Chapter 5 WS
The Smith.
How wonderful it is to be able to speak to Mandy even when she's not
visiting me. Every evening she speaks to me, telling me of her day
and asking my help with her the mathematics work her teacher sets
her. Like all smiths I have an excellent understanding of
mathematics.
But best of all is when she visits, bringing books and food and
company. Often I have asked if she has friends amongst her own
people, and she shakes her head, 'no one really close, not real
friends. A few girls I eat lunch with and sometimes see, but not
really close friends.' She kissed me the last time I asked, and told
me I was her only true friend. I feel tremendously happy that she
thinks of me like that, but sad too. Mandy ought to have more friends
than just me, an elven smith locked in a cave forever as punishment.
Of course, it is foolish to expect that things will go on like this
forever. Mandy has warned me that her step father doesn't like her to
be away from home so much; once she stayed with me a whole week to
study for an examination. Apparently, Mandy's stepfather was very
angry, and she has been afraid ever since that he might follow her
and find where she goes. I have told her not to worry, but she does.
Mandy does not understand that I am not afraid of an ageing mortal.
Sighing, I turn back to the book I am reading; one of a large number
Mandy has lent me. Soon, though, hunger makes itself known, and I sit
eating bread and honey, which is nearly the last of the food Mandy
brought me on her last visit. Not only because from tomorrow I bid
fair to be without food again do I wish to see my mortal friend, but
because I am lonely. The books are entertainment but not company.
The next day is just beginning and it is still dark when Mandy
arrives, the sun only just beginning to poke her head over the
horizon. Her hair is loose, and hanging wildly about her face; she
seems on point of collapse as she slides off Firefly's back and into
my arms.
The Mortal
Thank God for Maeglin, I think as I collapse against him. I am still
sobbing as he carries me into the cave and lays me on his bed. For a
long time, Maeglin strokes my hair as I cry, and murmuring in his
strangely beautiful language.
Suddenly, his hand stops moving, and his fingers pull the strands of
hair across my face away and he can he see what I've been hiding. I
hiss in pain as he turns my face and his fingers trace the no doubt
ugly bruise forming over my right eye.
The stern note in his voice frightens me when after a long inspection
of my face he speaks, 'who did this. No, don't say, it was your
stepfather; because you said you were going away again for the
weekend and when he wanted to know where you go and why you refused
to tell him. Mandy, you should not allow yourself to be hurt to
protect me.'
'It's Ok, Maeglin, he would just have found another reason to hit
me.'
'You are not going home,' he says as he starts to unpack Firefly's
saddlebags. My mare has been standing patiently to the side, waiting
to have her gear removed.
'I have to, eventually, or someone will come looking for me, and as
I've said before, you don't want to be found, Maeglin, I've told you
that before.'
He kneels at my side, having removed Firefly's gear, 'maybe I do want
to be found. Perhaps I'd like to show your stepfather what happens to
men who hit innocent young maids because they can't fight back.'
His intense stare is almost frightening, then he turns away and comes
back with a cold damp cloth and he holds it gently to my face. I feel
the pain start to lessen and sigh in relief.
'You are not going home until you are healed, at least, and able to
face this Orc-man without being disadvantaged by your injuries. That
I will not be disobeyed on, Mandy!'
Now, normally I would hate to be dictated to and ordered like this,
but curiously I feel only relief; relief that Maeglin does care and
will look after me so I say, 'Ok, Maeglin,' quite meekly.
'What's an Orc? I ask suddenly.
'An evil, cruel being. They were controlled by Morgoth, and later his
former vassal Sauron. It's said that Elves were tormented and twisted
into the first Orcs. They have no mercy, or morals, and your
stepfather must have Orcish blood to be so cruel,' he replies
quietly, as he turns my face the other way, apparently checking me
for other injuries.
'I'll be Ok to go home,' I lie. It doesn't work, as I suspected, for
Maeglin sits back with says softly but angrily, 'Do not lie to me.
