Thank You and a bunch of flowers from Legolas to Eregriel Gloswen, clrules
and Yuki Hibiki who reviewed chapter 4—you're so encouraging, I love you
all! I am so sorry this took so long; our hard drive failed—it's a long
story. Anyway, those reviews are really wonderful, I'll be so sad when this
finishes— new story is on the drawing board as I write this. Keep writing
please, and I will too!
A/N: This is, obviously, the fifth cave and also the first one so far not themed on a single element, i.e. earth, water, air or fire. You may have noticed I'm sort of favouring Legolas—I've done two caves that seem to have been made "for" him already, and this one, being celestially themed, will be the third. This is for three main reasons: I like Legolas (ah der!) This story is mainly about how the Glittering Caves affect Legolas, as he is an elf and not used to this sort of thing If, for some reason, Legolas was troubled by the tour, this would probably turn into an angst fic and so become a total flop, because angst doesn't suit me and I am terrible at writing it.
Therefore I am favouring Legolas in this fic so that I stay happy with
writing it and you wonderful people stay happy reading it.
More A/N: The song Legolas sings is taken from the chapter "Many
Meetings" in FotR. The names of the stars and constellations are taken
from "Three is Company" in the same book. And no, I don't own any of
this, Tolkien does and I have the greatest respect for him. And the
reference to "Elbereth's children" is purely a guess for the sake of
creativity, so please don't go mad unless it's very, very wrong and needs
to be changed, fast.
Even More A/N (sorry!): I'm assuming for this chapter that dwarves have
very long, rock-solid memories, more solid than those of Elves—or at
least Elves who are going through what Legolas is in this story. This
theory is based on the fact Tolkien himself told us that Dwarves remember
wrongs or benefits done to them for an amazing length of time.
* * * *
*
The passage, even in torchlight, seemed dim in comparison with the dazzling hall behind the companions. They were not lit from behind, for the cave's brilliance could only show when light appeared to make it possible. The chamber lay now in darkness, as it had done for countless thousands of years since the dawn of the world; save when men had taken refuge there from evil things whose forefathers were spawned long ago, in the Dark Years. Some way into the tunnel, after colliding with walls and each other numerous times, the two companions stopped to let their eyes adjust to the gloom. As they rested, Gimli voiced a question that had been preying on his mind for some time. "Legolas."
The Elf looked down at his friend, his bright eyes piercing the shadows, the flame of the torch mirrored in their depths.
"Do you still adhere to your wish?" said Gimli. Legolas frowned slightly. "My wish? I have wished for many things in my life."
Gimli was momentarily startled—he had not realised that, while the Dwarf's excellent memory had kept a record of every word, the mind of Legolas had been on other things and he was not likely to remember his earlier fascination with the first cavern, and his desire to return to it at the end of their journey through the caves.
"You wished to go back to the valley by returning to the Earth Cavern," said Gimli. "Are you still of like mind?"
It was the Elf's turn to be startled. Casting his mind back with difficulty to that first cavern, he remembered how, confronted for the first time with its unique beauty, he had been overawed and had desired to return when he and Gimli made their way back to the valley. Now, he realised, he looked back on that time almost with fond amusement, as if remembering a child's foolish whim. Now that he had seen a part of what had lain beyond him then, he no longer felt a strong desire to return. He knew that it would not look the second time as it had done at first, to fresh, inexperienced eyes. Legolas made up his mind at last. "No," he said to Gimli. "I no longer wish to return, for as it once was, it cannot be again." Gimli nodded in agreement, though he was not sure of his friend's meaning. Their eyes had now sufficiently adjusted to allow them to move on, and soon they came again to an empty doorway in the rock. Myriad tiny pinpoints of light danced a welcome as they entered.
Legolas was dumbstruck by sheer awe for the second time since they had entered the caves. He often looked up at the night sky, but never had it been as clear as this seemed to be. He felt indeed as if he was no longer standing on the floor of a cave, hidden deep under the ground: he was floating, soaring as an eagle on silver wings among immeasurably ancient stars.
