Moria's Revenge, chapter 27: Discovered
Authors: Kookaburra & Llinos
***
Haldir clutched his hand, and edged around Pippin to Frodo's still form. The perian was not breathing. Haldir jumped up and tore into the other room, where a rope hung from a belfry, used to call in healers when an emergency struck. 'What sort of infirmary has not a single medic in sight?' He asked himself. Just before he threw all of his weight on the rope to sound the alarm, "MISTER FRODO!" was sobbed from the other room.
Sam came through the doorway just as Haldir disappeared. After a bare moment of shock, taking in the whole scene of chaos, of Icicle prone on the floor and Pippin sobbing on her belly, he spotted the curly mop of dark brown hair peeking out from under some splintered pieces of furniture.
"Oh, Mister Frodo..." Sam threw himself down at his master's side and realised at once that he was not breathing. Frodo's lips were a horrible blue. Sam took Frodo's still warm hand, bent over it and let out an anguished wail, weeping his heart out, and wishing he had never left his side.
Haldir leaned on the bell-rope, willing it to clang louder. After half a minute, he knew that all of the elves of the Golden wood must have heard it, so he raced back into the wrecked chamber just as Sam wailed a second time.
Tears were streaming down Sam's face, and his own chest ached with the exertion it took to keep from going hysterical. Sam could see the damage done to Frodo's throat, and he could only pray that his airway had not been crushed. The little gardener also looked anxiously over at Pippin, wishing frantically that someone else would come. Poor Icicle wasn't moving and Pippin was distraught, but Sam dare not leave Frodo.
Suddenly Haldir shouldered him aside, and started to manipulate Frodo's head, opening his mouth and tilting his chin back.
"Don't you hurt him!" Sam yelled helplessly, as he was too weak with grief to protest. Haldir ignored him and started to push down rhythmically on Frodo's still chest. "What..." Sam began.
"I," Haldir retorted in between pumps, "...am breathing...for...your friend." and with that, he stopped pumping and fastened his own mouth over Frodo's, exhaling. Frodo's chest swelled, but he still was not breathing on his own. After several breaths, Haldir returned to pounding on the Ring bearer's chest. Then he quickly grabbed both Sam's hands and pressed them into Frodo's chest and said urgently, "push here, up and down, keep doing it." With that he placed his mouth over Frodo's again and continued breathing for him.
****
Legolas was taking a leisurely walk with Gimli through the labyrinthine staircases and walkways that crisscrossed the golden wood when the alarm bell sounded.
Gimli jumped at the abrasive clanging. It was quite close. "Dragon's Breath!" he swore, "What is that about? I thought you elves liked quiet."
"It is an alarm knell. And it is coming from..." Legolas turned about to locate the source. "The infirmary." his eyes met Gimli's for an instant, and then both were racing up the stairs and over gangways towards where they had left Pippin.
****
Aragorn and Boromir were carefully picking their way through mounds of rubble. Piece by piece they removed sections of wood, cautious not to make the pile move suddenly or start any more movement. Groans from over stressed beams of wood mingled with the moans of the injured. One of the high talans had given way minutes before, and thankfully they were going with Silael at that moment to the kitchens, which were right by the accident, to procure some food for a late supper for Merry. Deilen had just left them and was on his way back to Pippin when the sound of the crash alerted him and he ran back.
Boromir was lifting a solid beam from off of an unconscious elf, who he hoped was still alive as a loud ringing sounded through the forest.
"This is good!" cried Silael, who was marshalling the elves that had come running at the sound of the crash into rescue groups. "Some one is sounding the alarm! More healers will come to aid us!"
Although the devastation was appalling the elves worked quickly and efficiently. They formed a chain of helpers to remove the lighter debris, passing it from hand to hand and stacking it safely to one side. The healers went in among the ruined talan to tend to the trapped elves and to make sure it was reasonable to move them as they were cleared of rubble. One elven maiden had a broken leg and Silael made a splint for the damaged limb and made sure she was moved carefully on to a stretcher.
As the injured were carried out and more helpers arrived a group of tracker elves, together with Aragorn had begun to investigate the cause of the accident. Almost at once they discovered crossties that were not worn in any way but had been almost certainly chewed through.
"These thongs have obviously not been cut, but bitten through with strong teeth." Aragorn held up the frayed ends in puzzlement. "What kind of animal would you have in the Golden Wood that could do this?"
"None that dwells here by our let." The lady elf called Enfys replied. "The only such creature that could have caused this is the warg that came with your company."
****
As Gimli and Legolas burst into the Healing Chamber their jaws dropped in simultaneous horror at the chaos of the bedchamber. They both rushed forward to help and Legolas quickly realised what Haldir was doing. He knelt at Frodo's side and gently moved Sam over a little so that he could listen for a heartbeat.
There was a flutter and the merest trace from Frodo's chest, once, twice and then it stopped again. Sam was about to resume his pumping, but Legolas gently stayed his movement and placed his own hands on Frodo's chest, pumping the halfling's heart with the right amount of pressure. "Place your hand over the wound Sam." Legolas said urgently. "Hold back the blood if you can."
