A/N: The two poems or songs in the following chapter are the works of JJR
Tolkein. Me no write, me no own..Hi Tithen Min! ^_^ Yes the sheep chapter
is YOURS, mellonin! .:huggles:. Thank u to all my reviewers!!!! Hope u like
this chappie..hee hee
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Part 74
The days that followed all melted into one long while of walking in darkness, resting a while, then rising to tread their path once again. Legolas did not speak of the vision he'd had or his encounter with the shadow creature. He fell quiet once more, much to the displeasure of Gimli and Elladan. Aragorn seemed too preoccupied with the dire situation at hand to pay anymore attention to his best friend.
Elrohir followed Legolas in speaking little and drawing away from the rest of the company. He would stand in the shadows and look on at his companions, his eyes staring out blankly with a lonely sort of expression to them. Elladan would leave his twin alone but his own eyes often wandered to fall upon his brother with a silent concern Gimli knew all too well by now.
The Dwarf would study Legolas, who also stood in the shadows, keeping to himself. The Elf prince would stand still, almost too still, with his arms crossed and clutching his beloved bow to his chest. His face, as was typical, would remain stoic. Legolas had a talent for that. But what caught Gimli's attention was his friend's eyes and the restless turmoil that resided there in the darkened pools of blue. It was always there, soundless and concealed except for in his eyes. It had always been there, Gimli decided. The Elf had just done a rather excellent job at hiding it before. Now, he no longer took the time to try.
The Grey Company had escaped the dark path beneath the mountains and had gone on to the Stone of Erech. Afterward, they faced the most grueling ride that no man had yet endured. Only Aragorn and the Dunedain might make it and Gimli and Legolas with them also. The Grey Company would come to ride four days and night and into a fifth before reaching the bitter end and coming to Pelargir.
The day they set out, there was a pale dawn, and Legolas took some comfort in that. The second day was the day without dawn, yet on they rode, following Aragorn with unwavering trust and the strength of such loyalty they were willed to follow him. Legolas could see well in the dark, being an Elf. Better than the others, at least. But the lack of sunlight, moonlight, and starlight alike brought an undeniable heaviness to his heart. For Elves value and need such things, and Legolas was a deep lover of nature, even among his own kin.
Nonetheless, Legolas rode on with the company, sending the allies of Mordor fleeing before them on the third day, when they interrupted a conflict between the men of Lamedon, and the foul folk of Umbar and Harad who had sailed up the river. They crossed Gilrain and then rested a while. Soon enough, however, they rose again and rode across the fields of Lebennin before night had passed.
The fields were dark and seemed an endless sea of black and gray in the darkness. But despite that fact, Aragorn, along with the Dunedain, the Peredhel twins, and Gimli, all heard a soft and beautiful melancholy voice drift on the air to sing of those fields when they were green and lovely. Legolas' voice, Aragorn thought to himself. He had not heard his best friend sing in a long time, and it did his heart well now.
//Silver flow the streams from Celos to Erui
In the green fields of Lebennin!
Tall grows the grass there. In the wind from the Sea
The white lilies sway,
And the golden bells are shaken of mallos and alfirin
In the green fields of Lebennin,
In the wind from the Sea!//
Legolas's voce faded away, before he began it over again. The Dunedain, who had not ever before heard the prince sing, listened in desperate awe of his fair voice. It soothed Elrohir, calmed Gimli and Elladan. And even Legolas himself was done some good of his own singing. So on he sang, and neither he nor the rest of the company grew bored with it as they rode on. And yet silently, in his mind, Legolas truly wished they would not needlessly trample the grass and the flowers.
They hunted their foes for a day and a night, and all the while the Dead followed. Then at last, they came to the Great River. They stopped before it for a few long moments, and Legolas, who suddenly stopped singing, thought in his heart that they drew near the Sea, for the water was vast in the darkness. He let Arod stray and carry him up through the company and near Aragorn, before stopping so that he might have a clearer view of it.
And it was then that the cries of the gulls, the flock of innumerable sea birds, reached them. Aragorn snapped his head to look at Legolas. The Elf suddenly seemed entranced by the sound, and Aragorn's heart fell. The memory of their reunion with Gandalf in Fangorn flashed in his mind. Their old friend had brought a message from Galadriel to the Elf prince.
// Legolas Greenleaf, long under tree
In joy thou hast lived. Beware of the Sea!
If thou hearest the cry of the gulls on the shore,
Thy heart shall rest in the forest no more. //
And there, Legolas was still, and his blue eyes clear of everything as he listened to the shrieking of the gulls overhead. Aragorn was afraid to move, to speak. He knew not what Legolas would do. Gimli, too, was quiet, but he also recalled Galadriel's warning unto his Elf friend and dark was his heart now.
But soon enough, Legolas' eyes darkened once more and he seemed as he was before. Aragorn eyed him warily.
" Legolas? ", he said softly.
The Elf did not answer, only lowered his head and looked down into his lap with distorted eyes. Aragorn lay his hand gently on Legolas' shoulder, looking at him sadly and tenderly at the same time. He knew Legolas would never have peace again until he sailed away across the sea. Aragorn's heart despaired, for he knew that most likely, he would lose his best friend once this was all over.
