THE GRIFFON'S TEARS
Chapter 8 ~ "Out of Ithilien"
"And just where do the three of you think you are going at this hour of the night?"
"FATHER!" Legolas hissed between his teeth. Unable to admit that King Thranduil had probably frightened two or three centuries off of his lifespan, Legolas settled for giving his father a furious scowl as he tried to slow his pounding heart.
No one . . . no one could sneak up on him like his father could.
Behind him, Alede let out a shaky breath. Obviously she had been as startled as Legolas was. Gimli however had still not lowered his axe.
"I did not realize you were coming to see us off, Father," Legolas said, surreptitiously pushing Gimli's axe down.
"If my appearance surprised you, then you will be no match for this Angmar witch. She appears to be equally full of surprises."
"We will be ready for her," Legolas assured him, trying to sound more confident than he felt.
"I hope that is so. And since you are so determined to go ahead with this foolish plan of yours, I intend to go with you to see that it succeeds," Thranduil said sternly. The hilt of his jeweled sword was visible even in the dim light.
Alede and Gimli gave each other alarmed looks.
"Nay, Father, please stay here! Stay and protect my people. They have suffered enough as it is."
"If you wished for me to stay then you should have asked earlier, instead of sneaking off in the middle of the night like an arrant child," Thranduil scolded.
Legolas could think of no reply. His wish for 'sneaking off' had been to avoid the argument which they were currently having. Thranduil still had the ability to make him feel like a naughty child, even after all these years. He did not wish for the King to journey with them, but could think of no legitimate argument to stop him.
Hearing Legolas' uncertainty in his song, Alede jumped into the conversation. "I can easily conceal the three of us from her scrying magic, but I could never conceal an Elf King. Your own power is much too great . . ."
"Do not patronize me, girl!" Thranduil shouted and all three of the adventurers cringed. If their absence had not been noted before, it would be now.
"I do not mean to patronize you," Alede said earnestly. "It is quite true that I would have a difficult time shielding you from her. But there is more to it than that." She paused, looking uncomfortable. "My father will try to follow us once he has figured out where we are going."
"A natural impulse for a parent when their child goes off on a ridiculous tangent," Thranduil observed drolly, flicking disapproving eyes over his son.
"Yes, of course," Alede agreed. "But he must not. My father is a kind and gentle man. But he is not like you . . ."
"Meaning that I am neither kind nor gentle."
"That is not what I mean," Alede snapped, "You lectured me once about the errors of assuming what someone means and now you are doing it to me! This is not the time to play games! Now . . ." Alede blustered to a stop. "What was I saying?"
"Your father?" Thranduil prompted. The look on his face indicated that he was torn between impatience and amusement.
"My father . . . yes . . ." Alede cleared her throat. "He has neither your courage nor your shrewdness. He is not capable of this type mission. I love my father," she said softly, "despite his faults. I need you to stop him from following us. No one can do that but you."
Thranduil paused and Legolas could see his father's hesitation.
"Please, Father," he said. "Stay and protect my people. Do this for me. Because I ask it of you."
Still Thranduil hesitated and then quite suddenly his hands went to his belt and he unstrapped the great sword of Oropher. Lifting it up, he handed it to Legolas. The prince paused for the slightest moment before taking it with shaking hands and buckled it around his own waist.
"Very well," Thranduil said and his voice was strangely hoarse. "But I charge each of you with a promise. You," he grasped Legolas' shoulder, "bring down that fortress and the mechanisms of evil within. See that it never troubles Middle Earth again."
Legolas nodded. "You have my word, Father."
Thranduil turned to Gimli, "And you, Master Dwarf, see to it that my son comes back to me unharmed!"
"That I would do anyway," Gimli replied stiffly.
"And you, Daughter," Thranduil said to Alede, "make certain that that witch does not leave Mordor alive."
Alede hesitated. She had not thought about the outcome of her confrontation with the witch. But if the witch had indeed embraced dark magic, there would be no turning her back. Slowly, she nodded her head.
"I promise, Father."
The King bent down and retrieved a tiny jeweled dagger from the top of his boot and held it out to her. Alede took it solemnly and, stepping forward, placed a kiss upon his smooth cheek. "Guard yourself well," she warned the King. "She may turn her powers toward you if she cannot find us."
Thranduil nodded and turning to his son, placed both his hands upon his shoulders and kissed his brow. Then he gave Legolas a bone-crushing embrace.
"Take care, my son."
"And you, Father."
~ ~ ~
"Well, that was lucky!" Gimli said as he brought up the rear. They followed a narrow track up into the foothills, Legolas picked his way easily through the thick growth ahead of them. "I was afraid that King Pain in the Bu . . ." He broke off abruptly as Alede cast an astonished glance over her shoulder at him and Legolas stopped all together.
Alede nearly ran into her betrothed, but Legolas side stepped her and turned to Gimli with his hands upon his hips.
"What were saying, my friend?" he said in an icy tone, one imperious Elvish eyebrow raised. Alede could see the glimmer of humor in his eyes and feel the bubble of laughter in his song. Gimli did indeed look ridiculous as he tried to get the expression on his face under control.
"Uhm . . . nothing . . ."
