Chapter 5
As the man turned to face them he smiled softly and removed the helm from his head so that his dark hair fell about his shoulders. He was young yet lines of care marked his face. His pale grey eyes drank in Mithlach's appearance resting on her apparel with evident disapproval.
"Ohtarwen, I presume?" said the man.
Mithlach drew her sword and held it steadily a hairs-breadth from his throat.
"Who are you?" she asked.
The man looked down the dark blade at Mithlach's cool questioning eyes in considerable shock. His eyes fell for a moment on Lindil, as if for explanation, but the elf looked back it him looking slightly amused and took a seat. Having been in a similar situation not long ago Lindil could appreciate his feelings but he could now see from Mithlach's position as well.
"My…my name is Melfalas and I am travelling with my comrades of Dol Amroth. Your brother leads us in his search for you. If you are indeed Ohtarwen."
"I am."
Mithlach's look was almost painfully penetrating as if she would draw his thoughts from his mind through his eyes, but Melfalas kept his own gaze steady till she drew back her sword and sat down beside Lindil. She motioned for Melfalas to take a seat himself and regarded him thoughtfully, twisting her ring around her finger.
"Forgive me," she said, "A maiden cannot be too careful."
Melfalas looked at her grimly but nodded as a gesture of forgiveness.
"How does my brother fare?" she asked.
"He fares well but anxiously awaits your return home. He is currently camping in the woods with the other knights of Prince Imrahil. I was told to wait with the dwarves and send word when you returned. Do you wish me to send word now?"
"No, you may leave in the morning. For now you may rest. There is no hurry."
Melfalas disliked the authorative tone of her voice and stiffened considerably.
"Then tomorrow we travel together," he said matching her tone.
"I fear that is not possible. I have a few things to attend to on the morrow so I shall depart in the evening."
"I see," said Melfalas, "And who, may I ask, is your companion?"
"I," said the elf, "am Lindil, son of Lindir of Rivendell."
Lindil stood to greet Melfalas who returned the greeting and asked politely how the elf came to meet 'Ohtarwen'. Lindil glanced at Mithlach who only shrugged and so he told Melfalas how they had met. Melfalas listened with his lips-pursed and at the end apologised for her behaviour, assuring Lindil that not all maidens, in fact no other maiden, from Dol Amroth had her rather unusual temperament.
Sensing that Mithlach was thinking of her sword again, Lindil hastily said what a shame that was and that he enjoyed seeing the changes taking place in middle-earth, but the man only lost some of his respect for the elf and bidding them goodnight, left abruptly.
The elf turned to Mithlach with a twinkle in his eye.
"Your redeemer seems to frown upon your mode of life."
"It is no concern of his," she replied staring darkly at the closed door from whence he had left.
"No indeed. Do you trust him?"
"I do not yet know," she said and looked up at him, "Do you also depart with the rising of the sun?"
"No. I may stay yet with you and depart in the evening where we shall part ways in the woods."
"So be it. Come, I must see a friend. Vim said there would be a surprise for me upon my return. I shall have a surprise for Vim also," she added mischievously, "in the fair form of an elf."
"I deem it more likely to be an unpleasant shock for the poor dwarf. As it was for your other dwarf friends."
"Not all dwarfs are alike, my friend. 'Tis not wise to judge the many by the few."
Lindil agreed and they walked out into the bright hall where the lamps glowed brightly like golden orbs and a great fire warmed the stone walls. Great staircases rose from many sides of the great pillared hall. Mithlach singled one out and began to climb it and soon they passed under a jewelled arch and the ground became flat. Ahead of them stretched a long tunnel from which many doors branched off to the sides but in such order that it seemed, as they walked along the corridor, that they were not moving at all. All the doors were precisely the same size and shape (as were the striking lamps hanging outside them) the ground was smooth and level and only by dwarf runes on the walls could any part of the corridor be distinguished from any other part. Mithlach stopped outside a door and pushed it gently ajar.
"Vim?" she said, "It is I, Ohtarwen."
"Come in, child," came a voice.
Mithlach stepped inside and smiled warmly at the dwarf sitting before her. A short beard flowed from the dwarves chin hiding partly the blue cloth the dwarf was busy stitching. Mithlach turned to Lindil who was still standing outside the room.
"You may come in but do not reveal to anyone that you came here."
"More secrecy? Why does that not surprise me?" he said.
He entered the room much to the dwarves utter shock but Mithlach spoke soothingly and motioned Lindil to take a seat while she herself sat by the dwarf. The dwarf was very soon calmed and sat looking closely at Lindil and Mithlach.
