THE GRIFFON'S TEARS
Chapter 13 ~ "Fall of Barad-Dûr"
"I believe it failed," Legolas stated anxiously as he shielded his eyes with his hand and gazed out over the gray plain of Mordor.
"Nay. Have patience, lad," Gimli replied, his hands resting stoutly upon his hips as his eyes too were focused on Barad-Dûr.
Legolas shook his head with disappointment and frustration. "Nay, Gimli, it has been too long. I am certain that the fuse failed. I will return and see what has gone wrong. Perhaps there was an Orc or two which we missed that have put it out."
"You can forget that idea immediately," Alede said, rising from where she had been tending the Elf prisoners. Legolas felt the cold wave of her fear as she approached him. "It is too dangerous. I will not allow either of you to return even if I have to pop a sack over your head."
Legolas snorted quietly with mirth. "You would need to catch me first, Melui."
Alede scowled at him, but he reached out and took her hand, reassuring her without words and a quick grin. He would wait a little longer, but it was a difficult wait. He desperately wanted this to succeed. It would be his gift to Middle Earth.
After making their small camp in a sheltered hollow in the hills, all of the Elvin prisoners had been brought to it. The reunion between Romiël and her brother, Romion, had brought tears to their eyes. While Alede tried to make them comfortable and the griffon hunted, Legolas and Gimli had returned to Barad-Dûr.
They had rolled the numerous barrels of black powder down near the volcanic vents. Gimli had also placed several kegs near key foundation supports beneath the fortress. Fuses had been braided together and led up near the stairs. The two warriors had then scoured as much of the fortress as they had time for, but found no other prisoners.
At least none that were alive.
They had found a few more Orcs and a sleeping troll, none of which lasted long against the Elf and the Dwarf. They had then lit the fuses and ran as if the very hounds of Mordor were after them.
Alede had sent the griffon down to rescue them, but Gimli had refused to climb upon the creature's back, despite the impending explosion. In frustration, the griffon had grasped the protesting dwarf with his talons and flown them to the safety of the hills.
But now as they watched, it appeared that their plan to blow up the fortress had failed. The fuses should have gone off by now.
"I should return," Legolas said. But just as Gimli reached to hold him back they heard a dull 'boom' from deep within the fortress. A cloud of dust rolled out of Barad-Dûr's main gate a moment later and then quite suddenly more booms were heard.
Not only did dust gush forth from the doors and gates, but the towers shook as well. One by one the Elf prisoners climbed unsteadily to their feet to watch.
"Hmm . . ." Legolas said thoughtfully, "I had hoped for more . . ."
But beside him, Gimli was grinning from ear to ear beneath his beard.
Suddenly a tremendous rumble vibrated through their feet. The towers shook and leaned. For a moment all those watching thought that the towers would right themselves, but the tremors proved to be too much and they went over. They toppled in what seemed like slow motion, falling forever from their great height to finally crash upon the ground or through the roof of other parts of the fortress.
Even high up in the hills, they felt the impact of their destruction. The great gate collapsed and the walls around it crumbled and fell in a great gout of dust and debris. Other parts of the structure caved in upon itself and then without warning there was another explosion.
This explosion made the first ones seem like the mere popping of a soap bubble. The roof of the great hall blew upward with such force that huge building stones were hurled a couple of hundred feet into the air.
Legolas suddenly let out a very un-elflike whoop of joy. He grabbed Alede, lifting her off of her feet and spun her around, depositing her on the ground again with a sound kiss. He then turned exuberantly to Gimli.
"We did it, Gimli! We did it!!"
"Do not touch me," the dwarf shouted, but in vain. "Bleh!" Gimli sputtered once Legolas had released him and Alede laughed delightedly. The griffon let out a shriek of celebration, nearly deafening all of them.
The Elvin prisoners were cheering too, their raspy voices barely audible amidst the sound of destruction and Legolas' continued exclamations. Romiël had tears of joy in her eyes and was holding her brother tightly.
"We are free, Romion. We are all finally free."
"As is Middle Earth, Sister."
Their cheering soon stopped though when a huge geyser of molten rock shot through the opening in the great hall roof and once again the ground shook. This time with enough force that many of the Elves were thrown to the ground.
"Uh . . . Gimli?" Legolas began.
"Aye, this is what I hoped would happen," the dwarf replied. But as he spoke, he was quickly gathering up their belongings. "But it is a bit more energetic than I anticipated. Lava is a tricky thing to predict."
"That it may be," Legolas replied, hoisting a fallen Elf to his feet. "But I 'predict' that we had best move to higher ground."
They beat a hasty retreat into the mountains, moving as quickly as the Elvin prisoners were able. The griffon spread his great wings and flew ahead to find a suitable spot to camp. Once he had located another sheltered hollow higher up, he flew the Elves there two at a time.
Gimli walked and arrived late in the evening. He was tired, dirty and quite grumpy, but had refused all offers of a ride.
~ ~ ~
Tremors continued throughout the night and into the next day. The company traveled slowly. The griffon was exhausted from so many flights. His muscles had had little time to adapt to their new form, so he walked beside them like an enormous cat, his back taller than the tallest plow horse, his wings tucked closely to his body. Romiël rode upon his back since walking was so difficult for her and Alede walked beside them.
The wizardess spoke of her upbringing in Rivendell, though she was careful not to mention her own Angmar heritage. After what the she-Elf had endured at the hands of Zarraweth, Alede was not certain Romiël was ready to hear that Alede too was a witch. But Romiël was eager to hear of Alede's life, no doubt as a distraction from her own tortured memories and simply because she had grown to like the quiet wizardess. There was something in her green eyes that gave Romiël comfort.
