Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or places related to LOTR. Wish I did but I don't. Do own original characters; Endarine and Sulei'alueo, their thought speech and mindsets. Also credit the story line plot to the movie "Lady Hawk" (A/N: It's a great movie).This story is co-written by Arienwen author of 'Elven Journey'.
A/N: Were back yayayayayya! Sorry we took so long hope you enjoy this chapter, we've finally reached the basic story line big cheers. Full apology at the end. And remember REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!
Chapter 3 A Spell Gone Off Beam
Gandalf moved over to Endarine's side, where he quickly examined her.
"There appears to be naught wrong with her. She is not showing the same signs as one who is unconscious. She appears to simply be sleeping."
Aragorn nodded, still incredulous as to what had happened. He looked at her on the sheet-padded chairs, and thought she might want something a little more comfortable. His mind drifted for a moment and he thought of putting her in the bed with Legolas, but then his mind slapped him and told him he should know better.
"I'll go arrange for a bed to be brought in." and he quickly left the room. Soon he found one of the Rohirric guards, and asked for his and several others' help in hauling Endarine's bed from her room to the other. It was rather heavy, and bulky as well, being made from rich, thick oak. When she was finally settled, Aragorn took a step back and breathed clearly for the first time in two days.
Gandalf did another quick examination of the elf prince. His face was confused when he finished.
"It appears as though there was never a wound at all in the spot." He stated. Looking back and forth along the prince's side. "Even elves have slight scarring from wounds. You would see silvery scar lines. But I see none here at all, and though I have the appearance of an old man, I know that I've not the sight of one."
Aragorn laughed slightly, but got up anyway to go and see what Gandalf had. The wizard was right. The flesh that a half hour before had been raggedly torn and bleeding was now bright, pink and new, as if it had never been wounded at all.
On a hunch, Aragorn looked at Legolas's shoulder, where he knew a century's old wound had left a hairline silver scar. It had been before the elf's extensive archery training. He searched the entire thing, and found no trace of the scar. He pointed it out to Gandalf.
"He had a scar there on his shoulder. It's gone now!"
The wizard also extensively examined the shoulder, and then moved to the other one in case Aragorn had looked at the wrong one. He could find no trace of scarring either.
"Were there any other scars that the prince had?"
Aragorn nodded, and pointed out two more or, at least the spots where they should have been. The scar from the broken ankle when Legolas had been only eleven was gone, as well as the scar on his outer calf where, a few years after the ankle, a dive from a waterfall had hit a rock in too-shallow water. Both were gone as well. Gandalf stood back, a perplexed looked upon his face.
"Strange." He said, "Very strange indeed." Then his mind had another hunch.
"Aragorn, did Endarine have any scars that you knew of?"
The ranger nodded. "One on her shoulder from the Battle of Dagorlad Plain, and another on her palm from when she was young and orcs raided a village she was traveling through."
The pair went over to the other bed, and looked at both shoulders and palms. Not even a trace of silvery scars remained.
"It seems she performed some kind of healing spell, not only for current wounds, but for past ones as well."
Aragorn nodded. "Where did she learn such magic?"
"I know not. But I do have an idea. Let me ask you, did she look the same as she did in Moria?"
Aragorn nodded again, "Yes, only then the light came off her into a sphere of light, rather then all the little flittering bits this time."
Gandalf nodded, in seeming understanding.
"Then perhaps, she has a gift that is only now beginning to show."
"A gift?"
"Yes. Some elves are given gifts by the Valar when they are born, but the powers do not show themselves until many years later, sometimes millennia. It appears to have done so with Endarine."
"How do you know?" questioned Aragorn in honest curiosity.
"I am Istari. I have lived a long time, and conversed with the Valar. There was an elf many millennia ago who also had such powers, though they seemed to be only for healing, unlike Endarine's. Hers seem both for healing and defense. But then, each gift given is different."
"Who was this other elf you speak of?"
"Shaelen. He was a warrior of Gondolin, and fell when the city was betrayed and destroyed by Morgoth. He was injured so gravely that he could not heal himself. Instead, he gave the last of his powers to heal others who had been wounded less gravely. He died a few days after the hidden city fell."
Aragorn nodded, his present questions answered.
Gandalf went back to the table and sat down, running a hand across his face.
"Now I know what we may be facing. I think I have been looking in the wrong volumes."
