Chapter Four: WHAT?
On and on, reckless abandon,
Something's wrong, this is gonna shock them,
Nothing to hold on to,
We'll use this song to lead you on,
And break the truth with more bad news.
We left a scar, size extra large.
-blink-182, Reckless Abandon
"My name!" said the old man again. "Have you not guessed it already? You have heard it before, I think. Yes, you have heard it before. But come now, what of your tale?"
The companions stood silent and made no answer. Until Melanie said, "Please, please take away this spell of fear and tell them who you are!"
The old man laughed. "But Melanie, my dear, you do not know who I may be!" Melanie shivered. How did he know her name? And that strange something in his voice reminded her of someone. Someone she could not put her finger on.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits, I believe. Well, they climbed up here, the day before yesterday. They met someone that they did not expect. Does that comfort you? Why are we standing? Your errand, you see, is no longer as urgent as you thought. Let us sit down and be more at ease."
The old man turned away and went towards a heap of fallen stones and rock at the foot of the cliff behind. Immediately, as if a spell had been removed, the others relaxed and stirred. Gimli's hand went at once to his axe-haft. Aragorn drew his sword. Legolas picked up his bow.
The old man took no notice, but stooped and sat himself on a low flat stone. Then his grey cloak drew apart, and they saw, beyond a doubt, that he was clothed beneath all in white.
"Saruman!" cried Gimli, springing towards him with axe in hand. "Speak! Tell us where you have hidden our friends! What have you done with them? Speak, or I will make a dint in your hat that even a wizard will find it hard to deal with!"
The old man was too quick for him. He sprang to his feet and leaped to the top of a large rock. There he stood, grown suddenly tall, towering above them. His hood and his grey rags were flung away. His white garments shone. He lifted up his staff, and Gimli's axe leaped from his grasp and fell ringing on the ground. Legolas gave a great shout (which made Melanie jump about two feet in the air) and shot an arrow high into the air: it vanished in a flash of flame.
"Mithrandir!" he cried. "Mithrandir!"
"Well met, I say to you again, Legolas!" said the man.
They all gazed at him. His hair was white as snow in the sunshine; and gleaming white was his robe; the eyes under his deep brows were bright, piercing as the rays of the sun; power was in his hand. Between wonder, joy, and fear they stood and found no words to say.
Throughout this time, Melanie had remained silent. She finally saw him, she recognized his face after he threw off his cloak. And she was terribly upset.
Finally she whispered, "Why did you leave me?"
Gandalf turned sadly to her "It has been too long."
Gandalf was not his name to Melanie. It was Grand Da. Everything was becoming confused. What was going on? Finally she made a decision on what to do.
"Grand Da!" she screeched, and she flung herself into his arms, to the amazement of the rest of the company. He shook his head.
"That is who I once was," he said, looking as though he was recalling a very far off memory. "I am now Gandalf the White." Melanie backed away from him. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"Why did you leave me?" she said in a whisper.
"You will find out in time," Gandalf said calmly back to her. And suddenly, it all became very, very clear to Melanie. It was not Gandalf's fault her father beat her: it was hers. There was simply something wrong with her, and there was nothing she could do about it. It was all her fault, her beautiful mother... She shook herself mentally, not wanting to dwell in her past. Seeing this, Gandalf put a hand on her shoulder. She took it off and gripped it tightly. There was one familiar face here. She refused to let go of his long fingered and wrinkled hand.
"Gandalf!" said Aragorn. "Beyond all hope you return to us in our need! What veil was over my sight? Gandalf!" Gimli said nothing, but sank to his knees, shading his eyes.
"Yes, you may call me Gandalf," he said, and the voice was the voice of their old friend and guide. "Get up, my good Gimli! No blame to you, and no harm done to me. Indeed my friends, none of you have any weapon that could hurt me. Be merry! We meet again. At the turn of the tide. The great storm is coming, but the tide as turned."
He laid his hand on Gimli's head, and the Dwarf looked up and laughed suddenly. "Gandalf!" he said, "But you are all in white!"
"Yes, I am white now," said Gandalf. "Indeed I am Saruman, one might almost say, Saruman as he should have been. But come now, tell me of yourselves! I have passed through fire and deep water, since we parted. I have forgotten much that I thought I knew, and learned again much that I had forgotten. I can see many things far off, but many things that are close at hand I cannot see. Tell me of yourselves!
"What do you wish to know?" said Aragorn. "All that has happened since we parted on the bridge would be a long tale. As you see, we have picked up a spare traveler," he motioned to Melanie, "But I see you know her already. Come, before we here of that tale, prey tell what happened to our friends. Did you find them, and are they safe?"
"No I did not find them," said Gandalf. "There was a darkness over the valleys of the Emyn Muil, and I did not know of their captivity, until the eagle told me."
"The eagle!" said Legolas. "I have seen an eagle high and far off: the last time was three days ago, above the Emyn Muil."