"He was just saying," Alede interceded with a grin, "that he would like to stop for a moment so that he might put his foot in his mouth."
Gimli scowled at her and Legolas shot her an amused glance.
"I would be happy to help," Legolas offered wryly.
Gimli grumbled something impolite. With a wink at Alede, Legolas turned and took up the lead again. Alede clapped Gimli companionably on the shoulder and followed the Elf.
They continued on until late afternoon when Alede became nervous about her concealing spell. Her fatigue was beginning to erode the spell and Gimli was stumbling more and more often with weariness. Legolas led them deep into a pine grove where the sun was blocked by the dark sweet needles.
Gimli swung a small cook pot out of his pack and gave Legolas a questioning glance. He also nodded in Alede's direction, though he said nothing. Legolas had noticed the dark circles under the wizardess's eyes as well and nodded back to the dwarf. She had barely had one nights sleep after her long journey before they had set out again.
"Prevent the fire from smoking," Legolas said quietly.
"I am a dwarf, not an imbecile!" Gimli snorted. "Of course I will keep it from smoking."
Legolas chuckled at Gimli's querulous tone. Patting him on the shoulder, he walked past him.
"I will be back soon," he said to Alede. "Take some rest while I hunt. You look weary."
She shook her head. "I am well. Do not be concerned."
"I will always be concerned," he said. "We should have waited. I was a fool to drag you out so soon. You have not yet recovered from your journey. I am sorry, Alede."
"Legolas," Alede began, giving him a patient look. "You did not 'drag' me anywhere. Our quest is an urgent one. I am not some delicate flower that will wilt in the noonday sun. I am tired, that is all. Some food and some sleep will cure it. If we had waited, we would set out with both our fathers in tow, something that I'm sure neither of us wanted."
Legolas gave her a rueful smile. "Nay, the arguing alone would have alerted the witch to our presence."
Alede grinned and gave him a quick kiss. Legolas raised his eyebrows seductively at her. "Tis a shame we will have company tonight." And with those words he melted into the dense forest, leaving Alede feeling weaker kneed than the journey had.
~ ~ ~
Legolas slid out of the shadows of the forest and into the meadow, moving so quietly and slowly that the fat rabbit dozing in the sun never even knew what happened. Thranduil had taught Legolas to kill cleanly, a lesson he had never forgotten. *
"Do not risk the shot, if you are not certain it will kill instantly," Thranduil had said. "If we must take a life, at least let it be so quick that the animal does not suffer."
Legolas picked up the rabbit and said a quick prayer of thanks to Ilúvatar for the meat that it gave them. That was the second part of hunting that his father had taught him. **
Melting back into the woods, he knelt beneath a tree and skinned and gutted the rabbit. He instinctively knew that the sight of it would bother Alede. He had also seen an aged owl in the tree that he knew would be grateful for the leftovers.
After climbing up and depositing the skin and entrails in front of the ancient bird, Legolas made his way back to their small camp.
True to his word, Gimli had built a hot fire that barely smoked. Legolas could smell it as he approached, but could not see it. Alede might have something to do with that too, he realized. He paused before entering the circle of trees, listening to Alede's voice. Every word gave him pleasure now that she was here and not just a whisper in his mind.
"So if Hobbit Stew does not have Hobbits in it," Alede was saying to Gimli as Legolas approached, "how did it get its name?"
"Well, when Frodo and . . ." Gimli began.
"Frodo? You mean the ring bearer?"
Legolas grinned at the eager tone in her voice, like a child begging to be told a bedtime story.
"Aye," Gimli answered, "when they came through Ithilien, Sam was so concerned about Frodo losing his strength that he made them a stew of rabbit and wild onion. Legolas and I have always carried on that tradition when we travel, just the two of us, through these hills."
Legolas stepped forward until he could finally see his friends. To his surprise, Gimli had taken his shirt off as he sat before the little fire. Alede was kneeling behind him rubbing the dwarf's shoulder and Legolas caught the strong scent of a liniment. He had not realized that Gimli's shoulder was still troubling him, but obviously Alede had noticed for he knew the Dwarf would never mention it.
Feeling like a selfish tyrant for dragging his two best friends off on this quest before they were truly ready, Legolas stepped into the circle of trees.
"I wonder what Elf Stew would consist of?" Alede mused, not yet seeing her betrothed.
Gimli gave a short bark of laughter. "I know not. But I am certain that it would taste very bad."
They both laughed and at the same time, looked up to see Legolas staring down at them with a mock frown.
Alede immediately tried to stifle her laughter, but Legolas could feel it bubbling through her song. Shaking his head in wry amusement, he walked over and added the rabbit to the simmering stew pot. It mattered not one bit that Alede and Gimli might find amusement at his expense. To see them talking together as comfortably as brother and sister made his heart sing.
~ ~ ~
"What exactly is our plan?" Alede asked after they had finished off the very excellent stew.
"Plan?" Gimli asked with surprise, raising his busy eyebrows.
"You mean we do not have a plan?" Alede asked, astonished.
"Of course we do," Legolas answered, trying to keep his handsome face straight. Alede had much to learn about Gimli's teasing. "Since the griffon is obviously the source of the witch's greatest power, we must free the poor beast first."
