�What are you making, Uruviel?� he asked.
She looked up and gave him a welcoming smile. �Good morning, Aldamir! I�m working on a cloak. The Fellowship will be leaving sooner or later, and the Lady Galadriel has decided to give each of them a cloak of the material we weave. There are eight cloaks - Galadriel is making one, and seven of us others have each been given one to sew.�
�She is a gracious Lady - that is a wonderful gift to give..... who are you making a cloak for?�
�For one of the hobbits - Merry is his name.� She held up the cloak, and Aldamir saw that it was small - far too small to fit and Elf or a Man, but perfect for a hobbit.
She began work on another seam, her slender fingers skillfully drawing the needle in and out. Aldamir went over and sat beside her, watching.
�I haven�t seen you very often in the last couple of days,� he said. �Where have you been?�
"Oh, working on this cloak......and I�ve been talking with the hobbits, too. Aldamir, they are so dear!� She laughed merrily. �Can you guess what one of them asked me the other day?�
�No - what?�
�He asked me if I wanted to smoke some - what was it they called it - pipeweed!�
Aldamir chuckled. �They seem to love that weed.�
�They do. And have you seen them blow rings with their smoke?� she continued, smiling. �One of them can. Oh, it�s so funny to see them blow little rings from their mouth!�
�I�ll have to ask them to blow some for me sometime.�
Uruviel laughed. �They�re wonderful little people. They�re so cheerful, so curious about everything.....they love to be alive. And they are so alive! I never knew any like them existed before. They�re so perky and cheerful!�
�Frodo is different, though.....have you seen that? He is weary from his burden, but he has a great courage.....I think he tries to hide his weariness from Samwise, so he won�t worry too much.�
Uruviel nodded. �I have seen it in him. He is so brave....and so small! I think it is his pure, courageous spirit that keeps him going. It has been hard on him, carrying that burden, and I fear it will get much harder before the end. Yet I don�t think any other than him could have carried it.�
Aldamir shook his head. �He was destined for it - Lindir said too that he took it upon himself of his own free will. Still, it grieves me deeply to see his sorrow and despair sometimes. It hurt him deeply to lose Mithrandir.� He was silent for a moment.
Then he stood up. �I have much to do yet while the sun is risen, dearest, so I must go now.� He bent and kissed her cheek, and was rewarded with her beautiful smile.
Coming to the bottom of the steps, Aldamir found the bow he had been working on for several days and sat down to finish it. He chose a peaceful spot near a little stream - one of his favorite spots: a quiet little glade. He loved the sound of the water rushing over the mossy rocks, laughing as it went. Behind him, supporting his back, rose a tall mallorn - no Elves lived in it, but several birds did and often their songs would float down into Aldamir�s ears, giving him a feeling of peace.
Taking out his knife, he worked on the finishing touches; the notches for the string, the hand-grip, and the vines running up and down its length. The notches were not difficult; they were easy to place and cut out, and he carefully smoothed the edges over. It would not do to have a sharp edge there; repeated rubbing of such an edge against the string would eventually break it. Finishing the notches, he turned to the vines. It was slow work, since the vines were very small and intricate, but Aldamir loved such work and gave it his full attention.
As he worked, he became aware of someone behind him. Turning, he found that Frodo had come quietly up behind him, and stood looking as if he did not know whether to disturb the Elf or not. Aldamir gave him a welcoming smile and motioned to a spot beside himself.
"Mae govannen, Frodo of the Shire! My name is Aldamir. Here - sit down.�
�Thank you, Aldamir,� said Frodo. Put at ease, he returned the smile. He sat down and crossed his legs. His blue eyes were peaceful as he gazed about, taking the little glade in, seeming to Aldamir to reflect the peace that was always in Lothlorien.
Frodo was watching Aldamir�s fingers intently. �Is it hard?� he asked after a moment.
