Disclaimer: I am not a professor or a philogist or a member of the Inklings. Alas, I have never been to England nor was I born in South Africa. So apart from a love of beauty and an admiration for Old English and medieval stories I have nothing in common with the writer of The Lord of the Rings. Ergo, any recognizable characters are his not mine. I but vainly hope to add a few threads in the great tapestry of Middle Earth.
Warnings: There are some moderately graphic images of death and torture in the later chapters but nothing inordinately twisted or dark. That being said on to the story, which begins in the year 2849 of the Third Age.
Chapter 1 – Ill-met in the Greenwood
The long path that twisted through the wood once known as Greenwood the Great lay shadowed as morning mist rose slowly from the forest floor. The trees sighed gently as a chill wind from the south shook their branches. The mist began to retreat swiftly as the sun pierced the grey shadows and lit the path with a golden greenness. A clear elven voice raised in song broke the silence. The darkness and shadows fled as a merry party of elves turned onto the path. The elves were clad in silver-green and brown and their dark hair was held back by intricate braids after the fashion of the wood elves. As they entered a small clearing their leader called a halt. His hair was long and as golden as the others' were dark. His keen eyes, grey with a hint of green glanced swiftly around seeking out any hint of movement.
To the left of the path a small noise, inaudible to a man and faint even to the ears of an elf drew his attention. He stepped forward, an arrow drawn and fitted to his bowstring with a speed too swift for mortal eyes to follow. His companions, arrows on their strings drew around him as if to shield him from any threat. His fair face fell as he waved the others back.
"Peace friends" he admonished them, "Remain here until I return" With these words he passed into the forest leaving his companions on the trail.
"Is the Prince always quick to court danger leaving his guard behind in safety?" asked one of the younger elves of an older warrior. The second elf laughed "Have you heard naught of the stories told about the Prince?" he returned "How if there is danger or suffering our lord is the first to find it!"
"Shame Elloth" called another elf "Prince Legolas finds trouble enough but only in the service of others, ever he takes their pain and seeks to lighten their burdens. He is no trouble seeker who brings pain upon others through recklessness or carelessness." Elloth laughed and shook his head "Nay, Elgalen" he returned "I meant no offence to the prince for he is wise in council and a stern warrior at need , but I have followed him long enough to know how keenly he feels the pain of others and how careful he is to protect others at his own risk. He is a good prince and a great leader and honored are those who serve under him!" The other elves nodded their agreement.
"Yet, though he has fought much that is evil in the world and suffered for it, still he is gentle in spirit, slow to anger and quick to forgive those who would harm him." Elgalen smiled "He is my prince and for that I would die to save him but even more would I give for his own sake…."
A soft rustle of leaves stopped Elgalen's enthusiastic speech for his captain and friend as the prince dropped lightly to the ground at the far end of the glade.
"Quickly" he said "There are three wounded men in a clearing near here. Elgalen and Elloth come with me to bring them back. Celdor, Lasgiloth and Ernildar prepare what healing supplies we have with us. Gameldan set guards around the clearing and send out scouts to seek traces of the attackers." The prince's tone left no room for doubt or hesitation and as swiftly as he had come he had turned back into the forest followed by Elgalen and Elloth. Celdor shook his head as he un-wrapped the few healing supplies the party had brought with them.
"He is so quick to help men" he grumbled "Why? It is not as though they have ever given him cause to trust him." He glowered at the other elves "Elgalen is right, he is quick to forgive those who harm him, far too quick to forgive. Remember that incident a short while back in Esgaroth?" His face grew grimmer.
"What happened in Laketown?" asked the young elf who had spoken earlier "I remember that the Prince went halt of foot for at least two weeks afterwards, but few knew what had happened and none seemed anxious to tell of it."
"That would the prince's doing" said Celdor "Swift is he to praise others and slow to let others know of his deeds. But I was there with him. A group outlaws had attacked a house that we were passing and prince of course decided to lend his aid. He ordered Elgalen to find the rest of our escort and then drew attention away from the intended victims by fighting them himself. Long he fought them drawing them further from the house and I gave him what aid I could. But I was sore pressed with those who surrounded me and I was overpowered and stunned." Elgalen shook his head sadly and his voice was soft and earnest. "He gave himself up to prevent them from killing me. I was of little use that day, they were wroth that he had withstood them and afraid of us for being elves since they were not of Laketown. When they would have hurt me, the prince shielded me and took the blows that were meant for me as well as those for him. Before Elgalen brought reinforcements and put them to flight they had broken his leg. Those that were captured he granted clemency and stayed their execution turning them over to town officials for trial, as I said he is too quick to forgive and to trust."
Celdor finished his story and his preparations as the three elves returned with their burdens. The men were quickly made comfortable and their hurts tended to by the prince himself. Three of the scouts had returned with news that there were tracks of many men leading towards the south. The other elves were relived at the news that nothing had been found near them and quietly broke their fast.
Prince Legolas, however, seemed tense and worried his keener senses detecting some hint of malice that the warriors he was training failed to detect. The sense of evil grew more instant as the minutes passed. The prince feared that the other two scouts had been detained by some evil happening when a shout from the guard at the far end caught his attention. A group of men in dark brown, hooded with their faces shadowed stood surrounding the two missing scouts, while the elven archers held arrows to their taut bowstrings.
Before he could say anything there was an outcry behind him as the three men they had tended stood and drew daggers from their boots, holding them to the throats of those who had been tending them. Elgalen, Lasgiloth and Ernildar stiffened slightly as the cold steel touched their throats but there was no fear in their eyes, only anger at the betrayal of their trust and the ingratitude of those they had cared for.
The leader of the brown-clad men stepped forward towards the motionless prince.
"Legolas" he called as he bowed in mock curtesy "It is good to see you again"
"The same cannot be said for you, Nareth" returned the prince sternly "release my followers, your quarrel is not with them.
"You are correct as always" Nareth sneered "It is with you, Prince of Mirkwood"
"What is it that you want from me?" asked the prince covering his surprise that the other knew his title.
"You, you highness" the mocking note in Nareth's voice heightened as he stepped closer to Legolas.
"If I give myself up, you will let my companions go" demanded the prince holding the other in his gaze.
"I will let your companions return if they do not attack us; as a matter of fact I would that they bore the elven wretch you call king a message!" Legolas' eyes narrowed at the disrespect shown his father and king and the other turned his eyes away from the wrath in them.
"Very well" he said softly, unbuckling the quiver from his back "Let the others go"
"Daro, Ernil Legolas, Daro! Man ceril? " came several voices from behind. (Stop, Prince Legolas, Stop! What are you doing?)
"Sidh, Do as I say, it is an order. Take the message to my father, and do not attempt to free me. I will have no lives lost needlessly on my account." commanded the prince as he handed Nareth his weapons. (Peace)