"I think that is a job left best to you two," Alede said. "I will go after the witch. I do not want either of you near when I confront her."
Legolas shook his head. "We had best stay together."
Alede was adamant. "You saw how that vortex turned and went after you," she reminded Legolas. "She will do the same again, using the two of you to distract me. It will be best if she thinks I came alone."
Legolas hated to admit it, but there was sense in her words. He could not combat a witch. He might be able to push aside her magic as he had when his kingdom was threatened. But that had been an instinctive impulse to keep his people safe. He was not sure if he could do it to save his own life.
"What will you do?" he finally asked.
Alede looked at the ground uncomfortably. "I do not know. Your father charged me with . . . killing her." She looked up at him, her eyes like emeralds in the firelight. "I do not think that I can. I will try to turn her instead."
"And if that does not work?" he asked quietly.
"I will improvise," she said with a helpless shrug. "How will you and Gimli bring down Barad-Dûr?"
Legolas glanced at his silent friend, meeting the dwarf's coal black eyes over the flames of the fire. "We will improvise."
~ ~ ~
"Wake up little elf," the griffon said as softly as he could. But he was unprepared when the she-Elf to leapt to her feet.
"Sssteady," he hissed quietly, cupping his great wings about her. "You are sssafe for the moment."
She shuddered and looked around her, peering out from under the mat of her filthy hair.
"I will protect you asss much asss I can," the griffon assured her. "But you mussst help me essscape. Then I will take you withhh me."
The she-Elf cowered down upon the cold floor again hardly daring to look up at him. She met his eyes for only a moment, but that was enough time for the griffon to see a flash of yearning, a glimmer of hope. He knew that in the tortures inflicted by the Orcs the hope of freedom must have been given and taken away from her many times. For the little she-Elf to have survived that and still retained the ability to hope was a testament to her inner strength.
Sauron had not broken this one, though he had come close.
"What isss your name, little Elf?"
The she-Elf drew her knees up under her chin, wrapping her arms around her skinny legs. For a moment he thought she would not answer or perhaps she could not answer. But then a tiny dry voice reached his ears.
"Romiël."
There was a pause while the cold wind whistled through the tower.
"I came from the North . . . from the Gray Mountains."
The griffon waited silently, patiently, knowing that it must be painful for her to speak, to even think. After the torture she had endured for so many centuries, he was amazed that she could even form coherent sentences. The First Born had much stronger spirits than anyone could imagine. But he would not push her too quickly. If speaking of her past helped to ease her soul a little, he would hear her out. But then he must persuade her to try and free him.
"My people were traveling to the Havens . . ." her voice fell to a whisper, as if the word were too precious to speak. "I . . ."
But her story was interrupted when the tower door banged open and Zarraweth stormed through it.
"Time for more magic!" she crowed, shoving four Orcs in front of her. They approached the griffon warily. He hissed at them, spreading his great wings over the Elf to protect her.
Zarraweth laughed, an ugly malicious sound. "Ah, is that not sweet? My pet has a pet!" She laughed again. "Seize the Elf!"
The Orcs rushed forward, brandishing spears. With a flick of his great beak, the griffon sent one of the Orcs and his spear careening over the edge of the battlement.
"Beast!" Zarraweth hissed, throwing a holding spell at him. The griffon tried to deflect it, but the wizard within him had become submerged within the consciousness of the magical beast that he had become. He could no longer wield Maia magic. But neither did he submit to magic anymore. It sizzled and slid about his feathers but could find no purchase.
"I am a creature of magic, Zzzarawethhh. You can not bessspell me asss you onccce could."
"Fool!" Zarraweth screamed and this time she threw a flaming spell. It did find purchase and the griffon reared up screaming as his feathers burned. As he writhed in agony one of the Orcs darted in and grabbed the she-Elf out of his protective shadow. Romiël cried out piteously and the griffon shrieked and cursed them, finally turning away in abhorrence as they inflicted their cruelty on her.
"Take your tearsss and be done with her," the griffon snarled at Zarraweth. The witch gleefully levitated two large drops from the griffon's wet face and his feathers stopped smoldering.
"I thank you, my pet," she said with smug malice. "Now, kill the elf," she told the Orcs. "He is growing too attached to it. It could be a problem."
The griffon strained against his bonds, screaming and tearing at the stone beneath his feet, but he could not break the collar.
But his earlier kindness had not gone in vain. The she-Elf, though almost broken from her centuries of imprisonment, had tasted hope once again from the griffon's generosity. While the Orc who held her looked up at the screaming beast, she yanked the cruel knife from his hand and sliced his arm with it. The Orc yelped and lost his grip on her for a moment.
But a moment was all she needed to scuttle under the protective bulk of the griffon, hiding the knife beneath her ragged clothing as she did so.
The griffon lashed out again, killing another of the Orcs. The remaining one fled past Zarraweth.
"Come back here, you filth!" the witch screamed. But as she had her back to the griffon, he hurled a fallen spear at her. It glanced off of her shoulder, throwing Zarraweth to the ground.
She staggered to her feet, staring up at him openmouthed. The manacles obviously had lost all their power on him and she realized as she looked up at the cruel avian face that she would have to kill this creature before it killed her.
Stumbling down the steps, Zarraweth felt as if her perfectly planned world was coming apart.
