Edwen Nana does get into this chapter, but she behaves herself. I think all naughty Edwen Nana episodes will be placed in "Hair Raising Adventures," which is rated 'R'. This story will not exceed 'PG-13'.
Tyrian Woodrose: Thank you! As long as people are still interested in reading the stories, I'll keep posting them.
Dragonfly: Ah hah! Plot twist caught you by surprise! Mwah hah hah. Have a good time during your vacation. The beach, right? Good for you!
Joee: Yes, once again Gandalf slips from the grip of his foes. Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!
Kelly Kragen: Yes, I think Gollum does deserve our pity. You know the phrase: There but for the grace of God go I.
Beta'd by Dragonfly, who is going on vacation next week. Heads up, Joee!
Chapter 33: Sweet Dreams
Gandalf had been resting several days at the Great Hall. In spite of the wizard's eagerness to examine the mysterious rings, Thranduil had insisted that the Istar take to his bed to spare his ankle.
"Furthermore, you are too skinny," the elven king declared. "Don't those Imladris Elves feed you?"
"Why is everyone trying to make me eat?" fumed Gandalf. "You'd think you were all Orcs trying to fatten me up!"
Thranduil was unmoved.
"I am going to set Edwen Nana to nursing you. She'll see that you convalesce properly."
"Not Edwen Nana!" cried Gandalf. "Please, I beg of you! Have mercy upon a sick Man!"
"It is because you are a sick Man that I will send her to you," retorted Thranduil.
"Oh, just hand me over to wargs, why don't you! For she will surely chew me up and spit me out!"
"Really, Mithrandir, Edwen Nana is naught but a kindly elleth. Why do you object to her waiting upon you?"
"Because she will cut my hair whilst I sleep—aye, and trim my beard as well!"
"And if she does," teased Thranduil, "you will be able to see all the better—aye, and to eat the more conveniently as well, for your spoon shall be able to find its way to your mouth! Perhaps that is why you are so skinny—your food becomes trapped in your beard!"
"Thranduil, if I promise to clean my plate at each meal, will you spare me Edwen Nana's ministrations?"
"Very well, Mithrandir. I will not send for her, but I can't guarantee that she won't take it upon herself to look in on you."
"I shall place a sealing charm upon the door," Gandalf fervently declared.
"Oh, I shouldn't if I were you," chuckled Thranduil. "I understand that your spell backfired the last time you tried that and that as a result you were trapped in your room for several hours."
"Pray do not remind me of that," groaned Gandalf. "I have never been so mortified."
A knock sounded upon the door. Gandalf looked apprehensive, but relaxed when his latest visitor proved to be Legolas.
"Mithrandir, I hear that you are confined to quarters and so I have come to sit with you."
"Hannon le, Legolas! You are very welcome!"
"I will leave you now," Thranduil smiled. "Legolas, Mithrandir's plate must be clean upon my return. See to it!"
Legolas pulled a chair over to the bed and settled himself upon it. He cast a mirthful eye upon Gandalf's plate.
"That venison is very good, Mithrandir. I must confess that I was very vexed that there was only enough for one slice apiece."
"I am indeed very sorry to hear that! I wouldn't mind if you had a bite of my portion, for it is surely more than required for the sustenance of an old Man."
"Why, thank you, Mithrandir. I believe I will have a bite."
Of course, after Legolas had eaten one bite, Gandalf urged him to take a second, and a third. Soon the venison had vanished. Once again Legolas eyed Mithrandir's plate.
"That is a most excellent dish of mushrooms."
"True," agreed Gandalf, "but I am surfeited upon mushrooms, for whenever I visit the Shire, they are proffered to me at nearly every meal."
"'Twould be a pity to waste them," observed Legolas.
"Indeed it would! You must have some, Legolas."
"Why, thank you, Mithrandir. I believe I shall."
The mushrooms having been disposed of, Legolas commented in succession upon the soup, the bread, the salad, and the pastry; and Gandalf—so generous a host!—encouraged him to partake of these dishes as well. At last, nothing remaining upon the plate, Legolas sighed in contentment and leaned back upon his chair. At that moment, someone knocked upon the door. At Gandalf's 'Enter', Thranduil strode into the room, and in his wake swept the dread Edwen Nana, who confidently expected that Gandalf would need nursing. Both gazed upon the empty plate with surprise.
Said Thranduil, "I had not believed it possible that Mithrandir would be able to summon any appetite. It seems I was wrong, and he does not after all need the services of a nurse."
"You told me to see to it," said Legolas, "and I did. If it would be permitted, I will take all my meals with Mithrandir until he has fully recovered."
Edwen Nana studied the young Elf suspiciously, but Thranduil willingly agreed to Legolas' request.