Aragorn went over and sat between the two beds, which had been arranged side by side. He tried to stay awake as long as possible, but soon fell asleep sitting up in his chair. Gandalf remained ever vigilant at the table, pouring over a new batch of manuscripts and papers he had taken from the archives of the Keep.
The next morning, Gandalf thought he had had it. The description of the spell was in Sindarin, a tongue he spoke, read and wrote well, but the actual spell was an ancient one that even his old ears had never had chance to cross. They were written in Tengwar, easy enough to understand. The spell itself was rather short, but would still be lengthy due to its unfamiliarity. He wanted to try it, but not until the two in the beds were healed more, at least strength wise.
The two had alternatively awoken and fallen asleep throughout the night. Neither had ever been awake at the same time though. They were either both sleeping, or one or the other was awake. The strangeness of the spell's aftereffects made him wonder. Once, when Legolas had been awake, he walked around at Aragorn's urging, only to have Gandalf burst back in from the annals of the Keep and ordered him back into bed.
Just as the sun was rising, a messenger of Théoden's came to the door. Aragorn, who had awoken at the knock, answered it.
"Excuse me, my lord, but the king has sent me to tell you of our departure. He says he plans to leave just after midday tomorrow."
"Thank you." Aragorn replied, and shut the door.
Gandalf had heard it all. "So we'll be leaving tomorrow, eh?"
"Ay, we will be."
"Then I must get to work without further delay. Those two need to be up and awake before then."
"Have you found anything?"
"I have, but it is in a tongue unfamiliar to me. I only hope that it will work correctly when I use it."
"You don't know if it will work?"
"I believe it will. And if I annunciate them wrong, I don't think any harm will come of it. Other spells that I have mispronounced have simply not worked. This should do the same, I hope."
"Then Hurry up! I want to see him out of his bed and back on his feet!"
Gandalf chuckled, the deep raspy laugh that was uniquely his. Then he got up, and went over to Legolas. Endarine had been the last to wake, and he knew the prince would be the next to rise. He shook the elf gently. He woke, focusing his eyes.
"Good morning."
"Quel re, Gandalf (good day, Gandalf)" came the reply.
"I wanted to question you on something. Last night, I found an old spell that will hopefully restore both you and Endarine. I wanted to ask your permission before using it."
"I've no problem with it. I want to get out of this bed!" At this, Aragorn, who was standing just behind the wizard, laughed. So did Gandalf.
"As does everyone else. Now, would you please try to go back to sleep? I must rouse Endarine to ask her as well."
Legolas nodded, and turned over. Within a few minutes, his eyes glassed over, and his breathing evened. Gandalf turned to the other bed. Already the elleth under the covers had begun to stir. When the deep blue eyes opened, he leaned in and smiled at her.
"Good day, Endarine. I have just asked Legolas and am now asking you. Might I have permission to attempt a spell I found last night? I believe it will help the both of you to recover."
She nodded, still half asleep. "It is fine by me."
Gandalf nodded, turning back round to gather up the spell parchment form the table. He looked at it, memorizing the few lines that were written upon it. Then he grabbed his staff and stood between the two beds. Endarine stared wide eyes at him from underneath the covers.
He grasped the staff firmly, and closed his eyes to calm himself. When he felt sufficient, he began uttering the ancient words.
They rolled off his tongue with easiness. The relatively few words from the page were quickly said and done. The laced tip of the staff began to glow, a bright silvery light. It emitted from a single spot within the carved, woven strands, a pinpoint of light behind the white wood.
Gandalf stood perfectly still, as the spell had instructed him to do. The glow grew brighter. It began to swirl out from the openings of the staff, and with a quick zip! Shot out in two directions, one to either bed.
The beds suddenly became hidden in clouds of smoke. From Endarine's bed came a high shriek, and Gandalf broke his meditation and ran to the smoke filled bed. With a quick muttering, he banished the smoke, and in the bed, he saw that Endarine had vanished! No, not vanished. There was a lump underneath the covers. Soon, it began to hop about, and strange squawking noises came from within it. With a worried look upon his face, Gandalf ripped the covers back.
Once they were removed, something white winged past him. It flew round and round the room, screeching its head off. Soon, the streak flew back to the bed and perched on the headboard. Gandalf saw that it was a snow-white hawk, black speckles all around its wings and back, and the tail was a deep, silvery grey. The eyes, when he looked, were the same deep shade of ocean blue of Endarine.
'What in the Valar's name have you done to me, Gandalf?'
The words blasted into his mind. Mind speech?
