Disclaimer: all characters, settings, and elvish language are strictly from the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien or inspired by him.
Chapter II
Edhil-e-Londe
The way back to Edhil-e-londe, the village where Legolas and the other elves lived, was not long. The journey might have been pleasant if not for the circumstances. The sun was shining, and it being late October the leaves of the surrounding trees were changing color. The oaks were already a brilliant red, and the beeches were tinged with not just a hint of bright yellow. The earth smelled fresh after a previous night's rain. It reminded Gimli of a day 20 years ago when the fellowship had broken. Two hobbits setting out for Mordor alone, two hobbits captured by orcs, and poor Boromir killed in their defense. The world had seemed so beautiful that day as well, yet horrible as they laid his body in the boat and sent it over the Falls of Rauros.
Legolas rode ahead of Gimli. He did not speak at all as they rode, and Gimli wondered what the elf was thinking. Death was not a subject Legolas spoke of often or with ease. The elves were immortal, but they could be slain. Gimli had often thought that death must be a terrible burden to those who do not necessarily have to endure it. They did not fear death, but rather they despaired of losing one they had shared their lives with for thousands of years. It was not uncommon for a husband or wife of a fallen elf to die of a broken heart themselves. Gimli wondered how Luvien's wife would bear the news.
The sun was low in the sky before they reached Edhil-e-londe. The news of Luvien's disappearance had spread throughout the whole village, and as they approached many elves ran toward them for news but stopped short upon seeing the wrapped form behind Legolas. They fell in behind the pair, and as they passed by the first houses of the village they began to sing. Gimli listened, but could not understand the words. He urged his pony forward to come even with Legolas.
"Legolas, I thought I knew your tongue well, but I cannot understand this song. What are they singing?"
Legolas sat rigidly on the back of his horse, his face a mask. He stared straight ahead and did not look at Gimli as he replied, "It is being sung in Quenya, the language of the Eldar. It is a song of lament." The elf spoke no more and Gimli rode with him the rest of the way in silence.
They passed through Edhil-e-londe gathering more elves as they rode until they reached the center of the village. Here there was a large grassy area surrounded by great oak trees where the elves would gather for food and entertainment. A small brook ran through the middle of the lawn and at the very center, positioned directly over the brook stood a large fountain. It had been a gift from Gimli and the dwarves of Ithilien to the elves of Edhil-e-londe. It stood as tall as the surrounding oak trees and was made of the rose quartz which the dwarves had discovered in the nearby Emyn Arnen. The fountain looked like a tier of lilies. One flower resting inside another, each bloom slightly larger than the one above it. The water spilled over the ends of the petals onto the flower below and eventually into a large pool at the bottom. The gift had been well received by the elves.
The song of lament for Luvien died slowly away. Legolas climbed down from his horse. A few elves began untying the bundle that was Luvien's body. They carried the body to the foot of the fountain and laid it at it's base. Standing next to the fountain was a small group of elves talking in whispers. Legolas approached them, Gimli at his side. All but one of the elves backed away as Legolas came near. She was tall and fair, as were all of her race, but unlike the rest of the elves in Edhil-e-londe she had raven black hair. She was not of the Silvan elves from Eryn Lasgalen, or Mirkwood as Gimli knew it, but had lived among the elves of Lothlorien when she met and fell in love with Luvien. They had only been married a short 500 years.
Legolas stood stiff as iron before her, "Serewen, I bring the gravest of news to you." He took her hand and placed Luvien's chain in her palm, "Luvien has fallen."
Serewen did not move. She did not speak. Her eyes stared hollowly at Legolas and did not turn to look at the charm in her hand or the body on the ground beside her. The quiet was excruciating and Gimli turned to Legolas to break the silence. His friend had a small tear at the corner of his eye. He released her hand, "Forgive me, Serewen, for I have no words to ease your pain and grief."
Still she did not speak, but held the elf prince in her gaze. Finally Gimli stirred, "You have my condolences, my lady, and the condolences of all my people." Gimli bowed with a nod of his head. Serewen did not acknowledge him or his sentiment, but turned away to stare at the fountain once again, her dead husband's betrothal charm still held before her in her hand.
Gimli felt such sympathy for the bereft elf, but even more so for Legolas who seemed tormented by the news he had to bear. Gimli touched him gently on the arm and whispered, "Come Legolas, we must be off if we wish to reach Amon Galen by morning."
Gimli turned back towards his pony. Legolas slowly turned to follow and had mounted his horse when Serewen turned, "What do you intend to do about this, Prince Legolas?" Her words were cold, biting.
Legolas dismounted and came over to her once again, "Whatever is in my power to do I will. First I must see Prince Faramir, and advise him of the attack. This is his realm. Therefore, he should know of this murder, and he should have a say in what is to be done. But also I would welcome his counsel, for I am too deeply affected by Luvien's death and I fear a rash decision borne out of anger and grief."
Serewen turned to the fountain again, and said not another word.
Legolas, his heart heavy, returned to his horse. He felt the eyes of all the elves of Edhil-e-londe on him. They were fierce, his people, and would not back away from any foe, but this vicious murder had unnerved them. Now, more than ever, they looked to him for answers and strength. Legolas Greenleaf, for the first time in hundreds of years, had doubts about his own strength and courage.
As he and Gimli left the gathering place of the elves he looked once more at Serewen. She was standing facing the fountain once again. Luvien's betrothal charm lay in her open palm. Just before he passed out of sight he saw her hand turn and the charm fall into the fountain's deep pool.
