Hi dear readers!
I'm back again with yet another chapter of this very long story I must add. 43 chapters! I never thought it would take this long, but hey, I've enjoyed it, you've enjoyed it. It's worth the effort.
This chapter is quite long, but I beseech you to read it all, for it is very important to know the stuff that happens in the council. Many of your doubts will be cleared out with this chapter. And it is quite touching at times; please take your time and enjoy it all, don't just roam over it looking for the romantic parts, please, don't miss it.
Again, thank you sooo very much for your reviews and generally for reading this story.
READ ON!
CHAPTER 43
THE COVENANT
Eladarion tapped his foot anxiously, while seated on the royal chair at the Council room. He remained silent and serious while the counselors argued hotly among themselves, directing all their judgments to him. The majority of the counselors had venerable white heads, but the one that argued more vehemently was the youngest one, a man named Phargron, brother of Perdhul the General, and son to Phabul, a late and respected member of the council board.
"Your Majesty, you cannot allow this violation of Gondor's sovereignty, those savages cannot bear good intentions, remember the last war; they are still our enemies!"
"There is much risk in having them just outside the city gates, Your Majesty, we do not know what they could do."
"I say, and I beg you to heed my opinion, Your Majesty, that we should warn them away from the city's boundaries, and if they don't listen, we should launch the army, we should not give them the chance to..."
At this point, Eldarion rose from his chair with his palm raised high, putting an end to the counselors' loud voices, and looking intently at the back entrance of the room.
"Mother! What a surprise that you are joining us" - he said to Arwen, who crossed the now silent room walking slowly, towards her son.
"And why does that surprise you, dear son." - she said, halting before the royal chair.
"Well, it has been so long since we last saw you and..." - Eldarion started to reason, but was cut by his mother's quick and sharp reply.
"I'm still Queen Mother of Gondor and Arnor, and I should be aware of the matters that concern our country, and pronounce about them. Don't you think?"
Eldarion let show a soft smile - "Off course, my Queen" - he said bowing slightly - "Please take you place, here by my side" - he concluded, offering her the old royal seat she used to occupy during important meetings. A strange sensation washed over Arwen as he sat on the same chair from where she had accompanied and advised Aragorn for so many years, yet she remained silent and solemn, as the council began quarrelling once again.
"As I was saying, Your Gracious Majesties.." - said Phargron, bowing to both Eldarion and Arwen - "...We must make use of the military force, if we want to protect our safety and sovereignty; we can't trust the southern people, for they have proven to be unworthy of faith or reliance."
Eldarion pondered the man's malicious words for a few moments; he never liked Phargron's personality, or his quickness to emit judgment, and right then, his harsh words where more disturbing to him than ever; finally, the King decided it was time to speak his opinion.
"Faith? Reliance?" - Asked Eldarion, the authority of his position evident in his voice - "Don't forget, counselor, that this people you speak so lowly about come with the one who saved this city and the entire country from destruction. If anyone is worth of faith and reliance that is him. Besides, we shouldn't further discuss this on our own; we should wait for Legolas to see what he has to say. He spoke that he would be here any moment now."
Arwen's heart leaped at the prospect of seeing him again, but she didn't know that he had recovered his eyesight, and so she thought she was going to be able to see him while unnoticed. Her thoughts were interrupted by Phargron's loud, insolent words.
"The elf's perception has been polluted by this people's evilness, young Eldarion; no wise King would trust a so-called ally that mingles with such savages, he might just have become like them." - venom seemed to spill from the counselor's mouth as he spoke, and Eldarion got up from his seat ready to defend Legolas' honor, enraged by the man's audacity, but he had no need to, for as he was about to retort, a voice came from the main entrance.
"Savages?" - thundered Legolas as he came in accompanied by an elderly man - "You are fast to emit your judgment and verdict, counselor, and to label an entire community. In what facts do you base your appreciations?"
Eldarion hid a smirk and sat down, knowing for sure that Phargron would be put in place by Legolas; there was no way the insolent man could win in an argument against the elf's wit.
Phargron stared at Legolas awkwardly, intimidated by his imposing appearance, then he tried to retort - "I base my appreciations in facts, for these people you harbor outside the walls of Minas Tirith are our declared foes" - He said pointing menacingly at the old man. Legolas placed a hand upon the man's shoulder to prevent a physical confrontation, and Phargron continued his riot.
"The war of the south confirms it, they allied with the dark enemy and tried to invade Gondor, they should be shamefully expelled from this blessed lands!" - Phargron continued, still pointing at the silent man and getting dangerously close to him.
Legolas took a step forward and looked down at the impertinent man, an intense fire of wrath shinning in his pupils - "Becareful, counselor! This man you speak so brazenly to is the declared leader of the southern nation."
"Southern nation?" - asked Phargron, overacting his bewilderment - "You are telling me that the few scattered tribes of brutes have joined together? More reason than ever to expel them! Now they are more dangerous." - He turned towards Eldarion - "Your majesty! I appeal to your wisdom, I know you were but a child at the time, but you have to remember the war."
Legolas fought the urge to grab the man by the collar, and simply responded, trying hard not to loose his temper.
"What do you know about this South War you speak so much, counselor? Where you there? You were most likely young and vital at the time, at the perfect age to be a soldier; and yet, I don't remember seeing you among the defense lines."
Phargron twirled around at this, like stricken by a bolt of shame; and Legolas continued questioning him - "Where were you counselor? Why didn't you attend the call to defend your country? Where you sick, or just cowering back in the safety of the city, hiding behind the protection of your father's position? I remember seeing your brother Perdhul among the lines, risking his life in his first steps as a private soldier, proudly defending his country. He can speak about the war for he was there. You.... , you should not speak of what you don't know."
Phargron's once arrogant face became pale, and for the first time in many years he found himself without words to respond. He tried to hold his gaze up, to defy Legolas, but the elf's piercing eyes wouldn't allow and he had to lower his head in shame.
"Go back to your seat, counselor, your opinion will be heeded, once the case is fully exposed" - Concluded Legolas, and Phargron had no choice but to obey his word.
Eldarion's smirk was evident as Legolas turned towards the Royal Seats, and shared a smile with the pleased King.
.........................................
Arwen could barely conceal her surprise as she saw Legolas entering the room. She at once noticed he had recovered his sight, along with all of his strength and light. Intense emotions came over her, and she wished she could feel only glad that for he had recuperated all of his past splendor, but she could not help to feel intimidated, feeling exposed to him, and dreading the reaction he could unleash in her, once his eyes met hers.
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, oblivious to the conflict happening in the room, unable to glance at him for more than fractions of seconds, trying to keep herself from storming out of the room, until the argument was over. Sure enough Legolas had won, and now with the corner of her eye she saw him approaching the Royal Seats. She froze.
Legolas stood before the Majesties, and bowing down respectfully, he greeted them.
"King Eldarion, if you would allow me to defend my case before the council, I'm sure we will come to an agreement" - he said, and the King shared a complicity smile with him.
Then, he turned towards her, fixing his gaze in the seemingly impassive Arwen. - "My respects, Queen Mother" - he said softly, his eyes searching hers. She did not look away, drawn to the light in his eyes, her heart pounding uncontrollably inside her chest; but his eyes did not linger on her for long, and he quickly turned around and began addressing the entire room.
