The Calling
A/N- Yes, I know you all hate me. I made you wait for over 2 weeks and didn't tell you! Part for suspense…but then stuff happened and I am a terrible author. Please don't kill me!
Legolas POV
Legolas felt something. A fizz and snap. Like a connection had been broken; like a young twig that broke but still hung by a thread. Not gone, but as good as dead.
That metaphorical 'twig' was indeed a young twig. It had been growing for a while, but had only shot up very recently. It was still green and had a long way to go- but as all good things it came to an end. This one far too early, almost before it had the chance to begin. It was a strong young twig yes; it had not snapped in two; but it was on the verge of death. The greenest and most tender shoots are always the ones that the animals eat, and the same happens with much else.
Legolas grit his teeth and put a hand on his heart. Something had happened, he did not know what- but she was not there anymore. The connection was breaking. The twig had all but snapped. All Legolas could feel at that moment was a horrible wrenching, twisting feeling as if something was twisting that twig and trying to break it. Break it so it came to its death.
Darke POV
The abyss was nice. Comforting. Cool. It felt like I was floating; floating submerged. I was slipping away but there was no point in re-waking.
I heard a singing, possibly the most beautiful singing I ever heard. A voice of Gods. I felt arms come from beneath me and lift me up. Valar have mercy on my tortured soul. I fell away, so very very far away.
I woke up with softness beneath me. It still felt like I was floating, although on something different this time. A bed maybe? Well done Darke, I thought to myself the first time you've slept properly in a bed, and it's after you died. Great for you. Well at least I had my normal personality with me. Not even death could take away the sarcastic part of me. The singing was still there, and still so beautiful it made my knees tremble and eyes water. Thinking of water…
I felt wet. Not just a little damp or being submerged in cool water, but absolutely as sopping wet as was possible. It seemed to be soaking into the- well I suppose they were sheets- beneath me. Ack, no matter. I still felt like I was surrounded by pure bliss.
The singing was nearing me, and footsteps sounded along a floor. A wooden floor. Breaths and a heartbeat, someone quite familiar but I was too tired to recognise them.
"Uuurrween." A voice called to me. The same voice as the singer, as the singer had stopped. It had the same lilt to it as well. "Uuurrweeenn." I remembered that name. Who did it belong to? "Lalaith?" The voice said, a little sharper. My memory stirred. That was me. That voice must be my mother. I mumble-groaned something incoherent even to myself. Why was it time to get up already? Considering I was dead, there was nothing else to really do. I think. "Darke!" The voice said sharply near my ear. That woke me up, and made me half jump. No need to go near the ears, thank-you.
"Who are you?" I murmured, rubbing my arms. My mother had not called me that. Who had? The first…
I tried to move. Aches. So. Bad. It felt like I was covered head to toe in the worst bruises imaginable. Not what I expected after I departed. I had expected to feel more like an ethereal, floaty spirit thing. No rest for the wicked. But I eventually managed to sit up.
"Who are you?" I asked again. My brain was not processing anything.
"Surely you remember me?" The voice sang with a note of concern. "I am the daughter of river and stream."
Something stirred in my mind. My brain was beginning to function. "Guldbery," the name slurred off my tongue. "G-Guldbery."
"Yes, tis I my young friend. You almost met your end."
Young friend. Very few had called me that. There was Goldberry, Tom, Quickbeam, Fangorn…
Memories. Memories came surging back like a wave, crashing, pounding, bouncing in my head. Despite the aches I put my head in my hands, like that would somehow stop it. It didn't. The memories intensified. Every moment of my remembered life came rushing back to me; my mother and father, sister and brother. The plague, Morgoth, Glarung, wings, flickering darkness, ghosts, Ents. Ada. Then Tom, Goldberry, a name, wind beneath wings, Sauron, Olorin, screams, Orcs, lives ruined, a vow, Gwaihir, Elrond, a ring, the fellowship, Frodo, Legolas…everything. Everything rushed back in its place and order, filling the cavities of my mind until they could be filled no more. I remembered my past. I remembered who I was. I knew my name.
I remembered falling and fainting. The cool feeling of floating, and the arms around me. Floating..Goldberry…water?...river daughter. I made the connection. I couldn't be dead. The river daughter would not be dead until the world was. Which assuming it wasn't yet- otherwise I'd doubt she'd be by me- I must..not be dead? I was alive. I was alive!
"Goldberry." I said again, trying to convince myself it was her. "I remember. I remember you- and Tom- and everything. You saved me. Thank-you." If Fangorn was my Ada and brother, then Goldberry was my Mana and sister. I could not believe it. Somehow I had managed to land in the one river that she inhabited. She had sensed me there, and she had saved me. I owed her my life, but soon I would owe her even more.
I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my boots hitting the floor with a squelch. Everything ached. "Ah," Goldberry gasped briefly, "I almost forgot." Instantly all the water the made me sodden seemed to have dried off, or had pooled away from me. The power of magic. But then I remembered. A task. I came here for a reason, that was fading from my mind. Something to do with here…Tom. Something to do with Tom.
Tom, Radagast, Eagles. Sauron. Oh kranos de durith… "Goldberry," I said, "what day is it?"
"If my mind doesn't think myth, it's March 25th."