The walls and ceiling of the cavern were covered with dark, glittering stones—whether jet or sapphire was impossible to say. Indeed it seemed they were, not stones encrusting a wall of finality, but a window into infinite space, the stars the only peoples in an unending world. Here and there a diamond broke the close-set ranks, shining so brightly that it seemed a star was trapped within each brilliant gem. On every side the dark stones descended to the sandstone floor, and low on the east wall a single ruby defiantly shone, the only one of its kind in the cave—red Borgil rising at eve.
Legolas suddenly noticed that the brilliant diamonds were arranged in patterns, familiar from innumerable years of gazing at the heavens—an elven archer, a bear, Menelvagor with his jewelled belt—Elbereth's children captured in their wanderings; the paths so often traversed, yet tirelessly followed each night.
At the centre of the cave's ceiling, a crescent shaped of shining gems gleamed, the Moon on his nightly journey through twinkling crowds of stars. A soft light filled the cavern and aided Gimli's torch in its duties, no doubt borne of the clustered jewels.
The sandstone floor was clear of obstruction, giving a viewer the freedom to walk about at will and study the magnificence around them. This Legolas and Gimli did, and spent many an hour gazing into the walls, feeling as if one step would propel them into another, ethereal world, unlike to any they had ever seen or known.
At last they felt they must continue, and stood in the doorway looking back on the portrait of the world that slowly turned above, oblivious to small earthly concerns. They had not said a word since they had entered the chamber; and now Legolas felt that this cave especially must have some tribute bestowed upon it. He could find no words worthy of speech—but, searching his mind, he found a fitting song. Gimli's dark eyes showed his approval as the clear voice of the Elf filled the cavern with a graceful, joyful music: "A Elbereth Gilthoniel, silivren penna míriel o menel aglar elenath! Na-chaered palan-díriel O galadhremmin ennorath, Fanuilos, le linnathon nef aear, sí nef aearon!"
They lingered in silence for a moment longer, setting their last image of the cavern in stone forever in their hearts. Neither was willing to speak, to break the almost holy silence that had descended as the echoes, now near at hand, of the last sweet syllables died. Quietly, they turned away and walked forward to another cave of wonder; another world of awe-inspiring beauty; another dream.
A/N: This is, obviously, the fifth cave and also the first one so far not themed on a single element, i.e. earth, water, air or fire. You may have noticed I'm sort of favouring Legolas—I've done two caves that seem to have been made "for" him already, and this one, being celestially themed, will be the third. This is for three main reasons: I like Legolas (ah der!) This story is mainly about how the Glittering Caves affect Legolas, as he is an elf and not used to this sort of thing If, for some reason, Legolas was troubled by the tour, this would probably turn into an angst fic and so become a total flop, because angst doesn't suit me and I am terrible at writing it.
Therefore I am favouring Legolas in this fic so that I stay happy with
writing it and you wonderful people stay happy reading it.
More A/N: The song Legolas sings is taken from the chapter "Many
Meetings" in FotR. The names of the stars and constellations are taken
from "Three is Company" in the same book. And no, I don't own any of
this, Tolkien does and I have the greatest respect for him. And the
reference to "Elbereth's children" is purely a guess for the sake of
creativity, so please don't go mad unless it's very, very wrong and needs
to be changed, fast.
Even More A/N (sorry!): I'm assuming for this chapter that dwarves have
very long, rock-solid memories, more solid than those of Elves—or at
least Elves who are going through what Legolas is in this story. This
theory is based on the fact Tolkien himself told us that Dwarves remember
wrongs or benefits done to them for an amazing length of time.
* * * *
*
The passage, even in torchlight, seemed dim in comparison with the dazzling hall behind the companions. They were not lit from behind, for the cave's brilliance could only show when light appeared to make it possible. The chamber lay now in darkness, as it had done for countless thousands of years since the dawn of the world; save when men had taken refuge there from evil things whose forefathers were spawned long ago, in the Dark Years. Some way into the tunnel, after colliding with walls and each other numerous times, the two companions stopped to let their eyes adjust to the gloom. As they rested, Gimli voiced a question that had been preying on his mind for some time. "Legolas."
