A Song in the Woods
Jamie couldn't stop thinking about the evening. Miiriel had known far too much about her and it was disturbing. And now the King decided she was staying… just like that. 'Consider yourself a guest…' Oh, sure, gee thanks. She couldn't sleep so she finally decided to get up. She looked out her window at the moon and frowned. The moon was the same here, wherever here was. She stared out at the countryside and looked for something else familiar. There were mountains and… a forest. Jamie stared at the distant trees with longing. All the strangeness of this place made her crave the solitude of a forest more than ever. The elves had been kind, and the king seemed most gracious, but Jamie couldn't shake the thought that they wanted something from her. She didn't choose to be here, nor did she want to be someone's pet project. She wasn't a sideshow attraction. Truthfully, she really wanted to get home to her redwoods. At least there she knew what to expect. When home life got unpleasant she could retreat into a book and let it blow over. It was safe and normal. Here she felt like the world was upside down. She just wanted it to stop.
Jamie closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She imagined she could smell that forest and she decided she just had to go there. She didn't want company, and she didn't want to wait until morning. Jamie put on her hiking clothes with the boots they'd given her. Her own boots had been ruined. Other than the shoes, she wouldn't take anymore handouts. She packed her backpack with her sleeping bag and the food she'd brought. It was nice to still have it, jerky, trail mix and about a dozen power bars. She'd kept the water bottle as well, and merely needed to refill it. She looked back out the window with one last moment of hesitation before deciding to just go for it.
She silently opened her door and slipped into the dark hallway. She stepped lightly and carefully as she navigated her way back to the main hall. There was no one around and she let out a sigh of relief as she crept along the hall to the main entrance. She heard footsteps coming from down the hall and quickly slipped out the main door into the courtyard. The wind was still, and the large white tree was glowing faintly in the moonlight. Its tall branches were tipped with bright white flowers. It was a breathtaking sight, but Jamie knew she needed to keep moving. Castles always have guards, and though she wasn't doing anything wrong, she knew they wouldn't just let her walk out in the dead of night. She stayed near the walls where there were more shadows and followed along the street where they'd come in. Up ahead was the gate, still closed up tight for the night. Several soldiers were keeping watch upon the battlements, but their attention was directed outside the city walls. She'd come this far, how was she going to leave?
Just then, Jamie heard several men approaching, deep in conversation. She ducked back into a doorway and watched four guards go by, headed to the gate. They called up to the men on the battlements, and the guards all descended. They stood in a circle, talking about something. They laughed and joked lightly and Jamie smiled. They were there for the changing of the guard, no doubt. She slipped around the corner and then she saw it, her way out! There was a smaller door next to the main gate. It was a thick heavy door, but it was hidden. She carefully crossed the open, never taking her eyes off the guards, to the safety of the shadowy doorway. She quietly lifted the beam and opened the door just enough to slip out. It closed behind her and she looked back. From the outside it looked like part of the wall. Very clever. She took off toward the hills as fast as she could before the new guards took their look out positions.
Ten minutes later, she was home free. It felt strangely liberating to be free from the city. There was no one trying to get her to tell her story, or asking her why she thought she was there. Did everything have to make sense? It was a freak accident of nature, end of story. Maybe she'd stumble upon a way home. That would sure as hell be nice. In any case, the woods were in sight, and the night was clear. The moon was nearly full and bright and Jamie started to sing…
"Sister moon will be my guide. In your blue blue shadows I would hide... I'm a stranger to the sun, my eyes are too weak. How cold is a heart when it's warmth that he seeks? You watch every night, you don't care what I do... I'd go out of my mind but for you..." She was a moon worshipper, what could she say? Apparently Sting was too.
Jamie always did love that song, and under the moonlight, she just couldn't help singing it. As she continued the song, she entered the wood and disappeared into the darkness. By the time the sun came up, she was long gone.
At breakfast, Miiriel was strangely quiet. Aragorn and Arwen walked in and Aragorn sat beside her.
"Miiriel, I saw you talking to Jamie last night. What do you think of her?" he asked.
"I think she is nice," Miiriel said carefully.
Eldarion just frowned at his wife. "Tell him about your dreams," he said. "You knew she was coming several days ago."
"Is this true?" Aragorn asked with interest.
"I saw her," Miiriel admitted.
"Why is she here?" Aragorn asked.
"That answer will present itself. Perhaps it has something to do with her singing," Miiriel said. "I have never heard anything like it before among elves or men. I was going to ask her about her songs, but we were interrupted." She glanced at her husband and he bit his lip.
"Sorry, Miiriel," he said.
"Well, we can ask her when she comes in for breakfast," Arwen said.
The table started to fill up as Legolas, Faramir and Polodrin joined them, closely followed by Thelyn and Alcon. They started passing the fruit and fresh bread when a very upset looking maid came in. She spoke to one of the senior servants who quickly led her over to Aragorn.
"Your majesty," the servant said. "Lyssia has just informed me that your young guest isn't in her room."
Aragorn looked at the young girl in surprise. "Where is she?"
"She has gone your majesty. She took her luggage," Lyssia said.