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Part 74
The days that followed all melted into one long while of walking in darkness, resting a while, then rising to tread their path once again. Legolas did not speak of the vision he'd had or his encounter with the shadow creature. He fell quiet once more, much to the displeasure of Gimli and Elladan. Aragorn seemed too preoccupied with the dire situation at hand to pay anymore attention to his best friend.
Elrohir followed Legolas in speaking little and drawing away from the rest of the company. He would stand in the shadows and look on at his companions, his eyes staring out blankly with a lonely sort of expression to them. Elladan would leave his twin alone but his own eyes often wandered to fall upon his brother with a silent concern Gimli knew all too well by now.
The Dwarf would study Legolas, who also stood in the shadows, keeping to himself. The Elf prince would stand still, almost too still, with his arms crossed and clutching his beloved bow to his chest. His face, as was typical, would remain stoic. Legolas had a talent for that. But what caught Gimli's attention was his friend's eyes and the restless turmoil that resided there in the darkened pools of blue. It was always there, soundless and concealed except for in his eyes. It had always been there, Gimli decided. The Elf had just done a rather excellent job at hiding it before. Now, he no longer took the time to try.
The Grey Company had escaped the dark path beneath the mountains and had gone on to the Stone of Erech. Afterward, they faced the most grueling ride that no man had yet endured. Only Aragorn and the Dunedain might make it and Gimli and Legolas with them also. The Grey Company would come to ride four days and night and into a fifth before reaching the bitter end and coming to Pelargir.
The day they set out, there was a pale dawn, and Legolas took some comfort in that. The second day was the day without dawn, yet on they rode, following Aragorn with unwavering trust and the strength of such loyalty they were willed to follow him. Legolas could see well in the dark, being an Elf. Better than the others, at least. But the lack of sunlight, moonlight, and starlight alike brought an undeniable heaviness to his heart. For Elves value and need such things, and Legolas was a deep lover of nature, even among his own kin.
Nonetheless, Legolas rode on with the company, sending the allies of Mordor fleeing before them on the third day, when they interrupted a conflict between the men of Lamedon, and the foul folk of Umbar and Harad who had sailed up the river. They crossed Gilrain and then rested a while. Soon enough, however, they rose again and rode across the fields of Lebennin before night had passed.
The fields were dark and seemed an endless sea of black and gray in the darkness. But despite that fact, Aragorn, along with the Dunedain, the Peredhel twins, and Gimli, all heard a soft and beautiful melancholy voice drift on the air to sing of those fields when they were green and lovely. Legolas' voice, Aragorn thought to himself. He had not heard his best friend sing in a long time, and it did his heart well now.
//Silver flow the streams from Celos to Erui
In the green fields of Lebennin!
Tall grows the grass there. In the wind from the Sea
The white lilies sway,
And the golden bells are shaken of mallos and alfirin
In the green fields of Lebennin,
In the wind from the Sea!//
Legolas's voce faded away, before he began it over again. The Dunedain, who had not ever before heard the prince sing, listened in desperate awe of his fair voice. It soothed Elrohir, calmed Gimli and Elladan. And even Legolas himself was done some good of his own singing. So on he sang, and neither he nor the rest of the company grew bored with it as they rode on. And yet silently, in his mind, Legolas truly wished they would not needlessly trample the grass and the flowers.
They hunted their foes for a day and a night, and all the while the Dead followed. Then at last, they came to the Great River. They stopped before it for a few long moments, and Legolas, who suddenly stopped singing, thought in his heart that they drew near the Sea, for the water was vast in the darkness. He let Arod stray and carry him up through the company and near Aragorn, before stopping so that he might have a clearer view of it.
And it was then that the cries of the gulls, the flock of innumerable sea birds, reached them. Aragorn snapped his head to look at Legolas. The Elf suddenly seemed entranced by the sound, and Aragorn's heart fell. The memory of their reunion with Gandalf in Fangorn flashed in his mind. Their old friend had brought a message from Galadriel to the Elf prince.
// Legolas Greenleaf, long under tree
In joy thou hast lived. Beware of the Sea!
If thou hearest the cry of the gulls on the shore,
Thy heart shall rest in the forest no more. //
And there, Legolas was still, and his blue eyes clear of everything as he listened to the shrieking of the gulls overhead. Aragorn was afraid to move, to speak. He knew not what Legolas would do. Gimli, too, was quiet, but he also recalled Galadriel's warning unto his Elf friend and dark was his heart now.
But soon enough, Legolas' eyes darkened once more and he seemed as he was before. Aragorn eyed him warily.
" Legolas? ", he said softly.
The Elf did not answer, only lowered his head and looked down into his lap with distorted eyes. Aragorn lay his hand gently on Legolas' shoulder, looking at him sadly and tenderly at the same time. He knew Legolas would never have peace again until he sailed away across the sea. Aragorn's heart despaired, for he knew that most likely, he would lose his best friend once this was all over.
