Elfique: Sorry about the last one, I meant to put that comment on this next one, this one is the longer of the recent chapters, hope you have enjoyed them.

All who read this, please leave comments, I don't know how I am doing or if it appeals to anyone.

The company of some four hundred able-bodied riders passed that day mostly in silence as the valley of the refuge became naught but a memory, and the wood land became sparse as they neared the hill country that was once Eregion. There the green grass covered the marks made by fire, and the head stones that marked mass graves were weathered by the storms that came often from the mountainside. The caves that once led to the house of the Mirdain and the great smithies of the elves were no longer welcoming and the darkness therein spoke of evil shadows. Yet above the caves and the shallow hills that made the country, life had returned, a small rabbit scurried here and there, and a deer watched the company pass by. For Celebrin the silence allowed him to dream, not of the future as mortals do, nor did he wish to dream of the past, instead he dreamed of what happened beyond where he was, lands that he had never seen and heard only rumor that had been passed down for many years.

The Nandor spoke often of the Eastern Lands, where they once came from, a land of immeasurable beauty, where the lands rolled as the calm waves of the sea and beyond where forests covered the land and once grew as tall as the mountains. Yet these were only the tales told to children, whose parents saw not the lands of Valinor, and found greater beauty where they lived. In his mind Celebrin often dreamed of such places, where the woods could meet the sea and he would be at peace, for he had never dwelt in a place where the two met, and his mind was ever torn between them. For in the sea lay the memory of his father, the tales he was told when he was but a child, of voyaging in ships to lands where none had seen, hearing the ever moving sea, the only immortal thing left in the world marred by Morgoth, every day of your life and it's seductive song. Yet in the woods, there lay the hearth and home of his mother, where the song of the birds filled the air and the fragrant trees waved in the wind, where one could dance or walk or sing to the living trees and hear their song in reply. His dreams were interrupted by the strong voice beside him,

"Sing a song for us Elornion, the silence seems too harrowing for me, and the memory of the lost land weighs down my heart."

"What song would you have me sing Hir nin?"

"Something to make the birds envy you."

Celeborn smiled, remembering how he would jest with his former standard bearer, how Daeron and Elorn would argue at times as to how songs were sung and in what mode, Daeron being the master bard would always win these debates, yet it was Celeborn's joy to see the Sea-farer and his stubborn holding on to debate merely for the spectacle. The raven-haired Sinda beside him called to one who rode directly behind him, one he knew to be little skilled with a harp, yet was the only one present who knew how. A chord was strung and Celebrin rose his voice to the high airs of the mountain with a song that traveled to the depths of the sea and rose as the waves lap upon a boat's side.

Here among the steep cove hills

Where the mountains meet the sea

And the green grass grows

Beneath the silver sky

I heard its voice calling me

Here amid the crashing waves

Where ships sleep in the harbor

Nearest to the West

In blessed Elgarest

Where no eye can gaze farther

I heard its voice calling me

To bask in its cool beauty,

Remain where I was,

In rushing white-tipped waves

And leave cares to memory

Then I saw the great green wood

And I heard within a song

Beneath woven trees

Lady of the willows

To you my heart shall belong.

No clearer song I have heard

Than the one you sing to me

I leave all behind

And seek only your song

Abandoning the great sea

Here among the woven trees

Where I am far from the sea

Oh, Most Beautiful

Lady of the Willows

I hear your voice calling me

And his song continued to rise and fall, with the counted tap of the horse's feet, and the stringing of the harp; many behind paced quicker to hear the song of Celebrin, a song that had not been sung since a day long passed, before the sun ever sailed across the sky, when a Sea-elf wedded a daughter of Doriath. And many remembered the one that stayed behind, who was waiting till their eyes met again, their own song and their own tale told only in their minds, many beautiful tales, yet too numerous to write in full. And the day passed with the song of Celebrin, and many others besides till the day's end came quicker than expected; yet still the journey went into the late hours, until the sun rose again from behind the mountains, and rest was granted to the steeds and their riders.

For days on end the journey lasted, and each night the moon passed through its phases, as he rose above the mountain edges, and now and then a storm would come upon the small host of gray clad travelers, sometimes snow as they climbed the steep slopes to find easier road than what lay below. Soon after many nights they came to the edge of a great forest whose arm extended farther west and then turned north to the lands of Eriador. The wood looked and felt older than any there, even the Lord Celeborn, for he seemed as a child compared to the age of the trees. The forest hugged the roots of the mountain for on its unseen southern border lay the fragments of its great vastness hewn by the mischief of orcs. Celebrin could not hold his awed manner at the greatness of this wood and how expansive it seemed to stretched, so he questioned his lord who sat beside him upon his white steed,

"My lord, what forest is this that I have heard not of in all the news that past between the east and west of the Elven lands?"

"It is the oldest forest east of Valinor, or so it is said by the Noldor, yet it was here when the Eldar of old crossed its expanse, and remained here when Beleriand was lost to the sea...What its name is, none can say, save they who dwell within."

"Are they Nandor my lord?" Or Avari that came late upon the journey?"

"You have seen their like before, but they are not of our kindred."

Celeborn rode to the edge of the forest and called out in a tongue none could understand, one that none had spoken since the days of Doriath, before the coming of the sun and moon. In a rolling and booming voice he pronounced long and echoing sounds that would have sounded as if it were nonsense to the untrained ear. And from the woods came a booming return, similar in tone, yet sounding as the bending of wood and the sound of wind passing through a hollow tree or a narrow canyon. Then Celeborn spoke in an ancient dialect of his native tongue, that only three among the small host could remember,

"I am Celeborn, son of Doriath the lost, kin to Thingol King and Melian the Maia. Hear me and send forth Fangorn, I desire counsel with the eldest among the Tree-folk."

