Thanks Arabiasil for the help with this particular bit! You are a pal!
I know this sounds weird, but the next week or so was very quiet. What a relief that was! I got my strength slowly back, my ankle healed up and I got back to work translating an interesting Dwarvish journal from the Second Age.
But, though the stress of the Nazgul was gone, my heart was sad.
I missed Ivy.
By now, I had figured she had died, miserable and alone in a strange land. And when I was really tired, this brought tears to my eyes and a headache. I berated myself constantly about not having been more careful with her. She was old! How could I have done this to her?
I had been selfish, and she had paid for it.
The elf lord, during this time, was busy with his own concerns, a lot of it dealing with spring planting and animal breeding. There was also the elf lord's extended annual herbal gathering journey where he sought out the herbs that were a bit harder to find and grew in unusual places (i.e. some ruins he had mentioned in the western foothills of the Misty Mountains). I asked him why he just did not grow them here in Rivendell.
"Some herbs just do not do well being domesticated. And these are usually the ones that if their properties are diluted they work poorly. Some need a certain combination of soil, weather and positioning." He laughed as he put away a book in the library. "Besides, it is spring and it gives me great joy to go out among the wild growing things."
I nodded. Sometimes I forget that he IS an elf and that he needs to cleanse his spirit after a long winter's freeze.
So, I would see him occasionally during the day. He usually asked how I was doing and once or twice unexpectedly, he did that mesmerizing thing to see if my mind remained clear. (Of course it had. How could he really doubt it after all he and Glorfindel had done?)
One evening, after I had finished dinner, I was walking about, testing my ankle without crutches. I was now completely un-splinted, though the ankle was still wrapped. It was a little weak, but I was so happy to get the splint off. I wandered through the lower floors. Finally, a bit tired, I decided to rest in the Great Hall where the stairs went to the upper floors. It had a high three-story ceiling. It was a wonderfully airy place, the main view being the stairs that led up to terraced fern garden. A fireplace remained lit through out the year there and comfortable chaises and chairs were set in groups for easy conversation (or music making). I picked a chaise near the fireplace and swung my feet up to rest my ankle and stared into the flames. You know how dreamy it is looking into flames when you are tired. I began to think of Ivy and tears came. My poor old woman. The warmth of the flames made me drift off. (The full meal helped some too).
Sighing, I rolled over and yawned. I figured I might as well go on up to bed.
I blinked a couple of times and sat up suddenly. I was already in my bed. Why? I sat there concentrating on myself. I felt fine; nothing was wrong, no bad dreams or anything.
A single candle burned at my bedside, though the rest of my room was dark. There was a weight on my feet. My cloak perhaps? But I hadn't been wearing it.
I leaned over and lifted the candle and then almost started a fire when I dropped it.
Ivy lay curled at the end of my bed.
Hastily I grabbed the candle before it burned anything and set it on the table again. Then I put my arms around my cat and cried like a storm at sea. Oh my kitty! And she smelled sweet and fresh and she started to purr. And I didn't care if the world stopped, if-if another Nazgul showed up and made a mess. The world could go away altogether, I didn't care.
Ivy was back and alive and apparently well.
"Ohh my baby..." I talked to her in the nonsense words I had made up to call her and I just held her and talked to her. I fell asleep holding her.
When I awoke in the morning, Ivy was still with me. She opened her eyes at me; stretched and yawned, tongue curling up. She stood and shook out her short fur and the head butted me on my chin. I sat up against the headboard of my bed and held her in my lap. What a crybaby---my eyes began to water again and I buried my face in her fur.
Lord Elrond came in at that moment and I looked up at him and gently putting Ivy aside, I leapt out of bed and gave him a big, tight hug. He laughed and patted me on the back and then I burst out, "Where did you find her? How did she survive?"
"One of my archers found her Marie." The elf lord sat on the edge of the bed and Ivy stood up and walked over to him and head-butted him in the side as he stroked her shiny fur. "Your cat hid among the rocks near to where you lost her. However, she was NOT in good shape. She has spent the last two weeks in the care of Cerwal. She was starving and she had several infected sores."
"Oh my poor kitty!" Ivy came back over to me and curled up next to me. I petted her in wonder. "Thank you," I said thickly. "Thank you so much!" I looked up at the elf lord whose face was warm with affection. "I am just overwhelmed. I never expected to see her again." My eyes watered up again.
"Well, she is here and her health is fine. Resaldil will keep aside bits of meat for her. You have but to ask."
I nodded and smiled up at him.
My kitty was back and really, all was right in my world right now!
Elrond rose gracefully. "When you are done seeing to Ivy, Come to the library."
"I will my lord." I got up and rushed to the wardrobe and pulled out my nice forest green gown. I found I was ravenous. Ivy watched me dress from the bed.
I could hear her purr from where I stood.
I rushed out of my room for the dining hall, hoping that all the food had not been cleared away.
There was still a basket of bread, some cheese and fruit on a long table near the corridor that led to the kitchens. I grabbed an apple, a large slice of bread and some cheese and then hurried off to talk to Resaldil about getting scraps for Ivy. I took several bites of bread and cheese as I went along.
When I was done with Resaldil, I hurried off to the library, licking my fingers from a hastily eaten sweet roll the cook had offered me from the morning's baking.
As you can imagine, my mood had improved immeasurably, and I could not wait to discover what Lord Elrond wanted to tell me.
