THE FORGOTTEN
Down the Anduin
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's note: The chapter in which – the Fellowship goes canoeing and Lothril feels right at home. ….Shorty chapter with some book quoting because it dovetails into some stuff.
The morning they were to depart, Lothril woke a couple hours before dawn with a start. She had been given a message from the Valar in her dreams. It seemed they had learned more about the hole that Renee had fallen through, though they gave no details except that they knew how and that it shouldn't happen again. They also had some more information about the orcs that had escaped and informed her they would only be roaming a few weeks by the time she returns. They were scared and were traveling quickly, looking for wild hill country; it seemed, to hide themselves in. The Valar also informed her they would likely be sending her help upon her return to her old world and it would be immediately recognizable to her. They also told her they now knew when she would return to her old world, which would be very soon after things were over with the Ring. The whole time Lothril had been in Valinor, she had had a funny feeling that the Valar themselves didn't know what was going to happen, except in the most vague manner possible thanks to the Song, but they were utterly resolved that Sauron was NOT going to get his way or weasel out of his just desserts. Regardless though, there had been a lot to unpack from that dream and the moment it was over she awoke.
She rather wished they weren't leaving later that day; she wanted to mull things over. Silently she arose went out into the little kitchen and made tea. For the life of her she had never understood why the British always seemed to make tea for everything, but the longer she was here and the more things were heaped on her, the more she understood making a tea, wanting a smoke, and needing a drink. She sat down in front of the fire which she had since stirred back up, but only put a log or two because she knew they were leaving that day, and spent her time thinking about the conversation she had just awoken from. Hunting orcs in modern Michigan as a sixteen year old girl was going to be difficult. She was grateful the Valar were giving her plenty of time to plan things.
She had been up the better part of an hour when Legolas awoke and realized that the fire had been stirred up. The fireplace had a good draft, but he could still smell the smoke. That and he clearly hadn't closed his door tight and it had fallen open a couple inches. He dressed and went out to see what was troubling her.
She was sitting on the couch cross legged with her eyes downcast, looking pensive. Silently he sat beside her, not saying anything or doing anything that might disturb her concentration.
"What wakes you so early?" she said at length.
He shook his head. "I smelled that the fire had been stirred up. What troubles you so as to draw you from sleep?"
"A dream from the Valar. It is not troubling, but it shall require a good deal of thought on my part."
"Would you like to talk with me about it?" Legolas offered.
"Perhaps later. For now though, I need to think about the task at hand. There is a long, dark road to tread before I must worry about my return."
Legolas frowned. "I wish I could walk it with you, but I believe I must go with the Ringbearer if our paths diverge."
She pressed her lips together and was trying very hard not to make a face.
"What is it?" Legolas asked feeling thoroughly confused.
"Best I not say," she replied.
"The books?" he asked.
She nodded.
"Then I will not ask." Though he certainly had a guess. That was her 'I'm trying not to smile' face, not her, 'I'm trying to look braver than I feel' or 'I'm trying not to look sad' face. That alone told him everything he needed to know at present, though he did greatly wonder what would happen that would keep them on the same road. Maybe Frodo would go to Minas Tirith? Eh, he supposed he would find out sooner or later. He'd never traveled to Gondor or Mordor by way of Anduin before, but regardless, sooner or later they would have to decide whether they went to Mordor by way of Gondor or Emyn Muil.
"Bless you," she replied.
"I would never force a confidence from you. However, as we are intended I would hope you would willing give me your confidences," he said, his face placid but a hint of mischief in his eyes.
She stared at him a moment then realized he was joking. "Ha. Ha."
"I love you."
She had packed the night before, and so had Legolas. After the Fellowship met with Celeborn and Galadriel the night before, they had stayed for a while and discussed plans and at the end of the night, everyone insisted Lothril spend their last night in Lothlórien in her house and enjoy a proper house and bed and privacy before heading back out again. No one insisted Legolas do anything one way or the other, but they did keep hinting they didn't expect him to stick around much longer after she left. So it was, after their pre-dawn conversation, they dressed and headed down to the Fellowship to breakfast with them and prepare to leave.