Ever.'
I look at him, and feel genuine fear for the first time. What on
earth am I doing befriending an alien being like Maeglin? Then just
as suddenly, his anger appears to be gone.
'Sorry,' I whisper, 'but I don't want to worry you.'
The Elf
She does not want to worry me! Valar, all I do is worry about her for
she has become my reason for trying to keep living through my
punishment. I am terrified of her short mortal life ending, and will
probably die when she does. But I will not tell her this.
'You are forgiven, Mandy. I should not be angry with you,' I say as I
stroke her lovely golden hair gently. 'Sleep little one;' I murmur in
Quenya, and she does. I finally lie down next to her and hold her.
She cuddles against me, once murmuring my name sleepily. It feels
good to hold her. She sleeps, trusting as a child.
Daylight, and now what Mandy so fears is happening. Her stepfather
has arrived. I don't know quite how I know it is he, but I do. I
stand in the entrance of my cave, watching carefully. He is a
particularly ugly mortal, but there is a cunning look on his face.
Somewhat like a rat poking through a pile of rubbish, looking for
something rotten.
I decide to step out and challenge this.person. He snarls and steps
forward as if he's going to strike me! Me, a mortal strike me!
Especially this skinny specimen.
'Why did you hurt Mandy?' I ask, adopting my best threatening manner.
It seemed to be working, because he appeared to be frightened,
although he tried to bluster his way through it.
'Where is the slut?' he snarled, and at that horrible word being
connected with Mandy, I loose my temper and slap him, hard. He falls
to the ground, and I fall on top of him, pinning him down and hitting
him many times. He yells loudly, and this wakes Mandy, who runs from
the cave to see what's happening.
In the instant that I'm distracted, the man pushes me off him and
runs towards Mandy. I see sunlight gleam on something, a knife blade!
No, no, this could not be happening!
Somehow, I manage to get in front of Mandy in time, and the blow of
the knife intended for her strikes me instead. The pain as the knife
slices into me is intense, yet I pull it from me, and grab the man by
the throat. Slowly, deliberately, I cut his throat and watch him die.
Then I pass out.
The Mortal.
Oh God!!! This can't be happening. I run to Maeglin's side, but I
know he's dying. I try to dredge up my limited knowledge of first
aid, but I know it's not going to be enough. All I can do is pray, so
I do, and my prayers are answered.
A ship? A shining white sail ship? And a sailor wearing something
that glows on his forehead? The ship, well, I suppose you could say
it, well, lands. And a dark haired man, no another elf from his
pointed ears leaps off. He hurries towards Maeglin, and pushes me out
of the way. He kneels and does something.. while speaking what sounds
like the same liquid language as Maeglin sometimes did.
Then he turns to me, and smiles briefly. 'I think I can save him,
will you help me, Mandy?'
Too astounded to wonder how he knows my name I simply nod. 'Hold his
hand, speak to him, keep him with us,' the elf says urgently. I take
Maeglin's hand and notice that it's cold, but I swallow my fear and
take Maeglin's hand in mine, and speak to him, not knowing what I
say, just begging him to live.
Finally, the other man, no, he's an elf too, gets off the ship. He's
taken off the glowing thing that he wore, and he too kneels by
Maeglin's side. He says something to the dark haired elf, and then
smiles at me. Maeglin is awake now, and whispers, 'Earendil?'
To be polite to me, I think, Earendil answers in English, though how
he knows English is beyond me. 'Yes, Maeglin, Mother sent me.'
'Idril is alive? She is in Valinor?'
'Yes, she sent us to look for you, with Manwe's approval.'
'Why?'
'To bring you home, Maeglin,' said the dark haired elf.
'What of Mandy,' Maeglin whispers. 'She can't stay here now; she
might be blamed for her stepfather's death.
'What of Mandy, indeed!' remarks Earendil softly, his eyes seeming to
bore into mine.
