Chapter 5
It was dawn, and the Queen of the fairest realm in Middle Earth looked out across the River Anduin. She was reminded of how powerfully she protected everything on this side of the water, and how little she could defend her people when they crossed that mighty stream. She strolled along the riverbank, her supreme serenity belying her acute awareness of every rustle of leaf, every flutter of wing, every subtle movement of stones in the water.
"Come forth, Legolas," she said gently.
Suppressing a sigh, Legolas emerged from his hiding place. He should have known better than to suppose that anything in her realm could be concealed from Galadriel.
"My lady," he greeted her.
"He sleeps still, dreamlessly," she informed him. "A peaceful night will do him much good, and speed your journey."
Legolas nodded his acknowledgment.
"He will join you in two hours," Galadriel went on, "along with the hairless halfling." She rested upon a tree stump, shaking her head. "I can make nothing of that one. His mind is too muddled and base, and his self-imposed silence resisted even my gentlest blandishments. I do not wish to brutalize him, so I will leave the questions for Mithrandir, who plans to meet you - that is, he plans to meet the Ranger - at Thranduil's Halls."
"My Lady," began Legolas.
"Calm yourself, Legolas. I will not betray your secrets - neither the one nor the other. I know you journey against Thranduil's wishes. That is between you and your father, and I cannot truly say that I blame you for your filial disobedience. The future is misty, but it may well be that we Elves shall be compelled into the battlefield as well as the council chamber, though the elders among us relish not the thought. Mithrandir begins to persuade me that the threat of Evil is great and imminent, and seeing the mark of Sauron so clearly upon that disgusting little creature - well." She paused. "You must do what you think right, Legolas. I do not doubt that your motives are honourable." She glanced piercingly at him, and Legolas looked away in embarrassment.
"Perhaps you should," he muttered.
Galadriel laughed softly. "Many and many a time in the old days did Celeborn and I misdoubt our judgment, wondering whether we obeyed merely our urges rather than the flow of destiny. But all was well in the end, was it not? Follow your heart, Legolas - follow it, and trust the Valar to let you know if you are wrong."
"You are kind, my Lady," said Legolas, a little clumsily, for he was still mortified. "His motives, at least, are pure."
At this, Galadriel smiled again, but vouchsafed no further information. She merely gave Legolas' cheek a glancing caress with her long, pale fingers, saying, "I wish you well."
When Aragorn joined Legolas, he looked greatly rested, as Galadriel had promised. Indeed, so benign was Lorien's influence that even Gollum seemed less agitated and more ready to travel.
"I wish you could have seen your way to join us," remarked the Ranger regretfully. "The Lady's beds are magnificent." His eyes widened slightly at his own words, and he went on quickly, "As is all her hospitality. I have not dined so well in many months. We were unable to persuade Gollum to break his silence, however."
Legolas seemed not to notice that the Ranger's words might be taken amiss. "I was very comfortable amongst the Lorien trees," he said quietly. "But I will be glad to give the creature over to Mithrandir as soon as we can."
And so they hastened north, feeling the wind from the Misty Mountains grow ever colder around their ears. Aragorn had planned an overnight camp in Gladden Fields, but when they reached the meadows, Gollum began to whimper so vociferously that Legolas wondered aloud at their captive's distress. Neither he nor the Ranger saw Gollum silently mouthing, "Birthday present. Birthday present!" True to his determination, he would not speak aloud, and most certainly he would not speak to these captors about dreadful memories of sibling murder and then banishment from this, his original home. Instead he strained furiously forward on his leash, and Aragorn, who wished nothing more than to make good time, allowed it. They crossed the River Ninglor with all dispatch.
Two nights later they found themselves much further north along the banks of the Anduin. Just across the water a huge figure loomed out of the moonshadows. As Aragorn watched intently, its very outline seemed to shift subtly, from some large unrecognizable beast into an equally large and lumbering man. Legolas and Aragorn had both frozen instinctively to avoid detection, but Gollum's frantic scrabbling for cover defeated them. The great beast-man turned in their direction, sniffing and straining.
"Who goes there?" he bellowed across the water in the Common Speech.
"Friends and travellers," Aragorn shouted back, "seeking a river crossing and shelter for the night. There are but three of us. Are you the famed Beorn? Would you aid us?"
The shaggy head moved in dissent, but nonetheless the big man launched his flat-bottomed craft and paddled swiftly across to them.
"I am not Beorn," were his first words. He motioned them into the boat, sparing only a brief stare for Gollum. "My father Beorn has left us for a better place. I am Grimbeorn."