As the rest of the Fellowship packed their things and made ready, Lothril couldn't help but have her mind wander to Renee. She wondered what her future would look like. How would she go back home and carry on after such an experience as this? True, her road seemed less perilous than hers had been and would be, but even so. Her musing was cut off when she saw Renee approaching.
"Oh look – Renee is here!" Sam said.
Renee walked up with a wave. "Hello everyone! I heard you all were leaving today. I want to thank you all again for bringing me here. I'm really grateful you all found me and not anything else," Renee said.
"You are very welcome, milady," Gimli said, breaking away from the work.
"Indeed! And I am glad we have gotten to know you," Boromir added, pausing his own packing so he could talk to her.
The Hobbits all went over to her. "We're glad to have made your acquaintance as well," Sam said.
"We hope you make it home soon," Frodo said.
"And that you don't forget us," Merry added.
"It's sad that we won't see you again," Pippin said.
"We shall certainly miss you," Merry said.
Renee smiled down at them. They might barely reach her chest, but after however long she'd been there, she almost couldn't believe she ever thought they were children, even if only for a moment while half concussed. She fought off a choked up feeling just enough to reply in an even voice, "I'll certainly miss you all as well. You guys have become my friends. Take care of yourselves, okay?"
"We will," they all replied.
Just then Aragorn came up and said, "I shall miss you as well. I hope you find yourself safely home soon. Take care of yourself, Renee."
She nodded and said, "Thank you, Aragorn. You take care of yourself too."
He gave a grin that looked nearly rascally, and replied, "I have been for a long time and I plan to keep doing so."
"And keep an eye on my friend Lothril, too," she added as Lothril and Legolas came striding up.
"I shall, but I am certain I will not be the only one," Aragorn said with a smile and headed back to the boats.
"Friend Renee! How are you this morning?" Legolas greeted.
"Sad to see you all go, but I know you must. How are you?" she replied.
"Well enough. Leaving so fair a place as this is not easy. You are blessed to be able to spend a little more time here," Legolas replied.
"I am starting to consider myself blessed for coming here at all," Renee replied.
"Indeed, you are," Legolas replied.
"Do you know when you'll go home yet?" Sam asked.
"Yes, it's still a little ways off though," she replied.
"At least you know you will get home," Frodo said.
She nodded. "It is a comforting thought." Just then several Elves came up carrying a variety of bundles. "Oh, it looks like the send-off committee is here. I'll leave you all to finish packing. Thank you all again and I hope-" her gaze fell on Boromir and she choked. "Be careful."
There was a chorus of goodbye's from everyone and as they each turned to leave they each gave her a parting blessing and turned back towards their packing and the Elves that were coming up.
"Um, Lothril, can I speak to you for minute?" Renee asked before she could turn away.
"Certainly," she replied. "Let's go a little ways away from everyone." Lothril lead Renee several yards away from the main flurry of activity. "What is on your mind?"
"Lothril, is it certain that I will return home on March first?" Renee asked.
"If that is what you were told, then yes. No one spoke to me of your return date, but as the matter does not involve me, I suppose there was not any need. Why?"
Renee frowned. "Well, a month ago, I would have traded an arm, a leg, and a kidney to get home and now… I dunno. I feel like I've gotten some perspective, you know? I mean, I got so wrapped up with stupid, pointless things. Just look at how they live here – no internet, no TV, no cell phones – yet they're so much more connected to each other. I mean, the other night I spent it with a handful elves that I could talk to and we just sat around telling stories and talking about things and they taught me a few songs and it was just really nice being with people, not just occupying the same space. I'm not sure I'm too keen on the idea of going back to a world where people just occupy the same space as me. I've made friends here, and I'm going to miss them horribly."
