Author's notes; humble apologies for the delay in posting an update. Real life had the audacity to get in the way the last few weeks, sorry !
daw the minstrel; appreciate your reviews as always, glad you liked Gimli's musings on the elves. Hang in there !
Alatariel Narmolanya; Thank you very much ! Glad you found the story too - the more , the merrier !
Sylvie; sorry for the delay, reunion coming up in chp. 11. Hope you'll stick with it !
The elven patrol wove their way steadily through the dense forests surrounding their homeland. They were spanned out amongst the tall majestic trees, some thread lightly on the soft earth below while others travelled in the lush canopy above, hidden and yet each warrior knew instinctively the position of the elf nearest to them. They had formed a large protective circle around their returning Prince. Far enough away to give him and his friend privacy and yet close enough to act instantly should anything happen.
Gimli passed the time trying to guess where the elves were but he had long since given up looking skyward. The elves were too difficult to track under the cover of the thick foliage and his ample neck was beginning to protest.
I had better rest it, he thought, look to my own level while I still can, Mahal knows I will probably spend my entire time in Mirkw….Eryn Lasgalen, he corrected himself, looking up at ridiculously tall creatures !
While the dwarf squinted and strained to catch glimpses of gold and black flowing hair moving silently through the countless tree trunks, Legolas' eyes drank in his surroundings like an elf starved of their beauty for far too long.
His heart felt pure joy at the sights surrounding him. He was elated beyond measure that the forests near his home had been spared and were untainted by the foulness of the orcs.
Silently he thanked the Valar for safe guarding his home and these beloved trees, then he solemnly thanked those who had fallen in their defence, "Hannon le mellyn-nîn, govannas vîn gwennen le gwedyr-nîn."
(Thank you my friends, we are in your debt my brothers.)
As they followed the winding path leading to the elven stronghold Legolas became aware of his companion's uncharacteristic silence and he decided to probe Gimli on the matter.
"Master Dwarf I see you have finally been so over come by the beauty of these trees that you have found yourself wanting for words" theelf teased lightly.
The jibe was met by a deep grunt and narrowed glare that somehow managed to convey the fact that the dwarf was neither impressed or amused by his friend's inaccurate observation.
"If you believe that to be true Master Elf then pray bend down and allow me to knock some sense into that thick skull of yours" Gimli offered as he made to reach for the axe holstered to his back.
"Nay Master Dwarf, there is no need," Legolas smiled as he tried to placate his volatile friend, "though I must confess I am curious to know why you have walked in silence this past hour, could it be then that our silent guardians have made an impression were I have failed ?" he asked, stepping nimbly out of his friend's swinging range just in case.
Gimli sighed, looked up at his friend, then cast his gaze to the forest floor and for the life of him Legolas could not decipher the brief look and that troubled him deeply.
All levity gone the elf moved to his friend's side and placed a slender hand on a broad slumped shoulder.
"Gimli," he asked softly, " what is wrong elvellon ? What have I said ? I did not mean to offend you my friend."
Silence……..then a deep intake of shaky breath.
"Gimli, speak to me," the youngelf pleaded, "please what have I said wrong ?"
The stout dwarf came to a halt.
Finally Gimli relented and hesitantly looked up to his friend once more.
Legolas was taken aback by the visible array of emotions flittering across his friend's face despite the masses of unruly auburn hair. More troubling though were the dark emotions burning in his friends fiery eyes…. sadness, regret and a disturbing amount of what looked like fear and guilt.
The elf found himself feeling an alien emotion, something he had not felt since he was an elfling, accidentally trapped in his father's dark wine cellar……. panic.
"It is not you that has spoken wrongly my friend but I" Gimli confessed in a voice so hushed Legolas could hardly believe it was coming from his friend's lips.
Thankfully now the elf's panic wasquickly replaced by confusion.
"Gimli I do not understand", thearcher was forced to admit.
"When I spoke of your Mother," the dwarf studied his friend's face and spotted the familiar flash of grief and pain before it was banished once more, "I spoke out of ignorance, I did not know and I caused you pain, for that I am sorry…"
"Gimli this I already know…" Legolas interrupted.
"Please allow me to finish Legolas, these thoughts have been troubling me.."
"And that is why you have been quiet while we walked", the Prince stated sadly, shaking his head, wishing his friend had not worried so over something that he had already left in the past.
"Yes….., I have been wanting to apologise my friend but we have been rarely left alone and when we were finally left to ourselves I was unsure of what to say….but know this Legolas, I am sorry, it may not be enough for we dwarves have little practice in the art of apologising but I did not mean to cause you pain, I would not knowingly put our friendship in jeopardy."
It suddenly dawned on the Prince why he caught glimpses of fear in his friend's eye , did he honestly think that he would hold his words against him and allow them to weaken their friendship ?
He needed to clear up some matters straight away, he could not allow his friend to harbour such fears and doubts about their friendship. He did not make friends easily and when he did he did not take those relationships lightly or for granted, he had to know that Gimli understood this.
"Gimli my friend….there was no need for you to feel this way, it was not your words that caused me pain but merely the memory of my loss. I know in my heart that you would not knowingly cause me sorrow nor do I expect you to be an expert in the affairs of my family. If it makes you feel better Gimli, I accept your apology but know this son of Gloin, I do not hold your words against you nor have they put our friendship in jeopardy", the Prince declared with as much sincerity as he could muster in order that his friend understand.
He looked into his friend's dark eyes and studied them until he could finally see signs of understanding and watched as the feelings of self recrimination and doubt were replaced with happiness and relief.