Arwen released a long-held breath, but she did not feel relieved that the dreaded moment was over; she felt confounded and dismayed. His eyes showed something she never expected, yet what they showed hurt more that her worst fears. She expected his eyes to reveal deep, intense feelings; hate, resentment, love, passion, intensity, turmoil of feelings...., but none of that was there in the brief moment they had gazed upon each other; and what really tore her heart was the lack of emotion and intensity in his eyes as he had looked upon her. What now confounded her was the lack of significance in his gaze; for he had just looked at her, showing no love, nor hate; his eyes lukewarm and serene.
She was hurt, more than ever; feeling selfish, but nevertheless neglected, she swallowed her surprise and pain and focused on listening to Legolas' speech.
"Illustrious nobles, wise men of the realm of Gondor." - He began, his voice loud, but courteous, as he walked around the hall, looking at the faces of all the counselors - "Over your shoulders now rests the future and lives of many, and it is up to you to decide which is the best path. I know you have many doubts and questions, and you are entitled to, but I beseech you to listen with open minds and open hearts, to the account I know bring you, and when I'm finished, then any remaining questions will be answered."
The hall went silent, and the counselors sat back, willing to listen to whatever he had to say.
"You all know the state in which I left Minas Tirith, little more than a month ago; I was blind, weak, battered and hopeless; and you also know that all my loss was due to sacrifices made for the sake of this realm, and all the ones living in it. The War of the South, my inner battle with the enemy and the ultimate clash against the Dragon drained most of my potency and brightness, and I was no more than a shadow of what I used to be."
"What you do not know is the motive of my departure, nor how did I recuperate what I had lost; and that's what I'm here to explain."
"I traveled down south on a quest, a quest for a path, a quest for lucidity; and such things I found, as you can all see. Yet my quest is not over yet, there is one more step to fulfill, and only you can help me to accomplish what is undone."
"This savages, as some of you call them" - he said, placing a hand over the old man's shoulder - "They were the answer to all my riddles, the path to my redemption. This is Arkahn, chief of the Southern nation, declared as such by all the clans in unanimous agreement. And just so you are aware, this man's wisdom accomplished what all the wisest science men of your country could not, he gave me back my sight."
Some gasps of surprise were heard in the room, for it was said by the head healers that there was no answer to the darkness on Legolas' eyes. Then, the counselors began whispering with each other. But Legolas quieted them down.
"If you would let me explain, please."
The room went silent again and Legolas continued.
"When I left this city, I knew that the only way to get back what I had lost to battles and my own weakness was through redemption. Redemption of what? You may ask, well, redemption from all the wrongs I had caused to the people down south. When I marched to the south to put an end to war some years ago, I fell under the spell of the dark enemy, and my deeds became evil, and filled with hatred. I brutalized the members of the clans for my own benefit, and used them as simple weapons of war, sacrificing them, first for the protection of Gondor, and then for my own unnatural lust for power. Despite all this, these people embraced me as a brother, for after all, I was ridding them from the slavery they had been submitted to by the Dark Lord for so many years."
"They rallied under my lead and trusted me with their lives, hoping I could liberate them from the dark forces. Eventually, I did; but the price was too great for them and their land. For out of abhorrence against me, the dark lord covered the entire territory with an unnatural, and long lasting winter, that ended up taking the lives of whatever creature survived the war, and turning the soil barren, and unfruitful."
"In this condition I abandoned them, to help Gondor, and to save all what was dearest to me; and such was the only way to expel the influence of Sauron over my soul; but I knew, even as I was down on the battlefield, struggling to overcome the flying beast, I knew that I had left thousands of people, a whole nation abandoned to certain annihilation. For most of their working men were slain in battle, and they had no sustenance, from the earth or from prey, to survive. Halbarad, was the one who reminded me of them, and so it was that he joined me on my quest."
"I knew that once I had given whatever strength and light left in me for the sake of those I had wronged so much, then I would recover my light, my strength, my very life. Now, when I left this city, I could have never imagined the real condition in which they were; but as Halbarad and I journeyed into the lands of Khand and Harad, we were stricken by surprise and the horror in which they lived."
"The winter hits hard in those lands, even without the influence of the dark lord. Due to the lack of sustenance, the weakened and disposed clans were battling against each other, in a desperate attempt to survive starvation and the cruel, blustery weather."
"Struggling against cold, hunger and the people's desperation, Halbarad and I managed to convince them to stop their useless and mindless war. Through reasoning and mere speech we encouraged them to seek for a different solution to their crisis; and once again, even though I had once abandoned them, they trusted me. Most of them agreed to give a try to peace, and as we traveled through the wild and desolated territory, the clans joined under well-formed alliances, and started working together for their survival. As a result of all this, the miracle was granted, and all my past strength and wisdom returned to me, I came back to my senses, and to the light of the first-born, my people."
"But my sight refused to return, as if a curse prevented it; no matter how alive and well I felt, my eyes didn't seem to react. Only the wisdom of Arkahn, this old man we found at a snow-covered village, agonizing from the cold and the lack of nourishment along with his entire household, was enough to give light to my eyes. I won't deny that the process was painful, for both me and for him; but as a promise of gratitude for saving his family, he performed and ancient and dangerous procedure that ended up retrieving the burning poison out of the depths of my eyes."
"What is amazing, eminent citizens of Gondor, is that while I tried to save them, they saved me; and now I want to reciprocate their kindness. For you see, even though they are no longer at war, even though they stand together now; their land is not good enough to support them, and the menace of famine hangs upon their heads. There is no way to restore their land's fertility fast enough for them to survive, and so I decided to appeal to the relative abundance in the land of Gondor..."
At this, many of the counselors jumped from their seats, led by Phargron, who was the first to cry out.
"Abundance? This is outrageous! Gondor has no wealth to spare, we can barely support our people, and this cannot be allowed!"
Most of the counselors agreed with Phargron's point, and a loud murmur filled the room; even Eldarion doubted, for he have had to struggle everyday to keep the country afloat. Getting up from his chair, the King signaled the room to quiet down, and spoke to Legolas.
"You must know, Legolas, that our resources are indeed limited."
Legolas took a deep breath - "If you would just let me finish, I beg you; I would not bring anything impossible to this meeting. You will understand, once it is exposed, that the offer is viable."
Eldarion sat down again, followed by the rest of the board, and signaled Legolas to continue.
"I am well aware of Gondor's situation" - Legolas began - "but I also know that it is due to under use of the land. The soils of these territories are known to be fertile and productive; but the menaces of war and winter have pushed your people to neglect vast territories that could be harvested, and to abandon hunting territories. There is much potential in this lands, if well used."
He paused to look around, to see the reactions on the men's faces. They were still skeptical, but they were listening with good interest.
"What I bring you today is a proposal for mutual benefit of Gondor and the southern nation, a covenant. Now I ask you King of Gondor, are you willing to at least listen to the proposal?"
Eldarion pondered for a minute and nodded. Then, Legolas spoke a few words to the elder man, who handed him a scroll he had been clutching against his chest. Legolas opened the scroll and began reading.
"This is a proposal developed by the leader of the southern nation, Arkahn, with the assistance of Legolas Greenleaf and Halbarad the II, ranger of Gondor, and with the agreement of all the members of the southern nation"
"We, as an entire people agree to aid the people of Gondor with the reconstruction of the White City, up to its completion; providing with man- power enough to finish the task. With the approval of the King and the White Council, we will start out labor, as soon as the Covenant is signed."
"In exchange for our labor, we require from Gondor to provide us with enough provisions to guaranty our survival for only a week. After this, we ask you to grant us permission to hunt in Gondor's empty and unused lands near the southern border; and once the winter is over, to cultivate them for our benefit."