The Elf looked down at his friend, his bright eyes piercing the shadows, the flame of the torch mirrored in their depths.
"Do you still adhere to your wish?" said Gimli. Legolas frowned slightly. "My wish? I have wished for many things in my life."
Gimli was momentarily startled—he had not realised that, while the Dwarf's excellent memory had kept a record of every word, the mind of Legolas had been on other things and he was not likely to remember his earlier fascination with the first cavern, and his desire to return to it at the end of their journey through the caves.
"You wished to go back to the valley by returning to the Earth Cavern," said Gimli. "Are you still of like mind?"
It was the Elf's turn to be startled. Casting his mind back with difficulty to that first cavern, he remembered how, confronted for the first time with its unique beauty, he had been overawed and had desired to return when he and Gimli made their way back to the valley. Now, he realised, he looked back on that time almost with fond amusement, as if remembering a child's foolish whim. Now that he had seen a part of what had lain beyond him then, he no longer felt a strong desire to return. He knew that it would not look the second time as it had done at first, to fresh, inexperienced eyes. Legolas made up his mind at last. "No," he said to Gimli. "I no longer wish to return, for as it once was, it cannot be again." Gimli nodded in agreement, though he was not sure of his friend's meaning. Their eyes had now sufficiently adjusted to allow them to move on, and soon they came again to an empty doorway in the rock. Myriad tiny pinpoints of light danced a welcome as they entered.
Legolas was dumbstruck by sheer awe for the second time since they had entered the caves. He often looked up at the night sky, but never had it been as clear as this seemed to be. He felt indeed as if he was no longer standing on the floor of a cave, hidden deep under the ground: he was floating, soaring as an eagle on silver wings among immeasurably ancient stars.
The walls and ceiling of the cavern were covered with dark, glittering stones—whether jet or sapphire was impossible to say. Indeed it seemed they were, not stones encrusting a wall of finality, but a window into infinite space, the stars the only peoples in an unending world. Here and there a diamond broke the close-set ranks, shining so brightly that it seemed a star was trapped within each brilliant gem. On every side the dark stones descended to the sandstone floor, and low on the east wall a single ruby defiantly shone, the only one of its kind in the cave—red Borgil rising at eve.
Legolas suddenly noticed that the brilliant diamonds were arranged in patterns, familiar from innumerable years of gazing at the heavens—an elven archer, a bear, Menelvagor with his jewelled belt—Elbereth's children captured in their wanderings; the paths so often traversed, yet tirelessly followed each night.
At the centre of the cave's ceiling, a crescent shaped of shining gems gleamed, the Moon on his nightly journey through twinkling crowds of stars. A soft light filled the cavern and aided Gimli's torch in its duties, no doubt borne of the clustered jewels.
The sandstone floor was clear of obstruction, giving a viewer the freedom to walk about at will and study the magnificence around them. This Legolas and Gimli did, and spent many an hour gazing into the walls, feeling as if one step would propel them into another, ethereal world, unlike to any they had ever seen or known.
At last they felt they must continue, and stood in the doorway looking back on the portrait of the world that slowly turned above, oblivious to small earthly concerns. They had not said a word since they had entered the chamber; and now Legolas felt that this cave especially must have some tribute bestowed upon it. He could find no words worthy of speech—but, searching his mind, he found a fitting song. Gimli's dark eyes showed his approval as the clear voice of the Elf filled the cavern with a graceful, joyful music: "A Elbereth Gilthoniel, silivren penna míriel o menel aglar elenath! Na-chaered palan-díriel O galadhremmin ennorath, Fanuilos, le linnathon nef aear, sí nef aearon!"
They lingered in silence for a moment longer, setting their last image of the cavern in stone forever in their hearts. Neither was willing to speak, to break the almost holy silence that had descended as the echoes, now near at hand, of the last sweet syllables died. Quietly, they turned away and walked forward to another cave of wonder; another world of awe-inspiring beauty; another dream.