"Endarine?" he questioned slowly.
'Yes, it's me! Who else would I be you stupid wizard?'
Gandalf sighed.
"I do not know, Endarine. I believe the spell has gone awry."
'Damned right it went awry! What in the hell fires of Angband did you do to me? Look at me! I'm a bloody bird!'
Gandalf chuckled, and it seemed to put Endarine into an even worse mood than before. She hopped up from her spot and landed on his shoulder, pecking him right in the ear. He flinched back.
"Aiya! There was no need for that!"
'Then fix it!' She roared.
At that moment, Legolas jumped up from the other bed, his eyes wide-awake.
"What happened? What's going on?" then he glanced a sight at the hawk sitting upon Gandalf's shoulder. He caught the color of its eyes.
"What have you done to Endarine!"
"It was entirely accidental, let me assure you. Do you think I wanted to turn her into a ruddy bird?"
Legolas shook his head, and then began looking at his hands. "Is it only her that is effected?"
"So far, she is. May haps because she is female, but I do not truly know."
Endarine gave Gandalf another peck.
"Ow! Endarine, must you?"
'YES!' she screeched into everyone's minds. Aragorn was standing over in the corner looking about, a look of utter confusion upon his face.
Legolas's face, too, had succumbed to confusion. He looked back and forth from Gandalf to Aragorn to the bird perched on the Istari's shoulder.
Endarine pecked once more at the wizard, then took wing and flew to Legolas's shoulder. She landed as light as a cloud, which surprised the elf. He turned to look at her.
"Well, mela, what do we do now?"
"I could attempt the spell again…" Gandalf began to say
"NO!" Legolas yelled, just as at the same time Endarine silently screamed 'NO!' into everyone's heads. Aragorn, still in the corner, began to laugh.
Later that afternoon, just as the sun was going down, the group sat in the room. Legolas had packed both his and Endarine's bags, since her wings and feathers could do little to help. Gandalf, in between packing his own few meager belongings, was pouring through the spell book trying to find out what he had done wrong. He could find nothing, and to show her dislike at still being a bird, every few moments Endarine would swoop over and steal what he was trying to pack, flying high about the room with him chasing behind her screaming apologies.
Still later, they were all sitting, or perched, near the hearth. Gimli had actually bathed at the insistence of the rest of them, and was sitting nearer the fire than the rest, trying to run a comb through his curly, matted hair and beard. He succeeded only in breaking half the wooden teeth off into the tangles. He had yet to see the elves and their miraculous shape shifting, and it seemed he would yet to, for as soon as he was dry, he hunkered back down into his corner and snored away.
Legolas was sitting in a chair, dressed for the first time in three days. His shirt, to Aragorn relief, had been salvageable. The ranger, after washing it free of blood and dirt, had taken it to one of the seamstresses of the Keep. She had gladly taken it, and had repaired the cut seems in a couple of hours.
Now it was wearing cleanly upon the elf's shoulders. Endarine was perched upon his shoulder nearer the fire, every once in a while sending a vehement glare in Gandalf direction. Gandalf was sitting, quite demurely, looking through the book, still trying to figure out what he had done wrong. The sun had dipped lower, and everyone turned to watch. It touched the horizon.
As soon as the glowing orb had touched the earth, both Legolas and Endarine let out a shriek. Endarine hopped down from his shoulder just as Legolas jumped up from his chair. She began flapping her wings, and the elf prince held his hand across his stomach as if he were in horrible pain. Gandalf and Aragorn both jumped up to help them but found themselves unable to do anything.
At once, Endarine twitched, and with a poofing noise, there she was, standing fully clothed and elven once more. Then, and instant later, with another poof, Legolas disappeared, and in his place squawked a huge snow-white falcon with silvery speckles on his back, a black tail, and eyes the same shade of ice-blue.
This bird now began flailing about the room as Endarine had done earlier. Endarine, momentarily frozen after being returned to her natural form, ran after him shouting.
"Legolas! Shut up and get down here! Squawking and flailing about will do you no good!" Aragorn inwardly laughed at this, for her first reaction at being turn avian had been the same.
At once the bird turned, and Endarine held out her arm. The bird landed lightly, and immediately hunched over demurely. He turned his still ice-blue eyes to the wizard's.
'What in Valar have you done to me? I thought you said this would affect only her!'
At this, Endarine got a slightly hurt look on her face and tapped a finger on the bird's beak, which immediately shut.