~ ~ ~
As the tower door banged shut, the griffon spat in the direction of the witch, cursing his poor aim. He would kill that woman eventually! Maybe not today, but soon, he promised himself that.
Settling his wings down, he crouched over the shaking form beneath him. Once again his tears poured over her, bathing her wounds. If the witch could see the wealth of tears he wasted on the Elf, she would weep herself.
"You are very brave, little Romiël. Ressst now and recover your ssstrength."
Romiël sank down onto the cold floor, shivering in her misery, but the knife was still inside of her clothing. It was a good strong blade. Strong enough to score the soft gold on the griffon's manacles and perhaps strong enough to pick the lock on the iron collar. But she could not attempt it now. She would need time to rest . . . to heal. Beneath the griffon's ministrations, she slid into unconsciousness.
~ ~ ~
Legolas lay awake watching the stars turn overhead. Alede lay in his arms with her head pillowed on his shoulder. Gimli snored on the other side of him. Though the night was cold, he had had some difficulty convincing Alede to share his bedroll with Gimli so near.
The dwarf had thought nothing of it, even pointing out to Alede that he and Legolas had slept back to back a few times to keep from freezing. Only then had she sunk gratefully into Legolas' warmth, but not before enquiring if Gimli was warm enough.
Since he was aware of every inch of her pressed to his side and every breath, Legolas knew immediately when she started dreaming. She twitched slightly and mumbled something. The notes of her song, which were barely audible when she was sleeping became jumbled and confused.
Legolas 'listened' at first with amusement at the chaos of her song, but then with growing concern. The dream seemed to be taking on nightmarish proportions.
Alede moved against him and cried out softly in her sleep.
"Alede?" he whispered. "Melui? Wake up. It is only a dream." He clasped the small hand that lay across his chest. "Alede?"
The notes of her song took on an alarming tone. Fear assailed him through their connection and Legolas sat up abruptly, bringing Alede up with him.
"Melui, wake up! It is only a dream."
Alede writhed and whimpered but her eyes remained shut and she was completely unresponsive.
"Alede!" He was shaking her now and Gimli stirred in his bedroll.
"What is wrong?" the dwarf mumbled.
"I cannot wake her," Legolas said, hearing the desperation in his own voice. "Help me, Gimli! I cannot wake her!"
The dwarf sprang to his feet. He had never heard quite that tone from his friend before. But despite all their efforts, they could not wake her.
Far away in a dark tower a witch laughed over a bowl of tears.
~ ~ ~
A/N: Now what is Zarraweth up to??? Chapter 9 coming soon! :D
Angaloth asked a very good question. She wondered if Alede would eventually age like Radagast has. I'm going to say 'no' simply because I don't want her to. (Author's prerogative lol!) But I think Tolkien said that the Maiar were sent to Middle Earth in the form of "old wizened men". I took that to mean that they have always looked old since the Valar sent them there. (If there are any Tolkien purists out there, feel free to correct me.) Alede was born in Middle Earth and is ¼ Elvin, so I'm going to have her retain her youthful looks just as the Elves do.
* I hope this does not offend anyone. I'm a vegetarian, so the idea of Elves hunting seems wrong to me and totally out of character. But Tolkien mentions them hunting a white stag in "The Hobbit". I'm sure tofu was never on the menu in those days! :D So even though I could never eat a rabbit, I'm assuming Legolas would not give it a second thought.
** OK, if Elves do eat meat, I've decided that they probably follow the Native American custom of giving thanks to the Great Spirit or to the animal for giving its life. There! Now, I feel better! lol
*** Original Character List ***
Alede the Green - Witch, healer and wizard. She is daughter of Radagast the Brown. After the death of her mother, she was raised in Rivendell for a while and learned healing skills from Elrond. She also developed a terrible crush on Elrohir, which he has gently teased her about for centuries. She also spent some time learning the wizarding craft at Orthanc under the tutelage of Saruman. Because she felt her healer's calling was more important, and because she considered herself a poor wizardess, Alede never completed her training at Orthanc.
Cyrus the Blue - The forth Maia to be sent to Middle Earth and friend to Radagast the Brown
Lomomir - Brother to King Thranduil of Mirkwood and a healer. He has spent the last many years in Rivendell studying with Alede and reading from Elrond's many books and journals.
Maladok the Red - The fifth Maia sent to Middle Earth. After a disastrous encounter with Saruman, Maladok has become a bit of a "black sheep" in the wizarding world.
Zarraweth - A young human witch with more plans and beauty than is good for her.
Malina - A healer and witch of the Angmar Mountains. She was married to Radagast the Brown and was Alede's mother. She was killed by a mob of religious fanatics who thought her witchcraft had brought plague to a village when instead she had been trying to cure it. Alede was only sixteen when Malina was killed.
Mändel - Legolas' steward. He originally served under Thranduil in Mirkwood in a lesser position.
Galomir - Ithilien's healer.
Girwyn - A general in Legolas' army. He is in charge of Ithilien's security.
Nimhith - A she-Elf of Eryn Culhallas, assigned by Legolas to be Alede's lady's maid.
Romiël - A she-Elf captured 700 years ago by Sauron as her people were making their way to the Gray Havens.
