Out of Mirkwood
Scribbles-on-Parchment
September 5, 2020
Chapter 57 – Navaer
Legolas gasped in horror as his brother's body vanished into white mist right before his eyes. Had the ellon just died or woken up?
"Come back!"
The elfling's cry echoed around him. He was alone again sitting beside the barrier surrounded by great trees. Legolas frowned. Since when had there been trees around him? He glanced around at the sunlight that streamed through the branches and cast wavering shadows on the ground. The young elf shook his head. Nothing was making sense anymore. All he knew was that he desperately wanted to get out of this dream, yet he did not know how.
Legolas closed his eyes and desperately wished that Estel or one of the twins would sense his discomfort and wake him up. But when his eyes blinked open again nothing had changed.
With a sigh the prince got slowly to his feet and ran his hand over his face to get rid of any tears that still clung to his pale cheeks. There must be something he had to do that was keeping him here in the dream and not letting him escape from it. But what?
The elfling glanced around again. The plain he had been sitting on earlier had vanished having been replaced instead by a thick forest. A soft breeze tugged at Legolas's hair as he realized that the dull, grey atmosphere had all but vanished. The bright, healthy green of the leaves and plants had returned and through the waving branches he could see that the sky was now a pale blue. Perhaps he was in a different part of the dream world now. But the wall still stood in front of him, the horrid blackened section standing out more than ever in the bright sunlight.
The barrier. That had to be it. That had to be what he needed to fix in order to leave the dream. The ellon looked hard at the crumbling and diseased portion of the wall. How in arda was he supposed to fix it? He had no great magic like his adar.
Grumbling Legolas walked over to the barrier and placed his hand tentatively in the middle of the corroded bit. Instantly the wall seemed to turn to liquid causing his hand to become enveloped in the thick black substance. A bitter cold chill ran up his arm and straight to his chest. The elfling gasped at the awful sensation and tried to pull his hand away, but he found that he couldn't. His hand was stuck fast. What in the Valars' name was this?
The Sinda forced himself to take a deep breath and push back the feelings of panic that had begun to build in his mind and body. He would be fine. He just needed to think of a way out of this. After all he surely could not be killed in a dream.
The cold chill intensified the longer his hand remained entrapped in the dark glue-like substance and Legolas knew he needed to do something quickly. He had a feeling that he would need to find a way to use his elven magic, but he was too young still to have control over it and he knew of no way to summon it to do his bidding. Nonetheless the ellon closed his eyes and forced all of the emotions and thoughts from his mind. He flared his inner light and willed the light of the eldar that had been given to him to come to his aid.
Nothing happened.
Legolas tried again this time concentrating all of the energy he could into his inner light. Had the elfling opened his eyes he would have seen his body glow white for a moment before intensifying to a pure gold color that seemed to erupt from his body.
The next thing the young prince was aware of was a warmth that spread over his entire body. He dared to open his eyes and saw a golden light spilling from his very body and attacking the dark stain on the barrier. It was working! His magic had come after all.
Legolas watched as the black section gradually became smaller and smaller before the only place that still remained was around his hand. He frowned and tried to yank the appendage from its bondage. To his surprise, his hand slipped free and he stumbled backward, a great feeling of relief flooding him. He had done it.
The Greenwood barrier now stood whole and pulsing with elven magic. The dark sea behind it had retreated several paces away as if forced back by the renewal of power. Legolas sank to his knees and a soft smile flitted over his features. He felt drained and weak from all of the energy he had put into the wall, yet he also felt a great sense of accomplishment.
"Maer?"
A familiar voice echoed around him and he whirled around to see who had spoken, but no one was there.
"Wake up mellon nín."
Legolas gasped as the dream world around him faded into grey before disappearing entirely.
"Welcome back to the world of the living."
Legolas groaned as his eyes focused and he found himself receiving an unwanted closeup view of Estel's face.
"The sun is just starting to rise and my ada says it is time to leave. Everything is ready, we are just waiting for you to join us."
The prince looked around the young human and noticed Elrohir standing behind his brother. How had he managed to sleep through the night and the noises of the camp? He ran a hand over his face and felt wet moisture on his fingers.
"Tears?"
