Random Orcs, or We Fell to Middle Earth
Chapter Twenty-Six: All's Well That Ends Well
by Galadriel Tolkien
It was actually mid-day before my lazy idyll was interrupted by the arrival of Laure.
"Dear?"
"Hrm?" I pulled a piece of grass from between my lips and stretched.
"There is no decision, yet. But you are welcome to stay in my meadow for as long as you wish."
I smiled at her. "Thank you. I shall not be here for... well, long in your terms, I think. Perhaps a month, perhaps less." Something was tugging minutely at me. It was telling me things would end in this world soon. Which was a pity, since I was really liking it here.
The day turned into a week, one week into two, and before I knew it, I'd passed almost four weeks in the grassy meadow under the sun. The rest had finished restoring the last of my reserves and I was suddenly itching to go. Despite the occasional Ent-Wife, I'd had nearly no companionship or conversation save Alayna. And, love her though I do, she wears upon the nerves, eventually.
Luckily, Laure and Nandara came to see me off. Neither could reassure me as to the outcome, but I had a feeling that the breech between the Ents and the Ent-Wives would heal soon.
I followed the tug northwards, and realised that it was nearly mid-September.
At a crossroads, I met them. A procession rode through the Shire from Lothlorien and Rivendell. We traveled in quiet and music. Bilbo was with them, and Galadriel. We talked softly of the times we had had since our last meeting. Sorrow flowed under all, however, and I began to understand why the day we met Sam and Frodo on the road.
They joined us, and I wept inside at the thinness there was in Frodo's face, as if he wasted away under his skin. Bilbo had the same look, but he'd held the Ring for so much longer...
It wore away at their souls, and I ached to know they would never feel completely whole without it.
Sam carried some of that with him as well, and I did what I could to alleviate it. Frodo and Bilbo, I could not touch. But Sam--for him, I would break what laws I could--he didn't deserve to live his life never knowing complete happiness.
A few more days passed, but there was a sense of restlessness from the Elves, and so we moved quickly towards their destination.
It was a quay, on the far side of the Shire. The Grey Havens, they called it. There was an air of ancient grace and sorrow about the place as we rode up. And someone awaited us there.
Gandalf.
He'd changed since our last meeting. More tired, more lined. And I wondered what he'd battled to gain such sorrow in his eyes.
"Beloved." I touched his face, tears filling the corners of my eyes, "I... This is the end, is it not."
"Yes." He covered my hand with his and sighed, "You were a light to shine in my darkest hours, Luthien. Marya."
I tried to laugh, and couldn't. I'd known this was coming from the beginning. Hell, I'd known I was leaving without saying goodbye. But it still hurt, and I still grieved. Throwing caution to the winds, I hugged him tightly, lips telling him everything I couldn't speak aloud.
He clutched me convulsively, then released, and we stepped back.
I turned from him to catch Frodo in a hug, then Bilbo. Tears were falling freely now, but I didn't care. These had been my friends and comrades. Galadriel was startled when I hugged her. Then she hugged me back, and sighed. "Ah, Marya."
"Yes." I kissed her cheek. "Be well, my friend."
"And you."
Most of the party was aboard ship by now. I stepped back to stand by Sam, and was startled to hear horses approaching.
::Pippin and Merry.:: Alayna nudged my shoulder, and I turned to look at them.
They were hale and hearty looking, taller than I'd remembered, but sad as well. Gandalf had sent them word, and so they had come. To say goodbye to Frodo. To Gandalf.
Sam would stay.
More hugs and tears, and then they were all on the ship. It cast off in silence, and we watched until it disappeared from our sights.
"Goodbye," I said softly, tears streaming still. I turned, and Pippin, Merry and Sam looked at me as I sighed. "It is time for me to leave as well." I caught them all in a hug, our tears mingling. "Take great care of Middle Earth and the Shire for me."
"Yes, ma'am." They replied as one.
I chuckled as I mounted. "May the sun shine as it should, the rain fall where it may and may love always find you."
::Getting poetic in your old age.:: Alayna remarked dryly.
I ignored her and called the portal that would take me elsewhere. Somewhere there would be someone in danger, and I would arrive in the Nick of Time. It popped into existence, shimmering brightly in the half-light of dusk.
"Goodbye, Marya!" Pippin cried.
"Farewell!" I shot one last look at them, and waved. Alayna stepped into the portal, and they disappeared. I faced forward. For an instant, there was nothing. Then we stood on a grassy hillside, the sun shining brightly upon us.
