Chapter 8
The Cave of Rowem

Gandalf sat there on the edge of the Mile, outside the Great Cave of Rowem, his pipe clasped tightly in his mouth. Great puffs of smoke were expelled from the large opening of the pipe. He was yet again in deep thought. He stared out into the morn as the sun rose. His eyes did not once blink, and they were fixed on one thing, the sun. He passed out of thought and time not once thinking about himself. He was dazed at the glory and elegance of the sun as it rose over the dark stretch of the horizon. Its might was overwhelming as it cast a shadow over the small clouds that passed in the way of its radiant light. The sun was the source of life and more powerful than anything on earth. But he feared though that rain and hail would come and destroy the crops and forests. Just as in his life, evil was coming, but they must keep it and him from performing distrustful deeds.

The sun started off slowly rising behind the dark distant land. And as it reached the height of the sky it rose faster and faster until it was a great ball of light shining there above all the clouds.

His companions were not yet awake. They had been weary the night before from their close encounters, but did not give up hope. They couldn't, for there was no room in their troubled minds for lost hope. For if any hope was lost, their journey would be lost as well. They must encourage each other for their sake as well as their friend's sake.

A light wind blew in outside into the heart of the cave where their companions were lying fast asleep on the hard rock floor of the cave. It blew across their faces gently as if the wind had the mind not to wake them. They stirred gently accepting the harshness of the cold morning breeze, but fell back asleep once more.

Gandalf turned towards them and poked them gently with the solid edge of his white staff. He smiled knowing that not even they would awake to such a light touch, so out of curiosity he struck Pippin with the brisk end of his staff on his back side. He awoke with a jolt.

"Who's there!" he said with alarm in his trembling voice, looking intensely around the cave at his companions. Gandalf had turned sharply around, facing the distant sun. He had hoped not to be noticed by the frightened one. His silent laugh was not noticeable and he tried to contain himself from bursting out a hearty laugh. Pippin finally came to his senses and turned towards the old wizard.

"Gandalf!" he yelled. His voice echoed throughout the cave, escaping through the opening. The rest of his comrades awoke restless to the cry of their friend.

"Pip, what's the matter?" Merry yelled sitting up straight from his bed on the cold rock floor.

"What's the trouble?" asked Sam, his arms weak as he pulled himself up.

"It was our old chap Gandalf here. It's a little early Gandalf don't you suppose?" he asked smiling at him. A yawn escaping from his open mouth.

"Of course not," he said, "its nearly noon and the ring will not wait for our arrival. We must go!" he said standing from the bolder he had rested on.

Farill had already awoke and had started cooking the meat of minkworm she had caught in the early hours. The soft, tender flesh cooked slowly over the open fire between two sticks and the flame flickered around it, wanting to engulf it altogether. It turned a dark brown from the light pink it was before and crackled softly as the flames touched it. She leaned over the fire, turning the stick slowly so the meat would not burn.

"We must get use to the taste of minkworm, for we will not go a day without it." She said.

"I surly will not get sick of the taste, for who could pass up the tender meat of minkworm?" protested Sam, his tongue wishing for some. A low rumble came from deep within Sam's stomach and he clutched it tightly.

"Is it almost ready?" inquired Sam licking his hungry lips.

"Patients my Sam, for a virtue it is, and one will not get far without it." Her eyes searched his and she looked away again and stared into the flames of the glowing orange and red fire. It waved slowly in the breeze. She was ashamed to look into his eyes and Sam's heart knew this. He did not mind because he knew nothing would ever happen between them and he trusted her for what his life was worth.

The meat crackled once more and Farill started speaking a language, one Sam nor Merry or Pippin had ever heard. They strained to listen but their ears could not keep up with the words that escaped from her mouth.

"What such language is this?" Sam asked her, but no reply came from her lips.

"Gandalf?" Pippin asked. A sense of pleading help was in his voice. "What is she saying?"

Gandalf turned towards them, the sun shining now at his back. His pipe still smoked heavily and his cheeks puffed out as he inhaled. Pippin raised his eyebrows at him. "Gandalf?" he asked once more. The old wizard listened hard at the words escaping her mouth. Her eyes were closed as if chanting a hymn or prayer. Finally the old wizard opened his mouth. "An old elvish language," he said, "full of mysterious words and songs. It is the language of the Egmil."

"What is she saying?" Merry questioned him again. His mind was full of wonder and curiosity.

"That I do not know." Gandalf replied. "It is an old language that the few and fortunate understand. Remember my hobbit friend, Egmils were not t known people. They were confined with in their home deep in the caverns of the earth. No one knew of their existence until the great clash of races. Then their beauty and knowledge spread throughout the land. But still they are unknown to many." Her words were growing softer and her eyes opened. They glittered, even in the darkness of the cave and seemed to look deep inside all of them, into their hearts.

"It is ready," she said standing from the rock stationed around the burning flames. Her steps went backwards away from the meal, inviting them to their fill. "Come and eat."

Sam walked slowly over to the fire and picked up a small piece of the delicate minkworm. It was warm between his two fingers, but did not burn them. He stuck the morsel in his mouth and swallowed the piece whole. It filled his mouth with richness beyond all telling and he longed for more, but he thought, not until his friends had had their fill.