'I apologize, Endarine. Good gods! How could you stand this form?'
"With time, goodly elf." She replied. She turned to the wizard.
"Well, it looks like we've still got a problem on our hands, Gandalf. What now do you plan to do?"
"Nothing, for now. Not after what happened last time. I am trying no new spells. This one helped you not, and another unfamiliar one might only upset this particular mishap more."
"Good idea" Aragorn said from the periphery of the group. He stepped forward and stroked the bird on top of its head. "I do say, Legolas, you look much better in this form." He began to laugh, then yelped when the bird pecked at his finger, drawing a slight amount of blood. "Aiya!"
Endarine giggled and the bird gave its version of a cackling snicker
"How will we explain this to Théoden and the others?" Endarine questioned, suddenly turning serious again.
All four pondered this. Gandalf finally came up with an answer.
"We shall not tell them." Three pairs of eyes looked questioningly on. "You shall each say, when either time is around, that the other is a pet from home that followed you. During the day, if anyone asks, simply say that the other must be at a different part of the entourage than you. This will simply send some soldier around looking for them, and he will simply think he can't find them due to the crowd. Worry not. We will figure this predicament out."
The others nodded agreeably. Then they went to bed. Their things were all packed, so they had only to wait for the call the next noon to depart. They hoped a solution would be found soon.
The next morning, before the sun had appeared above the horizon, Gandalf roused the two so that they'd be awake when they changed again. Endarine got up, made her bed nice and neat, and sat lightly upon its edge, Legolas perched beside her on the fur coverlet. She didn't bother dressing; she'd soon be a bird anyway. Aragorn soon rose, and Gimli remained snoring in his corner.
Gandalf was peering out of the window, waiting for the thin sliver of yellowish light to appear on the horizon.
It happened, and not a second later, Endarine yelped and Legolas squawked. All eyes turned towards the two by the bed. An instant later, Legolas landed, somewhat ungracefully, on the bed, and Endarine was holding herself aloft with steady wing beats.
Legolas held out his arm, and she landed on it, and he cradled her head and leaned to her, touching his bare forehead with her feathered one. He crooned softly to her, no words, just simple relaxing tones.
An instant later, a knock rapped the thick wooden door. Aragorn answered it, and there stood one of Théoden's personal guards. He cleared his throat.
"The king wishes a word with you, Gandalf, as well as Aragorn and the two elves. He will await you in his audience chambers."
He left, and a few minutes later, the entire entourage, except the dwarf who was still sleeping soundly, made their way to the king's audience chamber. They entered silently and waited for Théoden, who was seated in a large carved chair, to speak. Eowyn and her brother were there as well, standing off to the side of the king.
"Where is the elven maiden?" he questioned, looking at each face within the group.
"She has been detained elsewhere, but she has said we may speak in her stead." Gandalf said quickly, shooting a glance at the rest of them to keep quiet. Théoden noticed the pleading look, but said nothing.
"Very well, then. I shall come straight to the point. Would you like to accompany me on a side trip to Isengard on our way back to Edoras? I've some harsh words to speak with that wizard."
Aragorn looked at Gandalf and nodded. They would need to talk to Saruman, and soon, before they made their next move. Gandalf turned from the ranger back to the king.
"Our services are yours, Théoden."
The king nodded and waved his hand for them to leave.
"I give you all my thanks. We've no idea what we will encounter when we arrive there. We may have need of your skills."
The group bowed and left the room.
At noon, the horn of the Keep was blown, and the people of Rohan grouped together with their belongings and they departed. As they made the long trip, groups broke off near their respective villages, to rebuild damaged housing and get back to, what the others hoped, a normal life.
Soon, Théoden raised his hand, and the now slightly smaller group halted. He turned his mount and rode until he found those he was looking for. He still did not see Endarine. He rode up to Gandalf.
"Where has the Lady Endarine gone to again? We are nearing the borders of the Isen, and need her."
Gandalf shrugged, convincingly he hoped. "She has been going back and forth along the trail, helping where needed. Do not worry, if she does not accompany us, all will be well. Her skills of healing are needed much more here than in Isengard."
The king noticed a slight discrepancy with the way the wizard spoke, but the Wise often did strange things. Perhaps he was right.
"Bring the rest of them along."
Gandalf went along with the rest of the group, collecting them and telling them to get prepared. They broke away from the group and followed the king as he, too, broke off from the main group and headed towards the still smoking, steaming tower of Orthanc as it rose in the distance.