Chapter II
Edhil-e-Londe
The way back to Edhil-e-londe, the village where Legolas and the other elves lived, was not long. The journey might have been pleasant if not for the circumstances. The sun was shining, and it being late October the leaves of the surrounding trees were changing color. The oaks were already a brilliant red, and the beeches were tinged with not just a hint of bright yellow. The earth smelled fresh after a previous night's rain. It reminded Gimli of a day 20 years ago when the fellowship had broken. Two hobbits setting out for Mordor alone, two hobbits captured by orcs, and poor Boromir killed in their defense. The world had seemed so beautiful that day as well, yet horrible as they laid his body in the boat and sent it over the Falls of Rauros.
Legolas rode ahead of Gimli. He did not speak at all as they rode, and Gimli wondered what the elf was thinking. Death was not a subject Legolas spoke of often or with ease. The elves were immortal, but they could be slain. Gimli had often thought that death must be a terrible burden to those who do not necessarily have to endure it. They did not fear death, but rather they despaired of losing one they had shared their lives with for thousands of years. It was not uncommon for a husband or wife of a fallen elf to die of a broken heart themselves. Gimli wondered how Luvien's wife would bear the news.
The sun was low in the sky before they reached Edhil-e-londe. The news of Luvien's disappearance had spread throughout the whole village, and as they approached many elves ran toward them for news but stopped short upon seeing the wrapped form behind Legolas. They fell in behind the pair, and as they passed by the first houses of the village they began to sing. Gimli listened, but could not understand the words. He urged his pony forward to come even with Legolas.
"Legolas, I thought I knew your tongue well, but I cannot understand this song. What are they singing?"
Legolas sat rigidly on the back of his horse, his face a mask. He stared straight ahead and did not look at Gimli as he replied, "It is being sung in Quenya, the language of the Eldar. It is a song of lament." The elf spoke no more and Gimli rode with him the rest of the way in silence.
They passed through Edhil-e-londe gathering more elves as they rode until they reached the center of the village. Here there was a large grassy area surrounded by great oak trees where the elves would gather for food and entertainment. A small brook ran through the middle of the lawn and at the very center, positioned directly over the brook stood a large fountain. It had been a gift from Gimli and the dwarves of Ithilien to the elves of Edhil-e-londe. It stood as tall as the surrounding oak trees and was made of the rose quartz which the dwarves had discovered in the nearby Emyn Arnen. The fountain looked like a tier of lilies. One flower resting inside another, each bloom slightly larger than the one above it. The water spilled over the ends of the petals onto the flower below and eventually into a large pool at the bottom. The gift had been well received by the elves.
The song of lament for Luvien died slowly away. Legolas climbed down from his horse. A few elves began untying the bundle that was Luvien's body. They carried the body to the foot of the fountain and laid it at it's base. Standing next to the fountain was a small group of elves talking in whispers. Legolas approached them, Gimli at his side. All but one of the elves backed away as Legolas came near. She was tall and fair, as were all of her race, but unlike the rest of the elves in Edhil-e-londe she had raven black hair. She was not of the Silvan elves from Eryn Lasgalen, or Mirkwood as Gimli knew it, but had lived among the elves of Lothlorien when she met and fell in love with Luvien. They had only been married a short 500 years.
Legolas stood stiff as iron before her, "Serewen, I bring the gravest of news to you." He took her hand and placed Luvien's chain in her palm, "Luvien has fallen."
Serewen did not move. She did not speak. Her eyes stared hollowly at Legolas and did not turn to look at the charm in her hand or the body on the ground beside her. The quiet was excruciating and Gimli turned to Legolas to break the silence. His friend had a small tear at the corner of his eye. He released her hand, "Forgive me, Serewen, for I have no words to ease your pain and grief."
Still she did not speak, but held the elf prince in her gaze. Finally Gimli stirred, "You have my condolences, my lady, and the condolences of all my people." Gimli bowed with a nod of his head. Serewen did not acknowledge him or his sentiment, but turned away to stare at the fountain once again, her dead husband's betrothal charm still held before her in her hand.
Gimli felt such sympathy for the bereft elf, but even more so for Legolas who seemed tormented by the news he had to bear. Gimli touched him gently on the arm and whispered, "Come Legolas, we must be off if we wish to reach Amon Galen by morning."
Gimli turned back towards his pony. Legolas slowly turned to follow and had mounted his horse when Serewen turned, "What do you intend to do about this, Prince Legolas?" Her words were cold, biting.
Legolas dismounted and came over to her once again, "Whatever is in my power to do I will. First I must see Prince Faramir, and advise him of the attack. This is his realm. Therefore, he should know of this murder, and he should have a say in what is to be done. But also I would welcome his counsel, for I am too deeply affected by Luvien's death and I fear a rash decision borne out of anger and grief."
Serewen turned to the fountain again, and said not another word.
Legolas, his heart heavy, returned to his horse. He felt the eyes of all the elves of Edhil-e-londe on him. They were fierce, his people, and would not back away from any foe, but this vicious murder had unnerved them. Now, more than ever, they looked to him for answers and strength. Legolas Greenleaf, for the first time in hundreds of years, had doubts about his own strength and courage.
As he and Gimli left the gathering place of the elves he looked once more at Serewen. She was standing facing the fountain once again. Luvien's betrothal charm lay in her open palm. Just before he passed out of sight he saw her hand turn and the charm fall into the fountain's deep pool.