Lothril was quiet for a moment then said, "I am sorry about you having to leave friends behind, but we both know that's just the way of things – friends come and friends go, but the memories and their impact on our lives remain no matter the space or the time that sunders us. As for the other, that was bad enough in 2004, and I imagine it's only gotten worse. I know it's going to feel like an uphill battle, but maybe you're what the people around you need – someone to remind them what it's like to be connected. I know the thought might not be all that thrilling, but to be honest, neither is the road I am on. I have a part to play in this business and once… things are decided… I've got to go back for a while and help correct the mess that occurred when something decided to punch holes in the universe."
Renee made a face and said, "Well, I certainly don't envy you. It's been a while since I read the books and all, but I remember enough to know, I don't envy what you're going to go through, no matter what road you take. How did Bilbo put it? Something like, 'Nasty affairs, adventures. Make you late for tea.'"
Lothril laughed. "Something like that. What was the date again when you left our world?"
"October fourth, twenty-fourteen," she answered. "Why?"
Aragorn called over to Lothril and signaled they were ready to leave. "Well, it looks like I must leave. Good luck to you, Renee. Farewell!" she said.
"Good luck to you too. And from one nerd to another, live long and prosper," Renee said, holding up her hand in the Vulcan salute.
"Peace and long life," Lothril replied, returning the salute. With that Lothril turned and rejoined the Company.
As soon as everything was packed, Haldir led them about ten miles down to the edge of the city and the river where they would be getting in the boats. Even if she hadn't known, it was obvious within seconds which members had experience with boating and which didn't. She and Legolas got in their boat very easily, Gimli threatened to capsize them. Merry had no problem getting in and out of their boat, Pippin was a little skiddish, but Sam looked more nervous than a cat in a bathtub. Frodo looked a little nervous, but he managed and Aragorn looked pretty comfortable, but Boromir looked a bit clumsy. It was obvious he had been in a boat before, but Lothril suspected it was more because he had to get across the river and not because he just enjoyed boating. So four river rats, three nervous nellies, and one scaredy cat. As the Anduin flowed relatively straight, broad, and they were going with the current, she reckoned it wouldn't make much of a difference how many had experience or didn't. As long as nobody got boisterous and capsized their boat…
After some practice getting in and out of the boats, they set off. The Fellowship hadn't gone far before they were stopped by the approach of a swan shaped ship. As they approached Galadriel sang and Lothril almost wanted to cry. That her spring was in the fading… hadn't that always been how things went with her? Galadriel ended her song and greeted them. They drew their boats to the grassy shore of the land that divided the two rivers and ate a parting feast. Lothril was starting to get that weird feeling that a corner had been turned and there was no going back, and if there was no going back and only forward, she was eager to go forward. As Celeborn was warning Boromir and Aragorn about Fangorn, Galadriel used ósanwe to speak with Lothril.
"You and I shall meet again soon in Minas Tirith, I hope, if all goes well," she said.
"I hope we shall," Lothril said.
"If it is so, I shall see to it that clothes and things are brought to you and that Elrond knows of your and Legolas' intentions," Galadriel said. "Perhaps you shall be able to betroth him before you leave."
"I do hope so, but that would mean Thranduil would be there also," she said.
"I know you sent him a message. If you said anything about it, I am certain he will hasten to Minas Tirith as swiftly as possible, but I shall do what I can to see it come about," the lady replied.
"I cannot tell you how grateful I am for this and everything else you have helped me with!"
"It is my pleasure to help you, granddaughter."
Lothril smiled. She had gotten used to the idea that this was her adopted grandmother and that Celeborn her adopted grandfather. They had certainly been helpful and kind enough to be her actual grandparents.
Galadriel stood and drank the cup of parting and brought it to each member of the Fellowship and bade them to drink and then began giving the Fellowship their gifts. Lothril had not really expected anything and so was a little surprised when the lady presented her with a bow and a quiver full of arrows also.
