Moria's Revenge, chapter 20: Protected
Authors: Kookaburra & Llinos
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, places, or various other sundry things in this story, and make no latinum from this.
Claimer: Please leave mithril in 3rd cubicle from left, Ladies Room, Victoria Station. Thanks Llinos
***
After Haldir's hand was bound, the wounded elves were tended and the orc bodies disposed of, the host set off along the green-golden paths. Haldir told them they would have to camp for the night, as the Golden Wood was still a good distance away.
The elves stopped at a cluster of smooth barked grey mallorn trees and Haldir whistled softly like a birdcall. From five of the trees sliver grey silken ladders unrolled from above as if by magic.
"We will take our rest tonight here." Haldir announced. "You must climb up the ladder to the flet. There you will sleep as safely as it is possible to in these woods.
"That looks awful high." Sam muttered. Like most hobbits he did not like heights and he especially did not hold with climbing trees. His gaffer always said no good could come of it - for hobbits to go climbing up off the ground, not with their big feet.
"I think it would be difficult to carry the little one up there." Aragorn pointed out, "and he certainly cannot climb on his own."
"What about Icicle?" Gimli asked putting his hand on the warg's head, "Must she remain on the ground?"
"Indeed she must." Haldir frowned. "We are not accustomed to inviting wargs to share our sanctuaries."
"Then I shall remain beside her." Gimli stated, his arms crossed and his axe clamped firmly to his chest.
"As you wish." Haldir obviously cared little if the dwarf or the warg survived the night.
"I too shall remain," Legolas said very quietly. "But I think we should try and take the little one up, for safety's sake."
"We can make a harness of rope and haul him up." Haldir suggested. "It should not cause him any harm, the rope is gentle but strong."
Aragorn was unsure about this, but weighed that Pippin would probably be safer on the flet than the ground. The elves very quickly fashioned a harness that would strap around Pippin's upper arms, but Aragorn insisted it should support him from his waist at least. He pointed out that Pippin's arms had been recently dislocated and could well become so again with such treatment.
The reinforced harness was adapted and Boromir laid Pippin down on the ropes and proceeded to bind him into the device.
Pippin's eyes opened wide as he felt the pressure of ropes on him again and then Boromir lifted him upright, making him ready to be lifted up to the flet.
****Flashback****
Pippin's arms were lifted, and he was hung on a hook that dangled from the ceiling high above. The chain on the hook ran up to a pulley, then back down to a winch, where one of the uruks took up position and started to turn. Pippin was lifted into the air, slowly at first, but then faster and faster, his heart pounding in his chest.
****Flashback ends****
The rope tightened and Pippin felt himself being hauled up by the rope. 'No! No! No!' He screamed in terror.
"Daro! Daro!" Legolas called urgently to the elves above. "Stop! Stop!"
"It's all right Pippin." Aragorn was by his side at once. "We're only lifting you up to somewhere safe to sleep. You cannot fall, the ropes are secure. Look at me Pippin. It's all right, I promise. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Master." Pippin whispered now in his cowed voice, for the moment more afraid of a beating than the rope.
"All right, let them continue." Aragorn called up into the tree. "Am ad. Up again - gently."
The rope tightened once more and Pippin was lifted higher than Boromir's head. His eyes still wide with terror looked down frantically, his legs kicking uselessly, and saw Umummmum looking up and whimpering. Master put his hand on her head. 'Why was this nightmare replaying in his head?' Pippin started to hyperventilate he knew what was coming.
****Flashback****
The orcs lifted him until he was about two man-lengths in the air. Pippin shut his eyes again, he was getting vertigo from being that high up, and there was nothing to prevent the orcs from dropping him to his death. Down below, Icefang looked up at him and whimpered. She turned to her master and nuzzled his hand.
"Heh, heh, don' worry yerself, girl. We'll return yer pup to yer, though 'e might be a little damaged." The orc winching up Pippin paused and looked at the chief. The chief nodded. The orc flipped the catch on the chain releasing it. Pippin plummeted towards the ground.
****Flashback ends****
Pippin could not stop himself from crying out again. He feared reprisal, but he feared being dropped again far more. "Noooo! Help me! Please Master, don't drop me, I'll be good, please, please, please!" He sobbed. "No- huh ahuh ahuh." He could no longer cry out in words, his breathing was so distressed and intermingled with sobs, no words would come.
"Stop, please stop." Merry caught hold of Aragorn's hand, looking up at him and then Pippin frantically. "It's too much for him."
