Across the Lands
Over simmering stream,
Across glistening lake;
Into forget-me-not eyes of blue
And wisps of golden tresses,
Fluttering into the west wind;
Stood Arya of elven-kin.
Under swaying willow,
Deep in heart of forest,
Eyes of brightest sapphire
And hair of sun-bleached blond,
Halo of simmering light;
Stood Legolas of woodland-kin.
On light feet she danced,
Under the star's light,
So sweet her voice
That birds thrilled in return.
On fleet limbs he run,
In the moon's glow,
So graceful his movements
That swans could not rival.
Joy was on their faces
In their hearts
And in their soul
Both in freedom of the land
Both with smiles of love.
Until war broke out,
And rivers were dam;
Forests cut down,
And the elven folk flee.
Fear awake in their hearts,
And grimness in their eyes;
Despair on their faces,
And still they ran.
The darkness swallowed many,
Others into the abyss fell,
Gone were the days of light
And loomed the nights of dark.
The hollow booms of drums approaches,
They were heard in the woods,
And ripples formed in the lakes,
The last elven home was found.
The orcs came and with them terror
The forest in flames,
Confusion reigned
And the people scattered.
Amongst them stood
Legolas and Arya,
Hand in hand,
They were not afraid.
Suddenly out of the night,
Came a spectral that loomed
Over their heads,
Casting them into the shadows
Of the moon light.
They were ready for death,
But fate would not be,
And they were pulled apart
By the shadow.
One the orcs took,
The other left to die.
But he whom they forsaken
He whom they thought was dead,
Awoken, and he wept
For his beloved was gone.
He sorted the orcs,
And hunted for days.
He took no rest
Save little food and water
So intent was he
On the trail of his beloved.
She who was captured
Thought her love dead
And with him, her heart died.
So numb was she
That she cared little
Of what orcs did to her.
Until the dawn came
And she took hope
For she saw with her elven eyes
The shape of an elf
Who followed them,
Ceaselessly, day and night.
Many days they traveled
Through forest and plain
Stopping seldom
And moving with haste,
For they were bid
To gather in Mordor.
On the shores of the Auduin,
He met up rangers from the north
They too had lost many lives
To the orcs of Mordor
They were set on revenge
So they continued.
A tracker's skill does not fade in time
A warrior's blood will always be ready,
And an elf is both.
And so they ran
Deep into the forests and grasslands
On to the tops of mountains and valleys
And the rangers ran
And at their head was an elf.
A bruised and battered figure
Tied to a stake
Outside an orcs' camp
Stood Arya of elven-kin.
Ever looking northward
Hope in her eyes.
A strong and slender creature
On the scent of a hunt,
With a deadly light in his eyes
Ran Legolas of woodland-kin
Always heading south
A grim smile on his lips.
By the moonlight the hunters came
Creeping into the camp,
Following the stars he found her
Relieve in his eyes.
A ranger creep close
To an orc of some sort
He was felled in seconds
But the orc uttered a cry
In a flash of light
Time seemed suspended.
Fire and shadows merged
And the attack came.
Up swept the twin blades of Legolas
Sweetly sang the bow of Lorien
And many an orc fell
Never to rise once more
But large are the forces of evil
And soon few were left standing.
Mist rose from the ground
Mist stained with red
Of the blood of men and orc
In a daze Legolas saw
And a tear dripped
And he roared his grief.
Orcs were now fleeing
For behind them was
A warrior with red in his eyes
A whirlwind of terror
By his side a terrible angel
Behind them a trial of blood
All those would looked upon them
And fear were in the hearts of orcs
But the hearts of men were strengthen
And cleaved all who stood in their way
And thus when dawn arrived
It saw a bloody battle field
In the middle, however, was a light
And in the light the couple met.
Sweet was their reuniting
And all could see their love.
The brave were put to rest,
The others were burnt
And after the battle was over
Legolas lead Arya to a clearing
And it was in the clearing
That they renewed their vows.
Trees stumps smothered
Ashes thicken the air
No sound was heard
Save their own steps
And as they walked
They wept for what once was.
Scattered families they drew in
Lost men came calling
They found many a wanderer
Willing to help
And all had a single goal
To cast down the evil.
Led by Legolas Prince of Mirkwood
And Arya daughter of Celerian,
All were made ready,
Blades of wondrous skill were create
Arrows sharp and true
Armor that glint in the light.
Knifes were sharpened
Axes horned and tested
Bows of strongest yew
The elven are fleeing no more.
Then all was ready
And the march began
Evil things were driven
Towards the sea and slain
The Evil one opened his eyes
And it did not like what he saw.
Spears glittered in the sun light
And reflected on the helms
All that were good came
They of different races
Had all one goal
To cast down the evil.
The evil eye for once was afraid
For there was a gleam in the eyes
Of his enemies
And their hearts were brave and true
But even as they marched to the gate
Some of lesser linage quailed.
And the eyes of the enemy watched
At the rising of the day
A horn sounded loud
It has begin.
Ranks upon ranks
Of orcs, elf, men and dwarves
Broke on each other.