As they headed back towards the boats, Legolas asked the Lady if a certain letter he had written a couple weeks ago had left yet. The letter told of him and Lothril and it requested that he send a certain ring to Gondor. He had a suspicion he would end up there. Actually, more than a suspicion, he remembered that strange dream that Lothril had, and since part of it had already come true, he decided to gamble that he would end up there sooner or later. Of arguably more importance, it also informed his father of certain conversations he and Celeborn had about what was going on, strategy, and so forth. She assured him she had sent it out the next morning and he thanked her and joined the others.
Galadriel smiled to herself, as she watched Legolas naturally catch up to and fall in step with Lothril. Two halves of the same whole, those two. Celeborn tossed her a glance and a thought. "They could not be closer if we tied them together."
"No, my husband, they certainly could not."
As she paddled down the Anduin, she turned and saw as the last trace of Lothlorien disappeared. She turned around as much as she could and said to Legolas, "Should fate allow, we must come back here in the spring."
He nodded his head in agreement. Silence followed. There was nothing to say, nothing to be done hardly. Aragorn was content to go the speed of the current, so paddling was basically down to making sure the boat kept going in a straight line. If it wasn't for the fact Lothril knew what was coming, she could almost consider this part fun and relaxing. Her mind started wandering back to Valinor. She had been taught how to perceive things from afar and had gotten some practice in Lothlorien, but now that she was outside of it the world felt different to her. She closed her eyes and tried to see if she could perceive Gandalf. She supposed he was probably back to life, and she knew the Fellowship would miss him by only a day or so. She thought perhaps she could feel him faintly, but she wasn't sure. She then tried to cast her mind back so far as Rivendell, but was met with a wall. She knew already she could not perceive anything within Lothlorien from without. She sought the Woodland Realm but it was also dark to her. It was odd – Rivendell seemed walled off, Lothlorien seemed hidden and elusive, and the Woodland Realm seemed like a dark, thorny hedge. She supposed it probably had a bit to do with the magic that concealed them, but it was novel to experience. There was a certain amount of temptation for her to try seeking out what Saruman and Sauron were doing, but she was hesitant. It was all well and good for Galadriel and Elrond to attempt it, but she wasn't sure it was prudent for her. Not while she was with Frodo anyway.
After hours of floating down the river, they went ashore and everyone made themselves comfortable upon the ground. Lothril took the first watch and after an uneventful hour, woke Boromir and then promptly nodded off beside Legolas, feeling like the last month of a soft bed and roof over her head was just a fair dream gone too quickly. In fact, if it wasn't for the completely new traveling outfit, she might have been more convinced it was just a dream. As it stood though, she had grown too much to just let out her old clothes, so Galadriel had seen to it she got a new set. The outer tunic was various greens and the pants brown and the under tunic grey. She had also given her a spare set that folded up very small.
She was having some lovely dream when it was interrupted by a voice.
"Wake up Lothril! Your breakfast is gettin' cold!"
"Thanks Sam," she said as she slowly blinked and sat up. "Who made it this morning?"
"I did," he answered.
She smiled. "No wonder it smells so good!"
Sam turned a little pink around the ears. "Thank you."
Not that Aragorn, Boromir, and Gimli couldn't cook. They actually weren't bad, but the hobbits were unabashed gourmands and their cooking reflected it.
After breakfast the Fellowship continued on down the Anduin. While they leisurely paddled, Lothril, Legolas, and Gimli chatted with each other on and off. The third day of the journey Lothril watched the trees slowly disappear, leaving the Brown Lands on the left, and reeds and some grass on the right. They all missed the trees as the scenery was now basically dead grass and sky, to say nothing of the fact there was now no concealment at all for them.
That night as Sam was telling Frodo about his dream with the log with eyes, Lothril was lying flat on her back gazing up into the sky, and trying to remember her astronomy lessons with Elrond then briefly started musing about whether or not hobbits and Men had the same constellations as Elves.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice. It was Sam quietly singing to himself.
