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The Librarian and the Elvenking – Part 2(5): Into the Woods

"Glorfindel's autobiography? Huh. Maybe I will give it a try." Ú-eneth turned over a few leaves.

The anonymous ellon had now read almost every book you had, some of them more than once. At first he had come seldom, probably timing his visits with errands in town, but by now he was here so often you suspected he came just to borrow books.

"And there is still 'The Principles of Lust.' Sure you don't want to try it?"

He blushed. "I, uh... My wife wouldn't..."

"Oh, so you do live together then?"

His eyes narrowed. "That is none of your business."

"Sorry." That was a sore spot, apparently.

"I shall take this too." He almost demonstratively put the Haradrim book in his bag. "She will love to try these things, I am sure."

"Don't be angry with me. I know I'm too nosy, but I guess it comes with the job. I care about my customers." On an impulse, you gave him a hug. "Have a good journey home."

He stiffened slightly, but he'd gotten used to your ways by now and didn't react as shocked as he would have done in the beginning. "Thank you. And I am not angry."

You beamed at him. "I'm relieved. See you soon!"

"See you."

♡

The next day you had an errand to a farmer village in the outskirts of Eryn Lasgalen. Because most of the inhabitants were too busy to make the long journey into town, you took your library carriage there every other month.

The trip would take a few days there and back, but you didn't mind getting away from Dale for a while. On the contrary; the country air was refreshing and you enjoyed the change of scenery.

Close to your destination the track went parallel to the woods for some miles. It was a lovely part of the journey; it was autumn, the air smelled fresh and earthy and the forest was alluring in its bright colors. Only a shame you could not enter it, but the Elvenking was strict about protecting his grounds and you had to respect that. You had heard rumors of his underground city with its dark dungeons, where poachers and trespassers were left to rot away indefinitely, and you had no intention to end up in such a place.

A noise from the nearby underbrush made Strider restless, prancing in his harness. It sounded almost like a barking dog.

You sent the horse a calming thought, while at the same time feeling slightly nervous yourself. Had one of the farmer guard dogs gotten loose? They were large, fierce beasts trained to guard the property against wolves, and though you felt sure they wouldn't attack you they might scare Strider into a run. The path was not much more than wheel tracks in the turf, and you didn't want to break your carriage.

Suddenly the cause of the barking came charging straight against your equipage; an enormous warg! The wolf-like creature was almost as big as Strider, and you knew it could easily kill a horse – and an elf too, for that matter.

You didn't have to tell Strider to flee. He bolted towards the protection of the trees, with you and the carriage swaying behind, taking the corner on two wheels.

Thankfully this part of the forest consisted of beeches, and thus the ground was fairly easy to traverse with mostly a thick layer of fallen leaves under the carriage wheels. Despite that, it was a rough ride, and to your despair several books fell out from the back when the carriage bumped onwards.

After a while your luck was over, for the environment changed, becoming a dense, moss-covered world full of fallen branches and old trunks. Here your carriage got stuck every other yard, and its wheels slipped on the mud. The warg was still on your heels, and you realized it would catch up with you unless you left your library behind.

Weeping internally over all your soon-to-be abandoned books, you released Strider from his harness and jumped onto his back. Hurry, my dear, you conveyed.

What do you take me for? Stupid? he retorted, increasing his pace now that the cumbersome burden was no longer holding him back.

Your horse was fast and the warg began to lag behind. Its fierce growls and barks grew distant, and soon you could no longer hear them at all.

Strider's flanks foamed with perspiration and his legs trembled. When he slowed down to a walk you looked around you in the semi-darkness under the dense foliage and wondered how you would ever find your way out. But hopefully the horse could trace his own steps back. That would have to wait a while longer, however; the warg might still be lurking nearby, or even tracking you. You had to continue deeper into the forest.