Aragorn agreed. He called up to the elves, "awartha- sen! abandon this!"
The elves stopped pulling Pippin up at his cry but did not begin to lower him either. "Pedo aníra!" they called from above. "What do you want?"
Pippin began to panic even more when he felt himself stop. He could no longer cry out, too great was his terror, but the others could see how afraid he was. Legolas jumped lightly onto the silver-grey ladder beside the harness and climbed quickly to Pippin's level and reached out with one hand to pull him tightly to him. As he enfolded the perian to his chest he could feel his rapid heartbeat and his short breaths. Pippin's eyes were squeezed tightly shut and he was whimpering with hysteria.
Legolas took the rope ladder in his teeth to steady himself so that he could let go with his other hand. Balanced precariously like this he drew his knife and, still clutching Pippin tightly, cut through the harness rope with one quick slash. He was then able to lower Pippin into Aragorn's and Boromir's waiting arms.
Once on the ground again, Aragorn rocked him patiently, whispering gentle words and promising not to lift him like that ever again. He was relieved once Pippin calmed enough to actually start to cry again.
"That was the worst reaction, and the most unexpected, we've seen yet, I think." Boromir stood anxiously with Merry just next to Pippin and Aragorn. "What do you suppose caused that?"
"I was foolish not to have anticipated it." Aragorn laid Pippin down on the ground, wrapped in a blanket and let Icicle take charge of him again. She licked Pippin desperately, pushing his head down to encourage him to nurse. But he was still too distraught. "That must have been how they dislocated his arms."
"Oh poor, poor Pippin. We should never have done that to him!" Merry choked his tears back for a moment, but as soon as he looked at Pippin again he could no longer hold them.
"So will you leave this one on the ground with the dwarf and the warg?" Haldir asked somewhat impatiently.
"The other hobbits should climb up," Aragorn decided. "But I think the rest of us would rather stay on the ground with Pippin."
"I'm not going up without Pippin!" Merry folded his arms defiantly as if daring Strider to try and make him.
"Nor I!" Frodo declared standing next to Merry.
"I'll stay with Mr Frodo." Sam knew where his duty lay.
Aragorn sighed and leaned down to speak quietly to the hobbits. "Merry I will allow," he agreed, "but you Frodo, at least, must seek the protection of the talan and I think Sam should go with you. If we have to protect Pippin in the night it would be better if we do not have to worry about you as well."
Frodo, as Ring-bearer, could see the logic of this and agreed to climb up with Sam. The others made a small camp a little way away from the mallorn trees, in a small dell that would be easy to defend and hard to see. They agreed that two would stand guard at all times, Merry being allowed to take his turn as well.
***
The following is mostly Tolkien:
Frodo woke up with a feeling of immediate danger. He got up, crawled to the opening and peered down. Something was climbing slowly, and its breath came like a soft hissing through closed teeth. Frodo saw two pale eyes. They stopped and gazed upward, unwinking. Suddenly they turned away, and a shadowy figure slipped round the tree and vanished. He wondered if he should call out to alert the others on the ground. Just then the elf Orophin came behind him.
"Gerin caul?" he asked. Frodo remembered that this elf did not speak much of the common tongue.
"ûn dad mallorn" Frodo managed,
The elf nodded in apparent understanding and quickly vanished down the rope ladder. He was gone for about half an hour and then returned, shaking his head in the negative. Whatever it was had obviously gone.
The rest of the night passed without incident and the following day, the party resumed their journey, finally reaching the Golden Woods at nightfall.
***
When the Fellowship finally stood before the Lord and Lady of Lorien, Celeborn and Galadriel stood to greet them in the custom of the high elves. The Lord welcomed them in the elven tongue, but Lady Galadriel said no word, and only looked long on the small bundle in Boromir's arms, from which two wide, green eyes peeped fearfully.
As Celeborn spoke with the travellers, and learned of the happenings in Moria, Galadriel contemplated the small being in the man's arms. It had the same darkness about it that her daughter possessed when she came out of the orc den. At the memory a pang of sorrow hit the Lady. This poor child, to have gone through that horror.
A movement down at the Fellowships' feet drew the elves' attention. There were many gasps of horror as the warg stuck her head in on the meeting. For the first time Galadriel spoke.
