Forgotten Allies: part v
by: McJen


********************************************

"That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been."

*********************************

Legolas stared out the window of the train, the wind blew his hair back from his ears and he tried in vain to keep them covered. In returning to Middle-Earth he did not realize how great the changes that awaited him would be. He was unaccustomed to a world where the cities and tongues that were spoken were foreign to him. And even his very existence as an elf was denied him. But some things did not change. The look of the sun as it broke the horizon. The distinct smell of the Earth that stretched out before him. He took a deep breath as he peered out into morning sky.

When they left London, they had gotten a close up view of the destruction. As they took the bus to the train station, they were forced to zigzag their way across the city, due to roads being blocked by debris from the attacks. The train station had been swarming with people, most of whom were leaving London for safer locations. Once on the train however, the journey to Edinburgh did not get started right away, for two long hours they sat on the tracks, waiting while munitions trains passed by. Eventually, the train made its way out of London. Though it was some time before the city streets gave way to open spaces and farmlands. The train compartment was cramped and stifling, and they were forced to stay the night in the Edinburgh train station. But once they had boarded the train to Fife, the crowds lessened. They were in a compartment by themselves. Elrond and Gandalf on one side, Legolas and Kate on the other.

For hours they rode in silence, Kate's eyes were glued to the scenery around her, and she said nothing, despite several attempts by Gandalf to engage her in conversation. The only time she had spoken was when they passed over the Forth Bridge. She had reached into her pocket and tossed a penny into the waters below. Upon her lips she mouthed words, but Legolas had been unable to decipher them. When inquired about the ritual, she simply said, "Tradition." And focused her gaze back out to the rolling farmlands of Fife. Elrond was lost in his own thoughts. And even Gandalf seemed preoccupied.

Legolas's mind was full of questions. He stared out the window, watching as the land rushed by in a blur. He tried to calculate the speed of the train, but was at a loss.

"Faster than Shadowfax, I expect." Legolas said to himself.

"There is nothing made by man that can equal Shadowfax." Gandalf said. The certainty in Gandalf's voice left no room for debate.

By midmorning, the train slowed and stopped. "This is our stop," Gandalf said, rising from his seat. He stood tall and stretched his back, stiff from the long journey. Legolas, Elrond, and Gandalf followed Kate off the train.

The station was a small one. Unlike London, or Edinburgh, there were no bustling city streets to greet them. Only two small platforms for boarding and unboarding, a small ticket shop and down the street what looked like a general store and post office. Kate walked down the platform towards the store. A local farmer came out and walked towards his truck.

"Excuse me sir?" Kate said, as she approached him.

"Yes ma'am." the farmer said, raising his hat to her.

"I was wondering if you were headed west towards Alistair Ellesar's place?" she asked.

The farmer looked from Kate, to her companions, and back to her again. "Well, I can take you as far as Thistle Road."

"That would be perfect." she said.

They crawled into the back of the truck as it roared up the dusty road into what seemed like never ending farmland and rolling hills as far as the eye could see.

And so the miles passed, until an odor of something so familiar that could only be found upon one place in Middle-Earth hit Legolas with such a force that he let out a small cry of surprise. Elrond and Gandalf had both noticed as well, for they sat up straighter and began to look around. Only Kate did not seem concerned.

"It is faint, but it is still there my old friend," Gandalf said.

"But the trees are so few." Legolas said.

"Yes, but the remains of the mallorns bless the earth that they mix with and the scent remains for eternity." Gandalf said.

"Then this is? It cannot be.." Legolas said.

"Lothlorien." Elrond said.

The farmer slowed the truck to a stop at the intersection of two roads. They climbed out of the back of the truck and thanked the farmer. Kate turned at the narrow road and began walking. The land beside them was enclosed by a low brick wall, low enough to easily crawl over.

"It is not far now, this is the far corner of the property, the gate is just a mile up the road." Kate explained.

After opening the gate, they walk up the long drive way to the large brick house. Without a word, Kate unlocked the house and walked inside. She disappeared up the stairs. Elrond began to follow her but Gandalf put a restraining hand on his arm.

"There are some things, she must learn alone." Gandalf said. "Give her time to read over the histories."

"That could take days." Elrond said. "We haven't got that kind of time."

Gandalf smiled. "She and the people upon Middle-Earth do not have the time. You and I have all the time in the world. She will need this time if she is to understand completely."

"Not in a hundred years, not in a thousand, will she be able to grasp the depths of this evil." Elrond said.

"Then we at least owe her a few days to begin the understanding." Gandalf said.

The wind blew and the scent of mallorns was stronger, Elrond took a deep smell of it and walked back upon the front steps to gaze out at the land before him.

********************

Kate flipped on the lights as she walked into her grandfather's study. The walls were lined with bookshelves. All but one were open shelves filled with books, free for the taking. However, one column of shelves had thick wooden doors enclosing it. What was behind those doors had been eating at her curiosity since she was a child and now it was hers for the peeking. She reached into her grandfather's desk and pulled out a small key. She unlocked the doors and opened them.