The surroundings grew increasingly darker, probably because the sun was setting. Spending a night deep in Eryn Lasgalen was not at the top of your list of enjoyable things to do, and in addition, you had heard there were giant spiders in it. Or had the Wood-elves killed them all after the war? You wished Ú-eneth was here so you could ask him.

Thinking about your friend made you realize you had quite grown to like the stiff old fellow. It would have been nice to have him around; trained warrior as you were sure he was. You remembered how it had felt to hug him the other day, how firm and flat his stomach had been and how strong his arms were around you when he awkwardly returned the hug.

Had he read the Haradim book yet? You wondered what his wife looked like. Your mind was wandering freely now, and you found yourself imagining your friend naked with an elleth, assuming all those acrobatic positions.

In the middle of your daydreaming, a pleasant smell reached your nostrils, waking you up; roast meat. You heard faint voices too, and music. Finally some people! And perhaps a comfortable house where you could spend the night? You crossed your fingers.

You let Strider walk towards the sound, and soon saw a glimmer of light between the tree trunks. It grew brighter as you entered a glade full of elves; some eating and drinking, some engaged in pleasant conversation, others dancing in large circles around a firepit. The delicious smell came from a deer being roasted whole over the flames.

Thank the Valar! You were saved!

Throwing yourself off the horse you ran into the glade. "A warg!" you yelled. "A warg chased me. Please, are there any warriors here?"

The music instantly stopped, as well as the dancing and the merry chatter, and a score of not-very-friendly faces turned towards you.

You were reminded that this was a forbidden area. But surely they would make an exception for someone who had run for their life?

A few elves who carried weapons mumbled among themselves in subdued voices. Then they divided; a small group disappeared through the trees in the direction you had come, hopefully to find the warg, while an elleth and an ellon went up to you. You didn't like the way they kept their hands hovering over the swords in their belts. Like they wanted you to know they could – and would – draw steel if necessary.

"This forest is the property of Thranduil, King of the Woodland Realm," said the ellon sternly. He had copper hair and was very muscular. "State your name and errand hither."

"I know." Turning your palms out to show your peaceful intent, you told them your name and explained your errand with the library. "I didn't mean to trespass, but the warg–"

"The law is the law," said the elleth; tall and broad shouldered like an ellon, and with her blonde hair gathered in a long, thick braid. She turned to the ginger. "Galion, you take the horse."

She bound your wrists while Galion called Strider to him. Thankfully he seemed to have a good hand with horses.

"What's his name?" he asked.

"Strider," you admitted.

They chuckled at that, and you had to explain it was one of your customers in Bree who had named him. Apparently it was an old nickname of Elessar, the king of Gondor, and you actually found it rather fitting for the long-legged steed.

The guards took you along a barely visible path through the underbrush, until you reached a forested hill. A river passed through here, crossed by a stone bridge, and on the other side was a set of open double doors, guarded by an ellon on each side.

The elleth said something silently to the guards, and one of them promptly disappeared inside.

"What will happen to me?" you asked anxiously, eyeing the tunnel visible behind the doors.

"That is for the king to decide." Galion gave you a sympathetic look.

"Is he as temperamental as they say?"

"Well... You don't want to be nearby when he loses his temper, I can say as much."

"True." The elleth chuckled. "Especially if you get drunk on his private wine!"

Galion blushed fiercely. "That was over a century ago. I wish people would stop bringing it up."

"Never," chuckled the elleth.

The guard returned. "The king wants the trespasser to be put in a cell for now."

You shivered. "Will I not even get a chance to explain?"

"The king will probably summon you and deal out your sentence when he's got the time," said the elleth.

"Don't worry. He is fair and just. And I will look after Strider well for you," said Galion reassuringly.

You sighed. How long would that take? And what would happen to your poor books and library carriage in the meantime? Though admittedly, you felt slightly relieved you would not have to deal with the infamous Elvenking just yet.

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A/N:

And so you have entered the domain of the ellon, the myth, the legendary sass-master: Thranduil of the Woodland Realm. What will he do to you? Find out in 2 days. :)