"How do you fare Vim?" asked Mithlach.
"Very well indeed," was the gruff reply, "In spite of young maidens bringing elves into my bedchamber. What's this?"
Vim had noticed the bandage around Mithlach's arm.
"A mere scratch," replied Mithlach, "What do you sew there?"
"It was to be a surprise. A gown for you, for it has been many a year since you have worn aught but your tough ranger clothes. Tis almost ready. I hear you leave us soon."
"Tomorrow evening," said Mithlach with a sad smile.
Vim moved aside the gown and reached for a handkerchief into which the poor dwarf wept miserably and alarmingly (to Lindil) loudly.
"Now now, my love," said Mithlach, "I shall visit you. You must not cry. Especially before an elf. Why, I have not introduced you two. Vim, this is Lindil, son of Lindir of the valley of Rivendell. Lindil, this is Vim Icytears, sister-daughter of Sarin."
Lindil almost gasped. Sister-daughter! A female dwarf? He did not know they even existed. Now that Vim had stood up to greet him he was aware that she wore a gown yet the beard remained to baffle him.
"At your service," said Lindil.
"And I at yours and your family's," replied Vim with a sniff.
She had wiped the tears from her eyes and blew her nose loudly before settling down and stowing away the gown for fear that Mithlach would see too much of it. She then asked Mithlach of her adventures since last she had left the lonely mountain. Mithlach related the events animatedly and when she got to the part where she met Lindil she insisted he tell the rest which he did with all his elvish talent for stories and soon the story developed into a song. By the end of which Mithlach and Vim praised Lindil with much praise. Lindil was rather astonished himself. He had not even noticed when the narration had broken into song.
"You must write that for me," said Vim warmly.
"I shall indeed," said Lindil with a smile.
"Now you both look exhausted so you had better retire to your own bedchambers to have a hot bath and a deep sleep. Good night."
"Goodnight," said Mithlach planting a gentle kiss on Vim's cheek and following Lindil from the room.
"Where can I find parchment to write upon?" asked Lindil as Mithlach led him through the seemingly endless corridors.
"I have some with me," she said, taking it out of her bag and handing it to him, "Why is it you ask?"
"To write my song for Vim of course!"
"Did you like her then?"
"Yes. A very pleasant dwarf indeed. I see why she is so close to your heart."
"It gladdens my heart to hear you say so. I thought you would never be fond of any dwarf."
"I thought so myself. Why, in truth, I would not have believed it possible days ago. How Nimril will laugh when I tell her. She will claim not to believe me though in her heart she knows I would never utter a false word to her."
"Nimril? I know enough elvish to know her to be the elf-maiden I saw with you in the forest who lit up the dark like a moon on the ground."
"How truly you speak. Silver and radiant, more brilliant than mithril. We are to be wed when we reach the undying lands."
"What sorrow you must feel from being parted from her and what a wretch I feel for being the reason for your delay in returning to her. I console myself with the fact that you begin your journey to the havens tomorrow. Else I would pray for a mighty eagle to lift you away this very moment and carry you to the blessed shores as soon as its swift wings could take you."
"If the eagle came I would wish for it to take you to your home first."
"Oh how I miss my brother. I returned to see him as often as I could, but since the shadow began to extend a hand to Isengard I have been unable to go back. How he must have changed. How I must have changed. Would he recognise his sister as she looks now, weary from unending travels? Sometimes I fear I shall never see his face again or look into those eyes that are a mirror of my own."
"Do not despair for we know him to be close and soon you shall be reunited."
"You are indeed right. It is the weariness on me that makes me think so. A hot bath in my chamber will do much to restore my spirits as it has done in the past. You have three brothers of your own I believe."
"Four," replied Lindil, "Though you saw only three. My youngest brother remains faithfully in Rivendell with his friends Elladan and Elrohir the fair and brave sons of Lord Elrond. Perhaps my brothers have already set sail from the havens."
"I do not feel that they would leave without you and Nimril, for Nimril would assuredly not leave without you and they would not leave your betrothed by herself. Here," Mithlach pushed open a door, "You shall sleep here for the night."
Lindil ducked under the low doorframe and looked about the room. A fire burned merrily opposite a low, short bed. The sound of trickling water turned his gaze towards the far corner where a fountain glistened and threw patterns of light on the walls.
"Sleep well," said Mithlach.
"Sleep well."
Mithlach finally retired to her own room to follow Vim's sage counsel: have a hot bath and a deep sleep.
