Legolas Thranduilion, oftimes called The Green Knight, Lord of Dol Galenehtar, Ithilien

To Bandobras Took, son of Reginard, nephew of the inestimable Peregrin Took of the Tower Guard, Crickhollow

My Dear Bandobras,

Gladly did I receive your last epistle in the latest dispatches from Arnor; with it came also a letter from the Mayor of Hobbiton, Master Samwise Gamgee, elucidating the tale you related concerning the barrel of wine at your cousin Violet's wedding.  I am obliged to tell you, though I heartily disapprove of an esquire of mine behaving in such a fashion, so loudly did I laugh upon its receipt Galás and Kaimelas came to me at a run, and after I had related to them your little adventure Galás was so enthralled by your audacity he suggested to me a resurgence of such a game at our next celebration.  Kaimelas, though he did smile, berated him, saying such actions were not befitting Elves of high rank; poor Galás had no choice but to accede, though as usual it pained him to do so.

Construction is nearly complete upon my tower.  Our dear friend Gimli has created for me a veritable sweep of pearly marble, replete with scrollwork and carven buttress; mine own artisans have placed about and within statuary and fountains of marvelous beauty, and I have caused to grow here flowering vines, tall oaks (which you will no doubt recall are the sign of my house), fragrant brakes of herbs, and lilies about all the pools and waterfalls.  There is when you enter here a spirit of deep refreshment, cool and soothing to the soul, so that all who come to call desire greatly to stay; tranquility rests upon our heads like a heavy coverlet, and here the sun shines the brighter, the stars twinkle the merriest, the moon gleams the whitest upon my realm.  How greatly do I desire your return!  I would see your dear face light up, your brown eyes widen at the spectacle herein; it would please me greatly to have you here with me, for I miss my little esquire, and betimes find myself lonely for your bright company.

But my people are happy here, and our mortal neighbors greatly satisfied, so I suppose I must be too; we have built talans in the trees, great houses surrounded by pierced ironwork and scrolled wood, pale and full of diffuse light, and my people dwell therein, filling the air with the sweet sound of their fair voices lifted in speech, in laughter, and in song.  When the Lord and Lady of Emyn Arnen come, so delighted are they with the work we have done that I can scarce convince them to return to their own realm; Fastred in particular relishes his time here, and sometimes, when his mother permits, I keep him here with me for one or two weeks, teaching him our language and customs, and letting him play upon my lyre, for which he has developed charming aptitude.

I would be remiss did I not also describe to you Gimli's work in Aglarond.  The Glittering Caves therein throng now with his kinsmen, and it is not as I had feared before, that they should in their enthusiasm destroy more than they preserved; they are most careful, as is befitting the wishes of their lord, to do little more than chip tentatively away at the surfaces, revealing to our astonished eyes beauties more wonderful than the last. Indeed he did say to me, when last I visited him during some matter of state in King Éomer's court, that he did also greatly wish for you to see Aglarond, and to meet his folk; he is distressed that your first acquaintance with Dwarves should have turned so sour, and wants you to see that they are not as cruel and avaricious a people as you may have supposed.

King Éomer of Rohan is to be married next year; he has treated with the Prince of Dol Amroth, Imrahil, to be given the hand of his daughter Lothíriel, a great beauty, in whom the grace of Nimrodel's people does shine brightly.  She is tall, as is her father, dark-haired and gray-eyed, and merry and light-hearted as is Lady Éodild, though thankfully not so apt to quick and incessant speech.  It concerned me somewhat that she should forsake the shores upon which she was raised, and live so far inland, away from the scent of salt and the cry of the gull; however when I spoke to her of this she said to me, "Fear not for me, Lord of Elves!  My heart shall not pine within me, for it so overflows with affection and gentle esteem for my betrothed, that I scarce can contain my joy, and break betimes into song, so that all thoughts of my homeland are banished and I am filled with bliss."  When Gimli heard this he gave a great snort, and said only he hoped the lady understood well how loudly her future husband can snore, for that might impede her bliss somewhat.

I erred greatly in relating these doings to my Lady Mother; she has, as you know, these past centuries, in especial the past eight years, since I became Lord here in Ithilien, to see me wed myself, and such descriptions have served to inflame her further, to my dismay, and to Galás' delight.  I am not certain whether he enjoys more the prospect of my nuptials, or my discomfited expression when the subject is breached; he has admitted to me my Lady Mother did charge him with this, that I be wed before two years have passed.  I beg you, therefore, my dear Little One, to come to me quickly, perchance passing through Eryn Lasgalen first, to so dissuade them, or at least to distract them, and provide for your poor Master a means of escaping this indignity.  Opinion hereabouts is split fairly evenly upon this subject – my friends Aldamir of Amon Din and Lord Faramir alike think it a capital idea; Lady Éowyn and Queen Undómiel are not so sanguine, and both ladies fear I shall be constrained to agree to a union for which I care little. 

Well, that is neither here nor there; we can do nothing about it at this stage, save feign ignorance when the subject is broached, or perchance flee in abject horror when yet more maidens are paraded before me during the many feasts and gatherings here.  It becomes ridiculous, my dear Little One, and soon I shall be a laughing-stock; the Elven Lord who was pursued to the matrimonial altar by a flock of Elven ladies, to turn desperately at bay before being overrun.  Gimli at least does not laugh about it, and I am sure you shall not either; that is my comfort in all this.

Well, Meivel has informed me the new postings are ready to be delivered to Lake Nenuial, and the courier awaits only my seal upon this missive; I pray you give my deepest regards to your Uncle Peregrin and Cousin Meriadoc, and to your venerable mother as well, and beg you to write to me soon.  And I ask you to remember that I remain

Your loving Master,

Legolas