March 25th, that was they day Aragorn planned to attack. There might still be time. "Where is Tom?" I asked urgently.
"My pretty, Tom is out gathering lily's."
"When will he be back?"
"He may be back in a while or shortly, you can go to him if feeling sportly."
"Thank-you." I told her. I would need to go to him, it would be faster. I turned to leave before I remembered something.
Turning back around I gave Goldberry a hug. She was a little surprised at first, but quickly got over it. "Thank-you so much," I told her. "I may never come back. An army is marching on Mordor as we speak, and you have given them a chance. And.. thank-you for being around during my life I guess." I said awkwardly. I was terrible at goodbyes. I nodded to her and left.
I quickly stopped by their kitchen to get a glass of water that washed down more tablets. I took one more than I should of, of each. Probably a bad idea, but it may keep the pain off long enough for me to get to Mordor. With that, I was speed walking down through the old forest, to old man willow where by the lily's grew. As I drew near I could smell the sweet scent and heard
Hey dol, merry dol, ring-a-ding-dillo!
Tom-badil, Bombadil! Tom Bombadillo!
There was only one person on Middle-earth who said that, and it was in the rhyme. "Tom!" I called as I neared, accelerating to a slow jog, "Tom!" He heard me.
"Darke! The one with the black feathers,
Lalaith! How are you enjoying this fine weather?" Tom inquired politely.
"Sorry Tom," I said, "But there is little time to explain. Please call Radagast immediately. The fate of Arda depends on it."
"Whatever for!" He cried, "don't be so hasty.
Ada Fangorn would wonder what's into you lately."
"Look here," I told him, "an army is marching upon Mordor as we speak. There is no hope for them unless you call Radagast now, so please for an old friend do so." Tom was my very dear friend, like an uncle almost; but he did not understand the workings of the peoples. He never had, and I doubted he ever would.
"Alright, I will do as you say,
so that the whole of Arda does not need to pay."
Then he spoke. He used the power of words and called him. It was great and powerful, yet soft and gentle; like the sea, broiling in the storm yet bobbing in the sun.
Radagast! I call thee
Radagast! You must heed.
Heed these words, listen well,
Come out now from where you dwell.
Tom is the oldest, Tom has the power,
Heed these words! Do not cower!
I felt the ground vibrate slightly under my feet, the earth shifting. I heard the pounding of hare-feet and the whisper of a sled. Then with a whoosh and a rustle, Radagast's sled burst from the underbrush and stopped by us. "Oh," Radagast muttered, "Oh. I don't remember being here at all." The bewilderment was evident in his voice.
"Radagast," Tom boomed, "I have called you. Young Urwen wishes to speak with you."
I raised an eyebrow in Toms direction. I couldn't believe he and Goldberry still kept calling me the names of my childhood, and it got quite irritating.
"Ah, right then. Alright." Radagast muttered, half to himself half to us. A muffled tweeting noise floated to my ears. Birds under his hat, as per usual. "Radagast, I must ask a massive favour from you. I need you to call Gwaihir immediately. The fate of Middle-earth depends on it."
"Could you explain?"
"Yes, of course, but you must call them now! The army of the men of the west marches upon Mordor as we speak, without the eagles help there is no hope of survival. It will be massacre, and Sauron will raze everything to the ground."
"Oh." Was all a surprised Radagast could say. "I'll do that then, I'll do that immediately."
He sat down and began chanting in the language of wizards. The words rolled off his tongue one after the other, forming a complex rhythm. The air cooled and I could sense Radagast shaking in front of us. Then I heard the approaching wingbeats.
Several minutes later there was a flock of Eagles shuffling around the small clearing and attempting not to fall into the river. Yes, they are that giant. "I hope you have a reasonable explanation for this." Gwaihir spoke in my mind. Their Maia, they need some way to communicate. But seriously, the amount of Maia I had met in these last few minutes was more than many ever expected to meet in their lives- the count was thirteen. Eleven eagles, Tom and Radagast, fourteen if Goldberry counted.
"I'll tell you on the way," I told him, "but we must leave now." It's lucky he trusted me enough to explain while I rode on his back.
The eagles could fly faster than I ever possibly could. If I had flown at their speed, I would have caught afire from my muscles over-heating. As it was, we still lost time. After I explained what was happening to Gwaihir, the eagles insisted on stopping and waiting for Manwe to tell them if they were allowed to continue on. Sometimes I rued the Valar's self-imposed rules of never directly interfering without the will of Eru; but then, the Beleriand problem was quite catastrophic. Long story made short, the eagles were told yes and we continued. Eru was with us! Or so we thought. His will be done. The eagles once again picked up their unfathomable speed, although now I was atop Landroval, Gwaihir's brother. The wind tore at every part of me and chilled me to the bone, but despite this I felt glad. We may just get there in time.
But then I heard the twang of bowstrings, the roar of Orc's, trolls and men alike, and the deafening crash of metal on metal. The battle had already begun.
A/N- HAHA- TRICKED YOU! I'm sorry, I'm evil! I left you all thinking she was dead, and now you all probably want to throw rotten tomatoes at my computerised head. All I can do is plead, please pleeeeaaaase don't kill me! And it isn't even a long chapter:(
But you know what this means.. you can still vote. Get those rolling people, along with reviews~ all those who do get a ride on an eagle of their choice:)
