~The Elven-names~ Announcements

Weneithel touched my arm. "We need to go now," she whispered gently but firmly. I let her steer me out the door and back to my room, where I lay on my bed and stared at the sky.

I had much to think about.

*   *   *

 

The next morning at breakfast I and Thoron were eating with Gilanna, when Glindur came in. He was one of the physicians of the elven-named, and was one of them who were taking care of Dad. He always seemed sort of cheerful, like there was sunshine in him always. But today he was a bit graver than normal.

 

Thoron looked at Glindur seriously. Thoron already seemed to be becoming and elven-lord in the few days we had been in the Forest Palace. "What is the news, Glindur?" he asked. "Something seems to weigh on your mind."

 

Glindur sighed. "Your father is getting worse again. I had had hopes yesterday, but today I don't know now."

 

Gilanna bit her lip. She looked at me despairingly, but I could not comfort her. I was near despair myself.

 

"I didn't cause it, did I?" I asked anxiously. "I didn't mean to disturb him too much."

 

Glindur looked at me strangely. "No," he said after a while, "I don't think you caused it. Something strange is at work here. But your visit brought him a good. Whether that good bears fruit remains to be seen."

 

As I was trying to figure out what he meant by that, Glindur turned to leave. I thought I heard him mutter, "Remorse will do him good. If he'll change his mind...."

 

What had he meant by that? Suddenly Gilanna started giggling. I stared at her. "What's so funny?"

 

She giggled again. "He-he sounded just like Gandalf!" she managed to say, before giggling giddily.

 

Thoron guffawed. "Ha! You're right, Gilanna!"

 

And then I saw the funny side of it. Glindur had! "And we were just sitting there, wondering what he meant, like--like the hobbits, or, or the dwarves!"

 

No doubt they thought we were crazy, as we just sat there laughing. But it was good to laugh again.

 

*   *   *

 

Later that morning I was wandering around the Forest Palace, since I didn't have anything to do. Even though I had been living in it for nearly a week, I still couldn't help but feel amazement at how it was constructed out of living trees. I was wandering down a hallway, not really looking where I was going, when I came face to face with the Keeper of the Legacy.

 

I backed up slightly in surprise. "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you," I apologiezed, and started to turn to leave, but he stopped me.

 

"No, Mirluin, I was hoping to see you today. Stay with me awhile." He smiled kindly, so as he continued walking I walked by his side.

 

After a little while I worked up enough courage to speak to him. "What were you wanting to talk to me about, sir?"

 

He sighed. "Ah, yes. That." He looked at me seriously. "Mirluin, you are the Keeper of the Lore. Have you learned our lore, and of our heritage, yet?"

I nodded. "I think so, sir. My mom's journal had a lot of that stuff in it."

"Yes," he mused, "but not all. You need the rest of your mother's research and papers. Her journal does not tell all."

"All the genealogies and stuff?" I asked doubtfully. I wasn't exactly sure if I wanted to work through all that.

He nodded firmly. "Yes, the genealogies. There are many stories mixed in with them, and you will learn much about the Mormir." He straightened himself. "So. You and another will go and fetch your mother's documents today. And then you will study them until it is time for you to return to your school."

My heart sank. I had hoped that I wouldn't have to go back to school. "When do I need to return to my school?" I asked, hoping for later rather than sooner. My hopes were dashed when the Keeper spoke.

"You will return to your school on Monday, so you will have two and a half days to read your mother's things."

I sighed. "And who's going to help me get Mom's stuff?"

The Keeper smiled. "Mahtan." He must have seen my bewilderment. "You know him as Matt."

 

~The Elven-names~ The Search

In the grey dawn the searchers came back. They had failed in their search--Dad was still missing. And so Thoron and I were disguised. We were given cloaks and tunics, and dressed like the inhabitants of the forest we went out with the elven-named after breakfast.

Matt was one of them. He showed me how to look for tracks, and tell which types of tree were which, and a lot of stuff like that. But we couldn't find Dad.

Weneithel told me that Dad had been an expert at woodcraft in the days before Mom died. "He was the best tracker of the elven-named," she said. "And he also knew much about survival in the woods and eluding detection."

I sighed. "Do you think we'll be able to find him then?"

She shrugged. "Hopefully."

But it was Tuesday morning, the third day of our search, when we found any sign of anyone. Matt and Thoron had been up ahead of everyone else, when all of a sudden Thoron came running back.

"We found something!" he shouted. "Matt says there's signs of a fight, and then there's tracks after that. Hurry!"

We all ran after Thoron. Fear fell heavy on my heart. A fight? Had Dad been in it? Was he alright?

Thoron came to a clearing and stopped. It looked like he was unsure which way to go. A shout from further in the woods decided him, and we ran in the direction of the voice.

Then I saw Matt. He was bending over the still form of a man.

I went closer to see who it was. Just then Matt moved, and I could see more clearly who it was.

Dad was lying on the ground. Motionless.

"No!" I cried. "Dad!"


The beginning of this story is on the tab ~The Elven-names~. Come back in a few days to see what happens!