radagast was in terrible shape. Gimli had to help him upright and even then he was barely able to walk. Cyrus was nearly unconscious on his feet.
The dwarf half dragged the wizards inside, helping them onto large divans in the Hall of Fire, where they could shed the chill of the underground world.
"Water . . ." Radagast gasped.
Gimli ran off down the passageway to fetch them cups and a pitcher of water. The two wizards drank desperately. When the dwarf was returning from yet another trip from the kitchen he paused outside the door, clumsily trying to balance a tray and overheard a conversation he was not meant to hear.
The wizards had recovered sufficiently to argue and Gimli stopped to listen when he heard his name mentioned.
"I need you to distract Gimli long enough, so that I can go back to the Faerie ring. I know he'll try to stop me," Radagast said shakily.
Cyrus snorted tiredly. "You'll never make it. You're in as bad a condition as I am."
"Alede is our only hope and from what Gimli said, she rushed off after barely reading that book. She knows not what she faces! I've got to warn her! To help her!"
"Alede is a sensible girl, Radagast," Cyrus answered, his voice trembling with fatigue. "Surely . . ."
"Not where Legolas is concerned," Radagast said with some heat. "She'd do anything to save him! That's what worries me. I've got to get her out of there. We must study this situation more carefully!"
"Then send the dwarf."
Outside the door, Gimli pricked up his ears. If there was some way he could go to his friends' aid . . .
"No!" Radagast cried. "He is mortal! It would be fatal to him!"
"Not if he were wearing Legolas' amulet," Cyrus argued. "Alede put her life force into it . . ."
"And you know full well that she broke our laws when she did that," Radagast countered angrily. "No matter how innocent her intentions were, if it should become known that one of our Order . . ."
"Blast the Order," Cyrus shouted. "We've got to do something and you and I are in no shape to do it! Do you care nothing for your daughter?"
"I love my daughter beyond words," Radagast cried vehemently. "But I will not risk Gimli's life in exchange for hers! We have no way of knowing that the amulet would protect him for certain. There has to be another way! Say nothing of it to Gimli, I beg you! You know how stubborn Dwarves are and I am not in the mood to argue the point with him! I will rest for a while and then go back. Time flows more slowly there, so we have the advantage."
As they fell silent, Gimli remembered his family history and a plan formed in his mind. He cleared his throat and entered the room noisily, as if he hadn't heard anything.
*Stubborn indeed!*
Twenty minutes later, after eating their fill of the food Gimli had brought them, the wizards were snoring in front of the fire, overcome by their misadventure.
Gimli tiptoed out of the room. Darkness was falling over the valley and with luck the wizards would sleep until morning. Slipping down the steps, Gimli descended into the lower halls to the forge where only a few days earlier he'd forged the rough stake for Alede.
But tonight, it was no rough piece of iron he'd be crafting, but a thing of deadly beauty instead. Picking up the bellows, Gimli walked over to the fire pit and coaxed the embers to life.
~ ~ ~
Birds were just beginning to sing as Gimli strode out onto the mushroom dotted lawn of Rivendell. He had taken time after he'd finished his work to wash and change into clean clothing. His beard was freshly plaited and golden bands secured it. Legolas' amulet was tucked beneath his jerkin and felt warm against his skin. His eyes stung slightly from the dab of Faerie ointment he'd scraped from the bottom of the bowl that Alede had mixed it in. He hoped it would be enough to allow him to see through the glamour. He certainly did not have the skill to make such a potion.
In an inner pocket lay a gold collar of exquisite beauty, studded with sapphires. Gimli had raided the treasure chambers of Rivendell to find enough gems and gold to melt down to shape the exotic necklace.
He was not particularly pleased with thieving from the Elves, but this situation seemed to warrant it. He was grateful for his father's instructions on getting past Elvin magic, however. In this current age, there was peace between Elves and Dwarves, but it had not always been so. And each race had developed tactics for stealing from the other.
