Hello all!!! SORRY it's been so long since I've updated! And I realize this
is a very short chapter, but more will soon follow. I can explain my tardiness, and I hope that will do. I've been spending every waking minute
with my fiance, who is in the military and is off to Iraq for an entire
year. Spending time with him was top priority, but I'll get back in the
swing of writing in a jiff, promise! Thanks for your patience and enjoy this short little blib on Thranduil's palace and surprising motives on the
part of Umbrul.
Thanks! On with the chapter!
~Rhiana Rae~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Fallen- Chapter Six
Motives
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If Nyara was expecting dark and dank, she found herself pleasantly surprised. Thranduil's palace fit neither description. Though carved out of the very living mountain, it radiated a serene, if primitive, Elvish grace and attention to nature that was humbling. It made her ashamed to think of the way her own people plowed over land and through trees to build their squat homes, homes that stuck out like scars on the beauty of the land. Even the columns and edges of the palace had smooth beautiful lines. There was nothing painful looking to the eye about Thranduil's home. The great gates across the bridge loomed tall and cast a shadow over the water, but Nyara was unafraid of it. As if by magic they opened, their timing coinciding with a lifting of Thranduil's hand, fingers splayed and palm facing the great doors.
"Magic!" Nyara breathed, awestruck at such a power.
Haldir glanced over and behind his left shoulder and smiled when he saw Nyara's wide eyes. "Elves have many gifts, my friend. This is but one of them."
"But how.?"
"Elves are old. Very old. Though the Wood-elves- Thranduil's people- did not go overseas to Faerie they have magics of their own learning, such as this."
"Incredible," she mumured.
Several Elves came to see to their horses, but Haldir would allow none to manage the care of Steelsheen but himself. Once they were finished, Haldir led Nyara inside Thranduil's rock-hewn fortress.
"This was carved out of the mountain by the Dwarves long ago," he explained, "but soon thereafter strife came and the Elves and Dwarves lost their love for one another. There has not been a Dwarf inside these walls in many an Age." Silently, he remembered stories of Bilbo's trial with the Dwarves, and the near war between them which had ended in an uneasy truce and Thorin's death. Such memories held no sadness for Haldir.
"Bilbo," Nyara said, making the connection herself.
Haldir nodded and motioned her inside as the great gates opened.
As she stepped inside Nyara was bathed in a golden red light, courtesy of the torches lining the walls at regular intervals. This was no dungeon, though the close rock made her feel trapped, as though the ceiling might cave in at any moment and bury her alive beneath the rock. They rounded a corner and she lost sight of the doors, causing fear to rise up in her throat, nearly choking her. Still she moved forward with Haldir, further into the deeps of the palace.
"Nyara, are you alright?" Haldir asked, his noble brow drawn with concern. Apparenty Nyara's fear had begun to show through on her face.
All she could do was give a little head jiggle. All her strength and focus was bent on just moving forward, one step at a time.
"Try not to think about the stone, Nyara. The Dwarves are the best engineers in all of Middle-earth. This fortress has stood for Age after Age, and naught has come ill with it in all that time."
Haldir's words helped to soothe her fears somewhat, allowing Nyara to breathe normally again. She found herself able to appreciate the smooth lines of the passageways, the evenness and shine of the walls that had her running her fingertips across the cool surfaces. "This place is beautiful," she told him.
"Thranduil is expecting us. Come," he said, stopping at a small tunnel that veered off to the left and ended abruptly with two large wooden doors.
Inside, large pillars carved from the same stone as the rest of the hall soared to the ceilings and supported them with the grace of a butterfly. Carved also into the pillars were all manner of vines and flowers that creeped and wound themselves about, so lifelike that Nyara began to wonder where the colors had gone. In the center of the room was a wooden throne, and Thranduil sat upon it. There was a crown of woodland leaves upon his golden head, though Haldir noted silently that the oak staff, a symbol of his kingship over Eryn Lasgalen, was missing.
"Welcome, Haldir, and welcome, Nyara," he spoke to them in the Common Tongue. I have taken a short rest and a bit of time to gather my thoughts since last we spoke. There are a few things I wish to speak of before you may rest, but I will be brief."
He gestured for them to sit at a bench along the side of the room, and he rose to follow them over. When they were all seated and silent he began to speak.
"I have discovered why it is that Umbrul wishes to marry you, Nyara."
Her mouth opened. "What? How?"
"Elves have gifts such that Men do not know," was all he would say on that matter. "It began as only a small theory, but now I know it to be true."
Haldir and Nyara held their breath.
"You, Nyara, are the last living ancestor of the White Lady of Rohan, Eowyn Shieldmaiden. Umbrul wants your hand in marriage as a tie to the last royal blood in the world of Men, entitling him to Lordship over all those lands."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Note: I apologize for such a short chapter!! I've never allowed
myself to let a chapter go at that, but I promise to have more up soon! It's been a very rough few weeks with my fiance leaving for Iraq and all. Time flies! I sincerely appreciate your patience with me thus far! I hope not to disappoint you in the future! Thanks for reading and please review! Also, if you would like to email me with questions or and little tidbits,
my email address is:
buffypeaches@hotmail.com
Just put something in the subject line that lets me know it's about my
story! That would be great! Thanks!