Chapter 8 ~ "Out of Ithilien"
"And just where do the three of you think you are going at this hour of the night?"
"FATHER!" Legolas hissed between his teeth. Unable to admit that King Thranduil had probably frightened two or three centuries off of his lifespan, Legolas settled for giving his father a furious scowl as he tried to slow his pounding heart.
No one . . . no one could sneak up on him like his father could.
Behind him, Alede let out a shaky breath. Obviously she had been as startled as Legolas was. Gimli however had still not lowered his axe.
"I did not realize you were coming to see us off, Father," Legolas said, surreptitiously pushing Gimli's axe down.
"If my appearance surprised you, then you will be no match for this Angmar witch. She appears to be equally full of surprises."
"We will be ready for her," Legolas assured him, trying to sound more confident than he felt.
"I hope that is so. And since you are so determined to go ahead with this foolish plan of yours, I intend to go with you to see that it succeeds," Thranduil said sternly. The hilt of his jeweled sword was visible even in the dim light.
Alede and Gimli gave each other alarmed looks.
"Nay, Father, please stay here! Stay and protect my people. They have suffered enough as it is."
"If you wished for me to stay then you should have asked earlier, instead of sneaking off in the middle of the night like an arrant child," Thranduil scolded.
Legolas could think of no reply. His wish for 'sneaking off' had been to avoid the argument which they were currently having. Thranduil still had the ability to make him feel like a naughty child, even after all these years. He did not wish for the King to journey with them, but could think of no legitimate argument to stop him.
Hearing Legolas' uncertainty in his song, Alede jumped into the conversation. "I can easily conceal the three of us from her scrying magic, but I could never conceal an Elf King. Your own power is much too great . . ."
"Do not patronize me, girl!" Thranduil shouted and all three of the adventurers cringed. If their absence had not been noted before, it would be now.
"I do not mean to patronize you," Alede said earnestly. "It is quite true that I would have a difficult time shielding you from her. But there is more to it than that." She paused, looking uncomfortable. "My father will try to follow us once he has figured out where we are going."
"A natural impulse for a parent when their child goes off on a ridiculous tangent," Thranduil observed drolly, flicking disapproving eyes over his son.
"Yes, of course," Alede agreed. "But he must not. My father is a kind and gentle man. But he is not like you . . ."
"Meaning that I am neither kind nor gentle."
"That is not what I mean," Alede snapped, "You lectured me once about the errors of assuming what someone means and now you are doing it to me! This is not the time to play games! Now . . ." Alede blustered to a stop. "What was I saying?"
"Your father?" Thranduil prompted. The look on his face indicated that he was torn between impatience and amusement.
"My father . . . yes . . ." Alede cleared her throat. "He has neither your courage nor your shrewdness. He is not capable of this type mission. I love my father," she said softly, "despite his faults. I need you to stop him from following us. No one can do that but you."
Thranduil paused and Legolas could see his father's hesitation.
"Please, Father," he said. "Stay and protect my people. Do this for me. Because I ask it of you."
Still Thranduil hesitated and then quite suddenly his hands went to his belt and he unstrapped the great sword of Oropher. Lifting it up, he handed it to Legolas. The prince paused for the slightest moment before taking it with shaking hands and buckled it around his own waist.
"Very well," Thranduil said and his voice was strangely hoarse. "But I charge each of you with a promise. You," he grasped Legolas' shoulder, "bring down that fortress and the mechanisms of evil within. See that it never troubles Middle Earth again."
Legolas nodded. "You have my word, Father."
Thranduil turned to Gimli, "And you, Master Dwarf, see to it that my son comes back to me unharmed!"
"That I would do anyway," Gimli replied stiffly.
"And you, Daughter," Thranduil said to Alede, "make certain that that witch does not leave Mordor alive."
Alede hesitated. She had not thought about the outcome of her confrontation with the witch. But if the witch had indeed embraced dark magic, there would be no turning her back. Slowly, she nodded her head.
"I promise, Father."
The King bent down and retrieved a tiny jeweled dagger from the top of his boot and held it out to her. Alede took it solemnly and, stepping forward, placed a kiss upon his smooth cheek. "Guard yourself well," she warned the King. "She may turn her powers toward you if she cannot find us."
Thranduil nodded and turning to his son, placed both his hands upon his shoulders and kissed his brow. Then he gave Legolas a bone-crushing embrace.
"Take care, my son."
"And you, Father."
~ ~ ~
"Well, that was lucky!" Gimli said as he brought up the rear. They followed a narrow track up into the foothills, Legolas picked his way easily through the thick growth ahead of them. "I was afraid that King Pain in the Bu . . ." He broke off abruptly as Alede cast an astonished glance over her shoulder at him and Legolas stopped all together.
Alede nearly ran into her betrothed, but Legolas side stepped her and turned to Gimli with his hands upon his hips.
"What were saying, my friend?" he said in an icy tone, one imperious Elvish eyebrow raised. Alede could see the glimmer of humor in his eyes and feel the bubble of laughter in his song. Gimli did indeed look ridiculous as he tried to get the expression on his face under control.
"Uhm . . . nothing . . ."
"He was just saying," Alede interceded with a grin, "that he would like to stop for a moment so that he might put his foot in his mouth."