"Fear not the wolf. For I have seen all in the mirror. She is a nestraden naneth, a healing mother, sent by the Valar in a time of great need." Galadriel stepped off of the dais and approached Boromir. With a graceful motion, she drew the cover off of Pippin's face completely. She placed one hand on the tiny forehead. "Sleep dreamlessly, and for a few hours forget your troubles." Pippin went limp in Boromir's arms. Galadriel gently lifted the still form into her own embrace. Haldir's jaw was practically on the floor. Galadriel looked up and addressed the company again.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Tonight, you shall sleep in peace, and this tithen gem perian will receive all the care we can give." As she turned and stepped away, a small noise drew her attention back again. Both the warg and another perian had followed her. The warg was obviously going with her adopted sell, but Galadriel wondered at the boldness of the little one. "Why do you follow me? We have set many comfortable beds on the ground for you and your companions. Would you not like to rest, for you are weary with sorrow and much toil?"
The halfling lifted his dark brown eyes to her blue ones, and swallowed visibly. It must have cost the hobbit much courage to be so daring.
"P-please, Milady," he stammered, "b-but Pippin is my c-cousin. An-and I need to take care of him. Please, may I stay with him? I promise not to get in the way." At this he hung his head and turned a deep scarlet.
Galadriel smiled down at him. She could feel the love coming from this small one as if it was heat coming from the sun. The hurt being in her embrace would need every bit of it if he were to get through this trial.
"Far be it from me to deny a kinsman and loving friend access to this tithen gem perian. Come with me."
So Merry and Icicle were led off by the elves higher in the tree, while the rest of the Fellowship started down the long stair to the ground.
***
As Merry followed the elves, he stared at what he could see of his small cousin, which was only Pippin's curly mop of hair, and one of his feet, which had slipped out of the blanket. Merry winced when he saw the unmistakable vermin bites marring Pip's precious foot. He hoped that the elves would do something about that soon, it had to be most uncomfortable for Pippin.
After climbing up and down a seemingly infinite amount of stairs, the Lady elf handed Pippin to another elf, and spoke to the new elf in their own tongue. Merry waited, nervously shifting his weight from foot to foot. Icicle whined. At this the Lady turned to them and smiled again.
"Do not fear; your kinsman will be well taken care of. Silael," here she indicated the male elf who now held Pippin, "is our Healer. You must go with him to the Healing Chamber and tell him of the hurts you have found." Icicle still looked dubious. Galadriel knelt down to the warg's level and placed a hand on her head. "Alachas naneth, neth ben post band." Icicle wagged her tail, then trotted over to the elf with Pippin.
As the quartet walked off towards the Healing Chamber, Galadriel watched them go with sadness in her eyes. Then with effort she donned the mask of leadership, and turned away. She had a certain leader of the Galadhrim to deal with.
***
When they reached the Healing Chamber at last, Pippin was still sleeping soundly. For this Merry was thankful. He did not know what would happen if Pippin awoke in the hands of strangers.
Silael laid Pippin gently in a very large bed with carved posts at each corner and a roof atop. There were curtains of heavy embroidered brocade around the bed and these had been drawn on three sides. The elf smiled at Merry's attempts to see Pippin on the high bed, the little perian's nose was just about level with the soft mattress. Without waiting for permission Silael lifted Merry up around his waist and sat him on a corner of the bed, furthest away from Pippin.
The healer then spoke to another elf who nodded and left on some errand. In the meantime Silael turned to Merry. "I know a little of what ails your friend, but it would help if you tell me in more detail what has occurred."
"Yes, Sir," Merry remembered with trepidation the catalogue of injuries described by Aragorn and blanched a little at the thought of having to repeat them in such detail to this stranger. "I will do my very best."
At that moment the other elf returned with another. They both carried trays, one with a basin of water and cloths and the other with a flagon of wine, goblets and a plate of white cakes. They set them on a table beside the bed. Silael poured a goblet of wine for Merry and gave him a cake to go with it. Then damped one of the cloths and proceeded to gently wash Pippin's face, squeezing a few drops of water onto his lips. Pippin murmured in his sleep and Silael, satisfied it would not disturb him too much, instructed the other elves to carefully undress and wash the little one.
"Very well," Silael began. "Tell me all that you know, starting with your names and ages and everything you know that happened."
"My cousin's name," Merry indicated Pippin, "Is Peregrin Took, but we call him Pippin or Pip and he is 29 which means he won't be grown up for 4 years yet." Merry was watching Silael's face carefully and the elf nodded sagely. "I'm Meriadoc Brandybuck and I'm called Merry for short and I'm 37. Pippin and I are cousins in that my mother is Pippin's father's sister, although we are related in other ways too and we've been friends from the day he was born," Merry stated proudly.