"The hunting will be regulated, as only a limited amount of hunters should be allowed to do so; and they will kill only what is necessary for the survival of our people. And the crops will be shared with the southern settlements of Gondor, once we start harvesting at the end of the spring."
"The southern nation commits to work on the restoration of our own lands Khand and Harad, so that we will not depend on Gondor's aid for more time than what is absolutely necessary."
"Trusting your good judgment and kindness, I greet you. Arkahn, leader of the clans." - Finished Legolas, and looked around to the reactions happening in the room.
"As you can see" - he continued - "the proposal is simple, possible and implies benefit to both parties. Now it is up to you to decide what is best."
After a brief silence, Phargron slowly stood from his chair - "And what would happen if we decide not to help?"
Legolas quickly answered - "Then they will abandon Gondor's territories with no further contestation or confrontation, and will look for another way to survive. Understand that there is no force implied in our pursuit, and there will be no retaliation of any sort. We cannot trample Gondor's sovereignty, and they understand that."
Phargron walked boldly across the room, and stopped in front of the King's seat. Taking a deep breath, he spoke - "I understand that the proposal is indeed viable, and that it wouldn't take much from Gondor to help these outsiders under those terms."
Eldarion furrowed his brow, unused to the man's apparent kindness and understanding, but his surprise was quickly tossed aside, as Phargron finished his statement, more close to his regular self.
"But I must remind the King, the Queen and the rest of the council that there is no warranty of them to respect their own terms, and that if Gondor decides not to help, nothing will be taken from our country. We can begin the reconstruction once spring comes, why should we take such risk? For people that is not our own? For outsiders that are so beneath us? There is no sense in doing so." - Some counselors were still unresolved, but most of the board seemed to agree with Phargron's last statement, and nodded to show their accord.
Legolas scratched his chin, more than exasperated by the man's importunate unconstructiveness. - "First of all, Counselor, you have the warranty of Arkahn's word; he is an honorable man, and I am witness of that; therefore, you have the warranty of MY word. Second of all, let me show you why Gondor should take the 'risk' in helping these people, for they are not as different or beneath you as you think."
After saying those words, Legolas turned to face the main entrance of the room and called out - "Halbarad, Niniel, come in please."
Halbarad, who had been waiting just outside the meeting room, quickly made his way through the door, accompanied by a little girl who hung tightly from his forearm. The girl was about 5 years of age; her skin was not as fair as the one of a Gondor's daughter, but she was immensely beautiful, with dark, curly hair and eyes as black as a moonless night, bright and alive, showing intelligence and awareness. She was finely dressed, like any offspring of a Minas Tirith nobleman; but the apprehension in her eyes and the way she clung to the ranger revealed that she had never seen such a thing as the white city in her short life.
But her face brightened at the sight of Legolas standing in the middle of the enormous room. Legolas kneeled and extended his arms to her, and with a little encouragement from Halbarad, she ran across the bright room to meet him, a wide smile upon her lips - "Legolas!" - she exclaimed, throwing her little arms around his neck. Legolas enveloped her in his arms and stood up quickly, twirling the girl in the air. - "My girl! - he said cheerfully - "How was the trip? I barely saw you as we were coming."
"It was ok?" - she answered simply, putting her tiny, gloved hands over his cheeks.
"Are you tired?" - Legolas asked, now seemingly oblivious to everything around him
"No; well, maybe just a little bit" - she said with her cute little voice.
"Good!" - he said, finally putting her back on her feet, and snapping out of his obliviousness to the council.
"This is Níniel" - he began, placing a protective hand over the girl's head - "She is a member of the Harbektuh clan"
The looks of surprise in the room where immediate, as the Harbektuhs where known to be the most fierce and bloodthirsty warriors of the south.
"Yes, honorable Counselors, this sweet, innocent and polite girl is a Harbektuh" - Legolas added vehemently.
Once again, the room was filled with hushed whispers, for they could not believe that such a lovely creature could belong to such dreaded people.
"As you can see" - Legolas continued - "Not all Harbektuhs are fierce and deadly. Halbarad and I found Níniel as we were just initiating our journey southbound, little less than a month ago, and during a terrible hailstorm."
"She was near frozen, buried underneath the snow and ice, along with her entire family, but they didn't have the same luck as she, for they had died long before we found her. What I want you to understand, and heed me here, is the reason why she outlived the rest of her family."
"As we learned from the site and her later narrations, her family was traveling during such a terrible storm because they were starving in their village, and so her father decided to take the chance of going out into de open to seek for prey or any kind of sustenance. They traveled for three days, under the snow and hail, but they could not find anything to eat; and on the third night, beaten by cold and hunger, they stopped under a leafless oak, to wait for their own demise. It was there where we found her, covered with five bearskins, and surrounded by the lifeless bodies of her father, her mother and two older brothers, who could not survive the night."
"She did; she survived because the rest of her family was willing to sacrifice their own lives for her sake. Finding themselves hopeless, they decided to give her the only thing that protected them from the freezing cold, they covered her with all of their skins. And then, hoping to keep her from the cold, hoping to keep her alive, hoping to provide her with the chance to survive, they covered her with their own bodies, warming her with their own body heat; until death allowed it no more."
"Such scene we found, honorable board, such happening we had to behold in shock. But what really amazed me, what still draws tears out of my eyes, is that as I pulled the bodies aside to rescue her, I saw a glimpse of the father's arms, and I saw this" - Legolas said, pulling up his sleeve to reveal the tattoos he had received during the war, and showing them to all the counselors.
"He had these same symbols, that distinguish the Harbektuh's most fierce warriors. He was a warrior, a merciless, brutal, bloodthirsty warrior, as you have labeled them; and yet he was willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of his little girl"
The faces of the counselors revealed the magnitude of their shock, but Legolas did not stop there, he continued, vehemently defending his position.
"Níniel was near dead when we found her; but we rescued her, and helped her to survive. As she regained her strength, we had to deal with her temper and roughness; she was feral and even dangerous to be around. But what could we expect? She had been at her infantile age through a hell of cold and hunger, and had to see her entire family die. Any living creature under such terrible anguish would have behaved as she did."
"But we did not give up on her, we provided her with food and warmth until she was in good health; and then, through love and care we won her heart and she...., she rewarded us by loving us back." - Legolas' voice broke and he kneeled to hold the little girl who had saved him from his sorrow.
Halbarad took a step forward and addressed the council with his raspy voice - "If you would allow me to add to what the general said. I'll tell you that I was as battered as he was, for I had lost my desire to live due to the burden of my sins and the darkness in my heart. But I thank Eru for putting Niniel in my way, for now I have the chance to redeem myself, and I hold to it with all my life. I now live to protect her; she is the light of my life, and the reason of my existence; and I am her daddy, for she calls me daddy, and every time that tiny word comes out of her mouth, it fills my heart of warm light, scaring away the ghouls that haunted me."
Legolas stood up, wiping a tear from his face, and continued his speech - "Thank you, Halbarad."
"As you can see, members of the council, she is not wild anymore, she is courteous and caring. We taught her common language, and she learned it well amazingly fast, along with manners. In fact, she has been wanting to meet the King of Gondor ever since I told her about him, and so she brings a tribute she would like to present you, King Eldarion. Do you concede?" - he asked, looking at the young king.
Eldarion nodded - "But off course, it will be my honor to accept your tribute" - he said, looking at the girl with a soft smile.
