Young Galdorion could not believe his ears and then dramatically turned to his friend, who he brought the news to him.
His friend Gaelmir nodded from a safe distance, added with a smile :
-"The king will see you and give you a chance with your art." he said. "As I told you son of Galdor, there is need for you here after all!"
Galdorion smiled brightly, and his confidence started to return. Since many days he did not feel as good as he is now. Considering that It was not two months passed since his almost scandalous expelling from the Order of King's Hunters after an unlucky accident, he had thought the realm of Mirkwood had become inhospitable and unfriendly. But not anymore!
-"Oh! It seems my chances are returning dear friend" he replied. "Surely my future lies in the sunny path of art. A comission you said?"
-"A commission. But Galdorion, please, even a simple one would do. No need to exaggerate!"
But Galdorion was not listening fullheartedly. And after the depart of his friend he assembled all his wits, parchments and charcoal to draw sketches and shiny designs. With a burning mind he produced images, designs, artistic renderings and many more things which sadly did not reach to our time. And he quickly buried himself to the creative ideas about his art, some even could be considered radical for Mithrandir. And when the day of his appointment came, Galdorion was more then ready to meet with the King.
He wore a simple green robe to meet with King Thranduil the greatest king of the eastern realms. After respectfully pony tailing his gorgeous golden hair he headed right to the king's palace in the dense forests. Sentries in the outer gates shared a wink and a smile, upon noticing who was coming close.
-"Is it not Galdorion?" one of them asked. "-The one who almost killing the warden in the southern approach"
-"Oh?" the other sentry replied. -"Was that him? I heard if he could aim two inches rightwards, we would be in mourning right now."
-"Ha!" the first one laughed. -"if he continues to perform that good again in king's presence, you might still mourn"
Then Galdorion came close, carrying long wrapped parchments and his portfolio alongside to promote himself as an artisan. Smiling to the sentries he passed them and wondered why they might be so joyful today. And then the first sentry, while he was about to make another funny comment, heard a loud bang within the hall and qith questioning eyes, turned back to see the dark alley where Galdorion headed a second ago to see what is going on. There he saw the young artisan trying to collect his papers from the ground and attempting to set a copper pot and a stool back into their original place at the same time. All had happened in a second or so. Then the sentry returned back to his post. Shaking his head thoughtfully.
In the main chamber, Galdorion had to wait for the king to finish his lunch for more than he would like to. Observing the hall, he noticed that the splendour within the Grand Room was too bright to look. There a brown and golden infused wooden throne was standing atop a seven stepped platform. Guards were standing behind it and the the accoustic effect inside the hall was even greater than his thoughts, even a little murmur was echoing wildly. Then Galdorion realized he could hear a munching sound somewhere behind the throne. Suddenly his name was announced and in excitement he moved to the center looking at the empty throne confusedly.
Galdorion looked at the sentries in questioning eyes. And they stood still, saying nothing. And then he decided to stand still in return too, with his arms full of parchments and details.
-"Are you the artist whom they begged me to give a commission to?" a grim, proud voice said from somewhere he couldn't see.
-"I am!" Galdorion replied in fear. He couldn't be sure if that was the kings voice, and did not of course want to adress someone else as a king. It could mean the losing of his commission.
Then the king appeared and moved to his throne, wiping his mouth to a linen cloth. Then Galdorion thought that the king is taller than anyone else in the realm. His garments very exquisite and brown long hair was released on his shoulders. An open elegant crown was residing on his fair head.
-"My king" Galdorion added with an old fashioned feminine bow, both completing his sentence and in greeting to his king.
-"I'll be frank my boy" The king said. -"I have a soft point in my heart for the artisans, yet your friends hint that you have a good talent in sculpting! It is good! We need artists like you in my realm as much as we need warriors. I will commission you a piece to serve both interests. I will save the hunters of my realm from harm and give you something peaceful to work with"
Galdorion bowed, ignoring the subtle hint of his famous near-miss against the guard captain two months ago. He thought the incident wasn't that widely known. And then forgetting all ill feelings, he raised his eyes, looking directly at the king. Both exchanged some glances for nearly five minutes. And then why, Galdorion asked reluctantly, whilst shoving several strands of his golden hair above his right ear.