He had always felt that he and Pippin had a special bond from the moment his own mother had place the tiny new baby in his arms and said "Well Merry, meet your new cousin, I want you to take good care of him." Merry cringed a little remembering her words now.
Merry took a deep breath and continued, "It was after we lost Gandalf, err Mithrandir, in the Mines of Moria that it happened. Pippin got kidnapped by orcs and they took him back into the mines."
Silael seated on the bed by Merry was glancing at Pippin's naked body now, taking in the bruises and wheals and burn marks. "Yrch!" The elf shook his head "Orcs!" He waited for Merry to continue.
"Aragorn explained to us what must have happened. They beat Pippin very badly and then they. they. forced him." Merry stopped in bewilderment. He did not have the words to describe what had happened without it sounding foul and crude.
Silael put his hand on Merry's arm. "I understand what they did, you don't have to describe that."
"They put a collar about his neck with spikes in it and dragged him about a lot." Merry remembered.
Silael reached over and lightly touched the scars and bruises on Pippin's neck and nodded. "They put a horrid thing. it was metal with spikes. they put it in his mouth and strapped it about his head."
One of the other elves that was now unwrapping the bindings from Pippin's legs, stopped and gently turned the hobbit's head towards Silael and traced the outline of the damage around the soft little mouth.
"Aragorn also thinks they put things, something I don't know what, into his. his." Merry found this difficult but for Pippin's sake it had to be explained, "in his backside." The hobbit moved quickly on to the next horror. "They may have drugged him as well."
Silael poured a little more wine into Merry's goblet and he took a bracing mouthful. "They burnt him with something metal and whipped him some more and. and. Aragorn thinks they did that to him again. that is they forced him. in his mouth as well as."
"Yes I understand," Silael could see that these descriptions were torture for the shy perian.
"We don't know how, but they dislocated his arms, too." Merry added. "I think that is all I know to tell you, but you had better ask Aragorn as well. He knows the names of things that are wrong with Pippin and he tried to make him eat a mushroom for them but poor Pip couldn't do it. And then just before we came and found him, th- they cut him across his tummy." Merry's voice nearly broke, by reciting the injuries he realised just how close he had come to losing his precious Pippin.
"Speak no more now." Silael realised that he could have quizzed the ranger for most of this information, but he could see that this little one desperately needed to help his younger cousin. Making him talk a little about it would help them both to heal.
"But there's something else that's very important," Merry added hastily. "Something that Aragorn thought only the elves could heal."
"And what is that Merry?" Silael asked kindly.
"His mind."
*** Galadriel waited in her audience chamber for Haldir. The leader of the Galadhrim had grown rather haughty of late, a situation she had been remiss in not correcting. A knock sounded on the door.
"Enter." Haldir stepped in and walked to her chair.
"What does Milady wish of me?" Haldir asked. Galadriel allowed herself an inner smile. This would be most satisfying to all concerned.
"I wanted to tell you that I am very impressed with how well you dealt with our guests. In reward for this, I am going to give you a rest from patrolling our borders, for you are surely deserving of one."
Haldir lifted an eyebrow in suprise. "But, Milady, I am loathe to be idle, what is there for me to do here? For surely I would be more useful serving you on the borders?" He objected.
"You will not be idle. I have an assignment for you, one that should be a welcome break from wearying patrols." Galadriel wondered just how long Haldir would take to discover what she was going to do. 'By the Valar, do I have to explain it to him in intricate detail?' At Haldir's quizzical look she continued.
"You will be the personal guard and attendant to the halflings."
Galadriel knew she would never forget the look on Haldir's face. His jaw worked up and down a few times, but no sound came out. 'He looks like a fish recently removed from water!' The Lady of Lórien knew she would have to finish this audience soon, else she would be unable to contain her laughter. Not many of her subject elves understood that their Lady had a mischievous side. Finally Haldir found his voice.
"B-but, Milady, would not another elf be more suited to the task? Have I displeased you in my service on the borders that you bring me back here?"
"Not at all, Haldir. This is an honour. The halflings hold the fate of our world in their hands, and their safety while they are here is in your's. I would not trust any other elf with this duty. Tend them well." And with that, Galadriel picked up a scroll that rested on a plinth beside her chair and began to read. The audience was over.
****
A/N: Thank you again to Llinos for co-authoring and beta-ing. She deserves many strips of latinum and her own moon.
And special thanks to Melzerama and Llinos for reading my short story!