Gimli as soon as they had entered the room had rushed to Icicle's side and seen the dreadful arrow and a spreading pool of blood. He touched her lightly on the neck, only to confirm what he already knew, the warg was dead. The immediate problem was Pippin who was clinging frantically to the dead creature and sobbing hysterically.
Gimli glanced first over to the two elves and Sam and saw the battle they were engaged in and turned back to Pippin. "Come on little one," he coaxed, "come away now, let her be." Pippin clung harder, reaching up to lift Icicle's great paw and put the lifeless weight on his shoulder, just as the warg would when she held Pippin down to wash him.
"Poor little Pippin, come let me take you back to the bed." Gimli put his hands on Pippin's arms and tried to ease him away from the still body. But Pippin clung tenaciously to the warg and nothing Gimli could do was going to persuade him to let go. Short of forcing him, which the dwarf decided would not be a good idea right now, there was nothing to be done. Gimli sat down beside Pippin and Icicle and placed his hand protectively on the little hobbit's back, rocking him gently and stroking his hair, while Pippin sobbed his grief into Umumum's soft white fur.
****
As the investigators moved around the site of the accident the evidence against the warg increased. Each of the eight leather bindings, bar one, that held the talan in place had been chewed through. Although four of these Aragorn pointed out seemed too high for Icicle to have reached. "I would understand why the warg might have chewed on leather that was at her level," the ranger held up two more frayed ends. "But it would be unlikely that she would climb up the lower branches of the tree to do so."
"But possible, nevertheless?" Enfys asked.
"Yes, I'm sure she is physically capable of such a feat." Aragorn agreed. "but this is more like the work of deliberate sabotage. Why would a warg do such a thing."
"That is not surprising," Enfys smiled, although with irony rather than humour, "Wargs are not generally pets to elves and this particular one, I believe, was stolen from the orcs of Moria."
"Icicle was not stolen," Aragorn frowned as he thought about how they had actually come into possession of the warg. "She became attached to the perian, in fact, if not for her, he probably would not have survived."
"That may be the case," Enfys said, "I do not want to pass judgement, but every possibility must be considered to prevent a repetition of this disaster."
By the time the investigators had collected all the evidence, the rescuers also had managed to free all the trapped elves from the wreckage. The total number of casualties was low considering the height from which the structure had fallen and the number of elves caught up in the crash. One elf had a broken leg and two severe cuts and bruises, together with concussion, another had a sprained ankle and a bad gash in his leg. The rest were just shaken up but could walk away from the scene unaided.
****
Haldir soon became exhausted from breathing for Frodo and sat up, motioning for Legolas to take his place. Haldir then resumed pushing on Frodo's chest. He looked over to where Sam was applying pressure to the shoulder wound. The perian was fighting a losing battle. He was using his own cloak to staunch the blood, but from the look of the spreading pool, even that was not enough.
"Master Gimli!" He barked. "Go into the other room and get gauze, padding, bandages, and blankets." Gimli jumped up and clumped into the other room, returning quickly with the requested items. "Bind the padding onto the shoulder wound. Keep doing that and applying pressure. Do not stop, even if it gets soaked through. Master perian, there an artery-" At Sam's confused look Haldir clarified, "A tube through which blood flows next to the join of the shoulder. Press into the hollow of the joint, and you should stop the flow." Samwise did this, and looked up for more instruction. Haldir did not have any more to give, and just then realised that it had been several minutes and still no healers had come. Switching places with Legolas once more, he asked the other elf where in Middle Earth all of the others had gone.
"I do not know, Master Haldir. We came as soon as we heard the alarm. We saw no one else about."
Sam broke in. "Oh, but they will come soon won't they Mister Haldir? Poor Mister Frodo's gone awfully blue!" Sam looked at his master as his image blurred through his tears. Mister Frodo had not been so pale since... the Morgul blade and Amon Sul. He had almost not made it then. Would he now?
****
Melystra had awoken at the sound of the bell ringing and had started out for the healing chamber, but elves running towards the scene of the accident had diverted her attention and she had run there to help with the injured. Naturally she believed this was the source of the alarm. Now she was at the head of the trail of stretcher-bearers and litter carriers who were bringing the more seriously hurt up to the Healing Chamber.
The lady elf healer was confident that they would encounter no difficulties in dealing with this emergency as there were no serious casualties and several healing rooms available. But as soon as she entered the chamber her view changed.
The first thing she heard was Haldir shouting instructions and the perian Samwise crying as she rushed to the source of the commotion saw the Ringbearer prone on the floor of Pippin's chamber. Without stopping to ask what had occurred she took over Sam's position and pressed firmly down on the artery at the same time asking Legolas sharply, "How's his breathing and heart beat?"
"Weak," Legolas supplied. "Haldir and I have been breathing for him and massaging his heart, but he is still not managing on his own."
She glanced around the room quickly. Gimli was trying to comfort Pippin who seemed to be draped over a mysteriously still Icicle. Oh, no time for that right now, leave them as they are. Deilen with other elves was looking after the casualties they had just brought up and should stay there.
"Samwise, go and summon more assistance," she ordered. "I need Silael and Aragorn and. . ." Sam paused as he was already nearly through the door. "Tell Silael that he may want to inform the Lady Galadriel as well."