"However will you manage?" Mithrandir asked Legolas after Thranduil and Edwen Nana had departed. "Now two plates will be brought to my chamber, one for you and one for me. You surely don't plan on cleaning both plates. If you do, you will very shortly be as fat as Bombur the Dwarf!"
"Oh," Legolas reassured him, "I will ask Tathar to join us but will neglect to tell my father that. Between the three of us, we ought to be able to polish off two plates—but you must promise to eat something each meal. My father is right; you look poorly."
"Legolas, over the past several months, I have been kidnapped by a Ringwraith, stabbed by an Orc, nearly dined upon by crows, bitten by Gollum, trapped in a spider web, captured by Orcs, and hunted by wargs. I have managed to sprain my ankle, and I almost died of thirst, hunger, and exposure. Oh, and did I mention that I was very nearly poisoned? You really can't expect me to look my best!"
"Of course," Legolas teased, "your 'best' was never very prepossessing to begin with."
"Insolent youth!' rejoined Mithrandir, smiling. "You should not speak so to your elder!"
"But, Mithrandir, you have never told me your age. Is it not possible that I am your elder?"
"Whatever our actual ages, I am old for a Man and you are young for an Elf; therefore, in relative terms, I am your elder, and courtesy requires that you address me as such."
"Very well, old Man," said Legolas, arising, "and as you are so ancient, I will leave you to take your rest. Outside the sun is setting, and the very old amongst Men retire with it."
"No, no," Gandalf exclaimed hastily, "stay a little longer. I wish to question you about the two attempts upon your person, for from the little that I have already heard, it seems to me that something very dark was at work. You must tell me everything you remember, everything you noticed."
Gandalf began by questioning Legolas about the first attempt, the one that took place within the realm of Greenwood itself. Thrice Gandalf guided the young Elf through the tale, stopping him frequently to question him about particulars.
"You were unable, then, to question a single one of the traitors?" Gandalf said at last.
"True. By the time Gilglîr had returned to the scene of the skirmish, all had been slain by Orcs during the second assault. According to what Gilglîr was told by Elrond and Glorfindel, the murder of the conspirators must have been the goal of this second attack, for the Orcs fled once all had been butchered."
"'Twould make sense to slay the surviving conspirators if there were still a traitor hidden within the realm or even in the Great Hall itself. It would be necessary to protect his identity. And yet," mused Gandalf, "you say that no evidence was ever found that hinted even slightly at the existence of such a traitor."
"True as well. I questioned Dûredhel's nephew quite carefully and at great length. I do not think there is another turncoat concealed within this kingdom."
"I will want to question him myself, of course, but your conclusion no doubt will prove to be correct. Perhaps the conspirators were slain not to protect a fellow-traitor but to prevent us from learning about the devices of the Enemy. These rings, now, I am very anxious to examine them. Why will Thranduil not allow them to be brought to my chamber?"
"My father wishes them to be handled as little as possible, for he suspects them to have great corrupting influence. At least one such ring figured in the plot to seize me whilst I visited in Erebor."
"Ah, yes, the adventure from which you have but lately returned. I would hear of that as well."
Legolas launched into an account of this second conspiracy, and Gandalf questioned him as thoroughly as he had in the first instance. At last, satisfied, the wizard nodded and leaned back upon his pillows.
"You have done well, Greenleaf. Tathar, too. The Valar made a wise decision when they decided to return him to Edwen Nana so that he might grow up to stand by your side."
"Pardon?"
"Granted," replied Gandalf, ignoring the confused expression upon Legolas' face.
"You do not mean to explain your last comment, then?"
"When do I ever explain myself?" said Gandalf airily.
Legolas made a wry face and then arose to his feet.
"If this interrogation is at an end, I should leave you. No doubt Edwen Nana will be by soon to make sure that you go to bed at a decent hour."
Gandalf groaned.
"That elleth could whip a troop of Orcs into shape."
"An interesting idea, that," said Legolas. "Perhaps we should unleash her upon a few goblins. They will at least die clean, if not happy."
Gandalf chuckled and drew up his covers slightly.
"Pray blow out the candles before you leave."
Legolas obliged and slipped from the room, quietly closing the door behind him. Gandalf rested for awhile with his eyes closed, but he was unable to sleep. He had much to think about. As he lay in his bed, he realized that the door was being eased open. He suppressed a smile and lay quite still. A figure glided over and drew the covers up under the wizard's chin and then gently plumped his pillows. Before slipping away, the figure brushed several stray hairs from the Istar's face.
Gandalf allowed a smile to spread across his face once he was alone again.
"Hmmm," he murmured as he drifted toward slumber, "under the feathers of that fierce hawk beats the heart of a nightingale."
Gandalf slept well and deeply that night, and his dreams were pleasant ones.