The essence of popsicles: Oh, I still plan to use "harried to be married." First I have to get Legolas back in the company of his father. Remember it is Thranduil who been engaged in the "marrying harrying"!
Emma: Thanks for all those great ideas about possible ways to develop the story about the shifting friendship between Aragorn and Legolas. You're right: such a story will present certain challenges, but that is what will make it so much fun to write. I still have several chapters to go on "Things Fall Apart" and a couple more for "Number Nine," but then I will try going into overdrive myself on the Aragorn/Legolas narrative.
Melanie: Ah hah! A lurker unmasked. But, seriously, thank you for your encouragement, both on this tale and on the planned one on the friendship between Aragorn and Legolas.
Dragonfly: Yes, it seems as if that Caranlass and Tathar began work on extending the elven line just as soon as the last wedding guest (probably Edwen Nana!) bade them farewell. Yes, Glorfindel, Elrond and Erestor's reactions to this latest turn of events will probably be memorable.
Zergy: Thank you! I am really pleased that you find the OCs so interesting and believable. I take that as a real compliment, for obvious reasons, I guess. The canonical characters I have adapted, but the OC characters I created (at least insofar as any character can be said to have been 'created'. And, yes, I really do plan to follow-up on the story line that you suggested.
Legosgurl: Yes, Saruman sent the Orcs. The band included a few of his signature half-goblins, and, of course, he is the one obsessed with Legolas. There is no reason to believe that Sauron knows anything about Legolas, although, if he did, he'd probably become obsessed, too!
Chrys: Hey, I'm starting to specialize in evil cliff hangers. Mwah hah hah!
Beta Reader: Dragonfly
Chapter 69: Something Better Than Life
Tathar had been right: the Orcs had left fewer traces than most goblins generally do. As a result, several times Gilglîr had lost the trail and had been forced to cast about widely before he picked it up again. He squandered valuable time every time he did so. The Orcs seemed to be heading due east, straight toward the Misty Mountains, and the Seneschal feared lest they reach those peaks and disappear into one of the many caverns that honeycombed them. For that reason he was tempted to abandon his attempts to track them and to simply head straight east himself, but what if they suddenly altered course? No, best to follow the trail—when he could find it.
Gilglîr would have been right to give over tracking the goblins, however. As the Orcs and their prisoners had been running, Caranlass had heard the captain tell his lieutenant—before he beheaded him, of course—that they were indeed making straight for the Misty Mountains.
"Oncet we gits there," the captain said, "there'll be a guide awaitin'. He'll take us into a passage through the mountains, and we'll travel a considerable way south afore we've got to come out again. By then, if anyone is followin' us, they'll have lost the trail—and probably their lives, too. An ambush will be laid, so if they venture into the passageway, they're like to be Orc-fodder."
His subaltern licked his lips.
"I'd like to be there for that!"
"Aye, no doubt ye would, but then ye'd forfeit yer part of the reward, wouldn' ye?"
The lesser goblin considered this eventuality, and allowed as how he'd rather hold out for the reward.
"Glad to know y'ain't a total lackwit," observed the captain. Coming from him, this statement had to rank as high compliment.
Now, as Caranlass, her legs having recovered, hastened to retrace their steps, she recalled this conversation and thought anxiously about the plans of the Orcs.
"If they make it to the Misty Mountains," she reminded herself, "likely Tathar will never be seen again. They will take him before their master, and he will be slain."
Such thoughts gave such wings to her feet that even Gwaihir the Wind-Lord would have been hard put to keep pace with her. By the time the Orcs realized that she had escaped, she was miles from their encampment. Thus, even had they decided to pursue her, it is not likely that they would have been able to catch her. But Tathar was right: since they still held him, they were not inclined to turn back and possibly encounter any Elves who might be on their trail.
"Oh, let the pointy-ear go," the captain yawned, sleepy after the feast of dismembered goblin. He clawed out a bit of cartilage from between his teeth and tossed it toward the crows that were searching for leftovers—a small item, that.
"Long as we got one pointy-ear, Master won't be none the wiser. Just don' nobody mention we had an extry but lost 'er."
