A Brighter Light Was Never Seen

[engarian.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Prompt and Path:A meteor/shooting star, Red
Format:short story
Genre:romance
Rating:G
Warnings:None
Characters:Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, Galadriel
Pairings:None
Creator’s Notes:Tolkien provided the sandbox, I merely play with the bucket and shovel he left behind. No profit of any kind is made from my fanworks.
Summary:After the fall of Gandalf the Fellowship rests for a short time in the Dimrill Dale. There stands the Stone of Durin and the Mirrormere. Gimli feels compelled to look into the lake.



A Brighter Light Was Never Seen

It was the darkest day of his life and one of his most conflicted. Gandalf had fallen protecting them as they escaped Khazad-dûm. The creature he had called a Balrog fell into the abyss, pulling him along with it into the depths. Losing their guide after days of dread passing through Moria - a place where Balin should have been reigning with joy, lights and platters of food for the weary Fellowship - had worn him down. He was a dwarf - sturdy and steady - yet what he had seen in Moria had shaken him to his core.

Now he was finally in the Dimrill Dale, Azanulbizar in his native tongue. Here was the lake known as Kheled-zâram and Durin's Stone. He thought back to his discussion with Gandalf from a few days before. They had been talking about Durin's Crown. Gimli had told the wizard of his desire to kneel at Durin's Stone and gaze into the lake to see the famed crown of seven stars. Gandalf had wished him joy at the sight. Now he would be looking at the stars reflected in the lake alone.

No, that would not do. Such a sight should be shared. He stood and walked to Frodo.

"That is Durin's Stone!" he said, pointing out the pillar of rock. "I cannot pass without turning aside for a moment to look at the wonder of the dale! Come with me, Frodo!"

The dwarf and two hobbits, for Sam would not leave Frodo's side, approached the standing stone and looked up. The pillar marked the location where Durin had first looked over the waters of the Mirrormere. They leaned over and gazed into the untroubled water. To their amazement, they saw the mountains surrounding them and the stars above, yet their own reflections were nowhere in the water. "There lies the crown of Durin till he wakes," said Gimli and they turned away to rejoin their companions.

The company resumed their journey, Gimli walking a bit slower. Just before they left the valley, he turned for a final look at the legendary land of his ancestors. Above the valley in the darkening sky he saw a shooting star, lighting the vale for one cleansing moment.

"If I manage to live through this, I'll make a piece to celebrate the glory of Kheled-zâram underneath the shooting star." He turned away and hurried to rejoin his companions.

He had thought the meteor above the sacred lake of the Mirrormere was the most beautiful thing he had ever or would ever see. Then he met Galadriel.

Comments

[kayleelupin.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is beautiful! I'm so glad to see just how special this moment was for Gimli. I wonder if he ever went back with Gandalf to see it again...

[engarian.livejournal.com]

Although I think Gimli might well have seen Durin's Crown again, I doubt it would have been with Gandalf. Gandalf left Middle Earth with Frodo and Bilbo, and Gimli was working on the Glittering Caves and helping to rebuild Gondor.

Although Gimli probably passed by Moria several more times in his life - at least once to return to Erebor and say farewell to his parents before leaving for the West with Legolas - I don't think he would have intersected in any of those journeys with Gandalf's limited remaining time in Middle Earth.

- Erulisse (one L)

[shirebound]

What a perfect ending. I love Gimli's POV, and his love of beauty.

[engarian.livejournal.com]

Thanks, hun. I wrote this for my DH who always asks me to write more about dwarves. It seemed like the perfect thing for a Gimli story.

Enjoy your weekend and say "Hi" to Shiremom and Pippin.

- Erulisse (one L)

[periantari.livejournal.com]

Beautiful ficlet! I love the ending so much.

[engarian.livejournal.com]

Thank you. There is no doubt that Gimli was totally entranced by Galadriel, and that she, in her turn, had feelings for the dwarf. When he needed a spokesperson in Valinor to speak for his being allowed across the Sundering Sea, it was she who spoke for him in to the Valar. That friendship did much to heal the long-held schism between dwarves and elves.

- Erulisse (one L)

[periantari.livejournal.com]

I agree with that. That little "crush" that Gimli had and the fact that he was able to get a lock of Galadriel's hair was a turning point in the relations between elves and dwarves. It really did heal the schism between the dwarves and elves especially important in the War of the Ring in the wars of the North.

[dreamflower]

I've always been fascinated by Gimli's choice to visit the Mirrormere at such a time. It's always seemed to me there must have been more to it than just sightseeing. I love your take on this!

[engarian.livejournal.com]

The opportunity to see something so important in the life of a dwarf couldn't be denied. To kneel where Durin had, and to look into the waters where only he had seen his own reflection along with the stars, would have been too much temptation for someone so anchored in dwarvish history to ignore. Thanks so much for your words *hugs*

- Erulisse (one L)

[dreamflower]

You know, until I read yours, I'd nearly forgotten that I'd also written this episode years ago. I went to check and see:

http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=3593&cid=18059

[engarian.livejournal.com]

I hopped over to your link and read yours. Very nice! I love how both of us used Tolkien's words where appropriate. Our styles are so different, but Gimli's grief comes through clearly. *hugs*

- Erulisse (one L)

[starbrow.livejournal.com]

Aww, lovely! The shooting star right at that point in the story is perfect, and I hope Gimli eventually does create something to commemorate that sight.

[engarian.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Gimli was a maker - never happy unless he was constructing something, either small or large. I'm quite certain he would have made a construct of some sort to commemorate his first view of Durin's Crown and the shooting star over the valley.

- Erulisse (one L)

[nialoke]

This was lovely. After the horror that the halls of Moria turned out to be, that sight must have been a balm to the soul.

[engarian.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much, I'm quite sure that seeing a sight such as Durin's Stone and gazing into the lake was a balm for his injured soul.

As I wrangle with my latest story prompt, it was a lovely thing so see such a lovely and positive review in my in-basket. *hugs*

- Erulisse (one L)

[nialoke]

Aw, good luck with the wrangling! I'm sure your story will turn out great ^w^