The Garden of the Queen

The trouble with elves is that they are so very tall and silent on their feet. One minute you are alone and the next you find yourself beside a creature at least twice your height if not more.

Rosie looked up at the very tall elf, taller than any she had yet met. He’s beautiful. I know we don’t use that word back home for our men folk but really no other would do for this one. The golden hair that fell on his shoulders was braided away from his face and what her Sam called the warrior braid was atop the rest of the pale hair that he had left loose on his shoulders as seems to be their custom near as Rosie could tell.

"My lady, would you be Mistress Rose, wife of Sam Gamgee?’

Rosie smiled for, as she was sure she was the only female hobbit in Gondor, the elf would know that she was, but she had already decided that there was no hobbit bluntness in elves. It was merely their way to be formal and courteous. "I am that and glad to be it. What’s he up to now?"

The elf blinked mentally and almost smiled, but his outwardly serene face reflected none of this to the small one who was looking up at him. His brothers, who could read him better, would have dissolved in laughter by now, but fortunately they were not near. He suddenly realized how tall he must seem to her and dropped to one knee so that, while still far from level, their eyes more closely matched. Rosie was glad of that for he was very tall, this elf.

"I know not what this phrase means, but I am Haldir of Lórien. I am one of the healers for Legolas of Eryn Lasgalen, and he and your husband have asked me to seek you out and bid you join us in the Queen’s garden if you would so honor us."

"Well, I must look for Elanor first for she’s a great one for mischief and I should die of shame to disturb the quiet of the Lady Arwen’s house."

"Arwen’s house was not always so quiet as this one in Gondor, for Master Elrond raised twin sons, a daughter and, long after them, Estel, and when I did escort my lord and lady here to visit their grandchildren, these halls were full of laughter and the sights of Lord Celeborn and Master Elrond being used as horses by Elladan and Elrohir while I had my brother Orophin upon my own back. If Thranduil, were on a visit, he would carry Legolas, and then it was truly a race indeed. I know that Arwen welcomes the sound of a child in these halls.

Well, she might but then again I wonder if she knows just how much trouble a hobbit child could be? Perhaps she does though for her father had Pippin to visit before and survived it and even invited him back and that was very brave of him. Rosie smiled. "Mr. Haldir? Did Arwen not ride in these races?"

Haldir laughed. "Ah, Arwen would have no steed but the Lady Galadriel and they always won each race no matter how hard we would try to beat them. That is, unless King Thranduil was here, they never lost. Legolas on his kingly mount is the only one I have ever known to beat the Lady Arwen. And you may be sure that she did not like that all, for their wagers were always great and she lost much of the sweets that Master Elrond would give her in secret. King Thranduil did not approve of sweets, so Legolas could only get them if he beat Arwen. Of course, he is so generous with her that within an hour she had many of them back again."

Rosie laughed with him and somehow he did not seem quite so tall and frightening to her as he continued to speak. "As for the fair Princess Elanor, can you not guess where she may be?"

"With Orophin?" Rosie knew she was right. From the moment, Elanor had first laid eyes on him Elanor had fallen deeply in love with the young warrior of the Galadhrim and sought his arms before even her mother’s if he but beckoned to her to come to them.

I should have known that! Why, it’s as if he’s bewitched her for our Elanor was never one to take to strangers at all, hiding her face in my apron she’s always done before. Yet when the young elf had first knelt before her and bid her come to him in that elvish language which she don’t know a word of she had flown into his arms and begun to cover his face with baby’s kisses, which he returned in full measure. I asked Arwen what charm he had called to her, and she said it was "come to me, little flower princess, come to your squire for I am lost in love for you already and must now be your servant or die of heartbreak."

They did talk fanciful these elves, but Elanor loved them all, from those she met walking in the gardens of Ithilien with Orophin to Legolas, who Rosie knew as the Queen's childhood friend.

I thought I’d die when she clambered right up into Legolas' lap that time when Arwen had all those important people there to meet my Sam and Mr. Frodo. But he did seem to like it, and kept her there as he talked to the important delegation and when it got chilly in the room he covered her bare feet with his beautiful robe and let her play with the silver chain about his neck to keep her quiet as if he did know how to care for a child.

 *****

Elanor became angry with her mother for attempting to stop her from picking the queen’s flowers and suddenly and without warning she ripped three of the most beautiful roses off the bush and tore them apart and let them fall heedlessly to the ground. Rosie caught her up and was about to administer the spanking she so richly deserved when she was stopped by the remembrance of the sharp intake of breath she had heard at her daughter’s mischief. She turned to look at the elves from whom the sound had issued.

