Chapter 13: Entering Lothlorien
There Aragorn stopped the Company for rest and to figure out which way they were the head next.
‘Here, Sam. Let me look at that scratch.’ Kal said softly as she moved his sandy blonde hair.
‘It is nothing.’ Sam said flinching as she lightly wiped away some blood.
‘You are right, dear Samwise. It is nothing compared to the loss we are suffering from. You deserve this treatment, for many receive worse wounds when they kill their fist orc.’ Kal smiled lightly.
‘You should rest. You have lost a friend.’ Sam said looking up at Kal as she applied some athalas to Sam’s cut.
‘We have all lost a friend.’ Kal said looking towards Morril, than down at her hands. ‘Rest, Master Samwise. Aragorn will be wanting to move soon, for we need to be under safe leaves before the enemy over takes us.’
‘Safe leaves?’ Sam asked.
‘Lothlorien.’ Legolas said to Sam. Legolas was checking Merry and Pipin for any wounds.
‘We are going to see more elves?’ Sam asked.
‘Yes we will.’ Kal said kissing Sam’s forehead. ‘Rest.’
Gimli, Oin and Frodo soon returned from their walk to look over the Dimrill Dale. Gimli and Oin were smiling, but their eyes showed grieve.
‘We will head out as soon as Legolas, Kal and I have mended the wounded.’ Aragorn said to the resting Fellowship.
‘Do you feel nothing!’ Boromir cried. ‘We have lost two companions through those dark caves!’
‘By nightfall, these hills and valleys will be covered with orcs!’ Aragorn argued. Boromir glared and nodded as he went to talk to the dwarves.
They continued after they mended Frodo. They all had a better feeling NOW knowing one of their Ring Bearers was wearing a mithril coat. Aragorn pressed the Fellowship to go as fast as they could. After a day of traveling, with only one stop for some food and rest, Legolas cried out to all.
‘Lothlorien! Lothlorien!’
‘We have reached the Golden Wood.’ Aragorn smiled slightly. ‘We are still at least 5 leagues from the Gates. We shall stop and make camp under the leaves of Lorein.’
‘Elves!’ Gimli groaned. ‘This may be more perilous than the Mines!’
The company ran to the edge of the forest.
‘What is so great about this?’ Pipin asked. ‘It is a forest.’
‘The Lady of Light lives in the Caras Galadon.’ Kal said to Pipin. ‘She is eldest elf in Middle Earth. Lord Celeborn is the wisest elf.’
‘Oh.’ Pipin said not really understanding what Kal was saying.
‘We will travel a little more into the forest, so we are protected by the elves, than make camp.’ Aragorn said.
‘I thought we were going to make camp when we were under the ‘leaves of Lorien.’’ Gimli asked.
‘Even though our elven friends said how wonderful Lorien is, orcs will pursue us. We will need protection of Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn’ Aragorn said.
Morril looked around the lovely forest. A calm feeling swept over her, the fact that she was being lead to her death wasn’t on her mind. She looked around at the group of friends she had made…than betrayed by killing one of her best friends. Kal’s voice broke into her thoughts.
‘These trees are beautiful!’ Kal said trying to hide the sorrow in her voice.
‘They are very wonderful aren’t they?’ Sam said walking between Frodo and Kal, as they walked deeper into Lothlorien.
‘They have seen many years.’ Legolas said. ‘They are Mallorn Trees.'
‘It is too bad we are seeing them in the winter.’ Frodo said, having perked up since entering the forest.
They continued to walk until night started to fall up on Middle Earth. Aragorn and Oin built a fire, while Pippin, Merry and Gimli went to find more wood for the night. Sam and Frodo started to get things read for their short dinner. Legolas and Aragorn talked of the wondrous Lothlorien, songs, stories and memories were told. Morril sat next to Kal.
‘Kal?’ Morril started. ‘Are you alright?’
‘ I don’t know anymore. There are so many things I feel inside of me.’ Kal said as she unbraided her hair and ran her fingers threw it.
‘Will you tell me?’ Morril asked.
Kal looked over at Morril, ‘There is our friendship…It tells me to forgive you for what you have done…that you have more than most elves have to carry in their lives here in Middle Earth. It tells me to not think harsh things because you are my friend and you are more important than me…that you are giving your life for everyone in Middle Earth. Yet, the sorrow of losing Tintil seems to be warning against that. Both those feelings create confusion and sorrow, but the hobbits make me feel happy and I want to laugh and play with them.’ Her voice lowered. ‘I feelings I feel towards Legolas, also make me smile and happier than I should feel. I have talked long enough.’ Kal laughed sadly.
‘You told me what you feel.’ Morril smiled, hugging her best friend.
‘Will you tell me what is troubling you?’ Kal asked.
‘Most of the day, I feel sorrow and the burden of what I have to do. Then the friendship of Frodo and our friendship are trying to pull me out of the darkness. Yet I feel like giving up because I know that I will end up by myself in the darkness. I don’t want that….’