Once Gimli had fooled the Elvin magic guarding the doors, his axe had done the rest. If he were successful, he'd be able to rescue Elrohir as well and explain the reason for his thieving.
Or, I'll die of old age, Gimli thought uncomfortably.
Pushing that thought aside, he paused at the edge of the Faerie Ring and picked up Alede's blooded yarn and held onto it firmly. Closing his eyes, like a swimmer about to plunge into a lake, Gimli leaped forward.
He did not hear the frantic shout of Radagast as he leaped.
~ ~ ~
Cool, comfortable darkness enfolded him. Gimli tucked the yarn securely under one arm and rummaged around in his pocket. Dwarves always carried a flint and steel and a stump of candle. Once he had struck a small light, he found a torch on the wall. Lighting it, he took it down and shown it around . . .
And his mouth fell open in shock.
All around him, in the walls, heaped on the floor and encrusted in the ceiling were gems, the biggest gems Gimli had seen in his life. Bright veins of silver and gold winked at him from the tunnel walls. Crystals in myriad hues grew out of crevices like strange miniature trees.
His heart pounding with excitement, Gimli strode forward, forgetting his friends as his fingers closed over a cluster of diamonds the size of his fist.
~ ~ ~
A/N: Uh oh! Is Gimli about to be caught by a Faerie enchantment? Time to see what's happening with Legolas and Alede in chapter 22 "The Faerie Queen" coming soon! :)
I'm sorry the time difference is so confusing. I'm afraid I can't help you out much, since the ancient tales of Faerie are not very clear on the subject. The people who told those tales didn't quite understand how it worked either. I think the land of Faerie simple acts however it wants to with little regard for reality or structure. So don't knock yourself out trying to make sense of it.
Bchan- Yes, Radagast the Brown is a real character from LOTR. Gandalf talks about him in the chapter, "The Council of Elrond". I was always rather fascinated by this character that Tolkien mentions so briefly. Saruman disdainfully calls him "Radagast the Bird-Tamer". Somewhere else, Radagast is described as gentle wizard who heals animals. That really appealed to me, so I wanted to expand upon his character. And he seemed right to be Alede's father, since she too, is a natural healer. Cyrus the Blue, however is my own invention. Tolkien mentions that five of the Maiar are sent to Middle Earth as councilors, but he only introduces us to three of them. I'll be introducing you to the fifth, Maladok the Red in story number 4 ;)
THE FAERIE GOBLET
Chapter 21 ~ "A Dwarf Alone"
(A/N: Once again, we're backtracking in time a little. Faerie time does not run at the same speed as our own, nor is it consistent. Confused? Hang in there! :D )
~ ~ ~
Gimli yawned and shook his head, forcing himself to stay awake. He'd not slept again, staying instead beside the Faerie Ring. He told himself that it was because he wanted to be there for when Alede brought Legolas out of the Faerie realm. But a tiny voice in the back of his mind told him that it was also because the abandoned Elvin buildings gave him the shudders. Rivendell was a peaceful valley, but with the Elves gone, it was haunted by memories.
So, Gimli had spent the last three days and two nights beside the ring. He'd built a small fire for warmth at night and brought food and drink to his little campsite.
When he wasn't pacing or fretting, he checked on the horses in the stable. He knew little of horses, but he didn't want the animals to suffer from neglect. So, he did what he could. The horses were not locked in. They came and went for grazing at their own will and seemed to avoid the numerous Faerie rings by instinct. Gimli saw to it that they had water in their troughs, though they also wandered down to the river. Aransûl had a tendency to snuffle him, as if expecting to find his Elf concealed in the Dwarf's pocket.
Gimli was nearly mad with inactivity. He was reluctant to leave and go in search of the ice gathering crew. Nor could he send a message to King Thranduil, since there was no one to take it. He certainly wasn't going to go to Mirkwood himself. He wanted to be here, where Legolas was.
