4: Into the Woods

Alex Grant, once known as Artemus Gordon Meriwether, ex-spy — excuse me, former intelligence officer — saw his mother, Anne Meriwether, safely to the Goldmine Inn after they had been to the town square to see the New Year in. They were accompanied by Alex’s friend and fellow Elf Guide, Derek Lowell, and his dad, Andy. As he helped his mother out of her coat, she turned to him, a worried look in her eyes.

“Are you sure you and Derek don’t want to stay and celebrate, Artemus? You’re both welcomed to stay. It looks as if the inn staff has gone all out to provide their guests with a feast.”

Alex smiled fondly at his mother, bending down to give her a kiss on the cheek. “You and Andy go and enjoy yourselves. Derek and I have other plans.”

“And what plans are they?” Anne demanded.

At that point, Andy Lowell intervened. “Leave the boys alone, Annie,” he said. “I’m sure they would much rather be celebrating with their friends instead of with a couple of old fuddy-duddies like us.” He gave Alex and Derek a wink and a grin.

“Hmm…” was Anne’s only comment, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“Go and enjoy yourself, Mom,” Alex said, giving her another kiss. Then he turned to Andy, giving him a mock scowl. “Don’t keep her out too late.”

“Yes, boss,” Andy said facetiously, giving him a rather sloppy salute while Derek, who had remained silent through all this, started laughing.

“Have fun, you two,” he said.

“C’mon, Annie, they’re playing a waltz,” Andy said. “Let’s you and me show them how it’s done.”

Anne hesitated for a moment, her concern for Alex still evident. “You will be careful, won’t you?”

“Mom! You’re embarrassing me.” He sighed, deciding it was easier to give in. “But yes, I will be careful. I promise. Now, go. Have fun. We’ll see you tomorrow for brunch, okay? Around noon, right?”

“Yes, noon will be fine,” Andy said, taking Anne’s elbow and leading her away. Soon they were lost in the crowd of people dancing and drinking as the staff of the inn went about setting up the buffet. Alex pulled Derek across the lobby, dodging people coming and going. Outside, they paused for a moment or two to huddle further into their coats.

“Okay, so where are we going?” Derek asked. “Mind you, I wouldn’t have objected to us staying here with your mom and my dad, if only to keep an eye on them. I think my dad’s about ready to lure your mom into a state of sin.”

Alex grinned at his friend. “Unless she gets to him first.”

“You know, this conversation is taking a turn for the weird,” Derek commented.

“Tell me about it,” Alex retorted. He was feeling a bit ambivalent about what he thought he saw happening between his mom and Derek’s dad. For so long it had only been the two of them, mother and son against the world, but now it seemed that might no longer be the case, and there was a real possibility that he might not only gain a father but a brother all in one fell swoop. He shook his head to clear it of such thoughts. Time to deal with it when they had to. Right now…

“You up to a trip into the woods?” he asked Derek.

“What?”

“The woods behind Edhellond.”

“Why do you want to go there, mate?”

Alex fished a piece of paper out of his coat pocket. “When we were at the town square, this got shoved into my hand.” He handed the paper to Derek who squinted at it in the light of a nearby streetlamp.

“‘The woods behind the mansion. Come alone. F,’” he read then stared at Alex. “Someone handed this to you?”

Alex nodded. “I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. Thought it was just someone wishing to get through the crowd. I turned around but there was no one there and then I felt someone shove that note into my hands. Never saw who it was, though.”

“Could be a prank,” Derek pointed out.

“Then again, it could be something else.”

“It says to come alone, though, so why are you inviting me?”

“Because, Watson, I am always suspicious when someone tells me to meet them in the woods in the middle of the night alone. I doubt it’s to give me a surprise birthday party.”

Derek grinned. “It’s signed ‘F’. Who could it mean? Farrell? But he’s in jail in Fairbanks, awaiting trial.”

“I thought of that,” Alex said with a nod. “If he’d somehow escaped, I would’ve been told. I made sure that the authorities would keep me informed of Farrell and the others at all times. No, I think the note was sent by Finrod.”

“Finrod!”

“Or Lawrence,” Alex added with a shrug.

“Yet, why would they send you a note asking you to join them in the woods and not invite me?” Derek protested.

Alex gave him a wicked smile. “Care to find out?”

Derek’s grin was equally feral. “Lead the way, mate.”

Alex turned and headed briskly for his car with Derek right behind him. “Come, Watson!” he cried in delight, feeling the excitement of the chase rising within him. “The game is on.”