Upon the top shelf were two books. Very thick. She pulled them both out and set them upon the desk. Both had red bindings, though one was faded and worn from age. The pages within it were brittle and the words that met her eyes were of the same script as Gandalf's letter. The other book was newer, and was in English. On the cover it said, "THE RED BOOK."

She opened the first page and it said:

***************************************************

THE RED BOOK OF WESTMARCH

Written By:
Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins, and Samwise Gamgee



Given to the house of Gondor by Elanor Fairbairn

Translated by: Alistair Elessar, 1896

**************************************************

She looked at the two books and opened them side by side, and despite the late hour she began to read.

Page by page, hidden truths were revealed to her. The story started off simply enough, and to her surprise, it was a story she had heard as a child. Gandalf had tucked her in many a night, with the tales of a halfling named Bilbo who went on an adventure with some dwarves to get the treasure from the dragon. But the simple childhood bedtime story, seemed much darker and more dangerous on these pages. And much more connected to a larger story. A dangerous story. One that would take her days of reading to even begin to grasp the words. For 4 days she did nothing but read.

Elrond and Legolas walked the lands that were once Lothlorien. And though, the land had changed and the elvish beauty it once held was gone, they could still feel the presence of peace radiated up from the earth.

Kate closed the book. She had finished. Her mind was trying to grasp the story as a whole. But history is never grasp as a whole. History is the combined story of common people doing their best to live their lives despite what circumstances were thrown at them. And the pages of the Red Book were filled with more life than Kate could imagine. Great joys, and great sadness, deeds both heroic and cowardly, births and deaths, battles lost and won. Terrible despair, wonderful triumphs. Regrets. Goodbyes.

People and places that were long forgotten were suddenly known to her. Aragorn. She was related to Aragorn. And Arwen Evenstar. But the names of Legolas and Elrond and Gandalf were also upon those pages and she found it hard to believe they would be alive after so many long years.

"Lorien?" she said aloud, remembering Elrond's words from the days before. "This is what remains of Lorien?"

She rose from the chair so abruptly that it fell over as she rushed out the door. The sun was starting to sink low in the sky. Her eyes scanned the rolling hills of the property, but she knew where they would be. There was but one tree standing on her grandfather's land. It was very old and half-dead, but Kate knew it had been grand in its time. In the distance she could see them gathered beneath it.

Kate approached them warily. Legolas was digging a hole, he was already waist deep, and the pile of dirt beside him was quickly growing higher. Elrond and Gandalf watched. Soon, a casket was revealed. At first, Kate thought it was intertwined with the roots of the tree, but the casket itself was constructed with twisting grey roots. Kate's archeological classes came back with full force, and she started talking,

"I've never heard of a casket of this sort of construction ever being found." Kate said, as she jumped into the hole and examined the wood. "Wood usually decays quickly and the remains destroyed. There was the one exception up on the coast somewhere in the Highlands."

Legolas stepped out of the hole he had dug and pulled Kate up with him. Gandalf stood to the side, solemn, his eyes caught Elrond's and they nodded in silent agreement. It was not something they wished to do, but it was necessary. Elrond walked reverently forward and knelt beside the casket. He whispered words under his breath and lay a hand upon the casket. As his hand moved to open it, Kate spoke.

"There are certain protocols to follow to preserve what's inside.. you shouldn't open it without the proper equipment." she said.

Her protests fell on deaf ears. Elrond opened the casket and Kate gasp. What her eyes beheld she could not explain. A beautiful woman's body, perfectly preserved. Her hair was long and dark, and hung around her shoulders, her ears were pointed, shaped like a newly fallen leaf, her hands lay folded upon her chest, and she wore a shimmering white gown that sparkled as the suns rays hit it. But it was her face that captured the attention of all gathered around the casket, her features were delicate and the look of peace that was upon her face made it seem as if she would awaken at any moment.

Elrond's breath caught in his throat, and for a fleeting moment, he was so captivated by her beauty that he believed he could reach down and waken her with a touch. He glanced at Gandalf for a moment before reaching a hand out to the body.

Kate was unaware of the unspoken conversation taking place around her, nor did she know of their great sorrow and anguish. She only knew that Elrond was about to desecrate the grave of someone who was so at peace it seemed evil to disturb her.

"NO! She has lay in peace for many years. Don't disturb her now. It wouldn't be right." she said.

Elrond did not heed her words and took the woman's hands in his own moving them.

He looked up at Gandalf, "It is not here."

"I did not think it would be." Gandalf said. "But we had to be sure."

Kate took a step forward. "You're grave robbers. What treasures do you hope to find here?" she said, unable to stand it any longer.

Elrond's gaze met hers and the look upon his face was so full of rage and anger that it startled Kate. Before anyone could say another word, Legolas grabbed Kate's arm forcefully. Putting a firm hand around her waist, he lead her from the grave site. It was only until they were beyond the distance of Elvish hearing that Legolas released her. To his surprise, she did not put up a fight.

