PART 8:
The Company turned from cold Caradhras and caught their horses gently. Gandalf, fully thawed out, mounted Shadowfax in a smooth, fluid motion and wheeled him around to look at the Company.
"The Gap of Rohan is not far. We can probably make it by moonrise, then camp in the fields. However, we will be passing near Isengard, and the palantir has shown that a horde of Zycrah's creatures lie in wait for us. It is evening, however, and her power is weakest in the hours before the sun goes down. We will be able to pass, if we ride hard, with no problems, and gather an army of Rohirrim before we battle with them."
Elrond frowned, but mounted Asfaloth and nodded. "Let us ride then, Mithrandir!"
The Company all mounted immediately, even Gimli, and set off at a brisk gallop towards the lush fields that lay a few miles from the rocky base of Caradhras. The late-afternoon sun was wonderfully warm, and their spirits lifted as the golden light spread its warm blanket lovingly over the ever- greening plains. Gandalf especially seemed renewed. He kept breaking into the old travelling songs of the Second Age, often raising his meliodious tenor voice in joy and spirit. Soon, he had Elrond singing a lovely duet with him, their bass and tenor voices mixing in the age-old harmonies that the Elves had brought with them ages ago to Middle-earth.
Elladan and Elrohir, a few yards behind Gimli and Legolas, were engaging in a friendly brotherly debate over the plant-life of Rohan. Elrohir seemed convinced that the fields were edged with golden raintrees, brought from Lorien by Legolas' people, but Elladan was asserting that there were just soft, tender grasses especially planted there by the Field-Elves of old. Legolas, knowing the most about the matter, slowed Arod so that he was beside the twin-princes and alerted them to the fact that they were both right. The twins looked at each other, startled, then burst out into laughter that fell like crystal droplets on the evening air and delighted all that heard it for miles around.
Aragorn even looked uplifted, riding Gilgalad back and forth in a complicated military move over the rocky ground. The stallion moved perfectly with Aragorn, his invisible commands telling Gilgalad exactly what he wanted. Aragorn's sculpted white face was lit with the sun, and Legolas, looking over at him, saw the elegance and strength of a powerful leader mirrored in his eyes. He was moved, and inspired, he lifted his soft baritone voice in song:
Elessar, King of Gondor,
How bright your sweet reign glows!
Darkness has no place with you
When your light is all it knows.
Once a lowly Ranger brave
Caring for our borders fair
You have risen into the heavenly skies
Crowned with starlight in your hair.
Though a man, you seem an Elf
And fortune smiles upon your heart
Elessar, Mighty Gondor King
From your kingdom luck never will part.
Aragorn looked over at Legolas and a slow smile spread across his face. "And what brought that on, all of the sudden? I do not deserve the honour, Legolas. As you know, men are the weakest and most easily bent creatures in Middle-earth." A shadow passed over his face, and Legolas knew he thought of Isildur, who had prolonged the destruction of the One Ring. Then as soon as the shadow appeared, it was gone.
Gimli, who had fallen asleep again behind Legolas, woke up with a start. "I say, Elrond, I am very hungry. How long has it been since we last stopped?"
Elrond wheeled Asfaloth around and said, "We are due to stop soon, Gimli. I know you are tired." He smiled sympathetically. Gimli, who would have normally denied this claim hotly, just nodded in reply. Legolas looked over his shoulder at him, worried.
"Are you well, Gimli? You seem rather weary and quiet, most unnatural for a Dwarf," he teased, but his face was serious.
Gimli sighed. "I am not nearly as old as you, but I am quite a bit older than I was when we joined the Fellowship. I guess the strain is beginning to show." He cleared his throat roughly. "But a good meal and sleep will renew me, and then we will show these varlets who still defends our fair lands of Middle-earth!" He straightened his back and growled.
Now the Company was coming up to a crest in the plains, which were covered in smooth, soft green grasses. The members could feel their horses straining to get to their place of rest and relax. Gandalf, who had been riding far ahead with his palantir, mapping out their course, now guided Shadowfax back to where the Company stood.
He beckoned to them, and they rode up the crest of the hill to face him. He cleared his throat and said, "My friends, we have been given the most honourable leave to pass through these lands, as well as having been promised the allegiance and best defences of their inhabitants. Welcome, welcome to the Plains of Rohan."
He stepped aside and the Company breathed a collective sigh of pleasure. The plains stretched for miles, rolling and shining over a thousand little hills in the fields. Birds of all colours and shapes rose from the sweet meadows, little creeks of sparkling blue threaded through the grasses and the sky arched in a wonderful deepening blue over the plains as the sun sank below the western horizon. The edges of the fields, as Legolas had predicted, were edged with the golden mallorn raintrees of Lorien. The stars, twice as big in the open sky, studded the velvety arch and sparkled like the finest diamonds in the Glittering Caves. The horses strained against their tethers and the Company swiftly dismounted and unharnessed them. Shadowfax whinnied and Arod followed him. After a minute, the four other elvish-horses followed the two Rohan ones and they were soon out of sight, running as they were in joy and exquisite spirit.
