Disclaimer: AU Story. My second large fic because it gave me so much
pleasure writing the last. I do not own any of the characters or places in
this story- both belong to the genius, Tolkien. I know; I torture the
characters but I will do my very best to save them. Hope you enjoy!
A Elbereth: Oh, good, I'm so pleased you liked it! You're not rambling- I'm very grateful for your lovely comments!
Zorra: Hello again! Are you a Pippin fan then? I'm glad that you're enjoying the story so far!
Feline Deamon: Hehe. I once curled my hair and I looked like something out of a Victorian photograph. But you got some lovely gifts! Well, I like updating- it's just a bonus that others like it too!
Lil*bee: We didn't even get any sunshine- just bleak grey skies. Don't worry- there won't be much suspense in Lórien. A lot of angst and talking and I have one surprise scene all ready but all in all there won't be much mystery or exciting chases. Gollum will enter in a tad more though..
MagicalRachel: Sorry you can't review but thank you very much for your emails. I hope you feel that these other chapters are as good.
Debby: Yay! Thank you for reading Trials of Lórien- it's great that you enjoy it. Do you think so? I'm not sure about Haldir's personality. And he had to defend his home, I suppose. Glad you liked the part apart Time. It has always fascinated me. Hope you enjoy coming chapters!
~ Chapter Eleven ~
The Fellowship slept late, relishing the feeling of safety. They could just sleep on throughout the day if they felt like it. So they just lay quite still, exchanging the odd word between themselves and drifting in and out of sleep. At last, Boromir wrenched himself up out from under his blankets to survey the scene about him. Some trays of food had been left for them. Tall jugs filled with fresh water and loaves of soft warm bread.
"When did they come?" he asked in wonder, holding the food and drink up. "Who left it here?"
"The elves, of course," Aragorn said as he got up himself, "They must have come when we were all asleep."
The company rose to eat and drink then they went their separate ways with a warning from Aragorn (aimed at the hobbits) to try not to get in anybody's way.
Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin headed downwards, not quite certain that they liked being up so high. They walked into a wide glade filled with elves. Their faces were cold but their eyes filled with sadness. They were set in a circle, heads bowed and at the centre of the ring was a staff. It took all the hobbits' strength to hold Frodo back. He cried out and an elf turned to look at him. She walked across and knelt down.
"Well met, little one," she said, "What is distressing you so?"
"That- that's Gandalf's staff! Where did you get it?" Frodo exclaimed, struggling to run forward. The elf nodded sadly.
"Yes, it is his. After we heard your terrible news, a group of us ventured into Moria. One of our kin was lost- shot by orcs, we believe- but under his body we found the staff. We do not know where he found it and I doubt we ever shall. Would you like to see it?"
Frodo nodded and allowed himself to be led forward to where the stave lay. Holding back tears, he bent down and put a shaking hand to the rough-hewn bark. He sensed the others coming to gaze at it also, their hands reaching out. It was their only link left in the world with Gandalf. Aside from memories. The wood had been charred and notched and there were holes from arrows prickling the surface. But even now, after all its toils, the clear rock was still clutched at its end, the light no longer shining. The Light of Anor had long been lost in the dark of the mines. Frodo put his head in his hands and his frame shook with sobs. He was not even aware of anyone else there. The circle looked at him in startled bewilderment but the elf, who had come over to the hobbits, wrapped her arms around him and began to rock back and forth, whispering calming words in his ear.
"Hush, little one, it's alright. Gandalf would have wanted you to be brave for him. Ssh, it's alright, it's alright."
Frodo did not want to hear this. How did she know what Gandalf wanted? But she was right, in an odd sense. Gandalf would not have wanted him to cry so much, miss him so terribly. But the feeling of emptiness still throbbed in his heart and the pain was almost unbearable.
The elves began to depart from the ring, saying their own prayers then drifting away. They were not angry at the hobbit. He was feeling the same grief as they did and just showing it in a different way. And it stung their souls at the loss of someone so precious, so innately special as Mithrandir.
--
"I'm terribly sorry," Frodo said once they were inside the elf's home. "I should have known better." But Pippin could see that there was no truth behind his words.
"It is no fault of yours, Frodo Baggins," their hostess answered with a small smile.
