Chapter Two: Learning Elvish Ways
When Ugrunt next awoke, he had to blink when his eyes were suddenly stung by bright sunlight.
"Sunlight? What am I doing outside? And during the day, no less?" Ugrunt wondered, as his eyes adjusted to the light. Amidst his confusion, he was becoming aware of the changes in his own body; his arms and hands were graceful and perfect, long, tapered ears were attached to the sides of his head, and pale, almost white skin covered all of this.
"What do you think, Ugrunt? Or, should I say, Undial?" the now familiar voice of the Elvish maiden asked, getting a confused look from Ugrunt for her efforts.
"Undial? Is that going to be my name from now on?" Ugrunt asked, a bit surprised by this turn of events.
"It simply wouldn't do for an Elf to have an Orkish name. That is why the Valar saw fit to choose a new name for you." The Elvish maiden said, with a good-natured smile, her light seeming diminished by the light of the afternoon sun. Ugrunt sighed and shook his head; this was almost too much to take all at once.
"Well? What now? What do the Valar want me to do now?" Ugrunt, or should I say Undial, asked, as he looked to the maiden for advice.
"We move away from here as soon as possible. I wasn't able to move you as far as I would have liked, so now your former kin could still catch up with us. The first thing you must do is learn how to walk." The maiden said, with some urgency in her voice.
"Learn how to walk? You mean upright?" Undial asked. The maiden nodded. Undial's new ears drooped; how was he going to learn how to move around when his 'former kin' could easily overtake him with their shambling gaits?
"Do not worry. Your body will learn quickly, though it might hurt at first." The maiden said, knowing exactly what her charge was thinking.
"Would you mind if I asked what your name is? Or do you have one?" Undial asked, suddenly.
"Please forgive me! My name is Vala. Kind of an obvious name, but it's a name, nonetheless." The maiden said, with surprising amiability for a Noldorin Spirit. For the longest time, Undial lay there, in deep thought, then he slowly forced himself to his knees, grimacing with effort and some pain as the movement put strain on his newly straightened spine, arms and legs. Finally, after a few tense moments, Undial was on his feet, where he swayed for a moment and caught his balance on a tree.
"Undial?" Vala asked, with a little concern in her voice.
"I'm fine. Where do the Valar want me to go?" Undial asked, as he looked her way. It wasn't until that moment that he realized that even his voice sounded different.
"Head to the Golden Wood. You might find help there." Vala said, as a deadpan look spread across Undial's features.
"Yeah. They'd help me all right. Help turn me into a living pin-cushion." Undial muttered, sarcastically.
"Don't worry. I won't let them hurt you. I'll teach you some Elvish before we get there, so you'll have something to say when asked." Vala said, as she watched Undial take a few shaky steps from the tree, in the general direction of Lothlorien.
"What am I going to do when they see these clothes? They'll take one look at me and start shooting." Undial said, with even more uneasiness in his voice.
"Let me worry about that, Undial. For now, concentrate on what you're doing, and listen to what I'm about to teach you." Vala stated. With a resigned sigh, Undial nodded, and started listening to what the spirit had to say. All of the rest of that afternoon was spent learning how to walk, and, in a sense, how to talk. He amazed himself when his brain soaked in all of the Elvish she threw at him, and soon he was even singing some of the songs.
"You have a fine voice, Undial. You do the songs justice." Vala said, smiling when the pale elf blushed at her compliment.
"Thanks……………I guess. I've never sung before." Undial replied, marveling that he could feel so free as an elf.
"That's because you've never had anything to sing about before. These are the songs of your Elvish forefathers; songs they themselves lost when they were twisted beyond all recognition. You are regaining all that they had lost, and more." Vala said, her voice growing softer as they approached the edge of the Golden Wood.
"This is one place I have never been to before. Many an orc had gone in, and never come out. I wonder what sort of horror the elves here have in store?" Undial murmured, as he peered into the wood with apprehension in his eyes.
"I guess we're about to find out." Vala said, as she led the way into the wood, going right though bush and sapling as though she were nothing (which, in a sense, wasn't far from the truth, as far as substance was concerned).
"You mean you don't know?!" Undial yelped, eyes wide with disbelief. The spirit only smiled, secretively.
"Oi!" Undial muttered, slapping a hand to his face in exasperation as he followed her. As they walked though the Golden Wood, Undial couldn't help but stare in wonder at the sights. Golden leaves shimmered on the branches of the tall trees, and glimmered underfoot, making Undial hesitant to walk on the sacred ground.