Authors: Kookaburra & Llinos
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, places, or various other sundry things in this story, and make no latinum from this.
Claimer: Please leave mithril in 3rd cubicle from left, Ladies Room, Victoria Station. Thanks Llinos
***
After Haldir's hand was bound, the wounded elves were tended and the orc bodies disposed of, the host set off along the green-golden paths. Haldir told them they would have to camp for the night, as the Golden Wood was still a good distance away.
The elves stopped at a cluster of smooth barked grey mallorn trees and Haldir whistled softly like a birdcall. From five of the trees sliver grey silken ladders unrolled from above as if by magic.
"We will take our rest tonight here." Haldir announced. "You must climb up the ladder to the flet. There you will sleep as safely as it is possible to in these woods.
"That looks awful high." Sam muttered. Like most hobbits he did not like heights and he especially did not hold with climbing trees. His gaffer always said no good could come of it - for hobbits to go climbing up off the ground, not with their big feet.
"I think it would be difficult to carry the little one up there." Aragorn pointed out, "and he certainly cannot climb on his own."
"What about Icicle?" Gimli asked putting his hand on the warg's head, "Must she remain on the ground?"
"Indeed she must." Haldir frowned. "We are not accustomed to inviting wargs to share our sanctuaries."
"Then I shall remain beside her." Gimli stated, his arms crossed and his axe clamped firmly to his chest.
"As you wish." Haldir obviously cared little if the dwarf or the warg survived the night.
"I too shall remain," Legolas said very quietly. "But I think we should try and take the little one up, for safety's sake."
"We can make a harness of rope and haul him up." Haldir suggested. "It should not cause him any harm, the rope is gentle but strong."
Aragorn was unsure about this, but weighed that Pippin would probably be safer on the flet than the ground. The elves very quickly fashioned a harness that would strap around Pippin's upper arms, but Aragorn insisted it should support him from his waist at least. He pointed out that Pippin's arms had been recently dislocated and could well become so again with such treatment.
The reinforced harness was adapted and Boromir laid Pippin down on the ropes and proceeded to bind him into the device.
Pippin's eyes opened wide as he felt the pressure of ropes on him again and then Boromir lifted him upright, making him ready to be lifted up to the flet.
****Flashback****
Pippin's arms were lifted, and he was hung on a hook that dangled from the ceiling high above. The chain on the hook ran up to a pulley, then back down to a winch, where one of the uruks took up position and started to turn. Pippin was lifted into the air, slowly at first, but then faster and faster, his heart pounding in his chest.
****Flashback ends****
The rope tightened and Pippin felt himself being hauled up by the rope. 'No! No! No!' He screamed in terror.
"Daro! Daro!" Legolas called urgently to the elves above. "Stop! Stop!"
"It's all right Pippin." Aragorn was by his side at once. "We're only lifting you up to somewhere safe to sleep. You cannot fall, the ropes are secure. Look at me Pippin. It's all right, I promise. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Master." Pippin whispered now in his cowed voice, for the moment more afraid of a beating than the rope.
"All right, let them continue." Aragorn called up into the tree. "Am ad. Up again - gently."
The rope tightened once more and Pippin was lifted higher than Boromir's head. His eyes still wide with terror looked down frantically, his legs kicking uselessly, and saw Umummmum looking up and whimpering. Master put his hand on her head. 'Why was this nightmare replaying in his head?' Pippin started to hyperventilate he knew what was coming.
****Flashback****
The orcs lifted him until he was about two man-lengths in the air. Pippin shut his eyes again, he was getting vertigo from being that high up, and there was nothing to prevent the orcs from dropping him to his death. Down below, Icefang looked up at him and whimpered. She turned to her master and nuzzled his hand.
"Heh, heh, don' worry yerself, girl. We'll return yer pup to yer, though 'e might be a little damaged." The orc winching up Pippin paused and looked at the chief. The chief nodded. The orc flipped the catch on the chain releasing it. Pippin plummeted towards the ground.
****Flashback ends****
Pippin could not stop himself from crying out again. He feared reprisal, but he feared being dropped again far more. "Noooo! Help me! Please Master, don't drop me, I'll be good, please, please, please!" He sobbed. "No- huh ahuh ahuh." He could no longer cry out in words, his breathing was so distressed and intermingled with sobs, no words would come.
"Stop, please stop." Merry caught hold of Aragorn's hand, looking up at him and then Pippin frantically. "It's too much for him."