~Rhiana Rae~
is a very short chapter, but more will soon follow. I can explain my tardiness, and I hope that will do. I've been spending every waking minute
with my fiance, who is in the military and is off to Iraq for an entire
year. Spending time with him was top priority, but I'll get back in the
swing of writing in a jiff, promise! Thanks for your patience and enjoy this short little blib on Thranduil's palace and surprising motives on the
part of Umbrul.
Thanks! On with the chapter!
~Rhiana Rae~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Fallen- Chapter Six
Motives
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If Nyara was expecting dark and dank, she found herself pleasantly surprised. Thranduil's palace fit neither description. Though carved out of the very living mountain, it radiated a serene, if primitive, Elvish grace and attention to nature that was humbling. It made her ashamed to think of the way her own people plowed over land and through trees to build their squat homes, homes that stuck out like scars on the beauty of the land. Even the columns and edges of the palace had smooth beautiful lines. There was nothing painful looking to the eye about Thranduil's home. The great gates across the bridge loomed tall and cast a shadow over the water, but Nyara was unafraid of it. As if by magic they opened, their timing coinciding with a lifting of Thranduil's hand, fingers splayed and palm facing the great doors.
"Magic!" Nyara breathed, awestruck at such a power.
Haldir glanced over and behind his left shoulder and smiled when he saw Nyara's wide eyes. "Elves have many gifts, my friend. This is but one of them."
"But how.?"
"Elves are old. Very old. Though the Wood-elves- Thranduil's people- did not go overseas to Faerie they have magics of their own learning, such as this."
"Incredible," she mumured.
Several Elves came to see to their horses, but Haldir would allow none to manage the care of Steelsheen but himself. Once they were finished, Haldir led Nyara inside Thranduil's rock-hewn fortress.
"This was carved out of the mountain by the Dwarves long ago," he explained, "but soon thereafter strife came and the Elves and Dwarves lost their love for one another. There has not been a Dwarf inside these walls in many an Age." Silently, he remembered stories of Bilbo's trial with the Dwarves, and the near war between them which had ended in an uneasy truce and Thorin's death. Such memories held no sadness for Haldir.
"Bilbo," Nyara said, making the connection herself.
Haldir nodded and motioned her inside as the great gates opened.
As she stepped inside Nyara was bathed in a golden red light, courtesy of the torches lining the walls at regular intervals. This was no dungeon, though the close rock made her feel trapped, as though the ceiling might cave in at any moment and bury her alive beneath the rock. They rounded a corner and she lost sight of the doors, causing fear to rise up in her throat, nearly choking her. Still she moved forward with Haldir, further into the deeps of the palace.
"Nyara, are you alright?" Haldir asked, his noble brow drawn with concern. Apparenty Nyara's fear had begun to show through on her face.
All she could do was give a little head jiggle. All her strength and focus was bent on just moving forward, one step at a time.
"Try not to think about the stone, Nyara. The Dwarves are the best engineers in all of Middle-earth. This fortress has stood for Age after Age, and naught has come ill with it in all that time."
Haldir's words helped to soothe her fears somewhat, allowing Nyara to breathe normally again. She found herself able to appreciate the smooth lines of the passageways, the evenness and shine of the walls that had her running her fingertips across the cool surfaces. "This place is beautiful," she told him.
"Thranduil is expecting us. Come," he said, stopping at a small tunnel that veered off to the left and ended abruptly with two large wooden doors.
Inside, large pillars carved from the same stone as the rest of the hall soared to the ceilings and supported them with the grace of a butterfly. Carved also into the pillars were all manner of vines and flowers that creeped and wound themselves about, so lifelike that Nyara began to wonder where the colors had gone. In the center of the room was a wooden throne, and Thranduil sat upon it. There was a crown of woodland leaves upon his golden head, though Haldir noted silently that the oak staff, a symbol of his kingship over Eryn Lasgalen, was missing.
"Welcome, Haldir, and welcome, Nyara," he spoke to them in the Common Tongue. I have taken a short rest and a bit of time to gather my thoughts since last we spoke. There are a few things I wish to speak of before you may rest, but I will be brief."
He gestured for them to sit at a bench along the side of the room, and he rose to follow them over. When they were all seated and silent he began to speak.
"I have discovered why it is that Umbrul wishes to marry you, Nyara."
Her mouth opened. "What? How?"
"Elves have gifts such that Men do not know," was all he would say on that matter. "It began as only a small theory, but now I know it to be true."
Haldir and Nyara held their breath.
"You, Nyara, are the last living ancestor of the White Lady of Rohan, Eowyn Shieldmaiden. Umbrul wants your hand in marriage as a tie to the last royal blood in the world of Men, entitling him to Lordship over all those lands."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Note: I apologize for such a short chapter!! I've never allowed
myself to let a chapter go at that, but I promise to have more up soon! It's been a very rough few weeks with my fiance leaving for Iraq and all. Time flies! I sincerely appreciate your patience with me thus far! I hope not to disappoint you in the future! Thanks for reading and please review! Also, if you would like to email me with questions or and little tidbits,
my email address is:
buffypeaches@hotmail.com
Just put something in the subject line that lets me know it's about my
story! That would be great! Thanks!
~Rhiana Rae~