“I love it when you talk dirty like that,” Derek quipped and Alex laughed.

It took them only a few minutes to reach Edhellond. Alex pulled over so that they could see the mansion and turned off the car. “It looks dark.”

“They must all be out partying,” Derek suggested.

“Or they’re in the woods waiting for us,” Alex said. “Ready?”

“Sure. Are we going in armed?”

“No. This may be completely innocent and carrying weapons….” He paused, his eyes no longer seeing the street before them. Instead, he was remembering another New Year’s, lying in a hospital bed, a victim of a bust gone terribly wrong. He shivered uncontrollably as the memory of that hellish trek across a snowfield tracking down the terrorists took hold of him.

“Alex… Alex… look at me.”

He heard Derek’s voice but could not make a connection. He felt his friend taking him by the shoulders, forcing him to face him. “Alex… it’s alright, mate, it’s alright. Come back to me, Alex. Tolo ’nan galad!”

Alex blinked at the sudden sound of Sindarin and the snowfields of Wisconsin became Sycamore Street once again and he was staring into Derek’s eyes full of concern. “Sorry. I… I…” But he wasn’t sure what he wanted to say. Instead he wrenched open the door, stepping out of the car, taking a couple of deep breaths. Derek followed more slowly. Alex ignored him for a moment, surveying the empty street. Further down on either side he saw the lights of other houses and heard the faint strains of music. Obviously the residents were whooping it up. He stared at the mansion. He had parked so they could see into the drive. There were no lights upstairs and none of the front rooms were lit. The place felt empty somehow. He knew enough about Elves to know that the place never fully emptied out or quieted down. While some might be sleeping, there would always be one or two up. No. The mansion had an air of desertion about it. The Elves were not in residence tonight.

He turned to Derek standing silently on his side of the car, waiting. “They must be in the woods,” he said. Derek nodded, but said nothing. “You can stay here, if you like,” Alex offered. “The note did say for me to come alone.”

“No. I’m curious to know what is going on.”

Alex nodded, grateful for his friend’s steadiness and loyalty. “C’mon then. Let’s not keep whoever it is waiting.” He went around and opened the trunk, fishing out a couple of flashlights, handing one to Derek, before closing the trunk. “All set?” he asked rhetorically.

They crossed the street, skirting the walls surrounding the mansion and coming around to the back of it, crossing the fields and then entering the woods, pausing for a moment to get their bearings. “There’s a clearing somewhere near here,” Alex said, speaking softly. “I’ve never been to it myself, but I’ve heard the Elves speak of it. It can’t be too far.”

“Isn’t there a path to follow?” Derek asked, flashing his light about.

“I don’t think so, not as such, but there doesn’t seem to be much underbrush so we shouldn’t have too much trouble. C’mon.” He set off and Derek was right behind him. They had not gone far when they both stopped to listen. “Hear that?” Alex asked and Derek nodded.

“It’s coming from over there,” he said, pointing a little to the left. “Sounds close, though I don’t recognize what the song is about, can’t quite make out the words.”

“Me neither. It’s Sindarin, that’s all I know. This way.” He headed to his left. They went about fifty more yards by his guess and then they could see firelight some distance off and the singing was louder. Now they could pick out words here or there. They stood, listening to the ethereal voices for a moment and then Alex shook his head to clear it of the spell the song seemed to be weaving around him and gestured for Derek to follow. They inched their way forward, trying not to make too much noise, though Alex had the feeling that the Elves knew precisely where they were, yet none of them stopped singing or turned to face them. They were almost at the clearing and then—

“Okay, is it just me or did we somehow teleport?” Derek asked, staring about.

Alex turned around to take in their surroundings, not quite sure what had happened. One minute they were about to enter the clearing and then the next they were standing on the outskirts of the woods. He could see the dark bulk of the mansion across the field.

“Some sort of Elvish trick,” he muttered. “Want to try again?”

“You mean go back inside there?” Derek nodded towards the trees. “It’s obvious we’re not wanted. Why bother?”

“Because someone sent me this note, and I want to know who and why. I’m going back in. Now that we know where they are maybe we can approach from a different direction and see what happens.”

Derek sighed. “Fine. It’s not as if I have anything else to do at—” He fished out his cell phone to check the time. “At two in the morning on New Year’s Day.”

Alex grinned at him. “That’s the spirit. Just think. You could be back at the Goldmine Inn drinking champagne and dancing waltzes. How boring can that be?”

“Don’t push it, mate,” Derek growled and Alex laughed.