Aragorn agreed. He called up to the elves, "awartha- sen! abandon this!"
The elves stopped pulling Pippin up at his cry but did not begin to lower him either. "Pedo aníra!" they called from above. "What do you want?"
Pippin began to panic even more when he felt himself stop. He could no longer cry out, too great was his terror, but the others could see how afraid he was. Legolas jumped lightly onto the silver-grey ladder beside the harness and climbed quickly to Pippin's level and reached out with one hand to pull him tightly to him. As he enfolded the perian to his chest he could feel his rapid heartbeat and his short breaths. Pippin's eyes were squeezed tightly shut and he was whimpering with hysteria.
Legolas took the rope ladder in his teeth to steady himself so that he could let go with his other hand. Balanced precariously like this he drew his knife and, still clutching Pippin tightly, cut through the harness rope with one quick slash. He was then able to lower Pippin into Aragorn's and Boromir's waiting arms.
Once on the ground again, Aragorn rocked him patiently, whispering gentle words and promising not to lift him like that ever again. He was relieved once Pippin calmed enough to actually start to cry again.
"That was the worst reaction, and the most unexpected, we've seen yet, I think." Boromir stood anxiously with Merry just next to Pippin and Aragorn. "What do you suppose caused that?"
"I was foolish not to have anticipated it." Aragorn laid Pippin down on the ground, wrapped in a blanket and let Icicle take charge of him again. She licked Pippin desperately, pushing his head down to encourage him to nurse. But he was still too distraught. "That must have been how they dislocated his arms."
"Oh poor, poor Pippin. We should never have done that to him!" Merry choked his tears back for a moment, but as soon as he looked at Pippin again he could no longer hold them.
"So will you leave this one on the ground with the dwarf and the warg?" Haldir asked somewhat impatiently.
"The other hobbits should climb up," Aragorn decided. "But I think the rest of us would rather stay on the ground with Pippin."
"I'm not going up without Pippin!" Merry folded his arms defiantly as if daring Strider to try and make him.
"Nor I!" Frodo declared standing next to Merry.
"I'll stay with Mr Frodo." Sam knew where his duty lay.
Aragorn sighed and leaned down to speak quietly to the hobbits. "Merry I will allow," he agreed, "but you Frodo, at least, must seek the protection of the talan and I think Sam should go with you. If we have to protect Pippin in the night it would be better if we do not have to worry about you as well."
Frodo, as Ring-bearer, could see the logic of this and agreed to climb up with Sam. The others made a small camp a little way away from the mallorn trees, in a small dell that would be easy to defend and hard to see. They agreed that two would stand guard at all times, Merry being allowed to take his turn as well.
***
The following is mostly Tolkien:
Frodo woke up with a feeling of immediate danger. He got up, crawled to the opening and peered down. Something was climbing slowly, and its breath came like a soft hissing through closed teeth. Frodo saw two pale eyes. They stopped and gazed upward, unwinking. Suddenly they turned away, and a shadowy figure slipped round the tree and vanished. He wondered if he should call out to alert the others on the ground. Just then the elf Orophin came behind him.
"Gerin caul?" he asked. Frodo remembered that this elf did not speak much of the common tongue.
"ûn dad mallorn" Frodo managed,
The elf nodded in apparent understanding and quickly vanished down the rope ladder. He was gone for about half an hour and then returned, shaking his head in the negative. Whatever it was had obviously gone.
The rest of the night passed without incident and the following day, the party resumed their journey, finally reaching the Golden Woods at nightfall.
***
When the Fellowship finally stood before the Lord and Lady of Lorien, Celeborn and Galadriel stood to greet them in the custom of the high elves. The Lord welcomed them in the elven tongue, but Lady Galadriel said no word, and only looked long on the small bundle in Boromir's arms, from which two wide, green eyes peeped fearfully.
As Celeborn spoke with the travellers, and learned of the happenings in Moria, Galadriel contemplated the small being in the man's arms. It had the same darkness about it that her daughter possessed when she came out of the orc den. At the memory a pang of sorrow hit the Lady. This poor child, to have gone through that horror.
A movement down at the Fellowships' feet drew the elves' attention. There were many gasps of horror as the warg stuck her head in on the meeting. For the first time Galadriel spoke.