Even the Company could feel the peace that rested in the lands of Rohan. Every breath of the wind brought the sweetness of the many flowers and herbs that grew in the meadows and Zycrah's voice, always ever-present in their minds, was barely heard here, despite the fact that Isengard was not far away.
Aragorn breathed deeply. "It is the protection of the brave Rohan Riders that keeps this place of my ancestors free of evil. I am happy here." He knelt on the grass and kissed the earth in a sign of respect, after the custom of Gondor.
They walked into the valley, Gimli even picking up his spirits and running down the hills in joy. The four Elves walked swiftly and lightly over the grasses, which seemed to spring up even the humans on their silken surfaces. Elrond strode ahead and found a little lee behind one of the bigger hills. "We will rest here. Mithrandir, arrange the watches while Aragorn and I build a fire."
Gandalf nodded and said, "Gimli, you are to watch until the moon is one- third of the way through its path, then Elrond will watch until it is two- thirds of the way from setting, then I will watch until sunrise."
That evening, there was none of the weariness and uncertainty that there had been at the campfire the evening before. Elladan and Elrohir kept the Company laughing with their stories of their childhood in Rivendell, while Gandalf performed his latest tricks with fire and Elrond led them all in song. Gimli hemmed and hawed and boasted of his triumphs in the Glittering Caves while Aragorn, relaxed for the moment, puffed his clay pipe and Legolas simply sat, his bright eyes shining, enjoying it all. The only thing that would have completed the picture were the hobbits, joking, laughing and keeping them all amused.
Aragorn sighed, his thoughts the same as Legolas'. "I can even feel Boromir's spirit here. They say that the souls of the Men of Gondor return here when they pass."
Elrond smiled. "I believe that legend. I can always feel a peace here that is not even felt in Lothlorien."
Soon it was time for the Company to rest. Legolas, much happier this evening than last, curled in his blankets and let his mind drift to the waking dreams of the Elves.
The moon was high in the sky when Legolas felt a shaking on his shoulder. He looked up, startled, at the profile of Gimli in the moonlight.
"Hear noises, rustling and drumming. Think it's Orcs. Should I wake the others?"
Legolas reached for his bow. "Yes."
They got up and roused the other members of the Company. The rustling and drumming, followed by unearthly, yet melodious whinnying sounds came closer and closer. The seven members stood ready.
Just then, something crept around the hill. Legolas' mouth fell open as he regarded the thing that stood before them . . .
~TO BE CONTINUED~
The Company turned from cold Caradhras and caught their horses gently. Gandalf, fully thawed out, mounted Shadowfax in a smooth, fluid motion and wheeled him around to look at the Company.
"The Gap of Rohan is not far. We can probably make it by moonrise, then camp in the fields. However, we will be passing near Isengard, and the palantir has shown that a horde of Zycrah's creatures lie in wait for us. It is evening, however, and her power is weakest in the hours before the sun goes down. We will be able to pass, if we ride hard, with no problems, and gather an army of Rohirrim before we battle with them."
Elrond frowned, but mounted Asfaloth and nodded. "Let us ride then, Mithrandir!"
The Company all mounted immediately, even Gimli, and set off at a brisk gallop towards the lush fields that lay a few miles from the rocky base of Caradhras. The late-afternoon sun was wonderfully warm, and their spirits lifted as the golden light spread its warm blanket lovingly over the ever- greening plains. Gandalf especially seemed renewed. He kept breaking into the old travelling songs of the Second Age, often raising his meliodious tenor voice in joy and spirit. Soon, he had Elrond singing a lovely duet with him, their bass and tenor voices mixing in the age-old harmonies that the Elves had brought with them ages ago to Middle-earth.
Elladan and Elrohir, a few yards behind Gimli and Legolas, were engaging in a friendly brotherly debate over the plant-life of Rohan. Elrohir seemed convinced that the fields were edged with golden raintrees, brought from Lorien by Legolas' people, but Elladan was asserting that there were just soft, tender grasses especially planted there by the Field-Elves of old. Legolas, knowing the most about the matter, slowed Arod so that he was beside the twin-princes and alerted them to the fact that they were both right. The twins looked at each other, startled, then burst out into laughter that fell like crystal droplets on the evening air and delighted all that heard it for miles around.
Aragorn even looked uplifted, riding Gilgalad back and forth in a complicated military move over the rocky ground. The stallion moved perfectly with Aragorn, his invisible commands telling Gilgalad exactly what he wanted. Aragorn's sculpted white face was lit with the sun, and Legolas, looking over at him, saw the elegance and strength of a powerful leader mirrored in his eyes. He was moved, and inspired, he lifted his soft baritone voice in song:
Elessar, King of Gondor,
How bright your sweet reign glows!
Darkness has no place with you
When your light is all it knows.
Once a lowly Ranger brave
Caring for our borders fair
You have risen into the heavenly skies
Crowned with starlight in your hair.
