Legolas in the Blue Kingdom Chapter 22:
………..Legolas…….
I was thankful that the Moon was setting and it was quite Dark, as Luinil’s archers were hot on my heels. But I had the lead of them, and I have always been Fleet of foot. How I remember running across Rohan with Strider and Gimli, so long ago! Well, this footrace was not a Rescue mission. It was something else—I wanted to be there when Pallando received the Staff from the Owl.
It was not far, and I paid no Mind to the shouts of the Archers behind me. The invisible Barrier was still there, and just as I passed through it, I saw the sudden flare of Cobalt Blue ahead of me.
It seemed that a great Shudder passed through the Blue Kingdom in one Heartbeat. For just that space of Time, Time seemed to stop. Then I saw what I had come to See. Pallando stood there where he had been before, but this time he was not a Shadow. He was Substance, lit by the light of the Orb. He swung the Staff in a great Circle around his head and it whistled with its passage through the Air. A long tongue of Blue flame flew from it like the thong of a Whip, and he snapped the Staff as a man does a Whip, and it broke the Air with a crack like Thunder. The sound nearly brought me to my Knees, but I stood, leaning as one does in a Wind. Again he swung it. He was laughing as the Whip of Blue Light once more shattered the Night.
"Pallando!" I shouted. "It is I, Legolas Greenleaf!"
He brought the Staff down very hard on the Earth, and the Blue light faded a little. Laughing again, he held out his hand and grasped mine. The Owl, which was sitting on the Stump that had been Pallando, spread its wings, and then folded them, regarding me as always with its head tipped to one side.
"Legolas," he said. "Well met, my Friend! But come—we are still in Danger!" He lifted his staff again and spoke some Words, and we were fenced about with Lightning. The hair on my head crackled, and I felt the power crawling upon my Skin. I saw the Archers come into the clearing and stop, staring in amazement at we two in the Circle of light.
"We have much to talk about, Legolas," Pallando said. "But for now, we must deal with Luinil. Tell me, are your Men safe?"
"I do not know, Pallando. Some are armed and wary, but some are Enthralled by Luinil—I do not even know where they are," I answered.
"They are not Enthralled now. The instant I took up my Staff, all his Spells came undone. But he is still Dangerous! And what of Nienna?"
"She was with him, only moments ago, in his house," I said. "He has been wounded, and there was a great Uproar. He sent his Archers after me."
"Wounded? By you?" he asked.
"No, he was attacked by the Lady’s dog Plato—the dog was defending her."
"Ah, poor Nienna. Well, we cannot stand about talking, Legolas. We can walk within this Circle, but Cordelia does not care to walk," he said. He held out his left arm and the Owl lifted herself and settled on his shoulder. "Cordelia," he said, "prefers to ride, if she cannot fly."
"She is a Noble creature," I said.
"Is she not?" He leaned his head against her body. "She brought you to me. I had been waiting a very long time, Legolas. I do not even know what Age we are in!"
"The One Ring is destroyed, and Sauron with it," I said. "Saruman fell into Evil, he is Dead. Mithrandir, who was Sauron’s Enemy, has gone to the Blessed Realm. Many of the Great Ones of my kind have sought the Havens as well. The Powers of the Three Rings are spent, and Elessar, Isildur’s heir, is King of Gondor, and wedded to Arwen Undomiel."
He stopped. "My Word," he said. "I have missed a Lot, seemingly!" Then he resumed walking. "Legolas, I must speak with Luinil."
"Yes," I said. "Pallando, I think he is Mad. And since the Fall of Sauron, all such Powers as he wields have begun to Pass away."
"Mad or Sane, he has done Evil, and must be dealt with," Pallando said.
I laughed a little. "Dealt with? When Luinil says that, he means Kill."
"I do not intend to Kill Luinil. To be perfectly Honest, I do not know what I intend. See those Archers of his? They are confused already."
"How has he Ensnared Elves, Pallando?" I asked.
"How, indeed? Legolas, I do not have time to teach you all you should know at this time. Suffice it to say that the longer he wielded the power that he Stole from me, the greater it became, until very recently. Thus I was able to Walk, and to send Cordelia out." Pallando shook his head, and Cordelia rubbed her beak against his hair. "Cordelia, Cordelia," he laughed. "I know you wish to fly! But I do not wish to have you Shot, and so you will sit there for a Time."
