Work Text:
Title: Silver Ribbons
Author: Beth
A/N: For the December prompt, An unexpected gift. This is related to last year’s Yule story called I believe, “Final Yule”, which you can find in the database
Warning: Beware of angst!
“I am sorry, Elvellon,” Legolas took the cool cloth from his guardian’s hand and wiped his lips with shaky hands. “I have ruined Yule for you, and it was our last one too.”
The last of the sentence was choked out over a small sob, which instantly made the dwarf’s heart ache in sympathy, but he kept his tone matter of fact.
“Nonsense, Lamb,” Gimli soothed, continuing to rub circles on his currently very ill charge’s back. “You haven’t ruined anything. It has been a fine few days. It is just that Master Mais’ jelly and cream rolls were a little too rich for you right now. It is my fault for not reminding you.”
In spite of his pitiful condition, Legolas offered a weak half smile at that statement.
“Do not be ridiculous, Gimli. I should have known better, but I was so tired of plain broth, mushy oatmeal and unadorned bread and tea that I could not resist, not after the last couple of days have gone so well. How can that be your fault?”
Gimli smiled as well, but felt a pang of guilt. No matter what Legolas said, the dwarf knew he was to blame. He knew better than to be fooled by hours or days of seemingly improved health in his lad. There was never going to be any big improvement this side of the sea no matter how much he wished it to be true. it was simply too late for that. Legolas had been unable to tolerate all but the blandest of foods in the last six months, and he hadn't been able to eat spicy or rich foods for nearly two years. Why Gimli had thought it would be suddenly fine for him to indulge in cake, jam and whipped cream, he did not know unless it was simply misplaced hope over practical experience, which was an unacceptable excuse. His intentions had been good, of course. He had only wanted to see his lad happy and enjoying the day, but by allowing this fantasy to enter his thoughts he had inadvertently hurt the one he most wished to protect, and he felt dreadful about it.
But it would be self indulgence to voice his guilt, for it would not make Legolas feel any better, and he was soon too busy to say anything anyway. Before the discussion could go further, Legolas was again retching into the basin that the dwarf held under his chin, and Gimli was holding back the lad’s hair and rubbing his back, while whispering soft reassurances.
Once the spell of sickness had passed, Gimli quickly and efficiently took care of what needed to be done and soon had his charge ensconced in bed, propped up against a luxurious pile of pillows. Gimli sat down beside his ward and then gently pulled him into his arms, encouraging the elf to lay his head on Gimli’s broad shoulder. The action was familiar and so were the soothing words that the dwarf repeated for probably the hundredth time.
“Never mind, Laddie. Things are difficult now, but this is only a temporary situation. You will be good as new in the end, your health fully restored.”
Normally this was Legolas’ cue to smile and nod and at least seem to take heart, but this time he seemed particularly morose, probably because things had looked to be going so well over the last few days, so that this setback was more devastating than usual. The young elf had unexpectedly been able to join in quite a few of the Yule festivities, including giving the toast and a short blessing for the whole colony and joining in with the singing after the Yule’s eve feast. He had managed to stay through a full half of the celebration, and had still been able to find the energy to enjoy exchanging gifts on Yule morning with a few select close friends. Everything had gone much better than expected, up until the jelly and cream rolls had that had been served for dinner had decided come up for a second showing to prove that Legolas actually was not as improved as he and Gimli had hoped. The dwarf could see by his lad’s face that it had been an exhausting experience and a bitter disappointment, and that his hope was at a low point, so when Legolas was unable to force a smile and instead seemed to be blinking back tears, Gimli tried harder to be encouraging.
“I tell you it is so, Lamb,” he insisted. “You will be fully recovered sooner than you think. In fact, I’ll wager that this time next year we will be celebrating Yule evening together after you’ve spent the morning sliding down hills on the sliding board I made you for Yule this year. ”
Turning to look where the sliding board was propped against his wall, Legolas did manage a small smile.
“Do you really think so?”
“I know so,” Gimli promised. “You have nothing at all to worry over, for it is merely a matter of time. But for now, you must rest.
Reassured, as always, by his confident guardian, Legolas did close his eyes and managed to fall into an exhausted sleep within minutes.
