And Drink To Me Yet
Chapter 5 - Here Where We Stand
Pippin sat deep in thought, pondering the discussion. He heard Gimli and Legolas conversing in whisper, and, though he could not see her, he knew Waen was at the window behind him, gazing across the plains. He recalled her words, letting her clear voice ring through his head once more.
"This is not right," she had said, "The very air here is tainted. These walls hold secrets. Let us not stay here."
"We cannot leave without a reason," Gimli then pointed out, "And if we leave, we'll never find out why we were called to Gondor."
Waen had bitten her lip in silence. Legolas had gently touched her arm, saying, "There is no danger here. We are with you, be not afraid."
"I fear not for myself," Waen replied quietly, eyes cast to the ground. Legolas and Gimli had both looked away. Pippin ventured,
"Then who do you fear for?" His question was left floating in the air, deepening the silence. Eventually, the conversation had drifted on, meaningless.
Pippin closed his eyes. A feeling of dread was growing in the pit of his stomach. Behind him he heard a soft noise as Waen moved, causing the curtains to ripple and sway. A soft chord flowed into his ears. Opening his eyes, he turned and saw Waen with a lute and strumming softly. Her eyes still wandered o'er the plains as she sang softly to herself. Pippin gazed across at her. So serene, so young.
Legolas and Gimli stopped whispering, and turned to watch the girl as well. For a moment, they all simply sat there, spell-bound by Waen's voice. Pippin didn't understand the words, but Legolas dabbed away a tear. The song touched the depths of his heart, stirring up memories of gladder days.
At last the song ended, and there was silence. Then Waen looked up, suddenly aware of her audience. She blushed and slid down from the window seat. Pippin looked away as well. There came a knock on the door.
The four companions jumped. Gimli called out, "An' who'll that be?"
"You are called to dinner. The King awaits you." The porter's voice came through the doors. It took a moment to settle in. Then Pippin laughed.
"Of course! Just a moment!" he called back. The others looked at him. "Remember?" he asked them. "Aragorn called us here! We're going to dinner now!"
The three others laughed. Of course! What had they expected? Pippin found himself shudder, and decided not to answer that question.
They left their room and were led to another. They entered the hall, Waen gasping at it's grandeur. Before them lay long tables beneath drapes of velvet, while gold plates awaited them at their cushioned seats. They approached the high table. Pippin looked once again on Aragorn's face. It had subtly changed when the four had entered the room, Pippin wasn't sure how. But once again shivers shot up his spine.
They ate and drank, laughing as they had before. Well, Merry didn't join in. In fact, Pippin noted, Merry didn't show up at all. He only frowned when Waen leaned over and asked where his friend was. He forced himself to appear content to be with the others, but the feeling in the pit of his stomach was returning. It was all he could do to laugh and sing with the others.
His face began to grow pale. Troubled, Waen leaned over again. "What ails m'lord?"
Pippin grinned weakly. "Tis nothing, I simply feel unwell. Tis such rich food after all that traveling. Some rest will do me good. Tis fatigue, and that is all."
Waen frowned, but said no more.
At last they all rose. The King took his lady's arm, and Aragorn and Arwen left the room while the others stood, the Queen accompanied by little Alataestel. Aglareb offered Waen his arm. Prompted by her father, she took it. She flashed a glance back at Pippin. He smiled at her, feeling sorry. He had talked to Aglareb at dinner. Or rather, Aglareb had talked at him during dinner. Pippin watched as the High Prince opened his mouth to begin. Poor Waen, he thought.
The three companions found themselves alone with Draug. His dark eyes seemed to soften as he watched his parents and siblings leave without him. For a moment, Pippin thought the fierce young prince looked almost sad. But the moment was gone, and Draug Naurcarag resumed his dark glare and shadowed face. Pippin suddenly gasped. Whenever he had seen Merry with his family, his friend's eyes had appeared as Draug's had; tired, longing, melancholy. The others looked at him, so Pippin tried to conceal his gasp as a cough. Legolas and Gimli bid the prince and Pippin good night, and went off to find the gardens. Pippin was alone with Draug.
Draug opened his mouth to speak, but his thoughts could find no voice. He halted, muttered a farewell to Pippin, and slid off, almost blending into the shadows. But Pippin was determined to speak with Draug. Somehow, this melancholy boy was tied to Merry, and he intended to find out how. He hurried after the prince, trying to follow the dark shadows around the corner and the echoing footsteps just down the hall. Yet at last, he lost all sight of the other, and sat, exhausted, in the hall. He peered around. Lost. He was utterly lost.
He stood, wandering on through the dark halls. At last he saw some light flickering beneath a door. He knocked on it, hoping to find aid. There was no answer, so he pushed gently at the door. It swung open, and Pippin gasped again. "Unhand him!" he cried, dashing into the room and brandishing his sword.
((And dere you have it! He needed his sword! Thank you, i'm done now. *Is slapped silly by the readers* all right, all right, I'll tell you what was happening in the @$#%&# room! Geez, don't be so violent!! Lol, please keep R&R-ing, your comments and criticism are the best gift I could ask for. Well, other than rupert grint, tom felton, and sean biggerstaff for Xmas. But that's another story... o.o))
Chapter 5 - Here Where We Stand
Pippin sat deep in thought, pondering the discussion. He heard Gimli and Legolas conversing in whisper, and, though he could not see her, he knew Waen was at the window behind him, gazing across the plains. He recalled her words, letting her clear voice ring through his head once more.