Endarine rode easily, perched upon Legolas' shoulder. She found it surprisingly easy to be a bird, even though she'd been a bird for less than two days. She had immediately known how to fly, as well, and that had surprised her.
They soon slowed down as they hit the heavy wooded area that had before surrounded the lands of Isengard. It was very damp and wet, and the horses picked their way slowly through the near slush that the earth had become. Soon after, they went through a great hole in the Isengard rock wall, the other side just as filled with trees, at least near the wall. Further on, they could see torn remnants of what had once been mighty oaks and others cut to the ground.
Soon, they saw dappled sunlight through the trees, and a light sound of twin laughter. They soon broke away from the forested area, and walked into bright sunlight.
Seated upon the bordering rocks sat the two hobbits that had been separated from them before. Merry and Pippin sat lightly on top of the rocks, each holding pipes and eating food. Endarine screeched, drawing their attention away from their plundering meal. Merry threw both feet into the air and laughed a loud, hearty hobbit-laugh. Gimli, seated behind Legolas, snorted heavily. He began complaining loudly.
"We come here to find you drinking, and, and smoking!"
Both hobbits laughed. Then Pippin sat up more and defended himself.
"We are sitting upon a field of victory, and enjoying the resulting spoils."
Merry laughed, and then leaned in more towards the dwarf seated behind the elf on Arod's back.
"The salted pork is exceptionally good." He said with a slight glint in his eye. The dwarf groaned.
"Salted pork?" he asked, and his eyes grew wider and his mouth visibly began to water. Legolas and Aragorn both laughed.
They made their way further into the flooded area, towards the tall, soaring tower of Orthanc. On the top, Gandalf and Legolas could see a faint white figure, light colored robes fluttering in the heavy breeze that had sprung. Behind the white figure was a shorter, darker figure; Grima Wormtongue.
Théoden's brow furrowed when he caught sight of the traitor, and his voice caught in his throat.
Endarine immediately flew up off of Legolas's shoulder, soaring upwards until she was above even Saruman and Grima. She could hear them all talking, though she was so high that she couldn't make out exactly what was said.
Suddenly, amidst the conversation, she saw Grima hesitate, and take a step back. She dove, to see him closer, and was surprised to see him pulling a small scabbard and blade out of his long sleeve.
With a squawk, she dove even faster, and with a flip in midair, snatched the sheathed blade between her talons, flying towards the edge of the tower and dropping it over the edge.
Legolas had watched the entire scene unfold, as had the rest of the group. He watched at the black and silver object freed from her claws began to fall. He urged Arod forward, and was soon within feet of the tower's wall. His eyes never left the falling object, and as it fell ever downward, he reached out and caught it. He brought his arm down and looked at the blade, Rohirric in make, but evil in appearance.
He turned his horse round and went to Théoden, handing the weapon over, just as Endarine flew down and landed upon his arm. The king took the blade and put it into his belt, then looked back up at the top of the tower. His eyes suddenly opened wide and he shouted, pointing to the top of the tower.
The entire group turned their heads up to look. Grima had pulled a second blade from his other sleeve, and before any of the group below could do or say anything, he had lunged at the wizard, burying the blade to its hilt within the Istari's flesh.
Endarine squawked, and at the same instant, Legolas pulled and notched an arrow, letting it fly it an attempt to halt the blade. It was a shot fired too late. It hit Grima square in his chest at the same instant that his blade hit flesh. The Rohhirin staggered backwards and fell, dead before he landed.
The wizard, gasping fro breath, with the blade still sticking out from his back, staggered forward, falling off the edge of his own tower. He fell, faster and faster with the pull of gravity. All eyes followed his form, and then turned away when they saw where he would hit.
He landed with a soft thud and a squelching fleshy noise. He had landed atop one of the waterwheels, on one of the spikes that lined their edges. His weight on top caused the wheel to begin turning, until he was stuck underneath the waterwheel, forever forgotten in a muddy grave.
Endarine landed back on Legolas shoulder, rubbing her beak against his cheek. Once again, Théoden noticed, but said nothing. He was beginning to get an idea as to where the lady Endarine had "wandered" off to.
Gandalf shouted something, and Legolas turned to see Pippin knee deep in water, holding a small blue sphere. He had an inkling of what it was; one of the ancient palantir's used by the kings of Numenor. He watched as Gandalf grabbed it and hid it beneath a great fold of his robes.