Suddenly Haldir reared back from Frodo's lips and turned the halfling's head to the side. Frodo's blody convulsed, and he vomited, then drew a slow, grating breath. Evne though he was breathing on his own, Melystra was worried by the sound of it, and prayed to the Valar that permanent damage could be avoided.
****
By the time Aragorn, together with Boromir, arrived Frodo had been carried to a bed in another chamber and the bleeding had finally been staunched. He was now breathing on his own, but Haldir sat by him to monitor that he did not stop. In the meantime, Deilen and the helper elves had made the talan casualties comfortable, although they had to add makeshift beds to two of the chambers. Legolas and Melystra were sitting on the floor next to Pippin, stroking his hair and trying to persuade him to come away from the lifeless Icicle. Gimli stood by shaking his head in despair at the little one's tumultuous grief that did not seem to be abating.
"What in pity's name happened here?" Boromir gasped in horror.
"Frodo is injured we know not how." Gimli explained. "The warg is dead, shot by Haldir. He believed that Icicle was responsible for attacking Frodo, but I find that hard to believe."
"Perhaps Frodo was trying to prevent her from nursing Pippin." Aragorn suggested. "Although I left her tied up outside and she has never become this vicious about it before."
Enfys said nothing but walked over to the dead warg and picked up the trailing leather thong through which she had chewed to break free. Then she pulled another from her tunic, it was from the talan, and held the two side by side. "These were bitten through by different creatures, I am certain."
She handed the two ends to Aragorn, who compared them carefully. "Without doubt," he agreed. "The teeth marks on the leather are quite different. So if Icicle did not chew through the talan supports, who or what did?"
"Perhaps the creature that attacked the Ringbearer." Enfys suggested. "This is not as straightforward as it at first seemed, Master Ranger. I am afraid Haldir may have shot in haste and killed an innocent victim."
"There's one who saw the whole thing." Enfys pointed out. "The little perian here, what does he say?"
Melystra looked up at Enfys and shook her head, "Just 'Frodo, Umumum' over and over. He is too distressed to say anything coherent." Melystra turned to Aragorn. "I think you will just have to take the warg's body away and Legolas and I will attempt to lift him onto the bed. He is not getting any better like this."
As Aragorn and Boromir gently lifted poor Icicle's lifeless body up, Melystra pulled Pippin close into her breast and rocked him gently. Legolas still stroked his hair and together they carried him to the bed. He did carried on keening a mournful wail, in between his sobbing of 'Frodo, Umumum', over and over.
Aragorn and Boromir bore the still warm body out to the ante-chamber and laid it in a white sheet that Gimli set out and covered the warg over. Just as they finished, a white light illuminated the blood stained chamber, immediately making it seem clean and bright. The Lady Galadriel had arrived with Silael. Aragorn related as much of the story as he could, from the talan accident to the attack on Frodo and Icicle's death. "The only witness to the entire incident in the bedchamber, apart from Frodo himself, Milady, is Pippin, the little perian who was so badly damaged by the orcs."
Galadriel smiled serenely, "I know who Pippin is, Estel. Do you think the little one can relate what happened?"
Aragorn shook his head. "Not at the moment, he is in shock and doubly so. His cousin was brutally attacked and may still not recover and his precious warg, that was like a nurse to him, was killed before his eyes."
"Nevertheless, I think that is where the answers lie for certain. Where is he now?"
"Through here Milady." Deilen ushered Galadriel through to Pippin's room and looked sadly at the distressed little creature. "This will be a terrible setback for him I'm afraid."
Melystra and Legolas stood up from the bed when Galadriel entered the room, "Do you wish to spend time alone with the perian?" Melystra asked.
"Thank you Melystra," Galadriel smiled and watched as both Melystra and Legolas kissed Pippin on the head and left.
Pippin sat on the bed hugging his scarf, his eyes wide as he rocked to and fro, muttering "Umumum, Frodo, Umumum, Frodo. . ." over and over.
Galadriel took Pippin's face in her hands and looked into his eyes. "Hush little one, be at peace." She said this out loud and in Pippin's mind at the same time. He quieted but still rocked and stared. "Pippin!" She called to him again. "Peregrin! Look at me, turn your face up and look at me."
Pippin did as he was told but looked away again quickly to resume his woeful, traumatized rocking motion.
Galadriel turned to Deilen who was standing just behind the Lady, "Where is his companion? I sense a great need in this little one for the perian called 'Merry', where is he?"
"Err, he sleeps, Milady." Deilen looked a little abashed at the question. "I don't think he will awake for a while yet."
"Why would you assume that?" Galadriel smiled gently. She knew that Deilen would not deliberately harm another. "Did you give him a draught?"
"Yes Milady," Deilen admitted. "He was overtired and still stressed over Pippin. I thought it would be better to make him sleep."
"So it would, had not this occurred." Galadriel agreed. "But now you must fetch him. If you cannot wake him just carry him here asleep. Simply his presence will serve to calm this little one."