"Such a wondrous place………it's no wonder the elves were so keen on destroying any orcs that crossed the boundary." Undial murmured, then glared at his clothes, feeling disgust well up within him. He was still wearing Orkish leathers he'd been wearing before his transformation, and they were starting to chafe his new skin.
"Stop right where you are." A commanding voice said, interrupting the thought. Undial froze, and looked around. He couldn't see anything, but he knew that there was at least one elf nearby. What really scared Undial was the fact that Vala was nowhere to be seen. Before Undial could even think on this, he found himself at the mercy of the bows of the Galadhrim.
"What are you? You appear to be wearing Orkish garments, yet you have the appearance of an elf. What do you call yourself?" the speaker from before asked, as he took a step forward, keen blue eyes taking in every detail.
"Undial, sir." Undial replied, in Elvish. The elf, obviously the captain of the patrol, gave him a wary look.
"Undial? That's an unusual name, by Elvish standards. How came you to be wearing those garments?" the elf captain asked.
"I can explain that, but it would be best if we met with Galadriel and Celeborn first." Vala's voice said, as she reappeared alongside Undial. All of the Galadhrim backed up a step, with expressions of fear and wonder on their faces.
"I can't refuse. We must take him to Caras Galadhon." The elf captain said, shakily, as he started leading the way. As the elves gathered into a loose circle around the spirit and new elf, Undial gave Vala a look that said it all.
"And where did you go when I needed you the most? I just about ended up as a pincushion!" Undial whispered, in the Elvish he had just learned that afternoon.
"The Valar wanted to see what you would do in the face of such odds, so I was ordered away for a moment. I am sorry if that frightened you." Vala said, looking a little sheepish for having done that to him. Undial arched an eyebrow.
"I guess it couldn't be helped. At least you didn't completely abandon me. Where are they taking us?" Undial asked.
"To the center of the Golden Wood, the Elvish city of Caras Galadhon. It is the home of Galadriel and Celeborn." Vala replied, as she floated alongside him. For several miles they walked, until they finally reached their destination. Undial took in all of the new sights and smells with fascination; he'd never seen so many beautiful things in his life. Amidst all that, he could hear singing; the elves were singing, but it was a sad song that left their lips.
"Such sadness in their voices. Who are they singing for?" Undial asked, as he looked to the elf captain for the answer. The captain appeared to wince, then looked back at him with some pain in his eyes.
"Mithrandir. Gandalf the Grey is whom they are singing for. He fell recently to the Elfbane in Moria. All hope that we had went with him." The elf captain murmured, sadly.
"I saw it happen." Undial thought, as he remembered the battle between the Fire of Udun and the wizard on the bridge.
"I'm sorry for bringing it up." Undial said, honestly, as they approached the place where the two rulers of Lothlorien sat.
"Such a strange-looking elf that comes before us now, in this time of mourning. What do you call yourself?" Galadriel asked.
"Undial, milady." Undial replied, remembering recently learned manners. Vala smiled approvingly.
"Come closer." Galadriel beckoned. Undial obeyed and got closer to the throne. He sat wonderingly as the elf queen gently traced his jaw with feather-soft fingers, and she tilted her head when she looked into his eyes.
"You are the only one of your kind. The only one who has ever returned down the path so many elves were forced to go down. The Valar have great plans for you, young Undial." Galadriel said, gently, as she silently beckoned for some more elves to come forward.
"So I have been told, milady." Undial murmured, then noticed that there were more elves gathered near.
"Follow them. They will get you cleaned up, and arrayed in new clothes. After that, we will discuss what needs to be done." Galadriel said, with some command hidden in her voice. Undial nodded and did as he was told; looking a little eager to be rid of his old clothes.
"Lady Galadriel, are you sure this is a good idea?" the elf captain asked, looking a little uncertain about what he'd heard.
"Do not fear, Haldir. I do not think Undial will do us any harm." Galadriel said, as she watched Vala from the corner of her eye move off to follow Udial and the elves of Lorien.
"What part does he have to play in all of this?" Haldir asked.
"We will soon find out." Galadriel said, as Celeborn gazed solemnly after the young elf, his silence speaking louder than words.
"Ai! That's hot!" Undial yelped, when his skin met the bath water. Some of the elves chuckled at his expense, and blushed when he refused to get into the tub since the water was so hot.
"Better if it's hot, then it'll kill whatever foul things that were living in those foul clothes of yours!" one elf, this one a tall, matronly elf-wife, retorted, as she walked over and took poor Undial by the ear.
