Night greeted me when I awoke. I shivered and struggled to get free.
I was once more tied up. Not the orcs again! Wild with fear, I struggled
harder, rubbing my wrists raw.
Shortly, my energy depleted, I stopped. Swallowing dryly, I realized my circumstances had changed, somewhat. I was now on a horse, my wrists tied to an ornate saddle horn.
A horse? Orcs didn't use horses....
Then I remembered: Elves! I must be with the elves! I croaked out in Sindarin. "Hey, hey, it is me, Marie. Untie me."
A cloaked figure came up to me, and said softly, "You know Sindarin." He pulled on the reins of my horse and then called a halt to the other elves.
We were in a meadow full of short grass and flowers. Flowers. Oh, they smelled so good. I was taken off the horse and laid on the ground. The elf kneeling at my side raised a hand toward my face and I cringed.
He touched my swollen skin and half-closed eye and he hissed. "What happened to you, mistress Marie, that you were amongst the orcs? Why were you handling Dalmiel? Were you robbing him?'
"Why, why would I do that?" I whispered. The elf's voice sounded strange.
"I do not know. Why were you there?'
"I had been captured and was dropped by an orc. I saw the wounded elf and went over to him. I tried to give him some of his miruvor." I gasped. This was the longest I had spoken, in well, I really had no idea. A week?
At that, the elf unhooked his bottle of miruvor and offered me some. I tried it again but I immediately turned my head to throw it up.
The elf slowly put his miruvor away and then lifted me up. "There is more to this than you have said. But I can see you are in no condition for lengthy tales." He turned to his waiting companions. "We shall camp here for now."
He took a moment to cut my bonds and then moved to help the other elves.
Soon, the elves, in typical efficient fashion, had set up a camp and started a fire. I had been laid aside, wrapped in a cloak. I was perfectly happy with the situation. I suspected they had to take care of Dalmiel first. I wanted to sleep, but I ached everywhere and my whole face throbbed.
My brain buzzed with half-seen thoughts of darkness and leering eyes. I closed my good eye, but that made the pictures more vivid. But the images would not go away. I tossed about, trying to rid myself of their ugliness.
An elf came up to me and knelt. "Mistress Marie. I am afraid there is little we can do for you. The orc poison has spread too far."
"Rive-Rivendell," I croaked. "Lord Elrond."
"We are going there. We have messages from Lorien."
"Lorien? You are from the Golden Wood?"
"Indeed. I am Filorphin. We bring the Lord of Imladris greetings and gifts from his daughter, and the Lord and Lady of the Wood."
That explained the accent. And the less than friendly reception. I winced as my poor abraded skull throbbed in remembrance.
"How long?"
"Two days, perhaps more."
I nodded and in spite of everything, I felt myself relax. Surely no more orcs could get me. And at last, I was on my way to Elrond.
I lay there watching the elves move across the firelight. Soon the smell of something roasting tickled my nose and I found myself salivating in spite of my pain.
Hopefully, Dalmiel was not too injured. I'd feel awful if he died.
My mind wandered. Ivy? What could I do about my dear friend? Lord, I imagined some orc had found her a tasty hors d'oeuvre. What a dumb, dumb, dumb person I was! Why did I think bringing Ivy here was a good idea? Poor ol' cat. My best buddy. How I missed her purr. Dead now probably because I had been stupid.
I turned my face away from the firelight, but that hurt my swollen face. My ankle began to ache something fierce along with my head and face, as the night grew cooler. Finally I could not help myself, and I moaned out loud as I tried to get comfortable.
In a minute, another elf came and knelt at my side. "Mistress Marie, I am sorry to have left you so long unattended. Asphanir is almost done tending to Dalmiel. Are you hungry?"
"Yes, please."
He immediately stood and went over to the fire. I saw him pour something into a mug and, taking a piece of way bread, he brought them to me. He was kind enough to lift my head. It was just water, which I gulped down quickly. The lembas unsettled my stomach so I only ate a few bites. I must have been really sick not to be able to stomach lembas, because normally I love them. Especially with a bit more honey.