Deilen bowed and left immediately. Galadriel moved back to look at Pippin once more and this time she did not speak audibly, but rather sent an image to his mind. It was not anything specific, but a general feeling of calm and serenity and an assurance that he was safe and that his Merry would soon be here. Pippin grew still and finally lay down quietly looking up at the beautiful white lady, seeing her clearly now for the first time since she had entered the chamber.
Pippin felt confused, unsure of reality again. Something beyond terrible had just happened, Icicle was dead and Frodo too he thought, and now he couldn't even see Merry. But the beautiful white lady had come. He had seen her again and she was still pure and shining with brilliant light too wonderful for an insignificant being such as him to behold. But she seemed to speak kind words to him. So it must be a dream. But it was so hard to tell what was waking and sleeping, nightmare and dream; they all seemed to blend into one existence for him.
Then the tall man-elf dressed in white came in to the room and he was carrying a hobbit in his arms. He brought him to the bed and laid him down right next to Pippin. It was Merry! It was just as Strider had said, he was sleeping, just sleeping, and he was still wearing the long white nightgown just like his own. Pippin snuggled into Merry's arms, lifting his cousin's right arm up so that he could put his body underneath it. Merry muttered a little, but did not wake. Whatever Deilen had given him, was designed to keep him slumbering for a long time.
"Pippin, little one." Galadriel called to him as soon as Deilen had left and the three were alone. "Before you sleep would you like to talk to me?"
Pippin looked at the dazzling figure before him, his wide eyes far from sleep, but too awed to make coherent answer. He shook his head slowly and cringed further back into Merry's safe, albeit unconscious embrace.
Galadriel was knew the truth of the present matter, the accident with the talan and the warg's apparent attack on the Ringbearer lay locked in this little one's mind. She could not let the assumptions rule the way of justice, not when there was one before her who had witnessed the event.
But at the same time Galadriel felt the diminutive perian's distress and anguish. He was not yet recovered from his abuse at the hands of the orcs and now for this to happen in his bedchamber in Lothlórien, where he was beginning to feel safe, would prove a dreadful and heartrending setback.
Thoughtfully, Galadriel leaned over and touched Merry's forehead, running her fingers through his fair curls and touching lightly his closed eyelids. At the same time she gently put her hand on Pippin's little pointed ear, tracing the outline with her fingertips and following the line down under his chin until she lifted the shy face up to meet her gaze. This was her answer. She could feel the love and trust that was so deeply embedded between these two little creatures, these innocent periain.
Merry, even in slumber emanated a deep need and closeness for his baby cousin and Pippin, having thought at one stage not to be worthy of such love, now knew once more that nothing, nothing in all of Middle Earth in the sundering seas or the Overheaven could ever take that love away from him. It was his forever and he returned it in equal measure for all time.
Galadriel touched her fingers back to her lips and found with a childlike delight that she was smiling a smile of innocence. It had been some while that she had felt anything quite so charming and sweet as the simple and unquestioning love between these two.
The Elf queen gently touched Merry's eyelids once more and whispered, "Wake softly perian tithen muin."
Merry blearily opened his eyes and rubbed at them, although he did not seem too surprised to be waking up on the bed with Pippin and merely cuddled him a little closer and tried to snuggle back to sleep.
"Open your eyes Merry," Galadriel commanded. "You have to wake now. Listen to my voice and answer me when I call you, dear heart."
Merry yawned and looked up once more. Pippin was wriggling in his arms and seemed somewhat upset and he was suddenly aware that the Lady Galadriel was standing over him. Merry gave a start of surprise and clutched tightly onto Pippin.
"Do not be afraid, Merry," Galadriel could see he was awake now, although still very drowsy. "I need you to talk to Pippin. Something bad has happened. Don't be alarmed, Pippin is safe, but some sad things have occurred while you slept."
Merry gulped a little and nodded his head and croaked softly his voice not yet awake either, "What must I do?"
"Take a drink first," Galadriel gave him a cup that she seemed to produce out of nowhere and Merry untangled himself from Pippin in order to take it and drain the contents.
"Does Pippin need a drink too?" Merry asked always anxious that his cousin should be served as well as he. "Or was that something special like Deilen gave me."
Galadriel smiled, "Yes Merry, you're most perceptive. It was something special, to wake you up a little more. Now how do you feel?"
"I'm well Milady." Merry answered simply, "but will you tell me what has occurred?"
"There has been an accident." Galadriel did not want to alarm Merry too much; one traumatised perian was sufficient to deal with. "Frodo has been hurt, but I think he will be all right."
"Oh - poor Frodo!" Merry's eyes opened wide now. "What's happened?"
"That is what I need to find out." Galadriel explained, but the only witness was your little cousin and he seems nervous to talk about it to me. I thought he might describe what happened to you."
"I can try, but Pippin hasn't been saying much to anyone since. . . since we found him. . . after he was. . ." Merry always had difficulty verbalising what had occurred.
"I know Merry, but this is very important, so you will try." Galadriel smiled confidently at him.
"W-what should I say?" Merry did not even know what had happened.
"Nothing, let me guide your thoughts little one," Galadriel touched Merry lightly on his forehead. "I will not harm you, the questions will be mine, but I think that Pippin will answer you more readily. Just let your mind go blank and trust to me."