"Owowowowowow! Leggo of the ear!" Undial shouted, as he was thrown into the water and the elf-wife started scrubbing him clean.
"Mother!" one elf maiden shouted, her face beet-red with embarrassment.
"Don't you have any shame?" Undial asked, his face flushed from both the heat of the water, and mortification.
"I've seen it all before, since I raised five sons. Now sit still!" the elf-wife demanded, as she started running her hands through his hair, working in the special concoctions elves used to clean their hair with her hands. By the time the bath was over, Undial looked more like a frail, drowned rat than an elf.
"You smell better, Undial." Vala quipped, getting an unreadable glance from Undial in response.
"Thanks." Undial muttered, his expression deadpanning, as the elf-wife approached him again, this time with clothes in her arms.
"These clothes belonged to my dead son. He died during the Last Alliance. Treat them well." The elf-wife said, as she laid them on a chair, and left again.
"This must have really grieved her to do this." Undial murmured, as he took a look at the garments. The ones that really caught his attention were a pair of dark grey breeches and a silvery grey tunic. On the floor near the chair was a pair of new boots and a belt.
"I have no doubt about that." Vala said, turning away when Undial started dressing. When he was through, Undial decided that now was the best time to explore. He left the bathing houses and walked around the flet they were situated on. From where he was, he could see the huge central tree that was at the very heart of Caras Galadhon, and wondered just how long it would take for him to get to know this place.
"You appear to have fared well against my mother." A male voice said, startling Undial somewhat.
"She's a formidable one, have no doubt about that." Undial replied, with a smirk, as the owner of the voice approached him.
"She is that. My name is Tirinvo, I was with the Marchwarden when you were found earlier." The elf said, as he leaned on the handrail and looked out over the other flets.
"My name is Undial. What do you think Lady Galadriel will say to me? I know she wants to speak with me about something." Undial said, nervously.
"You needn't worry about that. She'll probably assign you to the Marchwarden's group so you can get some training with both bow and sword. My guess is that we're going to participate in a war soon, since she is building up the numbers of the Galadhrim that keep watch over the borders. The Marchwarden, Haldir, even mentioned something about Helm's Deep; but that's all the way in Rohan. That's a good long march from here." Tirinvo said, thoughtfully, as his ears moved slightly to catch the lament that was still being sung for Gandalf. They both turned when they heard someone join them.
"The Lady wants to see you now, Undial." Haldir said, quietly. Undial exchanged glances with Tirinvo, then nodded and walked off with the Marchwarden. Instead of being taken to the 'throne room', Undial found himself being led to the ground, where a small array of statues and one pedestal topped with a basin stood.
"What is this place?" Undial asked, as he looked around.
"This is the Mirror of Galadriel. In it, you can see things that were, things that are, and things that have not yet happened. It is here that she will decide where you need to be." Haldir replied, as he ushered the young elf forward, to where Galadriel stood in all her glory.
"But what about Vala? Doesn't she have the ultimate say in where I belong?" Undial asked. Haldir nodded.
"She does. I guess Lady Galadriel's decision is more of a preliminary to Vala's more permanent decision." Haldir mused, as he watched Undial cautiously approach the Lady of the Golden Wood.
"I see that you have been told of the Mirror." Galadriel said, when she'd seen Undial glance warily at the basin on the pedestal.
"Yes, milady." Undial replied, as he looked back in Haldir's direction one last time, then faced Galadriel.
"Why don't you look in the Mirror?" Galadriel asked, as she walked over and stood near the basin.
"What will I see?" Undial asked, noticing when Galadriel gave him a soft, sad smile.
"There was another who had asked that same question, and my response was this; even I cannot tell what you will see. Only you can find out." Galadriel said, standing patiently by as the young elf slowly approached the side of the basin and looked down. In the clear, undisturbed water, he could see his face; pale-skinned, framed by raven-black hair and indented with cat-slitted, garnet-colored eyes. Then the water rippled, and showed him the face of a young, Elvish soldier. The soldier's eyes were closed, as though in sleep, and weeds were tangled in his golden-blond hair. Then those selfsame eyes opened to reveal the clear blue eyes of a living elf. The image then changed to that of a stone fortress that was flanked by tall, jagged peaks. On the walls he could see men and elves standing ready for battle and, to his shock, he was among them! Again the image changed to that of a mist-shrouded path, where he could see ghosts and other such beings drifting about, waiting for someone. When he looked up, he gave Galadriel a curious look.
"What did it all mean? Where is that stone fortress and why was I there in the vision?" Undial asked, bewildered by what he'd seen in the water mirror.