That he could not accompany Alede still tormented him. To occupy his mind he brought the book "Demons and Other Denizens of Darkness" to his campsite and whiled away the tedious hours by painstakingly translating it to Common. Gimli did not speak much Quenya, but he was familiar enough with most of the Elvin languages that he could slowly and painfully translate the words onto a piece of parchment.
There seemed to be a great many rules to the Faerie world. Rules that governed a visitor's conduct and rules that would see them safely out again. Various amulets could be used to allow a mortal to pass safely through Faerie without succumbing to the ravages of time.
Gimli began to wonder if the amulet that Alede had prepared for Legolas might be proof against the Faerie magic. The Dwarf was itching to go below and help his friend. It was obvious from his translations that Alede, in her haste, had skipped over several important passages.
He found one in particular that was very informative.
He had just set the book and the parchment down and gotten up to check the yarn, when he heard a strange noise. It seemed to be coming from underground, as if a great battle were being fought beneath the earth.
Following the sound, Gimli wandered across the clearing, sometimes getting down on his hands and knees to press his ear to the grass. At one point, he heard a cry of pain and was certain that the voice was Legolas'. Desperately, Gimli looked around, seeking a way to go to his friend's aid. His helplessness nearly made him weep.
Making his decision, he started toward the library where Legolas' amulet still lay on the desk.
"I'm coming, my friend," the Dwarf said grimly. But before he could take a step, Radagast the Brown suddenly appeared out of thin air and toppled into Gimli's arms. Cyrus the Blue followed right behind him and they sprawled on the grass in an ungainly heap.
"Where is Legolas?"
"Where is Alede?"
Both Gimli and Radagast spoke at once. Several moments were lost while explanations were made and several more were lost as each party bemoaned the fate of those trapped in Faerie.
Radagast was in terrible shape. Gimli had to help him upright and even then he was barely able to walk. Cyrus was nearly unconscious on his feet.
The dwarf half dragged the wizards inside, helping them onto large divans in the Hall of Fire, where they could shed the chill of the underground world.
"Water . . ." Radagast gasped.
Gimli ran off down the passageway to fetch them cups and a pitcher of water. The two wizards drank desperately. When the dwarf was returning from yet another trip from the kitchen he paused outside the door, clumsily trying to balance a tray and overheard a conversation he was not meant to hear.
The wizards had recovered sufficiently to argue and Gimli stopped to listen when he heard his name mentioned.
"I need you to distract Gimli long enough, so that I can go back to the Faerie ring. I know he'll try to stop me," Radagast said shakily.
Cyrus snorted tiredly. "You'll never make it. You're in as bad a condition as I am."
"Alede is our only hope and from what Gimli said, she rushed off after barely reading that book. She knows not what she faces! I've got to warn her! To help her!"
"Alede is a sensible girl, Radagast," Cyrus answered, his voice trembling with fatigue. "Surely . . ."
"Not where Legolas is concerned," Radagast said with some heat. "She'd do anything to save him! That's what worries me. I've got to get her out of there. We must study this situation more carefully!"
"Then send the dwarf."
Outside the door, Gimli pricked up his ears. If there was some way he could go to his friends' aid . . .
"No!" Radagast cried. "He is mortal! It would be fatal to him!"
"Not if he were wearing Legolas' amulet," Cyrus argued. "Alede put her life force into it . . ."
"And you know full well that she broke our laws when she did that," Radagast countered angrily. "No matter how innocent her intentions were, if it should become known that one of our Order . . ."
"Blast the Order," Cyrus shouted. "We've got to do something and you and I are in no shape to do it! Do you care nothing for your daughter?"
"I love my daughter beyond words," Radagast cried vehemently. "But I will not risk Gimli's life in exchange for hers! We have no way of knowing that the amulet would protect him for certain. There has to be another way! Say nothing of it to Gimli, I beg you! You know how stubborn Dwarves are and I am not in the mood to argue the point with him! I will rest for a while and then go back. Time flows more slowly there, so we have the advantage."
As they fell silent, Gimli remembered his family history and a plan formed in his mind. He cleared his throat and entered the room noisily, as if he hadn't heard anything.