~ ~ ~
Late in the afternoon, an explosion and the shaking of the ground knocked all of them off of their feet.
"Ilúvatar have mercy!" Legolas cried as he pointed to the south.
An immense plume of ash blackened the sky over Mount Doom. Fire seemed to leap from the mountaintop and lightening crackled in the dense cloud above. Another explosion followed the first, though it was not as severe.
"Legolas," Gimli began, his voice filled with dread and regret, "I fear we may have threatened your kingdom. This is worse than I anticipated."
Worry reflected on Legolas' handsome features as he focused on the volcano.
"Nay, I think not friend," he answered, scanning the horizon. The plume did not seem to pass the confines of the Ash Mountains. "I hope not," he added fervently.
The griffon spoke for the first time. "The windsss will push the ash to the eassst. Fear not, young Legolasss, your kingdom will sssurvive."
"At least the people from the south who hoped to trade with Zarraweth will turn back now," Alede said. "Mount Doom stands between them and their goal. Surely they will not try to cross its path."
Beside her, Legolas relaxed a little as he turned to her. "Not to mention that Barad-Dûr is now only a heap of ruble and molten rock."
"You two will go down in legend as the Elf and Dwarf who destroyed Mordor!" Alede teased.
Gimli chuckled. "Nay, do not say so. Legolas' head is already inflated enough! We will not get him through doorways now!"
Legolas laughed and gave his friend a gentle cuff on the shoulder. "No doubt Gimli is already planning a sculpture of himself to commemorate his part in the deed."
"A sculpture!" Gimli roared, making several of the Elves flinch. Alede gave them a reassuring smile so that they would know everything was well, or as well as it could be between these two quarrelsome friends.
"No doubt you are already composing an epic," Gimli continued, "to expound upon your adventures! You'll be instructing minstrels to sing ballads of your greatness!"
Legolas turned to Alede with a wink. "His likeness will be carved upon the side of a mountain. It will take seven generations of dwarves to complete it."
Alede had to cover her mouth with her hand to stifle her giggles as the two started into a full-fledged argument. They would have gone on for some time if the griffon had not interrupted them.
"There are other fortressesss besssidesss Barad-Dûr. Until they are thrown down and the Orcsss within them ssslain, Mordor will not truly be dessstroyed."
With those sobering words, the bantering stopped completely and Alede threw an irritated glance at the griffon. She was not pleased by the speculative look on Legolas' face.
"Our companions are growing weary," she said, breaking the tension. "Perhaps we should make camp early."
~ ~ ~
Legolas continued to think about what the griffon had said while he helped to set up their meager camp. It was true. There were other fortresses in Mordor and while they still stood, they presented the same danger that Barad-Dûr had. Possibly the danger was less, but it existed nevertheless.
As he thought, his hands automatically wove pine boughs into as comfortable a mattress as possible. There were only three bedrolls and those were being shared by six of the Elves at his insistence. The others slept close to the fire, or nestled against the griffon's vast sides. The previous night, he and Alede had shared a cold, hard patch of grass, though he had woven a bower for Gimli.
A gentle inquiry lilted through his mind as he worked and he looked up to see Alede watching him, worry evident on her face.
He finished the mat of boughs and went to her, catching up her cold hand in his.
"I have no intention of rushing off to Cirith Ungol tonight, if that is your worry."
Alede smiled a little and looked down at the ground for a moment. "But you do intend to go sometime, do you not?" she asked, her green eyes filled with concern.
"It is a valid concern which the griffon brought up."
Alede took in a great shuddering breath and Legolas once again felt a wave of fear coming from her.
"Melui? What is it? Why do you fear so? We were victorious."
"Victorious once," she exclaimed. "We may not be so fortunate next time."
"But there is no dark witch in the other fortresses, only Orcs, and I have hunted them for many hundreds of years."
"I know. It is just that . . ."
"What?" he asked, gently tipping her chin up, so that he could look into her eyes when she would look away.
Alede shook her head. "It is just a feeling . . . a feeling of dread, as if I will lose you before I even have you."
Legolas shook his head and pulled her into his embrace. "You will not lose me, Alede. I make you a promise that I will always come home to you. You are my beloved and nothing can part us." He held her away from him for a moment so that he might look upon her face. "Listen to my words."
She smiled weakly. "I hear you. Perhaps I am just tired."
"And have witnessed much horror and pain in the last few days," he added sagely. "I told you that I had made a mistake dragging you off on this adventure before you had even rested from your journey."
"We have already had that argument," Alede chastised mildly.
"Aye, I know. Though in truth, I no longer regret it," he glanced over her head at the Elves as Gimli was helping them to eat the thin soup they had made from the griffon's kill. "As much as I am sorry for your fatigue," Legolas continued, "these people desperately needed us."
She turned slightly in his arms to look at their little camp. "Yes, they did. I hope that your father comes to meet us soon. I am worried about them sleeping out in the cold air. The sooner they get to Ithilien, the better. Which reminds me," Alede stepped back and Legolas felt her mind shift into what he thought of as her professional mode.
"I wished to speak with you about an idea," Alede said, lowering her voice and glancing back at the camp. "I am wondering if the sharing of song might be beneficial to these people."
Legolas considered her idea. "Do you mean as a way to heal their minds, as I did with Gimli that time I injured him?"
"Yes, do you think it would help them? Surely as much torment as they have suffered, their minds must be . . ."