"You treat me as if I'm a child who has done something horribly inappropriate." Kate said. "What have I done? Who was she?"

She look to Legolas for answers, but it was not his place to give them. When he did not speak, she sighed and sat down upon the low brick wall.

"Won't somebody, please, tell me something." Kate said, direction her frustrations to the sky. But her voice held nothing of frustration, only sadness.

Legolas sat down beside her. "They should not have kept you in the dark for so many years." Legolas said. "I should not be the one to answer some questions, but I will answer those I can."

"You were in the book I read." Kate said. "Is what it said true?"

"I never had the pleasure of reading The Red Book, so you will have to enlighten me." Legolas said.

"All of it. Helm's Deep, Isengard, Gondor. Because if you want to know the truth, all this seems like a great fiction. Some grand story my father concocted to get me out of London." Kate said.

"Your father must care for you greatly but I assure you this is no fiction. For where this story may lead you will definitely be to places your father would no doubt wish you far away from."

"I suppose these books and the grave are the proof my father spoke of." she said.

"What more proof do you need?" he asked.

"For Smaug to come descending out of those hills wouldn't be too bad." she said. "Or to meet a halfling."

"I am afraid, I have none of those things. I have only myself to offer as proof of what I say."

"You? What can you offer me? Besides being handy on the Fire Watch?" she said, with a smile.

"Have you not realized it? Elrond, his sons, and I are of the same kin. We are elves." Legolas said.

The wind blew the hair back from his ears, and this time he did not try to conceal it. The ears were the most obvious difference between them, but it wasn't his ears that convinced her of his words. Like Elrond, and his sons that she had met only briefly, Legolas' presence was more defined. Some indescribable feeling emanated from them, that made her feel almost inadequate in their company. It was the same feeling that she had since a child when she would look upon the stars. An emotion she had never been able to give shape or name to, that came from gazing at something so far away and so old and so wondrous. She stared at him, and though she felt uncomfortable under his piercing gaze she held it for a long moment.

"I believe you." she said. "Though, I wish I didn't."

"Things that are common place to us, are but new to you." Legolas said. "Give yourself time to absorb all you can from Elrond and Gandalf they are wise beyond measure."

"And you aren't?" she asked.

Legolas smiled. "I was merely one person in a tale of many. And my deeds were not important at all."

"Gimli. Your friend was a dwarf named Gimli."

At the mention of Gimli's name, a bittersweet smile spread across Legolas face. "Gimli Gloin's son. There are many stories about him, I can tell you. What do you wish to know?"

Kate thought for a moment and her eyes rose to meet his, "Everything."

Legolas smiled and began to speak.

*******************************

"I had hoped we would find the necklace here," Elrond said.

"You thought she would take back the pendant after Aragorn's death?" Gandalf said.

Elrond said nothing and at last Gandalf understood. "You sought to find and awaken her."

Giving the Evenstar pendant to Aragorn, took away Arwen's immortality. However, had she taken the pendant back after Aragorn's death, she would have only been without it for a short time. And though still doomed to die, she may have been revived by the healing power of Elves. A similar fate had befallen an elf many ages past. So amazing was this tale that it passed on through the many generations and survived even to this day. Gandalf recalled Kate telling him the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Gandalf had spent many an age trying to puzzle out how dwarves had gotten into the story, when they played no part in the truth at all. But there was no reasoning with mortals and the histories they distorted over the years.

"I knew it would not be so," Elrond said, sadly. "But I held out hope, nevertheless, however small a hope it may have been."

"That is because hope is the one thing that even death cannot conquer." Gandalf said.

"We shall have to find Aragorn's resting place." Elrond said.

"I know the place."

"I am glad one of us does, for I have seen little of the Middle- Earth I remember." Elrond said. He looked across the empty lands around him. His gaze fell on Legolas and Kate as they sat upon the wall. "Do you think it wise for Legolas to speak to her?" Elrond asked. "Only we have the full explanations she seeks."

"Maybe the words of youth will succeed where those of age have failed," Gandalf said.

"Youth?" Elrond almost laughed. "Legolas is not the Elven youth he was during the fellowship."

Gandalf smiled. "Perhaps not, but the spark of youth is still strong within him. So strong even, that I believe he will never carry the years within his spirit as you or I do."

"'Tis folly to be young." Elrond said, cynically. "They only make mistakes. . . .the gravest of mistakes." He stared at Arwen's lifeless body. Gandalf put a comforting hand upon Elrond's shoulder.

"She was not so young that she did not understand the calling of her heart. Would you have rather her lived an eternity of regret?" Gandalf asked.

"My opinion is of little use and I will not dwell on decisions long since past." Elrond said.

"Very well. Let's put her back to rest." Gandalf said.

Elrond touched her cheek and bent down placing a kiss upon her forehead. "Goodnight, my love." he whispered.

He closed the casket lid and Gandalf handed him the shovel. As he filled the hole with dirt, Elrond could not help but feel as if the beauty of all the stars had been extinguished forever.

********************************


| index |
| part vi |