All four wore looks of horror at what Elanor had done and Legolas had even tried to leave his bed to stop her it seemed for he was being restrained by Rúmil. Even Orophin, the child’s willing slave, looked appalled.

Oh, Elanor, my lass! I don’t know what it is you’ve done other than be your usual naughty self, but it looks like it’s something big and we’re in trouble sure. 

After what seemed like an age to Rosie that no elf moved or even seemed to breathe, Haldir arose and came down the path to where Rosie stood holding the now frightened Elanor in front of her. Haldir said not a word to them but knelt and gathered each torn petal from the path and placed them in his hand as gently as if each were a wounded child. He spoke over them in his own tongue, and there were tears on his cheeks. When he had done, he closed his fingers protectively over them and turned to Elanor.

"Elanor, daughter of Samwise, look upon me and come forth." The child was frightened but she seemed unable not to obey the elf. She stood before him with her head hanging down. He lifted her chin and held it up as he spoke to her in a voice filled with sadness.

"Dost thou know what thou hast done, child?" She shook her head slowly.

"Thou hast killed creatures whose only life was to bring beauty and fragrance into a troubled world. In your willfulness and anger to have your way, you have destroyed three beautiful things and they will never come again, for they are dead and now will wither and know not even the joy of the short time which Ilúvatar allows to them on Arda. And, their death has served no purpose for they were not intended to make a medicine to soothe the sick or to bring beauty to the rooms of the Lady Arwen, for to such fate they would have given their agreement and found contentment in their end. Instead, they lay in the dust at your feet and their end has come before it should and only because of you. Hast thou aught to say to this, Elanor, daughter of Samwise Gamgee?"

If he’d yelled, she’d be in a tantrum but look at her. Ne’er have I seen my little imp more frightened or ashamed. This will teach her a better lesson than my spanking but it will be painful for her, and I’m sure she’d rather have the spanking and be done with it.

Orophin had joined them and knelt beside his brother and Elanor seemed to hope that he would rescue her, but she was soon disappointed. Orophin did not hold his protecting arms out to her as usual but looked at her sadly and there were tears of disappointment on his cheeks.

"Nay, my princess, I cannot rescue you from this for all must learn to bear what their actions have done. It is the prince of Ithilien who must now judge you, for these flowers were among those he brought to the Lady Arwen to ease the aching of her heart for the home of her father that is so far away.

And he has tended them with his own hands, trusting no other with their care until he knew that they were strong enough to stand. He alone can decide your punishment. Come, my brother and I will take you now to him.

Prince of Ithilien!  Oh, Elanor we are in trouble for I know not who he is but from the reaction of your guardian elves I suspect he is going to be very, very angry. Still, Orophin will not let him physically hurt you. I know that, and he is right to say that the prince must decide your punishment. Oh, perhaps he will send us away and my poor Sam will be disgraced for he does admire the elves no end! Oh, Elanor!

To Rosie’s amazement the brothers led her daughter not towards the palace but back to the soft couch beneath the trees that had been brought for Legolas to rest upon at need. Legolas sat crosslegged upon the head of this bed, sitting very straight and stern but sorrowful of face and the green velvet robe they had put upon him against the chill draped down besides the bed and made him seem very tall to the child even though he was sitting.

Beside him stood Rúmil as if he were his guard, for Rúmil had removed the great bow of the Galadhrim from his back, the bow that was taller than even Rosie herself, and he held it loosely by his side, and, for the first time, Rosie saw him as the warrior that he was. Haldir and Orophin inclined their heads to Legolas and Haldir spoke.

"Legolas Thranduilion, prince of Ithilien and Eryn Lasgalen and one of the Nine Walkers, we bring this child to your judgment."

Sam should have told me he was a prince and of two lands! Wait until I get Sam alone. Here I’ve been so free and easy with Legolas and him a prince and all!

"Of what crime is she accused?" They had placed Elanor sitting on the foot of his couch and he looked at her gravely as he listened to Haldir’s words of explanation. He shook his head in sorrow. "It is a grievous offense, and it saddens my heart to know that such a fair princess could act so. Do you repent of this offense, Princess Elanor?"

"Yes, oh, yes! I won’t ever do such a thing again! Please forgive me." Her lip trembled but, although his heart ached at her sorrow, still Legolas did not smile as he took her small hands in his for a moment and then set them free again.

"I believe that you will not do such a thing again and that you are truly sorry, but that will not bring back these creatures of Ilúvatar or lessen their pain at their deaths."

