On The Road Again

by cymrulady

It's the Fourth Age of the Sun and Legolas is bored....and so are his friends. A new adventure is called for an adventure which Legolas in particular will never forget!

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Usual Disclaimers - I do not own any of the characters in this story except those of my own imagination, never have and never will. They are all the property of the great J R R Tolkien and will remain so.

Rating: NC13 (at the moment

Characters: Legolas, Gimli, Haldir, Rumil and introducing Balewath and Melpomaen (yes he's better known as Figwit but there's very little fanfiction about him which isn't slash and I like him - lol). Many others later

This is AU with some canon, but not much. Rather than resurrect Haldir, I have decided to go with book-verse, in that he never went to Helm's Deep and therefore did not die. Much healthier outcome for him!

Oh, and this is a re-write of a story I started a while ago. It was called 'The Journey' then but I got bogged down with it and it has hung around for nearly two years. I've introduced new characters and will be changing the plot so hence the new name.

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Chapter1 - An Idea Becomes Reality

Legolas leant against the tall oak, crossed his arms and released a deep sigh. He watched as the master craftsmen added the finishing touches to yet another talan but although gratified by the sight, he was aware the satisfaction he usually felt at such an event was not as it once had been. He turned from the scene, and began walking beneath the many new buildings which had appeared over the past ten years. Feelings of pride for all which had been achieved in the new Elven settlement gave way once again to the ever-growing sense of discontent he felt for his self imposed confinement within the new realm. When Faramir had suggested the venture to the Mirkwood prince, Legolas had accepted, if a little reluctantly, to become the new Lord of Bair Edhellen. His reluctance came from the knowledge that he would no longer be free to explore the many strange and wonderful places of Arda as he once had, with only his close friend, Gimli, son of Gloin, as his traveling companion. The beauty of the Glittering Caves still filled his dreams as did the mysterious depths of Fangorn Forest. Long days had he wandered with his companion and many were the experiences they had shared, but he had become aware of the changing perceptions of his kin as they sought to find their purpose, now the age of Men was upon them. Many had sailed across the sea to the Undying Lands, but many others remained. Why some chose to leave whilst others stayed was always of interest to him. For himself, he knew he would not leave, whilst his friend, King Elessar still lived. Other Elves, he knew, had their own reasons. Many of the colonists in Bair Edhellen were from Lorien. They had chosen to seek a new life elsewhere, rather than remain in a fading realm. Their Lord, Celeborn, had established a new realm in South Mirkwood following the fall of the great evil of Dol Guldur, which had over-shadowed Mirkwood for so long. Although this new realm carried the name of their former home, East Lorien could not supplant the affection they felt for the place which, for so long, had been regarded by the Elves as the home of Elvendom on earth, and so they had come willingly to make a new start in a land which would hold no memories for them.

Legolas was grateful for the presence of so many of the former Galadhrim. Although the evil of the Dark Lord Sauron had been destroyed, marauding groups of insurgents still appeared from time to time, to threaten the peace of Gondor and Ithilien. There were also occasions when roaming bands of Orc and Uruk-hai, leaderless and aimless, would happen upon unsuspecting Elves or Men and these attacks proved to be the most blood-thirsty of all, as the spawn of Sauron took their revenge for their downfall. The skills and knowledge of the Guardians were proving to be invaluable both in the immediate defense of Bair Edhellen and in the training of others, as many Elven warriors had laid down their lives during the War of the Ring. Legolas had been especially pleased at the arrival of the brothers, Haldir and Rumil of Lorien. Rumil was a highly skilled warrior, but his elder brother was the former Marchwarden of Lorien, Captain of the Galadhrim. His skill and bravery were renowned and his abilities would, Legolas was certain, be put to good use in defending the colony. Thus it was that Haldir was now known as Marchwarden of Bair Edhellen and he bore this new mantle with the same stoicism and pride as he had done for centuries past in his former realm.

Legolas was startled from his musings by the abrupt arrival of one for whom he held true affection and esteem. Gimli, son of Gloin, was an unusual friend to be sure, but all who know both Elf and Dwarf understood their feelings ran deep and few now questioned their bond of companionship. There still remained, however, one for whom their companionable association still rankled. Since first meeting Gimli on the borders of Lorien when, on their quest to destroy the One Ring the Fellowship had cause to pass through his realm, Haldir had exhibited undisguised animosity toward the Dwarf. These emotions, borne from years of unsociable intercourse between both races, had mellowed over time into those of strained tolerance and limited respect. Consequently, both still took great delight in sniping at each other at every given opportunity and Legolas knew immediately he saw Gimli's expression, it was more than likely that the Marchwarden had once again hit his mark.

Sure enough, Gimli's first words confirmed Legolas' suspicions.

'Arrogant upstart!' he spluttered, his expression mirroring his obvious irritation.

Legolas bowed his head to disguise the smirk which threatened to break into a full grin as Gimli continued;

'I was walking past the training ground, minding my own business, when a young Elven maid asked my opinion on the technique she was using. Quick as a flash, HE was at her side, telling her she should know better than to ask a Dwarf's opinion on anything other than wielding an axe or a pick!'

Gimli paused and awaited comment from his friend, but when none was forthcoming, he blustered on once more;

'I told you at the time, it was not wise to place Haldir of Lorien in a position of command, but did you listen to me? No! As usual, when it came to matters involving your own people, you chose to ignore good, honest advice and now see what you've created - a power-mad, egotistical dictator!'