"Twisted," Legolas finished for her and he knew that they were both thinking of the unfortunate she-Elf Unilyn, whose mind had never healed from her experience at the hands of the Orcs.
Alede nodded and lowered her voice even more. "I think that those who were too weak may have perished already. Romiël seems especially strong, but their torture must have left some impact."
Legolas nodded. "It is a good idea, Alede. There are those in my kingdom who fought many battles with the Orcs in Mirkwood and many of my healers are familiar with ways of healing the minds. Perhaps between all of them a way could be found to free these people of their demons." He took Alede's hand and squeezed it gently. "Thank you for this suggestion. Before we speak of it with my people, let me first discuss it with my father. He has had more experience with Orcs and their ways than anyone else."
"Are you comfortable with speaking to him about this?"
Legolas grinned, slightly abashed by her intuitiveness. "Not entirely. Fathers and sons typically discuss sharing of song only once in their lifetimes and it is not a comfortable experience for either."
"Can I help?" Alede asked.
"Nay, but you can help by assisting me with weaving pine boughs. You grumbled much in your sleep last night and I would not have you laying on the hard ground once again."
Alede chuckled. "It was not so much the ground as the rocks that were in it and the small crawly things that tried to spend the night in my sleeves. I am looking forward to a soft bed and clean linens."
"Hmm," Legolas mused, slipping his fingers through a stray strand of her hair, "as am I." And with a suggestive wink, he left her once again feeling weak kneed and breathless.
~ ~ ~
They continued their slow journey in the morning, watching Mount Doom as they walked. But it soon became apparent that the wind was indeed pushing the ash to the east and they traveled with considerably lightened hearts.
The Elvin prisoners, though horribly weak, were jubilant considering what they had endured and the hardships they now faced on their journey. Many of them could barely walk.
"Merely to see the sun again eases my pain," Romion said to Alede as they walked. "And to sleep beneath the stars once again . . . I would endure any amount of cold for that privilege."
Two days later, they were met by Thranduil's company.
Alede greeted him with a cry of joy. "You brought healers and blankets!"
"Yes, and greetings to you as well, Alede," Thranduil said with a sardonic tone.
Alede laughed, not caring at all that Thranduil was once again chastising her manners. She was much too glad to see the spare horses and the litters they carried to be vexed by the King.
He soon forgot her anyway, leaping from his horse to clasp his son in a welcoming embrace and entreat him for all the news.
Later in the evening as they sat on thick blankets and several fires burned high, Alede noticed that Thranduil's eyes strayed often to Romiël as the Elf sat quietly listening to Legolas recount of events. The she-Elf was clothed in breaches and a warm tunic obviously borrowed from Alede's own wardrobe. It was only now that Alede realized that both she and the she- Elf were of similar height and build. But even stranger, was the knowledge that Thranduil had raided her clothing to provide for the woman.
Alede gave Romiël and Thranduil a speculative look and then smiled a quiet secret smile.
~ ~ ~
"Will you walk with me, Father?" Alede asked Thranduil after most of the Elvin prisoners had had a wash with hot water and been tucked into warm bedrolls. Alede could still hear their soft sighs of contentment.
Thranduil looked up at her from where he lounged by the fire, but did not rise. Alede ground her teeth together. Was nothing easy with this Elf!
"I wish to speak with you," she said quietly, glancing for a moment at Legolas who sat with one of his healers and was listening to the news from Eryn Culhallas. She had sensed all evening how uncomfortable Legolas was about broaching the subject of using song for healing with his father. She was still amazed by such prudish behavior from the normally very un-prudish Elves. But she had no such hesitation and therefore had decided to ask Thranduil about it herself.
Thranduil too glanced over at his son, before rising to his feet.
"Secrets, Alede?" he asked as they walked away from the fire. "If you wish to break your betrothal with Legolas, I will assist you with your packing."
"I am not going to break my betrothal!" Alede snapped before realizing that Thranduil was baiting her just for fun again.
She closed her eyes and held her breath as she silently counted to ten. She was exhausted so the Elf was easily able to spark her temper with only a few words.
"You will suffocate if you continue to hold your breath," Thranduil's voice cut through her thoughts.
"I will not suffocate! I wished to ask you a question before you started being annoying."
"Annoying?" Thranduil asked, raising an imperious eyebrow that made Alede step back a bit, thinning her lips with irritation.
"I apologize for the term," Alede said. "But I am fatigued and I do not wish to play games. I have spoken with Legolas about an idea and we were interested in your opinion. He intends to speak with you later, but I am impatient for your opinion."
Thranduil's brows shot up. Obviously he was intrigued that she might seek his advice.
"I am listening."
Alede cleared her throat, choosing her words carefully. "What I wish to speak of is a subject that you will find . . . impolite."
"Continue."
"These Elves have suffered so much. I fear that it may have effected their minds . . ."
"It has," Thranduil stated. "For the brief time that Romiël was in Ithilien, I saw that. She had nightmares and that is unusual in an Elf."
"Indeed?" Alede questioned. "I have always been under the impression that Elves controlled their dreams. Is it not sometimes called the waking sleep?"
"It is," Thranduil said nodding. "That she no longer has the ability to direct her dreams indicates how much her torture has effected her. Not surprising considering what they have endured."
"No, it is not surprising," Alede said shaking her head and glancing back at the camp. "Which is why I wish to purpose this idea." She hesitated once again. "Several years ago when Gimli was unconscious because of a head wound, Legolas used . . . his song to heal him, to bring his mind back."
Thranduil glanced away with a scowl of irritation and Alede thought, a hint of embarrassment.
