THE GRIFFON'S TEARS

Chapter 10 ~ "Griffon Unchained"

Legolas could not help feeling a little excited, even though they were entering Mordor and Alede's song was hardly uplifting. But this was the second time he had ridden on her spell horse and the feeling of flying over the mountains was exhilarating.

Third time, he reminded himself. The first time he had been on her spell horse he had been in no condition to appreciate it.

Other than his excitement about flying, he had little to be happy about though. After Alede had recovered from her dream, he had suggested that she get some sleep, since she was confident her wards would be powerful enough to block any further dream demons. But Alede had refused and he had found out just how stubborn his betrothed could be.

Alede had wanted to fly into Mordor immediately. From her dream it was obvious that the witch knew they were coming anyway, so stealth was no longer an issue. Legolas had not been able to argue that statement, but he thought they should wait until morning. He knew Gimli was fatigued, but dwarves were sturdy enough to go without sleep for a couple of days. Legolas hardly needed it, but Alede did. She might not be mortal, but she seemed to have the same sleep requirements as a human.

Alede however, had staunchly refused and sadly it had been the subject of their first quarrel. It had not been a bitter quarrel. Neither of them had gotten angry or shouted, but still it saddened Legolas that this should be the cause.

*I would much rather quarrel about who is taking up too much of the bed.*

But short of hurting her, Legolas could not have prevented her from going by herself, so he and Gimli clung to the spell horse behind her. True, given what had happened to her, Legolas could understand why Alede had been so adamant. He had been extremely shaken himself to learn that the witch might have killed Alede in her sleep. Had it not been for Gimli's added strength in pulling her back . . .

He shuddered. Best to concentrate on the present and the difficulties ahead of them.

Glancing down, he could only vaguely recognize landmarks. The night was dim, the moon hidden behind scudding clouds. He wished he could rendezvous with his sentinels, but such would not be the case.

Their plan, once Legolas had given in to Alede's wishes - an action which did not bode well for his future, was to land on the tower that Alede had seen when scrying. They would free the griffon during the night. Once the sun came up, Legolas and Gimli would deal with any Orcs. Alede would seek out the witch. She seemed completely confident about dealing with Zarraweth so he had not argued that point. After all, that was why he had wished her to come. But now that the moment was near at hand, he was more nervous than he cared to admit.

Oddly enough, it was Alede's song which comforted him now. She had been blazingly angry after recovering from her fright. Now those notes of furry calmed and she was reaching out to him.

**I am sorry** she whispered in his mind.

**As am I.**

She answered back with a jumble of feelings and thoughts, which Legolas had become adept at sorting out over the years. Alede could not mind speak as clearly as he did, but her inner voice always seemed to make sense to him. Again, she showed him her confidence and he said a silent prayer to Ilúvatar that she was right.

~ ~ ~

Alede guided the spell horse down to the dark tower. She had used her strongest concealment spells, but despite that, she was sure the witch Zarraweth knew of their arrival. All witches could 'hear' magic of their own kind. The few times that Alede had visited her distant relations in the Angmar Mountains, she had found it a very noisy place.

Now she could only hope that Zarraweth was too inexperienced to realize just how close Alede was. There was even the possibility that she was asleep. It was three hours before dawn and most intelligent people were asleep.

Alede heaved a deep breath, starting to feel the lateness of the night and beginning to doubt her own intelligence at the moment.

Or at least she took as deep a breath as she could. Gimli's grip about her waist was almost painful. The dwarf had not been the least bit enthusiastic about flying.

The spell horse slipped through the arched pillars of the top tower and touched down without a sound. The griffon surged to his feet, a ghostly shadow in the dark, like an enormous gargoyle come to life. Another shadow slipped away from the griffon, but Alede forgot it as soon as the griffon spoke.

"I felt your presssence, Wizardesss. You have taken your time in getting here."

The spell horse dissolved gently out from under them.

"I am sorry," Alede said with a bow to the noble creature, noticing that Legolas had come to stand beside her, "there was need for secrecy. . ."

"Sssecrecy is wasssted, Alede. Zzarraweth knows you are coming."

"Yes, I . . ."

"How do you know her name?" Legolas interrupted sharply.

The griffon made a choppy hissing sound that they realized was its avian version of laughter. "Alede and I are old acquaintancccesss."

"Old . . ." Alede hesitated and stepping closer to the massive beast, she let her magical senses absorb his vibrations. "I . . ."

Suddenly, Alede stepped back and her voice was sharp. "Maladok?!" she said with disgust, anger radiated through her whole body. First she had been subjected to the dream demon from Zarraweth and now this bumbling old fool was the cause of it. Legolas and Gimli clamored for an explanation.

"You know this griffon?" Legolas asked incredulously.

"He's not a griffon," Alede said, biting off the words. "He's the biggest nuisance in all of Middle Earth."

"I am not what I onccce was, Alede," the griffon stated with more confidence than Alede would have expected from the idiot wizard.