The forest before them began to groan in a great call that seemed to echo throughout the entire valley, the trees moved as if the very wind bent their great bodies, yet no wind was present greater than a soft breeze from the south. Ash and oak, willow and elm swayed in the invisible wind, and from the great and dark forest a dark rumble reverberated in the bones of all there. His face seemed etched in wood, old yet alive, full of life and perilous joy and thought. His great and imposing figure quietly and regally came from the forest, and he stood, child of Yavanna, eldest of the Tree-hearders, he who was known by many names, whose true name was a song of his long life, Fangorn, mightiest of the Tree-folk. He stood tall and hale, ancient, wise and gentle, yet perilous as well, for the sight of a creature such as he, only few knew of. Indeed it seemed as if the very forest was sentient, thinking, feeling, breathing and speaking, and forth came their emissary, the voice of the woods of old. From his great form came a voice that reached deep and its tone was unmatched by others' ability, unless they blew into a great horn, yet his voice moved to make audible speech, in a tongue that all present knew,

"It has been many years, Celeborn of Doriath, since I saw you."

"It has been far too long Great Fangorn, how grows your woodland home."

"A great many orc band has moved through my borders, burning and hacking, yet they did not return..."

"They were destroyed, the forces of..."

"Now Young Celeborn, you still speak to finish others words."

"Forgive me for my quick words...I forgot how to speak with one of the ancients."

"Or is it I who have forgotten how many a youth thinks, even among the Eldar...this we will never know... yet the birds tell me, you wish for my aid."

"That was the doing of my wife, she wishes to journey to the lands east of the Mountains and North of your realm."

"Ah yes...that which is called by the elves, Greenwood the Great, and another if I remember correctly...ah yes by the name of Lorinand, that is where the birds are from. Your people have such strange names for these lands...but I do not grudge it...it reminds me of the old days...Your beautious lady is not with you young Celeborn?"

"Nay Ancient one, she took the paths beneath the mountain."

"In the realm of the dwarves!? So strange a folk the Noldor are...fraternizing with dwarves. Yet it is her wish...what brings you here then young Celeborn?"

"We wish for safe passage through your woods, I, like you, care not for the doings of dwarves..."

"If it is safe passage you wish for, then safe is what I shall give you my young friend,"

With a boom in his voice a long sonorous sound eminated from his long mouth and reverberated throughout the vale in to the very woods, shaking the mountains in their foundations. Then all were awe stricken to see the scene before them, for the entire forest seemed to move; roots and limbs parted to form a long hall with a roof of vaulted leaves and limbs and a "paved" floor of roots and saplings. Fangorn spoke again,

"Follow me Young Celeborn, through the forest I shall lead you."

And so following their Lord the company entered the pathway of trees, vaulted with many hued leaves, where the sunlight pierced the shadows in patterns of gold, red and green, and the bodies of many a tree were as diverse as the rocks upon a shore, for some were smooth and others bent and gnawed, yet all formed a great tapestry of the forest world, more beautiful than any elven kingdom.

Celebrin rode beside his Lord, in silent awe of the world he now walked, as if plucked from the past into a memory of childhood, much of what surrounded him was familiar. The great being walking beside him and Celeborn looked down at the staring elf and smiled saying,

"Greetings Master Uial, it took me a whileto place name to face and memory; but at long last I finally remembered your name."

The deep voice sounded melodic as it spoke, yet Celebrin being too shocked at being addressed so spoke not a word; Celeborn spoke for his speechless servant,

"Forgive me Great One, it sorrows me to tell you that the one you speak to now is not who you think he is, yet closer than you know... This is my personal herald, Celebrin, son of Elorn and Tathiril, a child of Doriath ere its ruin...you saw him long ago."

"Ahhh yes, the child of the scarred eye. Forgive me for bringing old woes to the light of day young one."

At long last Celebrin's tongue was loosened as he forced out a reply,

"Th...there is no harm in your words Great One. It prides me to know I have some of my father in my blood."

And thus the day was passed and the next, it seemed to all the travelers present that the journey through the forest would never end, and that it would seem to run on until the ends of the world. The night and day were fashioned together for little light entered the deep forest canopy, and no stars were seen to count the time or the season. The less trained in calculatory matters lost track of the days, for as they traveled in the midst of the woods daylight was lost and they traveled in darkness. Many believed that weeks had passed as they traveled on, until they passed the center of the wood and daylight was distinguished from night. Still the journey drew on, sometimes in silence, other times in song or jests, yet the time came when before them the light of brilliant day, unhindered by leaf or limb shone through the canopy and the hall of trees had ended. Fangorn stood before the small host a spoke to the Silver Lord,

"To the Northern edge of these woods I have brought you, safe as my word had said, may no tree fall before your path and may your leaves grow ever on, and the sun shine ever on your faces."

"And may the weather of time be good to you, and the river ever cool at your feet."

And before them opened a great and golden expanse, a plain filled with grasses and wild flowers, where many a horse could run free upon the world and never hear his master's call. Yet beyond lay the beginnings of another great forest, and from the distance they saw it, it seemed to shimmer gold in the afternoon light. The trees of this country were indeed taller than Celebrin had ever known, not so tall to pale the mountain heights, yet great and mighty nonetheless; thence they saw the great elven kingdom of Loriannd.