"I do not wish to be rude," Alede said quickly. "But might it not be a way to help these people heal from their ordeal? If some of Legolas' people were to volunteer, perhaps those who dealt with Orcs before from their years in Mirkwood, might it not be a way of aiding the prisoners?"
Despite his distaste for the subject, Thranduil was listening to her suggestion. Alede could see him weighing it in his mind.
"I am sure that with time or by crossing over to the West, these people will heal," Alede said, pressing her advantage. "But might this not be a way to speed that healing? Might some of them wish to stay and could we not try to bring them some sense of joy and security while they are here?"
Thranduil gazed off into the distance for a moment and Alede held her breath again.
"It is a possibility, daughter. I will consider your idea."
"Thank you," she said, letting her breath out with a rush. "I would be happy to work with Romiël. I am quite fond of her already. . ."
"Nay," Thranduil said a little too sharply. "You are not Elvin. If anyone works with Romiël, it will be I."
Alede made a concentrated effort to control her face.
"And you may wipe that ridiculous grin off of your face, daughter!" Thranduil snapped.
But Alede ignored his tone and her smile grew. "May I offer my congratulations then?"
"What are you babbling about?" Thranduil asked irritably, though he looked uncomfortable, betraying that he knew exactly what Alede was implying.
Alede decided to take pity on Legolas' father. This was not an appropriate subject to needle him about and she had not missed the guilty glance Thranduil had cast toward Legolas. She too did not know how the Prince would react to his father's interest in another woman. It was rare for Elves to love more than once in their lives. Would Legolas think that Thranduil dishonored his mother's memory?
Changing the subject, Alede asked, "Did Legolas tell you of Romiël's daring rescue?"
When Thranduil shook his head, Alede told him of Romiël's brave leap from the griffon's back which had sent her sprawling out of the way of Zarraweth's spell.
"I think," Alede concluded softly, "beneath those scars and disfigurements lies a woman of tremendous courage and beauty."
It was a full moment before Thranduil answered, his eyes straying to where the she-Elf lay curled in her bedroll.
"For once, daughter, I am in complete agreement with you."
~ ~ ~
They traveled slowly for the sake of the injured Elves. Romiël surprised them all by commenting how fair Thranduil looked without his beard. This inspired an amused inquiry from Legolas and when the King reluctantly explained to his son that Radagast had cursed him with a beard after their argument, Alede went into an uncontrollable fit of giggles.
Legolas had to physically intervene to keep Thranduil from strangling his betrothed and the journey was finished with Thranduil in fit of high temper.
~ ~ ~
"Are you awake?" Legolas asked brightly as he sat down upon Alede's bed with an annoying bounce.
"I am now," came the muttered reply from somewhere beneath the immense pile of blankets.
All that Legolas could see of her was the top of her head and several unruly strands of hair.
They had been back in Ithilien for three days now. Legolas and Alede had scarcely had a private moment together since their return. He was busy with his councilors assessing the repairs to their grape crop and taking care of all the tiny tedious details that made up the running of a small kingdom. His scouts had also returned and he sent them out again to spy out the other fortresses in Mordor. Eventually he would have to deal with them.
His father was still in a temper because of the beard incident and had not forgiven Radagast. He and the wizard ignored and avoided each other which made Legolas' life more difficult since he often needed to seek out the advice of both of them.
Gimli had disappeared grumpily into his house and not reappeared until the day before.
Cyrus had taken to giving out dire predictions every time Mount Doom belched out a new cloud of ash in the distance. Legolas was happy to see both he and Radagast begin their magical work on his kingdom, as it gave Cyrus less time to complain.
The griffon had accidentally frightened their flock of goats which provided the milk for Ithilien's famous cheese. Legolas' skill had been required to help track them down, where they were eventually found munching flowers at least three leagues from home.
Alede had immediately taken charge of the infirmary to the amusement of Galomir, the senior healer and the annoyance of the under-healers. But she had soon smoothed tempers with her efficiency and her obvious concern for the welfare of their new patients. Bones that had been broken and deformed were reset, cruel spikes were removed and eyes that had lost their luster began to shine with Elvin brightness once again.
Legolas was pleased to be home. More than just pleased. After so many days of travel and toil though, he was ready, like any Elf, to play. But at the moment, the object of his play was laying in bed with the sun already peeking over the horizon and not cooperating.
His fingers walked down the side of what he assumed to be ribs, before they began making poking motions.
"Mmph . . . come to bed or go away," came the mumbled reply from the bed.
Legolas grinned. He knew that Alede was tired after working so hard for the past few days. He had deliberately left her alone at night so that she might sleep soundly. But three days and three nights was now more than he could stand to be deprived of her company and he knew that she had retired early the previous night. A day of sunshine and play would do her good.
"I have something to show you," he said.
A corner of the blankets turned down and green eyes peeked out at him.
"Are our patients all right?" she asked, blinking at him.
"They are fine. Galomir has everything well under control. Take a day of rest. I want to show you something."
"What?"
Legolas grinned. "I cannot tell you. It is a secret."
Alede flipped the covers back, obviously intrigued. "Let me get dressed . . ."
"Nay," Legolas said, standing up, "this will not require clothing." And pulling her to her feet, he led her eagerly out of the bedchamber.
~ ~ ~
A/N: Looks like our Elf is up to mischief. Find out what Legolas has up his sleeve, or rather his lack of sleeves, since he won't be wearing any in chapter 14, coming up soon! ;)
*** 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.
Romion - Romiel's brother and also a captive of Sauron for 700 years.