"We don't know your name," Sam said. He was sitting uneasily on one of the long benches in the room, gazing round. He could not help thinking that this house was rather plain compared to Lothlórien itself. The soft fluent walls bent round to form a small chamber, with the tree trunk growing through the floor and out the ceiling.
"I am Lómelindë," the elf answered with a smile. She knelt down to Frodo's height and used the hem of her robes to wipe the tears from his cheek. "There now. I expect all of you are hungry; I will fetch something for you."
"Nightingale," Frodo said loftily. Lómelindë turned at his words, a great smile lighting up her face.
"What did you say?"
"Your name, it means nightingale."
"Do you speak the language of the elves then?" Frodo blushed and he felt his companions' eyes on him.
"A little." Lómelindë let out a rippling laugh as she plucked some bags from a store cupboard and gave one to each hobbit in turn. "There you are. This is lembas- waybread of my kind. One small bite will last you a whole day. I am afraid that you must go now as I am leaving for council with Lord Celeborn." This set Frodo to wondering and an unexpected thought came to him. As they exited the small dwelling and stepped back onto the staircase, he bowed low to Lómelindë and thanked her for her hospitality.
"You are most welcome, Frodo Baggins. If there is anything you ever need, all of you are welcome to ask for me. I sense that I shall much more of you in the days to come. Mára mesta!"
"Namarié!" Frodo called after her. The hobbits began making their way back up the stairs. Merry was carrying Gandalf's staff but, not wishing to dwell on the subject of their guide, asked his cousin,
"Frodo, why were you so formal towards her at the end? Did you really need to bow?"
"Well, she said she was having a council with Celeborn. She was most probably a High Elf. She spoke like that as well. I expect she was." Sam blanched and had to stop for a moment.
"Sam? Sam, what's the matter?" Frodo asked anxiously.
"Me in the presence of a High Elf. Me! Just wait till I tell my old Gaffer, Mister Frodo! Just wait!" The hobbits laughed so loudly that the elves in another tree almost fell off with surprise.
~
Forgive me for leaving it so long but this took me a long time for an unknown reason. Hopefully tomorrow I will see The Two Towers yet again! *ringing bells, angels singing.*
A Elbereth: Oh, good, I'm so pleased you liked it! You're not rambling- I'm very grateful for your lovely comments!
Zorra: Hello again! Are you a Pippin fan then? I'm glad that you're enjoying the story so far!
Feline Deamon: Hehe. I once curled my hair and I looked like something out of a Victorian photograph. But you got some lovely gifts! Well, I like updating- it's just a bonus that others like it too!
Lil*bee: We didn't even get any sunshine- just bleak grey skies. Don't worry- there won't be much suspense in Lórien. A lot of angst and talking and I have one surprise scene all ready but all in all there won't be much mystery or exciting chases. Gollum will enter in a tad more though..
MagicalRachel: Sorry you can't review but thank you very much for your emails. I hope you feel that these other chapters are as good.
Debby: Yay! Thank you for reading Trials of Lórien- it's great that you enjoy it. Do you think so? I'm not sure about Haldir's personality. And he had to defend his home, I suppose. Glad you liked the part apart Time. It has always fascinated me. Hope you enjoy coming chapters!
~ Chapter Eleven ~
The Fellowship slept late, relishing the feeling of safety. They could just sleep on throughout the day if they felt like it. So they just lay quite still, exchanging the odd word between themselves and drifting in and out of sleep. At last, Boromir wrenched himself up out from under his blankets to survey the scene about him. Some trays of food had been left for them. Tall jugs filled with fresh water and loaves of soft warm bread.
"When did they come?" he asked in wonder, holding the food and drink up. "Who left it here?"
"The elves, of course," Aragorn said as he got up himself, "They must have come when we were all asleep."
The company rose to eat and drink then they went their separate ways with a warning from Aragorn (aimed at the hobbits) to try not to get in anybody's way.
Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin headed downwards, not quite certain that they liked being up so high. They walked into a wide glade filled with elves. Their faces were cold but their eyes filled with sadness. They were set in a circle, heads bowed and at the centre of the ring was a staff. It took all the hobbits' strength to hold Frodo back. He cried out and an elf turned to look at him. She walked across and knelt down.
