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Please see Contents page. Italics indicate thoughts.
A/N: Dedicated with much love to
Sarah. Happy Birthday!
It was not what Gimli would ever have imagined, not even if he had
lived one hundred times his oldest ancestor's span of years. The Elf
was unhinged.
How could it be so? Legolas had withstood the dark depths of Moria,
bravely borne the fall of Gandalf, battled hand-to-hand with Uruk Hai
at Helm's Deep, and waltzed through the Paths of the Dead without so
much as a shiver. And now, when Aragorn needed him most, when the
warrior King needed Legolas and Gimli at his side as the company
prepared to advance upon Gondor and lift the siege surrounding the
White City, the Elf had come apart.
Oh he had fought well enough against the Haradrim once they reached the
Pelargir, but Gimli alone, perched behind him on horseback, had heard
the sharp gasp escape the Elf's lungs as soon as they drew within sight
of the Great River. At once upon the last of their foes' removal by
death or by terror driven fear, Legolas had dismounted and wandered to
the quays and sat himself down, gazing in amazement upon the circling
and diving, wheeling and crying sea-birds. He was still there, though
the day was far advanced.
Gimli had followed him, angry to be deserted, left to handle the
jittered equine alone. Legolas merely looked at him with irritation and
waved him away, admonishing Gimli to be quiet as he learned of the Sea
from the songs of the Gulls.
"Songs! We have not the time for such, Legolas! There is battle for us
on the morrow!" the Dwarf had scolded, but Legolas had heeded him not
and returned his complete attention to the birds.
They billowed around him and seemed to eye him as they flew past, each
one squawking out a stanza or two, whirling away to allow the next to
approach on soaring wing and utter its part in turn. Legolas' head
followed first one, then another as he tried to piece together the
different verses of the sea chantey, desperate to make the melody whole
in his heart. That he was not able to do so was evident in the growing
tension in his posture and the tightening frown of worry round his
gleaming eyes.
Gimli had not liked the look of those birds one bit. The way they
turned their glinting onyx orbs upon the Elf as they swooped overhead
reminded him too much of the crebain. Their so-called warbling did not
sound pleasant to the Dwarf, and he felt the tale of the stanzas must
be one of despair and hopeless wandering rather than the sort of
soulful sounds of nature Legolas was always calling 'song'.
"Foolish Elf! They are not singing to you; those birds mock you with
their laughing calls and taunt you with every turn of the wing! Come
from here and join me, for I have set our camp and you should rest!" he
brusquely demanded.
"Gimli! I cannot go with you now! Return to the others; I will join you
later."
"I will not! If you will wait here on this damp and dirty dock, then I
shall just have to be company for you. Tell me what it is these birds
sing of, then?" The Dwarf plopped down beside the cross-legged Elf and
looked up expectantly into the fair countenance for an answer.
A very small sigh found its way from the Elf's nose, and he shook his
head, glancing briefly at the Dwarf as he tried to follow the course of
yet another twisting, twirling tern. "It is not something I can explain
to you, Gimli; it requires the depths of understanding only known among
Elf-kind. I am sure you would find it all too tiresome and boring to
listen to."
In truth, Legolas feared to tell Gimli of the sea-song; he could not
bear to be the cause of the concern the Dwarf would hide behind his
cutting sarcastic response.
The Son of Gloin leaped up; furious, almost shaking with the effort to
hold back his anger. "If that is what you think, then gladly will I
leave you! Do not wake me up when you drag back into camp!"
Legolas spared Gimli a bewildered and aggravated look as he stalked
off, as if he could wake a sleeping Dwarf just by walking! Ah, of
course, it was an insult. Gimli did not wish to be awakened, even if it
might be the last night the two would ever share together, if the Dark
Lord prevailed. But Legolas quickly forgot their quarrel as the birds
continued their tantalizing refrains.
Now when Gimli saw this he was deeply troubled, for he had thought
surely the Elf would follow after him to right the harsh words between
them. Legolas was truly not himself, and the Dwarf knew not how to
break through this enthrallment. He stumped back to the bivouac and
regarded his fellows. There stood Aragorn conversing with the sons of
Elrond. Surely, between those three they must have knowledge of how to
release Legolas from the enchantment of the gulls. He made his way to
them.
"Aragorn! Something ails the Elf! Go and see if you can rouse him, for
he has lost himself in some apparition!" said the Dwarf.
Aragorn turned to peer toward the quay and spied the seated figure
there, and only sadness touched his eyes. "It is not something that can
be cured, Gimli. All Elves are easy prey for that malady, and only the
sea can ease his troubled mind."
"What? That is nonsense! You are a healer, and raised among the wisest
of Elven folk! In all his lore and wisdom, has Elrond never spoken on
how to end the call of the sea?"
"Nay," spoke Elladan as he regarded the Dwarf kindly. "Legolas will
ever be drawn to the sea now, and will suffer for not being near it."
"Aye," added Elrohir, "and that is why he sits yonder among those
gulls. He thinks if he can learn the song of the sea, he will be able
to carry that with him, and resist the call by singing it when the
longing grows strong."
"Will that work?" asked Gimli, no longer angry with Legolas now that he
understood what the Elf was trying to do. Legolas did not want to heed
the sea's summons; he wished to keep by Gimli's side in the time to
come, however short or long that might be. "Crazy Elf, why did he not
just tell me this in the first place?"
