The Other Child: A Royal Wedding
*Please note: I quote a few of Tolkien's words here, from Return of the King - Many Partings
It was Midsummer Eve and a soft wind stirred the trees of Minis Tirith. A thousand stars lit the sapphire sky as King Elessar welcomed the host of Rivendell and Lorien to his kingdom. Elrond gave to Aragorn the sceptre Annúminas and with it the hand of his only daughter, Arwen Undómiel. They went up into the High City and enjoyed a wedding feast the likes of which Gondor had never seen, even in the days of old.
Legolas sat beside Gimli, lost in thought. The wedding was beautiful; Arwen was lovely beyond description and he had never seen Aragorn so blissful. Their long years of waiting were fruitful at last. He thought about his own betrothal and he was troubled. He loved Dolressa yet his heart ached for the Sea as it never had for her. Could he ever be whole again?
He was shaken from his reverie by a sharp poke in his ribs from Gimli. "Hmm?"
"I said the Lady Galadriel's beauty is beyond my ability to describe."
Legolas looked down the long table at said lady and agreed with his friend. Across the table Pippin laughed. "Perhaps our Elf is pining for another lady tonight?"
Gimli snorted. "More likely the Sea, if I judge rightly. But I beg you, no more Elven Sea chants, if you please."
Legolas laughed at how well the Dwarf understood him.
Frodo did not find it amusing. "We are, both of us longing, Legolas. But you are fortunate in that you know your heart's desire. Would that were true for me."
Gandalf looked over at Frodo. "In time you will find peace, my friend."
"Perhaps. But when and where remain a mystery to me."
"You are sorely missing the Shire, Master," suggested Sam hopefully.
Frodo smiled at his faithful companion. "Aye, no doubt, Sam. Soon we shall be on the road home, at last."
Pippin set down his stein of ale. "Perhaps we may return by way of Fangorn Forest and Isengard? I would dearly love to see Treebeard again."
"If you'd study a map, Pippin, you'd see there's no way to go but through Isengard," Merry chided him.
"So, you shall visit Treebeard and I will go with you," said Gandalf, much to the delight of the hobbits.
"And we shall go, too, and visit the Forest as agreed, Gimli," added Legolas, to the displeasure of Gimli.
"Only after we see the Glittering Caves," he groused.
"A promise is a promise I shall keep, Master Dwarf!" laughed Legolas. "And now, if you'll excuse me…" He got up and walked out of the hall, singing softly to himself.
"He goes to the Sea," Gimli remarked to Gandalf shaking his head. "Our friend is not himself."
"Nay, Gimli, he has just found himself and knows not what to do with the knowledge," replied Gandalf.
When the days of rejoicing were complete, the Companions prepared for their journeys home. Aragorn joined them as far as the Gap of Rohan, stopping first in Rohan for the funeral of King Théoden and the crowning of his comrade and ally Éomer.
Legolas kept his promise to Gimli and went with him to the Glittering Caves. They reminded him of his father's halls but were far more breathtaking in natural beauty. Upon their return Aragorn smiled and asked what he thought of them.
"Gimli alone can find apt words, and never before has a Dwarf claimed victory over an Elf in a contest of words. Now let us go to Fangorn and set the score right!"*
From Deeping-coomb they rode to Isengard and marveled at the labors of the Ents. Where once stood a stone circle and blackened pits there were gardens - great, glorious gardens with orchards, trees and a stream running through them. A lake surrounded the tower, mirroring its image in the clear water. Birds sang throughout the trees and fragrant drifts of many-colored wildflowers bordered all.
"Welcome to Treegarth of Orthanc!" boomed Treebeard with a good deal of hoom-hom-ing. Quickbeam was with him and bowed gracefully.
They talked of their adventures and Treebeard spoke of the restoration of Isengard. "There is much to do but it is near completion. If only we had Entings to dwell here, but there are no Entwives," he said sadly.
"I sense Radagast's hand here," remarked Gandalf on a more positive note.
Treebeard laughed. "Indeed, you have missed your brother, Gandalf! It was he who sang songs of growth and flow to land, stream and flower, and calmed the wrath of the Huorns."
Gandalf smiled. "Ah, it is a shame that I missed him, but no matter. We shall meet soon, he and I, for there is much to discuss."
"Aye, to Radagast shall fall many great deeds equal to our own," said Elrond.
"Humble in the courts of the Valar was Aiwendil, preferring the gardens of Yavanna to the mighty palaces," said Galadriel. "Just as you, Gandalf, he never sought renown in Middle Earth; his joy is ever in the renewal of hope, the bud in spring, the harvest moon."
"Less glad am I to have missed Saruman," noted Gandalf. "I fear he has some evil left to do in this world. He has underestimated us, as always, yet it will be Radagast who heals the scars as best he may."