When I was done, the elf lay my head down carefully and left. I lay there staring at the stars. Where was Earendil? Ahhh, I loved the stars of Middle Earth! They mean so much more to the folks here than they do to us. I mean they mean a lot to us in the 21st Century, but here, the stars ARE imbued with magic.
With the night sky filling my vision, I settled off into sleep.
It could have only been hours later when I awoke sweating and tangled up in my blankets. I tried to get up, but my broken ankle made it clear I was going nowhere. I let my head drop between my knees. What was the matter with me? Why could I not sleep? The nightmares that made my head ache? It must be that orc poison was really vicious.
As I sat there gathering myself, an elf came over to me. "Mistress Marie, what can I do for you?"
Well, cutting off my head might be a solution.
"I-I, I just had a nightmare, I guess. Orcs." I shuddered. The elf laid me back in the blankets and got me comfortable. He then rose and went into one of the tents. I realized I had been tended to while I slept as my face was bandaged and so was my ankle.
Contemplating my headache, I was startled by my head being lifted again. "This will help you sleep." The elf said softly.
I drank it even though I did not want to sleep.
The next day was a blur. It was cloudy again and drizzly. I found that Dalmiel was recovering from his arrow wound, though the poison was still making him weak.
Can you believe it? Here I was with about eight elves from Lothlorien, and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open! Trust me, I was sick. I was even too sick to ask questions. Lothlorien! I had not met any elves from there. And they knew Celeborn and Galadriel. I shuddered in the arms of the elf holding me. I found out that Dalmiel was an elf from Rivendell who had gone out to meet the entourage. He and Filorphin were good friends.
I shivered, still miserable. The elf holding me smiled down and wrapped me tighter in the soft wool cloak I was covered by.
I paid only a little attention to the landscape. It was rocky, with scrubby oaks and pines, and cracked boulders everywhere. It was also raining, making the landscape soft colored and vague.
Ahh, but what did help, was the elves began to sing a roundelay. It was soothing, beautiful and rhythmic. I felt myself relaxing and I hummed a bit under my breath. It made my head hurt less.
The next couple of days, I was surprised I did not feel any better. Not a crumb. At least miruvor would stay down. But I had little appetite and spent an awful lot of time half-awake. And my mind kept playing back nasty images of dark things, and orcs and horrors without name.
Please, I'd take Hollasfar and his delicate touch in a heartbeat!
When I was lucid, I was so confused at my condition. How could I be this whacked out from some scratches? (okay and well a broken ankle).
At least being ill, I didn't dwell on Ivy too much. My poor kitty.
One afternoon though, as the elves were going up single file on a ridge of rock and pine I asked in Sindarin, "You did not see a black cat about when you rescued Dalmiel, did you Callophor?"
"A cat? No, there were no animals around the orcs. No animal would come close to them, not even the carrion eaters."
"All right, thank you."
Callophor was silent for a while and then asked. "Why do you ask, Marie?"
"I had my cat with me and she's old and the orcs probably got her and- and." A very painful lump swelled in my throat. Oh Ivy! I sobbed out loud and buried my face in the cloak, embarrassed. I am sure Callophor must have thought I was hallucinating, as he said nothing further.
As the horse's gait changed as we went down over the ridge, the elves began to sing again. A few minutes later, they stopped.
I heard Sindarin being spoken, and a rider trotted past Callophor and I. Then we continued our slow wending down the ridge. The singing lulled me, as did the rush of water over stone. A soft fragrance filled the air and I sighed, peace stealing over me and unknotting my jangled nerves and sadness.
The horses stopped. I roused myself from my doze, my head ringing. "What's happening?" I asked.
"We are in Rivendell, Marie."
Damn it! I passed out.
I was still traveling. I was bumping up and down. The orcs were still carrying me. I so wanted it all to stop. I wanted to rest. But then those deep red eyes stared into mine, burning like a big campfire. All I could see were them and then I heard hateful, harsh words that I couldn't understand, but could, if that makes any sense.
The flames came closer to me until I could not bear them, and I screamed, brushing ineffectually at my face to make the eyes go away. I felt myself stop moving, at last and was laid on something firm. But a soft pillow was under my bruised and aching head.