Gimli, on the other hand, sometimes wondered if he would ever sleep again, for he knew very well that he might be lying. There was nothing guaranteeing that he would be allowed to even set foot in the West. Nowhere was the subject discussed, and there was nothing written anywhere that even suggested a dwarf might be accepted in the land of elves. It would not do for Legolas to doubt it, for he was too fragile to deal with the despair, so Gimli swore to him it was possible, and the elf in his youthful naivety that Gimli could repair anything, or perhaps simply because he desperately wanted it to be so, believed.
Gimli shuddered to think what might happen to his lad if upon arrival to the Undying Land they would have to be parted. Legolas would be devastated and heartbroken, and yet there was nothing go be done about it, for staying in Middle Earth was no longer an option. Gimli knew he had to get Legolas there, no matter what he had to say to manage it, but still it was hard, for it was against his moral standards to lie to anyone, and even more so his beloved heart son.
Because of the worries that plagued the dwarf, he did not expect to sleep, but it had been an exhausting few days, and the elf’s bedchamber was always kept extra warm. In fact the blazing fire against Gimli’s face began to remind him of the unrelenting sun on hot summer’s day. He thought he must have drifted for a moment, for when he opened his eyes again, it was the sun, hot, bright, glaring off the water and making it hard to make out shadows around him.
And then his heart leapt with joy for shadows meant there had to be something somewhere to cast them! For months the only shadows he had seen had been the ones cast by the ship itself, for there was nothing but water as far as the eye could see, but now he could see other shadows, long ones cast by tall rocky-faced mountains. And when he shaded his eyes, he could see something more! White sandy shores! And as they sailed closer, three figures waving in welcome.
As the ship approached, Gimli was suddenly busily involved in taking care of his elfling, helping him change his tunic and brush out his hair so that he could step onto land with as much dignity as possible. And even though he was in a dangerously weakened state, Legolas somehow managed to stir himself to stand erect and lift his head as Gimli took his hand and helped him off the ship and into the waiting arms of Lord Elrond and Lord Erestor, who greeted him with a kiss before bustling him to a waiting carriage.
It was only when Legolas was safely settled that Gimli remembered to wonder if he would be welcomed or sent back out to sea to live out his final days. Either way, he was content, but he did not have to wonder for long for he had forgotten about the third figure that had been waiting and waving from the shore.
A slender figure, all in glowing white stood before him, her slim milk white hands folded before her. She reached to take his large calloused hand in hers in welcome, but before she could do so, he knelt on one knee and brought the silken hand to his lips, kissing it gently. It was a wish he had never dared to dream might come true and one he had never spoken aloud, for having laid eyes on the Lady of the Golden Wood but once seemed too good to be true, to be allowed to do so again was beyond all fantasy. It was not to be believed!
But even as he thought this, she was lifting him to his feet and offering him both hands in friendship, her gentle smile beaming down on him. When she spoke her voice was low and rich, just as he had remembered it so many years ago.
“Be welcome, Gimli, Gloin’s son, Lockbearer, and most noble champion. Long years have I longed to meet you again.”
And though Gimli was awed and honored by the beautiful words, and the presence of the lady herself, he could not help looking back at his charge to be sure that he was still well. Lady Galadriel tilted her golden-silver head and smiled fondly.
“Your journey is done, and yet you are understandably much concerned. Go now and see to your heart son, knowing that we shall soon meet again. And accept this as a token of my welcome.”
With that she reached back with her long graceful hand and untied a single silver ribbon from her glorious mane of hair, and laid it gently in Gimli’s hand. He rubbed the heavy silk between his fingers, noticing the intricate scroll pattern so daintily embroidered with silk thread that it looked almost like it had been painted on.
Suddenly the warm sea breeze blew cold, and Gimli’s warrior senses were immediately engaged. He sat up, automatically reaching for an axe he hadn’t slept with in a hundred years, and found himself alone in Legolas’ bed. The bedchamber window had been opened just enough for a slim body to slip through and the curtains blew in a stiff winter gale. The window had been barred and locked, but that evidently hadn’t mattered to an intelligent elfing with a former penchant for sneakiness.
Immediately the dwarf lord was on his feet, his heart beating wildly. Racing to the window, his heart sank further when he saw light footprints in the snow on the roof, and then a large branch that had been shaken free of snow where someone had evidently leapt into the tree. There was no doubt in his mind what it meant, for it had happened more times than he liked to admit. Legolas, in his compromised condition, had managed to escape his watchers again to satisfy the urge that had become too difficult to ignore. No doubt his tree friends had sensed his urgency and helped to hide him.