Arrows wisped in the air
Swords clashed
And screams of the dying.
On it went, till the night fell
And a red moon rose
Nether side was giving in
Bodies piled into mountains
The eye was once more confident
There were many tricks up his sleeve.
Suddenly, an overwhelming fear
Come upon them
And it seemed that the sun came up
Too early and fiery red
It was a bolrog
A monster from the beginning
The men began to wilt
Under the onslaught of dread
The dwarves too were caught in panic
They have yet to see the worse
Only the elves were calm
They had the light of the star Audurin
All of elven folk drew forth their will
And drove the menace of evil
Back into the abyss
Where in belonged
There it was doomed to stay
Till the world's end
Morning came and
With it came a pause
Both armies withdrawal
To lick their wounds
And it went on
Till both sides were weary.
Then they stopped to look
All about them,
Their peers lay dead
And many fine leaders lost
And they prepared
For the last battle.
Legolas felt sorrow tore at his heart
Many friends had died
He knew than what to do
On his white noble steed
He flew in the wind
Leaving Arya to led the last charge
In two days he must up take a journey
That would in distance times
Take a moon's passing
It was hope that led him forward
It was despair that pushed him onward
It was love that kept him going.
Northwest he kept going
Till his horse fell and did not get up
Till his throat was coked with dust
Till his sapphire eyes went red
Till his shoes were worn
And he on he ran
He ran for Arya
He ran for the race of elves
He ran for all that was good
He ran for Middle Earth
On the dawning of the next morn
He finally spied what he was seeking
The Old Forest and the Brandywine
A little stream of smoke
From a chimney in a hill top
He had arrived in the shire.
Streets of small hobbits
On errands of some sort
Hairy feet and brown eyes
Round bellies and short legs
It was their courage that was needed
Their courage that made up for their size
In a haste he entered Hobbiton
Right to the Mayer Samwise Magee
Once with him they have traveled
To death's jaws and back again
One of the fellowship of the Ring
And it was Sam's aid he seek
Over a meal of some quality
He told Sam of their plight
Hobbits, creatures of peace but once roused
Their courage out shone them
Thus it was so that when Legolas set out once more
Behind him on swift feet came the hobbits.
Although in their hand
Were not more than pitch forks
In their usage they were learned
And will suffice in times of need
Tiny body but of brave heart
Are the hobbits if Shire
Creaseless were their footsteps
Weariness did not once pass their foreheads
In their eyes a hard glint
That sent many a grown men in flight
They wore neither helmets nor armor
But yet they went for the love of their peace
So it was that they meet
Hobbits, dwarves, men and elves
In an alliance that would make history
To throw down the dark eye
And bring peace and harmony
They would have it no other way.
As they neared Mordor
They saw carcasses rotting
Unrecognizable to any of their identity
The sounds of battle were faded
As if from a great distance
Veiled by mist and fog of crimson
The hobbits trend through the bodies
Each amazed to see
How many forsaken their lives
To rid this world of evil
With each footstep
Their anger was fed and they were ready
They rushed forward
The battle light in their eyes
Ahead of them were two forms
That seem to shine with an inner light
A tall figure fair and terrible
A slighter one burning with rage
Arya was cornered
Ahead was an ugly troll
Both her sides loomed hideous orcs
Crude swords in their hands
She stood her ground
Determined to bring a few down with her
For a moment she glanced east
A figure glowing like fire
Rushing towards her
His sword flickering
Then she turned her attention back to battle
With a flame in her eyes
Suddenly orcs seem to fall
All around her arrows buzzed
But they were not meant for her
Many an orc fell with a feathered arrow in their throats
Then she saw him
Nothing could stand between them
At last they met
In the mist of battle
Their eyes of a fiery blue
And their souls with love
But in their happiness
A shadow appeared
It was he one of the lords of old
Now he was wrought of pure menace
Upon the armies of elves, men, dwarves and hobbit
None could stand in their way
And he stood before the shining couple
And raised his sword to deliver death
Yet in that dark cloud
A ray of light was seen
And an old lord of the Valar
Covered in cleansing light
Came down to them
And none could move
In his voice of a thousand drums
Yet the light patter of rain
He spoke words of command
That bid the evil to once more
Return to his exile under the earth
And never plague Middle Earth once again
Then came a blinding light
And when it has faded
The people look about them in awe
No orc was seen nor heard
Many of the dead were in a state of wholeness
And smiles appeared on hard faces
From then on came an age of lasting peace
Each race were in harmony with each other
The wise ruled justly
The strong defended their lands
For though orcs are no more
Other dark creature still walked in the dark
As for Legolas and Arya
They passed out of time and space
Never seen by mortal eyes again
Who knows where their love now dwells?
Some say they have sailed away on the horizon
Others say that they passed to the land beyond long ago
But where they are now
Amid trees of old
Gliding on lakes of clear blue
Holding always hope and love to their hearts
Where are they now
I cannot say.
The end of Across the Lands
By Galiadirld Evewern of Lothlorien