*Stubborn indeed!*
Twenty minutes later, after eating their fill of the food Gimli had brought them, the wizards were snoring in front of the fire, overcome by their misadventure.
Gimli tiptoed out of the room. Darkness was falling over the valley and with luck the wizards would sleep until morning. Slipping down the steps, Gimli descended into the lower halls to the forge where only a few days earlier he'd forged the rough stake for Alede.
But tonight, it was no rough piece of iron he'd be crafting, but a thing of deadly beauty instead. Picking up the bellows, Gimli walked over to the fire pit and coaxed the embers to life.
~ ~ ~
Birds were just beginning to sing as Gimli strode out onto the mushroom dotted lawn of Rivendell. He had taken time after he'd finished his work to wash and change into clean clothing. His beard was freshly plaited and golden bands secured it. Legolas' amulet was tucked beneath his jerkin and felt warm against his skin. His eyes stung slightly from the dab of Faerie ointment he'd scraped from the bottom of the bowl that Alede had mixed it in. He hoped it would be enough to allow him to see through the glamour. He certainly did not have the skill to make such a potion.
In an inner pocket lay a gold collar of exquisite beauty, studded with sapphires. Gimli had raided the treasure chambers of Rivendell to find enough gems and gold to melt down to shape the exotic necklace.
He was not particularly pleased with thieving from the Elves, but this situation seemed to warrant it. He was grateful for his father's instructions on getting past Elvin magic, however. In this current age, there was peace between Elves and Dwarves, but it had not always been so. And each race had developed tactics for stealing from the other.
Once Gimli had fooled the Elvin magic guarding the doors, his axe had done the rest. If he were successful, he'd be able to rescue Elrohir as well and explain the reason for his thieving.
Or, I'll die of old age, Gimli thought uncomfortably.
Pushing that thought aside, he paused at the edge of the Faerie Ring and picked up Alede's blooded yarn and held onto it firmly. Closing his eyes, like a swimmer about to plunge into a lake, Gimli leaped forward.
He did not hear the frantic shout of Radagast as he leaped.
~ ~ ~
Cool, comfortable darkness enfolded him. Gimli tucked the yarn securely under one arm and rummaged around in his pocket. Dwarves always carried a flint and steel and a stump of candle. Once he had struck a small light, he found a torch on the wall. Lighting it, he took it down and shown it around . . .
And his mouth fell open in shock.
All around him, in the walls, heaped on the floor and encrusted in the ceiling were gems, the biggest gems Gimli had seen in his life. Bright veins of silver and gold winked at him from the tunnel walls. Crystals in myriad hues grew out of crevices like strange miniature trees.
His heart pounding with excitement, Gimli strode forward, forgetting his friends as his fingers closed over a cluster of diamonds the size of his fist.
~ ~ ~
A/N: Uh oh! Is Gimli about to be caught by a Faerie enchantment? Time to see what's happening with Legolas and Alede in chapter 22 "The Faerie Queen" coming soon! :)
I'm sorry the time difference is so confusing. I'm afraid I can't help you out much, since the ancient tales of Faerie are not very clear on the subject. The people who told those tales didn't quite understand how it worked either. I think the land of Faerie simple acts however it wants to with little regard for reality or structure. So don't knock yourself out trying to make sense of it.
Bchan- Yes, Radagast the Brown is a real character from LOTR. Gandalf talks about him in the chapter, "The Council of Elrond". I was always rather fascinated by this character that Tolkien mentions so briefly. Saruman disdainfully calls him "Radagast the Bird-Tamer". Somewhere else, Radagast is described as gentle wizard who heals animals. That really appealed to me, so I wanted to expand upon his character. And he seemed right to be Alede's father, since she too, is a natural healer. Cyrus the Blue, however is my own invention. Tolkien mentions that five of the Maiar are sent to Middle Earth as councilors, but he only introduces us to three of them. I'll be introducing you to the fifth, Maladok the Red in story number 4 ;)