Legolas stepped forward. "I am honoured, Grimbeorn. I am…"
"You are the Princeling of the Elves, yes," responded the shapeshifter. "I bear your people no ill-will, Elf, though I mislike how aloof you are from the rest of us in these times of trouble." He indicated Aragorn. "Him, I know not."
Aragorn shot Legolas a warning glance, but he need not have worried.
"A Northern Ranger, named Strider," Legolas told the bear-man. "And his prisoner."
Grimbeorn looked at Gollum and sniffed loudly. Gollum hissed and retreated a little further behind Aragorn. "Is that a goblin? Looks like one…"
"No," replied the Ranger hastily, knowing well that the Beornings' respect for all living things made a definite exception for goblins. "He is a halfling, and may be useful to us yet."
The man shook his shaggy head and showed some very large teeth. "Then I will refrain from killing him – for now. As for you, Ranger, you are welcome. Come," he added "you are weary and footsore, and I would fain exchange tidings. Pay your crossing toll, and you may sleep in my house if you are not over-fussy."
Aragorn looked alarmed, for his money-pouch had not survived his trials in the marsh. But Legolas calmly handed Grimbeorn several silver coins. The Bear-Man looked at him askance.
"Not enough?"
"Your news from the South will suffice to make up the difference." As they spoke, Grimbeorn was leading them further from the river along a well-worn track. A loud buzz arose as they approached. Gollum yelped and clutched his ears, not to be consoled by being told it was only honey-bees who would not harm him. Grimbeorn summoned a bear scarcely smaller than himself, and told him sternly to guard the small prisoner with his life.
Grimbeorn led Aragorn and Legolas into a long hall with an enormous table down the centre, where they were attended with food by servants in the form of dogs and ponies, all very quiet, quick and inconspicuously helpful. Aragorn had great trouble in restraining himself from petting their noses and scratching their ears, and at that he caught a quick smile from the Elf. Grimbeorn, though, ignored this byplay. He was impatient to hear what they had to say about the movements of orcs, the rumoured doings of wizards, and most especially what was said of Sauron and his machinations at his home base in Mordor. Only when those subject were exhausted did the great Bear-Man lean back with a sigh, saying "I am a poor host tonight. Have you eaten and drunk your fill?"
Reassured on that subject, he led them with ill-concealed pride to a newish wing of his home, opening a heavy door to disclose clouds of steam arising from a large bathing pool. Legolas exclaimed in pleasure. And truth be told Aragorn, though no great lover of water in general, conceded to himself that it would be not unpleasant to wash off the grime of their lengthy travels.
There were none but themselves in the bathing room. As Legolas stripped off his tunic, the small package fell out and burst open upon the floor. Aragorn stooped politely to retrieve it and found himself looking at a portrait of himself; a rather too flattering portrait to be sure, but unmistakeably Strider the Ranger.
Legolas snatched it from his hands and turned his back. "Well, now you know my shame," he said, and his voice was muffled with emotion.
The Ranger was slow to understand. Why should not the Elf be carrying a portrait of a man he knew not; one he was pursuing and would have to recognize in order to join with him on his mission against the Evil? But then he realized that Legolas had been carrying that portrait, through thick and thin, in a pocket against his heart, and that the Elf's eyes had been on him constantly throughout their travels. So this explained the excessive disdain at their first meeting, Legolas' refusal to talk about himself, and especially the slightly uncomfortable, slightly reassuring feeling Aragorn had had for most of their journey – that of being the subject of intense scrutiny and watchfulness.
Not knowing what to do or say, but filled with a warmth that astonished and alarmed him, Aragorn said abruptly, "I see no shame." And he dived into the pool and started swimming up and down, up and down until he came exhaustedly to rest next to Legolas in the shallow end of the pool.
Legolas made to move away, but Aragorn stopped him, with only the slightest touch on his arm.
"Do you find me disgusting?" asked Legolas quietly.
"How little you know me," replied Aragorn, and turned to take both of Legolas' hands in his under the water. "I find you enchanting." He let go.
"Oh," said Legolas, even more quietly.
Aragorn sat still, apart, making no move that could be thought a rejection; no move that could be deemed a claiming. He breathed deeply, well aware that Legolas was staring into his face as though the entire future could be read there. Legolas sat stiffly beside him for a few seconds more; then, sighing gently, allowed himself to collapse a little against Aragorn.
At that, the Ranger wrapped an arm around Legolas' shoulders, and daringly pressed his face into the shining golden hair.
"May I kiss you?" They both asked at the same time, and the laugh that followed bound them as surely as the passionate meeting of lips.
Grimbeorn opened the door to ask his guests if they would like an evening drink. With a quiet bearish grunt, he closed it again.
End of chapter 5