Aragorn looked at the twins with a cocked brow. "Why would she leave?"
Alcon furrowed his brow but had no explanation. Thelyn just looked ill.
"We don't know her any better than you," Alcon finally said. "I don't know why she would leave."
Aragorn frowned. "We better go find her before she runs into trouble. She has no idea what this country is like."
Thelyn was already on his feet and headed to the door with Alcon on his heels. This was not good. The wilderness around the city was known for wild animals and dangerous trails. A woman alone would run into trouble before she knew it, especially one from another world.
Down at the stables, Thelyn started saddling up his horse. Alcon and Legolas were right behind him with Aragorn arriving a few moments later. Faramir and Polodrin joined them and in minutes they were all riding down to the gate. Aragorn had a few choice questions for the night guards. They saw him approaching and opened the gate but he halted.
"Did anyone leave the city last night?" Aragorn asked.
"No, your majesty. None are permitted to leave after sundown without your leave," the guard said.
Aragorn knew they wouldn't let her out, so how did she manage to get by them? His eyes went to the hidden side door. He dismounted and looked at the ground. There were indeed small footprints there, fresh ones. He frowned angrily. His guards obviously needed better training. He mounted up without a word and led the small search party outside. He paused to pick up her trail by the wall.
"She headed toward the hills," Aragorn said.
Thelyn looked up at the distant forest and just smirked. "No doubt the trees were calling her," he said with a chuckle, not meaning it literally.
But Legolas thought there might be something to it. "Perhaps that is precisely what happened," he said.
Aragorn didn't know what to think. All he knew was that it was not a safe forest. There were wolves and bears and possibly other more dangerous creatures up there. Occasionally they dealt with trolls or raiders who made the hills their home. Jamie couldn't have picked a worse place to go hiking.
They followed her trail as it cut through the tall grass until it turned onto a game trail heading up into the wooded hills. Aragorn guessed that she would follow the easiest path, but was surprised to see her tracks turned into the brush.
"She left the trail," Aragorn said curiously.
They followed more slowly now so as not to miss her tracks. After a few moments, her trail disappeared altogether. They found themselves in an open area surrounded by a nearly perfect circle of trees. The ground seemed undisturbed except by their horses. Legolas closed his eyes and listened. Off in the distance he could hear singing. His eyes flew open.
"Do you hear that?" he asked.
The horses all seemed to perk up at the sound of the strange voice. Thelyn's horse shifted its stance nervously and snorted.
"Beautiful," Aragon said. "Unlike any voice…" he stopped mid sentence and listened closely. "It must be Jamie. Miiriel said she sings."
Legolas gave his horse a nudge and headed toward the voice. It was solemn yet magical sounding. Everyone else followed, and as they got closer, they could make out the words…
"Come away, come away, death, and in sad cypress let me be laid; Fly away, fly away breath; I am slain by a fair cruel maid..." Funny how the darkest poems make the sweetest songs. "Lay me, O, where sad true lover never find my grave, to weep there!" (Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act 2, Sc. 4)
There was still no sign of tracks, but Aragorn recognized where they were. Up ahead was a pond where Miranda had liked to come when she stayed in Minas Tirith. Legolas halted and dismounted, continuing on foot. Thelyn and Alcon did the same, and the rest tied up the horses and followed. Through the trees they saw the pond, and on the far side of it sat Jamie. She was lying on her stomach on her bedroll near the water. There was a family of deer nearby, not at all bothered by her presence. She was softly humming the tune she'd just sung and petting a small rabbit. None of them could believe their eyes.
Jamie laughed a moment to herself and started to sing another song…
"Sigh no more, ladies sigh no more, men were deceivers ever, one foot in sea and one on shore... To one thing constant never. Oh, Sigh not so, but let them go and be you blithe and bonny…Converting all your songs of woe into hey nonny nonny!" (Shakespeare, Much ado About Nothing)
Legolas quietly stepped out into the open and stood with his arms crossed. He was annoyed with her not only for leaving, but for keeping silent about what he considered a real gift. Aragorn stood next to him and suddenly smiled.
"There is my answer," Aragorn whispered. "Look."
From behind her, a wolf timidly stepped out of the bushes and cautiously walked over to her. She turned and smiled, offering her hand for him to sniff. The wolf came closer and sniffed her hand and then lay down beside her.
Thelyn was completely charmed by her voice and her gentle way with the animals. He stared at her with admiration and Alcon just shook his head.
"Now what?" Alcon asked softly.
"Time to have a little talk," Aragorn said firmly. "A gift like that has a purpose here. Perhaps it is time we find out what."
Before anyone could move closer, the wolf started growling and quickly stood. He stared across the pond at the intruders and took up a defensive position in front of Jamie. The deer took off into the woods and the rabbit bounded away. Jamie suddenly sat up and stopped singing.
"Shhh, be still," she whispered to the wolf as she looked for what had upset him. Then she saw Aragorn and the Elves standing there watching her. Great! They came looking for her. She gave the wolf a scratch behind the ears and said, "Go home, I'll be fine."
The wolf turned and looked at her and licked her cheek and then disappeared into the forest.