"Not alone, surely," replied Treebeard. "For his young ward is quite gifted; it was she who gathered the birds back to our gardens."
Gandalf looked at him sharply. "Of whom do you speak, Treebeard?"
"His little ward," said Treebeard, indicating her height with his gnarled hand. "No bigger than that, but brimming with a zest that refreshes my old heart, albeit I fear she is far too hasty," he added with a glint of green in his deep brown eyes.
Gandalf looked thoughtful but said no more. Soon the company took their leave of Treebeard and each other. Many heartfelt partings were made that day, especially by the Companions of Frodo.
"We shall meet ere long, for I shall travel North to Lake Evendim and restore our kingdom there," Aragorn assured them.
"And I shall return to Minis Tirith and Ithilien with folk of the Greenwoods to bring to life your stony realm!" said Legolas.
"As for the stones, my people will renew your city so it stands a wonder to all of Middle Earth," said the Dwarf.
"I shall accept your offers with much gratitude," replied Aragorn. "And I will expect you erelong, before the year is old."
At last Gimli and Legolas were astride Arod and riding into Fangorn Forest.
Legolas brought Arod to a light trot. He smiled and breathed deeply. "Mark you the air, Gimli! It swells with life!"
"It smells with it, you mean," muttered the Dwarf from his seat behind the Elf. "Give me the clean, wholesome air of the Glittering Caves!"
Legolas laughed. "Aye, the caves were fair indeed, even to me, who has no great love of such places. Now it is your turn to keep your mind and eyes open and find what we may here in Fangorn!"
Gimli shook his head but said nothing. Fair was, after all, fair.
They had traveled but a little way into the wood when Legolas called Arod to a halt. They had stopped before a small hill, the very same upon which they had first seen Gandalf the White many months ago. "Look, you, Gimli! 'Tis the hill that sprouts wizards!"
Sure enough, sitting upon the hill was Radagast the Brown. He smiled and waved a greeting. "Hail, Legolas son of Thranduil! Well met, indeed!"
Legolas dismounted and Gimli followed suit with curiosity. Gimli recognized the marks of a wizard in Radagast's shabby robes, pointed hat and long carved staff, but there the resemblance to Gandalf ended. Whereas Gandalf's beard and hair were white and his eyes keen silver-grey, this man's grey beard and eyes were shot with brown, his face ruddy. He was the very picture of a jolly old man, almost dwarf-like. Gimli decided immediately that he liked the wizard.
"Gimli, this is my friend of old, Radagast the Brown, kinsman to Gandalf!"
The Dwarf bowed low and Radagast laughed, climbing down from the rock. "I greet you, Gimli of Erebor. And let me introduce… oh, goodness, where has that child got to now? Little one!" he called.
There was a skittering noise behind the hill and, in a moment, a tall child appeared above them. "Here I am, Uncle!"
Legolas looked up and grinned broadly. "Well! It's the ward, or I'm a Dwarf of Erebor!"
"That you certainly are not, praise Eru," said Gimli, looking up into the blue eyes that were presently studying them in surprise. "Has the child a name, or is it 'Ward'?"
"This is Rebecca, who is my ward," replied Radagast.
Rebecca continued to look down at them, her eyes focused on Legolas as if she could not turn away. "You are back, then?" she asked simply.
"Aye, so we are!" laughed the Elf. "Will you come down, or shall we come up?"
She flushed with embarrassment and clambered down the hill. Legolas caught her as she leapt to the ground and she blushed even more furiously.
"Well met, little one!" he grinned. "How you have grown this year!"
She made a small curtsey, which seemed incongruous with her worn tunic and breeches. She studied his face with wide eyes. The prince was more beautiful than she remembered him to be.
"I wish that we had known you to be here, Radagast!" said Legolas. "For we have just left Gandalf upon our road!"
Radagast smiled. "It is nothing, my friend. I shall meet him presently. Come, shall we sit in the sunshine and talk of happy things?"
"Indeed!" replied Legolas, sitting upon the green grass with his back against the hill, stretching his long legs before him. Gimli joined him, squat and cross-legged. Rebecca tried not to stare but she had never seen a Dwarf before. She found him intriguing, but the main share of her attention belonged to Legolas. She watched his graceful hands as spoke, and noticed the mithril ring upon his finger. She thought of the Lady Dolressa and of their eventual reunion. She looked into his deep brown eyes. Keen as ever, they were, and yet there was a new light to them, of some deep yearning unknown to her. She remembered her dream and wondered.
Radagast brought forth his pipe and pouch of Old Toby, to the sheer delight of Gimli, who produced his own and joined the wizard in blowing rings of smoke over the hill. They spoke of the war and of great battles, of the King come at last to his throne in Gondor. They spoke of the wedding of King Elessar and Arwen Undómiel. Rebecca listened to their stories and rejoiced in their lightened hearts. Most of all, she was glad that Legolas would soon join them in the halls of Thranduil, or so she thought.