Together they went back into the woods, moving more confidently now that they knew approximately where they were going. Alex led them more to the right, intending to circle the clearing and come at it from the north. As before, they heard the music before they saw the fire. And as before, as soon as they started to enter the clearing, they found themselves elsewhere, only this time it was not the same place, but somewhere else in the woods, in a very small clearing surrounded by trees watching them in silence.

“Okay, this is freaking me out,” Derek said. “I definitely think we should just leave. We’re not wanted here.”

“Then why the note?” Alex insisted. “Why bother?”

“I don’t know, mate. Perhaps it’s because I’m with you. The note said to come alone. Maybe whatever is keeping us out of the clearing is doing so because I’m with you. Maybe if you went alone….”

“I might be able to enter the clearing,” Alex completed Derek’s thought for him. “It’s worth a try, but come with me anyway. Just watch. If I can pass the barrier then maybe if I tell them you’re with me, they’ll let you through.”

“Worth a shot.”

“Okay, now all we have to do is figure out where we are,” Alex said, flashing his light about.

Derek did the same. “Here, look,” he said. “There’s a path of sorts.”

“Might as well follow it,” Alex said with a resigned shrug. “We don’t have too many other options.”

“After you, mate,” Derek said and they set off again.

The path, if that is what it was, was not hard to make out in the dark with their flashlights and soon they heard the music and followed it. When they saw the clearing, Alex stopped and motioned for Derek to remain where he was while he went on. He stopped at the very edge of the clearing, took a deep breath and stepped forward, half expecting to find himself somewhere else. He felt a slight resistance, as if he were passing through some invisible wall, and then he was on the other side and the Elves were all staring at him in shock.

“Happy New Year,” Alex said brightly.

“Alex!” Glorfindel exclaimed. “What are you doing here? How did you get here? Why aren’t you asleep?”

“Excuse me?”

“Never mind that, gwador,” Finrod interjected before Glorfindel could answer. “Alex, how did you come to be here? Should you not be celebrating with your mother and your friends?”

“You sent me a note, or at least, someone did. Look.” He fished out the note and took a few more steps closer, holding out his hand. Finrod took the note from him and read it.

“You think I wrote this?” he asked, handing the note to Glorfindel.

“You or maybe Finda. It’s signed with your initial.”

“But I never sent him a note, Atto,” Findalaurë protested.

“I believe you, yonya,” Finrod said. “Nor did I send you the note.”

“Alex, are you alone?” Vorondur asked suddenly, looking up from where he had read the note over Glorfindel’s shoulder.

“Ah, no. Derek’s with me. We’ve tried twice to come into the clearing and twice we got… teleported or something. This time round, we decided I would go first.” He turned to face the woods and waved. “C’mon, Derek.”

Derek appeared at the edge of the clearing, grinning. “No, wait!” Glorfindel shouted in warning, but it was too late. Derek took one more step and suddenly collapsed.

“Derek!” Alex screamed, and tried to rush to his friend, but Finrod held him back, while Glorfindel sighed and muttered something the Mortal could not hear. “What did you do to him?” Alex demanded, growing angry.

“Dan, bring him over by the fire so he doesn’t freeze to death in his sleep,” Glorfindel ordered as he turned to face Alex. “Stay calm, Alex. Derek is just asleep, nothing more. You should be asleep as well. Why aren’t you asleep?”

“I… I … is that what’s supposed to happen? Uninvited guests fall asleep? So why didn’t it happen the first time or the second? Why did it only happen to Derek? Damn you! What the hell is going on?” He struggled in Finrod’s hold, unable to get away.

“Alex, what did you feel as you came into the clearing?” Vorondur asked, coming to stand between him and Glorfindel.

Alex ceased his struggling for a bit. “I felt… I don’t know, a resistance of some sort, like I was wading through molasses or something. There was a sort of popping sound and then I was in the clearing.”

“But he should have fallen asleep,” Roy protested. “You primed the barrier to send Mortals to sleep.”

“Well it worked on Derek,” Dan pointed out, “but not on Alex.”

“What did you mean that you tried twice to reach us?” Finrod asked, releasing his hold on the Mortal.

Alex took a couple of deep breaths and looked about him at the Elves, trying to gauge their moods. Those from Valinor seemed more shocked and a few even appeared angry at the interruption, while the Wiseman Elves just seemed curious. He glanced over at the fire where Elladan was wrapping a blanket around a still sleeping Derek, placing another folded blanket under his head.

“Alex?” Glorfindel said.

“What? Oh yeah, well, when I was at the town square for the fireworks, I got that note shoved into my hands and….”

