Chapter 5: Pesky Elves, Wizards, and Powers
"Our real blessings often appear to us in the shapes of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience, and we soon shall see them in their proper figures."
Rhiannon closed her eyes as she walked away from the two claimed-to-be-wise- but-just-enjoyed-confusing-people males. The ache in her head from a few moments ago was starting to dull, but it was not yet gone. Rhiannon squeezed her eyes shut tighter, trying to block out the normally welcoming sunlight. Of course, it was very hard to see with her eyes shut and she was quite embarrassed when she ran into someone.
"I thought you were supposed to be able to see the future,"
A laughing voice said to her. Rhiannon looked up into the fair face of Lostladion. He was quite pleasing to the eye and obviously had a personality, something she found certain elves lacking, and yet she could not find herself attracted to this lovely elf. Elrond was right, as usual, that he was a favorable match, being a warrior and all. There was just something, lacking about the elf. He was intelligent and very skilled at what she had observed of his training; he just lacked the...humanity that Rhiannon had found in Elrond's son. The humanity she had even found bits of in Legolas. There was that damn question again, who was his mother?
"Rhiannon, are you feeling well. You did not give me a quick-witted retort, I am feeling quite neglected."
Rhiannon looked back at him, he was dressed in traveling clothes and she wondered at this,
"Lostladion, you are almost as sarcastic as me, but you lack the talent my dear elf. The smiling face does not help your cause. Why are you dressed in traveling clothes?"
"I came here in traveling clothes."
"Don't be such an, what do you call them, orc?"
"RHIANNON! That is quite the insult!"
"If you can not take the teasing, do not hand it out to others."
Rhiannon could have sworn she saw him almost roll his bright eyes, but he stopped short before the action was completed. "I am in my traveling clothes because I am going back to Mirkwood, along with Menepaurion. We would wish to stay with Legolas until he leaves with the Fellowship, but he would rather have us home. We must report to his father anyway, and who knows what additional evil will come to the darkness of Mirkwood. I understand you will be traveling to Gondor once Gandalf has left. Did you ever receive your council? And will you travel with the Fellowship?"
"I have not directly received Gandalf's council, he has told me many things without directly saying them. I do not wish to stay in Rivendell longer than I must, for fear of seeing someone that I am not prepared to see. I will not travel with the Fellowship, though we go along similar paths. There may be times where I will see them, but my business for now is in Gondor. There is someone there I must speak with."
"You speak with the mortals often?"
Lostladion gave a small nod to show he understood. The two spoke a few parting words and then went separate ways.
***
The time of the Fellowship's preparations for their quest was coming to an end. Rhiannon had spoken with them all a few times, offering comfort to those she could, especially those adorable hobbits. They had great life in them, but she knew that all in the group had dark days ahead. One did not have to be gifted to feel the pure sadness in the air and land. Gandalf, the very annoying wizard whom she still loved dearly, insisted her questions about Legolas' mother were not to be asked until quite later. She considered asking Legolas himself, but felt that may have been a tad inappropriate. She wanted to offer something to the elf for comfort. And if Gandalf and Elrond would stop blatantly pushing her towards him, she might seek Legolas out. Those two were worse than gossiping townswomen. Here they were, two of the wisest in all of Middle-Earth, probably a few Ages between them, and all they can amuse themselves with is a seemingly final match- making. She swore it was because Elrond did not get to choose who he wanted for Arwen, and Gandalf never really had children. Or this was just their way of punishing her for all the trouble she caused as a child. Of course, to them, she was still very much a child. Rhiannon was positive Gandalf's hat was older than her, but enough of those childish misgivings.