Gimli scowled at her and Legolas shot her an amused glance.
"I would be happy to help," Legolas offered wryly.
Gimli grumbled something impolite. With a wink at Alede, Legolas turned and took up the lead again. Alede clapped Gimli companionably on the shoulder and followed the Elf.
They continued on until late afternoon when Alede became nervous about her concealing spell. Her fatigue was beginning to erode the spell and Gimli was stumbling more and more often with weariness. Legolas led them deep into a pine grove where the sun was blocked by the dark sweet needles.
Gimli swung a small cook pot out of his pack and gave Legolas a questioning glance. He also nodded in Alede's direction, though he said nothing. Legolas had noticed the dark circles under the wizardess's eyes as well and nodded back to the dwarf. She had barely had one nights sleep after her long journey before they had set out again.
"Prevent the fire from smoking," Legolas said quietly.
"I am a dwarf, not an imbecile!" Gimli snorted. "Of course I will keep it from smoking."
Legolas chuckled at Gimli's querulous tone. Patting him on the shoulder, he walked past him.
"I will be back soon," he said to Alede. "Take some rest while I hunt. You look weary."
She shook her head. "I am well. Do not be concerned."
"I will always be concerned," he said. "We should have waited. I was a fool to drag you out so soon. You have not yet recovered from your journey. I am sorry, Alede."
"Legolas," Alede began, giving him a patient look. "You did not 'drag' me anywhere. Our quest is an urgent one. I am not some delicate flower that will wilt in the noonday sun. I am tired, that is all. Some food and some sleep will cure it. If we had waited, we would set out with both our fathers in tow, something that I'm sure neither of us wanted."
Legolas gave her a rueful smile. "Nay, the arguing alone would have alerted the witch to our presence."
Alede grinned and gave him a quick kiss. Legolas raised his eyebrows seductively at her. "Tis a shame we will have company tonight." And with those words he melted into the dense forest, leaving Alede feeling weaker kneed than the journey had.
~ ~ ~
Legolas slid out of the shadows of the forest and into the meadow, moving so quietly and slowly that the fat rabbit dozing in the sun never even knew what happened. Thranduil had taught Legolas to kill cleanly, a lesson he had never forgotten. *
"Do not risk the shot, if you are not certain it will kill instantly," Thranduil had said. "If we must take a life, at least let it be so quick that the animal does not suffer."
Legolas picked up the rabbit and said a quick prayer of thanks to Ilúvatar for the meat that it gave them. That was the second part of hunting that his father had taught him. **
Melting back into the woods, he knelt beneath a tree and skinned and gutted the rabbit. He instinctively knew that the sight of it would bother Alede. He had also seen an aged owl in the tree that he knew would be grateful for the leftovers.
After climbing up and depositing the skin and entrails in front of the ancient bird, Legolas made his way back to their small camp.
True to his word, Gimli had built a hot fire that barely smoked. Legolas could smell it as he approached, but could not see it. Alede might have something to do with that too, he realized. He paused before entering the circle of trees, listening to Alede's voice. Every word gave him pleasure now that she was here and not just a whisper in his mind.
"So if Hobbit Stew does not have Hobbits in it," Alede was saying to Gimli as Legolas approached, "how did it get its name?"
"Well, when Frodo and . . ." Gimli began.
"Frodo? You mean the ring bearer?"
Legolas grinned at the eager tone in her voice, like a child begging to be told a bedtime story.
"Aye," Gimli answered, "when they came through Ithilien, Sam was so concerned about Frodo losing his strength that he made them a stew of rabbit and wild onion. Legolas and I have always carried on that tradition when we travel, just the two of us, through these hills."
Legolas stepped forward until he could finally see his friends. To his surprise, Gimli had taken his shirt off as he sat before the little fire. Alede was kneeling behind him rubbing the dwarf's shoulder and Legolas caught the strong scent of a liniment. He had not realized that Gimli's shoulder was still troubling him, but obviously Alede had noticed for he knew the Dwarf would never mention it.
Feeling like a selfish tyrant for dragging his two best friends off on this quest before they were truly ready, Legolas stepped into the circle of trees.
"I wonder what Elf Stew would consist of?" Alede mused, not yet seeing her betrothed.
Gimli gave a short bark of laughter. "I know not. But I am certain that it would taste very bad."
They both laughed and at the same time, looked up to see Legolas staring down at them with a mock frown.
Alede immediately tried to stifle her laughter, but Legolas could feel it bubbling through her song. Shaking his head in wry amusement, he walked over and added the rabbit to the simmering stew pot. It mattered not one bit that Alede and Gimli might find amusement at his expense. To see them talking together as comfortably as brother and sister made his heart sing.
~ ~ ~
"What exactly is our plan?" Alede asked after they had finished off the very excellent stew.
"Plan?" Gimli asked with surprise, raising his busy eyebrows.
"You mean we do not have a plan?" Alede asked, astonished.
"Of course we do," Legolas answered, trying to keep his handsome face straight. Alede had much to learn about Gimli's teasing. "Since the griffon is obviously the source of the witch's greatest power, we must free the poor beast first."
"I think that is a job left best to you two," Alede said. "I will go after the witch. I do not want either of you near when I confront her."