"I am relieved to hear that," she snapped. Turning to Legolas and Gimli, she explained, "Maladok was one of the Maia sent to Middle Earth. His talent was shape shifting," she tossed a venomous glance in the griffon's direction. "But many years ago, he became rather full of himself and started using his powers for his own gain. My father and Gandalf spent much of their time undoing the wrongs that he committed."

"I am no longer that perssson, Alede," the griffon hissed. "Would it not be a better ussse of our time to ssset me free?"

Gimli stepped forward, casting a questioning look at Legolas and Alede.

"Wait a moment, Gimli," Alede cautioned. "How do I know, Maladok that you are not in league with this witch? Your captivity could be a ruse."

But Legolas shook his head before the griffon could answer. "He is not deceiving us, Alede. He is a good creature. I can feel it. I also can feel nothing of the wizard you mentioned. His mind is avian."

The griffon inclined his head. "My thanksss, Elf Lord. It isss true that the witch beguiled the wizard I onccce wasss. It is also true that Maladok onccce caused much harm and cared only for himself and little for othersss. But Maladok is gone. I am griffon now. There isss no wizard."

"Do you mean that you have lost your ability to shape shift back?" Alede asked in surprise.

"I am griffon. I cannot ssshape ssshift."

Legolas nodded at Gimli and the dwarf walked up to the enormous creature with a glance of trepidation.

"I will not harm you, Ssson of Earth."

Gimli set his pack upon the filthy floor and pulled out a file, setting to work on the manacles and the collar with a will. As he worked, the griffon informed them of the witch's plans.

"Men will come from the sssouth to buy Sssauron's dark magic. Zzzarraweth is building an empire of wealth for herssself."

"Is that her only motivation?" Alede asked, noticing as she did so that Legolas had left her side and was prowling around in the dark corners of the tower. She was sure that he was still listening, but still she wished he had stayed close.

"Zzzarraweth thirstsss for power and recognition. Ssshe isss young and arrogant."

"What are her weaknesses?" Alede asked.

"The sssame as my own onccce were. She thinksss very highly of herself."

"Alede!" Legolas' astonished whisper turned her around. He gestured to her urgently. "There is an Elf here who needs your help."

"Ssshe isss called Romiël and hasss been a prisoner here for many centuriesss," the griffon informed them. "Come out little Elf. These people mean you no harm."

As the she-Elf crawled cautiously out of her dark corner, Legolas thought that he might be ill. He had witnessed much cruelty inflicted by Orcs, but this was worse than anything he had ever seen. She limped as she rose to her feet, the toes of her left foot missing, her right arm twisted at an unnatural angle where it had been broken and healed wrong. There was more . . . so much more that he could hardly bear it. He felt the shock of Alede's surprise and revulsion through their song and the flood of her compassion.

The healer rushed forward and the she-Elf shrank back, shaking from head to foot in fear.

"I will not harm you," Alede said hastily when the Elf would have bolted. "I am a wizardess and a healer and if you have heard our conversation, then you know that I am an enemy of the witch." She held out her hand to the Elf, but Romiël still shied from it. Her eyes sought out the griffon in the darkness.

Behind them the sounds of filing stopped and Gimli grunted. The iron collar fell to the floor with a solid thunk. A few moments later the two gold manacles fell away as well. The griffon spread his wings and arched his proud body. With great majesty he strode over to the she-Elf and sat down behind her, his great tail wrapping around his body like a sleek cat.

"Romiël," he said soothingly, "Alede isss a ssskilled healer and a daughter of the Maiar. Allow her to comfort you and then I ssshall keep my promise and take you away from this place of horror."

Romiël scooted back until her shoulder blades rested against his front legs, supporting her aching back. She looked up at Alede, trying desperately to hang onto that small thread of hope and courage that she had found before.

"You . . . you will not harm me, will you?"

Romiël could not possibly know the knot of anguish those words brought to all who heard them.

"I will not harm you," Alede said gently, reaching out and finally taking the woman's hand. "The horror you have endured is over. It is time for you to begin healing. I promise I will help you."

The she-Elf looked up into Alede's eyes and felt that she might be able to trust her. "There are . . . others in the dungeon. My brother . . . Romion."

Legolas reached out a gentle hand. "I will free them Lady. You have my promise as well."

~ ~ ~

They rested in the upper tower until the sun began to peek above the horizon. They had all agreed that Romiël must sleep before the griffon took her to Ithilien, she needed all the strength her frail body could muster.

Alede had tended what wounds that she could on Romiël. Many of them were so old there was little to be done. She had some ointment in Ithilien that might help the scars to fade and the arm could be re-broken and set correctly, but some of the wounds . . .

She shook her head in disgust from where she watched the she-Elf. How anyone could do to her what had been done . . . Orcs were horridly cruel. So cruel a normal mind could not even fathom it.

Alede knew that the Elf's mind was probably quite damaged from her centuries of torture. But for her to have survived and still be as lucid as she was showed incredible strength of will. Alede wondered if through sharing song, she might be able to help her recover. She would have to ask Legolas once they were home. He had once cured Gimli that way.