The group turned and left Isengard, hopefully for the last and final time.
That next morning, after avoiding witnesses to the two elves' predicament, they rejoined the group of travelers still on their way back to Edoras. This time, however, Endarine felt surer of her self, and flew around; playing with those that knew her, and even some who didn't.
She had squawked in avian laughter when a final dive and swish had nearly scared Eomer out of his saddle. She had flown off while he held himself on and shouted curses at her. She landed lightly on Legolas's shoulder with a cheeky glint in her dark blue eyes.
Later, when they had successfully arrived at the Rohirric capital, Legolas and she were back lounging in the rooms they had used before they'd fled for Helm's Deep. Gandalf, Aragorn and Gimli were also with them, the dwarf waiting impatiently for the sun to go down. He had been told of Gandalf's mishap, and wanted nothing more than for Legolas to turn into a bird he could taunt. The woodland elf shot him both wounded and angry looks as often as he could.
The room, closed off from the hallway, with no windows due to its central location within Meduseld's keep, was comfortably warm with a fire blazing in the stone hearth. Time seemed to pass all too slowly. Gimli was fairly bouncing in his chair for the elf to "Hurry up and change!"
Soon enough, there came to now all too familiar look of pain, but this time only in the eyes of the bird. She only squawked, but didn't do the familiar poof that turned her back.
She looked up, seemingly surprised at both her appearance and that of the elf beside her. 'Aren't you supposed to have changed with me?'
Legolas just continued looking confused. "I know no more than you, mela. Perhaps it is over at last?"
'Aiya! Don't say that! You'll make it last even longer!' she said with both humor and seriousness in her hawkish mind voice.
Gandalf rose, his face even more confused than Legolas'. What had happened? Why had Legolas and Endarine not changed?
He went to the door, opened it and walked along the hallway. He reached the end, and walked outside just to assure himself that the sun had sunk. Sure enough, it had dipped fully below the horizon, and the moon was already halfway placed. Its light played across his scruffy face.
The light shone in his eyes, and Gandalf suddenly had a spur of revelation. Turning, he ran back down the dark hallway lit only by torchlight. He entered the still open door, arriving out of breath and startling the others within.
"I've an idea! May haps the spell works only when in the presence of light."
Endarine laughed. 'But we've light to spare in here, Gandalf.'
Legolas and Aragorn nodded in agreement.
"She's right, Gandalf. We've both the hearth and candles lit. I think your assumption is incorrect."
"Ah, but I never said what kind of light. The flames upon those logs and wicks are not natural light. They are brought into being by us."
The group before him still looked skeptical. Gandalf rolled his eyes.
"Aiya! For Eru's sake, would you just follow me outside? I want to test something!"
Legolas looked slightly wary. "You're not trying magic again, are you?"
"No, not in the least! Now, come one. Come on!"
They followed him silently out of the room and back down the torch lit hall. Gandalf paused near the end, carefully avoiding the patches of moonlight that played across the cobbled floor. He turned back, grasping Legolas upper arm and pulling him forward. Endarine hopped over and perched on Aragorn's shoulder while the elf was otherwise occupied.
"Now, I only want to see if this works. Step into the light!"
Legolas moved to do so, but at the exact moment he would have stepped into the bluish patch, a cloud played across the sky and blocked the light. Legolas remained elfin. Gandalf cursed and stomped his foot.
"What in Valar's name is going on!" he stammered, swinging his arms and wide sleeves around.
What the wizard didn't notice was that while he was venting, the wind had once again picked up, and the cloud was moving away. Legolas noticed, and stood so that he would be standing right in front of Gandalf when the moonlight was once again revealed.
The cloud moved, and the silvery light shone down upon his head. The instant it touched him, he disappeared in a poof, and in his place was the familiar hovering falcon. Gandalf shouted in surprise, then laughed as he realized what had happened.
"I guess I was right." He said, turning a cheeky grin on the rest of the group, who turned diffident and demure as his gaze traveled over them.
He held out his bell-sleeved arm, and the hovering falcon landed lightly upon it. Gandalf then, on a spur of thought, turned and tossed the bird from the moonlit terrace back among the shadows of the hall. The bird flew through the air, and as it hit the shade of the hall, poofed back into an elf. Aragorn and Endarine stared on ion both confusion and fascination. He landed lightly, as any elf would, then turned and glared at the Istari.
"What use was that, Gandalf? Changing from one form to the other is exhausting, or have you not noticed?"