The bandages, I could feel them slowly being unwrapped. Oh, it must be raining. Ohhh, the coolness that enveloped my face felt soooo good. The flames receded and went out. I sighed deeply and struggled to open my one good eye. (My left eye was completely gummed shut. But my face was numb, like after being at the dentist's.)
Light flickered near me and I heard the sound of water. Where was I now? Not on the ground, not near a campfire.
"Elrond?" I croaked out hopefully, my voice as dry as dust.
"Shhh Marie. I am here." I felt a warm hand cup my face. "Do not talk. We have plenty of time for that later." A cool cloth was laid on my scratches. Tears leaked out of my one good eye so I couldn't even see him. "Orcs! I.there were orcs.and my cat ran away and."
"Marie," his calm voice floated through my confusion. "All will be well. Rest now and let me take care of this."
He did not give me time to tell him I could not bear to sleep. My dreams were so unsettling.
A gravelly voice was telling me something over and over and each telling made me feel sick, and my head ache. "Stop it. Yes. I will." I whispered hoarsely. Then I awoke. It must have been the middle of the night as there was only a whisper of song in the air, and the play of waterfalls. A pale flame from a big fat candle flickered on the edges of things, a goblet and bottles, a pile of cloths. The light dancing on the silver and glass mesmerized me and I drifted back to sleep.
No dreams that I could remember.
I shifted and moaned, feeling uncomfortable because I was mostly numb. I couldn't even feel my lips. My left eye was still bandaged up. I inelegantly yawned and then tried to place myself. Let's see, in a bed and the quilt.I sat up, making my head spin sickeningly. It was MY quilt on MY bed. In Rivendell!
I was back!!
I tried to get out of bed and then remembered almost too late about my left ankle. But the cast reminded me quick enough and I awkwardly got back under the covers.
That little spurt of energy completely exhausted me and I lay back with a gasp. I turned my head.
There sat a goblet. MY goblet, with the ivy leaves and swans on it. But my hand shook too much for me to grasp it. I lay there and for the first time in days, I smiled. At least, I think I did, my but face was so numb, who knew?
I was back. I could relax. My eyes closed again.
Shortly, my energy depleted, I stopped. Swallowing dryly, I realized my circumstances had changed, somewhat. I was now on a horse, my wrists tied to an ornate saddle horn.
A horse? Orcs didn't use horses....
Then I remembered: Elves! I must be with the elves! I croaked out in Sindarin. "Hey, hey, it is me, Marie. Untie me."
A cloaked figure came up to me, and said softly, "You know Sindarin." He pulled on the reins of my horse and then called a halt to the other elves.
We were in a meadow full of short grass and flowers. Flowers. Oh, they smelled so good. I was taken off the horse and laid on the ground. The elf kneeling at my side raised a hand toward my face and I cringed.
He touched my swollen skin and half-closed eye and he hissed. "What happened to you, mistress Marie, that you were amongst the orcs? Why were you handling Dalmiel? Were you robbing him?'
"Why, why would I do that?" I whispered. The elf's voice sounded strange.
"I do not know. Why were you there?'
"I had been captured and was dropped by an orc. I saw the wounded elf and went over to him. I tried to give him some of his miruvor." I gasped. This was the longest I had spoken, in well, I really had no idea. A week?
At that, the elf unhooked his bottle of miruvor and offered me some. I tried it again but I immediately turned my head to throw it up.
The elf slowly put his miruvor away and then lifted me up. "There is more to this than you have said. But I can see you are in no condition for lengthy tales." He turned to his waiting companions. "We shall camp here for now."
He took a moment to cut my bonds and then moved to help the other elves.
Soon, the elves, in typical efficient fashion, had set up a camp and started a fire. I had been laid aside, wrapped in a cloak. I was perfectly happy with the situation. I suspected they had to take care of Dalmiel first. I wanted to sleep, but I ached everywhere and my whole face throbbed.
My brain buzzed with half-seen thoughts of darkness and leering eyes. I closed my good eye, but that made the pictures more vivid. But the images would not go away. I tossed about, trying to rid myself of their ugliness.
