The Door to the Blue Kingdom................more of Legolas.............
The Men were frightened for my Safety, and did not wish me to walk the Rope, but I did not Dispute with them, rather I went quickly across. My first thought was that the Pine tree is indeed only a Pine tree, not an Ent, nor a Huorn, which possibilities crossed my mind, I confess. An ordinary Tree, but Planted in a not ordinary Place, for I do not believe it grew There by Chance. As I suspected, the carven Owl was on a Door, for as I touched the Rock, the Owl's form became clearer, and the shape of a Door was revealed. I was Tempted to try to command the Door to open, but Caution prevailed and I crossed back to the Southern side of the Chasm.
We spent some time discussing the Matter among ourselves, and decided that since the Day was wearing on, we would set up our Camp, and see what the Night would bring. Several of the Men gathered the dried dung we use for Fuel, several more picketed the Horses, and Sergeant Daeron began his usual preparations for our evening Meal. Captain Roland, who seems to suffer from a more than common Fear of heights, was lying on his Stomach, staring at the Tree and the Door across the Chasm. I sat beside him and an attempted to allay his Terror, pointing out that the Chasm could not reach out and fling him Down, and he admitted that just being near the Edge troubled him, but that he was intensely Curious about the Door.
As we ate our Dinner, I spoke to the Men and told them what I knew of such Doors. I recalled especially the Doors of Moria, where Mithrandir had been puzzled, and the Hobbit Meriadoc had hit by accident upon the Clue that Mithrandir needed to tell the Doors to open. One of the Cavaliers asked what I know they all wished to know--did I know the Key for this Door? I said that I believed it would be only a word of Command, in an Elven tongue, and that I knew many. It did not seem likely to me that the Door would require a Spell, the Door's location was in itself a Surety that no casual Visitor would try it--anyone who could stand in Front of it would have earned the Right to enter by simply speaking some version of the command to Open.
The darkness fell quickly, as it does in these parts. The Sunset is always glorious, but the instant She goes behind the Mountains, it is Night. There is no Twilight. Our little Fire made a little pool of Light where we sat eating, and above the surrounding Mountain tops the Stars were bright and sharp against the Black sky. The Horses stood quiet, and we heard the Wild Dogs howling in the distance. Then we heard the Voice of an Owl, and there he was again. He circled our Camp, spiraling down near to our Fire, and the Men murmured among themselves, some Fear in their Voices. I spoke, andsaid, Greetings, Master Owl.
He set down upon a Rock and again regarded me with his Head to one side. I saw that he had somewhat in his Talons, and that it fell as he rose into the Night and left us. I picked it up, and saw that it was apiece of Cloth. I took it into the firelight and could see that the scrap of cloth was Blue, even in that poor light, but that was all, the cloth was not a Wrapping, nor was it Written upon. Just a piece of Blue cloth that would about cover the Palm of my hand.
Captain Roland took the cloth from me, and shook his Head. Blue, he said. From the Blue Kingdom?
So I would think, I answered. But what does it Signify? Is it a Warning?
Captain Roland shrugged. How should we tell? We must go forward unknowing, if we do go Forward, Legolas. Or we must take it as a Warning, and leave this place.
The other Men concurred, and Cavalier Darsat said, What do you wish to do, Legolas?
I wish to open the Door, I said. But I will command no Man to go with me.
Now they all laughed. Legolas, Captain Roland said, itwould be of no Use for you to do so. None of us could walk that Bridge.
Not as it is, I agreed. But it can be made so that a Man could walk it. However, we cannot all go, in any case. We cannot take our Horses across, and we cannot leave them and all our gear unguarded. It is in my Mind that we decide in the morning who is to Go, and who is to Stay. We must plan carefully, for there is no Knowing what we will find.
We sat long over the Fire that night, and each Man called to mind all that he could Remember of the Blue Kingdom, as it had been spoken of by Those we had met upon our Journey. It was not Much, but nearly all who had spoken had spoken in Fear, or had passed on some Tale of Fear. The Blue Kingdom, where those who enter do not Leave, or those who Leave are Changed. Even Ararrat had spoken of it, but he had dismissed it as Women's tales, fit only for Children and Fools. Sergeant Axelder of the Cavaliers was the only One among us who had ever heard any Word of the Blue Kingdom before coming upon this Journey. He had been born and raised in one of the Mining camps in the Foothills, and his Mother had cautioned him and his brothers to beware of the Blue Kingdom, where disobedient boys were sent. He had always believed it to be a Bogey only, his Mother's attempt to keep four wild boys in check, but he admitted that his Mother had seemed to believe in it, and that some Great Sorcerer ruled there. At last the Men settled to sleep and I watched.
Again, just before Dawn, the figure of a Man appeared, but this time it was across the Chasm, before the Door. It seemed most like a Shade, not a real being, and did not Look across, but simply stood there. It took the form of a Man in a robe, holding a Staff, and the Man had long hair and a long beard. I could not see its Face. It did not come out of the Door, but appeared before it without Sound, and again it faded as the Darkness faded. It did not Trouble me, such things do not, but it caused me to Wonder if I ought to take any of the Men with me through the Door. Men are frightened by Ghosts and such. It struck me that if a Great Sorcerer ruled on the other side of that Door, it would be no great feat on his Part to keep any Knowledge of the place secret--he could easily have hidden the Door, for instance, and we would have passed by it unseeing, even an Elf such as I. The Tales could always be just Tales.