"Samwise Gamgee, what are you doing up?" she asked.
He told her about the log with eyes. "So you see milady, Mr. Frodo and me are keeping an eye open for that Gollum creature, not wantin' to worry everyone else about him and all."
"I see," she said. "Well, if you are willing, I will take over and wake Frodo."
"Beggin' your pardon, but I'd rather stay up and watch myself," he said.
"As you wish Samwise. Good night, and if you want company while keeping watch, wake me up."
"Thank you Lothril," Sam said.
Lothril laid herself back down next to Legolas. If there was one thing she preferred about traveling verses living in a house, it was that she and Legolas could sleep beside each other. After all – who could think anything untoward was going on when there were seven witnesses within ten feet of them? Not that she would ever do anything she shouldn't, and she was thoroughly convinced Legolas would rather die than break tradition, but still. She felt kinda bad about having him stay with her in Lothlórien, but at the same time, all the elves could tell at a glance nothing happened, and she was certain Galadriel knew and she did not so much as bat an eye, and somehow she figured if her adopted granddaughter was doing something seriously frowned upon, she would have said something to one of them. Both of them had spent plenty of time with the lord and lady together and separately, and neither breathed a word about it. And with those thoughts spinning in her head, she fell asleep.
The next day Aragorn announced they would be traveling mostly by night and twilight, resting by day, which meant that day they were going to stay where they were and then set off later.
The eighth night of journey came. Sarn Gebir came so quickly that no one, including Lothril, but as they were in the last boat, she and Legolas were able to back paddle quickly. As everyone that could was paddling as hard as they could, Lothril remembered that they were going to be attacked. Lothril thought of her bow. She knew no one was to get hurt, but she felt a sense of urgency anyway. She felt that she must do something. She yielded to this feeling and said, "Gimli, take my paddle!" as she all but dropped it on his lap as she picked up her bow and stood in the bottom of the boat and strung it and fitted arrow to string. She heard a noise in the trees. She heard a bow being drawn back. She whispered to Elbereth to guide her arrow as she let it fly. The orc was slain just as Legolas realized that they were there and just as it was ready to loose an arrow, which caused it to miss and lodge itself in one of the boats. She fitted another arrow to string and shot her arrow at an orc arrow that flying towards Boromir's skull. The two collided in midair and fell harmlessly into the river. The feeling departed from her then, so she quickly sat back down and took up her paddle again to keep them from drifting further down river.
At last they found the shore and Legolas put down his paddle and took up his bow and sprung ashore. He found no mark to shoot at and sighed to Elbereth. Then the dark shadow appeared in the sky. Legolas quickly pulled back and loosed his arrow, felling the beast.
"Well done," Lothril said, laying a hand on his shoulder.
"What was it?"
"A very nasty creature," she replied.
Aragorn led them back upstream a small ways and there they camped in the moored boats until dawn. Gimli praised Lothril and Legolas' archery skills that they had displayed that day. Lothril just sat silent against the edge of the crowded boat.
In an attempt to get comfortable she grabbed a blanket out of her pack and folded it into a pillow. She draped her legs from the knees down over the side of the boat and rested her head against the other side, which proved quite a bit better. She folded her arms and let them rest upon her stomach. She stared into nothing, half listening to the conversations and Sam and Frodo trying to reckon how long they were in Lothlórien.
"Well, I can remember three nights there for certain," said Sam, "and I seem to remember several more, but I would take my oath it was never a whole month. Anyone would think that time did not count in there!"
"And perhaps that is the way of it," said Frodo. "In the land, maybe, we were in a time that has elsewhere long gone by. It was not, I think, until Silverlode bore us back to Anduin that we returned to the time that flows through mortal lands to the Great Sea. And I don't remember any moon, either new or old, in Caras GAladhon: only stars by night and sun by day."
