The Little Mermaid

A/N: The song that Gelir sings is Aniron from the FOTR soundtrack and the translation for anyone who doesn't know is (with the word Undomiel taken out):

From darkness I understand the night
dreams flow, a star shines
Ah! I desire

Look! A star rises out of th darkness
The song of th star enchants my heart
Ah! I desire

**********************

That night when everyone was asleep, Gelir snuck out of the palace.

She swam as fast and high as she could, till she was sure she was alone and there was no chance of being caught.

Setting herself on a rock, she pondered her Mothers words.

‘I returned home once, while I was heavy with you my dear. Many day was my journey, East of the palace follow the water up till you see the bright light of the land dwellers sun, then turn North till you come to land. That course will take you to the borders of Middle-earth, far from the dwelling of Elves but very close to the homes of other friendly creatures.

So that was what Gelir did, East till she saw the sun and North till she reached land.

On her way she remembered more of her Mothers words.

‘Evil was in Middle-earth when I departed, I hope it did soon pass and all is well again’

‘When I am older, I shall find your homeland Mama’ young Gelir had told her.

‘I hope you shall my little Mer-maid princess, and when you do I hope that the goodness in your heart will heal Middle-earth and the friendship of the Mer-people with my kindred, the Elves’

Finally Gelir reached land. As she rose out of the water, the air that filled her lungs brought on a sharp pain, but it soon passed. As she adjusted to breathing in the oxygen of the world above, she looked around. The land was green and fair in the shinning sun of three days since she left home.

*******************

Gelir swam further through small deserted lakes, close to Hobbiton by the Brandywine. She placed her elbows on the soft grass and lifted herself up so she could observe her surroundings properly but this was a little difficult, as dusk had just passed. Gelir was not used to seeing in the dark on dry land.

The air here was sweeter than before, the scent of the grass and flowers filled it. She spied a strange looking thing by the edge of the lake. She was about to go and examine the ferry when she heard voices approaching.

‘Oh blast, I’ve forgotten something’ Pippin Took told his cousin Merry Brandybuck.

The two were obviously up to mischief.

‘Well you better go and get it’ Merry whispered.

Gelir’s first instinct was to swim away under the water and hide, but she was curious, she wanted the see what the voice was coming from. She swam back a little bit and hid behind a small rock poking up from the water on the riverbank.

Merry shook his head as his cousin walked off. He then walked over and stood on the ferry.

‘That Pippin Took would forget his head if it wasn’t on his shoulders’ he sighed.

Gelir peeped round the rock and looked at him. He was a strange creature to her, he seemed smaller than the average mermaid is and he was clad in strange things it seemed to the mermaid. In the darkness she also spied his furry feet. He was very unlike the description her mother had given her of elves and men; she concluded he must be some other Middle-earth creature.

Finally she came to his face, she could clearly see his blue eyes shining in the moons light, his hair was lit up in the brightness. That too was unlike mermaids, it was shaped and curled.

Gelir was enchanted by those blue eyes; her tail flipped on impulse and sent a splash echoing through the air.

Merry turned to see what the noise was and as he did, he lost his footing and fell into the deep river.

Gelir froze; she had no idea if the creatures of Middle-earth had any skill in swimming in her homeland environment. With that she dived down in search of him.

More accustomed to these surroundings, she looked around for Merry, searching for those big blue eyes. Finally she spied him still sinking to the bottom and she charged for him.

Gelir took Merry in her arms and began climbing for the surface. The feel of his clothes felt strange against her skin, under the water her hair brushed against his face.

‘Please let him be all right’ she begged to herself.

Gelir reached the surface with an almighty splash. She swam for the ferry and with great difficulty, pushed Merry onto it.

He didn’t move, Gelir wiped his wet curls from his face. Now she looked upon him close the real beauty of his features hit her heart. She was falling deeply in love with this strange creature.

She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Merry’s lips.

Once again her Mothers sweet face was in her head and her sweet words filled her thoughts.

Gelir began to sing an old Elvish song her Mother had taught her, she said it may come in handy one day if she wished to enchant the heart of a male, that indeed is what she wished to do.

O mor henion i dhu
Ely siriar, el sila
Ai! Aniron

Tiro! El eria e mor
I lir en el luitha uren
Ai! Aniron.

At these words Merry began to stir.

‘That’s it wake up, please wake up’ Gelir begged, before fear swept over her mind.

He mustn’t see me. For a split second Merry opened his eyes and saw the beautiful mermaids face, but then he fell back into sleep.

Then suddenly out of the bushes she heard the other voice calling out his name.

‘Merry, Merry where are you’

Pippin approached the ferry and saw Merry lying unconscious on the soaking wood.

Before Pippin could see her, Gelir quietly and carefully sank back into the water.

Pippin knelt at Merry’s side and shock him. Merry awoke.

‘Pip, what happened’?

‘You must have fallen into the water’ Pippin replied.

‘How did I get out’?

‘I don’t know, can’t you remember’

‘No, but I swear I saw… I don’t know a lass, and I remember singing, it sounded like an elvish folk song’

‘You were probably dreaming it while you were unconscious Merry, did you hit your head at all.’

‘No I don’t think so’

Pippin helped Merry to stand up and walked him home. Their plans for mischief were well and truly spoiled.