Chapter 13 ~ "Fall of Barad-Dûr"
"I believe it failed," Legolas stated anxiously as he shielded his eyes with his hand and gazed out over the gray plain of Mordor.
"Nay. Have patience, lad," Gimli replied, his hands resting stoutly upon his hips as his eyes too were focused on Barad-Dûr.
Legolas shook his head with disappointment and frustration. "Nay, Gimli, it has been too long. I am certain that the fuse failed. I will return and see what has gone wrong. Perhaps there was an Orc or two which we missed that have put it out."
"You can forget that idea immediately," Alede said, rising from where she had been tending the Elf prisoners. Legolas felt the cold wave of her fear as she approached him. "It is too dangerous. I will not allow either of you to return even if I have to pop a sack over your head."
Legolas snorted quietly with mirth. "You would need to catch me first, Melui."
Alede scowled at him, but he reached out and took her hand, reassuring her without words and a quick grin. He would wait a little longer, but it was a difficult wait. He desperately wanted this to succeed. It would be his gift to Middle Earth.
After making their small camp in a sheltered hollow in the hills, all of the Elvin prisoners had been brought to it. The reunion between Romiël and her brother, Romion, had brought tears to their eyes. While Alede tried to make them comfortable and the griffon hunted, Legolas and Gimli had returned to Barad-Dûr.
They had rolled the numerous barrels of black powder down near the volcanic vents. Gimli had also placed several kegs near key foundation supports beneath the fortress. Fuses had been braided together and led up near the stairs. The two warriors had then scoured as much of the fortress as they had time for, but found no other prisoners.
At least none that were alive.
They had found a few more Orcs and a sleeping troll, none of which lasted long against the Elf and the Dwarf. They had then lit the fuses and ran as if the very hounds of Mordor were after them.
Alede had sent the griffon down to rescue them, but Gimli had refused to climb upon the creature's back, despite the impending explosion. In frustration, the griffon had grasped the protesting dwarf with his talons and flown them to the safety of the hills.
But now as they watched, it appeared that their plan to blow up the fortress had failed. The fuses should have gone off by now.
"I should return," Legolas said. But just as Gimli reached to hold him back they heard a dull 'boom' from deep within the fortress. A cloud of dust rolled out of Barad-Dûr's main gate a moment later and then quite suddenly more booms were heard.
Not only did dust gush forth from the doors and gates, but the towers shook as well. One by one the Elf prisoners climbed unsteadily to their feet to watch.
"Hmm . . ." Legolas said thoughtfully, "I had hoped for more . . ."
But beside him, Gimli was grinning from ear to ear beneath his beard.
Suddenly a tremendous rumble vibrated through their feet. The towers shook and leaned. For a moment all those watching thought that the towers would right themselves, but the tremors proved to be too much and they went over. They toppled in what seemed like slow motion, falling forever from their great height to finally crash upon the ground or through the roof of other parts of the fortress.
Even high up in the hills, they felt the impact of their destruction. The great gate collapsed and the walls around it crumbled and fell in a great gout of dust and debris. Other parts of the structure caved in upon itself and then without warning there was another explosion.
This explosion made the first ones seem like the mere popping of a soap bubble. The roof of the great hall blew upward with such force that huge building stones were hurled a couple of hundred feet into the air.
Legolas suddenly let out a very un-elflike whoop of joy. He grabbed Alede, lifting her off of her feet and spun her around, depositing her on the ground again with a sound kiss. He then turned exuberantly to Gimli.
"We did it, Gimli! We did it!!"
"Do not touch me," the dwarf shouted, but in vain. "Bleh!" Gimli sputtered once Legolas had released him and Alede laughed delightedly. The griffon let out a shriek of celebration, nearly deafening all of them.
The Elvin prisoners were cheering too, their raspy voices barely audible amidst the sound of destruction and Legolas' continued exclamations. Romiël had tears of joy in her eyes and was holding her brother tightly.
"We are free, Romion. We are all finally free."
"As is Middle Earth, Sister."
Their cheering soon stopped though when a huge geyser of molten rock shot through the opening in the great hall roof and once again the ground shook. This time with enough force that many of the Elves were thrown to the ground.
"Uh . . . Gimli?" Legolas began.
"Aye, this is what I hoped would happen," the dwarf replied. But as he spoke, he was quickly gathering up their belongings. "But it is a bit more energetic than I anticipated. Lava is a tricky thing to predict."
"That it may be," Legolas replied, hoisting a fallen Elf to his feet. "But I 'predict' that we had best move to higher ground."
They beat a hasty retreat into the mountains, moving as quickly as the Elvin prisoners were able. The griffon spread his great wings and flew ahead to find a suitable spot to camp. Once he had located another sheltered hollow higher up, he flew the Elves there two at a time.
Gimli walked and arrived late in the evening. He was tired, dirty and quite grumpy, but had refused all offers of a ride.
~ ~ ~
Tremors continued throughout the night and into the next day. The company traveled slowly. The griffon was exhausted from so many flights. His muscles had had little time to adapt to their new form, so he walked beside them like an enormous cat, his back taller than the tallest plow horse, his wings tucked closely to his body. Romiël rode upon his back since walking was so difficult for her and Alede walked beside them.
The wizardess spoke of her upbringing in Rivendell, though she was careful not to mention her own Angmar heritage. After what the she-Elf had endured at the hands of Zarraweth, Alede was not certain Romiël was ready to hear that Alede too was a witch. But Romiël was eager to hear of Alede's life, no doubt as a distraction from her own tortured memories and simply because she had grown to like the quiet wizardess. There was something in her green eyes that gave Romiël comfort.