"But wot if this in't the right one," worried one of the Orcs. "Wot if the one wot got away was the right one."
"Oh," said the captain carelessly, "like as not this one is the right one. He's the male, in't 'e? 'Pears to me a male pointy-ear's more likely to be noble than a female one."
Tathar knew that this was pretty poor reasoning, but he certainly wasn't about to point this out, for he approved highly of any argument that would encourage the Orcs to keep him alive while at the same time leaving Caranlass at liberty. His spirits rose for the first time since the Orcs had smashed through the walls of the shelter and dragged the two of them away.
His were not the only spirits that were rising. Soon after Gilglîr had set out from Weathertop, the other Elves had departed for the south. Elves on horseback had formed two concentric circles. The riders in the outer ring remained alert while those in the inner ring rested as they rode. Within the center of the second ring, Elves on foot carefully bore Legolas upon a litter. Because there were always some Elves who were rested, there were always Fair Folk available to either take their place as lookouts in the outer circle or to serve as fresh stretcher bearers. Thus the Elves had no need to stop, and they made good time until they stood upon the greensward at the side of the Great East Road. Once they had arrived at that point, Edwen Nana sent Gilglîr's steed on ahead toward Imladris and, for good measure, Legolas' horse as well. Then she ordered a halt, both so that she might change the dressings on Legolas' wounds and so that all might partake of a hot meal.
When she unwound the bandages covering the young Elf's injuries, she was relieved to see no sign of infection.
'I do believe,' she said to herself, 'that it will be quite safe to stitch his wounds without fear that I will be closing the skin over an infection that will fester within'.
She got out her mending kit, and you may be sure that she did some of her best sewing that day. Carefully she drew together each layer of muscle and skin, finishing the topmost layers with tiny stitches so that the scarring would be the less. Then she once against anointed the wounds with salve, and with fresh bandages she dressed anew each injury, being careful to make the wrappings secure but not too tight.
Legolas had been dozing as he had been borne upon his litter, and at first he continued to sleep once the stretcher had been put down. However—and not surprisingly!—he awoke when Edwen Nana began to stitch his wounds.
"Ah, Laiqua," she said regretfully, "I am sorry that I must cause you pain."
"I believe I have the Orcs to thank for that," he tried to jest. "Ow!"
"You must comfort yourself by remembering that the pain will not last forever," the nursemaid advised. "Any pain is endurable if one may be sure that it will be limited in duration."
"A fine-sounding sentiment," protested Legolas, "but you have never been skewered by a sword."
"And you have never given birth," retorted Edwen Nana. "A woman, no matter what her race, can suffer from sword or knife, but men can never know the pain of childbirth. So consider yourself lucky that you are a warrior and not a woman!"
Legolas could not argue with her on that score and henceforth bore in silence the discomfort of having his wounds stitched. His stoicism was rewarded when, her task done, Edwen Nana leaned forward and kissed him upon the forehead.
"There now, all done. Could you eat a little, do you think?"
"No, but I am thirsty."
"Why, it just so happens that I am carrying a flask of miruvor upon my person."
"Imagine that!" exclaimed Legolas, feigning surprise.
Edwen Nana pretended to cuff his ear, and then helped him sit up so that he could drink a little of the elixir. Then she eased him back down again and commanded the bearers to once again raise the litter. Moving rapidly yet carefully, the Elves resumed their journey toward Rivendell.
While Edwen Nana had been stitching Legolas' wounds, Galadriel had stood frowning a little as she looked into her mirror. Of course, one could never be sure of what one saw in the mirror, and it was dangerous to govern one's action by it. Still, the Lady of Lórien decided she had best journey to Imladris.
"And why not?" she said to herself. "It is long since I visited that place. I should like to see Elladan, Elrohir, and Arwen once again. I ought to make the journey for that reason alone, even had I no other cause to do so."
She ascended the steps that led from her Glade and looked about for Haldir, who was her attendant that day. Where was he? Odd, he was usually the most dutiful of retainers. It was not like him to abandon his post.
