Return to Valinor

Frodo was up early and off to the glade to prepare for the ground breaking of his hobbit hole. When he arrived, however, he was dumbfounded by what he found. The cavity in the hill told him the elves had already been hard at work. At first he was amazed and then he was angry.

As he turned to look for the workers he saw Belegcalion walking calmly into the clearing alone.

“If you thought I was just going to be in the way, my lord, you should have just told me,” Frodo challenged the architect.

“I beg your pardon, Master Frodo,” he replied. “I thought no such thing. Why would you think so?”

“Are you going to tell me that your workers have not already been here to clear out the hole in the hill?” he asked.

“They are all still some minutes behind me carrying their supplies. Most I did not even recruit until this morning…”

The hobbit looked at the elf incredulously, “Then how do you explain this?”

He pointed to the hill where a perfectly round hole led into the hollowed out mound.

Belegcalion was clearly stunned. “I must admit,” he breathed, “that I have no explanation for this wonder, Master Frodo. I swear by the Valar that neither I nor my crew had any part of this.” The architect marveled for a moment at the sight then added impulsively, “Let us go inspect this work, my friend. I would see how it looks inside as well as out.”

Just as curious and rather concerned that Belegcalion had no knowledge of the current excavation, Frodo agreed and the pair hurried off to the hill to check inside the hole.

Some time later the hobbit and the elf sat down under the large tree again to discuss what they had seen. “It’s just as you explained it to me yesterday, is it not, my lord?” asked Frodo.

“Exactly, my friend,” replied Belegcalion. “I am clearly at a loss to explain it, unless Mithrandir decided to have a hand in it?”

“It’s possible, I suppose,” the hobbit said, “but it was his idea for me to find someone like you to help me. It doesn’t make sense that he would have me go through all the motions of speaking with you only to do it all himself.”

“You have a valid point, Master Frodo. I am sorry that I have no answer for you.”

Frodo sighed, “Well, it doesn’t matter now. Someone has done the difficult work and we should probably be glad of it. What is the next step in your plans?”

“We need to replace the temporary supports and start building the rooms. We will need lumber for that.”

Quickly Frodo said, “I don’t want to cut anything down, particularly in this forest. I would like to find lumber that has already fallen if possible. It would feel wrong to harvest any wood from these trees.”

“That could take a great deal of time, Master Frodo,” the elf warned.

“I’m in no hurry, my lord,” he replied. “I may have been eager to start the project, but so long as I move forward on it I do not care how long it takes me. If I am to live here in Valinor I have the time to spare, do I not?”

Belegcalion nodded, “Just so, my friend. Ah, here comes our crew. Well, we can at least get them started on looking for the lumber.”

They had a brief discussion of the next several steps for when the lumber was gathered and each took part of the crew and began combing the forest for the fallen wood.

Late in the afternoon, Frodo returned alone to the glade. They had all spent a wearying day with very little to show for it. All the elves, including Belegcalion, bid him their good evenings and headed for supper.

However, the hobbit had found some elusive plantings he wanted to get into the ground near the hill. The little flowers were athelas, the medicinal plant used by the heirs of Elendil to heal wounds. The fragrance was still heartening, but Frodo did not think it would be of much use in Valinor where neither the humans could live nor where there was any hurt or disease to speak of. He wondered how it had made it to Valinor in the first place since it was said athelas did not grow anywhere but near the camps or dwellings of the Númenóreans.

Still, Frodo had good reason to appreciate the plant’s virtues. It helped to heal him of the wound from the Morgul blade, and Aragorn used it on Merry as well to even better effect. He sighed tiredly as he transplanted the last of his plantings. He had not thought of Merry or Pippin or even Sam the last few days.

“I wonder if they think of me at all,” he mused aloud as he sat under the great apple tree to rest before heading back to Enedvása. “They must have other thoughts to worry over,” he said, “and that is as it should be. How nice it would be to have them here to help though...”

He closed his eyes to rest for just a moment…


Frodo started awake. He thought he had been dozing for just a few minutes, but the sun was setting in the West and he realized he had slept much longer than he intended.

He was not certain, but he thought he might have had the dream with Carantaliel and the water again. As he stood to head off, Frodo noticed the table with the earthenware vessels and a sudden thirst beset him. Hastily he drank all there was again and felt better for it. The weariness he felt earlier seemed to melt away and the thought of the long walk back was not so daunting as it was before he fell asleep at the base of the tree.

“My thanks again to whomever provided the water,” he said aloud. He had asked around the palace to see who was bringing it to him, but no one would admit to the courtesy. Perhaps it was the same being who dug out his hobbit hole, he thought. Laughing to himself, he spoke to glade, “And if you have a mind to go looking for fallen wood in the forest, I could use quite a lot of it!”

To his great and utter amazement, Frodo found all the lumber he needed neatly stacked at the edge of the clearing the next morning.


The first part of the return journey to Enedvása, the Palace by the Sea, was uneventful. The two she-elves spent those early days reacquainting themselves with one another.

Fimbelis reminded Carantaliel that her father was Galion who served as butler to King Thranduil of the Woodland Realm. While she grew up in the sylvan setting, Fimbelis was not brought up to hunt and ride as Carantaliel had that had father, uncle and grandfather who could wield a sword and ride like the wind. No, Fimbelis’ father was a courtier and that is where her strengths also lay.

Still, the dark-haired elf had some experience on horseback and her mount was as docile and ladylike as she was. If Carantaliel chafed at the slowness of their progress, she was too well bred to show it to her companion.

One evening they stopped early as Carantaliel knew the next flet was some miles away. They took time to bathe in the nearby rill and don fresh clothing and each felt much better for the little luxury they allowed themselves.