"Fear not the wolf. For I have seen all in the mirror. She is a nestraden naneth, a healing mother, sent by the Valar in a time of great need." Galadriel stepped off of the dais and approached Boromir. With a graceful motion, she drew the cover off of Pippin's face completely. She placed one hand on the tiny forehead. "Sleep dreamlessly, and for a few hours forget your troubles." Pippin went limp in Boromir's arms. Galadriel gently lifted the still form into her own embrace. Haldir's jaw was practically on the floor. Galadriel looked up and addressed the company again.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Tonight, you shall sleep in peace, and this tithen gem perian will receive all the care we can give." As she turned and stepped away, a small noise drew her attention back again. Both the warg and another perian had followed her. The warg was obviously going with her adopted sell, but Galadriel wondered at the boldness of the little one. "Why do you follow me? We have set many comfortable beds on the ground for you and your companions. Would you not like to rest, for you are weary with sorrow and much toil?"
The halfling lifted his dark brown eyes to her blue ones, and swallowed visibly. It must have cost the hobbit much courage to be so daring.
"P-please, Milady," he stammered, "b-but Pippin is my c-cousin. An-and I need to take care of him. Please, may I stay with him? I promise not to get in the way." At this he hung his head and turned a deep scarlet.
Galadriel smiled down at him. She could feel the love coming from this small one as if it was heat coming from the sun. The hurt being in her embrace would need every bit of it if he were to get through this trial.
"Far be it from me to deny a kinsman and loving friend access to this tithen gem perian. Come with me."
So Merry and Icicle were led off by the elves higher in the tree, while the rest of the Fellowship started down the long stair to the ground.
***
As Merry followed the elves, he stared at what he could see of his small cousin, which was only Pippin's curly mop of hair, and one of his feet, which had slipped out of the blanket. Merry winced when he saw the unmistakable vermin bites marring Pip's precious foot. He hoped that the elves would do something about that soon, it had to be most uncomfortable for Pippin.
After climbing up and down a seemingly infinite amount of stairs, the Lady elf handed Pippin to another elf, and spoke to the new elf in their own tongue. Merry waited, nervously shifting his weight from foot to foot. Icicle whined. At this the Lady turned to them and smiled again.
"Do not fear; your kinsman will be well taken care of. Silael," here she indicated the male elf who now held Pippin, "is our Healer. You must go with him to the Healing Chamber and tell him of the hurts you have found." Icicle still looked dubious. Galadriel knelt down to the warg's level and placed a hand on her head. "Alachas naneth, neth ben post band." Icicle wagged her tail, then trotted over to the elf with Pippin.
As the quartet walked off towards the Healing Chamber, Galadriel watched them go with sadness in her eyes. Then with effort she donned the mask of leadership, and turned away. She had a certain leader of the Galadhrim to deal with.
***
When they reached the Healing Chamber at last, Pippin was still sleeping soundly. For this Merry was thankful. He did not know what would happen if Pippin awoke in the hands of strangers.
Silael laid Pippin gently in a very large bed with carved posts at each corner and a roof atop. There were curtains of heavy embroidered brocade around the bed and these had been drawn on three sides. The elf smiled at Merry's attempts to see Pippin on the high bed, the little perian's nose was just about level with the soft mattress. Without waiting for permission Silael lifted Merry up around his waist and sat him on a corner of the bed, furthest away from Pippin.
The healer then spoke to another elf who nodded and left on some errand. In the meantime Silael turned to Merry. "I know a little of what ails your friend, but it would help if you tell me in more detail what has occurred."
"Yes, Sir," Merry remembered with trepidation the catalogue of injuries described by Aragorn and blanched a little at the thought of having to repeat them in such detail to this stranger. "I will do my very best."
At that moment the other elf returned with another. They both carried trays, one with a basin of water and cloths and the other with a flagon of wine, goblets and a plate of white cakes. They set them on a table beside the bed. Silael poured a goblet of wine for Merry and gave him a cake to go with it. Then damped one of the cloths and proceeded to gently wash Pippin's face, squeezing a few drops of water onto his lips. Pippin murmured in his sleep and Silael, satisfied it would not disturb him too much, instructed the other elves to carefully undress and wash the little one.
"Very well," Silael began. "Tell me all that you know, starting with your names and ages and everything you know that happened."
"My cousin's name," Merry indicated Pippin, "Is Peregrin Took, but we call him Pippin or Pip and he is 29 which means he won't be grown up for 4 years yet." Merry was watching Silael's face carefully and the elf nodded sagely. "I'm Meriadoc Brandybuck and I'm called Merry for short and I'm 37. Pippin and I are cousins in that my mother is Pippin's father's sister, although we are related in other ways too and we've been friends from the day he was born," Merry stated proudly.