He held up his thin hand and Haldir carefully put the petals into it. Legolas lay them upon the silk coverlet between himself and Elanor and he prayed over them in Quenya and he listened to the petals speaking to him and then he smiled to himself.

From his robe, he drew a small silk bag and opening the cords that closed it held it out to Elanor. "Place these poor petals into this bag very gently and let them see your sorrow at your act for I have spoken to them and they have agreed to abide there and let their fragrance be a comfort to me when I sleep tonight. For I will have pain and the scent of these petals will help me bear it and in doing so their lives will not have been in vain. They will have been a blessing of Ilúvatar, for to him were they precious."

Elanor took the bag and weeping did as she was told.

What a marvel he is! My Elanor expected a spanking and he has instead brought her an ease of her guilt. Poor lad, for I believe him when he says that he suffers pain. His eyes show it even though he smiles and made no mention of it before this.

Rosie watched her daughter carefully fill the bag and, once she was sure that she had missed no petal, hand it back to the prince. Then, Legolas carefully tied the cords of the bag, kissed it and put it inside his robe.  He looked at Elanor and inclined his head to her.

"I thank you for the medicine that you have given me and the ease that it will bring me. Still, I must pronounce your sentence and this it shall be. For three days, one for each rose whose life you have taken, you will rise and before breakfast you will come with Orophin to this garden and under his direction you will spend the morning until elevenses working in this garden and making its beauty grow."

Rosie smiled. Ah, you are a stern ruler, Prince Legolas, but just. To deprive a hobbit child of breakfast and even second breakfast is something indeed! But, just look at her face now. She’ll do it without complaint, or I’m much mistaken.

"And the second part of your sentence is thus." Legolas smiled directly at the child for the first time since the roses had been torn apart.

"Princess Elanor, until the twilight falls today, you shall not let your esquire wait upon you as is his custom. For you have hurt Orophin’s heart by your failure in his trust of you and must also acknowledge this and make amends. I thereby order you first to go to his arms and receive his blessing if he will give it and then to spend the rest of the afternoon doing kind things for him. That is the judgment of the Prince of Ithilien and Eryn Lasgalen. Let it be carried out and when it is done let no mention be made of it ever again for this princess will have made her atonement, and I judge her guilt absolved."

Suddenly, Elanor threw herself into the arms of the prince which he had held out to her and began to cry upon his shoulder. He soothed her for a moment and then with his eyes asked Haldir to set her down from the bed.

Elanor stood trembling and looking off to where a little way from them Orophin had been sitting and watching the judgment of his princess. He opened his arms to her and she ran into them and for sevaral minutes would not leave off from weeping, and what he said to her he never said to another, but all knew that she had been forgiven.

Holding his hand, she walked toward the berry bushes with him and they saw him first give her a kiss and then wash her face with a cloth he dipped into the brook. She must have remonstrated with him for they saw him hand her the cloth and she dipped it again into the brook and carefully wiped the drying tears from the elf’s face. Then, she pushed him to sit and took the bucket from his hands and began to pick the sweet berries for him and place them in the pail, never eating one herself, although they all knew her fondness for them.

Orophin smiled and leaned back against the tree to watch Elanor as she worked, and he began to sing to her, for not even the Prince of Ithilien’s command could stop Orophin from that small comfort to his princess.

"Well, I’m certainly glad I don’t chop down trees when you’re around. Hate to think what you elves would do to me for that." All laughed as Grimli gently cuffed the head of the prince of Ithilien and sat down beside him with a grunt.

"Ai! It would be such a dreadful punishment that even a dwarf could not long endure it."

"A dwarf can bear all that he has to bear. You make me curious though to know what torment I should endure?"

"Why Gimli, I should sentence you to a lifelong friendship and love of a woodland elf and never let you be parted from his side!"

"Ah, and that would kill me in truth!" Gimli put his arm around Legolas and drew him closer. "But then, someone has to look after this fool elf, and I’ve done it this long and it seems to have become a bad habit, like my love of pipeweed."

To compare Legolas to pipeweed struck Pippin as so funny that he began to laugh and since, as always, he was eating he choked and had to be rescued by Merry and Haldir amid the laughter of all.

Thus, the celebration that they had begun continued with its former happiness and no one, save perhaps Gimli and Rosie, later saw the prince of Ithilien slip the small silk bag from his cloak and hold it beneath his nose as he closed his eyes briefly against some pain that came upon him.

And in his heart Legolas knew that the roses had done their duty to Ilúvatar, and this brought him comfort.