Legolas had given Romiël his bedroll and they'd helped her to wash the dirt from her face and hands. Romiël had gone limp and starry eyed when Alede had regretted that they could not provide her with warm water for a bath until they reached Ithilien. A hot bath was probably a forgotten memory.

As the sun turned the sky pink, Alede rose and walked over to Romiël where she lay curled at the griffon's feet.

"It is time to go," she said gently.

Romiël started awake, but then blinked up at Alede in relief.

"I . . . may leave?" she asked with pitiful hope in her voice.

Alede nodded and Legolas came to stand beside her. He looked up at the griffon. "Take her to Ithilien. My kingdom is between the great bend in the Anduin and the Ash Mountains, but not as far south as the Poros River." The griffon nodded and knelt so that Romiël could clamber upon his back while Legolas steadied her. Gimli had fashioned a harness so that she could hang on better.

Legolas reached up, circling her slender ankle with his hand. "I will free your people," he said softly. "Do not be afraid in my kingdom. My healer is Galomir. He will treat you with kindness. You are no longer a prisoner, Romiël. Remember that."

Romiël nodded her head and looked down at them, blinking back tears. "Thank you," she whispered.

"I will return," the griffon said, looking down at Alede. "I have businesss with the witch."

"No," Alede shook her head. "I would rather you did not. Stay in Ithilien. Your presence will be of comfort to Romiël and I would rather you were as far from Zarraweth as possible. She might attempt to enslave you again."

The griffon gave her a piercing gaze. "We ssshall sssee. Farewell for now, daughter of Radagassst."

The griffon turned his great body and strode to the battlements. He leapt upon the stone with feline grace, balancing easily.

"Ready, little Elf?"

"Yes," came her painfully frightened, yet eager voice.

He spread his huge wings and with a mighty leap, dropped off of the heights. Legolas, Gimli and Alede rushed to the edge and watched as the griffon caught a thermal and effortlessly swooped up into the brightening sky. A fierce avian call echoed out across Mordor as the griffon disappeared toward the west.

Legolas held his breath until they were out of sight.

Alede turned reluctantly away. "Well . . . let us attend to the business at hand. I believe you two have Elves to rescue and a tower to bring down. And I . . ." she threw back her cloak and took a tighter grip on her staff. "I have a witch to hunt."

~ ~ ~

They encountered Orcs almost immediately as they crept down the tower stairs. Either the beasts had been attracted to the sound of the door splintering beneath Gimli's axe or they were retiring to some part of the tower at the end of their shift. No one would ever know because the seven Orcs died immediately.

Alede cleared her throat after the very short battle. Her eyes shown with admiration and pride. "You two fight very well together, don't you?"

Gimli gave a snort of laughter and Legolas returned her look with a predatory grin and a wink.

They met more Orcs as they descended, but none of them lived, no match for the trio. It took them a long time, with much backtracking to finally find the great hall. There were gaps in its ceiling where it had cracked when Mount Doom erupted and obviously the current occupant had not tried to fix them.

The great hall was deserted, save for rats scuttling about. Bones littered the floor along with bits of armor and other pieces of questionable origin. All of them tensed, feeling uneasy.

"The witch is nearby," Alede whispered to them. She was scanning the hall. Its layout was much like her dream had been, though the real hall was not so grand. It had the look of decay. She did not want Legolas and Gimli in this room, not with the witch so close. But she was also reluctant to send them out of her sight. What if the witch found them first before Alede found her?

"There is something else nearby," Legolas answered. He turned his head, trying to catch an elusive scent. The squeaks of the scuttling rats gave confusion to another sound which he tried to identify. They moved slowly about the vast room and Legolas peered cautiously into a dark corner.

Suddenly he gave a cry of warning.

"Troll! Beware!"

Alede turned just in time to see an enormous mountain troll step from behind a pillar and swing its great club at Legolas.

She screamed as it made contact.

~ ~ ~

Far away in Ithilien, Radagast the Brown and King Thranduil stood squared off at each other in the middle of the pathway that headed toward the Ash Mountains.

"I am warning you, King Thranduil," Radagast said, his beard bristling with fury, "I am going to rescue my daughter. If you do not get out of my way, I will curse you!"

The Elvin King drew himself up to his full height, his eyes glittering as coldly as the golden circlet upon his brow. "You would not dare!"

"I would!" Radagast declared stubbornly.

Thranduil folded his arms defiantly across his chest. Shaking his head regretfully, Radagast raised his staff and shouted a spell.

All of Ithilien echoed with the King's howl of outrage.

~ ~ ~

A/N: Thank you for being so patient last week!! I'm sorry to have deserted you!!! Find out what happened to poor King Pain in the Butt in chapter 11 coming Friday. :D

And special thanks to Thecla for a fabulous re-write on several sentences and a great suggestion. :)

*** 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.