No encouragement was necessary for Niniel to approach the royal seat, for she was more that eager to meet the King her uncle Legolas had talked about so much. Some of the counselors looked at the King with apprehension, fearing ridiculously for the monarch's safety. Upon seeing this, Legolas raised his voice, more than annoyed by their foolishness.
"Don't expect her to draw out a knife to murder the King, counselors" - he said, showing his irritation - "She couldn't handle or grip one, even if she wanted to; for she lost most of her fingers to frostbite."
The counselors lowered their heads, suddenly finding the floor fascinating, they didn't know of the girl's condition, for her hands were gloved, but they couldn't help but to feel ashamed for their own foolish mistrust.
Niniel stood solemnly in front of the King's seat, and not without difficulty, she produced a small leather pouch from her coat. Using both hands, she handed it to a very curious and touched Eldarion, who delicately took it from her hands and opened the pouch, revealing a very red and shining small pebble. - "I found it at the beach of Belfalas" - Niniel said softly - "I had to fight with a crab that wanted it for itself, but I won cause I wanted to bring you a gift so much" - she concluded, giving Eldarion a warm, open smile. Eldarion clutched the pebble, moved by her story, even though he didn't know what a crab was - "I will keep it forever" - he promised, and leaned to kiss the little girl's forehead.
Then Niniel looked sideways, to where Arwen was seated, looking at her with tears shinning in her eyes; as the Queen was, much like everyone else, deeply touched by the girl. Niniel's eyes widened and a little gasp escaped her - "You are the Queen, the Undomiel" - she said, articulating Arwen's elven name flawlessly.
More than surprised by the girl's recognition, Arwen extended her arm to her, motioning her to approach. - "I take you have heard of me too" - she said, pulling the girl onto her lap.
"Off course" - said Niniel - "Uncle Legolas speaks of you every day"
"Really? Isn't that interesting" - Arwen said, careful not to look at Legolas who stood in the middle of the room, trying his best to conceal his awkwardness, for Niniel was speaking a little bit too much.
"And what did he say about me?" - Arwen asked, pulling back a strand of black hair from Niniel's forehead.
"He said you were beautiful; brighter than dawn over the ocean, and the loveliest of all stars in a summer night over Lasgalen. But he is a fool." - the girl said, without pausing for breath.
"A fool?" - Arwen asked, curious about the girl's affirmation.
"Yes, he said so himself" - Niniel continued - "He said he had no words to describe your beauty, and that he was a fool for trying to do so, for no words could even come close to the splendor that you hold. And now that I have seen you, I know he was right; he is a fool"
The laughs from the counselors filled the room, adding a brighter red shade to Legolas' face. He couldn't believe Niniel had said that, especially because she had used his exact same words. He cleared his throat and called for the mischievous girl - "Niniel, come over here, I believe you have said enough, and we have a council to close" - he said, provoking more sniggers from the amused counselors.
The girl leaped from Arwen's lap, and started to make her way towards her embarrassed uncle, but was stopped by Legolas himself - "Wait!" - he said - "First, give the Lady a kiss in behalf of me, and thank her for her kindness."
Arwen lifted her gaze, stunned by Legolas' request, and her eyes fixed in his; but he looked away, unwilling to reveal his feelings. Then, she snapped out of her enthrallment with him as Niniel turned around to give her the kiss, and she had to lean down to receive it. Niniel not only kissed the Queen's cheek, she also wrapped her tiny arms around Arwen's neck, while whispering in her ear. - "He told me to give you a kiss from him, but I'm sure he would have wanted to give you a hug too." - Arwen held the girl closely, amazed at the immense warmth she emanated, and deeply comforted by her embrace. To her deep surprise, holding the little girl was indeed as if holding Legolas.
Then, the girl stepped back and bowed down - "Thank you for your kindness, Milady." - she said and turned around to run to her uncle.
"Good girl!" - Legolas said, while Niniel hugged his legs effusively, then, he took the girl's face between his hands and spoke to her - "Now go with your daddy, you need to rest. I'll see you later, alright?"
Niniel nodded and walked towards Halbarad, who took her hand and went out the door while the girl chattered endlessly, telling him about the King and Queen.
Fond smiles were directed to her from the counselors as she abandoned the room, for she had managed to conquer their hearts with her simplicity and warmth. Most of them had daughters and granddaughters, and so their hearts were by then softened by the girl.
But the tender moment was quickly interrupted by Legolas' loud voice - "Counselors! If I could have your attention again, we have a council to close."
The counselors cleared their throats and adopted the same dignified and aloof stance they had before, willing to continue with the discussion.
Then Legolas proceeded - "I have just one more question to ask you before I am done; then, it will be in your hands to make the right decision."
Ominous silence took place and Legolas asked his question
"Now that you have seen the other side of reality; now that you have seen with your own eyes that the southern people are not at all different from you, that is just that they have suffered way more than you have; now that you know that they can change, that it doesn't take violence, or aggression, or disdain to make them good. That it only takes love and care to make them our friends, our equals, our brothers." - He paused, allowing the words to settle in the minds of the nobles.
"Knowing all this, I ask you. Would you let them die? Would you deny them the chance to live, to be productive, full and happy people? Would you let Niniel down? For I promised her that Gondor would help her people, and she trusts in me, and in you; please don't force me to shatter her illusions...."
"Thank you, this is all I have to say" - he concluded and went to sit next to Arkahn.
The faces of all the members of the council went pale and the room was overwhelmed by silence. Nobody whispered this time, they had nothing to say, nothing to discuss. They were argument-less; stripped from reasons to argue or even discuss the matter any further. Now they were faced with a moral challenge, and the image of Niniel's cute little face filled with hope was the most terrible confrontation they ever had to bear.
The first one to react was Eldarion, who stood from his chair and walked solemnly and resolute towards Arkahn's seat, and extended his hand to the old man, who shook it with a pleased smile on his wrinkled face. Then, the King set the example, and scribbled his signature on the covenant scroll.
One by one, the counselors stood up from the comfort of their lofty chairs, convinced and determined to do what was right, until the entire White Council was crowded around Arkahn, eager to let show their agreement.
And so it happened, that the covenant was settled and signed by every member of the council, including Phargron who finally understood and laid down all of his prejudgments. On that day kindness and compassion conquered over egoism and mistrust; and much profit came from it from that day and on, to both Gondor and the new Southern Nation.
Satisfied by the outcome of the council, Eldarion embraced Legolas in a gesture of triumph - "My friend, you have done it again!"
"I only allowed them to see the truth" - Legolas replied, while looking intently at the back entrance of the room.
Arwen was tiptoeing out of the council room, availing the momentary chaos caused by the signing of the covenant to sneak out without being noticed. But he had seen her, and she felt his eyes on her as she was leaving. Forcing herself to ignore his attentiveness, she made her way out, without looking at him, and breathed in relieved as she came out of his sight.
She leaned against the wooden wall of the hall, finally letting her feelings afloat. She was more confused about what to believe or to feel than ever, but one thing she knew and was clear to her, that after looking at him, back in his entire splendor, hearing his heartfelt speech, and learning about his amazing deeds, she loved him more than ever.
...............
WOW!
Huge Chapter!
You are probably wondering. WHERE IS THE ROMANCE????
I know, I know, I failed my word; I once again neglected romance in yet another chapter. I guess I got a little bit carried away by the whole political discussion, and it took me more than what I'd planned.
Sorry if it was too boring.
But next chapter will be it, my friends. Romance, angst (yep, you read well, there will be angst), and all the stuff you love. This time, I promise; no more preamble.
Blessings to you all, and Merry Christmas!