****
Authors: Kookaburra & Llinos
***
Haldir clutched his hand, and edged around Pippin to Frodo's still form. The perian was not breathing. Haldir jumped up and tore into the other room, where a rope hung from a belfry, used to call in healers when an emergency struck. 'What sort of infirmary has not a single medic in sight?' He asked himself. Just before he threw all of his weight on the rope to sound the alarm, "MISTER FRODO!" was sobbed from the other room.
Sam came through the doorway just as Haldir disappeared. After a bare moment of shock, taking in the whole scene of chaos, of Icicle prone on the floor and Pippin sobbing on her belly, he spotted the curly mop of dark brown hair peeking out from under some splintered pieces of furniture.
"Oh, Mister Frodo..." Sam threw himself down at his master's side and realised at once that he was not breathing. Frodo's lips were a horrible blue. Sam took Frodo's still warm hand, bent over it and let out an anguished wail, weeping his heart out, and wishing he had never left his side.
Haldir leaned on the bell-rope, willing it to clang louder. After half a minute, he knew that all of the elves of the Golden wood must have heard it, so he raced back into the wrecked chamber just as Sam wailed a second time.
Tears were streaming down Sam's face, and his own chest ached with the exertion it took to keep from going hysterical. Sam could see the damage done to Frodo's throat, and he could only pray that his airway had not been crushed. The little gardener also looked anxiously over at Pippin, wishing frantically that someone else would come. Poor Icicle wasn't moving and Pippin was distraught, but Sam dare not leave Frodo.
Suddenly Haldir shouldered him aside, and started to manipulate Frodo's head, opening his mouth and tilting his chin back.
"Don't you hurt him!" Sam yelled helplessly, as he was too weak with grief to protest. Haldir ignored him and started to push down rhythmically on Frodo's still chest. "What..." Sam began.
"I," Haldir retorted in between pumps, "...am breathing...for...your friend." and with that, he stopped pumping and fastened his own mouth over Frodo's, exhaling. Frodo's chest swelled, but he still was not breathing on his own. After several breaths, Haldir returned to pounding on the Ring bearer's chest. Then he quickly grabbed both Sam's hands and pressed them into Frodo's chest and said urgently, "push here, up and down, keep doing it." With that he placed his mouth over Frodo's again and continued breathing for him.
****
Legolas was taking a leisurely walk with Gimli through the labyrinthine staircases and walkways that crisscrossed the golden wood when the alarm bell sounded.
Gimli jumped at the abrasive clanging. It was quite close. "Dragon's Breath!" he swore, "What is that about? I thought you elves liked quiet."
"It is an alarm knell. And it is coming from..." Legolas turned about to locate the source. "The infirmary." his eyes met Gimli's for an instant, and then both were racing up the stairs and over gangways towards where they had left Pippin.
****
Aragorn and Boromir were carefully picking their way through mounds of rubble. Piece by piece they removed sections of wood, cautious not to make the pile move suddenly or start any more movement. Groans from over stressed beams of wood mingled with the moans of the injured. One of the high talans had given way minutes before, and thankfully they were going with Silael at that moment to the kitchens, which were right by the accident, to procure some food for a late supper for Merry. Deilen had just left them and was on his way back to Pippin when the sound of the crash alerted him and he ran back.
Boromir was lifting a solid beam from off of an unconscious elf, who he hoped was still alive as a loud ringing sounded through the forest.
"This is good!" cried Silael, who was marshalling the elves that had come running at the sound of the crash into rescue groups. "Some one is sounding the alarm! More healers will come to aid us!"
Although the devastation was appalling the elves worked quickly and efficiently. They formed a chain of helpers to remove the lighter debris, passing it from hand to hand and stacking it safely to one side. The healers went in among the ruined talan to tend to the trapped elves and to make sure it was reasonable to move them as they were cleared of rubble. One elven maiden had a broken leg and Silael made a splint for the damaged limb and made sure she was moved carefully on to a stretcher.
As the injured were carried out and more helpers arrived a group of tracker elves, together with Aragorn had begun to investigate the cause of the accident. Almost at once they discovered crossties that were not worn in any way but had been almost certainly chewed through.
"These thongs have obviously not been cut, but bitten through with strong teeth." Aragorn held up the frayed ends in puzzlement. "What kind of animal would you have in the Golden Wood that could do this?"
"None that dwells here by our let." The lady elf called Enfys replied. "The only such creature that could have caused this is the warg that came with your company."
****
As Gimli and Legolas burst into the Healing Chamber their jaws dropped in simultaneous horror at the chaos of the bedchamber. They both rushed forward to help and Legolas quickly realised what Haldir was doing. He knelt at Frodo's side and gently moved Sam over a little so that he could listen for a heartbeat.
There was a flutter and the merest trace from Frodo's chest, once, twice and then it stopped again. Sam was about to resume his pumping, but Legolas gently stayed his movement and placed his own hands on Frodo's chest, pumping the halfling's heart with the right amount of pressure. "Place your hand over the wound Sam." Legolas said urgently. "Hold back the blood if you can."