Legolas shook his head. "We had best stay together."
Alede was adamant. "You saw how that vortex turned and went after you," she reminded Legolas. "She will do the same again, using the two of you to distract me. It will be best if she thinks I came alone."
Legolas hated to admit it, but there was sense in her words. He could not combat a witch. He might be able to push aside her magic as he had when his kingdom was threatened. But that had been an instinctive impulse to keep his people safe. He was not sure if he could do it to save his own life.
"What will you do?" he finally asked.
Alede looked at the ground uncomfortably. "I do not know. Your father charged me with . . . killing her." She looked up at him, her eyes like emeralds in the firelight. "I do not think that I can. I will try to turn her instead."
"And if that does not work?" he asked quietly.
"I will improvise," she said with a helpless shrug. "How will you and Gimli bring down Barad-Dûr?"
Legolas glanced at his silent friend, meeting the dwarf's coal black eyes over the flames of the fire. "We will improvise."
~ ~ ~
"Wake up little elf," the griffon said as softly as he could. But he was unprepared when the she-Elf to leapt to her feet.
"Sssteady," he hissed quietly, cupping his great wings about her. "You are sssafe for the moment."
She shuddered and looked around her, peering out from under the mat of her filthy hair.
"I will protect you asss much asss I can," the griffon assured her. "But you mussst help me essscape. Then I will take you withhh me."
The she-Elf cowered down upon the cold floor again hardly daring to look up at him. She met his eyes for only a moment, but that was enough time for the griffon to see a flash of yearning, a glimmer of hope. He knew that in the tortures inflicted by the Orcs the hope of freedom must have been given and taken away from her many times. For the little she-Elf to have survived that and still retained the ability to hope was a testament to her inner strength.
Sauron had not broken this one, though he had come close.
"What isss your name, little Elf?"
The she-Elf drew her knees up under her chin, wrapping her arms around her skinny legs. For a moment he thought she would not answer or perhaps she could not answer. But then a tiny dry voice reached his ears.
"Romiël."
There was a pause while the cold wind whistled through the tower.
"I came from the North . . . from the Gray Mountains."
The griffon waited silently, patiently, knowing that it must be painful for her to speak, to even think. After the torture she had endured for so many centuries, he was amazed that she could even form coherent sentences. The First Born had much stronger spirits than anyone could imagine. But he would not push her too quickly. If speaking of her past helped to ease her soul a little, he would hear her out. But then he must persuade her to try and free him.
"My people were traveling to the Havens . . ." her voice fell to a whisper, as if the word were too precious to speak. "I . . ."
But her story was interrupted when the tower door banged open and Zarraweth stormed through it.
"Time for more magic!" she crowed, shoving four Orcs in front of her. They approached the griffon warily. He hissed at them, spreading his great wings over the Elf to protect her.
Zarraweth laughed, an ugly malicious sound. "Ah, is that not sweet? My pet has a pet!" She laughed again. "Seize the Elf!"
The Orcs rushed forward, brandishing spears. With a flick of his great beak, the griffon sent one of the Orcs and his spear careening over the edge of the battlement.
"Beast!" Zarraweth hissed, throwing a holding spell at him. The griffon tried to deflect it, but the wizard within him had become submerged within the consciousness of the magical beast that he had become. He could no longer wield Maia magic. But neither did he submit to magic anymore. It sizzled and slid about his feathers but could find no purchase.
"I am a creature of magic, Zzzarawethhh. You can not bessspell me asss you onccce could."
"Fool!" Zarraweth screamed and this time she threw a flaming spell. It did find purchase and the griffon reared up screaming as his feathers burned. As he writhed in agony one of the Orcs darted in and grabbed the she-Elf out of his protective shadow. Romiël cried out piteously and the griffon shrieked and cursed them, finally turning away in abhorrence as they inflicted their cruelty on her.
"Take your tearsss and be done with her," the griffon snarled at Zarraweth. The witch gleefully levitated two large drops from the griffon's wet face and his feathers stopped smoldering.
"I thank you, my pet," she said with smug malice. "Now, kill the elf," she told the Orcs. "He is growing too attached to it. It could be a problem."
The griffon strained against his bonds, screaming and tearing at the stone beneath his feet, but he could not break the collar.
But his earlier kindness had not gone in vain. The she-Elf, though almost broken from her centuries of imprisonment, had tasted hope once again from the griffon's generosity. While the Orc who held her looked up at the screaming beast, she yanked the cruel knife from his hand and sliced his arm with it. The Orc yelped and lost his grip on her for a moment.
But a moment was all she needed to scuttle under the protective bulk of the griffon, hiding the knife beneath her ragged clothing as she did so.
The griffon lashed out again, killing another of the Orcs. The remaining one fled past Zarraweth.
"Come back here, you filth!" the witch screamed. But as she had her back to the griffon, he hurled a fallen spear at her. It glanced off of her shoulder, throwing Zarraweth to the ground.
She staggered to her feet, staring up at him openmouthed. The manacles obviously had lost all their power on him and she realized as she looked up at the cruel avian face that she would have to kill this creature before it killed her.
Stumbling down the steps, Zarraweth felt as if her perfectly planned world was coming apart.