Galadriel heard low murmurs, accompanied by laughter. The sounds seemed to be coming from the far side of a mallorn tree. Quietly she stole toward it, smiling a little. When she reached the tree, she paused a moment, listening carefully, and then suddenly stepped around it. She was rewarded by an exclamation and a shriek, the one coming from Haldir, the other coming from an elleth.
"My, my Lady," stammered Haldir, blushing so deeply that even the tips of his ears turned pink. "I did not mean to neglect my duty! I, I thought that you were still occupied in the Glade."
The elleth was busy adjusting her gown and did not say anything, although her face was a red as Haldir's.
"Do not fret, Haldir," replied Galadriel, still smiling. "In the future, however, you had best keep to your flet when you are, ahem, entertaining an elleth."
"Oh, I will," Haldir assured her. He had no desire to be caught out by the Lady of Lothlórien on a regular basis! Of course, he could not know that Galadriel was in fact delighted to see him 'keeping company' with an elleth. Haldir had neither Rúmil's self-assurance nor Orophin's easy manner, so he had lagged several centuries behind his brothers in making friends amongst the maidens. Was he now trying to make up for lost time? Galadriel smiled at the thought. 'And why shouldn't he?' she said to herself. 'After all, an eternity is a very long time to be perfectly behaved!'
Haldir's elleth, having set her garments to rights, hastily excused herself, leaving Haldir to Galadriel's good graces.
"Haldir, I mean to depart for Imladris upon the morrow. You shall be the head of my escort, and I leave it to you to make the necessary arrangements."
"Yes, my Lady," said Haldir excitedly. To be the head of the escort of the Lady Galadriel of Lothlórien, and to visit Imladris! He wondered if Arwen would be in residence whilst he was there. Galadriel perceived his thoughts and decided that she had better warn him off—gently, of course.
"Whilst I am in Imladris," she said, as if thinking aloud, "I really should devote some time to helping Arwen with her trousseau. Of course, her marriage to Estel will not take place for several more years—much remains to be accomplished!—but it would not hurt to set aside a few heirlooms against that day. Your brothers Rúmil and Orophin would not understand the need—they both can be so heedless!—but I am sure that you see the reason for such preparations."
Having received a compliment from the Lady Galadriel, Haldir had an excuse to bow in acknowledgement and was thus able to hide his face momentarily. When he raised up his head once more, he had mastered his surprise. It was a composed Haldir who addressed Galadriel.
"I now count myself as particularly fortunate at having been chosen to accompany you to Imladris, for the journey shall provide me with an opportunity to congratulate the Lady Arwen."
"That is very thoughtful of you, Haldir. I know Arwen shall be pleased to learn of your kind sentiments, for she has always been glad to number you amongst her friends and will no doubt wish to continue to do so in the future."
Galadriel smiled gently at the young Elf, and Haldir returned her smile. To be Arwen's friend, yes, that was something to be treasured. Then a sudden thought hit him, and a shadow fell upon his face.
"She is to marry Estel?"
"Yes, when he has fulfilled that name and taken on a new one as the King of the combined kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor."
"But that means." Here Haldir hesitated, but Galadriel smiled at him encouragingly.
"That means, Haldir?"
"The Lord Elrond has cast his lot with the Eldar, and someday he will depart Middle-earth for the Undying Lands. But Arwen, she, she."
"She will not accompany him," Galadriel finished the thought. "All the more reason for going to her in friendship, Haldir. She will cherish each moment that she spends with those whom she loves, for she knows that her time with them will be limited."
Haldir bowed his head in grief.
"Why do you sorrow, Haldir? She has weighed her choices and knows that immortality is not in itself to be desired—no, not if it is empty of love and joy. Think you, Haldir, could you never imagine exchanging your immortal life for something worth even more?"
Haldir considered and had a sudden vision. He saw Elves and Men falling in battle, and he understood that they did so willingly, so that those whom they loved and left behind would live in security and peace.
"Yes, my Lady," he said softly. "I can indeed imagine exchanging one's life for something of even greater value."
He straightened his shoulders.
"I will go and see to the preparations for the journey."
He bowed to Galadriel and strode away. Galadriel smiled after him, but a little sadly.