No, it seemed to me that we were being Drawn on, but to what Purpose? Perhaps the Day would reveal it. The Horses stirred with the Dawn, and the Men awoke. I told them that I had again seen the Shadow of a Man, but that I was still determined to open the Door. When the light was bright day again, I took the piece of blue Cloth and turned it about in my hand. A bright Blue, deep and pure, the Cloth soft and finely woven. No more. No Markings, no stitching in Patterns. I put it in my pack, with my Share of the food and water we were to carry. I asked the men to each also fill a small Sack with dried dung for fuel, as we might have to Travel for some way under the Mountain, and we would need fire. Such Torches as we could improvise, we did. The Thorn bushes hereabouts give off a sticky Sap that can soak a rag wound about a stick, and that would have to do for Light.
Most of the men vied for a place in the Group that was to leave, and I was not surprised that Captain Roland was among them. He has a bold Heart and a clear Mind, he is observant and careful. Still, it was necessary to draw lots with black Pebbles and white, to determine which three from Gondor and which three from Sardara were to go. Captain Roland drew a white Pebble and I saw his face express his feelings, the Terror and the Wish to go being about equal!
I once again explained to those who were to Remain what was expected of them, should we Fail to return in five Days. Trooper Ephaz of Sardara was put in charge, he is an old Soldier, and commands the Respect of the rest. I then arranged two more Ropes to improvise a Bridge that Men could cross upon, and watched as Sergeant Daeron of the Guards went over, then five more. Captain Roland is equal to any Exertion, but I did not wish him to Fall from clumsiness due to Fear, so I calmed him as best I might, and stood so that his Eyes could see into Mine as he made his way across.
The Door opened to my command of Edro! The blast of Air that was expelled was Stale, but not Foul, and since I had taken the Precaution of having the Men grasp the Pine tree for safety, no one was Blown off his feet, and over the Precipice. The opening loomed Black before us, and we had only to Enter................
.........More of Captain Roland's letter..................
Legolas was determined to go back and open the Door. We spent hours talking of it and I was Sick with Dread, for I knew I was going to go with him. The Terror of Height was not going to stop me, and yet I could not think of walking over that Abyss without my stomach sinking. Some of us were going to stay with the Horses, and at last in the morning we drew Lots, to end the disputing. Sure enough, there in my hand was the White pebble that signified I was to go, one of three from Gondor, and three from Sardara, with Legolas making the seventh.
Legolas told us that he had again seen the shade of a Man, this time it appeared by the Door, and once again vanished with the Light. At this time he spoke to us all, and said, I will command no Man to go with me. I do not know what we shall meet when we open that Door, it may be that such things as Terrify men will be there. Know now that any who wish to turn back then may do so, but once we have passed through, the Door will most likely close behind us, and then it may be too late to return.
He looked at each of us in turn and seemed satisfied with what he saw. I know he saw Terror in my eyes, but that was for the walk across the Chasm, not for anything we might find on the other side. Ghosts and bogeys I could face, I thought, if I could ever make myself cross. We got our packs prepared, each man to carry enough for three days, food and water. We also took some dried dung, in case we found no fuel over there, and we made some coarse half-hearted jokes about that, as we each tied a sack of it about our waists. The men who were to stay behind were told to wait no longer than five days. Then they were to start out again, for Khand. This was made an order, for they all [text missing?]
Legolas prepared the bridge by taking two ropes across with him and fastening them so that a Man could walk with his feet on the first rope and hold one rope shoulder high and one rope waist high. Sergeant Daeron went first and signaled back to us by waving his fist in the air. Trooper Anborn went next, then Cavalier Sergeant Axelder, then Cavaliers Darsat and Gradaz. I was next. Legolas touched my shoulder and said, I will cross before you, Roland. When once I am across, you look only at me, at my face. Do not look down!
Never will I forget that crossing, dear brother. Never, though I live to be an old, old man. The air was keen and fresh, and high above me an eagle cried his wild cry. The rope felt alive, and I felt every fibre of it as I grasped it with hands that were thick and heavy, and I felt every drop of my blood flowing slow as cold honey through my veins, and my head was light, as if it would float off my shoulders. I could see Legolas' calm face, his eyes holding mine. There was no tension in his look, just that steady regard that pulled me across, causing me to put one leaden foot ahead of the other. I could hear the thudding of my own heart, beating painfully hard. I reached the other side and Legolas put out his hand and touched mine, and I stepped onto the hard rock, and immediately I cast up my breakfast and fell to my knees, too dizzy to stand.
Still, I was across. In a few moments I was able to breathe as I should again, and I rose to my feet. Sergeant Daeron smiled at me and said, Good lad! You'll do now! And the others slapped my back and I felt somewhat less of a fool.
We rechecked our packs, adjusting the straps and so forth. Legolas stood before the Door and touched the Rock. Hold on to the Tree, Men, he said. There may come a Wind from inside.
The image of the Owl was as sharp as if the carver had just put down his tools, the great wings outspread, the horned head bent as if it sought something. The shape of the Door was arched and it was wide enough for three men to stand within, about two fathoms high, the Owl's image near the top. The wind stirred the Pine, and we could smell its clean scent. Legolas touched the Rock, and closed his eyes. Edro! he cried. Edro!
He stepped back, and opened his eyes. For the space of a dozen heartbeats there was nothing, then the Door's outline faded and darkened again, and a sound of rock grinding upon rock assailed our ears, very loud. The door swung open, and stale air rushed forth in a blast that might have sent us over the edge, had we not been grasping the tree. Legolas staggered back, then stepped ahead firmly. A black cave or tunnel yawned before us.....