The wizard ignored the comment, but instead hastened back over to the shadows, and with a gentle shove, he pushed elf back out into the moonlight. With another poof, he was a falcon once more. This time though, when Gandalf went out to get the bird to land upon his arm, it screeched and scratched at the arm with its talons. The wizard yelped and held the slightly scratched arm as the bird flew back to the shadows. It changed in mid-flight, and Legolas landed, elfin once more.
"Stop doing that, Gandalf, or next time you shan't have any fingers." They all laughed, Endarine screeching, and then she flew off of Aragorn's arm and into the moonlight, where she was soon whole again.
Gandalf laughed in spite of the seeming threat.
"Not to worry! I have proved my point."
Aragorn stepped forward at this. "But, Gandalf, if they could both be whole when out of the light, why were they not both whole in the camp tents on our trip back? The light was blocked then, and Legolas remained a bird even then."
"Ah, yes, but even those cloth tents cannot block out the light wholly as the stone walls of Meduseld can."
Aragorn thought on this, realizing that the wizard was correct. Thank the Valar for the wizard's clear head, though he wasn't sure how to react to such, as it was Gandalf's fault in the first place that his immortal friends were in such a predicament.
At that moment, one of Eowyn's ladies in waiting approached them from the other end of the hallway. She bowed and waited for them to acknowledge her presence, and then spoke.
"The king's niece would like you to know that there will be a victory feast on tomorrow's eve. She has invited you, and hopes that you will all attend and enjoy the merriment it will provide." She smiled at each of them in turn, her gaze lingering on Aragorn, knowing full well the feelings that her lady held for him.
She turned and left them alone in the hallway. As soon as she turned the corner at the far end, Aragorn let out a heavy sigh and groaned.
"I will rue the day when I must tell her."
Legolas laughed, and patted his own friend on the shoulder.
"Uma, melloneamin (yes, my friend), but you must let her have her love now until then. It will do her no harm." Aragorn snorted, looking at his friend.
"Easy enough for you to say, Legolas, when you've your own mela standing right beside you." Legolas laughed, increasing his hold upon the ranger's shoulders.
"You are right; friend, but my words are truth nonetheless. I am just glad that none of the women here have had the same reaction to me. I am rather handsome you know." His voice carried a hint of facetiousness.
Aragorn and Endarine both laughed at this sudden deviation from the conversation. It was the first time any of them had truly laughed for a long time.
Gandalf noticed this and held back, letting them enjoy their humorous moment. They would have few enough of them later. When they were through laughing, he stepped up beside them.
"Let us go inside and get our rest now. We will have enough to do tomorrow."
The group left, going off to their separate rooms. The elf's hands were intertwined as they went to their own bedroom.
As soon as he was alone, Gandalf pulled out his staff and muttered began muttering a spell he had known well for ages. Clouds blew up from around the horizon, covering the stars and the moon, bringing complete darkness around him. The wind died down to noting, until the air was still and cold. Gandalf turned and went to his own bed.
The clouds would remain for several days, looking like storm clouds. They would hopefully cover the sunlight enough that Endarine would not change. He knew well enough that changing from one for to another was exhausting for the both of them. Hopefully, now, they could get some rest.
The next day dawned dimly, as the clouds had, as Gandalf had hexed, remained still and unmoving. Endarine was the first to rise. She turned and saw the elf lying next to her in the bed and smiled.
Maybe now we can get some things done, she thought.
She got up silently, as she always did, and made her way to the hearth, where she kindled a few quick flames from the still living coals. She held up her hands and put them to the flame. They were soon comfortably warm, and she moved from the inglenook to her pack, where she removed a change of clothing. She sat them on a chair and began to undress, removing her white night robe.
She had just managed to get undergarments on when she heard a soft chuckle from behind her. She whipped around to see Legolas, wide awake in the bed, and smiling as he looked at her.
"Eithel, mela, lleq maae vanima sina amrun (well, love, you're looking beautiful this morning)" and he chuckled again.
Endarine got a false pouting look and went over to the side of the bed. She leaned in towards him and gave him a playful slap on his bare chest, then kissed him lightly on the lips.
"Just like a rogue to look at women when they mustn't." and she kissed him again.
He laughed more heartily, then reached his arms around her and pulled her closer. "Uma, mela, nan' ann mele er (yes, love, but a passionate one).
