Chapter 2
Unexpected Journey
Laiqua smiled with pride. He had shot off ten arrows, and seven had hit the target. Yesterday only six had struck home! He ran forward to retrieve his shafts. After he did so, he looked with longing into the woods that surrounded the clearing in which he was allowed to play. His friend Tathar was permitted in the forest on occasion. It was true that Tathar had to keep within shouting distance of a grown Elf when he ventured into the trees, but at least he was given the chance to explore a little bit. While he, Laiqua, could not even wander under the shadow of a tree without drawing a rebuke from his Edwen Nana. Maybe that was it: If he had a Naneth instead of an Edwen Nana, would he be permitted in the forest?
At least he was allowed to climb that one particular tree that stood closest to the cottage. This was a tree his Edwen Nana could spot from each and every window. But if Nana saw him so much as putting his hand on the trunk of another tree, she would be out the door in a trice, scolding him gently but firmly.
Nana didn't know it (or so Laiqua thought) but there were occasions when he had stepped a few feet into the forest. If he thought that his Edwen Nana was sufficiently distracted, he would try to slip away. Strangely, though, whenever he had done so, tall, intimidating Elves would suddenly appear directly in front of him. Armed with swords as well as bows, these Elves would block his path, staring levelly at him until he retreated into the clearing. Laiqua did not understand why these Elves always seemed to materialize in his path. Tathar had never encountered any such Elves whilst in the woods. Laiqua wished he could ask his Edwen Nana about them, but of course if he did so he would have to admit that he had been trying to sneak into the forest. Laiqua could hear her calling him now. Wistful but obedient, he left off peering into the shadows under the trees and ran to the cottage.
"Time for your supper, Laiqua. Are your hands clean?"
He held up his hands for her inspection. Shaking her head, she looked bemusedly at them. "How you manage to keep so clean I will never know. Perhaps an enchantment was laid upon you at birth. Well, sit thee down."
After supper, he played for a while in his bed with whittled animals whilst his Nana worked on embroidering a tunic she had made for him. She was taking unusual care with this garment. She had started to sew it the day after that messenger had arrived bearing a letter with a most elaborate seal. The messenger reminded Laiqua of the Elves who haunted the forest—just as tall, just as intimidating. He was dressed in identical garb as well—green tunic, brown leggings.
"Look, Laiqua. I have finished your tunic." Nana came to sit beside him on the bed. "See, here is Cabor the Frog. And there are Hu the Dog, Rusc the Fox, and Draug the Wolf. Brôg the Bear and Raw the Lion are growling at each other on this side. On this sleeve is Amlug the Dragon, and on that sleeve is Limlug the Serpent. If you look hard, you also will find Roch the Horse and Amras the Deer. And if you look very, very hard, you will find many, many birds, for I know that you love winged creatures above all."
Laiqua traced a finger over the garment. "Oh, yes, here is Cugu the Dove, and there is Thoron the Eagle. Oh, I see Tavor the Woodpecker, too! And there is Gwael the Gull!" Laiqua had never seen a Gull, but he recognized it from pictures in books. He became engrossed in searching through the intricate embroidery. He managed to find Alph the Swan and Corch the Crow and Dúlin the Nightingale, but he was still looking for Tuilinn the Swallow and Heledir the Kingfisher when he fell asleep clutching the tunic.
When Laiqua awoke the next morning, he saw his Edwen Nana searching through his wardrobe. An open pack, partly filled, sat on the table.
"What are you doing, Nana?"
"You are going on a journey. I am choosing some clothes for you."
"A journey!" Laiqua leaped to his feet and bounced on the bed in his excitement. His nursemaid smiled. She held up Roch, his well-worn stuffed horse.
"Oh, no, Nana, don't pack that! I'm too big for stuffed toys."
"Indeed?" The nursemaid put it aside, but when Laiqua was not looking she slipped it into the pack.
"Where are we going, Nana?"
"You are traveling to see your Adar."
"My Adar?"
"Yes, your Adar."
"I have an Adar?" This was news to Laiqua.
His Nana paused to consider. "We-ell," she said slowly. "You know that your friend Tathar lives with a lady who is his Naneth?"
"Yes, and I had a Naneth, too, but she died. Which is why I have an Edwen Nana instead!" Laiqua delivered this observation in a carefree tone of voice. Since he had never known his mother, he could not truly be said to miss her—not when his Nana had raised him with such devotion.
"You also know that the man who lives with Tathar and his Naneth is Tathar's Adar. In truth, Tathar is not the only child to have an Adar. Most Elflings begin life with both a Naneth and an Adar."
Laiqua was surprised but also pleased. He had often envied the attention that Tathar received from the man he called 'Ada'. Kind as his Nana was, she fell short in certain areas, most notably in archery. Perhaps his Adar would help him to improve his grip, just as Tathar's Ada helped Tathar with his woodcarving.
"Now I will help you pack your bag, Nana."
"No, no, Laiqua. That won't be necessary. Here, put your tunic on."
Laiqua lifted up his arms, and she slipped the new garment onto him. Then she carefully undid his braids, combed out his hair, and rebraided it. By the time she had finished, Laiqua was wriggling with impatience. His nursemaid laughed and fondly swatted his bottom.