"Amazing," Polodrin whispered.
Jamie stood and started picking up her things. Aragorn, Legolas and Thelyn circled the pond while the others retrieved the horses. Jamie was rolling up her sleeping bag when they reached her. She never looked up.
Aragorn dropped to his haunches beside her and quietly asked, "Why'd you leave?"
"I guess I'm in trouble," she said.
Aragorn frowned and sat down. "No."
"Then why are you here?" Jamie asked.
"I took on the responsibility of looking after you. It isn't safe to come up here alone," he said.
Jamie's eyebrows shot up, "Really?" she asked sarcastically. It was just a forest, like any other.
"What was that you were singing?" Legolas asked.
"Just a funny poem from a play I read," Jamie said lightly. "I always liked it."
"No, before that," Legolas clarified. "It was very sad…"
"A song from the same writer," Jamie said with a blush. "I don't usually sing in front of anyone. I'm really very embarrassed right now, so let's just forget about that, okay?"
Thelyn didn't know what to say. He was still in shock. There was absolutely no way he'd ever forget that glorious voice he'd heard. He felt like dropping to his knees and begging her to sing again.
Aragorn just sighed. "What do you want Jamie?"
Jamie never had time to answer, because behind her there was the sound of thundering footsteps. Aragorn quickly stood and drew his sword to meet the intruder. Legolas readied his bow and Thelyn grabbed Jamie and pushed her behind him as he drew his sword. As the unseen foe stepped into the open, everyone quickly lowered their weapons. Jamie just stared in awe at a tree man who stood staring down at them. He looked like an actual tree with bark and branches, but in the shape of a man with two legs and arms and a head with a face.
"Fangorn, oldest and wisest of ents," Aragorn said as he sheathed his sword and stepped forward. "You have journeyed far from your forest. What is your errand?"
"Hoom-Hum! The Voice of the Forest has finally come. I seek the Taure Lirilla," Treebeard said as if that would explain everything.
Legolas looked at Jamie who stood there completely dumbfounded. Taure Lirilla… Forest Song, that would sound alike an accurate description of what he'd just seen.
Aragorn turned back to Jamie a moment and looked at her curiously. Then he looked up at Treebeard and asked, "How did you know the Taure Lirilla was here?"
"The trees have been whispering about the Voice for days. I thought I would find her in Ithilien, but I heard her song in the night and followed it here," Treebeard said. He looked past Thelyn to Jamie and studied her a moment.
"Who is the Voice of the Forest?" Legolas asked.
Treebeard ignored Legolas and stared down at Jamie. Then he smiled, "Sing," he said simply.
Jamie blushed, "I-I can't with everyone watching," she said shyly. She didn't know what to think of this, but the tree man seemed friendly, and strangely familiar. He reminded her of long forgotten daydreams.
Treebeard laughed. "The trees have been listening and watching for some time. It is they who called me here, now… sing."
Jamie glanced around at the others who were all watching her expectantly. Alcon, Polodrin and Faramir had returned with the horses, so Jamie's audience was full and quite anxious. She stepped away from them and closer to the tall tree man. She gazed up at him, and realized she didn't feel afraid. She just closed her eyes and sang for him. There were no words, just bright clear notes in an uplifting melody. Around them, the trees began to tremble. Treebeard whispered softly in entish and the trees stilled.
"Enough," he said abruptly, "You are she. Come, we have been waiting for you for nearly three ages." He reached down and gently lifted her onto his shoulders.
Jamie was so intrigued by the situation, she didn't protest.
Aragorn spoke up before Treebeard could leave. "Jamie is in my care," he said with authority. "Where are you taking her?"
"Entmoot," he said simply. "The time has come."
"What time has come?" Jamie asked. "Did you bring me here?"
"Hoom-Hum! No, Taure Lirilla," he said. "You came because it was time."
Thelyn stepped forward, "She isn't going anywhere without me."
"Then follow if you will, son of the Hiri Nolwe," Treebeard said.
Aragorn turned to Legolas, "Our answer has come, but duty keeps me in Minas Tirith."
"I'll look after her, and the twins," Legolas said.
Polodrin stepped forward, "I'll go as well." He glanced at his father who gave him an approving nod.
Aragorn nodded. "Very well. Lord Fangorn will not wish to wait, so you will leave with the supplies you have."
Legolas nodded, grabbed Jamie's bag and mounted up along with the twins and Polodrin.
Treebeard looked at the riders and gave a nod. Elves were acceptable, and the human was in the company of the King of the West. They could follow the Taure Lirilla if they wished. With a final bow to the King, Treebeard turned and headed north.
Aragorn and Faramir mounted up and headed back to Minas Tirith in silence. After a few minutes, Faramir just shook his head. "I did not expect that."
"Nor I," Aragorn said.
"I wonder if my son will return with or without her," Faramir speculated.
"If Thelyn has anything to say about it, your son will return alone," Aragorn said with a chuckle.
Faramir laughed. He envied the youngsters embarking on an adventure. Duty kept him close to home now, and his wife. But he would look forward to hearing about it when they returned.