We were now passing the Guesthouse. It was in Darkness, but as we came nearer, I saw Sergeant Daeron come out onto the Porch.
"Legolas?" he shouted. "Are you safe?"
"I am," I shouted. "And you?"
"We are, Legolas." He ran down to the Path and stood staring at Pallando and me. "So," he said. "This is Pallando."
"It is," Pallando said. "You are one of the Armed and Wary men, are you not?"
Daeron grinned, looking Wolfish in the Blue light. "I am that, Sir," he said.
"Good," Pallando said. "Do you stay where you are, while Legolas and I speak to Luinil."
"Legolas," Daeron said, "what about Ephaz, and the others?"
"I am thinking of them, too," I said. "But until Pallando has spoken to Luinil, we can do nothing else. I fear Luinil’s folk will still obey him, you see."
"Like those Archers following you?" Daeron said.
"Like those Archers," I answered. "How is Captain Roland?"
"Restless, Legolas. Like the rest of us," he answered.
"Restless!" Pallando said. "Men are always Restless, are they not? That much has not changed, I see."
Sergeant Daeron laughed. "Nor will it change, Sir. You look after Legolas, now! That bloody Blue Lord is after his Hide!"
"Do not fear," Pallando answered. "I will indeed look after Legolas."
Now we, walking in the Circle, had come to the House of the Blue Lord. It was in Darkness. Pallando walked up the stairs and hit the door with the butt of his Staff.
"Luinil!" he shouted. "Luinil! It is I, Pallando."
After a time, the Lady Nienna opened the door. She was still wearing the gown she had been wearing when Plato attacked Luinil, and the blood stains on it were Black in the light of Pallando’s staff. "Pallando," she said. "My Lord is hurt—he cannot come down……"
"Nienna, my dear," Pallando said. "He must come and speak to me! How dare he send you on this errand?"
"Please, Pallando!" She began to cry. "What will you do to him?"
"I? I will do nothing, Nienna. But I must and will speak to him!" Pallando struck the steps with his Staff. "Nienna, he must come down!"
She went into the House and after some time she returned, and Luinil, Lord of the Blue Kingdom was with her. His left arm was wrapped in bandages, and he looked Old and Wretched as no Elf ever did.
He stood in the open door. "Well," he said at last. "I see you, Pallando. You wished for speech with me?"
"Luinil, you have much to answer for," Pallando said. "You have committed great Evil."
"I do not answer to you," Luinil said. "You are not my Master."
"You stole that which was Mine," Pallando said. "Had I ten thousand years, I could not tell all the Harm that you did, when you stole my Power and Imprisoned me." Pallando’s voice was like Thunder. "You fool!" he shouted. "I was sent to Middle Earth to aid in the War against Sauron! My Brothers needed me, and because of you, I was Helpless. And there are other Evils that you committed. Slavery, and Murder, to name Two."
"Slavery? Because I tricked a few Men? Murder? Like stepping on Ants, Pallando!"
The Lady sobbed, and fell to her knees. "Luinil, Luinil!"
"Be still," he snarled. He drew himself up. "You will do nothing to me, Pallando, and you know it."
"Do not be too sure," Pallando answered. "Were I such as you, I would Smite you where you stand."
"Then do it! You and your palaver, Pallando. Always talking. No, you will not Smite me. And do you know what? I wish you would. It is all gone, now. Even my Wife has turned against me." Luinil bent and pulled Lady Nienna to her feet. "Even my Wife," he said. "These strangers have poisoned her mind, I think. Legolas Greenleaf, see what your curiosity has done?"
I felt sick and weary. "Luinil," I said. "You are indeed Poisoned, but not by me, nor by my comrades. The world has changed, and your time has run out. Pallando summoned me; I did not come by chance."
The Lady clung to her husband, and while she had stopped crying, her face was so full of suffering I could scarcely bear to see it. "Legolas," she said. "Can you not just go?"
"No, Lady," I answered. "I cannot just go. Where is the Lady Alanta?"
"I—I do not know," she answered.
Luinil smiled. "She has gone with the rest of my Archers, Legolas. She at least will obey me."
"She does not know what her father is," Pallando answered. He gestured to the Archers who stood by, listening. "You," he said. "Will you do as I ask? Or do you wish still to obey Luinil?"
One of them stepped forward. "We wish to obey no one, but we will consider what you have to say."