Elwe.
I'm back again with yet another chapter of this very long story I must add. 43 chapters! I never thought it would take this long, but hey, I've enjoyed it, you've enjoyed it. It's worth the effort.
This chapter is quite long, but I beseech you to read it all, for it is very important to know the stuff that happens in the council. Many of your doubts will be cleared out with this chapter. And it is quite touching at times; please take your time and enjoy it all, don't just roam over it looking for the romantic parts, please, don't miss it.
Again, thank you sooo very much for your reviews and generally for reading this story.
READ ON!
CHAPTER 43
THE COVENANT
Eladarion tapped his foot anxiously, while seated on the royal chair at the Council room. He remained silent and serious while the counselors argued hotly among themselves, directing all their judgments to him. The majority of the counselors had venerable white heads, but the one that argued more vehemently was the youngest one, a man named Phargron, brother of Perdhul the General, and son to Phabul, a late and respected member of the council board.
"Your Majesty, you cannot allow this violation of Gondor's sovereignty, those savages cannot bear good intentions, remember the last war; they are still our enemies!"
"There is much risk in having them just outside the city gates, Your Majesty, we do not know what they could do."
"I say, and I beg you to heed my opinion, Your Majesty, that we should warn them away from the city's boundaries, and if they don't listen, we should launch the army, we should not give them the chance to..."
At this point, Eldarion rose from his chair with his palm raised high, putting an end to the counselors' loud voices, and looking intently at the back entrance of the room.
"Mother! What a surprise that you are joining us" - he said to Arwen, who crossed the now silent room walking slowly, towards her son.
"And why does that surprise you, dear son." - she said, halting before the royal chair.
"Well, it has been so long since we last saw you and..." - Eldarion started to reason, but was cut by his mother's quick and sharp reply.
"I'm still Queen Mother of Gondor and Arnor, and I should be aware of the matters that concern our country, and pronounce about them. Don't you think?"
Eldarion let show a soft smile - "Off course, my Queen" - he said bowing slightly - "Please take you place, here by my side" - he concluded, offering her the old royal seat she used to occupy during important meetings. A strange sensation washed over Arwen as he sat on the same chair from where she had accompanied and advised Aragorn for so many years, yet she remained silent and solemn, as the council began quarrelling once again.
"As I was saying, Your Gracious Majesties.." - said Phargron, bowing to both Eldarion and Arwen - "...We must make use of the military force, if we want to protect our safety and sovereignty; we can't trust the southern people, for they have proven to be unworthy of faith or reliance."
Eldarion pondered the man's malicious words for a few moments; he never liked Phargron's personality, or his quickness to emit judgment, and right then, his harsh words where more disturbing to him than ever; finally, the King decided it was time to speak his opinion.
"Faith? Reliance?" - Asked Eldarion, the authority of his position evident in his voice - "Don't forget, counselor, that this people you speak so lowly about come with the one who saved this city and the entire country from destruction. If anyone is worth of faith and reliance that is him. Besides, we shouldn't further discuss this on our own; we should wait for Legolas to see what he has to say. He spoke that he would be here any moment now."
Arwen's heart leaped at the prospect of seeing him again, but she didn't know that he had recovered his eyesight, and so she thought she was going to be able to see him while unnoticed. Her thoughts were interrupted by Phargron's loud, insolent words.
"The elf's perception has been polluted by this people's evilness, young Eldarion; no wise King would trust a so-called ally that mingles with such savages, he might just have become like them." - venom seemed to spill from the counselor's mouth as he spoke, and Eldarion got up from his seat ready to defend Legolas' honor, enraged by the man's audacity, but he had no need to, for as he was about to retort, a voice came from the main entrance.
"Savages?" - thundered Legolas as he came in accompanied by an elderly man - "You are fast to emit your judgment and verdict, counselor, and to label an entire community. In what facts do you base your appreciations?"
Eldarion hid a smirk and sat down, knowing for sure that Phargron would be put in place by Legolas; there was no way the insolent man could win in an argument against the elf's wit.
Phargron stared at Legolas awkwardly, intimidated by his imposing appearance, then he tried to retort - "I base my appreciations in facts, for these people you harbor outside the walls of Minas Tirith are our declared foes" - He said pointing menacingly at the old man. Legolas placed a hand upon the man's shoulder to prevent a physical confrontation, and Phargron continued his riot.
"The war of the south confirms it, they allied with the dark enemy and tried to invade Gondor, they should be shamefully expelled from this blessed lands!" - Phargron continued, still pointing at the silent man and getting dangerously close to him.
Legolas took a step forward and looked down at the impertinent man, an intense fire of wrath shinning in his pupils - "Becareful, counselor! This man you speak so brazenly to is the declared leader of the southern nation."
"Southern nation?" - asked Phargron, overacting his bewilderment - "You are telling me that the few scattered tribes of brutes have joined together? More reason than ever to expel them! Now they are more dangerous." - He turned towards Eldarion - "Your majesty! I appeal to your wisdom, I know you were but a child at the time, but you have to remember the war."
Legolas fought the urge to grab the man by the collar, and simply responded, trying hard not to loose his temper.
"What do you know about this South War you speak so much, counselor? Where you there? You were most likely young and vital at the time, at the perfect age to be a soldier; and yet, I don't remember seeing you among the defense lines."
Phargron twirled around at this, like stricken by a bolt of shame; and Legolas continued questioning him - "Where were you counselor? Why didn't you attend the call to defend your country? Where you sick, or just cowering back in the safety of the city, hiding behind the protection of your father's position? I remember seeing your brother Perdhul among the lines, risking his life in his first steps as a private soldier, proudly defending his country. He can speak about the war for he was there. You.... , you should not speak of what you don't know."
Phargron's once arrogant face became pale, and for the first time in many years he found himself without words to respond. He tried to hold his gaze up, to defy Legolas, but the elf's piercing eyes wouldn't allow and he had to lower his head in shame.
"Go back to your seat, counselor, your opinion will be heeded, once the case is fully exposed" - Concluded Legolas, and Phargron had no choice but to obey his word.
Eldarion's smirk was evident as Legolas turned towards the Royal Seats, and shared a smile with the pleased King.
.........................................
Arwen could barely conceal her surprise as she saw Legolas entering the room. She at once noticed he had recovered his sight, along with all of his strength and light. Intense emotions came over her, and she wished she could feel only glad that for he had recuperated all of his past splendor, but she could not help to feel intimidated, feeling exposed to him, and dreading the reaction he could unleash in her, once his eyes met hers.
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, oblivious to the conflict happening in the room, unable to glance at him for more than fractions of seconds, trying to keep herself from storming out of the room, until the argument was over. Sure enough Legolas had won, and now with the corner of her eye she saw him approaching the Royal Seats. She froze.
Legolas stood before the Majesties, and bowing down respectfully, he greeted them.
"King Eldarion, if you would allow me to defend my case before the council, I'm sure we will come to an agreement" - he said, and the King shared a complicity smile with him.
Then, he turned towards her, fixing his gaze in the seemingly impassive Arwen. - "My respects, Queen Mother" - he said softly, his eyes searching hers. She did not look away, drawn to the light in his eyes, her heart pounding uncontrollably inside her chest; but his eyes did not linger on her for long, and he quickly turned around and began addressing the entire room.