She giggled, and then got up to finish dressing. On top of the garments, she put a pale cream underskirt, and on top of that the same blue frock she had adorned for the Imladris feast. She heard movement behind her, and turned to see Legolas up and out of bed and donning his own clothing, the same as he always wore but without the deeply colored outer shirt. She smiled as she watched him, his strong back as he pulled the shirt over his head and the play of muscles in his legs as he slipped on his dark trousers and boots.
He finished, and they made their way to the Meduseld together, arm in arm. They talked and laughed, grateful for Gandalf and his clever mind for being able to figure out this riddle. They noticed, as they passed by a window, that there was no direct sunlight to be found anywhere. The heavy clouds obscured it. Endarine's mind went whirling.
"This strange weather has Gandalf written all over it." She said, as she and Legolas stared out of the stone hewn window. He nodded his own head in response.
"Aye, it does." Then, a breeze blew, a heavy one for which these parts of Rohan were known for. His eyes crinkled in thought as the heavy wind blew his hair up and behind his shoulders. "Clouds that do not move, even with this heavy current."
Endarine glanced up and studied the clouds more closely. Indeed, they were not moving, even in the brisk wind that was making her eyes squint.
"Aye. At least they are blocking the sunlight! This is the first time in days I'll be able to spend time in the day without having to be clad in feathers and taloned feet!"
Legolas laughed at this, and then the two of them continued on down the hall.
They entered the mead hall amidst a crowd of warriors from the Hornburg battle. Many of them reeked of ale.
Endarine shook her head. The sun barely raised and already they had topped off their mugs more than once! She couldn't blame them. They had just survived and un-survivable battle. Enough of their comrades and friends had died. They had reason enough to get drunk.
They went to one of the tables, off to the side, and sat down. For a while all they did was sit, he straddling the bench, and she with her legs pulled under her and leaning against his chest with his arms around her middle.
Several minutes later, the remainder of the Fellowship, that being Aragorn, Gimli, Merry and Pippin, joined them. The young hobbits had accompanied them back from Isengard, where they had left Treebeard and the rest of his Entish friends to keep watch over the now ruined tower.
Soon, food was brought out by the cooks and serving maids, who were smiling wide as they sat the platters down with relish. The plates were heaped with food, it seemed Théoden planned to celebrate not only that night, but all day as well.
Endarine, after several days of being unable to eat anything but mice, heaped her plate high. She couldn't bring herself to eat many of the vermin that normal hawks considered food. She had eaten but one and that had nearly made her sick. She had declined food the rest of the time, for most times after she changed all she wanted to do was sleep.
It was fairly simple fare, but there was plenty of it. Oats boiled until they were a thick meal she ladled into a smaller bowl of her own, then covered it with the brown sugar harvested from maple trees and mixed in a handful of dried fruit.
From a steaming salver she pulled a spoonful of eggs, mixed together and fried. There were plenty of them on the serving plate. Obviously, the chickens and other fowls they had left behind during their retreat to the Hornburg had been laying plenty. From a third and final dish she measured out a serving of fruits; an apple and a pear. Then she sat down and began eating.
She had gotten halfway through when Gimli looked up and noticed.
"Oi, lass! How much are ye planning to eat here? Ye knows there's a feast coming this evening don' you?" and he laughed.
"I'm going to eat as much as I can until this weather clears and I'm stuck being a bird again. As much as I enjoy being a hawk, I still can't bring myself to eat rodents." And she delved back into her plate.
The others laughed. They could understand her hunger after several days of no choice but rats. They, too, continued on with their breakfasts.
Over in the corner, Gandalf sat smoking his pipe. He had breakfasted already, and was now sitting silently contemplating the mess before him. Yes, the cloud spell had worked, but for how long? Had he condemned these poor elves to such an eternity? He was seriously questioning himself, as well as the possibilities of this seemingly impossible riddle. He had always been good at such conundrums, but this one baffled him beyond all he had ever known.
A/N—Yes I know! What a cliffie! Is the spell fixed? Is it over and done? But I thought you'd rather have what we've got so far, rather than waiting for a couple more weeks! I can only hope I've got the fishhook in good and tight!
Arienwen
--I'd just like to say that I blame school for this extremely late chapter, I'm so sorry school got in the way especially with exams. That and also my co-writer is a senior and will be graduating so things may slow down even more crosses fingers. I'll try to continue updating in my profile if you would like to see where we are with a chapter, and if you have any good pranks for the characters let us know. REVIEW!
Endarine