He hadn't even realized he had said this out loud till Estel answered,
"You were having some kind of dream last night. You weren't saying anything, but you were crying in your sleep."
A faint blush crept over the elfling's cheeks.
"I am sure it was just because you had to listen to Estel's horrendously loud snoring."
Legolas smiled shallowly at the younger twin's attempt at a joke. He knew the elf was only trying to make him feel better, but he was not in the mood to laugh. Elrohir glanced down at him again,
"Now get your lazy self out of bed before I have Glorfindel come and drag you out."
The prince threw a venomous look at the Noldor.
All of the camp had woken up to witness the departure of Prince Legolas's escort. Elrond had been surprised to hear that the young ellon had slept so deeply for so many hours. The emotional turmoil of the past several days must have greatly worn the poor elf out for it was a rare thing to be able to catch one of the eldar off guard while they slept, let alone have to try to awaken one.
When the elf lord had seen the elfling come out to the horses, escorted by Estel and Elrohir, he had been startled to see the faint traces of tears on the Sinda's cheeks. But what also worried him was how much the ellon's inner glow had dimmed. He had almost gotten used to the abnormally bright light that seemed to surround the prince at all times and now it seemed to be almost absent.
Elrond quickly brushed these thoughts aside as Tamír walked over to him.
"You requested to speak with me mellon?"
The Noldo smiled.
"Yes. I have something that I would like for you to have in your care," he took out a cream colored envelope and handed it over to the ellon, "I need you to deliver this for me."
Tamír frowned as he read the elegant writing that adorned the outside of the envelope.
"You want me to deliver this to Thranduil?"
Elrond nodded.
"It is very important to me that you would give this to the king in my stead. There has been too much hate and contention between the two of us and I am seeking to bring a start to reconciliation."
"Then why do you not just come with us and speak to him yourself?"
The elf lord just shook his head,
"The time is not right for me to enter the Greenwood. Please promise me you will do this."
"I promise mellon nín."
Tamír gently tucked the letter into a small pocket on his tunic before looking back up at his friend.
"The time has come for us to say farewell to each other for now," Elrond put a hand on one of the Silvan's shoulders in a sign of friendship, "Eru willing I shall see you again. Harthon gerithach raid gelin a melthin mellon nín."
Elrond's words faded as he looked at his friend one last time. He had a feeling that when the escort returned to Imladris Tamír would not be with them.
"Harthon cened le annas."
The two mellyn broke apart both feeling a great weight on their hearts. Elrond smiled sadly before turning away as Tamír went to mount his horse. There was one last person he needed to bid farewell to.
The Sinda prince sat on a steed of his own. Back straight, blue eyes cold and hard in the early morning light. He looked every bit like a young version of his adar.
The elven lord came up to the elfling's horse.
"I pray that we may meet again under better circumstances, penneth, for it grieves my heart to think of all of the strife that still lies between us. May you and your people find it in your hearts to forgive us one day."
The prince gazed at Elrond as if trying to judge the truthfulness of the Noldo's words. At last he said,
"Perhaps. Though I cannot testify for what my king will say to such words. There are things that can never be undone that were caused by your hand. But I shall remember your kindness to me if and when I am returned back to the Greenwood."
Elrond sighed internally. He should have anticipated such a response.
"Then this is farewell for now my prince. Berio le Eru."
He put his hand over his heart before extending it in an elvish farewell. The elf lord stepped away Legolas's horse. He would see the young elf again; he was sure of it.
Elrond cast a glance over at his sons who sat tall on their brown steed and smiled. They would lead the group safely for they had all grown into brave warriors … even Estel.
"Navaer," all of the ellyn stilled as their lord's voice rang out, "Garo lend vaer."
And may you all be the small pebbles that start the avalanche of change that will serve to heal many old wounds.
Elrond watched silently as the escort began to move away up towards the pass before he turned back to the camp. The safety of his sons and the young prince were out of his control. Now he had other problems to focus on.
Elvish Translations:
adar – father
maer - golden
mellon nín – my friend
ada – dad
mellon – friend
harthon gerithach raid gelin a melthin – i pray you will forever travel on green and golden paths
harthon cened le annas – i will see you again
mellyn – friends
adar – father
penneth – young one
navaer – farewell
berio le Eru – may Eru protect you
garo lend vaer – may you journey well