Though a man, you seem an Elf
And fortune smiles upon your heart
Elessar, Mighty Gondor King
From your kingdom luck never will part.
Aragorn looked over at Legolas and a slow smile spread across his face. "And what brought that on, all of the sudden? I do not deserve the honour, Legolas. As you know, men are the weakest and most easily bent creatures in Middle-earth." A shadow passed over his face, and Legolas knew he thought of Isildur, who had prolonged the destruction of the One Ring. Then as soon as the shadow appeared, it was gone.
Gimli, who had fallen asleep again behind Legolas, woke up with a start. "I say, Elrond, I am very hungry. How long has it been since we last stopped?"
Elrond wheeled Asfaloth around and said, "We are due to stop soon, Gimli. I know you are tired." He smiled sympathetically. Gimli, who would have normally denied this claim hotly, just nodded in reply. Legolas looked over his shoulder at him, worried.
"Are you well, Gimli? You seem rather weary and quiet, most unnatural for a Dwarf," he teased, but his face was serious.
Gimli sighed. "I am not nearly as old as you, but I am quite a bit older than I was when we joined the Fellowship. I guess the strain is beginning to show." He cleared his throat roughly. "But a good meal and sleep will renew me, and then we will show these varlets who still defends our fair lands of Middle-earth!" He straightened his back and growled.
Now the Company was coming up to a crest in the plains, which were covered in smooth, soft green grasses. The members could feel their horses straining to get to their place of rest and relax. Gandalf, who had been riding far ahead with his palantir, mapping out their course, now guided Shadowfax back to where the Company stood.
He beckoned to them, and they rode up the crest of the hill to face him. He cleared his throat and said, "My friends, we have been given the most honourable leave to pass through these lands, as well as having been promised the allegiance and best defences of their inhabitants. Welcome, welcome to the Plains of Rohan."
He stepped aside and the Company breathed a collective sigh of pleasure. The plains stretched for miles, rolling and shining over a thousand little hills in the fields. Birds of all colours and shapes rose from the sweet meadows, little creeks of sparkling blue threaded through the grasses and the sky arched in a wonderful deepening blue over the plains as the sun sank below the western horizon. The edges of the fields, as Legolas had predicted, were edged with the golden mallorn raintrees of Lorien. The stars, twice as big in the open sky, studded the velvety arch and sparkled like the finest diamonds in the Glittering Caves. The horses strained against their tethers and the Company swiftly dismounted and unharnessed them. Shadowfax whinnied and Arod followed him. After a minute, the four other elvish-horses followed the two Rohan ones and they were soon out of sight, running as they were in joy and exquisite spirit.
Even the Company could feel the peace that rested in the lands of Rohan. Every breath of the wind brought the sweetness of the many flowers and herbs that grew in the meadows and Zycrah's voice, always ever-present in their minds, was barely heard here, despite the fact that Isengard was not far away.
Aragorn breathed deeply. "It is the protection of the brave Rohan Riders that keeps this place of my ancestors free of evil. I am happy here." He knelt on the grass and kissed the earth in a sign of respect, after the custom of Gondor.
They walked into the valley, Gimli even picking up his spirits and running down the hills in joy. The four Elves walked swiftly and lightly over the grasses, which seemed to spring up even the humans on their silken surfaces. Elrond strode ahead and found a little lee behind one of the bigger hills. "We will rest here. Mithrandir, arrange the watches while Aragorn and I build a fire."
Gandalf nodded and said, "Gimli, you are to watch until the moon is one- third of the way through its path, then Elrond will watch until it is two- thirds of the way from setting, then I will watch until sunrise."
That evening, there was none of the weariness and uncertainty that there had been at the campfire the evening before. Elladan and Elrohir kept the Company laughing with their stories of their childhood in Rivendell, while Gandalf performed his latest tricks with fire and Elrond led them all in song. Gimli hemmed and hawed and boasted of his triumphs in the Glittering Caves while Aragorn, relaxed for the moment, puffed his clay pipe and Legolas simply sat, his bright eyes shining, enjoying it all. The only thing that would have completed the picture were the hobbits, joking, laughing and keeping them all amused.
Aragorn sighed, his thoughts the same as Legolas'. "I can even feel Boromir's spirit here. They say that the souls of the Men of Gondor return here when they pass."
Elrond smiled. "I believe that legend. I can always feel a peace here that is not even felt in Lothlorien."
Soon it was time for the Company to rest. Legolas, much happier this evening than last, curled in his blankets and let his mind drift to the waking dreams of the Elves.
The moon was high in the sky when Legolas felt a shaking on his shoulder. He looked up, startled, at the profile of Gimli in the moonlight.
"Hear noises, rustling and drumming. Think it's Orcs. Should I wake the others?"
Legolas reached for his bow. "Yes."
They got up and roused the other members of the Company. The rustling and drumming, followed by unearthly, yet melodious whinnying sounds came closer and closer. The seven members stood ready.
Just then, something crept around the hill. Legolas' mouth fell open as he regarded the thing that stood before them . . .
~TO BE CONTINUED~