"Turin!" Lord Luinil said. "I am your Lord!"
"That you are not," the Archer Turin said. "The scales have fallen from our eyes, Luinil, and we obey you no more."
"Then, Turin," Pallando said, "do you go find all the folk here that you can—surely they will have seen and heard enough to make them know that Something has happened tonight. Bring the Men, as well. And the Naugrim."
Lady Nienna frowned. "He cannot bring the Dwarves, Pallando, for they left, long ago."
I waited. Luinil did not speak.
"Legolas!" the Lady said. "Why do you look so? Ah, no! No! Luinil! She flew at him, her hands clenched into fists. Not the Naugrim! What have you done with them?"
Luinil caught her hands and held her away, and he looked pleadingly into her face. "They would not submit," Luinil said.
"My beloved Dis?" Her voice was so low I could scarcely hear it. "Even my dear friend Dis?"
"She was as stiff-necked as the rest," Luinil said. "I had to do it!"
The Lady turned away from Luinil and pulled her hands free of his. She moved to one of the benches that lined the Porch, and she sat down, staring into the distance. Luinil looked at her, then faced Pallando again.
"Come out of that ridiculous Light, Pallando," he said. "I will not harm you."
"No," said Pallando. "You will not harm me, for you cannot. The Light will remain until all are gathered here—your Folk, and the Men Legolas seeks. They must see you for what you are."
We heard hoofbeats and then the Lady Alanta came, her horse galloping right to the steps. She jerked hard on the reins, and he stopped so fast he sat on his Haunches. She stared at us, then at her father, dismounting and running up the steps.
"Father, what is happening? The Archers will not obey me! They are coming after me, they and those Men!" She shook her head, and then saw her mother, and went to her. "Mother! Why do you look so? What is happening?"
Her mother put her hands up and caressed the lovely face of her daughter. "My dear," she said. "The Blue Kingdom has ended. Your father is Lord no more."
"Who is this? Who is this with Legolas, wielding father’s Staff?" she asked in confusion.
"I am Pallando," Pallando said. "I am the Lawful owner of this Device of Power, that your father stole from me, even before you were born."
"No, no, father! Father, tell me!" She cried out, and tried to make Luinil look at her.
"You heard your mother," he said. "It is over. Go to your mother. Take her in and see that she changes her gown—that one is covered with that damned dog’s blood."
Lady Nienna stirred. "Poor Plato," she said. "You had to kill even my dog." She took her daughter’s hand and drew Alanta down on the bench beside her. "I will not leave," she said.
The Men had come out of the Guesthouse and were standing behind us now, even Captain Roland. The other Archers came up on horseback, and with them were Ephaz and the others. There were now some three or four dozen Elves and Men standing in the Dawn glow before the House. The servants had come out, and walked by Luinil without looking at him. He stood defiant, leaning on the Railing.
"Well," he said. "Here we are come to it. What happens now?"
Pallando lifted his Staff and the circle of Light was gone. I stepped away from Pallando, and joined the Men. Captain Roland was very pale, and I said to him, "You ought not be here, Roland. You should be laid upon your bed."
Luinil laughed. "Yes, the gallant Captain! Tell me, Captain, do you think she will take you, after I am gone? You fool! You dare to lift your eyes to the Lady Nienna! You, a Man. I would kill you for that alone!"
Captain Roland did not answer. He looked to where the Lady sat, and sighed, and looked away.
"I once had a son," Luinil said. "He rode with Isildur, and was slain. Isildur! You accuse me, Pallando, of stealing your Power. What of Isildur? He took the Ring. And my son died, because of a Man’s greed and folly."
"Too well I know this sad tale, Luinil. But the folly of Isildur does not excuse your evildoing," Pallando said. "You have destroyed the Naugrim who opened these Mountains for you. Generations of Men have toiled here as slaves for you, and you have paid them with Murder and Madness. Your own kin, Luinil! You have worked Evil magic upon your own kin, your own folk. For what?"
"I was Lord!" Luinil shouted. "This was my Kingdom!"
It was light now, and the very early Sun shone beautiful on the Blue Kingdom. All around us was everything Lovely. The Garden, the trees, the Mountains that hemmed us around. More Elves had come, standing silent and listening. Their faces were all turned to Luinil.
Luinil shrugged. "Well," he said. "You have still not told me what you intend to do with me, Pallando."
