Out of Mirkwood
Scribbles-on-Parchment
February 8, 2020
Chapter 29 – The Song of the Greenwood
Kélion could not help but feel both anger and dread in his heart as he ran back toward the palace. He felt dread for the words the tree had spoken to him. If they had been betrayed then that would mean his adar was in grave danger. However, he also felt anger at Meldir and Êmand for leaving the palace without telling him of their intentions, at himself for leaving the king, and at Legolas for causing all of this. If the elfling had just done as he had been told then none of this would be happening. While he still felt deep sorrow for the loss of his beloved brother, he could not stop his anger at the dead eldar.
The two emotions, dread and anger, fought for control over his heart as the Sinda raced through the forest. He did not know if Meldir or Êmand followed him, for he had not looked back since leaving them. Kélion desperately prayed that they had given up their search and had come after him for if there was trouble at the palace, he did not think it wise to face it alone.
The crown prince gracefully leaped over a fallen tree and suddenly slowed. He knew he was near the palace gates for they had not traveled for yet there was something wrong. All around him the trees that once filled the air with their gentle whispers had stopped. Instead, the air around him seemed to crackle with hatred; it was so strong that it took his breath away. When had the beautiful trees of the Greenwood become this full of anger, this full of darkness?
Kélion came to a stumbling halt. The mere weight of the forest's loathing was like a heavy burden upon his back. It seemed to swirl around him in a dark cloud, attacking the light of the eldar that shone around him. What was happening? He had never felt this before. Never had the voices and feelings of the trees been so apparent and overwhelming to him; never had the Greenwood seemed so full of despair.
He had to get to the palace.
This one thought took hold of the prince's mind. If he was feeling this effect from the trees he could not imagine what his adar must be experiencing for the king of the Greenwood was said to have the power to feel and connect with every living thing in the forest. Surly the Sinda must be overcome by now.
Kélion forced himself forward and as he did so the darkness that had surrounded him seemed to clear and the sunlight returned. The deathly cold feeling began to fade and the forest seemed to return to be as it had always been. The sound of birds singing, leaves rustling and the trees softly humming with life.
However, the abrupt departure of the weight, that had been so crippling, caused the ellon to fall suddenly forward. The jolt of his knees hitting the ground seemed to snap the Sinda out of his shock, yet this relief lasted for only a moment. The cries of the trees seemed to crash over him again like a dark wave on the sea, filling his ears and blocking out all else. He looked up trying to ignore the feelings and darkness attacking him.
Breathing hard Kélion saw that he was at the edge of a clearing. In front of him lay the gates to his adar's realm. How had he gotten here so quickly? He knew he had been close to the gates but not this near.
The crown prince glanced around at all the trees that guarded the clearing for they did not seem right. Yet there was the gate standing tall and proud as it always did at the far edge of the clearing. Had the forest's new song affected the way he now saw the Greenwood? Had everything always been this clouded in darkness?
The prince realized that Meldir and Êmand were next to him their faces shadowed in concern and worry. They were talking to him though he found he could not hear what they were saying. All he could hear were the voices of the trees. Kélion put his hands to his head. He had always been able to connect with the forest of the Greenwood but never so intensely. He hated it. The connection was flooding his mind, overwhelming him, and making it hard to breathe. Was this what his adar felt every day?
Meldir and Êmand followed the crown prince as he raced through the woods; both ellyn were concerned. Whatever the oak had told the Sinda must have affected him greatly for it had been many years since they had witnessed the eldar in such haste. Meldir leaped lightly over a fallen tree trying to keep up with his friend's rushed pace. If the king had been betrayed or if the palace was under siege Kélion would not be alone for he would stay by his friend's side to the bitter end.
As his feet touched the soft dirt and leaves on the other side of the large log, the commander noticed that the prince had stopped abruptly not four paces in front of him. The Silvan quickly halted wondering what had not happened and horrible thoughts began to run through his mind.
Had the ellon seen something? Had he been shot?
He could see no blood on his friend's lithe form and the forest was silent and still. No sound could be heard.
It was then that the Silvan noticed the clearing they had come to and the palace gates at the far end. Meldir's brow wrinkled in confusion. Surly, they had not arrived yet; something was off. However, the impressive stone door spoke otherwise. The ellon glanced behind him at Êmand and noted the same confused look. Though a pained gasp from the prince quickly banished all of these thoughts.
