~The Journey Begins~
Armed and packed for their journey, the members of Laurië Lassi rode north and east through the Golden Wood. Soon the Anduin Valley lay stretched out before them. The Elves stopped to survey their surroundings.
'It has a sort of untamed beauty, does it not?' opined Eregiel.
'I would say the fact that it is untamed contributes greatly to its beauty. Do you not agree, nésa?' Calentauriel asked Thibinoriel.
'I suppose it does,' responded Thibinoriel, 'Although I myself prefer well-ordered orchards and finely manicured gardens.'
'To each their own,' Calentauriel cavalierly replied.
If the other musicians had an opinion on this subject they kept it to themselves. There was no sense becoming embroiled in an argument so early in their journey. They simply shrugged and rode on.
The Anduin flowed from its source in the Ered Mithrin for nearly 500 leagues past the the Greenwood, Lothlórien, Rohan, and Gondor before finally reaching its mouth at the Bay of Belfalas. The "long river" was well named! The Celebrant, which flows west to east through Lothlórien from its source near the mountains of Hithaeglir, is just one of the Anduin's nine tributaries.
The Elves rode north along a path on the eastern side of the Anduin. This portion of their journey was uneventful.
~Beorn's Hall~
The Elves dismounted when they at last reached the outer fence surrounding Beorn's Hall. Grimbeorn, Beorn's son and the current patriarch of the Beornings, now dwelt in the hall. He greeted the members of Laurië Lassi as courteously as could be expected.
'Who are you and what do you want?' growled the tall Man, an imposing fellow with thick hair and beard. 'You are Elves, are you not?' he scoffed. 'Better Elves than Dwarves, I suppose,' Grimbeorn muttered himself.
'Greetings, Grimbeorn! I am Celebthondir of the Golden Wood. We make for the Woodland Realm of King Thranduil,' said the leader of the travelling party. 'We hope you will be so kind as to care for our horses until our return. They are very dear to us and we do not wish to imperil them in the Greenwood.'
'You show some wisdom there, Elf,' admitted Grimbeorn. He thought for a moment before answering. 'Yes, we will care for your horses. If you fail to return they are welcome to stay indefinitely!' He laughed loudly.
The Elves murmured among themselves. Celebthondir, however, not wishing to offend Grimbeorn, laughed with him despite his discomfort. 'We will return, I assure you,' Celebthondir finally replied.
'Yes, yes, now be off with you!' bellowed Grimbeorn.
The Elves collected their belongings and, after drawing water from a well to fill their skins, had a small bite of lembas before beginning the second leg of their long journey