He described what happened and at the end of his narrative Glorfindel scowled. “But that’s not the type of barrier we created. I don’t think I have that sort of power. The best I could have done would be to place an avoidance spell on the barrier. You would have simply found yourself wandering elsewhere in the woods. Something would make you avoid this clearing, but in the end, we decided not to evoke that kind of power. It would have alerted people who should not be alerted.”

“Whatever,” Alex said dismissively. “Can you wake him?”

“It doesn’t work that way,” Glorfindel said. “He’ll have to wake on his own.”

“When?”

“Oh, in about twelve hours, give or take.”

“Twelve hours!”

“Be grateful it is not twelve days or twelve years, my friend,” Finrod said with a grin. “But do not worry. Derek will be well. We will bring him back to the mansion and he’ll sleep in comfort, no worse for the experience.”

“I’m interested in knowing who sent the note, though,” Vorondur said. “None of us did so. We would have simply spoken to you directly if we had wanted you to come here. And, as you said, Farrell is not here but in Fairbanks behind bars.”

“And why would he send such a note in the first place?” Amroth asked. “If he wanted to set a trap for Alex, he would’ve done something less obvious. Farrell is obsessed by hatred and a need for revenge but he’s not an idiot.”

There were murmurs of agreement among the Elves.

“I think we’re overlooking the obvious,” Glorfindel said.

“What do you mean?” Finrod demanded.

“Think about it,” Glorfindel insisted. “You and I created a sleep barrier, nothing more. Mortals who blundered into this clearing would just fall asleep, like Derek, but Alex said that twice they attempted to enter the clearing and then they were instantly transported elsewhere. Doesn’t that sound awfully familiar?”

Finrod raised an eyebrow. “Maiar.”

“Or Valar. They both have the ability to teleport us with a single thought.”

“But they’ve always had to take hold of us before they could do so,” Finrod pointed out.

“Or tamper with the barrier after we finished creating it, let it do all the work,” the Balrog-slayer countered.

“So why didn’t it work the third time that way?”Daeron asked. “Why didn’t any of it work on Alex?”

“Perhaps we should simply ask,” Glorfindel said, then raised his voice. “Okay, Fionwë. Fun and games are over with. Out with you.”

“Fionwë! Of course,” Finrod exclaimed. “That Maia is a regular mischief maker.”

“Fionwë!” Glorfindel shouted, turning about.

There was a sigh that came from nowhere and everywhere and then the night was infused with the scent of mint and apples and Fionwë was there in their midst, grinning at them.

“I did tell you to come alone, Alex Grant,” he said by way of greeting. “Why do you Children never listen?”

“You gave me the note,” Alex stated.

“A simple enough procedure even in a crowd,” the Maia responded with a sniff.

“Yet, why?” Finrod demanded, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Fionwë shrugged, giving them a sly look. “Must there be a reason?”

At the blank silence that followed as everyone stared at him, Fionwë sighed. “Fine. It was a jest. I overheard someone wondering what Mortal would be daft enough to be blundering about the woods in the middle of the night while you were celebrating and just couldn’t resist.”

“So you set me and Derek up,” Alex stated, his tone soft and dangerous.

“Derek being with you was not part of the plan,” Fionwë replied. “You nearly ruined it. I had to do some fancy shifting when you both tried to cross the barrier at the same time.” He paused and gave them a smile. “Though, that was fun, as well. You should have seen your face when you found yourself back in the field.”

“You were trying to scare us off,” Alex said, “or maybe, scare Derek off.”

“You should have come alone,” Fionwë shot back, “just as the note said.”

“Which just shows you how stupid Maiar really are when it comes to dealing with us,” Daeron commented with a malicious grin. “Even we Elves would never have come without backup if such a note had been handed to us.” There were nods of agreement and a few whispered comments that set some of them laughing.

“Telling one of us to come alone is like waving a red flag at a bull,” Glorfindel added with a nod. “All you get is a whole heap of trouble.”

Fionwë glared at them, but before he could make a retort, Valandur stepped forward. “It still does not explain Alex, though. Why did he not fall asleep?”

“It has to be his bloodline,” Finrod stated. “It has to be because he has Elven blood, diluted though it must be.”

“And Maiarin, don’t forget that,” Elrohir said. “He is of the lineage of Lúthien, after all, just as Dan and I are.”

Fionwë nodded. “I knew Alex would be able to pass through the barrier without being affected by the sleep spell, so I decided to lure him here.”