"Kélion?" Meldir took a step toward his friend, "Mellon nín what ails you?"
The eldar did not respond but fell forward onto his hands and knees as if a heavy burden had suddenly been placed onto his back. Both ellyn raced forward as one, coming on either side of the Sinda.
"What is the matter? Are you wounded?" Meldir tried to stay calm. He did not understand how so many things felt wrong. There was a magic in the air that he did not recognize.
The elf prince remained silent, his chest heaving.
"Answer me you stupid elf!" the ellon shook Kélion his concern rising. Had his friend been poisoned?
In his mind, all he could see was Legolas's throat being slit and the light of the eldar leaving his young body. If his friend were to die too then he was sure to follow.
"Meldir," Êmand's voice snapped him out of his dark thoughts, "By the Valar, he is not dying. He simply cannot hear you."
The Silvan commander then noticed the glazed look in Kélion's blue eyes and the tenseness of the muscles in the elf's jaw,
"What is wrong with him?"
"He is overcome with the song of the trees."
Meldir looked hard at the older elf, "How can that be? They are only small voices, a whisper in the wind."
"Ah, you are mistaken. For us, it may be only this but for the Sindar it is much more. They can not only communicate with the trees but they can connect with them in a way we cannot. The Sindar can feel the forest's song, not just hear it, for them it is much deeper."
"This I already know," the Silvan looked back at Kélion who was still crouched on the ground, "But it has never affected him so badly before. Why now? What has changed?"
The older elf's eyes grew troubled, "This I do not know for the only other Sinda who I have seen react this way was Thranduil. He was overcome by the song of the trees when his adar súlë left arda and he was passed the powers of the Greenwood's king."
This struck horror into Meldir. Had the king been killed? Was this a sign that the elven lord had passed away and had given his powers to his son? Kélion would not live long if his adar too had departed arda.
However, a second later the Sinda abruptly lifted his head and looked around, blinking dazedly.
"Mellon nín, what happened? What did you hear?"
However, the prince still did not seem to hear his voice and instead put his head into his hands. Meldir looked over at Êmand. The worried, almost desperate look in the Silvan's eye told him everything he needed to know. Behind them, the gate to the palace was still closed tightly against the outside world. No guards were at the gate, no cry had been raised, no help had come to them.
Had all the Greenwood forsaken their king? The Silvan pushed himself to his feet and with long strides, Meldir crossed the clearing, brown eyes blazing. He would break the gates down if he had to.
"Edra-si annon!"
Kélion lowered his hands and looked up. The onslaught that had been overpowering him had stopped as suddenly as it had come leaving his body feeling exhausted as if he had just been in a great battle. He could still sense that anger and malice of the trees and the song of the forest, though unchanged, seemed to ring differently in his ears. There was another strand he could now hear. A melody of darkness and evil were woven into the tune. However, he would have to worry about this later.
The prince sighed and stood up, surprised to find Êmand immediately at his side.
"Are you well?"
The prince nodded but stopped as he saw the look in the Silvan's eye, distress. All of what the tree had spoken to him came to mind.
"There is a traitor in the palace and the king is in danger. We must go to him!"
Êmand nodded in the direction of the gate. The prince looked over and saw Meldir standing in front of the palace doors which remained closed.
"Edra-si annon!"
His friend's commanding voice echoed across the clearing. Why had the gates not opened as they drew near?
"What happened Kélion?"
The Sinda turned to look at his brother's mentor and said again, "The king had been betrayed."
Without another word the crown prince turned and ran swiftly to Meldir's side. He noted the look of relief that passed over the ellon's face as Kélion came to stand beside him for there was magic over the gates as to open it at the word from one of the royal family. This was in place to assure that they could never be shut out from their own kingdom.
Kélion put a hand on his friend's shoulder and the Silvan quickly stepped aside. The eldar quietly chanted something in Quenya, a language long forgotten by most of those who remained on arda, before taking a step back.
Nothing happened and the door remained sealed tightly closed.
The prince frowned. He had done everything just the way his adar had taught him. Why had the gate not opened? Frustrated, he tried again. Still nothing.
At last, Kélion looked over at Meldir who looked just as confused as he was. The Sinda shook his head and walked forward, stretching his head out to touch the solid stone, and to his astonishment, his hand passed right through it. This was a mirage; a work of powerful dark magic.
Elvish Translations:
adar – father
mellon nín– friend
súlë – spirit
edra-si annon – open the gate now