Gimli as soon as they had entered the room had rushed to Icicle's side and seen the dreadful arrow and a spreading pool of blood. He touched her lightly on the neck, only to confirm what he already knew, the warg was dead. The immediate problem was Pippin who was clinging frantically to the dead creature and sobbing hysterically.
Gimli glanced first over to the two elves and Sam and saw the battle they were engaged in and turned back to Pippin. "Come on little one," he coaxed, "come away now, let her be." Pippin clung harder, reaching up to lift Icicle's great paw and put the lifeless weight on his shoulder, just as the warg would when she held Pippin down to wash him.
"Poor little Pippin, come let me take you back to the bed." Gimli put his hands on Pippin's arms and tried to ease him away from the still body. But Pippin clung tenaciously to the warg and nothing Gimli could do was going to persuade him to let go. Short of forcing him, which the dwarf decided would not be a good idea right now, there was nothing to be done. Gimli sat down beside Pippin and Icicle and placed his hand protectively on the little hobbit's back, rocking him gently and stroking his hair, while Pippin sobbed his grief into Umumum's soft white fur.
****
As the investigators moved around the site of the accident the evidence against the warg increased. Each of the eight leather bindings, bar one, that held the talan in place had been chewed through. Although four of these Aragorn pointed out seemed too high for Icicle to have reached. "I would understand why the warg might have chewed on leather that was at her level," the ranger held up two more frayed ends. "But it would be unlikely that she would climb up the lower branches of the tree to do so."
"But possible, nevertheless?" Enfys asked.
"Yes, I'm sure she is physically capable of such a feat." Aragorn agreed. "but this is more like the work of deliberate sabotage. Why would a warg do such a thing."
"That is not surprising," Enfys smiled, although with irony rather than humour, "Wargs are not generally pets to elves and this particular one, I believe, was stolen from the orcs of Moria."
"Icicle was not stolen," Aragorn frowned as he thought about how they had actually come into possession of the warg. "She became attached to the perian, in fact, if not for her, he probably would not have survived."
"That may be the case," Enfys said, "I do not want to pass judgement, but every possibility must be considered to prevent a repetition of this disaster."
By the time the investigators had collected all the evidence, the rescuers also had managed to free all the trapped elves from the wreckage. The total number of casualties was low considering the height from which the structure had fallen and the number of elves caught up in the crash. One elf had a broken leg and two severe cuts and bruises, together with concussion, another had a sprained ankle and a bad gash in his leg. The rest were just shaken up but could walk away from the scene unaided.
****
Haldir soon became exhausted from breathing for Frodo and sat up, motioning for Legolas to take his place. Haldir then resumed pushing on Frodo's chest. He looked over to where Sam was applying pressure to the shoulder wound. The perian was fighting a losing battle. He was using his own cloak to staunch the blood, but from the look of the spreading pool, even that was not enough.
"Master Gimli!" He barked. "Go into the other room and get gauze, padding, bandages, and blankets." Gimli jumped up and clumped into the other room, returning quickly with the requested items. "Bind the padding onto the shoulder wound. Keep doing that and applying pressure. Do not stop, even if it gets soaked through. Master perian, there an artery-" At Sam's confused look Haldir clarified, "A tube through which blood flows next to the join of the shoulder. Press into the hollow of the joint, and you should stop the flow." Samwise did this, and looked up for more instruction. Haldir did not have any more to give, and just then realised that it had been several minutes and still no healers had come. Switching places with Legolas once more, he asked the other elf where in Middle Earth all of the others had gone.
"I do not know, Master Haldir. We came as soon as we heard the alarm. We saw no one else about."
Sam broke in. "Oh, but they will come soon won't they Mister Haldir? Poor Mister Frodo's gone awfully blue!" Sam looked at his master as his image blurred through his tears. Mister Frodo had not been so pale since... the Morgul blade and Amon Sul. He had almost not made it then. Would he now?
****
Melystra had awoken at the sound of the bell ringing and had started out for the healing chamber, but elves running towards the scene of the accident had diverted her attention and she had run there to help with the injured. Naturally she believed this was the source of the alarm. Now she was at the head of the trail of stretcher-bearers and litter carriers who were bringing the more seriously hurt up to the Healing Chamber.
The lady elf healer was confident that they would encounter no difficulties in dealing with this emergency as there were no serious casualties and several healing rooms available. But as soon as she entered the chamber her view changed.
The first thing she heard was Haldir shouting instructions and the perian Samwise crying as she rushed to the source of the commotion saw the Ringbearer prone on the floor of Pippin's chamber. Without stopping to ask what had occurred she took over Sam's position and pressed firmly down on the artery at the same time asking Legolas sharply, "How's his breathing and heart beat?"
"Weak," Legolas supplied. "Haldir and I have been breathing for him and massaging his heart, but he is still not managing on his own."
She glanced around the room quickly. Gimli was trying to comfort Pippin who seemed to be draped over a mysteriously still Icicle. Oh, no time for that right now, leave them as they are. Deilen with other elves was looking after the casualties they had just brought up and should stay there.
"Samwise, go and summon more assistance," she ordered. "I need Silael and Aragorn and. . ." Sam paused as he was already nearly through the door. "Tell Silael that he may want to inform the Lady Galadriel as well."