Silence echoed for a moment, then from somewhere nearby came a scream for help.
As I listened to it a moment the portal behind me closed, and I glanced at the space it had occupied. Middle Earth was gone.
The scream echoed again and I sighed. "I'm getting too old for this."
Alayna snorted and began trotting towards the sound. ::You were born old.::
"Probably."
-finis-
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the aforementioned people, possibly not even Marya. No money is being made, neither is it wanted, thank you very much. I have tried to play nicely with the characters.
Author's Notes: Gosh. That was long. It took me somewhere in the vicinity of 19 months to write, edit, and then re-write this work of fiction. I hope it's been worth it.
I've attempted to stay true to Tolkien. It's hard, sometimes. Much of the dialogue is either straightly his, or based around it. I tried not to re-use too much, but in this I've probably failed. I like the plot, by the way, which is why I've only mucked about with it a little.
For the record, any Quenya abused is my own fault, despite the lovely assistance of Ardalambion (http://www.uib.no/people/hnohf/). Most useful place...
To those who would mention that Gandalf should be gay: bite me. ;)
I'd like to thank many people. First off, Kielle. Without your off-hand crack about random orcs, this never would have had a title. Timey, Drea, Shai, Foe, Alryssa, and god knows how many others for my repeated ramblings at all hours of the night, day, and afternoon. Especially to Ryss for giving me my brain back so I could over-run the Pelennor.
I'd like to thank the musicians that got me through the hours of Random Orcs: Pogues, Duran Duran, Tori Amos, Elastica, Portishead, Sarah McLachlan, Loreena McKennitt, Debbie Gibson, Depeche Mode, Stabbing Westward, Pet Shop Boys, LotR: FotR soundtrack, Simple Minds, random techno, Something for Kate, 30 Seconds to Mars, Mono, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Muppet Show, Dido, Bif Naked, Dubstar, New Order, Chess: the Musical... The list goes on. BUT. I'd like to Especially thank Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, for providing amusing background vocals during the last hour of editing. I couldn't have survived without you even as I conjured Swan Lake.
In the end, I suppose it doesn't really matter if this is liked. Because it's finished. Ciao.
Chapter Twenty-Six: All's Well That Ends Well
by Galadriel Tolkien
It was actually mid-day before my lazy idyll was interrupted by the arrival of Laure.
"Dear?"
"Hrm?" I pulled a piece of grass from between my lips and stretched.
"There is no decision, yet. But you are welcome to stay in my meadow for as long as you wish."
I smiled at her. "Thank you. I shall not be here for... well, long in your terms, I think. Perhaps a month, perhaps less." Something was tugging minutely at me. It was telling me things would end in this world soon. Which was a pity, since I was really liking it here.
The day turned into a week, one week into two, and before I knew it, I'd passed almost four weeks in the grassy meadow under the sun. The rest had finished restoring the last of my reserves and I was suddenly itching to go. Despite the occasional Ent-Wife, I'd had nearly no companionship or conversation save Alayna. And, love her though I do, she wears upon the nerves, eventually.
Luckily, Laure and Nandara came to see me off. Neither could reassure me as to the outcome, but I had a feeling that the breech between the Ents and the Ent-Wives would heal soon.
I followed the tug northwards, and realised that it was nearly mid-September.
At a crossroads, I met them. A procession rode through the Shire from Lothlorien and Rivendell. We traveled in quiet and music. Bilbo was with them, and Galadriel. We talked softly of the times we had had since our last meeting. Sorrow flowed under all, however, and I began to understand why the day we met Sam and Frodo on the road.
They joined us, and I wept inside at the thinness there was in Frodo's face, as if he wasted away under his skin. Bilbo had the same look, but he'd held the Ring for so much longer...
It wore away at their souls, and I ached to know they would never feel completely whole without it.
Sam carried some of that with him as well, and I did what I could to alleviate it. Frodo and Bilbo, I could not touch. But Sam--for him, I would break what laws I could--he didn't deserve to live his life never knowing complete happiness.
A few more days passed, but there was a sense of restlessness from the Elves, and so we moved quickly towards their destination.
It was a quay, on the far side of the Shire. The Grey Havens, they called it. There was an air of ancient grace and sorrow about the place as we rode up. And someone awaited us there.
Gandalf.