While Fimbelis offered to start a hot meal, Carantaliel fed and bedded down their horses. As she brushed Thaurrant’s golden coat until it glowed like mithril she suddenly felt the unwholesome sensation that bothered her on her way to Valimar. Shivering at its foul presence, the princess tried to put it behind her. However, Fimbelis noticed right away when she returned to the flet that something was bothering her.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

Again, Carantaliel shivered, “I’m not certain. Do you feel anything strange about this place? Something foul?”

Fimbelis took a moment to answer her question, tentatively searching and sensing the forest beyond their slender flet in the trees.

“Nothing…” she finally answered.

Carantaliel also sent her senses out beyond the trees, and while the strong feeling had abated she could not shake the unwholesomeness entirely.

“Perhaps it is my imagination,” replied Carantaliel with a rueful smile, not wanting to alarm her companion any further. “Come, this is a night for stories, I think. You were going to tell me about Prince Legolas and why you want to come live at Enedvása.”

Sighing, Fimbelis replied, “It is a foolish tale, but I will tell you and hope that you will not laugh at my folly too hard.”

“I promise not to laugh, mellon nin ,” Carantaliel swore with a slight smile. How novel it was to have an elfmaid for a friend once again!

“You did, indeed, remember correctly that we chased Prince Legolas around Lothlórien that summer. It was my witlessness that kept me pursuing him when there was no hope.”

“No hope? There is always hope, mellon nin…”

“Do you truly believe that, Cara? If so, why are you here and why do you walk through life as one dead? Do you have hope in Tellonnion’s return?”

Carantaliel answered warily, “This is not the place to talk about Tellonnion, Fimbelis. Not when I smell such forbidding odors on the wind here. Tales of evil and despair are meant for safer venues. Go on with your story.”

“Very well,” Fimbelis answered seeing her companion was still upset by her perceptions. “There is not much more to say except that I broke the heart of another in order to seek the favor of Legolas who did not want me. Lord Figwit is at Enedvása and I’m hoping I can make amends with him.”

“Figwit, did you say?” she asked with surprise.

“Do you know him?”

“Only too well,” Carantaliel replied. “I will be happy to help you in any way I can.”

“Hannon lle, mellon nin ,” Fimbelis said with a happy smile. “I do not deserve a second chance as I hurt Lord Figwit very badly, but I hope that he will give it to me nevertheless.”

That happy thought kept Carantaliel company throughout the rest of the journey back to the palace.



When Carantaliel returned to Enedvása she felt like she had been gone centuries rather than weeks. Nearing the palace her thoughts turned more and more to Frodo and she wondered how he was feeling and if he had missed her at all.

Giving her head a shake she took a deep breath and called herself hard names, telling herself she was acting like a silly elfmaid with her first crush.

“You are grinning, mellon nin,” said Fembelis. “It is nice to see you smile at last. What are you thinking to make you so happy?”

Carantaliel blushed, appalled to be caught acting so foolishly. Yet, she had just looked up at the palace to see Frodo’s terrace and she was remembering the half-hearted wave he gave on her departure. She longed to run up to his chambers, but knew she had other duties that must take precedence.

“A pleasant memory is all, Fimbelis,” she replied. “Come, let us get you settled in at Enedvása.”

Getting Fimbelis established in the palace took much more time than Carantaliel anticipated. They first stopped to see Galadriel who had many questions for her about her journey and Carantaliel would not dream of rushing the Lady for the world.

Just as she would ask the Lady of Light about the hobbit, word came that Fimbelis’ chambers were ready for her and she begged Carantaliel to come help her unpack. Unable to refuse her friend, the she-elf accompanied the raven-haired elfmaid to an airy apartment several floors above that faced the woods rather than the Sea. Fimbelis wished to settle at Enedvása, but the vast water made her uneasy. Trees and greenery made her feel more at home.

When she could finally detach herself from her amiable companion, Carantaliel fairly fled the apartment to dash through the palace to the second floor. On reaching the closed door of Frodo’s room she forced herself to stop and take a deep breath.

Again, she silently chided herself. “What am I?” she asked. “Some ridiculous elfchild?”

Taking another moment to calm down, the she-elf raised her hand to knock on the door when a deep voice spoke gravely, “He’s gone, my dear.”

“Gone?!” she immediately feared the worst. Finding the piercing eyes of Gandalf meeting hers she asked fearfully, “How? What happened? I don’t understand… he seemed…”

“Calm yourself, my girl,” the wizard put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “That was ill phrased. What I meant is that Frodo merely isn’t here in the palace. He’s been working hard on a new project. I’m certain he will want to tell you all about it when he returns this evening.”

“A project?” she raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Indeed,” Gandalf finally smiled, mischief twinkling in his blue eyes. “He’s been quite busy in your absence.”

Relieved, she leaned against the closed door. “Why did you look so grim just now, Mithrandir? You frightened me…”

“I am sorry,” he apologized. “I was pondering something else when I came upon you. Rest assured, Frodo is doing just fine. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.”

Carantaliel gave him a fleeting smile and said, “Well, now that I’ve got Fimbelis settled and have checked in on Frodo, I am going to have a bath. I feel the need for lots of warm water and plenty of sweet smelling soap. I will see you perhaps at dinner, Mithrandir?”

“Of course, my dear. Enjoy your bath.”

The wizard watched her go, much calmer than when he found her. He did not have knowledge of the conversation between the Elven princess and Varda, but he sensed more trouble ahead for Carantaliel.

Even more disturbing was that he feared Frodo, too, had difficult times ahead of him.

-end of Chapter Six-

mellon nin - my friend
hannon lle - thank you