An elf came up to me and knelt. "Mistress Marie. I am afraid there is little we can do for you. The orc poison has spread too far."
"Rive-Rivendell," I croaked. "Lord Elrond."
"We are going there. We have messages from Lorien."
"Lorien? You are from the Golden Wood?"
"Indeed. I am Filorphin. We bring the Lord of Imladris greetings and gifts from his daughter, and the Lord and Lady of the Wood."
That explained the accent. And the less than friendly reception. I winced as my poor abraded skull throbbed in remembrance.
"How long?"
"Two days, perhaps more."
I nodded and in spite of everything, I felt myself relax. Surely no more orcs could get me. And at last, I was on my way to Elrond.
I lay there watching the elves move across the firelight. Soon the smell of something roasting tickled my nose and I found myself salivating in spite of my pain.
Hopefully, Dalmiel was not too injured. I'd feel awful if he died.
My mind wandered. Ivy? What could I do about my dear friend? Lord, I imagined some orc had found her a tasty hors d'oeuvre. What a dumb, dumb, dumb person I was! Why did I think bringing Ivy here was a good idea? Poor ol' cat. My best buddy. How I missed her purr. Dead now probably because I had been stupid.
I turned my face away from the firelight, but that hurt my swollen face. My ankle began to ache something fierce along with my head and face, as the night grew cooler. Finally I could not help myself, and I moaned out loud as I tried to get comfortable.
In a minute, another elf came and knelt at my side. "Mistress Marie, I am sorry to have left you so long unattended. Asphanir is almost done tending to Dalmiel. Are you hungry?"
"Yes, please."
He immediately stood and went over to the fire. I saw him pour something into a mug and, taking a piece of way bread, he brought them to me. He was kind enough to lift my head. It was just water, which I gulped down quickly. The lembas unsettled my stomach so I only ate a few bites. I must have been really sick not to be able to stomach lembas, because normally I love them. Especially with a bit more honey.
When I was done, the elf lay my head down carefully and left. I lay there staring at the stars. Where was Earendil? Ahhh, I loved the stars of Middle Earth! They mean so much more to the folks here than they do to us. I mean they mean a lot to us in the 21st Century, but here, the stars ARE imbued with magic.
With the night sky filling my vision, I settled off into sleep.
It could have only been hours later when I awoke sweating and tangled up in my blankets. I tried to get up, but my broken ankle made it clear I was going nowhere. I let my head drop between my knees. What was the matter with me? Why could I not sleep? The nightmares that made my head ache? It must be that orc poison was really vicious.
As I sat there gathering myself, an elf came over to me. "Mistress Marie, what can I do for you?"
Well, cutting off my head might be a solution.
"I-I, I just had a nightmare, I guess. Orcs." I shuddered. The elf laid me back in the blankets and got me comfortable. He then rose and went into one of the tents. I realized I had been tended to while I slept as my face was bandaged and so was my ankle.
Contemplating my headache, I was startled by my head being lifted again. "This will help you sleep." The elf said softly.
I drank it even though I did not want to sleep.
The next day was a blur. It was cloudy again and drizzly. I found that Dalmiel was recovering from his arrow wound, though the poison was still making him weak.
Can you believe it? Here I was with about eight elves from Lothlorien, and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open! Trust me, I was sick. I was even too sick to ask questions. Lothlorien! I had not met any elves from there. And they knew Celeborn and Galadriel. I shuddered in the arms of the elf holding me. I found out that Dalmiel was an elf from Rivendell who had gone out to meet the entourage. He and Filorphin were good friends.
I shivered, still miserable. The elf holding me smiled down and wrapped me tighter in the soft wool cloak I was covered by.
I paid only a little attention to the landscape. It was rocky, with scrubby oaks and pines, and cracked boulders everywhere. It was also raining, making the landscape soft colored and vague.
Ahh, but what did help, was the elves began to sing a roundelay. It was soothing, beautiful and rhythmic. I felt myself relaxing and I hummed a bit under my breath. It made my head hurt less.
The next couple of days, I was surprised I did not feel any better. Not a crumb. At least miruvor would stay down. But I had little appetite and spent an awful lot of time half-awake. And my mind kept playing back nasty images of dark things, and orcs and horrors without name.