The Smith.
How wonderful it is to be able to speak to Mandy even when she's not
visiting me. Every evening she speaks to me, telling me of her day
and asking my help with her the mathematics work her teacher sets
her. Like all smiths I have an excellent understanding of
mathematics.
But best of all is when she visits, bringing books and food and
company. Often I have asked if she has friends amongst her own
people, and she shakes her head, 'no one really close, not real
friends. A few girls I eat lunch with and sometimes see, but not
really close friends.' She kissed me the last time I asked, and told
me I was her only true friend. I feel tremendously happy that she
thinks of me like that, but sad too. Mandy ought to have more friends
than just me, an elven smith locked in a cave forever as punishment.
Of course, it is foolish to expect that things will go on like this
forever. Mandy has warned me that her step father doesn't like her to
be away from home so much; once she stayed with me a whole week to
study for an examination. Apparently, Mandy's stepfather was very
angry, and she has been afraid ever since that he might follow her
and find where she goes. I have told her not to worry, but she does.
Mandy does not understand that I am not afraid of an ageing mortal.
Sighing, I turn back to the book I am reading; one of a large number
Mandy has lent me. Soon, though, hunger makes itself known, and I sit
eating bread and honey, which is nearly the last of the food Mandy
brought me on her last visit. Not only because from tomorrow I bid
fair to be without food again do I wish to see my mortal friend, but
because I am lonely. The books are entertainment but not company.
The next day is just beginning and it is still dark when Mandy
arrives, the sun only just beginning to poke her head over the
horizon. Her hair is loose, and hanging wildly about her face; she
seems on point of collapse as she slides off Firefly's back and into
my arms.
The Mortal
Thank God for Maeglin, I think as I collapse against him. I am still
sobbing as he carries me into the cave and lays me on his bed. For a
long time, Maeglin strokes my hair as I cry, and murmuring in his
strangely beautiful language.
Suddenly, his hand stops moving, and his fingers pull the strands of
hair across my face away and he can he see what I've been hiding. I
hiss in pain as he turns my face and his fingers trace the no doubt
ugly bruise forming over my right eye.
The stern note in his voice frightens me when after a long inspection
of my face he speaks, 'who did this. No, don't say, it was your
stepfather; because you said you were going away again for the
weekend and when he wanted to know where you go and why you refused
to tell him. Mandy, you should not allow yourself to be hurt to
protect me.'
'It's Ok, Maeglin, he would just have found another reason to hit
me.'
'You are not going home,' he says as he starts to unpack Firefly's
saddlebags. My mare has been standing patiently to the side, waiting
to have her gear removed.
'I have to, eventually, or someone will come looking for me, and as
I've said before, you don't want to be found, Maeglin, I've told you
that before.'
He kneels at my side, having removed Firefly's gear, 'maybe I do want
to be found. Perhaps I'd like to show your stepfather what happens to
men who hit innocent young maids because they can't fight back.'
His intense stare is almost frightening, then he turns away and comes
back with a cold damp cloth and he holds it gently to my face. I feel
the pain start to lessen and sigh in relief.
'You are not going home until you are healed, at least, and able to
face this Orc-man without being disadvantaged by your injuries. That
I will not be disobeyed on, Mandy!'
Now, normally I would hate to be dictated to and ordered like this,
but curiously I feel only relief; relief that Maeglin does care and
will look after me so I say, 'Ok, Maeglin,' quite meekly.
'What's an Orc? I ask suddenly.
'An evil, cruel being. They were controlled by Morgoth, and later his
former vassal Sauron. It's said that Elves were tormented and twisted
into the first Orcs. They have no mercy, or morals, and your
stepfather must have Orcish blood to be so cruel,' he replies
quietly, as he turns my face the other way, apparently checking me
for other injuries.
'I'll be Ok to go home,' I lie. It doesn't work, as I suspected, for
Maeglin sits back with says softly but angrily, 'Do not lie to me.