He'd changed since our last meeting. More tired, more lined. And I wondered what he'd battled to gain such sorrow in his eyes.
"Beloved." I touched his face, tears filling the corners of my eyes, "I... This is the end, is it not."
"Yes." He covered my hand with his and sighed, "You were a light to shine in my darkest hours, Luthien. Marya."
I tried to laugh, and couldn't. I'd known this was coming from the beginning. Hell, I'd known I was leaving without saying goodbye. But it still hurt, and I still grieved. Throwing caution to the winds, I hugged him tightly, lips telling him everything I couldn't speak aloud.
He clutched me convulsively, then released, and we stepped back.
I turned from him to catch Frodo in a hug, then Bilbo. Tears were falling freely now, but I didn't care. These had been my friends and comrades. Galadriel was startled when I hugged her. Then she hugged me back, and sighed. "Ah, Marya."
"Yes." I kissed her cheek. "Be well, my friend."
"And you."
Most of the party was aboard ship by now. I stepped back to stand by Sam, and was startled to hear horses approaching.
::Pippin and Merry.:: Alayna nudged my shoulder, and I turned to look at them.
They were hale and hearty looking, taller than I'd remembered, but sad as well. Gandalf had sent them word, and so they had come. To say goodbye to Frodo. To Gandalf.
Sam would stay.
More hugs and tears, and then they were all on the ship. It cast off in silence, and we watched until it disappeared from our sights.
"Goodbye," I said softly, tears streaming still. I turned, and Pippin, Merry and Sam looked at me as I sighed. "It is time for me to leave as well." I caught them all in a hug, our tears mingling. "Take great care of Middle Earth and the Shire for me."
"Yes, ma'am." They replied as one.
I chuckled as I mounted. "May the sun shine as it should, the rain fall where it may and may love always find you."
::Getting poetic in your old age.:: Alayna remarked dryly.
I ignored her and called the portal that would take me elsewhere. Somewhere there would be someone in danger, and I would arrive in the Nick of Time. It popped into existence, shimmering brightly in the half-light of dusk.
"Goodbye, Marya!" Pippin cried.
"Farewell!" I shot one last look at them, and waved. Alayna stepped into the portal, and they disappeared. I faced forward. For an instant, there was nothing. Then we stood on a grassy hillside, the sun shining brightly upon us.
Silence echoed for a moment, then from somewhere nearby came a scream for help.
As I listened to it a moment the portal behind me closed, and I glanced at the space it had occupied. Middle Earth was gone.
The scream echoed again and I sighed. "I'm getting too old for this."
Alayna snorted and began trotting towards the sound. ::You were born old.::
"Probably."
-finis-
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the aforementioned people, possibly not even Marya. No money is being made, neither is it wanted, thank you very much. I have tried to play nicely with the characters.
Author's Notes: Gosh. That was long. It took me somewhere in the vicinity of 19 months to write, edit, and then re-write this work of fiction. I hope it's been worth it.
I've attempted to stay true to Tolkien. It's hard, sometimes. Much of the dialogue is either straightly his, or based around it. I tried not to re-use too much, but in this I've probably failed. I like the plot, by the way, which is why I've only mucked about with it a little.
For the record, any Quenya abused is my own fault, despite the lovely assistance of Ardalambion (http://www.uib.no/people/hnohf/). Most useful place...
To those who would mention that Gandalf should be gay: bite me. ;)
I'd like to thank many people. First off, Kielle. Without your off-hand crack about random orcs, this never would have had a title. Timey, Drea, Shai, Foe, Alryssa, and god knows how many others for my repeated ramblings at all hours of the night, day, and afternoon. Especially to Ryss for giving me my brain back so I could over-run the Pelennor.
I'd like to thank the musicians that got me through the hours of Random Orcs: Pogues, Duran Duran, Tori Amos, Elastica, Portishead, Sarah McLachlan, Loreena McKennitt, Debbie Gibson, Depeche Mode, Stabbing Westward, Pet Shop Boys, LotR: FotR soundtrack, Simple Minds, random techno, Something for Kate, 30 Seconds to Mars, Mono, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Muppet Show, Dido, Bif Naked, Dubstar, New Order, Chess: the Musical... The list goes on. BUT. I'd like to Especially thank Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, for providing amusing background vocals during the last hour of editing. I couldn't have survived without you even as I conjured Swan Lake.
In the end, I suppose it doesn't really matter if this is liked. Because it's finished. Ciao.