"I intend to do nothing, Luinil. It is not for me to Punish you," Pallando said.
"I am free?" Luinil asked. Then his face contorted. "Free? Where shall I go? What shall I do?"
Pallando shrugged and turned away. "I do not know, Luinil. It is not my concern." He walked down the Path under the great Chestnut trees.
Luinil turned to his wife and daughter, but said nothing. Then he went into his House and closed the door………….
Legolas Chapter 23………
………….Captain Roland…………
We could not sit in the Guesthouse, knowing what must be happening at Luinil’s house. I felt strong enough to walk that short distance—and I would have gone if the Men had had to carry me on the litter again. Yet when the Blue Light had covered the Kingdom, we all felt the weight lift that had been on our Minds and Spirits, and we felt rejuvenated and enlivened, even me, weak and ill as I was and had been. We had all been under Luinil’s Influence, if not his Spells.
We stood and watched and listened as Pallando called Luinil to account, and we saw the faces of Luinil’s folk, the Elves who had somehow been Tricked into doing his bidding. Arwela, who we had known best stood with tears running down her face, clinging to the arm of Orodreth her husband. As for the Lady Nienna, I could scarcely bear to look at her, so changed was her aspect. Lady Alanta took her mother into the house at last. I cannot imagine what converse those three must have had—Luinil and his wife and daughter!
Well, even on the brink of doom, Men and Elves have to eat and drink. The two Sergeants went to the Kitchen, to see if they could get some breakfast for us all and I managed to walk back to the Guesthouse leaning on Trooper Anborn’s arm. Instead of going back to lie upon my bed, I lay on one of the settees in the Sitting room. Ephaz and the others had their tale to tell, and I wanted to hear it. And I wished to talk to Legolas, who was still sitting outdoors talking to Pallando.
Ephaz told their tale quickly enough. "We waited five days as Legolas said," Ephaz began. "Then we packed up and moved along the road, but we weren’t happy about it. If we had been able to figure out a way to cross the Chasm, we’d have come after you, but we couldn’t, just there. So we kept our eyes peeled for another chance and lo and behold two days later we sees this party on the other side. Now, there is a road on the North side, as you may recall—we took the South road because it looked more traveled, and it was, but here they were, men on horseback, going West as we were going East. The Chasm is very narrow there, and we rigged up a bit of a bridge and had a confab with these fellows that afternoon. We didn’t say aught about you lot, but what with one thing and another we got to talking about this Blue Kingdom and this one chap, he says he knows the way in. Well, to cut a long story short, he was this Blue Lord’s man-catcher. He led us up the Mountain, into a Pass, and we were set upon. That’s about all I remember until this morning—when that Blue Light went flashing over this whole vale. So, we was Enchanted, eh? What I want to know is, how did they get our horses over?" He laughed." Well, if I ever see that fellow Niphran, the man-catcher, he’ll be sorry he crossed paths with me and my troopers."
There was much talk among the Men, and loud jests and laughter. They were all alive, and none seemed to have suffered from being put under Luinil’s spell, unlike all the poor wretches who had preceded them. I thought of the workman who had gone mad and stabbed me—what had he undergone ? It was evident that Luinil had been at this work for many long years, and that those who weren’t killed were set free with their minds altered. The tales we had heard were true. I wondered at Pallando, that he had turned away from Luinil. What had I expected? That Luinil would be struck down by Blue Lightning? Then I allowed my mind to dwell on Lady Nienna, and what she must now have to endure. Luinil’s sneering question of me and my Love did not hurt me, but it was one more pain for her, humiliation added to her other woes. But most to be pitied was Lady Alanta, born and bred here in this Blue Kingdom, proud and lovely and heiress, as she thought, to her father’s Realm.
Where I lay I could see out to the Path, where Legolas and Pallando sat on a bench talking. The Owl sat perched on the back of the bench, next to Pallando’s shoulder. Even as I thought of her, Lady Alanta came along from the House, and she stood before Legolas and Pallando. She was not wearing her Archer gear, but a white robe, and her beautiful black hair was bound up into a knot at the nape of her neck. Her slender form seemed bent with woe and weariness. Legolas rose and she sat beside Pallando, her hands folded in her lap, and she stared at the ground. Pallando began to speak to her, putting his hand over hers, then under her chin so that she had to look at him, and I could see that he smiled most kindly.
