The Little Hunter

by Pippin's Sunshine

9   10 

Chapter 9: Answers


The company was greeted warmly and led as fast as the Elves could to the City of the Galadhrim. Estel looked about him in wonder. He had never seen such huge trees. One of the younger Elves dropped behind the rest of the guard to where Estel was riding.

“Mae Govannen, Estel Arathornion. My name is Aglarmir, I have been assigned to keep you company until you begin your training with the March Warden. Is there anything that you wish to know? We have quite a long ways to ride to get to the heart of the city. We will stop and make camp when the light begins to fade.”

“Yes, I do have a few questions. What are these huge trees called? I have never seen anything like them before!”

“Of course not, they only grow here in Lothlórien. They are Mallorn. The trees grow until they touch the sky and it is said that Eru fashioned them out of the same living earth that the Two Trees in Valinor were made of before their destruction. Their leaves change colors with the seasons, but do not fall. As you can see, they are golden hued right now. In the winter time, they turn silver.”

At that moment, they passed under one of the huge trees. Estel looked up in wonder. “The trees in Rivendell change color too, but not like you said these do.”

For a while, the two fell into companionable silence. Every now and then, Estel could see his mother looking back at him. She was more than worried about her son. It was unlike him to be so quiet and melancholy. Maybe when he started his training, he would become his normal self again.

“Aglarmir, what is the Lady Galadriel like? I have heard some of the Rangers tell stories of an elf-witch. And how they never should have agreed to take this trip as it was probably just a trap.” Estel said all this in one breath, as he did not want to offend his new friend.

Aglarmir was a bit taken back with this question, but the guard had prepared him that the humans would probably mention this bit of false information so he knew how to answer the young human.

“I myself have never seen the Lady, but I have heard from others who have that her beauty surpasses all in Middle Earth. As for being a witch that I know she is not. She and Lord Celeborn rule Lothlórien with wisdom.”

“They are what keep this forest alive. It is said that the Lady possesses a certain quality that keeps Lórien alive. It could be considered ‘magic.’ But hers is not an evil magic, I think hers came from Illùvatar himself. I am still considered young by Elven standards, but I have lived here long enough to know that it is the Lord and Lady that keep us going. You only have to worry if you bring evil into these woods yourself. You are always your own worst enemy, no matter how much anyone else despises you.”

Estel fell silent again for a while until Aglarmir motioned for him to stop. He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he had not noticed the waning of the sun.

“We will camp in the trees for the night. Do not worry; Melian will be safe. There are hidden guards all around us.”

“In the trees?!? What will keep me from falling out?!”

“Do not worry young Estel. We build our homes in the trees; they are called talens or flets. You and your mother shall stay with my brothers and me. There are walls on three sides to prevent any falls. And I am sure you will appreciate the food and bedding we have waiting for you,” he said this last part with a grin. He had heard Estel’s stomach rumbling earlier.



Chapter 10