Part 6: Earlier

“Miruvor, my Lord,” cried Arador; he leaped from the burner well, ran up the sloping deck, and leaned out, precariously, over the rearing prow.

Legolas hesitated.

The ship lurched; her bows rose higher. “The ropes cannot hold us much longer,” the boy shouted. “Turn the tap, my Lord! We must get clear, or the trees will rip us apart!”

“But...”

“My Lord!”

The boy’s vehemence convinced him; Legolas turned the tap, releasing one, two, three drops of fluid into the burner. Instantly, the ship responded, lifting vertically and snapping her remaining lines, and Legolas had a sudden vision of Eowyn, eyes round with horror, as the hull righted itself, and soared upwards.

The wind hit The Shieldmaiden full astern, and she shot forwards.

Arador—now lashed, Legolas noticed, to a rail running the full length of the deck—fought his way aft. “I am going to take the helm, my Lord,” he yelled, as he laboured past. “Put that harness on, and hook yourself up. We will have to ride the current, but I will see if I can coax her out into the open. Then, as soon as the wind drops, we will try to land her.” He grasped the wheel. “Tend the burner, my Lord; keep the flames steady. When the time comes, I will tell you how to work the vents.”

Though it was not strictly necessary, Legolas secured himself to the rail—noting, in passing, that the ingenious hook must be another of Master Eldacar’s inventions. “Would it not be better,” he shouted, crouching down to check the flames, “safer, that is, to lower ourselves into the Forest canopy? The branches would give, and cushion our fall—”

“Fire, my Lord,” said the boy, swinging the wheel to starboard. “The Master has taken every precaution, but if the branches should tear the silk, the bladder will collapse, and the silk will fall upon the burner housing. And I am not convinced that the mesh will be enough to prevent its catching light. That stuff goes up like tinder, and we would be trapped inside.”

The boy was no fool.

Legolas released another drop of miruvor and, through their precious mental bond, he tried to reach Eowyn, and send her comfort.