"Yes," said Gandalf, "that was Gwaihir the Windlord, who rescued me from Orthanc. I sent him before me to watch the River and gather tidings. His sight is keen, but he cannot see all that passes under hill and tree. Some things he has seen, and others I have seen myself. The Ring now has passed beyond my help, or the help of any of the Company that set out from Rivendell. Very nearly it was revealed to the Enemy, but it escaped. I had some part in that: for I sat in a high place, and I strove with the Dark Tower; and the Shadow passed. Then I was weary, very weary, and I walked long in dark thought."
"Then you know about Frodo!" said Gimli. "How do things go with him?"
"I cannot say. He was saved from a great peril, but many lie before him still. He resolved to go alone to Mordor, and he set out: that is all that I can say."
"Not alone," said Legolas. "We think that Sam went with him."
"Did he!" said Gandalf, and there was a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face. "Did he indeed? It is news to me, yet it does not surprise me. Good, Very Good! You lighten my heart. You must tell me more. Now sit beside me, but before you begin your tale there is someone who you must come to know better if she is to be traveling with us." He turned to Melanie, who looked resignedly back at him.
"This is Melanie Dauson. She is from Earth." They all nodded their heads at this. "But she is not really," said Gandalf, changing his mind as he spoke.
"If she is not from this 'earth' and she is not from Middle Earth, then where is she from?" Gimli asked, "And how is it that she changed from a horse to a human?"
Gandalf laughed. "You assume too much, Gimli."
"She is from Middle Earth." Gandalf said. Melanie's mouth dropped open.
"Yes, Melanie," Gandalf said, "Seventeen years ago you were born to Urfindel and Unnille of Mirkwood."
Melanie interrupted, "But what about my mother? My mother on earth? She was-"
"Not your real mother," Gandalf said grimly. Melanie closed her eyes. Against her will, a tear ran down her cheek. "I loved her," Melanie said.
Gandalf cupped her head in his hands. "Melanie, it was not your fault, let go."
Melanie let out a strangled cry and buried her head in his white beard. Gimli, Aragorn, and Legolas watched this in confusion. What did Gandalf know? But then Melanie separated from him, and he continued.
"Melanie is one of three beings."
"Huh?"
"There have been only two others by the like of her. She is one of the Illusion."
"What?"
"The other two were both male, human, and assisted the dark side."
"GANDALF! What are you talking about?"
"You Melanie, are one of a kind. You are a female, and you were born from elves."
"Elves?"
Everyone but Gandalf was totally lost. Legolas spoke. "Is she an elf?"
"Of sorts."
Melanie's eyes widened. How was she an elf? She had never, EVER been graceful, she was not beautiful, and she sure as hell didn't have pointy years. "What!?" she finally said.
On and on, reckless abandon,
Something's wrong, this is gonna shock them,
Nothing to hold on to,
We'll use this song to lead you on,
And break the truth with more bad news.
We left a scar, size extra large.
-blink-182, Reckless Abandon
"My name!" said the old man again. "Have you not guessed it already? You have heard it before, I think. Yes, you have heard it before. But come now, what of your tale?"
The companions stood silent and made no answer. Until Melanie said, "Please, please take away this spell of fear and tell them who you are!"
The old man laughed. "But Melanie, my dear, you do not know who I may be!" Melanie shivered. How did he know her name? And that strange something in his voice reminded her of someone. Someone she could not put her finger on.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits, I believe. Well, they climbed up here, the day before yesterday. They met someone that they did not expect. Does that comfort you? Why are we standing? Your errand, you see, is no longer as urgent as you thought. Let us sit down and be more at ease."
The old man turned away and went towards a heap of fallen stones and rock at the foot of the cliff behind. Immediately, as if a spell had been removed, the others relaxed and stirred. Gimli's hand went at once to his axe-haft. Aragorn drew his sword. Legolas picked up his bow.
The old man took no notice, but stooped and sat himself on a low flat stone. Then his grey cloak drew apart, and they saw, beyond a doubt, that he was clothed beneath all in white.
"Saruman!" cried Gimli, springing towards him with axe in hand. "Speak! Tell us where you have hidden our friends! What have you done with them? Speak, or I will make a dint in your hat that even a wizard will find it hard to deal with!"
The old man was too quick for him. He sprang to his feet and leaped to the top of a large rock. There he stood, grown suddenly tall, towering above them. His hood and his grey rags were flung away. His white garments shone. He lifted up his staff, and Gimli's axe leaped from his grasp and fell ringing on the ground. Legolas gave a great shout (which made Melanie jump about two feet in the air) and shot an arrow high into the air: it vanished in a flash of flame.
"Mithrandir!" he cried. "Mithrandir!"
"Well met, I say to you again, Legolas!" said the man.
They all gazed at him. His hair was white as snow in the sunshine; and gleaming white was his robe; the eyes under his deep brows were bright, piercing as the rays of the sun; power was in his hand. Between wonder, joy, and fear they stood and found no words to say.
Throughout this time, Melanie had remained silent. She finally saw him, she recognized his face after he threw off his cloak. And she was terribly upset.
Finally she whispered, "Why did you leave me?"
Gandalf turned sadly to her "It has been too long."