Perhaps some new job?
I know this sounds weird, but the next week or so was very quiet. What a relief that was! I got my strength slowly back, my ankle healed up and I got back to work translating an interesting Dwarvish journal from the Second Age.
But, though the stress of the Nazgul was gone, my heart was sad.
I missed Ivy.
By now, I had figured she had died, miserable and alone in a strange land. And when I was really tired, this brought tears to my eyes and a headache. I berated myself constantly about not having been more careful with her. She was old! How could I have done this to her?
I had been selfish, and she had paid for it.
The elf lord, during this time, was busy with his own concerns, a lot of it dealing with spring planting and animal breeding. There was also the elf lord's extended annual herbal gathering journey where he sought out the herbs that were a bit harder to find and grew in unusual places (i.e. some ruins he had mentioned in the western foothills of the Misty Mountains). I asked him why he just did not grow them here in Rivendell.
"Some herbs just do not do well being domesticated. And these are usually the ones that if their properties are diluted they work poorly. Some need a certain combination of soil, weather and positioning." He laughed as he put away a book in the library. "Besides, it is spring and it gives me great joy to go out among the wild growing things."
I nodded. Sometimes I forget that he IS an elf and that he needs to cleanse his spirit after a long winter's freeze.
So, I would see him occasionally during the day. He usually asked how I was doing and once or twice unexpectedly, he did that mesmerizing thing to see if my mind remained clear. (Of course it had. How could he really doubt it after all he and Glorfindel had done?)
One evening, after I had finished dinner, I was walking about, testing my ankle without crutches. I was now completely un-splinted, though the ankle was still wrapped. It was a little weak, but I was so happy to get the splint off. I wandered through the lower floors. Finally, a bit tired, I decided to rest in the Great Hall where the stairs went to the upper floors. It had a high three-story ceiling. It was a wonderfully airy place, the main view being the stairs that led up to terraced fern garden. A fireplace remained lit through out the year there and comfortable chaises and chairs were set in groups for easy conversation (or music making). I picked a chaise near the fireplace and swung my feet up to rest my ankle and stared into the flames. You know how dreamy it is looking into flames when you are tired. I began to think of Ivy and tears came. My poor old woman. The warmth of the flames made me drift off. (The full meal helped some too).
Sighing, I rolled over and yawned. I figured I might as well go on up to bed.
I blinked a couple of times and sat up suddenly. I was already in my bed. Why? I sat there concentrating on myself. I felt fine; nothing was wrong, no bad dreams or anything.
A single candle burned at my bedside, though the rest of my room was dark. There was a weight on my feet. My cloak perhaps? But I hadn't been wearing it.
I leaned over and lifted the candle and then almost started a fire when I dropped it.
Ivy lay curled at the end of my bed.
Hastily I grabbed the candle before it burned anything and set it on the table again. Then I put my arms around my cat and cried like a storm at sea. Oh my kitty! And she smelled sweet and fresh and she started to purr. And I didn't care if the world stopped, if-if another Nazgul showed up and made a mess. The world could go away altogether, I didn't care.
Ivy was back and alive and apparently well.
"Ohh my baby..." I talked to her in the nonsense words I had made up to call her and I just held her and talked to her. I fell asleep holding her.
When I awoke in the morning, Ivy was still with me. She opened her eyes at me; stretched and yawned, tongue curling up. She stood and shook out her short fur and the head butted me on my chin. I sat up against the headboard of my bed and held her in my lap. What a crybaby---my eyes began to water again and I buried my face in her fur.
Lord Elrond came in at that moment and I looked up at him and gently putting Ivy aside, I leapt out of bed and gave him a big, tight hug. He laughed and patted me on the back and then I burst out, "Where did you find her? How did she survive?"
"One of my archers found her Marie." The elf lord sat on the edge of the bed and Ivy stood up and walked over to him and head-butted him in the side as he stroked her shiny fur. "Your cat hid among the rocks near to where you lost her. However, she was NOT in good shape. She has spent the last two weeks in the care of Cerwal. She was starving and she had several infected sores."
"Oh my poor kitty!" Ivy came back over to me and curled up next to me. I petted her in wonder. "Thank you," I said thickly. "Thank you so much!" I looked up at the elf lord whose face was warm with affection. "I am just overwhelmed. I never expected to see her again." My eyes watered up again.
"Well, she is here and her health is fine. Resaldil will keep aside bits of meat for her. You have but to ask."
I nodded and smiled up at him.
My kitty was back and really, all was right in my world right now!
Elrond rose gracefully. "When you are done seeing to Ivy, Come to the library."
"I will my lord." I got up and rushed to the wardrobe and pulled out my nice forest green gown. I found I was ravenous. Ivy watched me dress from the bed.
I could hear her purr from where I stood.
I rushed out of my room for the dining hall, hoping that all the food had not been cleared away.
There was still a basket of bread, some cheese and fruit on a long table near the corridor that led to the kitchens. I grabbed an apple, a large slice of bread and some cheese and then hurried off to talk to Resaldil about getting scraps for Ivy. I took several bites of bread and cheese as I went along.
When I was done with Resaldil, I hurried off to the library, licking my fingers from a hastily eaten sweet roll the cook had offered me from the morning's baking.
As you can imagine, my mood had improved immeasurably, and I could not wait to discover what Lord Elrond wanted to tell me.
Perhaps some new job?