Grumpy: You think Aragorn is in bad shape now? Wait until Galadriel finishes having her little chat with him!

Rinny Leonhart: Aerobic eyebrows, the new way to control one's weight.

Kelly Kragen: Thank you for pointing out the error about the wine. I have uploaded a correction. See, Dragonfly goes on vacation and errors start slipping in like Orcs creeping back into Dol Guldur!

Karri: After Sauron has been destroyed, I suspect Gandalf and Edwen Nana are going to spend some quality time together. Their story has taken on a life of its own.

Joee: Yes, Aragorn faces a daunting future. "Oh, Aragorn." "Yes, Ada?" "Don't forget to save the world this week." "It's on my calendar for Friday. Will that do?" "Thursday would be better, but never mind."

Chapter 39: Gandalf's Staff Redividus

Gilglîr groaned as he read the missive from Celeborn that had just been placed in his hand by the Lothlórien messenger who stood deferentially before him.

"So Prince Legolas is no longer in Lothlórien."

"No, my Lord."

"And he intends to journey on to Imladris."

"Yes, my Lord."

"In the company of Mithrandir."

"Aye, my Lord, but with many others as well: the Lady Galadriel, the Lords Elrond and Glorfindel, and the young Lords Elrohir and Elladan. There are also several Marchwardens in the company—Haldir, Rúmil, and Orophin among them—as well as many ordinary scouts and warriors."

"A goodly company, I see."

"Do you wish to return an answer, my Lord?"

"No doubt King Thranduil will desire to compose one once he has had an opportunity to consider the matter."

"I have one other message to deliver, my Lord."

"Indeed?"

The messenger held forth a staff.

"The Lord Celeborn says that this staff is to be given into the hand of King Thranduil. The Lord Celeborn says that he acts on behalf of the wizard Mithrandir and that the King of Mirkwood will know what the staff portends."

Gilglîr accepted the staff and then summoned a servant, instructing him to furnish the messenger with a chamber and all that was needful for his comfort. Next the Seneschal went with some reluctance to Thranduil's private chamber. To Gilglîr's relief, Tawarmaenas and Tathar were there. Perhaps he could use the presence of the young Elves to ameliorate the wrath that the Seneschal expected Thranduil to vent once he learned that Legolas was no longer in Lothlórien and was moreover far from returning home.

"Mae govannen, Tawarmaenas, Tathar. I have not seen either of you in several days."

"We have been traveling on our eastern border, where we have been examining the newly constructed defenses."

"Good. As your uncle knows, I heartily approve of the decision to no longer rely upon our allies in Esgaroth as the sole guarantors of our eastern borders. If our allies fall, so too will our defenses unless we have constructed additional ones of our own."

"You will be pleased with what has been done, Gilglîr," replied Tawarmaenas. "Tathar's plans are most ingenious."

"I do not doubt it! Thranduil, I have today received a letter from King Bain in which he requests that we vouchsafe him Tathar's services for several months. If the fortifications to the east are very nearly finished, perhaps we could spare him now."

"I do not grudge Bain the favor, but let Tathar remain here until Legolas returns. My son would be disappointed if Tathar were not here to greet him."

"Ah, how fortuitous! We can send Tathar at once to King Bain because Legolas has been delayed. Tathar will be able to advise Bain and yet journey back in time to greet Legolas upon his own return."

Thranduil fixed Gilglîr with a decidedly suspicious stare.

"Delayed?"

"Yes, Thranduil. This sort of thing happens when one travels abroad."

"What 'sort of thing'?"

"Why, delays, of course."

"Allow me to be precise. What sort of delay?"

"Well, you see, Legolas has been swept up in a great company that is journeying to Imladris. Unprecedented, really. Galadriel, Elrond, Glorfindel, and Mithrandir. Virtually the entire council. Fortunate, isn't it, that Legolas, Prince of Greenwood, is on hand to represent this realm."

"Fortunate, indeed!" enthused Tawarmaenas. "And lucky for Legolas. No doubt he will be able to spend time with Elladan and Elrohir."

"Yes," agreed Gilglîr, "and with Haldir, Rúmil, and Orophin as well! Remarkable how well things turn out! Thranduil, a messenger brought news of this only today and rests here tonight. No doubt you will wish to send him off tomorrow with a letter acknowledging the receipt of this news."

"Receipt of this news, you say. Not my permission but only my acknowledgement?"

"Well, Thranduil, as you know, it takes several days to journey between Caras Galadhon and the Great Hall. No doubt Legolas is already somewhere between Lothlórien and Rivendell."

"Oh, yes," said Thranduil grimly, "I am sure of that."

"I am glad," continued Gilglîr hurriedly, "that you have been encouraging Legolas to make decisions. Thus he was equipped to deal with this situation, one in which he had to determine on his own what to do because you were too far away to provide him with immediate instructions. Good training for a future king, really."

"You needn't lay it on so thick, Gilglîr," said Thranduil, torn between irritation and amusement. "I am not going to shout, as it would be a waste of good fury that I can save to expend later on Legolas or Mithrandir, or both. Now tell me truly: why did Legolas leave Lothlórien?"

"Something about Elladan and Elrohir and Orcs, I believe. A Dúnadan is mixed up in it somehow, too."

"No wargs?"

"Nothing of that mentioned in the letter."

"No Trolls, neither?"

"No, just Orcs."

"I suppose," Thranduil said sardonically, "that you will now point out what a stroke of luck that was. Ah, but here is Legolas' foster-mother. Mae govannen, Edwen Nana. Gilglîr has just finished regaling me with a most interesting bit of news. I am sure that he will be delighted to share it with you. Won't you?" he continued, turning to Gilglîr and grinning wickedly.

Gilglîr turned paler than the waning moon. Before he could speak, however, Edwen Nana's sharp eyes had lit upon the staff that leaned against the arm of his chair.

"What's this?" she inquired shrewdly. "You don't possess such a staff! At least not that sort of a staff."

"No," agreed Gilglîr meekly. "This is not my staff. Mithrandir sent it. Thranduil will understand its meaning, I believe."

"As do I," exclaimed Edwen Nana, seizing the rod. "If Mithrandir were here, I would break it over his head! As he is not, I will hold it until he returns—and then I will break it over his head!"

Clutching the staff, the nursemaid swept out of the room, leaving even Thranduil a trifle disconcerted. Tathar, however, was not at all taken aback. Indeed, he laughed after the door had closed behind Legolas' foster-mother.

"Edwen Nana," he chuckled, "has long wanted to get her hands on Gandalf's staff. Of course, this is not quite what she had in mind!"

Tawarmaenas looked blank, Thranduil red, and Gilglîr once again pale. Tathar could not forbear laughing again.

"I beg your pardon, King Thranduil," he gasped at last. "I mean no disrespect."

Suddenly Thranduil burst into laughter as well, and then he was joined by Gilglîr. They laughed and they laughed until their sides ached and their cheeks were streaked with tears. Only Tawarmaenas did not join in the merriment.

"I do not understand," he said, somewhat aggrieved. "What amuses you so?"

"Oh," hiccoughed Thranduil, "I have a vision of Edwen Nana in possession of Mithrandir's rod."

Gilglîr was bent over, so hard was he laughing, and Tathar had altogether collapsed onto the floor.

"But why would such a vision provoke this hilarity?" asked Tawarmaenas, still at a loss. "Whatever would be so funny about Edwen Nana getting her hands on Mithrandir's staff?"

This set the other three Elves off again. That night it was a long time before laughter ceased resounding in the corridors of the Great Hall.