‘Morril, I wish that you could be stripped of the ring and everything that the Dark Lord has done to you..and have it placed upon me.’
‘Don’t say that!’ Morril replied angrily. ‘There is also unrest that I feel. Silme is scorned because we live so close to Mordor. What and how are we going to be treated if and or when we get to Caras Galadron?’ Morril asked.
‘The fellowship will look out for you.’ Pippin’s voice popped in. Both elves turned towards the hobbit. ‘No matter what the other elves say, we will be here to defend you.’ Pippin smiled. ‘Besides Legolas wouldn’t stand for anyone of you to be scorned.’ Pippin laughed.
‘PIPPIN!’ Merry’s voice interrupted.
‘We weren’t supposed to repeat that!’
‘I’m sorry! It just came out.’ Pippin smiled nervously.
‘Don’t worry, we won’t tell.’ Morril smiled. Kal suddenly poked Morril.
‘What?’ Morril asked. Kal pointed up into the trees. Morril looked closer and saw three elves looking at their campsite. Morril looked at Kal, they both looked at Legolas, who seemed to know the elves were there and nodded with a smiled. Legolas tapped Aragorn’s shoulder and pointed up in the trees. As Aragorn looked up, the elves jumped down from the branches. ‘Elves!’ the hobbits exclaimed.
‘More of them? Great.’ Gimli grunted. Oin nudged him in disagreement.
‘Greetings, I am Haldir of Lothlorien. You have entered Lothlorien.’
‘I think we know that.’ Gimli grunted again.
‘What is your business here?’ Haldir asked.
‘We just escaped a band of orcs and were seeking shelter under the leaves of Lorien.’ Aragorn said. Haldir looked around the Fellowship.
‘What are elven maidens doing running from orcs?’ Haldir asked, looking intently at Morril.
‘Following our Lord.’ Morril and Kal said together, slightly lying.
‘Why wouldn’t your Lord send elves instead of ladies?’
‘Because they were right for the job!’ Sam interjected.
‘What would a person of any race bring a CHILD!’ Haldir expressed his shock through voice alone.
‘We are not children! In fact, we are of age!’ Merry responded.
‘Yes! Grown ups!’ Pippin added.
‘Haldir, they are hobbits or halflings, from the West.’ Aragorn said.
‘I may not know what it is that sends elven ladies and halflings , men and dwarves together but you may seek protection from us in our trees.’
‘Thank you Haldir.’ Aragorn bowing slightly.
'What is in that?' Haldir asked pointing to the clothe that Tintil was lying in.
'It is a fallen friend.' Aragorn said solemly.
'My friends will take your friend for the rest of your journey to Lothlorien.' Haldir said nodding sadly to the Fellowship.‘The halflings will sleep together as will the elven maidens. We have found out that one of man knows our language. We will let the men sleep together. The dwarves will have to be kept together, watched over by our kin from Mirkwood.’ Haldir said. Haldir than showed the trees that the fellowship would be sleeping in.
The next morning, Haldir and the other Lothlorien elves woke up the Fellowship for a quick breakfast, then to set out for Lothlorien.
‘What are your names?’ Haldir asked. ‘My friends would also like to know.’
‘I am Aragorn son of Arathorn.’
‘Boromir son of Denethor.’
‘Legolas son of Thranduil, of Mirkwood.’
‘Gimli son of Gloin, of the Lonely Mountain.’
‘Peregrin Tooke’
‘Meriadoc Brandybuck’
‘Samwise Gamgee’
‘Frodo Baggins’
‘Of the Shire.’ the hobbits said in unison.
‘Morril Lightbreeze’
‘Thanlionkal Moonflower’
‘Oin Goldstone’
‘Of Silme’ they said in unison.
Haldir and the elves were taken back for a minute. ‘Welcome to Lothlorien’ Haldir said looking at the group. ‘We will be leaving now. The dwarves will have to be blind folded.’
‘WHAT??’ Gimli and Oin protested.
A half an hour later, the entire fellowship was blindfolded, much to Legolas’ dislike. Legolas in the lead, next to Haldir’s brother, the hobbits followed. After the hobbits, Aragorn and Boromir came. Gimli, and Oin followed the men, closely guarded by two more Lothlorien elves. Morril and Kal brought up the rear with Haldir in the back.
‘You seem upset, Lady Morril.’ Haldir spoke softly.
‘It is hard to be relaxed when one is blind folded.’ Morril smiled.
‘You are very beautiful when you smile.’ Haldir commented.
‘Thank you, Haldir of Lothlorien.’ Morril smiled again. Kal sniggered, Morril stepped on her heal.
They company walked for the remainder of the day. During the night, more elves from Lothlorien came. The elves that had been with Haldir went turned back the way they had led them. The new elves came with word from Lady Galadriel to have the Fellowship un blind folded. After another night, the Fellowship under Haldir's supervision came upon Caras Galadron.