"Gimli know that your friendship means a great deal to me….., more than you can know," he admitted softly, "and I will not permit it to be easily torn asunder by misspoken words from you nor by false or harsh words from others. I value it more than that my friend, we have been through much together and who knows what lies ahead. I will need your strength in the coming hours and days elvellon especially should things not go well. I need to know that you will be there. I need to know that when I return to Ithilien and when you return to Aglarond that in the coming years I can still call you friend."
Gimli was deeply moved by the depth of emotion shown by his normally stoic companion. He did indeed feel better knowing that the warrior had accepted his apology and that there were no secreted feelings of ill will.
The elf's sincere words did much to relieve any doubts Gimli had hidden deep within him that when the warriorfound himself surrounded once more by his own kind that he may not wish to leave his home and that he might be convinced that their friendship was folly.
And so with an appreciative smile he replied with equal conviction,
"My strength you shall have when ever you have need of it, my friendship you shall have till I breath my last breath," then he winked mischievously at the elf, "and after that I shall haunt your days and nights till you are forced to leave these shores to be rid of me !"
The elf's light laughter filled the air.
"That is a comforting pledge Master Dwarf……I think."
As previous tensions fled and the two companions enjoyed the light moment, Legolas' head suddenly turned as he caught silent movement to the left of his vision. Knowing instantly it to be another elf , he was not alarmed. Gimli followed his friend's movement and spotted the elf approaching. It was Galathil.
The warrior Lieutenant bowed respectfully to his King's heir, then approached.
"Apologies my Prince, Sindadur has sent me to see if all is well, he wishes to know do you intend to stop and rest for a while ?"
Legolas smiled inwardly, the old Captain's protective streak was as strong today as the first moment the King charged him with the care of his infant son.
"Nay Galathil, tell Sindadur that all is well, we have no need of rest and we shall continue our journey without further delay", the Prince instructed his fellow warrior.
The Lieutenant bowed once more then turned and disappearedseamlessly into the surrounding trees.
It was hard to miss the look Gimli cast in the direction of the vanishing warrior. No doubt it was directed at Sindadur.
Legolas caught his friend's attention by tapping him on the shoulder, once Gimli had turned Legolas shrugged his own slender shoulders and smiled apologetically.
"Old habits die hard", he explained in his former tutor's defence.
To which the dwarf merely grumbled something unintelligible as he began to walk away, and though the elf could not make out what words were uttered he was under no illusions as to their hidden meanings.
Still smiling he patted Arod on the neck and the two soon caught up on the disgruntled dwarf.
As they walked together Anor had risen high in the clear blue sky, it was approaching mid day. The Prince's excitement grew as he got closer and closer to his home. He could not hold down any one specific emotion for any length of time. Mixed feelings of joy, nervousness, relief, anxiety and anticipation coursed through him like the tumultuous waters of the Forest River during the Tuilë (Spring) thaw.
He looked skyward as he heard the call of a hawk on the wind, he watched as the majestic bird circled their position from high above then made its way to the palace.
So much for the element of surprise, his father had no doubt been made aware of his approach and had sent one of his birds to determine the hour of his son's arrival, he cast an accusing glance at the surrounding trees who simply ignored the silent accusation and continued to welcome him home.
And then all too soon it was upon him. The enormous gates of his father's kingdom loomed before him. It was a beautiful sight.
The rest of the patrol began to form up on the path around their Prince now that their destination had finally been reached. They too were eager to be home and to be reunited with their loved ones.
They all paused in front of the massive gates and waited patiently for their Prince.
Gimli stood amazed at the scene before him. Stretched as far as the eye could see ran a huge wall either side of the gates. Its great height and girth acting as a protective barrier around the entire kingdom. He could see the tops of trees growing behind the wall but none grew immediately in front of the wall.
There was nothing to give any enemy an advantage point from and the walls themselves seemed seamless and impossible to scale, it would be very difficult to find purchase on them to begin climbing assuming you got that far, for the wall was patrolled by an array of warriors, walking diligently along its top. The dwarf watched as they appeared and disappeared between the protective battlements.
The forward scouts had already notified the watch guards of the returning patrol and more importantly of their returning Prince and some of them paused to nod respectfully athim in silent greeting.
The gates themselves were a work of art and Gimli felt some begrudging respect for the craftsmanship needed to create such structures. They were a wonderful creation of wood and iron, wrought together in a functional yet beautiful way. Elvish runes were etched deeply into the dark wood while sheets of iron had been hammered onto the surface resembling great trees. Someone had used copper to represent the leaves of the two big oaks and with the passing of time the copper had turned green and completed the illusion.
The mood in the air felt strange around him and he knew he was about to enter into a very unusual and interesting place. Despite himself, he felt his excitement growing, he could not imagine what Legolas must be feeling at this moment.
He cast his friend as side ways glance and watched as Sindadur approached the young archer from the opposite side.
He stood silently beside his former charge ready too offer support and encouragemnt should it be needed for he was aware of some of the Prince's anxieties about returning home.
He watched the younger elf's eyes as they were transfixed on the gates before him, as if they were not real and he was caught in a strange dream.
Carefully he grippedthe elf'sshoulder and squeezed. It had the desired effect as Legolas' gaze was broken and he turned to look at the Captain.
"He is waiting my Prince", Sindadur whispered as he encouraged the young royal to open the gates.
Legolas nodded then inhaled a deep calming breath. He turned to face the doors once more and all went still as if nature itself held its breath in anticipation.
He raised his hands slightly and spoke clearly and authoritively to the gates before him.
"Lasto annon edhellon Eryn Lasgalen, Im Ernil o taure, edro hi ammen !"
(Listen gates of the elves of The Wood of Greenleaves, I am Prince of (the) forest, open for me now.)
All looked on as the gates slowly began to swing open.