"Well met, little one," she said, "What is distressing you so?"
"That- that's Gandalf's staff! Where did you get it?" Frodo exclaimed, struggling to run forward. The elf nodded sadly.
"Yes, it is his. After we heard your terrible news, a group of us ventured into Moria. One of our kin was lost- shot by orcs, we believe- but under his body we found the staff. We do not know where he found it and I doubt we ever shall. Would you like to see it?"
Frodo nodded and allowed himself to be led forward to where the stave lay. Holding back tears, he bent down and put a shaking hand to the rough-hewn bark. He sensed the others coming to gaze at it also, their hands reaching out. It was their only link left in the world with Gandalf. Aside from memories. The wood had been charred and notched and there were holes from arrows prickling the surface. But even now, after all its toils, the clear rock was still clutched at its end, the light no longer shining. The Light of Anor had long been lost in the dark of the mines. Frodo put his head in his hands and his frame shook with sobs. He was not even aware of anyone else there. The circle looked at him in startled bewilderment but the elf, who had come over to the hobbits, wrapped her arms around him and began to rock back and forth, whispering calming words in his ear.
"Hush, little one, it's alright. Gandalf would have wanted you to be brave for him. Ssh, it's alright, it's alright."
Frodo did not want to hear this. How did she know what Gandalf wanted? But she was right, in an odd sense. Gandalf would not have wanted him to cry so much, miss him so terribly. But the feeling of emptiness still throbbed in his heart and the pain was almost unbearable.
The elves began to depart from the ring, saying their own prayers then drifting away. They were not angry at the hobbit. He was feeling the same grief as they did and just showing it in a different way. And it stung their souls at the loss of someone so precious, so innately special as Mithrandir.
--
"I'm terribly sorry," Frodo said once they were inside the elf's home. "I should have known better." But Pippin could see that there was no truth behind his words.
"It is no fault of yours, Frodo Baggins," their hostess answered with a small smile.
"We don't know your name," Sam said. He was sitting uneasily on one of the long benches in the room, gazing round. He could not help thinking that this house was rather plain compared to Lothlórien itself. The soft fluent walls bent round to form a small chamber, with the tree trunk growing through the floor and out the ceiling.
"I am Lómelindë," the elf answered with a smile. She knelt down to Frodo's height and used the hem of her robes to wipe the tears from his cheek. "There now. I expect all of you are hungry; I will fetch something for you."
"Nightingale," Frodo said loftily. Lómelindë turned at his words, a great smile lighting up her face.
"What did you say?"
"Your name, it means nightingale."
"Do you speak the language of the elves then?" Frodo blushed and he felt his companions' eyes on him.
"A little." Lómelindë let out a rippling laugh as she plucked some bags from a store cupboard and gave one to each hobbit in turn. "There you are. This is lembas- waybread of my kind. One small bite will last you a whole day. I am afraid that you must go now as I am leaving for council with Lord Celeborn." This set Frodo to wondering and an unexpected thought came to him. As they exited the small dwelling and stepped back onto the staircase, he bowed low to Lómelindë and thanked her for her hospitality.
"You are most welcome, Frodo Baggins. If there is anything you ever need, all of you are welcome to ask for me. I sense that I shall much more of you in the days to come. Mára mesta!"
"Namarié!" Frodo called after her. The hobbits began making their way back up the stairs. Merry was carrying Gandalf's staff but, not wishing to dwell on the subject of their guide, asked his cousin,
"Frodo, why were you so formal towards her at the end? Did you really need to bow?"
"Well, she said she was having a council with Celeborn. She was most probably a High Elf. She spoke like that as well. I expect she was." Sam blanched and had to stop for a moment.
"Sam? Sam, what's the matter?" Frodo asked anxiously.
"Me in the presence of a High Elf. Me! Just wait till I tell my old Gaffer, Mister Frodo! Just wait!" The hobbits laughed so loudly that the elves in another tree almost fell off with surprise.
~
Forgive me for leaving it so long but this took me a long time for an unknown reason. Hopefully tomorrow I will see The Two Towers yet again! *ringing bells, angels singing.*