�No, not if you�ve learned how to, but it takes a long time,� replied Aldamir. �You have to know exactly how to cut them, otherwise everything will go wrong.�
Frodo smiled. �Yes, I can imagine that. Do you often make bows?�
Aldamir sighed. �Of late, yes. In times before this, we would more often be making harps than bows, but now times grow dark, and our fingers are more often on the bowstring than the harpstring.�
Frodo hesitated. �Yes, I see.......�
Aldamir could see that he had no wish to speak of dark times. Quickly he changed the subject. �Tell me of your land,� he said. �I have never been further West than Rivendell; I am curious to hear of where you come from.�
Frodo�s eyes lit up with a combination of love and longing. �The Shire is a beautiful land.....to me, it is the most beautiful in all of Middle-earth. We hobbits live in peace and solitude - we never, as a rule, go traveling. Hobbits are not very adventurous folk.�
�You four seem to me to be quite adventurous.�
Frodo smiled. �I guess we�re an exception. Though none of them really had any thoughts of adventure....it was because of the Quest.� Frodo paused. �They came....they came because they were my friends.�
�They are wonderful friends, then,� said Aldamir softly. �I daresay, after what you have told me, that they didn�t really want to come but for the fact that you were going. It seems to me that they love you so much they will go anywhere with you.�
Frodo nodded. �I think you�re right. You can�t imagine how it helps me to have them with me....without them I don�t think I could have come even this far.�
The two were silent for a moment. This time it was Aldamir who broke the silence.
�I have been wondering....how do you hobbits protect yourself on this journey? I would suppose, from what you have told me of your land, that you do not have a great abundance of weapons there.�
Frodo laughed. �No, we don�t. Strider gave us some swords. Mine was lost.....� Here he hesitated, and Aldamir, glancing down at him, saw the traces of a very painful memory written in his deep eyes. It wrenched at his heart. �Frodo?.....� he asked quietly, laying a hand on the hobbit�s shoulder. �Are you all right?�
Frodo closed his eyes for a moment, struggling to cast away the thought. Aldamir tightened his grip on Frodo�s shoulder, trying to give him some strength. He felt that the hobbit was going through deep pain....a terrible memory was dragging him down. Aldamir himself could feel the pain; he paled slightly. It was indeed a terrible memory. Of what, he could not say, but it had left a deep wound in Frodo�s spirit. Aldamir�s heart bled for him. Laying aside his bow and knife, he knelt near Frodo and looked into his face. �Frodo....Frodo, come back,� he whispered. �You�re safe here.....nothing can get you in Lothlorien. This is a land of safety and peace - no darkness can enter here.�
Frodo opened his eyes, and gazed into Aldamir�s. He seemed to take strength from Aldamir�s encouragement, and drew a deep breath. �Thank you,� he whispered. �I�m sorry for this.....sometimes horrible memories of......of.....no, I can�t speak of it.�
�Don�t,� said Aldamir. �I understand.� He clasped Frodo�s shoulder tightly, and Frodo laid his hand on Aldamir�s. He looked up gratefully. �Thank you, Aldamir!� he said. Aldamir smiled at him, and from that moment forth they were friends.
Laying the incident behind them, took up the bow he was working on and continued carving the vines. �But tell me,� he said, �do you have a weapon? I do not like to think of what might happen if you don�t.�
�Yes, I do! My uncle Bilbo gave me a sword he had had - an Elvish weapon. It�s a beautiful sword - called Sting.�
�Would you mind showing it to me?�
�Of course not!� Jumping up, Frodo ran off but was back in a moment with his sword. Handing it to Aldamir, he sat down again.
Unsheathing the sword, Aldamir held it up and gazed at it in wonder. It was but a dagger to him, but for Frodo it made a perfect sword. The slim blade, adorned with an Elvish inscription, had a subtle, graceful leaf shape to it, and slender leaves etched in silver also ran up and around the hilt. Aldamir marveled at its lightness and beauty. �This is indeed a well-crafted blade!� he said, slipping it back into its scabbard and giving it back to Frodo.
Frodo took it with a smile. �Yes, I am very grateful for it - it has served me well. Oh, here comes Sam.�
Sam it was indeed. He approached a bit shyly, seeming unwilling to interrupt his master�s conversation. �Beggin� your pardon,� he said, �but isn�t it getting close to supper-time?�
Both Frodo and Aldamir laughed merrily. �He means he wants me to come and eat now - and after that sleep, I suspect,� said Frodo, smiling as Sam blushed. �I�m coming now, Sam.� Turning to Aldamir, he extended his hand. �I�m sorry I must leave now, but I am delighted to have met you. I hope we may meet again sometime!�
Aldamir clasped the outstretched hand warmly. �I am happy to have made your acquaintance, Frodo,� he said. �May the Valar always protect you!�
Frodo smiled his thanks and bowed, and left with Sam. For a long time Aldamir gazed after them, deep in thought. Halflings were indeed unlike any others in Middle-earth!