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Chapter 23 - Fireflies
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Rúmil spent the remainder of the night held tight in his brothers' embrace. Haldir and Orophin were vigilant, waiting quietly for Rúmil to release his inner turmoil. It started slowly, but when he finally began to speak, it came in a heartbreaking flood of words and images.
He told them of their attempts to dissuade the Faradrim and the brutality of his captivity, and with tears of shame, he spoke of what Callin had done to him. They shared his confusion when he said that the means of his rescue from the pit was unknown to him, and their curiosity was piqued as he spoke of the mystery of the children that cared for him.
Throughout the night, they raged together and cried together, to finally fall into an exhausted but peaceful sleep wrapped tightly in each others' arms. In the following weeks, the frequency of Rúmil's nightmares lessened, his sleep becoming more restful and healing, and at last, he began to grow stronger.
Just before dawn, Rúmil climbed up into the mallorn that held their talan and onto a platform secured in the upper most heights of its branches. He lay on his back, his head resting on one arm, and the leaves of the mallorn parted for him so he would have an unhindered view of the stars above.
He had missed the stars. He had been deprived of their beauty by the Faradrim during his captivity, and even when at last free, he was unable to enjoy their radiance while his injuries healed. Now, his health returning, he would not be denied.
Rúmil breathed deeply the sweet air of the Golden Wood. The stars were beginning to grow dim and the skies brighten as Anor slowly crept up to greet to day, warming his skin and lulling him into a contented reverie.
A soft fluttering against his chest woke him, and looking down, he saw Eli with his ear pressed against his chest, his long lashes sweeping gently across his skin.
"Eli? Where have you been? How did you get here?" and pulling the giggling, little adan against him, he embraced Eli tightly for the first time, and said, "Never mind… I care not."
"Greetings, Rúmil, we have missed you."
Rúmil looked past Eli to see Danelhir sitting on the corner of the platform, his legs crossed and leaning back on his hands, grinning at him widely.
"Why is it, meldir, that whenever we are together, I am looking down upon you?"
Smiling, Rúmil propped himself up onto his elbows, and said, "Why are you here?"
"I made a promise to Eli that we would come visit you. He has been very insistent, not quite trusting your healers to care for you properly."
Pursing his lips, Eli settled into the crook of Rúmil's arm, and with a bit of a pout, said, "I still think that we should have come with him."
Laughing softly, Danelhir said, "Nay, Eli. We would have been a distraction. Rúmil's brothers needed to concentrate on him solely and did not need his most fierce of protectors savaging their kneecaps whenever they got near." He then rose to his feet and came to sit next to Rúmil, his dark eyes studying him keenly.
"How are you feeling, mellon nín," and Rúmil did not object when Danelhir pushed his light shirt the remainder of the way open to check for himself Rúmil's progress. His hands drifted lightly over the healing scars on his side and chest and then up to his shoulder, smiling to see that the marks there had completely faded.
"I am still a little stiff and have yet been unable to draw my bow, but Haldir and Orophin have been helping me to regain my strength, and the healers say my shoulder will heal completely with time."
"That is good," and then Danelhir's hand came to rest over Rúmil's heart, one small finger tapping lightly against his chest, and he asked, "And here, meldir, how about here?"
With a sigh, Rúmil laid back down and curling his arm tightly around Eli, he said, "'Tis healing also, though, sometimes I still dream of darker times."
"There are some things that will always be with you," said Danelhir, as he pulled Rúmil's shirt closed once more, "but that pain will also ease with time."
Rúmil had so many questions he wanted to ask, but he knew the futility of seeking answers, at least for now. A small smile graced Rúmil's face and he nodded, allowing himself to be simply at ease in their company once more. Bright eyes flicking to the branches around him, he asked, "Where are the ladies?"
Flopping down next to Rúmil and his brother to join them in their stargazing, Danelhir said, "Well, Loarel and Aerien have become quite enamored of your brothers; I believe they are stalking them as we speak," and chuckling, he said, "I fear that you may have been cast aside, mellon nín."
Then Danelhir turned to gaze into the Wood, and said, "And Mirrian has gone to visit the Lady."
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She felt their presence the moment they crossed the marches of the Golden Wood. It was just before dawn, and the birds had not yet begun their morning song. She dressed and glided lightly down the long stair of the Royal Talan and into the wood, her mind set on a particular spot.
She strolled around the small garden, admiring the night blooming flowers, and soon sensed someone stepping quietly out of the surrounding wood but did not yet turn to greet her visitor.
"My Lord and I thank you for caring for Rúmil. Our hearts were deeply troubled when we learned of his capture," and turning, Galadriel was only mildly surprised as she met the gaze of a dark-haired elfling but half her size.
"You need not thank us, Lady. 'Twas your Golden Wood that drew us to his need."
"If I may ask, is it not… frowned upon for you to interfere with the way of such things? Do you not fear censure?"
Mirrian gave Galadriel a very childlike shrug, and said, "We have been all but forgotten, those held in greatest esteem no longer seeming to recall us. 'Tis only the trees who sing to us now, and even they begin to fall silent.
Mirrian crossed the glade to smell the delicate flowers.
"These flowers are quite beautiful. I do not believe I have seen their like before."
Moving to stand beside Mirrian, Galadriel studied the child out of the corner of her eye and then reached out and brushed her fingers softly across one of the fluted petals.
"They are unique to the Wood and grow only in this small glade. I am glad that I could share them with you."
