The Sea Calls Us Home

Gimli hummed tunelessly to himself as he let his pony slowly meander the path on his own. He gave up worrying about Legolas alone with the elfmaiden and allowed his mind to wander freely. He was considering where to go once he and his friend parted. Back to the caves of Aglarond? Or visit his old home in Erebor, perhaps?

While his mind was drifting, he paid little attention to the road, so the dwarf was startled when his mount suddenly stopped short.

“Greetings, Master Dwarf! I am delighted to see you once again! And where is your elf-friend?”

Radagast the Brown stood in the middle of the path looking up steadily at Gimli with a benevolent smile wreathing his weathered face.

“Humph!” the dwarf thought, but managed not to voice it. “Greetings to you, sir,” he grumbled civilly, at least for a dwarf. “Legolas is coming. He will be as surprised to see you, I think, as I am.”

“Not so surprising, perhaps. I have dwelt on the edge of the Mirkwood. I hoped you might let me travel along with you for a bit?” He gestured carelessly ahead of them on the path.

Gimli shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he answered and spurred his pony.

Radagast fell in beside him, walking the path with long, easy strides. “This is excellent!” he exclaimed after a moment. “You and I can have a bit of a private chat…”

Rolling his eyes, Gimli schooled his expression to placidness before he looked down at the wizard. “And what have we to chat about privately, Master Bird-tamer?”

He gave the dwarf an unreadable smile and said, “You think I am a simpleton. Yet, I am not so empty-headed as I appear.” His companion had the grace to look slightly abashed and he continued, “For instance, I can tell you that before you stopped here, you were deep in thought about what you will do once Legolas has left Middle-earth."

His answer left Gimli unimpressed. “That is no revelation, wizard or no, Radagast. Of what else might I be thinking?”

The wizard gave him a sly glance upward. “Perhaps you were wondering that should you go home to Erebor, might you find your cousin Lîm Bloodplate still living? And further… you were hoping, if that was the case, was her mountain ale was still as heady as you remembered it?”

Giving the brown-clad being at his side an arched eyebrow in response, Gimli suddenly burst out laughing. “Indeed, sir, that thought did cross my mind! Lîm brewed a good ale – made from nutty barley and hops scented with the barest hint of honey and mountain heather. Even Legolas has admitted he enjoyed it!” Again he looked down at the wizard, “I don’t suppose you’re of a mind to tell me what has become of her?”

Slowly, Radagast replied, “It has been some years since I visited Erebor myself. Nor have my feathered friends brought me news from the mountains. The fate of Lîm Bloodplate is unknown to me, my friend.”

Just as the dwarf expelled a heavy sigh, Legolas joined the pair at a brisk trot. Reining in his mount, the elf quietly fell in beside his friend on the opposite side as the wizard on the path.

“Have you made your peace with Lady Eruwestiel?” asked Gimli gruffly.

“As well as may be,” the elf prince answered, but offered no more than that.

Sagely, Radagast commented, “She will come to thank you for it in the end, Your Highness. Think no more on her. We should enjoy ourselves while we can before we come to the Misty Mountains.”

Legolas and Gimli took their companion’s advice and reveled in the pure joy of riding with the sun on their faces and the breeze at their backs. Their impending separation dropped away and it was as if all the intervening years were still ahead rather than behind them.

-end of Chapter Six-