There was a pre-farewell feast, tomorrow there would be final farewells in the Great Hall. Rhiannon made the decision that she would have to speak to Legolas at great length before he left on this journey. He was known for being tireless and light-hearted, and someone would need to be of endless hope on this quest. She knew he would have his moments of doubt, as all do, but that was the way of life. It was odd to her, around Lostladion she acted playful, around Gandalf and Elrond, a spoilt child, and around Legolas, an advisor. Although she had learned long ago that everyone she met saw different aspects of her. This behavior was non-exclusive, everyone acted in similar ways. She had admitted to herself, that even though she knew little of Legolas, he had a presence that she missed dearly when he was not near. Rhiannon waited outside the dinning hall for Legolas to exit. Suddenly she felt a rush of warm wind around her. She felt the throbbing pressure start to build in her skull. Her last coherent thought was, "Damn powers."
*****************
Legolas peered out of the window. He had been observing Rhiannon since he saw her standing out there. He wondered briefly if she waited for him. The thought brought a small smile to his face. One that did not go unnoticed by Gandalf, who gave a small chuckle. Legolas shook his head; it was not the time for such thoughts. They left for the quest tomorrow, he needed to be focused. He did not need to be distracted by the mysterious little half- elven. No, ¾-elven. Legolas looked at Rhiannon again. She was gripping that railing awfully tight. Gandalf turned to him,
"Legolas, will you please go check on Rhiannon? She does not look too well."
Legolas gave a nod and swiftly walked towards where Rhiannon stood.
The sight before him caused a small rise of panic. A look of deep concentration was on her face. There was a thin film of sweat forming on her forehead. Her arms were visibly shaking.
"Rhiannon, Mani naa ta? Mani marte? (What is it? What happened?)"
His question went unanswered. He lightly touched her arm. There was a sudden burst of energy between the two. Legolas tried to pull away, but a force kept his hand where it was. Legolas felt as if his mind was being rolled. As if someone was looking into his soul, finding out all his darkest secrets, and even things he did not yet know about himself. An almost hysterical fear started to well up on him and he pried his hand from Rhiannon's arm; the touch still burning deeply. He was left with the feeling of a swift kick to his stomach. Rhiannon did not seem to be faring any better than him, and he quickly reached out before she fell to her feet.
"Our real blessings often appear to us in the shapes of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience, and we soon shall see them in their proper figures."
Rhiannon closed her eyes as she walked away from the two claimed-to-be-wise- but-just-enjoyed-confusing-people males. The ache in her head from a few moments ago was starting to dull, but it was not yet gone. Rhiannon squeezed her eyes shut tighter, trying to block out the normally welcoming sunlight. Of course, it was very hard to see with her eyes shut and she was quite embarrassed when she ran into someone.
"I thought you were supposed to be able to see the future,"
A laughing voice said to her. Rhiannon looked up into the fair face of Lostladion. He was quite pleasing to the eye and obviously had a personality, something she found certain elves lacking, and yet she could not find herself attracted to this lovely elf. Elrond was right, as usual, that he was a favorable match, being a warrior and all. There was just something, lacking about the elf. He was intelligent and very skilled at what she had observed of his training; he just lacked the...humanity that Rhiannon had found in Elrond's son. The humanity she had even found bits of in Legolas. There was that damn question again, who was his mother?
"Rhiannon, are you feeling well. You did not give me a quick-witted retort, I am feeling quite neglected."
Rhiannon looked back at him, he was dressed in traveling clothes and she wondered at this,
"Lostladion, you are almost as sarcastic as me, but you lack the talent my dear elf. The smiling face does not help your cause. Why are you dressed in traveling clothes?"
"I came here in traveling clothes."
"Don't be such an, what do you call them, orc?"
"RHIANNON! That is quite the insult!"
"If you can not take the teasing, do not hand it out to others."
Rhiannon could have sworn she saw him almost roll his bright eyes, but he stopped short before the action was completed. "I am in my traveling clothes because I am going back to Mirkwood, along with Menepaurion. We would wish to stay with Legolas until he leaves with the Fellowship, but he would rather have us home. We must report to his father anyway, and who knows what additional evil will come to the darkness of Mirkwood. I understand you will be traveling to Gondor once Gandalf has left. Did you ever receive your council? And will you travel with the Fellowship?"