-"What is the commission then my liege?"
King shuffled like if someone was poking him off his sleep. -"What? oh... Oh yes." he said. -"Now we need to find you something do we not?" And thoughtfully looked around the room, then he noticed something.
-"Narmawen could you come here for a moment" the King asked to one of his servants. And that was the name of a girl of renown in the realm. Which every elf in Mirkwood would know. Galdorion turned his head to meet with the lady.
He saw a grey clad, raven dark haired and bright eyed elf girl rushing to the throne and bowed eight steps before it.
-"Narmawen dear, you are dear to me and your service to the throne is not goign without respect, hereby I decided to commission a statue of yourself in the palace yard"
Noticing the elf girl showing the signs of joy, Galdorion smiled and excited. The chance he long expected to prove himself was upon him. And what a chance it was! The Kings commission was the highest of any artisan could ever hope. And Narmawen was not a least important figure in the realm.
Narmawen bowed and did thank to the king then with an elegant reverence she left, stood next to Galdorion and then he turned to the king to ask
-"With what should I do the statue my liege, and how big should that be?" he asked.
-"Surprise me!" replied the king, with a swift answer. Maybe he was weary of Galdorion's presence and wished to be alone. And bowing to the king, elves Narmawen and Galdorion left the presence of the king together with hope.
In the weeks that followed, Galdorion tried to find a substance that would raise the kings interest and surprise, but to no avail. Also sadly he noticed that Narmawen was not a good model to work with, she was fair beyond reckoning and friendly in manners but she was interfering with his plans and parchments way too much. At one point she did even ask the meaning of a metal pot on a drawn sketch. In the picture a metal pot was attached to a talking elf girl's head and Galdorion had to spend two hours to convince that it wasn't Narmawen's picture. Under these circumstances the commission took longer than anyone expected. And more than once their friendship was in tatters.
After a year of waiting, finally someone said to the king that his comission was ready. And someone else also had to remind the king what comission and who (the hell) was Galdorion. Then king remembered his word and rejoiced, and gave a amiable feast in the ladies honor. In the Palace yard, around a large veiled statue they all convened in joy and anticipation. Narmawen was there with Lord Legolas the prince and she was wearing a gorgeous blue dress and at the peak of her beauty. The esteemed guests of the King would say that they enjoyed the gathering very much. On the other hand, Galdorion, in a costume which is more gorgeous than any artist in that part of the world shared a smile and many rumors with them in joy, delighted with the stature that he earned in his own community. Then after several hours of feasting, the king clapped and gestured Galdorion as an artisan. Urged him to present the commission.
Then Galdorion bowed and moved to the massive veiled figure in the midst of the guests, awaited patiently for some time for the claps to end. Then started talking an upper language, posh sindarin, unlikely to his daily communication. Thanked to the kings commission, his funding and fair Lady Narmawen and made the crowd applaud for his model too. Then with the help of careful guardsmen he slowly pulled the cloth on the statue. And when it is fully down, everyone in the yard hold their breath and gasped loudly. Among them King the first.
Galdorion achieved the element of surprise. Because it was a statue of worth. very likeness of elegant Narmawen was in front of them fourteen feet high in all glory. The figure was sculpted looking at her right hand in the air and was looking very elegant indeed. It was not marble, nor limestone, nor clay. It was but a statue made of crumbled stone and sands mixed with egg yolk and strawberry jam. A refreshing smell of strawberries was giving a delicate feeling to the guests. The clothing on the statue was actual linen clothes, also commissioned to the King's Tailors for a respectable sum. The flesh color was adeptly achieved with the careful application of sand and jam. The hair was made of horse tail and carefully combed in likeness of Narmawen's style. Then in the midst of amazement, and in front of the amazing statue of his, Galdorion spoke :
-"There I give you the lonesome beauty and grief, and sweetness of joy all together. In the skin you'll see the sands of time, and feel the fragrance of wild strawberries. Her eyes are coloured blue gems coming from Lindon. The symbolism in this piece of art a..."