Ever.'
I look at him, and feel genuine fear for the first time. What on
earth am I doing befriending an alien being like Maeglin? Then just
as suddenly, his anger appears to be gone.
'Sorry,' I whisper, 'but I don't want to worry you.'
The Elf
She does not want to worry me! Valar, all I do is worry about her for
she has become my reason for trying to keep living through my
punishment. I am terrified of her short mortal life ending, and will
probably die when she does. But I will not tell her this.
'You are forgiven, Mandy. I should not be angry with you,' I say as I
stroke her lovely golden hair gently. 'Sleep little one;' I murmur in
Quenya, and she does. I finally lie down next to her and hold her.
She cuddles against me, once murmuring my name sleepily. It feels
good to hold her. She sleeps, trusting as a child.
Daylight, and now what Mandy so fears is happening. Her stepfather
has arrived. I don't know quite how I know it is he, but I do. I
stand in the entrance of my cave, watching carefully. He is a
particularly ugly mortal, but there is a cunning look on his face.
Somewhat like a rat poking through a pile of rubbish, looking for
something rotten.
I decide to step out and challenge this.person. He snarls and steps
forward as if he's going to strike me! Me, a mortal strike me!
Especially this skinny specimen.
'Why did you hurt Mandy?' I ask, adopting my best threatening manner.
It seemed to be working, because he appeared to be frightened,
although he tried to bluster his way through it.
'Where is the slut?' he snarled, and at that horrible word being
connected with Mandy, I loose my temper and slap him, hard. He falls
to the ground, and I fall on top of him, pinning him down and hitting
him many times. He yells loudly, and this wakes Mandy, who runs from
the cave to see what's happening.
In the instant that I'm distracted, the man pushes me off him and
runs towards Mandy. I see sunlight gleam on something, a knife blade!
No, no, this could not be happening!
Somehow, I manage to get in front of Mandy in time, and the blow of
the knife intended for her strikes me instead. The pain as the knife
slices into me is intense, yet I pull it from me, and grab the man by
the throat. Slowly, deliberately, I cut his throat and watch him die.
Then I pass out.
The Mortal.
Oh God!!! This can't be happening. I run to Maeglin's side, but I
know he's dying. I try to dredge up my limited knowledge of first
aid, but I know it's not going to be enough. All I can do is pray, so
I do, and my prayers are answered.
A ship? A shining white sail ship? And a sailor wearing something
that glows on his forehead? The ship, well, I suppose you could say
it, well, lands. And a dark haired man, no another elf from his
pointed ears leaps off. He hurries towards Maeglin, and pushes me out
of the way. He kneels and does something.. while speaking what sounds
like the same liquid language as Maeglin sometimes did.
Then he turns to me, and smiles briefly. 'I think I can save him,
will you help me, Mandy?'
Too astounded to wonder how he knows my name I simply nod. 'Hold his
hand, speak to him, keep him with us,' the elf says urgently. I take
Maeglin's hand and notice that it's cold, but I swallow my fear and
take Maeglin's hand in mine, and speak to him, not knowing what I
say, just begging him to live.
Finally, the other man, no, he's an elf too, gets off the ship. He's
taken off the glowing thing that he wore, and he too kneels by
Maeglin's side. He says something to the dark haired elf, and then
smiles at me. Maeglin is awake now, and whispers, 'Earendil?'
To be polite to me, I think, Earendil answers in English, though how
he knows English is beyond me. 'Yes, Maeglin, Mother sent me.'
'Idril is alive? She is in Valinor?'
'Yes, she sent us to look for you, with Manwe's approval.'
'Why?'
'To bring you home, Maeglin,' said the dark haired elf.
'What of Mandy,' Maeglin whispers. 'She can't stay here now; she
might be blamed for her stepfather's death.
'What of Mandy, indeed!' remarks Earendil softly, his eyes seeming to
bore into mine.