Radagast then told them of the Battle Under the Trees and of the renaming of the wood. Eryn Lasgalen was it called, the Wood of Green Leaves. In honor of their labors in the war, King Thranduil had granted the midlands of the forest to the Beornings and the Woodmen. They spoke of the cleansing of Dol Guldur and clearing the woods of giant spiders. Gimli was gratified to hear of the valor of his people and of peace come to Erebor at last.
Radagast spoke of his own efforts. "We were called by Landroval of the house of Gwaihir to aid Treebeard. We have labored with him in the restoration of Isengard, and have come just now to bid farewell to Fangorn ere we travel north."
"A lucky meeting, then!" smiled Legolas, tugging lightly on Rebecca's shoe. "We shall join you in your travels!"
"Our road leads not to Eryn Lasgalen at present."
"It doesn't?" asked Rebecca in surprise, unwilling to relinquish her hopes of riding upon Legolas' fair grey stallion.
"No, little one. We have other business to be about - we are off to the house of Tom Bombadil!"
"Ah, Iarwain Ben-adar! How I would enjoy a talk with him myself, yet I am bound, upon completing our visit here, to return to my father."
"Aye," laughed Radagast. "He is keen upon your return and, I believe, so is a certain lady?"
Legolas sighed. "Yet each step I take leads me from the Sea," he said sadly.
Radagast raised his eyebrows. "The Sea, did you say? You have heard the gulls, then, I fear."
"Aye, near Lebennin whilst we sailed to Gondor and battle. Nevermore shall I rest beneath the eaves of any wood, save in Eressëa."
Radagast put a hand upon his shoulder. "It is ever so with the Eldar, Legolas. Once you have harkened to the Ulúmuri - Ulmo's horns of the deep - you have heard the music of the Ainur in the waters of the Sea and your yearning awakens; this longing will never leave you as long as Arda endures."
"It is so," sighed the Elf deeply. "Yet there is still much to do ere I follow that way of my heart."
Radagast nodded. "I am glad to hear it, for we will have great need of you in mending the wounds of this war. Much there is to be done!"
"And so I shall," agreed Legolas. "For a time, for a time."
The company stood and Radagast took Rebecca's hand. "And now it is the hour for our parting, for the present, my friends. We ride north directly."
Gimli bowed low and bid them farewell. He was loathe to see them go, for he had already had enough of Fangorn. Legolas stooped and kissed Rebecca's brow. She looked openly into his fair face, wishing to memorize each feature. How far away their next meeting might be she did not know.
They left the Elf and Dwarf standing by the hill; as Rebecca looked back, she saw the sunlight shining upon Legolas' hair. He lifted his hand in farewell.
"Uncle?"
"Yes, my love?"
"Why do we not return to King Thranduil with the Prince?"
Radagast laughed. "I see you have a fondness for our young Prince, my dear, yet we must not tarry. We are expected at the House under the Hill; I have sent a raven before us to bring tidings to Tom."
"So soon? We have barely been away for a year! Am I… am I to live there again?" Once she would have been pleased but now she was unsure. She had come to love the halls of Thranduil as well. It was unfair that she leave just as the Prince returned to them.
"For a time, Rebecca. Now that you have seen something of the world you must sit at Tom's knee and learn what you can there."
They had ridden several days on the Greenway and were nearing the South Downs when they spied two travelers on the roadside. As they drew closer Radagast gasped in surprise. Rebecca looked up to see his face set in an unpleasant grimace. Nevertheless he slowed their horse to halt before the pair.
The taller of the two was dressed in dirty white rags; he sneered as he looked up at them. "Well, if it isn't Radagast the Bird-Tamer! Have you come to gloat over me as well? I assure you, Gandalf and his troop of fools have already done so!"
Radagast shook his head, regarding his former captain sadly. "Nay, Saruman, I have no desire to see you further diminished."
"Aye, I have fallen into ruin and now have only this Gríma Worm to command."
The man with Saruman ducked as if avoiding a blow.
Saruman started as he noticed Rebecca, her wide blue eyes regarding him steadily.
"And what is this, Radagast? Taken in another foundling, have you?" He stared closely at her, then raised his eyebrows archly. "A chance meeting, indeed!" He laughed with a malice that set Radagast's teeth on edge. "Yes, indeed! And such a foundling! I wonder, Radagast, if you perceive the depths of this treasure?" His eyes held Rebecca's; she liked neither his tone nor his gaze and stared down at the horse's mane.
"I have naught to say on this or any other subject," replied Radagast tersely and spurred their horse on.
As Radagast and Rebecca rode away Saruman laughed anew. "There's a pretty thing, Worm!" he gloated. "Yes, she will be one to watch! Unexpected, yet most useful…"
Next: The Ithryn Luin