Please, I'd take Hollasfar and his delicate touch in a heartbeat!
When I was lucid, I was so confused at my condition. How could I be this whacked out from some scratches? (okay and well a broken ankle).
At least being ill, I didn't dwell on Ivy too much. My poor kitty.
One afternoon though, as the elves were going up single file on a ridge of rock and pine I asked in Sindarin, "You did not see a black cat about when you rescued Dalmiel, did you Callophor?"
"A cat? No, there were no animals around the orcs. No animal would come close to them, not even the carrion eaters."
"All right, thank you."
Callophor was silent for a while and then asked. "Why do you ask, Marie?"
"I had my cat with me and she's old and the orcs probably got her and- and." A very painful lump swelled in my throat. Oh Ivy! I sobbed out loud and buried my face in the cloak, embarrassed. I am sure Callophor must have thought I was hallucinating, as he said nothing further.
As the horse's gait changed as we went down over the ridge, the elves began to sing again. A few minutes later, they stopped.
I heard Sindarin being spoken, and a rider trotted past Callophor and I. Then we continued our slow wending down the ridge. The singing lulled me, as did the rush of water over stone. A soft fragrance filled the air and I sighed, peace stealing over me and unknotting my jangled nerves and sadness.
The horses stopped. I roused myself from my doze, my head ringing. "What's happening?" I asked.
"We are in Rivendell, Marie."
Damn it! I passed out.
I was still traveling. I was bumping up and down. The orcs were still carrying me. I so wanted it all to stop. I wanted to rest. But then those deep red eyes stared into mine, burning like a big campfire. All I could see were them and then I heard hateful, harsh words that I couldn't understand, but could, if that makes any sense.
The flames came closer to me until I could not bear them, and I screamed, brushing ineffectually at my face to make the eyes go away. I felt myself stop moving, at last and was laid on something firm. But a soft pillow was under my bruised and aching head.
The bandages, I could feel them slowly being unwrapped. Oh, it must be raining. Ohhh, the coolness that enveloped my face felt soooo good. The flames receded and went out. I sighed deeply and struggled to open my one good eye. (My left eye was completely gummed shut. But my face was numb, like after being at the dentist's.)
Light flickered near me and I heard the sound of water. Where was I now? Not on the ground, not near a campfire.
"Elrond?" I croaked out hopefully, my voice as dry as dust.
"Shhh Marie. I am here." I felt a warm hand cup my face. "Do not talk. We have plenty of time for that later." A cool cloth was laid on my scratches. Tears leaked out of my one good eye so I couldn't even see him. "Orcs! I.there were orcs.and my cat ran away and."
"Marie," his calm voice floated through my confusion. "All will be well. Rest now and let me take care of this."
He did not give me time to tell him I could not bear to sleep. My dreams were so unsettling.
A gravelly voice was telling me something over and over and each telling made me feel sick, and my head ache. "Stop it. Yes. I will." I whispered hoarsely. Then I awoke. It must have been the middle of the night as there was only a whisper of song in the air, and the play of waterfalls. A pale flame from a big fat candle flickered on the edges of things, a goblet and bottles, a pile of cloths. The light dancing on the silver and glass mesmerized me and I drifted back to sleep.
No dreams that I could remember.
I shifted and moaned, feeling uncomfortable because I was mostly numb. I couldn't even feel my lips. My left eye was still bandaged up. I inelegantly yawned and then tried to place myself. Let's see, in a bed and the quilt.I sat up, making my head spin sickeningly. It was MY quilt on MY bed. In Rivendell!
I was back!!
I tried to get out of bed and then remembered almost too late about my left ankle. But the cast reminded me quick enough and I awkwardly got back under the covers.
That little spurt of energy completely exhausted me and I lay back with a gasp. I turned my head.
There sat a goblet. MY goblet, with the ivy leaves and swans on it. But my hand shook too much for me to grasp it. I lay there and for the first time in days, I smiled. At least, I think I did, my but face was so numb, who knew?
I was back. I could relax. My eyes closed again.