Ch. 18
Breakfast the next morning was a study in facial control. Randy and Kim were struggling not to stare at each other and to keep straight faces. The others suspected something, but no one said anything. Eventually, Beth brought it up. "So, Kim, how are you and Randy doing?" Beth's voice was casual, but it had the desired effect.
Kim turned bright red, and the entire table laughed, Kim and Randy included.
"So who won the bet?" Mattie laughed.
"The bet?! What the—" Randy sputtered
"Shh, Randy. You two may not have seen this coming, but the rest of us did." Pete patted his shoulder. "We didn't bet on anything—we just took guesses at how long it would take you two to get together. I already lost, so don't look at me like that. It was just in fun."
Randy managed to keep the stern face for a moment, but then cracked up laughing. "You guys were really betting on us? You need to get lives, people!"
That brought a chorus of "Hey!" from the rest of the table.
"So who did win?" Kim asked, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.
"Who brought it up in the first place?" Amy chuckled, but managed to maintain her composure.
"Beth?" The musician nodded, laughing. Kim laughed, then got up and hugged her. She sat back down, and somehow they managed to get through the rest of breakfast, but not without a lot of ribbing for Randy and Kim.
The next few days were a time of discovery for Kim and Randy. They had known each other for so long, but never really been close. It was intimidating, but also exhilarating. After a while, the Fellowship went on its way. Boromir bade Kim a fond farewell, truly grateful she and Randy had finally gotten together. He seemed troubled, but covered it. Amy pulled Aragorn aside before they left. No one else could quite catch what they said, but Aragorn seemed encouraged when they came back. Both Kim and Mattie hugged several of the Hobbits, who blushed furiously. Amy and her young companions stayed behind while Galadriel left to share a parting meal with the Fellowship and give them parting gifts.
Mid-afternoon the next day, there was a commotion in the city. The Elves were talking among themselves quietly, and the young humans couldn't figure out what was going on. Amy tried to ask some of the other Elves for information, but got none. She eventually walked up to Galadriel and Celeborn's throne chamber, and gasped at what she saw. "Olo—Mithrandir!"*
The wizard glanced up from his seat beside Celeborn and smiled. "Almare. It's good to see you here."
"It is very good to see you, old friend." She walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. The wizard squeezed her hand, then hugged her.
"I'm certain you're curious about my story. I was just beginning to tell it to the Lord and Lady. Sit down, why don't you, and I'll explain it."
It was nearly an hour later when they finally left the chamber. Gandalf was taken immediately to rest, and Amy quickly found herself bombarded by questions.
"Easy, guys!" She held up a hand to stop the humans' questions. "It's a long story, but Mithrandir is here and alive. He's resting now, but you'll probably get a chance to see him later."
It wasn't that evening, but the next day when they got their chance. Gandalf explained his story yet again.
"You know from the Fellowship that I fell in Moria. I followed the Balrog through the halls there, and eventually out into the mountains. I defeated him there, but also fell myself. When I returned to myself, Gwahir the Eagle brought me here."
"What do you mean, you fell, too?" Mark asked hesitantly.
"The details aren't important, Mark. Suffice it to say I recovered, and made it here." Mark let it drop. It was obvious the wizard didn't want to discuss it in depth.
"Why are you wearing white now instead of gray?" Kim blurted.
"It's another long story. Almare understands it, and perhaps she'll explain it sometime. You might say simply that I came out of the experience far different than when I went in."
Amy shushed the rest of the questions, not wanting to force the wizard to answer more questions than he wanted. The humans let him go his way, but later he took time to have a private talk with each of them, and spent hours talking to Amy and Galadriel, then left soon after that.
Soon after Gandalf left, Galadriel sent word to Rivendell summoning the Dúnedain. She had been reluctant to call them, but Gandalf had asked it of her. Their absence would leave the Shire and much of the north undefended, but were Aragorn to fail, their defense would not matter anyway.
A few weeks passed, and Galadriel grew worried. Amy confronted her about it.
"Something is bothering you. What is it?"
"A shadow hangs over Dol Guldur even yet. Sauron's stronghold of old keeps the land in darkness. It is the source of the darkness over Mirkwood, and they have attacked Lórien three times now, causing great harm to the borders."
"What will you do?"
"It must be destroyed. I am not eager to go again into battle, even for to cleanse Dol Guldur."
"That I can understand, but you're right. It has to be destroyed. How are its defenses?"
"Strong—orcs, goblins, perhaps even trolls guard the tower."
"Creatures of the night?"
"Some—not all. Even if we attack in daylight, there will be plenty of forces to face. Still, it seems that it must be done. It will take some time to prepare. We can take boats and be there within only a few days."
"When you go, I would like to go with you."
"I would be pleased to have you at my side, but I worry about your young companions. I doubt that they will want to be left here, but I do not wish to take them into battle."
"No. They may think themselves capable of it, but I would worry, too. Some of them are quite good at defending themselves, but they have never faced battle before—not the kind of battle we will face."
"I will make the preparations. Speak to them and decide whether you will accompany us. I would be happy to have you with us, but there is no need."
* See explanation of the Istari in Ch. 7; Gandalf's name in Valinor was Olorin.