"I have not directly received Gandalf's council, he has told me many things without directly saying them. I do not wish to stay in Rivendell longer than I must, for fear of seeing someone that I am not prepared to see. I will not travel with the Fellowship, though we go along similar paths. There may be times where I will see them, but my business for now is in Gondor. There is someone there I must speak with."
"You speak with the mortals often?"
Lostladion gave a small nod to show he understood. The two spoke a few parting words and then went separate ways.
***
The time of the Fellowship's preparations for their quest was coming to an end. Rhiannon had spoken with them all a few times, offering comfort to those she could, especially those adorable hobbits. They had great life in them, but she knew that all in the group had dark days ahead. One did not have to be gifted to feel the pure sadness in the air and land. Gandalf, the very annoying wizard whom she still loved dearly, insisted her questions about Legolas' mother were not to be asked until quite later. She considered asking Legolas himself, but felt that may have been a tad inappropriate. She wanted to offer something to the elf for comfort. And if Gandalf and Elrond would stop blatantly pushing her towards him, she might seek Legolas out. Those two were worse than gossiping townswomen. Here they were, two of the wisest in all of Middle-Earth, probably a few Ages between them, and all they can amuse themselves with is a seemingly final match- making. She swore it was because Elrond did not get to choose who he wanted for Arwen, and Gandalf never really had children. Or this was just their way of punishing her for all the trouble she caused as a child. Of course, to them, she was still very much a child. Rhiannon was positive Gandalf's hat was older than her, but enough of those childish misgivings.
There was a pre-farewell feast, tomorrow there would be final farewells in the Great Hall. Rhiannon made the decision that she would have to speak to Legolas at great length before he left on this journey. He was known for being tireless and light-hearted, and someone would need to be of endless hope on this quest. She knew he would have his moments of doubt, as all do, but that was the way of life. It was odd to her, around Lostladion she acted playful, around Gandalf and Elrond, a spoilt child, and around Legolas, an advisor. Although she had learned long ago that everyone she met saw different aspects of her. This behavior was non-exclusive, everyone acted in similar ways. She had admitted to herself, that even though she knew little of Legolas, he had a presence that she missed dearly when he was not near. Rhiannon waited outside the dinning hall for Legolas to exit. Suddenly she felt a rush of warm wind around her. She felt the throbbing pressure start to build in her skull. Her last coherent thought was, "Damn powers."
*****************
Legolas peered out of the window. He had been observing Rhiannon since he saw her standing out there. He wondered briefly if she waited for him. The thought brought a small smile to his face. One that did not go unnoticed by Gandalf, who gave a small chuckle. Legolas shook his head; it was not the time for such thoughts. They left for the quest tomorrow, he needed to be focused. He did not need to be distracted by the mysterious little half- elven. No, ¾-elven. Legolas looked at Rhiannon again. She was gripping that railing awfully tight. Gandalf turned to him,
"Legolas, will you please go check on Rhiannon? She does not look too well."
Legolas gave a nod and swiftly walked towards where Rhiannon stood.
The sight before him caused a small rise of panic. A look of deep concentration was on her face. There was a thin film of sweat forming on her forehead. Her arms were visibly shaking.
"Rhiannon, Mani naa ta? Mani marte? (What is it? What happened?)"
His question went unanswered. He lightly touched her arm. There was a sudden burst of energy between the two. Legolas tried to pull away, but a force kept his hand where it was. Legolas felt as if his mind was being rolled. As if someone was looking into his soul, finding out all his darkest secrets, and even things he did not yet know about himself. An almost hysterical fear started to well up on him and he pried his hand from Rhiannon's arm; the touch still burning deeply. He was left with the feeling of a swift kick to his stomach. Rhiannon did not seem to be faring any better than him, and he quickly reached out before she fell to her feet.