Arwen released a long-held breath, but she did not feel relieved that the dreaded moment was over; she felt confounded and dismayed. His eyes showed something she never expected, yet what they showed hurt more that her worst fears. She expected his eyes to reveal deep, intense feelings; hate, resentment, love, passion, intensity, turmoil of feelings...., but none of that was there in the brief moment they had gazed upon each other; and what really tore her heart was the lack of emotion and intensity in his eyes as he had looked upon her. What now confounded her was the lack of significance in his gaze; for he had just looked at her, showing no love, nor hate; his eyes lukewarm and serene.
She was hurt, more than ever; feeling selfish, but nevertheless neglected, she swallowed her surprise and pain and focused on listening to Legolas' speech.
"Illustrious nobles, wise men of the realm of Gondor." - He began, his voice loud, but courteous, as he walked around the hall, looking at the faces of all the counselors - "Over your shoulders now rests the future and lives of many, and it is up to you to decide which is the best path. I know you have many doubts and questions, and you are entitled to, but I beseech you to listen with open minds and open hearts, to the account I know bring you, and when I'm finished, then any remaining questions will be answered."
The hall went silent, and the counselors sat back, willing to listen to whatever he had to say.
"You all know the state in which I left Minas Tirith, little more than a month ago; I was blind, weak, battered and hopeless; and you also know that all my loss was due to sacrifices made for the sake of this realm, and all the ones living in it. The War of the South, my inner battle with the enemy and the ultimate clash against the Dragon drained most of my potency and brightness, and I was no more than a shadow of what I used to be."
"What you do not know is the motive of my departure, nor how did I recuperate what I had lost; and that's what I'm here to explain."
"I traveled down south on a quest, a quest for a path, a quest for lucidity; and such things I found, as you can all see. Yet my quest is not over yet, there is one more step to fulfill, and only you can help me to accomplish what is undone."
"This savages, as some of you call them" - he said, placing a hand over the old man's shoulder - "They were the answer to all my riddles, the path to my redemption. This is Arkahn, chief of the Southern nation, declared as such by all the clans in unanimous agreement. And just so you are aware, this man's wisdom accomplished what all the wisest science men of your country could not, he gave me back my sight."
Some gasps of surprise were heard in the room, for it was said by the head healers that there was no answer to the darkness on Legolas' eyes. Then, the counselors began whispering with each other. But Legolas quieted them down.
"If you would let me explain, please."
The room went silent again and Legolas continued.
"When I left this city, I knew that the only way to get back what I had lost to battles and my own weakness was through redemption. Redemption of what? You may ask, well, redemption from all the wrongs I had caused to the people down south. When I marched to the south to put an end to war some years ago, I fell under the spell of the dark enemy, and my deeds became evil, and filled with hatred. I brutalized the members of the clans for my own benefit, and used them as simple weapons of war, sacrificing them, first for the protection of Gondor, and then for my own unnatural lust for power. Despite all this, these people embraced me as a brother, for after all, I was ridding them from the slavery they had been submitted to by the Dark Lord for so many years."
"They rallied under my lead and trusted me with their lives, hoping I could liberate them from the dark forces. Eventually, I did; but the price was too great for them and their land. For out of abhorrence against me, the dark lord covered the entire territory with an unnatural, and long lasting winter, that ended up taking the lives of whatever creature survived the war, and turning the soil barren, and unfruitful."
"In this condition I abandoned them, to help Gondor, and to save all what was dearest to me; and such was the only way to expel the influence of Sauron over my soul; but I knew, even as I was down on the battlefield, struggling to overcome the flying beast, I knew that I had left thousands of people, a whole nation abandoned to certain annihilation. For most of their working men were slain in battle, and they had no sustenance, from the earth or from prey, to survive. Halbarad, was the one who reminded me of them, and so it was that he joined me on my quest."
"I knew that once I had given whatever strength and light left in me for the sake of those I had wronged so much, then I would recover my light, my strength, my very life. Now, when I left this city, I could have never imagined the real condition in which they were; but as Halbarad and I journeyed into the lands of Khand and Harad, we were stricken by surprise and the horror in which they lived."
"The winter hits hard in those lands, even without the influence of the dark lord. Due to the lack of sustenance, the weakened and disposed clans were battling against each other, in a desperate attempt to survive starvation and the cruel, blustery weather."
"Struggling against cold, hunger and the people's desperation, Halbarad and I managed to convince them to stop their useless and mindless war. Through reasoning and mere speech we encouraged them to seek for a different solution to their crisis; and once again, even though I had once abandoned them, they trusted me. Most of them agreed to give a try to peace, and as we traveled through the wild and desolated territory, the clans joined under well-formed alliances, and started working together for their survival. As a result of all this, the miracle was granted, and all my past strength and wisdom returned to me, I came back to my senses, and to the light of the first-born, my people."
"But my sight refused to return, as if a curse prevented it; no matter how alive and well I felt, my eyes didn't seem to react. Only the wisdom of Arkahn, this old man we found at a snow-covered village, agonizing from the cold and the lack of nourishment along with his entire household, was enough to give light to my eyes. I won't deny that the process was painful, for both me and for him; but as a promise of gratitude for saving his family, he performed and ancient and dangerous procedure that ended up retrieving the burning poison out of the depths of my eyes."
"What is amazing, eminent citizens of Gondor, is that while I tried to save them, they saved me; and now I want to reciprocate their kindness. For you see, even though they are no longer at war, even though they stand together now; their land is not good enough to support them, and the menace of famine hangs upon their heads. There is no way to restore their land's fertility fast enough for them to survive, and so I decided to appeal to the relative abundance in the land of Gondor..."
At this, many of the counselors jumped from their seats, led by Phargron, who was the first to cry out.
"Abundance? This is outrageous! Gondor has no wealth to spare, we can barely support our people, and this cannot be allowed!"
Most of the counselors agreed with Phargron's point, and a loud murmur filled the room; even Eldarion doubted, for he have had to struggle everyday to keep the country afloat. Getting up from his chair, the King signaled the room to quiet down, and spoke to Legolas.
"You must know, Legolas, that our resources are indeed limited."
Legolas took a deep breath - "If you would just let me finish, I beg you; I would not bring anything impossible to this meeting. You will understand, once it is exposed, that the offer is viable."
Eldarion sat down again, followed by the rest of the board, and signaled Legolas to continue.
"I am well aware of Gondor's situation" - Legolas began - "but I also know that it is due to under use of the land. The soils of these territories are known to be fertile and productive; but the menaces of war and winter have pushed your people to neglect vast territories that could be harvested, and to abandon hunting territories. There is much potential in this lands, if well used."
He paused to look around, to see the reactions on the men's faces. They were still skeptical, but they were listening with good interest.
"What I bring you today is a proposal for mutual benefit of Gondor and the southern nation, a covenant. Now I ask you King of Gondor, are you willing to at least listen to the proposal?"
Eldarion pondered for a minute and nodded. Then, Legolas spoke a few words to the elder man, who handed him a scroll he had been clutching against his chest. Legolas opened the scroll and began reading.
"This is a proposal developed by the leader of the southern nation, Arkahn, with the assistance of Legolas Greenleaf and Halbarad the II, ranger of Gondor, and with the agreement of all the members of the southern nation"
"We, as an entire people agree to aid the people of Gondor with the reconstruction of the White City, up to its completion; providing with man- power enough to finish the task. With the approval of the King and the White Council, we will start out labor, as soon as the Covenant is signed."
"In exchange for our labor, we require from Gondor to provide us with enough provisions to guaranty our survival for only a week. After this, we ask you to grant us permission to hunt in Gondor's empty and unused lands near the southern border; and once the winter is over, to cultivate them for our benefit."