Breakfast the next morning was a study in facial control. Randy and Kim were struggling not to stare at each other and to keep straight faces. The others suspected something, but no one said anything. Eventually, Beth brought it up. "So, Kim, how are you and Randy doing?" Beth's voice was casual, but it had the desired effect.
Kim turned bright red, and the entire table laughed, Kim and Randy included.
"So who won the bet?" Mattie laughed.
"The bet?! What the—" Randy sputtered
"Shh, Randy. You two may not have seen this coming, but the rest of us did." Pete patted his shoulder. "We didn't bet on anything—we just took guesses at how long it would take you two to get together. I already lost, so don't look at me like that. It was just in fun."
Randy managed to keep the stern face for a moment, but then cracked up laughing. "You guys were really betting on us? You need to get lives, people!"
That brought a chorus of "Hey!" from the rest of the table.
"So who did win?" Kim asked, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.
"Who brought it up in the first place?" Amy chuckled, but managed to maintain her composure.
"Beth?" The musician nodded, laughing. Kim laughed, then got up and hugged her. She sat back down, and somehow they managed to get through the rest of breakfast, but not without a lot of ribbing for Randy and Kim.
The next few days were a time of discovery for Kim and Randy. They had known each other for so long, but never really been close. It was intimidating, but also exhilarating. After a while, the Fellowship went on its way. Boromir bade Kim a fond farewell, truly grateful she and Randy had finally gotten together. He seemed troubled, but covered it. Amy pulled Aragorn aside before they left. No one else could quite catch what they said, but Aragorn seemed encouraged when they came back. Both Kim and Mattie hugged several of the Hobbits, who blushed furiously. Amy and her young companions stayed behind while Galadriel left to share a parting meal with the Fellowship and give them parting gifts.
Mid-afternoon the next day, there was a commotion in the city. The Elves were talking among themselves quietly, and the young humans couldn't figure out what was going on. Amy tried to ask some of the other Elves for information, but got none. She eventually walked up to Galadriel and Celeborn's throne chamber, and gasped at what she saw. "Olo—Mithrandir!"*
The wizard glanced up from his seat beside Celeborn and smiled. "Almare. It's good to see you here."
"It is very good to see you, old friend." She walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. The wizard squeezed her hand, then hugged her.
"I'm certain you're curious about my story. I was just beginning to tell it to the Lord and Lady. Sit down, why don't you, and I'll explain it."
It was nearly an hour later when they finally left the chamber. Gandalf was taken immediately to rest, and Amy quickly found herself bombarded by questions.
"Easy, guys!" She held up a hand to stop the humans' questions. "It's a long story, but Mithrandir is here and alive. He's resting now, but you'll probably get a chance to see him later."
It wasn't that evening, but the next day when they got their chance. Gandalf explained his story yet again.
"You know from the Fellowship that I fell in Moria. I followed the Balrog through the halls there, and eventually out into the mountains. I defeated him there, but also fell myself. When I returned to myself, Gwahir the Eagle brought me here."
"What do you mean, you fell, too?" Mark asked hesitantly.
"The details aren't important, Mark. Suffice it to say I recovered, and made it here." Mark let it drop. It was obvious the wizard didn't want to discuss it in depth.
"Why are you wearing white now instead of gray?" Kim blurted.
"It's another long story. Almare understands it, and perhaps she'll explain it sometime. You might say simply that I came out of the experience far different than when I went in."
Amy shushed the rest of the questions, not wanting to force the wizard to answer more questions than he wanted. The humans let him go his way, but later he took time to have a private talk with each of them, and spent hours talking to Amy and Galadriel, then left soon after that.
Soon after Gandalf left, Galadriel sent word to Rivendell summoning the Dúnedain. She had been reluctant to call them, but Gandalf had asked it of her. Their absence would leave the Shire and much of the north undefended, but were Aragorn to fail, their defense would not matter anyway.
A few weeks passed, and Galadriel grew worried. Amy confronted her about it.
"Something is bothering you. What is it?"
"A shadow hangs over Dol Guldur even yet. Sauron's stronghold of old keeps the land in darkness. It is the source of the darkness over Mirkwood, and they have attacked Lórien three times now, causing great harm to the borders."
"What will you do?"
"It must be destroyed. I am not eager to go again into battle, even for to cleanse Dol Guldur."
"That I can understand, but you're right. It has to be destroyed. How are its defenses?"
"Strong—orcs, goblins, perhaps even trolls guard the tower."
"Creatures of the night?"
"Some—not all. Even if we attack in daylight, there will be plenty of forces to face. Still, it seems that it must be done. It will take some time to prepare. We can take boats and be there within only a few days."
"When you go, I would like to go with you."
"I would be pleased to have you at my side, but I worry about your young companions. I doubt that they will want to be left here, but I do not wish to take them into battle."
"No. They may think themselves capable of it, but I would worry, too. Some of them are quite good at defending themselves, but they have never faced battle before—not the kind of battle we will face."
"I will make the preparations. Speak to them and decide whether you will accompany us. I would be happy to have you with us, but there is no need."
* See explanation of the Istari in Ch. 7; Gandalf's name in Valinor was Olorin.