These days the draw to the river was so strong that orders to stay away or even threats of dire consequences for not doing so were useless. The only thing to do was to watch for the signs and then physically prevent it happening. Clearly in his exhausted state Gimli had failed to do so.
But there was no time to repine now, for time was of the essence. He hurried to sound the alarm to those who needed to know that they needed to once again search for their Prince. It was never hard to find him, for he always went to the same place, but it was cold outside and Legolas was too frail to withstand the frigid weather for long, and if they didn’t spot him soon he would be actually in the middle of the Morgulduin. It was a miracle that the poor lad hadn’t frozen to death before now.
Fortunately Gimli did not have to fret for too long, for before he got to the the end of the corridor, Master Healer Handir met him on his way to Legolas’ chambers. There was no need for long explanations, for they already had a system in place.
“The perimeter guard spotted him in the trees and alerted Captain Galathil, who rode out immediately. I expect them back any moment.”
By the time Handir had drawn a hot bath and Gimli had hung blankets and furs before the fire to warm, Galathil was escorting a dripping, shivering elfling back into the bedchamber. As always Legolas was quickly and efficiently tended to physically, while also being reassured that no one was angry, and everyone realized that his rebellion was not something under his control anymore. Gimli felt another sharp pang of regret that he had possibly been too hard on the lad in earlier years when he had felt Legolas was simply being defiant when he went alone to the river against orders. At the same time he was thinking and worrying over this, he was also pragmatically considering how to rig a string of bells on Legolas’ bed or on his window that would alert Gimli the next time his lad attempted an escape.
It wasn’t until he had Legolas sipping hot tea and wrapped in furs that Gimli noticed that the lad’s hair was tied back. It was odd since it had not been so a few hours earlier when he had tucked him into bed after his trial with the jam rolls. Gimli idly wondered why Legolas would have bothered to tie his hair back before his flight to the river, when normally his only thought would be of the sea at such a time. Not that it really mattered, except that it was preventing his hair from drying.
“Your hair will dry faster if you take it down, Lamb.” Gimli pointed out
Automatically, Legolas reached behind him and untied his hair so gracefully that Gimli was startled. It was as if this moment had happened before. Gimli felt his spine tingle as the pale, thin hand laid a silver silk ribbon in his larger browner one. He marveled when he felt the heavy silk between his fingers and noticed the embroidered scroll pattern. He had seen this ribbon before; in his dream! But how?
“Where…where did you find this, laddie?” Gimli gasped, doing his best to keep his voice steady. Legolas’ eyes had begun to clear, and he frowned as if trying to recall.
“It was stuck against the bole of a tree that had fallen into the river,” Legolas explained. “I picked it up because I thought you might like to see it, Elvellon. I am not sure why. It seems quite silly now that I say it…”
“Not silly at all,” Gimli choked out when he was finally able to speak. “In fact I cannot explain to you just how much I wanted to see this ribbon!”
There was no doubt in the dwarf’s mind that this was a message from his lady! What had she said? “Accept this be a token of my welcome.” And here it was, real, tangible proof that his dream had been more than a dream!
It was the most beautiful gift he had every received. Not the ribbon itself, but what it represented; a guarantee for the future, the assurance that he would not have to be parted from Legolas, and would be around long enough to see him healed from his illness and returned to perfect health.
And speaking of his lad, Gimli noticed that the elfling’s shivering was beginning to abate and he was moving into the next stage of the episode that always followed. He was starting to look confused and alarmed.
“I…I do not recall going out the window or the journey to the river,” he said, “I only remember going to bed and then waking up waist deep in water…”
As always, Gimli hurried to comfort and soothe.
“Never mind, Lamb, it matters not at all. You will feel better soon, and this time next year all will be well. Keep your mind focused on that.”
Legolas obediently closed his eyes as if to imagine it, and soon a small smile came to his lips.
“We will enjoy Yule together,” he recited Gimli’s earlier promise, “and I can try the sliding board you made for me.”
“Absolutely we will, and of course you can!” Gimli vowed, as he rubbed the heavy silk ribbon between his fingers.
“Next year,” he repeated, more to himself than to his elf, ‘“next year all will be well.”
And this time, he knew he was telling the truth…