Suddenly Haldir reared back from Frodo's lips and turned the halfling's head to the side. Frodo's blody convulsed, and he vomited, then drew a slow, grating breath. Evne though he was breathing on his own, Melystra was worried by the sound of it, and prayed to the Valar that permanent damage could be avoided.
****
By the time Aragorn, together with Boromir, arrived Frodo had been carried to a bed in another chamber and the bleeding had finally been staunched. He was now breathing on his own, but Haldir sat by him to monitor that he did not stop. In the meantime, Deilen and the helper elves had made the talan casualties comfortable, although they had to add makeshift beds to two of the chambers. Legolas and Melystra were sitting on the floor next to Pippin, stroking his hair and trying to persuade him to come away from the lifeless Icicle. Gimli stood by shaking his head in despair at the little one's tumultuous grief that did not seem to be abating.
"What in pity's name happened here?" Boromir gasped in horror.
"Frodo is injured we know not how." Gimli explained. "The warg is dead, shot by Haldir. He believed that Icicle was responsible for attacking Frodo, but I find that hard to believe."
"Perhaps Frodo was trying to prevent her from nursing Pippin." Aragorn suggested. "Although I left her tied up outside and she has never become this vicious about it before."
Enfys said nothing but walked over to the dead warg and picked up the trailing leather thong through which she had chewed to break free. Then she pulled another from her tunic, it was from the talan, and held the two side by side. "These were bitten through by different creatures, I am certain."
She handed the two ends to Aragorn, who compared them carefully. "Without doubt," he agreed. "The teeth marks on the leather are quite different. So if Icicle did not chew through the talan supports, who or what did?"
"Perhaps the creature that attacked the Ringbearer." Enfys suggested. "This is not as straightforward as it at first seemed, Master Ranger. I am afraid Haldir may have shot in haste and killed an innocent victim."
"There's one who saw the whole thing." Enfys pointed out. "The little perian here, what does he say?"
Melystra looked up at Enfys and shook her head, "Just 'Frodo, Umumum' over and over. He is too distressed to say anything coherent." Melystra turned to Aragorn. "I think you will just have to take the warg's body away and Legolas and I will attempt to lift him onto the bed. He is not getting any better like this."
As Aragorn and Boromir gently lifted poor Icicle's lifeless body up, Melystra pulled Pippin close into her breast and rocked him gently. Legolas still stroked his hair and together they carried him to the bed. He did carried on keening a mournful wail, in between his sobbing of 'Frodo, Umumum', over and over.
Aragorn and Boromir bore the still warm body out to the ante-chamber and laid it in a white sheet that Gimli set out and covered the warg over. Just as they finished, a white light illuminated the blood stained chamber, immediately making it seem clean and bright. The Lady Galadriel had arrived with Silael. Aragorn related as much of the story as he could, from the talan accident to the attack on Frodo and Icicle's death. "The only witness to the entire incident in the bedchamber, apart from Frodo himself, Milady, is Pippin, the little perian who was so badly damaged by the orcs."
Galadriel smiled serenely, "I know who Pippin is, Estel. Do you think the little one can relate what happened?"
Aragorn shook his head. "Not at the moment, he is in shock and doubly so. His cousin was brutally attacked and may still not recover and his precious warg, that was like a nurse to him, was killed before his eyes."
"Nevertheless, I think that is where the answers lie for certain. Where is he now?"
"Through here Milady." Deilen ushered Galadriel through to Pippin's room and looked sadly at the distressed little creature. "This will be a terrible setback for him I'm afraid."
Melystra and Legolas stood up from the bed when Galadriel entered the room, "Do you wish to spend time alone with the perian?" Melystra asked.
"Thank you Melystra," Galadriel smiled and watched as both Melystra and Legolas kissed Pippin on the head and left.
Pippin sat on the bed hugging his scarf, his eyes wide as he rocked to and fro, muttering "Umumum, Frodo, Umumum, Frodo. . ." over and over.
Galadriel took Pippin's face in her hands and looked into his eyes. "Hush little one, be at peace." She said this out loud and in Pippin's mind at the same time. He quieted but still rocked and stared. "Pippin!" She called to him again. "Peregrin! Look at me, turn your face up and look at me."
Pippin did as he was told but looked away again quickly to resume his woeful, traumatized rocking motion.
Galadriel turned to Deilen who was standing just behind the Lady, "Where is his companion? I sense a great need in this little one for the perian called 'Merry', where is he?"
"Err, he sleeps, Milady." Deilen looked a little abashed at the question. "I don't think he will awake for a while yet."
"Why would you assume that?" Galadriel smiled gently. She knew that Deilen would not deliberately harm another. "Did you give him a draught?"
"Yes Milady," Deilen admitted. "He was overtired and still stressed over Pippin. I thought it would be better to make him sleep."
"So it would, had not this occurred." Galadriel agreed. "But now you must fetch him. If you cannot wake him just carry him here asleep. Simply his presence will serve to calm this little one."