~ ~ ~
Late in the afternoon, an explosion and the shaking of the ground knocked all of them off of their feet.
"Ilúvatar have mercy!" Legolas cried as he pointed to the south.
An immense plume of ash blackened the sky over Mount Doom. Fire seemed to leap from the mountaintop and lightening crackled in the dense cloud above. Another explosion followed the first, though it was not as severe.
"Legolas," Gimli began, his voice filled with dread and regret, "I fear we may have threatened your kingdom. This is worse than I anticipated."
Worry reflected on Legolas' handsome features as he focused on the volcano.
"Nay, I think not friend," he answered, scanning the horizon. The plume did not seem to pass the confines of the Ash Mountains. "I hope not," he added fervently.
The griffon spoke for the first time. "The windsss will push the ash to the eassst. Fear not, young Legolasss, your kingdom will sssurvive."
"At least the people from the south who hoped to trade with Zarraweth will turn back now," Alede said. "Mount Doom stands between them and their goal. Surely they will not try to cross its path."
Beside her, Legolas relaxed a little as he turned to her. "Not to mention that Barad-Dûr is now only a heap of ruble and molten rock."
"You two will go down in legend as the Elf and Dwarf who destroyed Mordor!" Alede teased.
Gimli chuckled. "Nay, do not say so. Legolas' head is already inflated enough! We will not get him through doorways now!"
Legolas laughed and gave his friend a gentle cuff on the shoulder. "No doubt Gimli is already planning a sculpture of himself to commemorate his part in the deed."
"A sculpture!" Gimli roared, making several of the Elves flinch. Alede gave them a reassuring smile so that they would know everything was well, or as well as it could be between these two quarrelsome friends.
"No doubt you are already composing an epic," Gimli continued, "to expound upon your adventures! You'll be instructing minstrels to sing ballads of your greatness!"
Legolas turned to Alede with a wink. "His likeness will be carved upon the side of a mountain. It will take seven generations of dwarves to complete it."
Alede had to cover her mouth with her hand to stifle her giggles as the two started into a full-fledged argument. They would have gone on for some time if the griffon had not interrupted them.
"There are other fortressesss besssidesss Barad-Dûr. Until they are thrown down and the Orcsss within them ssslain, Mordor will not truly be dessstroyed."
With those sobering words, the bantering stopped completely and Alede threw an irritated glance at the griffon. She was not pleased by the speculative look on Legolas' face.
"Our companions are growing weary," she said, breaking the tension. "Perhaps we should make camp early."
~ ~ ~
Legolas continued to think about what the griffon had said while he helped to set up their meager camp. It was true. There were other fortresses in Mordor and while they still stood, they presented the same danger that Barad-Dûr had. Possibly the danger was less, but it existed nevertheless.
As he thought, his hands automatically wove pine boughs into as comfortable a mattress as possible. There were only three bedrolls and those were being shared by six of the Elves at his insistence. The others slept close to the fire, or nestled against the griffon's vast sides. The previous night, he and Alede had shared a cold, hard patch of grass, though he had woven a bower for Gimli.
A gentle inquiry lilted through his mind as he worked and he looked up to see Alede watching him, worry evident on her face.
He finished the mat of boughs and went to her, catching up her cold hand in his.
"I have no intention of rushing off to Cirith Ungol tonight, if that is your worry."
Alede smiled a little and looked down at the ground for a moment. "But you do intend to go sometime, do you not?" she asked, her green eyes filled with concern.
"It is a valid concern which the griffon brought up."
Alede took in a great shuddering breath and Legolas once again felt a wave of fear coming from her.
"Melui? What is it? Why do you fear so? We were victorious."
"Victorious once," she exclaimed. "We may not be so fortunate next time."
"But there is no dark witch in the other fortresses, only Orcs, and I have hunted them for many hundreds of years."
"I know. It is just that . . ."
"What?" he asked, gently tipping her chin up, so that he could look into her eyes when she would look away.
Alede shook her head. "It is just a feeling . . . a feeling of dread, as if I will lose you before I even have you."
Legolas shook his head and pulled her into his embrace. "You will not lose me, Alede. I make you a promise that I will always come home to you. You are my beloved and nothing can part us." He held her away from him for a moment so that he might look upon her face. "Listen to my words."
She smiled weakly. "I hear you. Perhaps I am just tired."
"And have witnessed much horror and pain in the last few days," he added sagely. "I told you that I had made a mistake dragging you off on this adventure before you had even rested from your journey."
"We have already had that argument," Alede chastised mildly.
"Aye, I know. Though in truth, I no longer regret it," he glanced over her head at the Elves as Gimli was helping them to eat the thin soup they had made from the griffon's kill. "As much as I am sorry for your fatigue," Legolas continued, "these people desperately needed us."
She turned slightly in his arms to look at their little camp. "Yes, they did. I hope that your father comes to meet us soon. I am worried about them sleeping out in the cold air. The sooner they get to Ithilien, the better. Which reminds me," Alede stepped back and Legolas felt her mind shift into what he thought of as her professional mode.
"I wished to speak with you about an idea," Alede said, lowering her voice and glancing back at the camp. "I am wondering if the sharing of song might be beneficial to these people."
Legolas considered her idea. "Do you mean as a way to heal their minds, as I did with Gimli that time I injured him?"
"Yes, do you think it would help them? Surely as much torment as they have suffered, their minds must be . . ."