"There are many things unique and beautiful to your Golden Wood." Mirrian turned back to the Lady, bright amber eyes regarding cool blue, and said, "We would very much like to visit them from time to time, if you will allow it?"
"Your presence would be welcomed by all, though, I am not sure that my leave is required."
"You may be right; there are some of us who are more determined than others but not by much. Even so, we would respect your borders, Lady."
"Then please, come as often as you wish."
Drifting back toward the wood, Mirrian said, "I thank you for sharing with me this lovely place -- and for your kindness. Perhaps we can meet again to enjoy the flowers?"
Bowing gracefully, Galadriel said, "I would much enjoy being in your company again, healer."
Smiling gently, Mirrian said, "Nay, 'tis my brother who is the healer, my name is Mirri," and then pausing as if to listen to some far off song, the elfling's smile widened.
"I must now depart, my Lady, for I fear there is mischief afoot. Please convey our regard to your Lord," and with a bow, the elfling faded back into the Wood.
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Haldir stood with his arms crossed over his chest, glowering at the mallorn in front of him.
"Haldir, what are you doing? Standing here quarrelling with this tree will not aid us in our search for Rúmil."
"Orophin, this Wood conspires against us," he said, and Haldir gestured sharply toward the tree. "'Twas only an hour ago that she claimed that Rúmil had descended and sent us on a wild hunt about the city. Now she tells me that our brother has been aloft the entire time."
Orophin stepped between the tree and Haldir, his eyes wide in warning, and said, "Muindor, I am sure she was only mistaken," and then lowering his voice, he said, "I would dearly regret waking one morning to find our talan and ourselves in a splintered pile at her base."
Mumbling to himself about capricious trees, Haldir began his ascent up into the canopy while Orophin turned to whisper softly to the tree, moving his hand over her smooth bark in a placating gesture.
"Are you coming?!"
Haldir peeked over the edge of the platform and spotted Rúmil gazing up at the sky. His dark brows drawn together in concern, he pulled himself up with Orophin close behind.
"Rúmil?"
The bright smile that graced their brother's face instantly put them at ease, and sitting up, Rúmil motioned them forward.
"Come, sit with me. I was just watching the sunrise."
Haldir slid in behind his brother, leaning up against a sloping branch and smiled as Rúmil lay back against him, releasing a contented sigh. Orophin dropped to lay his long body down beside them, resting his head in Rúmil's lap.
"You should not be up here without a blanket, you are still not fully recovered and risk catching a chill," chided Haldir, as he wrapped his arms around Rúmil.
"Do not worry, Haldir. The Lady has chased away the chill this morning; it hardly touches me."
They sat quietly like that, Rúmil playing with Orophin's hair and watching the waking of the day.
"Rúmil, you are more yourself, it makes my heart glad," said Haldir.
Smiling up at both of them, Orophin said, "Mine also. I have missed this… us together," and again, they fell into a companionable silence.
"Is it not a wonderful day?" said Rúmil wistfully.
At Haldir's snort of disgust, Orophin said, "Pay him no heed, muindor. He has been quite grumpy this beautiful morn, fussing about fickle trees and annoying insects."
Haldir reached out his foot and gave his brother a soft kick, and said, "They were all about me! It took all the restraint I possess not to squash the little pests."
Haldir tensed as Rúmil's shoulders suddenly began to shake, and Orophin sat up in alarm when Rúmil pulled his hands free to cover his face.
"Rúmil? What is wrong?"
Dropping his hands and throwing his head back against Haldir's shoulder, Rúmil began to laugh, and laugh so loud that it drifted through the trees, bringing a smile to the faces of all those below who heard it.
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Celeborn gently grasped Galadriel around the waist, lifting her gently but quickly to his another side just as Rúmil and Anendel burst through the trees. Skidding to a halt, they both looked nervously at the Lord and Lady.
"Pray tell, Rúmil, what is it that has you on the run?"
Glancing over his shoulder and then back to Celeborn, he said, "We are on our way to the… the hot springs, my Lord. We were just eager to arrive." Rúmil's hand shot out, grabbing Anendel's arm as he attempted to slink away.
Celeborn looked doubtfully over at Galadriel; she had her eyes cast downward, suddenly fascinated with something that lay within the grass. Turning his attention back to the two tense guardians standing before him, he studied Rúmil's countenance, marveling at his perfect air of innocence, and after a few moments, in which he was sure that Anendel would literally implode, he said, "Very well, continue on then."
"Thank you, my Lord, my Lady," they said in unison, and then they sprinted from the glade like hares pursued by Hobbits just as Haldir and Orophin approached at a hurried pace.
"My Lord, my Lady, beautiful morning is it not," they said in passing. Celeborn and Galadriel gave them a nod and receiving a quick bow in return, the guardians took up the path that Rúmil and Anendel had taken, breaking into a run as soon as they were a respectable distance away from the pair watching them.
Laughing softly as they disappeared into the Wood, Galadriel asked, "What do you think they have done this time?"
Laughing along with his Lady, Celeborn said, "I have no idea, but I must find out. By the look on our guardians' faces, it must have been spectacular."
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~* The End *~
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Coming Soon: Well of Souls (tentative)
Summary: A supposed emissary from Mirkwood appears on Lothlòrien's borders demanding an audience with the Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood. A few days later, Rúmil begins to notice a change in the Captain of the Galadhrim. (Haldir, Rúmil, Orophin, Elrond, Glorfindel, Erestor, Elrond, Lindir).