"That stone fortress is where you will need to be in a short while. It is the place where the Marchwarden will be going to help the men of Rohan, and the fragments of the shattered Fellowship. Then my decision is this; from this day onward, you are a part of the Haldir's group. He will supply you with the weapons you will need. In the meantime, train well, for there is very little time left." Galadriel said, dismissing Undial with a slight wave her hand. The next couple of days passed in a flurry of activity. Undial saw very little of Vala, but, when he did see her, he was strangely content. Eventually, the elves in the Marchwarden's troop became comfortable around him, and he found himself making friends among them. His closest friend was Tirinvo, and the two were often found taking long walks, talking about everything and nothing. Then, one day, the usual activities of Caras Galadhon were interrupted by the arrival of the Lord of the Eagles.
"What's going on?" Undial asked, as he moved through the crowd, with Tirinvo at his side.
"I don't know. Lord Gwaihir seems to have found someone of importance." Another elf said, as loud voices announced whom it was that the eagle lord had found.
"Mithrandir! It's Mithrandir!" a few elves shouted, joyfully, as the figure was helped to his feet and a cloak was thrown over his shoulders.
"Mithrandir?! But didn't he fall in the Mines of Moria?" Undial asked, turning and finding Vala standing there on his other side.
"He did, but the Valar sent him back. He has unfinished business here in Middle Earth, yet." Vala said, as she greeted the still shaky Gandalf with a gentle smile. Undial cocked his head to one side; was it just him, or did Vala just give the wizard a loving look?
Later that day, Undial found a spot where he could be alone, and took out something he'd been working on. In his hands, he held a piece of mallorn bark. The bark itself had come as a gift from Vala, and he had been told to make something beautiful with it.
"When you do that, your transition from orc to elf will be complete." Vala had said, as Undial ran his hands absently across the smooth, yet thick, piece of bark. Already, Undial had carved the image of a graceful swan into it; the symbol of Lothlorien, but he had yet to decide what it would be when finished. With extra care, he added the finishing touches to the swan, then moved down to where the unfinished part of the bark was.
"This would make a good comb. And I will bet that Tirinvo's mother would like something like that." Undial murmured, as he went to start on the teeth for the comb. As he worked, he sang one of the Elvish songs he'd been taught. He smiled slightly when he thought of all that had happened since he'd arrived in Lorien; all the times he'd gotten on Haldir's nerves, the training, the therapy he did on himself at night after a hard day. And all of it had happened in just a few short days.
"It feels like it's been a lifetime since I first entered the Golden Wood. So much has happened since I left Moria." Undial murmured, as he finished one tooth, then started smoothing another. He flinched when he cut his finger, and stared in wonder at what he saw happen next. At first, the blood that flowed from the wound was black, then it changed right before his eyes, lightening in color till it was a bright crimson color.
"The change is complete." Vala said, proudly, as she appeared before him, put a spectral hand over his, healed the wound and took the bloodstain out of the opalescent white mallorn bark she had given him.
"If that is true, then why are my eyes unchanged? Is there a reason?" Undial asked, curiously.
"You are an individual. Unique to the race of the Eldar. That is why your eyes are different from those of any other elf. It is your proof that you are what you say you are." Vala explained.
"I see. Vala, what have you been up to lately? I don't see much of you." Undial said, as he finished his work on the comb, and leaned forward in his seat, giving her an expectant look.
"I have been busy elsewhere, Undial. Much needed to be done before the Valar can allow you to leave with Haldir to go to Helm's Deep. A prophecy needed to be fulfilled before Gandalf could leave from here." Vala replied, as she sat down in midair (by now, Undial was used to this sort of thing, so it didn't startle him when she did it).
"A prophecy? What kind of prophecy?" Undial asked, curiosity lighting his fair features.
"It is an ancient prophecy now, but it pertains to the Elvish race. An elf who had touched the One Ring before death will rise again, and see events unfold that no other elves of his time would see." Vala explained, as some comprehension dawned on Undial's face.
"Now that would explain part of what I saw in Galadriel's Mirror. But I still don't understand what it all has to do with me." Undial said, voicing his confusion over the matter.
"All will be clear, in time. Just be patient. It will soon be time for you to play your part." Vala said, as another day ended, and the evening was welcomed by the elves of Lorien.
Author's Note!
Here's a little note on the main character's name. To limit on confusion (and possible ridiculing) here's the pronunciation: Undial = Oon-dee-all (stupid looking, I know, but necessary).
Gemini