"Twisted," Legolas finished for her and he knew that they were both thinking of the unfortunate she-Elf Unilyn, whose mind had never healed from her experience at the hands of the Orcs.
Alede nodded and lowered her voice even more. "I think that those who were too weak may have perished already. Romiël seems especially strong, but their torture must have left some impact."
Legolas nodded. "It is a good idea, Alede. There are those in my kingdom who fought many battles with the Orcs in Mirkwood and many of my healers are familiar with ways of healing the minds. Perhaps between all of them a way could be found to free these people of their demons." He took Alede's hand and squeezed it gently. "Thank you for this suggestion. Before we speak of it with my people, let me first discuss it with my father. He has had more experience with Orcs and their ways than anyone else."
"Are you comfortable with speaking to him about this?"
Legolas grinned, slightly abashed by her intuitiveness. "Not entirely. Fathers and sons typically discuss sharing of song only once in their lifetimes and it is not a comfortable experience for either."
"Can I help?" Alede asked.
"Nay, but you can help by assisting me with weaving pine boughs. You grumbled much in your sleep last night and I would not have you laying on the hard ground once again."
Alede chuckled. "It was not so much the ground as the rocks that were in it and the small crawly things that tried to spend the night in my sleeves. I am looking forward to a soft bed and clean linens."
"Hmm," Legolas mused, slipping his fingers through a stray strand of her hair, "as am I." And with a suggestive wink, he left her once again feeling weak kneed and breathless.
~ ~ ~
They continued their slow journey in the morning, watching Mount Doom as they walked. But it soon became apparent that the wind was indeed pushing the ash to the east and they traveled with considerably lightened hearts.
The Elvin prisoners, though horribly weak, were jubilant considering what they had endured and the hardships they now faced on their journey. Many of them could barely walk.
"Merely to see the sun again eases my pain," Romion said to Alede as they walked. "And to sleep beneath the stars once again . . . I would endure any amount of cold for that privilege."
Two days later, they were met by Thranduil's company.
Alede greeted him with a cry of joy. "You brought healers and blankets!"
"Yes, and greetings to you as well, Alede," Thranduil said with a sardonic tone.
Alede laughed, not caring at all that Thranduil was once again chastising her manners. She was much too glad to see the spare horses and the litters they carried to be vexed by the King.
He soon forgot her anyway, leaping from his horse to clasp his son in a welcoming embrace and entreat him for all the news.
Later in the evening as they sat on thick blankets and several fires burned high, Alede noticed that Thranduil's eyes strayed often to Romiël as the Elf sat quietly listening to Legolas recount of events. The she-Elf was clothed in breaches and a warm tunic obviously borrowed from Alede's own wardrobe. It was only now that Alede realized that both she and the she- Elf were of similar height and build. But even stranger, was the knowledge that Thranduil had raided her clothing to provide for the woman.
Alede gave Romiël and Thranduil a speculative look and then smiled a quiet secret smile.
~ ~ ~
"Will you walk with me, Father?" Alede asked Thranduil after most of the Elvin prisoners had had a wash with hot water and been tucked into warm bedrolls. Alede could still hear their soft sighs of contentment.
Thranduil looked up at her from where he lounged by the fire, but did not rise. Alede ground her teeth together. Was nothing easy with this Elf!
"I wish to speak with you," she said quietly, glancing for a moment at Legolas who sat with one of his healers and was listening to the news from Eryn Culhallas. She had sensed all evening how uncomfortable Legolas was about broaching the subject of using song for healing with his father. She was still amazed by such prudish behavior from the normally very un-prudish Elves. But she had no such hesitation and therefore had decided to ask Thranduil about it herself.
Thranduil too glanced over at his son, before rising to his feet.
"Secrets, Alede?" he asked as they walked away from the fire. "If you wish to break your betrothal with Legolas, I will assist you with your packing."
"I am not going to break my betrothal!" Alede snapped before realizing that Thranduil was baiting her just for fun again.
She closed her eyes and held her breath as she silently counted to ten. She was exhausted so the Elf was easily able to spark her temper with only a few words.
"You will suffocate if you continue to hold your breath," Thranduil's voice cut through her thoughts.
"I will not suffocate! I wished to ask you a question before you started being annoying."
"Annoying?" Thranduil asked, raising an imperious eyebrow that made Alede step back a bit, thinning her lips with irritation.
"I apologize for the term," Alede said. "But I am fatigued and I do not wish to play games. I have spoken with Legolas about an idea and we were interested in your opinion. He intends to speak with you later, but I am impatient for your opinion."
Thranduil's brows shot up. Obviously he was intrigued that she might seek his advice.
"I am listening."
Alede cleared her throat, choosing her words carefully. "What I wish to speak of is a subject that you will find . . . impolite."
"Continue."
"These Elves have suffered so much. I fear that it may have effected their minds . . ."
"It has," Thranduil stated. "For the brief time that Romiël was in Ithilien, I saw that. She had nightmares and that is unusual in an Elf."
"Indeed?" Alede questioned. "I have always been under the impression that Elves controlled their dreams. Is it not sometimes called the waking sleep?"
"It is," Thranduil said nodding. "That she no longer has the ability to direct her dreams indicates how much her torture has effected her. Not surprising considering what they have endured."
"No, it is not surprising," Alede said shaking her head and glancing back at the camp. "Which is why I wish to purpose this idea." She hesitated once again. "Several years ago when Gimli was unconscious because of a head wound, Legolas used . . . his song to heal him, to bring his mind back."
Thranduil glanced away with a scowl of irritation and Alede thought, a hint of embarrassment.