Legolas stirred beside Lothril. "Nay, time does not tarry ever, but change and growth is not in all things and places alike. For the Elves the world moves, and it moves both very swift and very slow. Swift, because they themselves change little, and all else fleets by: it is a grief to them. Slow, because they do not count the running years, not for themselves. The passing seasons are but ripples ever repeated in the long long stream. Yet beneath the Sun all things must wear to an end at last."
Lothril had always stopped and read that twice whenever she read the books and tried to make sense of it. Time for her had always seemed so… well, like that. But how could her short years have afforded her that perspective? Maybe the long lives of Elves are written in their hearts as surely as Man is aware he is mortal. Everyone had always called her an old soul, maybe this was why…
Legolas had taken her hand as he spoke, and held it firmly in his and when he was done speaking he looked over at her. Did she understand? Did she really understand the life she was choosing? How did time seem to her? She looked pensive.
"You look thoughtful," Legolas said mentally.
"What you said just now – it was in the books also and I always read it twice, trying to understand it," she said. "Part of me thinks I always have seen time that way, but part of me thinks that is impossible. I suppose I shall see one way or the other eventually."
"When you figure it out, I would be curious to hear your conclusion," he replied.
They fell silent and she leaned her head on him and fell asleep. His mind whirled for a while longer. Thoughts about the road ahead, thoughts about the plans they were making together, thoughts about her. Eventually he realized he had no idea what tomorrow would hold, except that it felt like it might be foggy, and there was nothing else he could do or plan while sitting in a boat around Sarn Gebir.
The next morning they awoke to find it was quite foggy. Aragorn and Legolas were chosen to find the portage road. Before they set out on their small expedition, Legolas said to her, "Should I not return I would like one last kiss."
She smiled at him and said, "You shall return, but I shall kiss you anyway." She gave him a small kiss and told him to get going.
Lothril knew how hard it was to be for them to haul the boats up to the top, until she realized that Legolas and herself could carry one and it would be that much less work for Boromir and Aragorn. In the end it was still quite hard work, but it was done in two trips instead of three.
Aragorn said that everyone must watch in two's for one hour. Legolas had a very easy time choosing whom he wished to watch with. Lothril told him to wake him to wake her up whenever he wished to watch. She was quite tired and soon was sound asleep. It was silent and dark when Legolas woke her up. The two sat up for their hour, silent and watchful. When their watch was over, they woke up the next two, which were Boromir and Gimli. He lay down, and she laid down close beside him. Before she fell asleep she remembered something she had been taught in Valinor. Very softly she started to quietly sing a song of safety and rest and continued to do so until she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, when Lothril awoke, she removed the small braid that had held the top layer of her hair back, and replaced it with one long fishtail braid. She remembered that there was rain at least one day on the river and as it hadn't been yet, she figured it was coming soon. As she braided, she watched the Fellowship get ready for the day and thought everyone looked a little bit more rested than they had since Lothlorien. She smiled, rather pleased it had worked how she hoped it would. She had learned so much, but not had a chance to practice it.
Sometime after the rain ended they reached Argonath. She gazed upon the statues in awe, for such huge monuments she had never seen before. Nor could she fathom how they had been made. She looked up at Aragorn ahead of her, and from there even he looked like a great king, great enough to deserve a carving such as those beside his kin.
"Elessar, great you shall be, even among your sires!" she whispered to herself. A large smile crept across her face. She realized that she was indeed living now in a time of legends. She wondered if she would end up as one, or if she would all into anonymity, being forgotten for all time. That is what she had wanted after all. She thought about it a little more, and realized it didn't really matter what she wanted. Elrond had told her she would not be forgotten and she wondered how she would be remembered. She wondered and puzzled so long that when she finally broke out of her musings, all three boats were on the other side of Argonath. She got that nasty, dreadful feeling again as they landed on the riverbank. Boromir's doom was somewhere in those trees, coming quickly towards them.