~ ~ ~
As the tower door banged shut, the griffon spat in the direction of the witch, cursing his poor aim. He would kill that woman eventually! Maybe not today, but soon, he promised himself that.
Settling his wings down, he crouched over the shaking form beneath him. Once again his tears poured over her, bathing her wounds. If the witch could see the wealth of tears he wasted on the Elf, she would weep herself.
"You are very brave, little Romiël. Ressst now and recover your ssstrength."
Romiël sank down onto the cold floor, shivering in her misery, but the knife was still inside of her clothing. It was a good strong blade. Strong enough to score the soft gold on the griffon's manacles and perhaps strong enough to pick the lock on the iron collar. But she could not attempt it now. She would need time to rest . . . to heal. Beneath the griffon's ministrations, she slid into unconsciousness.
~ ~ ~
Legolas lay awake watching the stars turn overhead. Alede lay in his arms with her head pillowed on his shoulder. Gimli snored on the other side of him. Though the night was cold, he had had some difficulty convincing Alede to share his bedroll with Gimli so near.
The dwarf had thought nothing of it, even pointing out to Alede that he and Legolas had slept back to back a few times to keep from freezing. Only then had she sunk gratefully into Legolas' warmth, but not before enquiring if Gimli was warm enough.
Since he was aware of every inch of her pressed to his side and every breath, Legolas knew immediately when she started dreaming. She twitched slightly and mumbled something. The notes of her song, which were barely audible when she was sleeping became jumbled and confused.
Legolas 'listened' at first with amusement at the chaos of her song, but then with growing concern. The dream seemed to be taking on nightmarish proportions.
Alede moved against him and cried out softly in her sleep.
"Alede?" he whispered. "Melui? Wake up. It is only a dream." He clasped the small hand that lay across his chest. "Alede?"
The notes of her song took on an alarming tone. Fear assailed him through their connection and Legolas sat up abruptly, bringing Alede up with him.
"Melui, wake up! It is only a dream."
Alede writhed and whimpered but her eyes remained shut and she was completely unresponsive.
"Alede!" He was shaking her now and Gimli stirred in his bedroll.
"What is wrong?" the dwarf mumbled.
"I cannot wake her," Legolas said, hearing the desperation in his own voice. "Help me, Gimli! I cannot wake her!"
The dwarf sprang to his feet. He had never heard quite that tone from his friend before. But despite all their efforts, they could not wake her.
Far away in a dark tower a witch laughed over a bowl of tears.
~ ~ ~
A/N: Now what is Zarraweth up to??? Chapter 9 coming soon! :D
Angaloth asked a very good question. She wondered if Alede would eventually age like Radagast has. I'm going to say 'no' simply because I don't want her to. (Author's prerogative lol!) But I think Tolkien said that the Maiar were sent to Middle Earth in the form of "old wizened men". I took that to mean that they have always looked old since the Valar sent them there. (If there are any Tolkien purists out there, feel free to correct me.) Alede was born in Middle Earth and is ¼ Elvin, so I'm going to have her retain her youthful looks just as the Elves do.
* I hope this does not offend anyone. I'm a vegetarian, so the idea of Elves hunting seems wrong to me and totally out of character. But Tolkien mentions them hunting a white stag in "The Hobbit". I'm sure tofu was never on the menu in those days! :D So even though I could never eat a rabbit, I'm assuming Legolas would not give it a second thought.
** OK, if Elves do eat meat, I've decided that they probably follow the Native American custom of giving thanks to the Great Spirit or to the animal for giving its life. There! Now, I feel better! lol
*** Original Character List ***
Alede the Green - Witch, healer and wizard. She is daughter of Radagast the Brown. After the death of her mother, she was raised in Rivendell for a while and learned healing skills from Elrond. She also developed a terrible crush on Elrohir, which he has gently teased her about for centuries. She also spent some time learning the wizarding craft at Orthanc under the tutelage of Saruman. Because she felt her healer's calling was more important, and because she considered herself a poor wizardess, Alede never completed her training at Orthanc.
Cyrus the Blue - The forth Maia to be sent to Middle Earth and friend to Radagast the Brown
Lomomir - Brother to King Thranduil of Mirkwood and a healer. He has spent the last many years in Rivendell studying with Alede and reading from Elrond's many books and journals.
Maladok the Red - The fifth Maia sent to Middle Earth. After a disastrous encounter with Saruman, Maladok has become a bit of a "black sheep" in the wizarding world.
Zarraweth - A young human witch with more plans and beauty than is good for her.
Malina - A healer and witch of the Angmar Mountains. She was married to Radagast the Brown and was Alede's mother. She was killed by a mob of religious fanatics who thought her witchcraft had brought plague to a village when instead she had been trying to cure it. Alede was only sixteen when Malina was killed.
Mändel - Legolas' steward. He originally served under Thranduil in Mirkwood in a lesser position.
Galomir - Ithilien's healer.
Girwyn - A general in Legolas' army. He is in charge of Ithilien's security.
Nimhith - A she-Elf of Eryn Culhallas, assigned by Legolas to be Alede's lady's maid.
Romiël - A she-Elf captured 700 years ago by Sauron as her people were making their way to the Gray Havens.
