The Daughter of the Moon Volume I

Chapter 18 : Meeting

-And even nowadays, one might judge that living in trees is safer than sitting on the floor, says Gimli.

-That's the case, the elves here live in trees. I remember that. Elenwë spoke for the first time in many hours.

-Do you remember that? Intervened Aragorn

-I... One night, Lady Galadriel found me in a clearing in this forest. It was only a year later that I followed Lord Elrond to Imladris.

They fell silent.

The Company then left the path and plunged into the shade of the deeper woods, west along the mountain river, away from the Cours d'Argent.

Not far from the Nimrodel waterfalls they found a group of trees, some of which overhung the river.

Their large grey trunks were of an imposing circumference, but their height could not be guessed.

-I'm going to climb it," said Legolas. I'm at home among the trees, with roots and branches, although they are of a species that is foreign to me, except for a name in a song. They are called mellyrn, and they are the ones with the yellow flowers, but I have never climbed any of them. I will now see what shape and growth they have.

-Anyway, now," says Pippin, "they will certainly be wonderful trees if they can offer any rest at night to other than birds. I can't sleep on a perch!

-Well, dig a hole in the ground, if that's more your kind of way," says Legolas. But you'll have to dig fast and deep if you want to hide from the killer whales.

Jumping lightly, he caught a branch sticking out of the trunk at a good height above his head. But as he swayed there for a moment, a voice suddenly came out of the shadows of the tree above him.

-It said in an authoritative tone: "Daro! and Legolas fell to the ground, full of astonishment and fear.

He huddled up against the tree trunk.

-Be quiet!" he whispered to the others. Don't move and keep quiet!

A kind of soft laughter could be heard above their heads, then another clear voice spoke in the Elvish language.

Frodo didn't understand much of what she was saying, for the language used by the Woodlanders to the east of the mountains was not much like the language of the west.

Legolas and Elenwë looked up and answered in the same language.

-Who are they and what do they say? Merry asked.

-They are Elves, Sam said. Can't you hear their voices?

-Yes, they are Elves, said Legolas, and they say that you are breathing so loudly that they could pull you out in the dark. (Sam hastily put his hand in front of his mouth.) But they also say that you have nothing to fear. It's been quite a while since they noticed our presence. They heard my voice on the other side of Nimrodel, and they knew that I was one of their relatives from the North, so they did not prevent our passage, and afterwards they heard my song. They now invite me to ride with Frodo and Elenwë, because they seem to have heard about him and our journey. They ask the others to wait a little and watch at the foot of the tree until they have decided what to do.

A ladder came down from the shadows, it was made of silver-grey rope that glowed in the darkness, and despite its tenuous appearance it proved strong enough to carry many men. Legolas and Elenwë climbed lightly, and Frodo followed them more slowly; behind them came Sam, who tried not to breathe too loudly.

They climbed quickly and reached a wooden platform. Three elves were sitting on it, waiting for them.

They were dressed in shadowy grey, and you couldn't tell them apart from the branches unless they made some sudden movement.

They stood up, and one of them discovered a small lantern which spread a thin silver ray. He raised it up to look at Frodo's face and Sam's face.

He brought the lantern close to Elenwë's face and whispered:

-Elenwë!? Im gelir ceni ad lin! (I am happy to see you again!)

The elf smiled as he hugged the young elf in his arms.

-Rim hennaid, Haldir! (Thank you Haldir!)

-Sut naa lle sina re, In naeth o Lorién? (How are you today, Terror of Lorién?) Haldir smiled broadly, his eyes shining with mischief.

When Legolas heard this, he couldn't hold back a puff of laughter and Elenwë gave him a black and offended look.

She lowered her gaze and Haldir extinguished the lantern and then addressed the Hobbits in common parlance.

-Welcome, welcome! he exclaimed, speaking slowly. We rarely use a language other than our own, because we now live in the heart of the forest and we don't like to socialise with other people. Even those of our own race in the North are cut off from us. But there are still some among us who go far away to gather news and keep an eye on our enemies, and they speak the language of other lands. I am one of them. My name is Haldir. My brothers, Rumil and Oraphin, speak little of your language. But we have heard of your coming, for the messengers of Elrond passed through the Lorien on their way back to the Stairway of the Dark Gullies. We knew nothing of the... Hobbits or Halflings for many years, and we did not know that there were any in Middle-earth. You don't look bad! And since you come with two Elves of our kind, we are willing to help you as Elrond asked, although it is not our custom to bring strangers into our territory. But you will have to stay here tonight. How many of you are there?

-Nine," said Legolas. Myself, Elenwë, four Hobbits, and two men, one of whom, Aragorn, is a friend of the Elves, of those of the Usheress.

-The name of Aragorn son of Arathorn is known in Lorién, called Haldir, and he has the favour of our Lady. All is well, then. But you have only mentioned eight yet.

-The ninth is a Dwarf, said Legolas.

-A Dwarf! cried Haldir. This is wrong. We haven't had intercourse with Dwarves since the Dark Days. They are not allowed in our country. I cannot allow them to pass.

-But he is from Mount Solitaire, of the faithful people of Donin, and a friend of Elrond," said Frodo. Elrond himself chose him for one of our companions, and he has been brave and loyal.

The Elves spoke softly to each other, and they questioned Legolas in their own language.

-All right," Haldir finally said. This is what we shall do, although it is against our taste. If Aragorn, Legolas and Elenwë want to keep him and answer for him, he will pass, but he will only cross the Lothlorien blindfolded. But enough deliberation. Yours must not stay down. We have been watching the rivers ever since we saw a large troop of killer whales heading north towards Moria on the edge of the mountains many days ago. The wolves are howling at the edge of the forest. If you are indeed from Moria, the danger cannot be far behind you. However, you will have to follow your route early tomorrow morning.