"The hunting will be regulated, as only a limited amount of hunters should be allowed to do so; and they will kill only what is necessary for the survival of our people. And the crops will be shared with the southern settlements of Gondor, once we start harvesting at the end of the spring."
"The southern nation commits to work on the restoration of our own lands Khand and Harad, so that we will not depend on Gondor's aid for more time than what is absolutely necessary."
"Trusting your good judgment and kindness, I greet you. Arkahn, leader of the clans." - Finished Legolas, and looked around to the reactions happening in the room.
"As you can see" - he continued - "the proposal is simple, possible and implies benefit to both parties. Now it is up to you to decide what is best."
After a brief silence, Phargron slowly stood from his chair - "And what would happen if we decide not to help?"
Legolas quickly answered - "Then they will abandon Gondor's territories with no further contestation or confrontation, and will look for another way to survive. Understand that there is no force implied in our pursuit, and there will be no retaliation of any sort. We cannot trample Gondor's sovereignty, and they understand that."
Phargron walked boldly across the room, and stopped in front of the King's seat. Taking a deep breath, he spoke - "I understand that the proposal is indeed viable, and that it wouldn't take much from Gondor to help these outsiders under those terms."
Eldarion furrowed his brow, unused to the man's apparent kindness and understanding, but his surprise was quickly tossed aside, as Phargron finished his statement, more close to his regular self.
"But I must remind the King, the Queen and the rest of the council that there is no warranty of them to respect their own terms, and that if Gondor decides not to help, nothing will be taken from our country. We can begin the reconstruction once spring comes, why should we take such risk? For people that is not our own? For outsiders that are so beneath us? There is no sense in doing so." - Some counselors were still unresolved, but most of the board seemed to agree with Phargron's last statement, and nodded to show their accord.
Legolas scratched his chin, more than exasperated by the man's importunate unconstructiveness. - "First of all, Counselor, you have the warranty of Arkahn's word; he is an honorable man, and I am witness of that; therefore, you have the warranty of MY word. Second of all, let me show you why Gondor should take the 'risk' in helping these people, for they are not as different or beneath you as you think."
After saying those words, Legolas turned to face the main entrance of the room and called out - "Halbarad, Niniel, come in please."
Halbarad, who had been waiting just outside the meeting room, quickly made his way through the door, accompanied by a little girl who hung tightly from his forearm. The girl was about 5 years of age; her skin was not as fair as the one of a Gondor's daughter, but she was immensely beautiful, with dark, curly hair and eyes as black as a moonless night, bright and alive, showing intelligence and awareness. She was finely dressed, like any offspring of a Minas Tirith nobleman; but the apprehension in her eyes and the way she clung to the ranger revealed that she had never seen such a thing as the white city in her short life.
But her face brightened at the sight of Legolas standing in the middle of the enormous room. Legolas kneeled and extended his arms to her, and with a little encouragement from Halbarad, she ran across the bright room to meet him, a wide smile upon her lips - "Legolas!" - she exclaimed, throwing her little arms around his neck. Legolas enveloped her in his arms and stood up quickly, twirling the girl in the air. - "My girl! - he said cheerfully - "How was the trip? I barely saw you as we were coming."
"It was ok?" - she answered simply, putting her tiny, gloved hands over his cheeks.
"Are you tired?" - Legolas asked, now seemingly oblivious to everything around him
"No; well, maybe just a little bit" - she said with her cute little voice.
"Good!" - he said, finally putting her back on her feet, and snapping out of his obliviousness to the council.
"This is Níniel" - he began, placing a protective hand over the girl's head - "She is a member of the Harbektuh clan"
The looks of surprise in the room where immediate, as the Harbektuhs where known to be the most fierce and bloodthirsty warriors of the south.
"Yes, honorable Counselors, this sweet, innocent and polite girl is a Harbektuh" - Legolas added vehemently.
Once again, the room was filled with hushed whispers, for they could not believe that such a lovely creature could belong to such dreaded people.
"As you can see" - Legolas continued - "Not all Harbektuhs are fierce and deadly. Halbarad and I found Níniel as we were just initiating our journey southbound, little less than a month ago, and during a terrible hailstorm."
"She was near frozen, buried underneath the snow and ice, along with her entire family, but they didn't have the same luck as she, for they had died long before we found her. What I want you to understand, and heed me here, is the reason why she outlived the rest of her family."
"As we learned from the site and her later narrations, her family was traveling during such a terrible storm because they were starving in their village, and so her father decided to take the chance of going out into de open to seek for prey or any kind of sustenance. They traveled for three days, under the snow and hail, but they could not find anything to eat; and on the third night, beaten by cold and hunger, they stopped under a leafless oak, to wait for their own demise. It was there where we found her, covered with five bearskins, and surrounded by the lifeless bodies of her father, her mother and two older brothers, who could not survive the night."
"She did; she survived because the rest of her family was willing to sacrifice their own lives for her sake. Finding themselves hopeless, they decided to give her the only thing that protected them from the freezing cold, they covered her with all of their skins. And then, hoping to keep her from the cold, hoping to keep her alive, hoping to provide her with the chance to survive, they covered her with their own bodies, warming her with their own body heat; until death allowed it no more."
"Such scene we found, honorable board, such happening we had to behold in shock. But what really amazed me, what still draws tears out of my eyes, is that as I pulled the bodies aside to rescue her, I saw a glimpse of the father's arms, and I saw this" - Legolas said, pulling up his sleeve to reveal the tattoos he had received during the war, and showing them to all the counselors.
"He had these same symbols, that distinguish the Harbektuh's most fierce warriors. He was a warrior, a merciless, brutal, bloodthirsty warrior, as you have labeled them; and yet he was willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of his little girl"
The faces of the counselors revealed the magnitude of their shock, but Legolas did not stop there, he continued, vehemently defending his position.
"Níniel was near dead when we found her; but we rescued her, and helped her to survive. As she regained her strength, we had to deal with her temper and roughness; she was feral and even dangerous to be around. But what could we expect? She had been at her infantile age through a hell of cold and hunger, and had to see her entire family die. Any living creature under such terrible anguish would have behaved as she did."
"But we did not give up on her, we provided her with food and warmth until she was in good health; and then, through love and care we won her heart and she...., she rewarded us by loving us back." - Legolas' voice broke and he kneeled to hold the little girl who had saved him from his sorrow.
Halbarad took a step forward and addressed the council with his raspy voice - "If you would allow me to add to what the general said. I'll tell you that I was as battered as he was, for I had lost my desire to live due to the burden of my sins and the darkness in my heart. But I thank Eru for putting Niniel in my way, for now I have the chance to redeem myself, and I hold to it with all my life. I now live to protect her; she is the light of my life, and the reason of my existence; and I am her daddy, for she calls me daddy, and every time that tiny word comes out of her mouth, it fills my heart of warm light, scaring away the ghouls that haunted me."
Legolas stood up, wiping a tear from his face, and continued his speech - "Thank you, Halbarad."
"As you can see, members of the council, she is not wild anymore, she is courteous and caring. We taught her common language, and she learned it well amazingly fast, along with manners. In fact, she has been wanting to meet the King of Gondor ever since I told her about him, and so she brings a tribute she would like to present you, King Eldarion. Do you concede?" - he asked, looking at the young king.
Eldarion nodded - "But off course, it will be my honor to accept your tribute" - he said, looking at the girl with a soft smile.