Merry and Pippin walked slowly towards the open fire. Their eyes kept glancing back and forth at one another. As they walked their steps widened and they were soon racing to get the biggest piece of meat. They were side by side, and the fire was slowly approaching. Gandalf's hearty laugh was heard in the background but that was all. As they neared the open flame Merry's foot caught on a small rock sticking out of the cave floor. Not seeing it approaching he fell forward, his hair barely landing in the fire. Everything seemed to stop. Gandalf's laughing stopped but yet a smile still remained. Pippin's footsteps ceased and he turned and looked down at his friend.

"You fool!" he said laughing. Suddenly the cave was once again filled with laughter, even from Merry. He stood and accepted the meat Pippin held out to him.

"You two will never change!" Gandalf said shaking his head. His white beard had shown brightly in the sunlight. Even the laugh of Farill was heard along with the commotion. It did not last for long, but one could tell it was present. She sat next to Gandalf, eating her fill of the minkworm. She talked occasionally to Gandalf and Sam, and the rest of the morning was calm. They discussed their route to get to Mount Doom, but their thoughts were cluttered and confused of how to escape into Mordor. It would yet again be guarded by evil, for Sauron knew that the ring, the one true ring, was not destroyed. His followers would travel form the Underworld of Evil to the Mountain of Fire and there they would dig. This Gandalf knew and he shared his thoughts with the rest of his companions.

His eyes wondered ever so often at the cry of a crow. Spies, he thought, but it was usually a helpless bird fighting its way against the strong wind. There was no shelter in which they could hide from the dark forces of Sauron. No place to run, no place to hide. Their journey was a secret from the rest of the world and to themselves. They did not know where their journey would lead they, nor did they care. Their worries were not where their journey would end, but where their journey would lead next. They, or Gandalf, did not care of the far future just yet. Gandalf did not know the ideas of his friends but wished to have knowledge of them. At times they hid their ideas from their partners, afraid to ask a ridiculous question and risk being looked down upon. Gandalf did not know why they thought this, for their main and final goal was to work together. They must stay as one whole and never bring each other down, due to their thoughts. Many times he tried to pry their thoughts out of their minds but it only left them helpless and more clueless instead. They were lost in this world of evil with no place to turn for the help they pleaded for. They were on their own.

It was mid-afternoon and they had all grown drowsy due to lack of sleep. They were strong and ready to journey onward but their minds were tired from the long journey to the Mîle. All but Gandalf and Farill wanted to wait another day to rest and recover from the long journey, but they continually reminded them. "Come, we must leave. You know our journey will be long and continuous and will not wait. For time does not wait, it only continues." Gandalf would say to them. He knew they would be tired by just traveling and would need rest, but they were barely far into their journey. To Gandalf it was like it hadn't even begun.

He was occasionally surprised by the knowledge that Farill kept in her mind. They often conversed, sometimes leaving Sam and his friends out of the conversation because their feeble and untrained minds would not understand. She had the gift of foresight but would seldom see into the future. Her powers were most effective when she lived in her home in Ginlund, but were weakened after she left for one reason. This reason was so that if she at all costs became evil, she would not be able to determine the future and plan for the best.

After discussing all the possible routes with Farill, she explained to him her home life. She was the daughter of a mighty king in Ginlund, and the commander of the cavalry. They had won many battles against the dwarfs in the Battle of the Races, and held a mighty fortress in the underworld. It was known as the Stone Fortress. Many had died there in the Great Battle, but died with courage that one day their people would own this land once again and someday rule together with the dwarfs. And they were right. "The dwarfs are our greatest ally's now. They will help us to whatever end." She informed Gandalf with a stern look on her beautiful face. "That will be of great help to us in finding the lost power. We will not only need to find the ring, but also fight any evil that tries to stop us from finding our destination. We will need armies and Calvary. Any help will be of honor to us." Gandalf replied smoking his pipe and thinking. Many thoughts passed through his brain and he thought over them all. But none seemed to have an answer awaiting him. He was not confused, just in disarray. He tried to look as if he knew just what to do for he did not want to let his companions know he did not know a solution to their problem. So he sat out again on the edge of the Rough Mîle overlooking the plains until the sun set behind the clouds and night began to creep upon the land. There thought about all the possible solutions that they could ever fight through.

Hours passed by and the soft chirp of crickets began to play in the grasses below. A soft and cold breeze passed by his face and behind him his friends were drifting one by one asleep. Finally he was the last awake and in his mind he conversed with the Queen Galadriel. Although he could not talk back to her in the far so distant land, he could hear her voice in his head, and he would think of what to say to her and her voice would reply back. It was a strange thing, talking to a Queen many leagues away and still it seemed that she was there sitting beside him on that rock quarry. He told her about the ring and why Saruman was sent back to the world of evil. She guided his mind in all the right directions and would never let his guidance be of failure. Finally after hours of sitting there listening to her voice come in the wind, it disappeared and the wind stopped. He knew she had gone and he paced back into the cave and slept with the rest of his companions.
(*(