Deilen bowed and left immediately. Galadriel moved back to look at Pippin once more and this time she did not speak audibly, but rather sent an image to his mind. It was not anything specific, but a general feeling of calm and serenity and an assurance that he was safe and that his Merry would soon be here. Pippin grew still and finally lay down quietly looking up at the beautiful white lady, seeing her clearly now for the first time since she had entered the chamber.
Pippin felt confused, unsure of reality again. Something beyond terrible had just happened, Icicle was dead and Frodo too he thought, and now he couldn't even see Merry. But the beautiful white lady had come. He had seen her again and she was still pure and shining with brilliant light too wonderful for an insignificant being such as him to behold. But she seemed to speak kind words to him. So it must be a dream. But it was so hard to tell what was waking and sleeping, nightmare and dream; they all seemed to blend into one existence for him.
Then the tall man-elf dressed in white came in to the room and he was carrying a hobbit in his arms. He brought him to the bed and laid him down right next to Pippin. It was Merry! It was just as Strider had said, he was sleeping, just sleeping, and he was still wearing the long white nightgown just like his own. Pippin snuggled into Merry's arms, lifting his cousin's right arm up so that he could put his body underneath it. Merry muttered a little, but did not wake. Whatever Deilen had given him, was designed to keep him slumbering for a long time.
"Pippin, little one." Galadriel called to him as soon as Deilen had left and the three were alone. "Before you sleep would you like to talk to me?"
Pippin looked at the dazzling figure before him, his wide eyes far from sleep, but too awed to make coherent answer. He shook his head slowly and cringed further back into Merry's safe, albeit unconscious embrace.
Galadriel was knew the truth of the present matter, the accident with the talan and the warg's apparent attack on the Ringbearer lay locked in this little one's mind. She could not let the assumptions rule the way of justice, not when there was one before her who had witnessed the event.
But at the same time Galadriel felt the diminutive perian's distress and anguish. He was not yet recovered from his abuse at the hands of the orcs and now for this to happen in his bedchamber in Lothlórien, where he was beginning to feel safe, would prove a dreadful and heartrending setback.
Thoughtfully, Galadriel leaned over and touched Merry's forehead, running her fingers through his fair curls and touching lightly his closed eyelids. At the same time she gently put her hand on Pippin's little pointed ear, tracing the outline with her fingertips and following the line down under his chin until she lifted the shy face up to meet her gaze. This was her answer. She could feel the love and trust that was so deeply embedded between these two little creatures, these innocent periain.
Merry, even in slumber emanated a deep need and closeness for his baby cousin and Pippin, having thought at one stage not to be worthy of such love, now knew once more that nothing, nothing in all of Middle Earth in the sundering seas or the Overheaven could ever take that love away from him. It was his forever and he returned it in equal measure for all time.
Galadriel touched her fingers back to her lips and found with a childlike delight that she was smiling a smile of innocence. It had been some while that she had felt anything quite so charming and sweet as the simple and unquestioning love between these two.
The Elf queen gently touched Merry's eyelids once more and whispered, "Wake softly perian tithen muin."
Merry blearily opened his eyes and rubbed at them, although he did not seem too surprised to be waking up on the bed with Pippin and merely cuddled him a little closer and tried to snuggle back to sleep.
"Open your eyes Merry," Galadriel commanded. "You have to wake now. Listen to my voice and answer me when I call you, dear heart."
Merry yawned and looked up once more. Pippin was wriggling in his arms and seemed somewhat upset and he was suddenly aware that the Lady Galadriel was standing over him. Merry gave a start of surprise and clutched tightly onto Pippin.
"Do not be afraid, Merry," Galadriel could see he was awake now, although still very drowsy. "I need you to talk to Pippin. Something bad has happened. Don't be alarmed, Pippin is safe, but some sad things have occurred while you slept."
Merry gulped a little and nodded his head and croaked softly his voice not yet awake either, "What must I do?"
"Take a drink first," Galadriel gave him a cup that she seemed to produce out of nowhere and Merry untangled himself from Pippin in order to take it and drain the contents.
"Does Pippin need a drink too?" Merry asked always anxious that his cousin should be served as well as he. "Or was that something special like Deilen gave me."
Galadriel smiled, "Yes Merry, you're most perceptive. It was something special, to wake you up a little more. Now how do you feel?"
"I'm well Milady." Merry answered simply, "but will you tell me what has occurred?"
"There has been an accident." Galadriel did not want to alarm Merry too much; one traumatised perian was sufficient to deal with. "Frodo has been hurt, but I think he will be all right."
"Oh - poor Frodo!" Merry's eyes opened wide now. "What's happened?"
"That is what I need to find out." Galadriel explained, but the only witness was your little cousin and he seems nervous to talk about it to me. I thought he might describe what happened to you."
"I can try, but Pippin hasn't been saying much to anyone since. . . since we found him. . . after he was. . ." Merry always had difficulty verbalising what had occurred.
"I know Merry, but this is very important, so you will try." Galadriel smiled confidently at him.
"W-what should I say?" Merry did not even know what had happened.
"Nothing, let me guide your thoughts little one," Galadriel touched Merry lightly on his forehead. "I will not harm you, the questions will be mine, but I think that Pippin will answer you more readily. Just let your mind go blank and trust to me."
****