The Lady and her garden

Ealendil stops in her tracks to greet two elves on a bench near Celúrlin, dawn is approaching and the sun bathes them in soft light, filtered through the golden canopy. Unfastening her harp, tied in a shoulder strap across her back, Ealendil plays something soft for them to greet the morning.

Her aunt Inglaeril has sent her on a small errand to a neighboring talan, but Ealendil suspects that that was just a ploy to get her out of the house, where she had been spending most of her time lately going through the notes and scores left behind by her mother in her aunt’s care, and to enjoy the sun and company of others.

As the music comes to an end, Elvealin chances upon them. Ealendil almost bursts with joy seeing her friend, and they chat away with each other. While more music is played, Nienorë approaches them slowly, greeting them in her low soft voice. She carries a book in one of her hands, and tells them that she came to the park to enjoy some quiet reading. 

Elvealin spots the bee-keeper sitting on a nearby bench, apparently, she too has come to the lovely park area near Celúrlin, and walks over to her to talk to her about bee-keeping and lore. She hasn’t forgotten that Lady Manadhlaer wished for lore on bee-keeping and honey processing to be brought home to the Pillar.

As Elvealin returns, proudly carrying some books the bee-keeper had bestowed upon her, successful in her task, talk steer in the direction of the lovely gardens nearby, and Elvealin suggests that it may be possible to gain permission to visit the Lady’s Garden. However, despite her having worked in the garden before, permission must still be sought by Lady Galadriel, and that requires a visit to house of the Lord and the Lady.

Ealendil is thrilled by the prospect of visiting the garden. Many times, has she visited Caras Galadhon in the past, long years has she lived there, but never has she managed more than catch a mere glimpse of its beauty on those few occasions when her aunt had taken her to the threshold of the garden gate.

The two of them approaches Nienorë, and carefully interrupts her silent reading to invite her too to come with them to meet the Lord and Lady. Nienorë reluctantly agrees, protesting that she doesn't know what to say, and that she feels insignificant and so forth. Ealendil smiles, and beckons her to come with them. No words are ever needed in the presence of the Lady, she reads one’s heart so easily.

The three of them, after having gained permission to ascend by the Warden of the house, climbs the winding path up around the great Mallorn. The last rope ladder sees them before the Lord and the Lady of the woods, where they pay them their respect and are introduced. Lady Galadriel speaks to each of them in turn, into their heart and soul, and it fills Ealendil with inspiration. Brimming with joy, Elvealin receives the consent of the Lady to bring them to the garden.

Before descending, Ealendil gathers her courage, and asks the Lord and the Lady if they would like to hear a song of the old, a song of Doriath, a home they once all shared. She tells them that her mother, often played at the court of Menegroth, and her music must have graced them in ages past. Lady Galadriel smiles knowingly, and bids her to play. As the soft music, an echo of an age, a land, and a realm comes to an end, the three of them takes their respectful farewell, and prepares to descend.

As the descent down, along the long and windy path around the mighty Mallorn, comes to an end, hir Astordir chances upon them. He is warmly greeted, a much appreciated friend among their company of late as thye have met many times during their stay in Caras Galadhon. Elvealin invites him to come with them to the garden. As they turn to leave, Nienorë calls Ealendil to the side, and says that she will not accompany them. She needs to be alone with her thoughts. Words spoken to her by Lady Galadriel has struck something deep within her and she seems to be brooding. Though worried, Ealendil nods understandingly, as sometimes deep emotions or thoughts that have been stirred need solitude and inner reflection to settle. She takes her farewell of Nienorë and, casting one last glance at the young elleth, hurries off to catch up with the others.

The Warden by the gate greets them, as Elvealin exchanges introduction and show the token of permission to enter. The gate is opened before them, and as they enter an otherworldly light and calmness. Though Elvealin on light feet has run down the steps to the garden, Ealendil and Astordir slowly descends, both joy and astonishment written upon their faces.

In the garden peace reigns supreme. The air is filled with fragrances of well-tended flowers, some whose origin lies to the west of the great Belegaer. Slowly, as in a dream-like state, they gather before the Lady’s Mirror, keeping a respectful distance. Not much is said between the three of them, each seemingly preoccupied, as if caught in inner contemplation. Ealendil sits down on the soft grass on the ground, closes her eyes and tilts her head slightly to the left, as she is wont to do. She listens to the sounds of the gardens, breathes slowly and reaches out with her heart and soul. A feint echo at first, then a harmony slowly gains strength, her heart fills with a longing, a longing drawing her west. As she opens her eyes, she tells the other of the harmony of the garden, pure, as if no evil has ever touched this place. To hear echoes of the creation in the world around you, was a gift her mother bestowed upon her as she opened her daughter’s heart to the music all those years ago, when Ealendil had come to Caras Galadhon bearing news of her father’s demise in the war. That gift was a legacy, spanning generations, and Ealendil had felt the deep connection from her mother, grandmother, and great grandmother during the great migration.

Inspired by the music, and deeply stirred Ealendil walks down to the small stream, kneels and touches the cool water. The freshness makes her skin tingle, and laughingly she jumps across the small rocks in the middle of the stream to the other side. The others soon join her on the other side, laughing as if once again children, taking great pleasure in simple joys.

Before the statue of Amroth and Nimrodel, hidden at the back of the garden, they quiet down, and in silence and small talk they take joy in each other’s company. Then all of the sudden, overcome by memories standing before the staue of Amroth, Ealendil in a low voice filled with emotions, reflects upon the tragic fate of Amroth father Lord Amdir, and what tragic fate befell Lord Oropher, whom she and her own father served during the war. Ealendil sighs, and with more emotions in her voice than she would like whispers about what tragic fate befell her own father there too. Astordir hearing her words, turns to her and in a sympathetic voice revelas that he and his father served high king Gil-Galad in the same war too, and both of them perished there. Ealendil looks at Astordir with sorrows in her eyes, and in silent the they remain standing close, taking comfort in the presence of each other as the memories of old slowly leaves them in peace.

As the sun progresses across the sky, midday giving over to afternoon, Ealendil is reminded of the chores she had promised to help her aunt with. But before the company breaks up, heading up the way they came, Elvealin once again extends an invitation to her father’s talan. He is, as she had said, preparing two things, to leave his home in Caras Galadhon and come with them back to Imladris and meet his wife, and secondly, a feast for the company. As they leave the garden, and before they take their goodbyes at the gate, both Ealendil and Astordir tell Elvealin that they will come and ask her to convey their gratitude to her father for the invitation.