Aragorn shrugged, "Maybe he did, in his own way."
But Elrohir and Elladan were shaking their heads. "No, it is a gallant
effort he makes, but the sea will prevail. It is his fate," said
Elladan.
"Yes, to find the gulls as was foretold is a strong doom in itself; but
for Legolas to see them today of all days is undeniable evidence that
he will travel over sea," Elrohir said.
"Why? What is significant about this day? Besides the battle fought for
us by the Grey Company, that is," demanded the Dwarf.
"Today is Legolas' Conception Day!" the twins intoned in unison, both
surprised that Gimli did not know.
Gimli just stood with mouth agape, wondering himself how he could not
know this. Aragorn laughed at his stunned expression and the twins
smiled sad little smiles before the three took their leave and retired
to rest.
The Dwarf stood long in thought, pondering how to help Legolas overcome
the allure of the ocean's sighing waves. For that is all those gulls
would do, he was certain now, just fill the Elf's mind with the sight
and sound and smell of the one thing he longed for yet could not see.
It would drive him mad! Learning those gulls' blasted song would just
make the madness happen faster! What Legolas needed was something to
remind him of Arda when the sea called. It was so obvious to Gimli now;
recalling the song of the ocean's immensity could not possibly make
sea-longing easier to deal with.
Gimli developed a plan and rapidly set it motion. Hastily he returned
to the quays but did not stop to speak to Legolas. Instead, he scurried
along among the nets and ropes, stirred amid the clams and oysters
resting in great barrels along the pier. At last he seemed to have
explored enough and settled down with his odd collection not too far
away from the Elf. He seemed quite busy, and hummed a bold tune of
cheery demeanor as he worked, and when he was satisfied with his effort
Gimli rose and once more approached Legolas.
"Well, Elf, have you thought about what I said to you? Will you share
this new music you have learned?" he demanded.
Legolas frowned but scarcely turned his head to take notice of the
stalwart figure planted firmly in front of him. "Nay, Gimli, I cannot!"
"Then, will you leave off this place and join me in our camp?"
"Soon, Gimli! Please, this is something I must do; I cannot explain it
more!"
"Oh, I see! Yes, you are all too happy for us to be close, as long as
you instruct and I learn! It is always the same with you! Elven
culture, the immortal's perspective, the wisdom of the ages, the beauty
of the stars! And yet, you withhold from me what I would seek to know,
for I am but a Dwarf and cannot comprehend!"
"Nay, that is not so, Gimli! I do not mean to keep this from you, it is
just. . ."
"Hah! This is not all you refuse to share with me! Why is it I have
never been told your Conception Day, Legolas? Why did you hide that
from me? Are you afraid I will be put off by your great age? Do you
think of me as a child in comparison?" the Dwarf boomed his outrage and
glared with lowered brows into the Elf's confused eyes.
"I did not tell you because I never really think about it. I am very
much older, but I think I have not been treating you like a child!"
Legolas fumed, uncertain what had brought all this on and wishing it to
end so he might get on with his task. The Dwarf was being
inconsiderate, and as Legolas recalled it, Gimli was the more reticent
between them, unwilling to speak regarding the ways of his people. "You
are the one who never tells what it is like in Dwarven society! It is
you who turn aside my questions and treat me with condescension, as
though I could never see the world as you do!"
That was more like it! Gimli was pleased to have gotten under Legolas'
skin at last! He was not hearing those gulls right now!
"Are you saying I do not share with you the customs and rituals of my
people, Elf? Are you saying you would wish me to do so?"
"Yes, that is what I am saying, Gimli!"
"Good! It just so happens this day presents a perfect opportunity to do
just that! Among my people, we celebrate the day of our birthing. Among
your kind, I understand that the day of conception and the day of birth
are one and the same, but separated by a year's time. Or so it is said,
correct?"
"Yes, it is so. Who told you this?"
"Aragorn, but that is not important! Do not try to change the subject!
We are talking about customs among my kind!
"Now, when this anniversary arrives, we Dwarves like to hold a grand
feast and we give gifts to the one who is adding another year to their
span. Here, we have not the rations to make such a fine celebration as
one of your age rightfully deserves. Yet, I would like to commemorate
your Conception Day, Legolas, with a small gift," and so saying Gimli
thrust out his hand, palm upwards, whereupon lay a finely knotted band.
Legolas stared in amazement at the token and reached his fingers out to
take it. Carefully he examined it and turned it over to see it from all
sides, for it was wondrous to him. The band was the width of three
fingers in breadth and among the decorative knots small sea shells and
glistening pearls had been cleverly interwoven. The threads of the band
were made of none other than Gimli's glossy auburn hair.
"It is beautiful," the Elf whispered and looked up into the Dwarf's
pleased and grinning face.
"I am glad you think so. See, Legolas, it is both forces in Arda that
work upon you now. Here are remnants of the living things of the sea,
but they are held bound by the clever knots of my hair. So now you can
understand; the ocean cannot overpower you as long as I am here. I will
balance the sea-longing for you, Legolas; for my love is stronger than
the pull of this distant tide."
Legolas took off his left boot and tied the band around his ankle with
a happy sigh. With the graceful and fluid elegance for which he was
known, he rose and took the hand the Dwarf extended.
Legolas turned from the song of the gulls and followed Gimli.