"I do not wish to be rude," Alede said quickly. "But might it not be a way to help these people heal from their ordeal? If some of Legolas' people were to volunteer, perhaps those who dealt with Orcs before from their years in Mirkwood, might it not be a way of aiding the prisoners?"
Despite his distaste for the subject, Thranduil was listening to her suggestion. Alede could see him weighing it in his mind.
"I am sure that with time or by crossing over to the West, these people will heal," Alede said, pressing her advantage. "But might this not be a way to speed that healing? Might some of them wish to stay and could we not try to bring them some sense of joy and security while they are here?"
Thranduil gazed off into the distance for a moment and Alede held her breath again.
"It is a possibility, daughter. I will consider your idea."
"Thank you," she said, letting her breath out with a rush. "I would be happy to work with Romiël. I am quite fond of her already. . ."
"Nay," Thranduil said a little too sharply. "You are not Elvin. If anyone works with Romiël, it will be I."
Alede made a concentrated effort to control her face.
"And you may wipe that ridiculous grin off of your face, daughter!" Thranduil snapped.
But Alede ignored his tone and her smile grew. "May I offer my congratulations then?"
"What are you babbling about?" Thranduil asked irritably, though he looked uncomfortable, betraying that he knew exactly what Alede was implying.
Alede decided to take pity on Legolas' father. This was not an appropriate subject to needle him about and she had not missed the guilty glance Thranduil had cast toward Legolas. She too did not know how the Prince would react to his father's interest in another woman. It was rare for Elves to love more than once in their lives. Would Legolas think that Thranduil dishonored his mother's memory?
Changing the subject, Alede asked, "Did Legolas tell you of Romiël's daring rescue?"
When Thranduil shook his head, Alede told him of Romiël's brave leap from the griffon's back which had sent her sprawling out of the way of Zarraweth's spell.
"I think," Alede concluded softly, "beneath those scars and disfigurements lies a woman of tremendous courage and beauty."
It was a full moment before Thranduil answered, his eyes straying to where the she-Elf lay curled in her bedroll.
"For once, daughter, I am in complete agreement with you."
~ ~ ~
They traveled slowly for the sake of the injured Elves. Romiël surprised them all by commenting how fair Thranduil looked without his beard. This inspired an amused inquiry from Legolas and when the King reluctantly explained to his son that Radagast had cursed him with a beard after their argument, Alede went into an uncontrollable fit of giggles.
Legolas had to physically intervene to keep Thranduil from strangling his betrothed and the journey was finished with Thranduil in fit of high temper.
~ ~ ~
"Are you awake?" Legolas asked brightly as he sat down upon Alede's bed with an annoying bounce.
"I am now," came the muttered reply from somewhere beneath the immense pile of blankets.
All that Legolas could see of her was the top of her head and several unruly strands of hair.
They had been back in Ithilien for three days now. Legolas and Alede had scarcely had a private moment together since their return. He was busy with his councilors assessing the repairs to their grape crop and taking care of all the tiny tedious details that made up the running of a small kingdom. His scouts had also returned and he sent them out again to spy out the other fortresses in Mordor. Eventually he would have to deal with them.
His father was still in a temper because of the beard incident and had not forgiven Radagast. He and the wizard ignored and avoided each other which made Legolas' life more difficult since he often needed to seek out the advice of both of them.
Gimli had disappeared grumpily into his house and not reappeared until the day before.
Cyrus had taken to giving out dire predictions every time Mount Doom belched out a new cloud of ash in the distance. Legolas was happy to see both he and Radagast begin their magical work on his kingdom, as it gave Cyrus less time to complain.
The griffon had accidentally frightened their flock of goats which provided the milk for Ithilien's famous cheese. Legolas' skill had been required to help track them down, where they were eventually found munching flowers at least three leagues from home.
Alede had immediately taken charge of the infirmary to the amusement of Galomir, the senior healer and the annoyance of the under-healers. But she had soon smoothed tempers with her efficiency and her obvious concern for the welfare of their new patients. Bones that had been broken and deformed were reset, cruel spikes were removed and eyes that had lost their luster began to shine with Elvin brightness once again.
Legolas was pleased to be home. More than just pleased. After so many days of travel and toil though, he was ready, like any Elf, to play. But at the moment, the object of his play was laying in bed with the sun already peeking over the horizon and not cooperating.
His fingers walked down the side of what he assumed to be ribs, before they began making poking motions.
"Mmph . . . come to bed or go away," came the mumbled reply from the bed.
Legolas grinned. He knew that Alede was tired after working so hard for the past few days. He had deliberately left her alone at night so that she might sleep soundly. But three days and three nights was now more than he could stand to be deprived of her company and he knew that she had retired early the previous night. A day of sunshine and play would do her good.
"I have something to show you," he said.
A corner of the blankets turned down and green eyes peeked out at him.
"Are our patients all right?" she asked, blinking at him.
"They are fine. Galomir has everything well under control. Take a day of rest. I want to show you something."
"What?"
Legolas grinned. "I cannot tell you. It is a secret."
Alede flipped the covers back, obviously intrigued. "Let me get dressed . . ."
"Nay," Legolas said, standing up, "this will not require clothing." And pulling her to her feet, he led her eagerly out of the bedchamber.
~ ~ ~
A/N: Looks like our Elf is up to mischief. Find out what Legolas has up his sleeve, or rather his lack of sleeves, since he won't be wearing any in chapter 14, coming up soon! ;)
*** 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.
Romion - Romiel's brother and also a captive of Sauron for 700 years.