He had always felt that he and Pippin had a special bond from the moment his own mother had place the tiny new baby in his arms and said "Well Merry, meet your new cousin, I want you to take good care of him." Merry cringed a little remembering her words now.
Merry took a deep breath and continued, "It was after we lost Gandalf, err Mithrandir, in the Mines of Moria that it happened. Pippin got kidnapped by orcs and they took him back into the mines."
Silael seated on the bed by Merry was glancing at Pippin's naked body now, taking in the bruises and wheals and burn marks. "Yrch!" The elf shook his head "Orcs!" He waited for Merry to continue.
"Aragorn explained to us what must have happened. They beat Pippin very badly and then they. they. forced him." Merry stopped in bewilderment. He did not have the words to describe what had happened without it sounding foul and crude.
Silael put his hand on Merry's arm. "I understand what they did, you don't have to describe that."
"They put a collar about his neck with spikes in it and dragged him about a lot." Merry remembered.
Silael reached over and lightly touched the scars and bruises on Pippin's neck and nodded. "They put a horrid thing. it was metal with spikes. they put it in his mouth and strapped it about his head."
One of the other elves that was now unwrapping the bindings from Pippin's legs, stopped and gently turned the hobbit's head towards Silael and traced the outline of the damage around the soft little mouth.
"Aragorn also thinks they put things, something I don't know what, into his. his." Merry found this difficult but for Pippin's sake it had to be explained, "in his backside." The hobbit moved quickly on to the next horror. "They may have drugged him as well."
Silael poured a little more wine into Merry's goblet and he took a bracing mouthful. "They burnt him with something metal and whipped him some more and. and. Aragorn thinks they did that to him again. that is they forced him. in his mouth as well as."
"Yes I understand," Silael could see that these descriptions were torture for the shy perian.
"We don't know how, but they dislocated his arms, too." Merry added. "I think that is all I know to tell you, but you had better ask Aragorn as well. He knows the names of things that are wrong with Pippin and he tried to make him eat a mushroom for them but poor Pip couldn't do it. And then just before we came and found him, th- they cut him across his tummy." Merry's voice nearly broke, by reciting the injuries he realised just how close he had come to losing his precious Pippin.
"Speak no more now." Silael realised that he could have quizzed the ranger for most of this information, but he could see that this little one desperately needed to help his younger cousin. Making him talk a little about it would help them both to heal.
"But there's something else that's very important," Merry added hastily. "Something that Aragorn thought only the elves could heal."
"And what is that Merry?" Silael asked kindly.
"His mind."
*** Galadriel waited in her audience chamber for Haldir. The leader of the Galadhrim had grown rather haughty of late, a situation she had been remiss in not correcting. A knock sounded on the door.
"Enter." Haldir stepped in and walked to her chair.
"What does Milady wish of me?" Haldir asked. Galadriel allowed herself an inner smile. This would be most satisfying to all concerned.
"I wanted to tell you that I am very impressed with how well you dealt with our guests. In reward for this, I am going to give you a rest from patrolling our borders, for you are surely deserving of one."
Haldir lifted an eyebrow in suprise. "But, Milady, I am loathe to be idle, what is there for me to do here? For surely I would be more useful serving you on the borders?" He objected.
"You will not be idle. I have an assignment for you, one that should be a welcome break from wearying patrols." Galadriel wondered just how long Haldir would take to discover what she was going to do. 'By the Valar, do I have to explain it to him in intricate detail?' At Haldir's quizzical look she continued.
"You will be the personal guard and attendant to the halflings."
Galadriel knew she would never forget the look on Haldir's face. His jaw worked up and down a few times, but no sound came out. 'He looks like a fish recently removed from water!' The Lady of Lórien knew she would have to finish this audience soon, else she would be unable to contain her laughter. Not many of her subject elves understood that their Lady had a mischievous side. Finally Haldir found his voice.
"B-but, Milady, would not another elf be more suited to the task? Have I displeased you in my service on the borders that you bring me back here?"
"Not at all, Haldir. This is an honour. The halflings hold the fate of our world in their hands, and their safety while they are here is in your's. I would not trust any other elf with this duty. Tend them well." And with that, Galadriel picked up a scroll that rested on a plinth beside her chair and began to read. The audience was over.
****
A/N: Thank you again to Llinos for co-authoring and beta-ing. She deserves many strips of latinum and her own moon.
And special thanks to Melzerama and Llinos for reading my short story!