"I suppose you are too excited to eat. Very well, you may go outside, but at least take this bit of bread to nibble on. And do keep your tunic clean—although I don't suppose I need to tell you that."
"May I practice with my bow?"
"Yes, Laiqua."
Laiqua was almost out the door when she called him back to her. She flung her arms around him and squeezed.
Laiqua protested. "Nana! I'm too big for that!"
Nana seemed to laugh at that but to cry at the same time. Laiqua was bewildered. His Nana was certainly acting oddly.
"You be good and you be brave."
"Nana, I'm always good—almost—and of course I'll be brave. You know that I am going to be a great warrior!"
Nana laughed and sobbed a little more, but at last she reluctantly let him run out to play.
Laiqua was jubilant. He had just succeeded in hitting the target ten times in a row. He had never done that before. He was about to call out for Nana to come see when he heard the sounds of hooves. Elves on horseback rarely came this close to the clearing. He dropped his bow and scrambled up his tree to get a better look. To his astonishment, directly underneath him a company of riders broke into the clearing. He flattened himself as much as possible onto a limb, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Something about these riders bothered him. Their movements were so forceful and abrupt, unlike those of his gentle Nana. And they were armed and garbed like the Elves who hid in the woods.
His Nana came out from the house. She handed up Laiqua's belongings to one of the riders.
"Where is the prince?" demanded the leader of the company.
"The prince?" wondered Laiqua.
His Nana looked up into the tree. The leader's eyes followed hers, and he spotted Laiqua. Reining his horse about, he rode under the limb, reached up, and pulled the Elfling down, settling him on the horse before him. Then, without any further words, he spurred his horse from the clearing.
Laiqua was too stunned to move for several seconds, but at last twisted about to look behind him, to make sure that his Nana was following. He did not see her.
"Stop! Stop! You're forgetting my Nana!"
"I have orders to bring you and only you."
Laiqua began to whimper. He would never have allowed this Elf to catch him if he had known that Nana would not be coming with him.
"You shouldn't cry. Your Adar won't want a prince who cries."
Laiqua looked up hopefully. "If I cry, my Adar will send me home?"
The leader laughed grimly. "No, if you cry, your Adar may give you something to cry about. Indeed, knowing your Adar, he will surely give you something to cry about."
Back in the clearing, Laiqua's Nana bent down and picked up the discarded bow. Hugging it close, she stumbled back into the silent cottage.
Laiqua was tired. He had always wanted to go on a journey, but jouncing along in the company of a taciturn Elf was not what he had imagined. Would they never stop to rest? His every muscle ached. At last it appeared as if he might get his wish. The leader called the company to a halt. But they did not dismount. Instead, they seemed to be waiting for someone. After a wearisome while, a rider approached them from the opposite direction from which they had been traveling. They were nearing an area where spiders had been previously sighted, and a scout had been sent ahead to reconnoiter. He brought bad news.
"Captain, there are indeed numerous spider nests in our path, and they stretch far both to the east and the west. I judge it would take a journey of many days to bypass them altogether."
The leader considered for a while. Finally he spoke. "We are a large company, and the spiders have not yet attacked folk so well defended. We will continue on this path. But I want bows strung and swords loosened in their sheaths."
"You," he added to Laiqua, "lay down against the neck of the horse. Make yourself as small as you can and do not lift your head until I tell you to."
Laiqua did as he was told, and the company proceeded in absolute silence, each rider keeping one hand on a weapon. From time to time hissing and snapping noises could be heard, and occasionally they would be showered by bark and leaves as something moved in the branches above. But no creatures assailed them, and after several tense hours, the scout told them that they were clear of the nests. By then Laiqua was so stiff from holding himself rigidly against the horse's neck that the leader had to help him sit back up again.
Long after passing the spiders, the company at last came to a halt. They had traveled both day and night, and it was now near dawn. The leader slid off his horse and then reached up and pulled Laiqua down, setting him on his feet.
"We are quite near to the King's Hall. It is time that you were made presentable." Instead of reaching into Laiqua's bundle for a clean garment, the leader unbuckled a saddlebag and pulled out a green tunic of fine silk elaborately embroidered in gold thread and decorated with pearls and gems.
"Take off that old tunic."
"This is not an old tunic! My Nana made it special for me, and she only finished it a day ago."
The leader made an impatient gesture. "By the Valar! What have I done to deserve this assignment!? I would rather battle a hundred Orcs than escort one baby prince!"
Stung at being called a baby, Laiqua resentfully pulled off his tunic. The leader snatched it from him and tossed it aside.
"Hold out your arms."
Laiqua did so and allowed himself to be garbed in the fancy surcoat, scowling all the while. He thought that the garment did not fit him as well as his Nana's tunic had. It was much too big! Then the leader reached back into the saddlebag and pulled out a golden diadem that he placed on Laiqua's head. After surveying the results for several moments, he said with a snort, "Now the King may be able to recognize his son."
The leader mounted his horse, and Laiqua was handed up to him. As they began to ride on, Laiqua remembered his Nana's tunic. He squirmed about and saw that it was being trampled by the riders following the lead horse.
"My tunic! You've forgotten my tunic!"
"You will have more tunics than you can count once you reach the King's Hall."
"I want that tunic." Laiqua began to sob outright.
"Do I have to remind you that if you cry, your Adar…."
Laiqua stopped weeping before the leader could finish the sentence.