“Yet, why?” Glorfindel demanded. “Don’t get me wrong, Alex. Normally we would’ve invited you and even Derek, seeing you two are practically inseparable, but we knew you were with your mother and Andy, and we assumed that you would be celebrating the New Year with them. So why did you do it, Fionwë?”

“Yes, that is the question, isn’t it, my son?”

Alex and the Elves had the dubious pleasure of seeing the Maia cringe as a deep, melodious voice filled the air and then they were temporarily blinded by a flash of multicolored lights. When Alex’s vision cleared he found Lord Námo standing there looking at them with amusement.

“And a Happy New Year to you all,” the Vala said by way of greeting.

“Thank you,” Finrod said politely, as he and the other Elves bowed or curtsied to the Lord of Mandos.

“Truly, my lord,” Fionwë said softly, not quite looking at the Vala, “it was all a jest.”’

Námo glanced at the still form of Derek wrapped in blankets and snoring slightly before turning his attention to Fionwë. “I see, though I doubt young Derek will appreciate the joke when he awakes.”

“Loren says he’ll sleep for about twelve hours,” Alex said. “That means he’ll miss our brunch date with his dad and my mom. I need him awake before that because there is no way to explain it to them.”

“You could always say that Derek is too hung over to join you for brunch,” Glorfindel suggested.

Alex scowled at him. “A sailor too hung over? Give me a break and even if that were true Derek would not disappoint his dad by not showing up, even if he showed up feeling like hell. Well, I really don’t care why you did it, Fionwë, but since you lured me here, you can undo the sleep thing. I want Derek awake now.”

“It does not work that way,” Fionwë protested, “and I had nothing to do with that spell.”

“But you’re a Maia,” Alex shot back. “Your powers are greater so you can surely reverse it, or maybe you can.” He directed that last at Námo.

“I could, but I will not. You will have to deal with it yourselves, Children. Fionwë, Lord Manwë is expecting you.”

“No! He’s not going anywhere,” Alex nearly shouted. “Not until he wakes Derek up.”

“Alex—” Námo started to say but Alex was too angry to care. Without warning he grabbed Fionwë and threw him over his shoulder and then straddled him, holding him down.

“I don’t care if you have to dance naked around the fire and sacrifice a virgin to do it, but you are going to wake Derek up now or so help me you’re going to find out just what one pissed-off, highly trained and very lethal Mortal can do.”

Silence filled the glade as the Elves looked on, none of them willing to interfere. Námo sighed and with a negligent hand reached out and grabbed Alex by the back of his neck and lifted him off the Maia, who smirked at them all as he faded away.

Námo put a protesting Alex down. “Calm down, Alex,” he commanded and Alex felt all the anger leave him and he just stood there drained of energy. “Derek will waken soon, I promise,” Námo added and then he turned to Glorfindel. “Take Derek back to the mansion. He’ll be more comfortable there, I’m sure.”

Glorfindel nodded to Elladan, who casually lifted Derek into his arms and, without a word, left the glade with Elrohir beside him. The others, with a soft word from Finrod, began to gather up their supplies, a couple of them dousing the fire, plunging them all into darkness with only the stars illuminating the night, for the moon had long set.

Most of the Elves departed at Finrod’s command until only he, Glorfindel, Daeron, Vorondur and Valandur were left. Námo released Alex from his hold and gestured for Vorondur to take the Mortal’s arm. Alex did not protest, found he could not, feeling cold and empty. “Take him back to Edhellond,” Námo commanded. “Try to get him to sleep for a few hours. It should help.”

“Was there a reason behind all this, other than to interrupt our celebration?” Valandur asked.

“If nothing else, it confirms what you have all suspected,” Námo replied. “Alex is indeed of the bloodline of Lúthien and Eärendil, as is his mother.”

“A rather odd way of confirming it, though,” Finrod said with a sniff. “Well, we will sort it out later. Let us get Alex back inside. He’s shivering from the cold. My lord.” He gave Námo a bow and then the Vala was gone and Alex found himself being led out of the glade with Vorondur speaking to him softly, helping him through the woods.

In a short while they were entering the back garden and then they were inside. All the while, Alex did not speak, unable to find the energy to do much of anything except to do as he was told. Soon he was being shown into a guest room with assurances that Derek was sleeping in the next room. He allowed Vorondur and Valandur to remove his pants and shirt before they helped him into the bed. Valandur placed a hand over his eyes, muttering something he could not make out and then Alex knew nothing more.

****

Tolo ’nan galad: (Sindarin) ‘Come to the light’.