No encouragement was necessary for Niniel to approach the royal seat, for she was more that eager to meet the King her uncle Legolas had talked about so much. Some of the counselors looked at the King with apprehension, fearing ridiculously for the monarch's safety. Upon seeing this, Legolas raised his voice, more than annoyed by their foolishness.
"Don't expect her to draw out a knife to murder the King, counselors" - he said, showing his irritation - "She couldn't handle or grip one, even if she wanted to; for she lost most of her fingers to frostbite."
The counselors lowered their heads, suddenly finding the floor fascinating, they didn't know of the girl's condition, for her hands were gloved, but they couldn't help but to feel ashamed for their own foolish mistrust.
Niniel stood solemnly in front of the King's seat, and not without difficulty, she produced a small leather pouch from her coat. Using both hands, she handed it to a very curious and touched Eldarion, who delicately took it from her hands and opened the pouch, revealing a very red and shining small pebble. - "I found it at the beach of Belfalas" - Niniel said softly - "I had to fight with a crab that wanted it for itself, but I won cause I wanted to bring you a gift so much" - she concluded, giving Eldarion a warm, open smile. Eldarion clutched the pebble, moved by her story, even though he didn't know what a crab was - "I will keep it forever" - he promised, and leaned to kiss the little girl's forehead.
Then Niniel looked sideways, to where Arwen was seated, looking at her with tears shinning in her eyes; as the Queen was, much like everyone else, deeply touched by the girl. Niniel's eyes widened and a little gasp escaped her - "You are the Queen, the Undomiel" - she said, articulating Arwen's elven name flawlessly.
More than surprised by the girl's recognition, Arwen extended her arm to her, motioning her to approach. - "I take you have heard of me too" - she said, pulling the girl onto her lap.
"Off course" - said Niniel - "Uncle Legolas speaks of you every day"
"Really? Isn't that interesting" - Arwen said, careful not to look at Legolas who stood in the middle of the room, trying his best to conceal his awkwardness, for Niniel was speaking a little bit too much.
"And what did he say about me?" - Arwen asked, pulling back a strand of black hair from Niniel's forehead.
"He said you were beautiful; brighter than dawn over the ocean, and the loveliest of all stars in a summer night over Lasgalen. But he is a fool." - the girl said, without pausing for breath.
"A fool?" - Arwen asked, curious about the girl's affirmation.
"Yes, he said so himself" - Niniel continued - "He said he had no words to describe your beauty, and that he was a fool for trying to do so, for no words could even come close to the splendor that you hold. And now that I have seen you, I know he was right; he is a fool"
The laughs from the counselors filled the room, adding a brighter red shade to Legolas' face. He couldn't believe Niniel had said that, especially because she had used his exact same words. He cleared his throat and called for the mischievous girl - "Niniel, come over here, I believe you have said enough, and we have a council to close" - he said, provoking more sniggers from the amused counselors.
The girl leaped from Arwen's lap, and started to make her way towards her embarrassed uncle, but was stopped by Legolas himself - "Wait!" - he said - "First, give the Lady a kiss in behalf of me, and thank her for her kindness."
Arwen lifted her gaze, stunned by Legolas' request, and her eyes fixed in his; but he looked away, unwilling to reveal his feelings. Then, she snapped out of her enthrallment with him as Niniel turned around to give her the kiss, and she had to lean down to receive it. Niniel not only kissed the Queen's cheek, she also wrapped her tiny arms around Arwen's neck, while whispering in her ear. - "He told me to give you a kiss from him, but I'm sure he would have wanted to give you a hug too." - Arwen held the girl closely, amazed at the immense warmth she emanated, and deeply comforted by her embrace. To her deep surprise, holding the little girl was indeed as if holding Legolas.
Then, the girl stepped back and bowed down - "Thank you for your kindness, Milady." - she said and turned around to run to her uncle.
"Good girl!" - Legolas said, while Niniel hugged his legs effusively, then, he took the girl's face between his hands and spoke to her - "Now go with your daddy, you need to rest. I'll see you later, alright?"
Niniel nodded and walked towards Halbarad, who took her hand and went out the door while the girl chattered endlessly, telling him about the King and Queen.
Fond smiles were directed to her from the counselors as she abandoned the room, for she had managed to conquer their hearts with her simplicity and warmth. Most of them had daughters and granddaughters, and so their hearts were by then softened by the girl.
But the tender moment was quickly interrupted by Legolas' loud voice - "Counselors! If I could have your attention again, we have a council to close."
The counselors cleared their throats and adopted the same dignified and aloof stance they had before, willing to continue with the discussion.
Then Legolas proceeded - "I have just one more question to ask you before I am done; then, it will be in your hands to make the right decision."
Ominous silence took place and Legolas asked his question
"Now that you have seen the other side of reality; now that you have seen with your own eyes that the southern people are not at all different from you, that is just that they have suffered way more than you have; now that you know that they can change, that it doesn't take violence, or aggression, or disdain to make them good. That it only takes love and care to make them our friends, our equals, our brothers." - He paused, allowing the words to settle in the minds of the nobles.
"Knowing all this, I ask you. Would you let them die? Would you deny them the chance to live, to be productive, full and happy people? Would you let Niniel down? For I promised her that Gondor would help her people, and she trusts in me, and in you; please don't force me to shatter her illusions...."
"Thank you, this is all I have to say" - he concluded and went to sit next to Arkahn.
The faces of all the members of the council went pale and the room was overwhelmed by silence. Nobody whispered this time, they had nothing to say, nothing to discuss. They were argument-less; stripped from reasons to argue or even discuss the matter any further. Now they were faced with a moral challenge, and the image of Niniel's cute little face filled with hope was the most terrible confrontation they ever had to bear.
The first one to react was Eldarion, who stood from his chair and walked solemnly and resolute towards Arkahn's seat, and extended his hand to the old man, who shook it with a pleased smile on his wrinkled face. Then, the King set the example, and scribbled his signature on the covenant scroll.
One by one, the counselors stood up from the comfort of their lofty chairs, convinced and determined to do what was right, until the entire White Council was crowded around Arkahn, eager to let show their agreement.
And so it happened, that the covenant was settled and signed by every member of the council, including Phargron who finally understood and laid down all of his prejudgments. On that day kindness and compassion conquered over egoism and mistrust; and much profit came from it from that day and on, to both Gondor and the new Southern Nation.
Satisfied by the outcome of the council, Eldarion embraced Legolas in a gesture of triumph - "My friend, you have done it again!"
"I only allowed them to see the truth" - Legolas replied, while looking intently at the back entrance of the room.
Arwen was tiptoeing out of the council room, availing the momentary chaos caused by the signing of the covenant to sneak out without being noticed. But he had seen her, and she felt his eyes on her as she was leaving. Forcing herself to ignore his attentiveness, she made her way out, without looking at him, and breathed in relieved as she came out of his sight.
She leaned against the wooden wall of the hall, finally letting her feelings afloat. She was more confused about what to believe or to feel than ever, but one thing she knew and was clear to her, that after looking at him, back in his entire splendor, hearing his heartfelt speech, and learning about his amazing deeds, she loved him more than ever.
...............
WOW!
Huge Chapter!
You are probably wondering. WHERE IS THE ROMANCE????
I know, I know, I failed my word; I once again neglected romance in yet another chapter. I guess I got a little bit carried away by the whole political discussion, and it took me more than what I'd planned.
Sorry if it was too boring.
But next chapter will be it, my friends. Romance, angst (yep, you read well, there will be angst), and all the stuff you love. This time, I promise; no more preamble.
Blessings to you all, and Merry Christmas!
Elwe.