-"Is that Narmawen?" a guest asked interrupting Galdorion.
-"No sir it is a statue" he replied, pulling the discussion into a philosphical background, as all misunderstood artists would attempt to under same circumstances.
-"It looks like my lady Elenarwen!" said another. And the yard started humming in discussion. It was surely resembling Lady Elenarwen as well. Much to Narmawen's dislike.
"Watch out!" cried one of the guards and all humming instantly stopped. For he was pointing somewhere, in the forest. Somewhere that Galdorion couldn't see because of the massive size statue he was standing in front. Moving sideways, he glanced at the forest and saw a black bear running towards him. Opened his mouth in amazement and gasping, then he saw another and yet another. Were even the bears and wildlife of Mirkwood fine arts critics and enthusiasts under the wise Thranduil's rule?
No, but they surely were enthusiastic to honey and strawberry jam and anything that include sweets. They had smelled the delicious nectar from miles away. In that chaotic moment within the palace frontyard, esteemed guests started running around and screaming. And they fled like rabbits. Guards were rushing to their posts with spears in their hand and shouting hasty commands. And King Thranduil was alone, standing, watching the amazing charge of the Northern Mirkwood bears with his jaw dropped. At least five of them were charging right against the statue and moments later they toppled down the unique piece of art. Chewing its nose on and ripping the legs. They especially seemed to enjoy the crunchy sweet ears more than the rest. And before guards raised alarm and returned to shove the bears away, the statue was nothing more than a heap of starberry cake. And Galdorion was stunned. Paralyzed in the process of a year's labour was lost due to extremely unlikely an event. Could not say a word.
Then he shuffled and felt someone patting on his shoulder. Returning back, he saw the king.
-"That was a delicious piece of art my dear boy and that was indeed surprising" The king said before leaving in laughter. After receiving the bill for the statue and the linen clothes for it, he would laugh less. But that is yet another grim story.
Galdorion looked at him and bowed in agony. For the sorrow he suffered after the incident was great. After he rose back he noticed Lady Narmawen in gorgeous dress in an angry manner. Her happy moment was also spoiled.
-"My lady accept my most sincere apologies, that was most unexpected. Would you not accept this as a token of my apology?" said Galdorion offering Narmawen a half chewed arm of the ex-narmawen statue. But Narmawen left him alone after a hard stare and they never came together ever afterwards as friends. Galdorion dropped the arm with a sigh and the ants of Mirkwood treasured that arm as the most delicious meal since the forming their hive up.
Long after he sat there alone and then suddenly looking at his side, he noticed his friend. Gaelmir.
-"Oh woe is me Gaelmir old friend" he said. -"There is surely a curse is hovering above my head, would you expect such a thing to happen, at the moment of my grandeur?"
-"No. No Galdorion of course I would not" he replied sadly. Gaelmir seemed sad for his friends failure, he was the one who suggested Galdorion to the kings commission and now his future as an artisan was also in question.
-"I could not do as a hunter, now failed in front of everyone as a sculptor! What am I going to do next?!" Galdorion cried.
Then Gaelmir prepared the leave, shaking his head. He knelt and recovered the hair piece of the Statue, the only thing that bears and ants did not counted as a meal.
-"We should start over from what is left to us my old friend" Gaelmir said, handing the hair postiche to Galdorion with a smile..
And Galdorion looked at the hair with a bitter smile. Received it with a nod. At that point, making a new statue from this piece would require yet another year. He then watched Gaelmir leaving with sad eyes.
Moments later, when he was alone, he suddenly looked up, eyes moving from left to right, revealing the hint of a new idea in his eyes. And then he looked down to the hair once more in a different manner.
And he smiled gorgeously with a nod.
He had an idea now...