Gandalf was not his name to Melanie. It was Grand Da. Everything was becoming confused. What was going on? Finally she made a decision on what to do.
"Grand Da!" she screeched, and she flung herself into his arms, to the amazement of the rest of the company. He shook his head.
"That is who I once was," he said, looking as though he was recalling a very far off memory. "I am now Gandalf the White." Melanie backed away from him. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"Why did you leave me?" she said in a whisper.
"You will find out in time," Gandalf said calmly back to her. And suddenly, it all became very, very clear to Melanie. It was not Gandalf's fault her father beat her: it was hers. There was simply something wrong with her, and there was nothing she could do about it. It was all her fault, her beautiful mother... She shook herself mentally, not wanting to dwell in her past. Seeing this, Gandalf put a hand on her shoulder. She took it off and gripped it tightly. There was one familiar face here. She refused to let go of his long fingered and wrinkled hand.
"Gandalf!" said Aragorn. "Beyond all hope you return to us in our need! What veil was over my sight? Gandalf!" Gimli said nothing, but sank to his knees, shading his eyes.
"Yes, you may call me Gandalf," he said, and the voice was the voice of their old friend and guide. "Get up, my good Gimli! No blame to you, and no harm done to me. Indeed my friends, none of you have any weapon that could hurt me. Be merry! We meet again. At the turn of the tide. The great storm is coming, but the tide as turned."
He laid his hand on Gimli's head, and the Dwarf looked up and laughed suddenly. "Gandalf!" he said, "But you are all in white!"
"Yes, I am white now," said Gandalf. "Indeed I am Saruman, one might almost say, Saruman as he should have been. But come now, tell me of yourselves! I have passed through fire and deep water, since we parted. I have forgotten much that I thought I knew, and learned again much that I had forgotten. I can see many things far off, but many things that are close at hand I cannot see. Tell me of yourselves!
"What do you wish to know?" said Aragorn. "All that has happened since we parted on the bridge would be a long tale. As you see, we have picked up a spare traveler," he motioned to Melanie, "But I see you know her already. Come, before we here of that tale, prey tell what happened to our friends. Did you find them, and are they safe?"
"No I did not find them," said Gandalf. "There was a darkness over the valleys of the Emyn Muil, and I did not know of their captivity, until the eagle told me."
"The eagle!" said Legolas. "I have seen an eagle high and far off: the last time was three days ago, above the Emyn Muil."
"Yes," said Gandalf, "that was Gwaihir the Windlord, who rescued me from Orthanc. I sent him before me to watch the River and gather tidings. His sight is keen, but he cannot see all that passes under hill and tree. Some things he has seen, and others I have seen myself. The Ring now has passed beyond my help, or the help of any of the Company that set out from Rivendell. Very nearly it was revealed to the Enemy, but it escaped. I had some part in that: for I sat in a high place, and I strove with the Dark Tower; and the Shadow passed. Then I was weary, very weary, and I walked long in dark thought."
"Then you know about Frodo!" said Gimli. "How do things go with him?"
"I cannot say. He was saved from a great peril, but many lie before him still. He resolved to go alone to Mordor, and he set out: that is all that I can say."
"Not alone," said Legolas. "We think that Sam went with him."
"Did he!" said Gandalf, and there was a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face. "Did he indeed? It is news to me, yet it does not surprise me. Good, Very Good! You lighten my heart. You must tell me more. Now sit beside me, but before you begin your tale there is someone who you must come to know better if she is to be traveling with us." He turned to Melanie, who looked resignedly back at him.
"This is Melanie Dauson. She is from Earth." They all nodded their heads at this. "But she is not really," said Gandalf, changing his mind as he spoke.
"If she is not from this 'earth' and she is not from Middle Earth, then where is she from?" Gimli asked, "And how is it that she changed from a horse to a human?"
Gandalf laughed. "You assume too much, Gimli."
"She is from Middle Earth." Gandalf said. Melanie's mouth dropped open.
"Yes, Melanie," Gandalf said, "Seventeen years ago you were born to Urfindel and Unnille of Mirkwood."
Melanie interrupted, "But what about my mother? My mother on earth? She was-"
"Not your real mother," Gandalf said grimly. Melanie closed her eyes. Against her will, a tear ran down her cheek. "I loved her," Melanie said.
Gandalf cupped her head in his hands. "Melanie, it was not your fault, let go."
Melanie let out a strangled cry and buried her head in his white beard. Gimli, Aragorn, and Legolas watched this in confusion. What did Gandalf know? But then Melanie separated from him, and he continued.
"Melanie is one of three beings."
"Huh?"
"There have been only two others by the like of her. She is one of the Illusion."
"What?"
"The other two were both male, human, and assisted the dark side."
"GANDALF! What are you talking about?"
"You Melanie, are one of a kind. You are a female, and you were born from elves."
"Elves?"
Everyone but Gandalf was totally lost. Legolas spoke. "Is she an elf?"
"Of sorts."
Melanie's eyes widened. How was she an elf? She had never, EVER been graceful, she was not beautiful, and she sure as hell didn't have pointy years. "What!?" she finally said.