Legolas came to the Guesthouse and he came over and sat beside me, drawing a chair close to the settee. "So, Roland," he said. "I hope you have not suffered a Relapse, walking out as you did."
"Indeed not," I answered. "I am still weak, but have you not noticed that the very Air of this place has changed? I feel as though a great weight was lifted from me."
"I have noticed," he said. He gestured to the Men who were seated at the Table, still talking. "And them? What have they said?"
"Ephaz has been telling them about how he and the others were caught," I said. "You can see what spirits they are in."
"Yes," he said. "Well, it has been a busy morning, has it not? And there is much to think of. What is to become of this Place? It is still beautiful here."
"What will Luinil do?" I asked. "Will he go to the Blessed Realm?"
"It may be that he will attempt it," Legolas said. "I hope he does, for the sake of the Lady Nienna. The Blessed Realm is not a reward for good behavior, Roland, but the place of the Elves; it is Elvenhome. They may have to take him in."
"Home, my mother used to say, was the place that if you went there, they had to take you in. But I do not see this Luinil going there, Legolas. He would have to humble himself, would he not?" I asked.
"I do not know," Legolas said. "I cannot answer you, Roland………"
…………The morning of April 18………Legolas…….
We still have not seen either Luinil or the Lady Nienna. Lady Alanta is out and about, and has undertaken her mother’s duties. Such duties as were performed by Luinil are shared among the Archers and servants, for few of them have decided as yet what they are going to do. Arwela and Orodreth will leave, but how many of the others will join them I cannot judge. There is much discussion, and since it has been their home for so long, many may stay. It will not be the Blue Kingdom it was, but it will be a pleasant place, and there has even been put forward the notion that Homesteading Men would be welcomed here.
As for me, and the Men who journeyed with me, we will be on our Way soon, in four or five days. Captain Roland will be able to ride, if we take it slow, and they are all itching to leave this Place. I cannot say that I blame them. I remember my first Sight of it, coming out of the Passage—I thought of Imladris, with its clear, keen Air. But from the instant of meeting the Blue Lord, my spirits were oppressed, and while I suspected the Cause, the reality was worse than I had feared.
Pallando has taken up residence in the Guesthouse with us. He is a merry companion, and eager to hear all the News, as he puts it. The story of the Quest of the Ring moved him to laughter and tears, and he asked a thousand questions. He is much like Mithrandir as I remember him, but less High, perhaps. It may be that is because he has been Out of things for so long, I do not know. He is pleased to think that he might see Radagast before too long, and is intensely Curious about the fate of Alatar.
"Alatar was the Sea, you know," he said. "Great with the Fishes, and the Gardens under the water. He may be there yet, swimming about……But poor Curunir. To come to grief in such a way! Perhaps if we had all been there, we might have been able to help him. Do you know, Legolas, that I stood there for many hundreds of Years, wondering about Middle Earth? Luinil would come and mock me, when it seemed he needed some Amusement, but he told me nothing. Nothing, at least, that I wished to hear. Just in these last years, as I said before, when I could send Cordelia out—it meant his Powers were waning, but I could not see Why. It did not occur to me that Sauron may have already Fallen."
"What will you do now?" I asked him. "Will you go to Elvenhome?"
"Oh, eventually I will, Legolas. Eventually I will. But I have much to see and do, and much to catch up on! I think I might go on to Minas Tirith, and visit with the Maiden—she who is now Queen of Gondor."
"Ah, yes," I said. "There is another piece of News, Pallando. When I left Minas Tirith, the Queen was with Child, and has no doubt had her baby by now. She was expecting to be confined on old New Year’s Day—March 25."
"Arwen a mother! Bless her, bless her. Ah, I remember the first day I saw her, Legolas. She was the loveliest creature I have ever seen, in all my long days……"
"She is still very beautiful," I said. "The folk of Gondor love her, and she has helped Elessar renew that cold, stone City."
"This Elessar—Isildur’s heir. He was one of the Nine, I think you said? I am confused, Legolas, and it will take a long time for me to get this all straight in my Mind." He shook his head. "It is not only Luinil’s powers that waned, Legolas. I do not have that much time left myself, so I think. Not as we would measure it, you Elves and we Istari."
"Will you ride with us?" I asked. "We go to Khand, as I told you, and then we must think what to do next".
"I will think on it, Legolas," he said. "I have never been to Khand, either………."