"This is not right," she had said, "The very air here is tainted. These walls hold secrets. Let us not stay here."
"We cannot leave without a reason," Gimli then pointed out, "And if we leave, we'll never find out why we were called to Gondor."
Waen had bitten her lip in silence. Legolas had gently touched her arm, saying, "There is no danger here. We are with you, be not afraid."
"I fear not for myself," Waen replied quietly, eyes cast to the ground. Legolas and Gimli had both looked away. Pippin ventured,
"Then who do you fear for?" His question was left floating in the air, deepening the silence. Eventually, the conversation had drifted on, meaningless.
Pippin closed his eyes. A feeling of dread was growing in the pit of his stomach. Behind him he heard a soft noise as Waen moved, causing the curtains to ripple and sway. A soft chord flowed into his ears. Opening his eyes, he turned and saw Waen with a lute and strumming softly. Her eyes still wandered o'er the plains as she sang softly to herself. Pippin gazed across at her. So serene, so young.
Legolas and Gimli stopped whispering, and turned to watch the girl as well. For a moment, they all simply sat there, spell-bound by Waen's voice. Pippin didn't understand the words, but Legolas dabbed away a tear. The song touched the depths of his heart, stirring up memories of gladder days.
At last the song ended, and there was silence. Then Waen looked up, suddenly aware of her audience. She blushed and slid down from the window seat. Pippin looked away as well. There came a knock on the door.
The four companions jumped. Gimli called out, "An' who'll that be?"
"You are called to dinner. The King awaits you." The porter's voice came through the doors. It took a moment to settle in. Then Pippin laughed.
"Of course! Just a moment!" he called back. The others looked at him. "Remember?" he asked them. "Aragorn called us here! We're going to dinner now!"
The three others laughed. Of course! What had they expected? Pippin found himself shudder, and decided not to answer that question.
They left their room and were led to another. They entered the hall, Waen gasping at it's grandeur. Before them lay long tables beneath drapes of velvet, while gold plates awaited them at their cushioned seats. They approached the high table. Pippin looked once again on Aragorn's face. It had subtly changed when the four had entered the room, Pippin wasn't sure how. But once again shivers shot up his spine.
They ate and drank, laughing as they had before. Well, Merry didn't join in. In fact, Pippin noted, Merry didn't show up at all. He only frowned when Waen leaned over and asked where his friend was. He forced himself to appear content to be with the others, but the feeling in the pit of his stomach was returning. It was all he could do to laugh and sing with the others.
His face began to grow pale. Troubled, Waen leaned over again. "What ails m'lord?"
Pippin grinned weakly. "Tis nothing, I simply feel unwell. Tis such rich food after all that traveling. Some rest will do me good. Tis fatigue, and that is all."
Waen frowned, but said no more.
At last they all rose. The King took his lady's arm, and Aragorn and Arwen left the room while the others stood, the Queen accompanied by little Alataestel. Aglareb offered Waen his arm. Prompted by her father, she took it. She flashed a glance back at Pippin. He smiled at her, feeling sorry. He had talked to Aglareb at dinner. Or rather, Aglareb had talked at him during dinner. Pippin watched as the High Prince opened his mouth to begin. Poor Waen, he thought.
The three companions found themselves alone with Draug. His dark eyes seemed to soften as he watched his parents and siblings leave without him. For a moment, Pippin thought the fierce young prince looked almost sad. But the moment was gone, and Draug Naurcarag resumed his dark glare and shadowed face. Pippin suddenly gasped. Whenever he had seen Merry with his family, his friend's eyes had appeared as Draug's had; tired, longing, melancholy. The others looked at him, so Pippin tried to conceal his gasp as a cough. Legolas and Gimli bid the prince and Pippin good night, and went off to find the gardens. Pippin was alone with Draug.
Draug opened his mouth to speak, but his thoughts could find no voice. He halted, muttered a farewell to Pippin, and slid off, almost blending into the shadows. But Pippin was determined to speak with Draug. Somehow, this melancholy boy was tied to Merry, and he intended to find out how. He hurried after the prince, trying to follow the dark shadows around the corner and the echoing footsteps just down the hall. Yet at last, he lost all sight of the other, and sat, exhausted, in the hall. He peered around. Lost. He was utterly lost.
He stood, wandering on through the dark halls. At last he saw some light flickering beneath a door. He knocked on it, hoping to find aid. There was no answer, so he pushed gently at the door. It swung open, and Pippin gasped again. "Unhand him!" he cried, dashing into the room and brandishing his sword.
((And dere you have it! He needed his sword! Thank you, i'm done now. *Is slapped silly by the readers* all right, all right, I'll tell you what was happening in the @$#%&# room! Geez, don't be so violent!! Lol, please keep R&R-ing, your comments and criticism are the best gift I could ask for. Well, other than rupert grint, tom felton, and sean biggerstaff for Xmas. But that's another story... o.o))