Legolas could contain his mirth no longer and gave free reign to his laughter. Through tear-filled eyes, he struggled to regain control and stretched our his hand to restrain the Dwarf, who had turned to take his leave, his ire aggravated even more by his friend.

'Forgive me, dear Gimli,' gasped Legolas between chuckles, 'but this has to be the third or fourth time in as many days that you have had cause to complain of something or other that our dear Marchwarden has done or said to upset you. The strange thing is I have never heard him complain once about you. Could it be you have transcended all tradition of your race and become……..sensitive?'

Legolas graced Gimli with his most disarming smile and the Dwarf's ill-temper mellowed accordingly.

'Aye, well,' he muttered, 'I dare say living with your kin would do that to the most sturdy of types!' then added, 'but that aside, he never passes the opportunity to take a stab at me. I swear he lives only to goad me!'

Legolas shifted his attention slightly and watched in silence as Haldir walked up slowly and stealthily behind Gimli to stand but a few steps away. His features were settled into an expression of self-satisfaction and his softly spoken words dripped with cynicism.

'And you never fail but rise to the bait!'

Gimli spun around and set his shoulders for yet another confrontation, but Legolas seized the moment and stepped between them;

'Enough of this! Your constant ill-humour can be permitted to continue no longer.' Legolas paused and a wide grin spread across his features as the most wonderful idea unfurled itself within his mind, before he continued, 'I believe I know the reason for your discontent and also, the solution!'

Legolas beamed at his two friends, but each regarded him with bemusement. Undaunted, Legolas continued;

'Do you not see? Ten years we have been here! Ten…long….years!

Legolas paused for the implication of his words to have some effect upon his companions, but when neither offered understanding of his statement, he continued;

'We have each of us had our adventures, lived life to the full and now……now, all we have is mundane, day-to-day existence.'

Legolas' gazed upwards and both Gimli and Haldir gazed into that same space, but deciding whatever Legolas was looking at was beyond their vision, fixed their eyes on each other instead. For once, they felt a mutual understanding. They were convinced Legolas was not himself and were bemused as to his ailment, for surely Elves were immune to ills? Legolas continued:

'What we need, dear friends, is another adventure, a journey of new discovery which will serve to sooth our discontent and open our minds once more to the wonders of the world in which we live.'

'An admirable thought, but whence shall we travel? There are no longer great causes and quests to which we can apply our well honed skills. To merely wander through the countryside without aim or purpose seems a pointless effort,' replied Haldir.

'Aye, for once I must agree!' added Gimli, but Legolas noticed the Dwarf was regarding him hopefully, as though he anticipated further persuasive argument from the prince.

He was not disappointed as Legolas continued:

'Not everything in life has to have some great purpose or lead to an outstanding victory, Haldir. Can we not travel for travel's sake and follow whatever path lies before us? There are many places in Gondor and even Ithilien of which, I am certain, you are ignorant. Let us venture into the unknown together on a journey of discovery.'

Haldir allowed Legolas' words to wash over him and after a few moments of considered thought replied:

'I must concede, your proposal does indeed tempt and intrigue, Legolas. It would provide a most welcome respite to the mundane tasks of each and every day. I shall give it some thought.'

'Oh no you won't!' said Gimli, reluctant to let the opportunity of adventure pass into apathy. 'Make your mind up right here, right now, or else……we'll go without you!'

Haldir was taken aback by the Dwarf's insistence and, although contrary to his nature, decided immediately upon his course of action.

'Very well, I agree we should undertake this venture.'

Turning to Legolas he continued:

Have you given thought to who exactly will accompany us on this expedition? For myself, I would like to request my brother's inclusion. There are still unfriendly entities outside our borders and an extra bow might not go amiss.'

'Aye, that is true, my friend. It would be wise for others to accompany us. I had thought to request the company also of Balewath and Amrion, our Smiths. They have worked tirelessly these past years to provide the weapons required for the new wardens, not to mention other items of more mundane but essential use.' Legolas paused as he thought of yet another Elf whom he believed would enjoy such a venture. 'Oh, and let us not forget Melpomaen. He has become most melancholy since Lord Elrond departed for the Undying Lands. Since he took office as my advisor he has become invaluable to me but I cannot help but notice he suffers a little from melancholic thoughts of his old home in Imladris. Yes, I feel certain they would all welcome a change of pace and scenery.'

'Oh, wonderful!' interrupted Gimli, gruffly. 'I thought this was to be a nice quiet roam around for a few months. Now it seems we're to take half of Bair Edhellen with us!'

Legolas lay a friendly arm around his companions shoulder and laughing, led him away to inform the others of their great plan.

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Several hours later, Melpomaen and Balewath stood side by side in the Smithy, remonstrating with Amrion.

'Will you not reconsider, dear friend?' asked Balewath for the umpteenth time. 'Just think...the open road, places unknown, mayhap an adventure or two along the way. It will be glorious! Are you certain you wish to pass all of this up for...what? The smile of a maiden with whom you have barely spoken?'

Amrion untied his leather apron and laid it beside his hammer and metal tongs. Releasing a deep sigh he replied with forced patience;

'Balewath...Melpomaen...dear though as you both are to me, can you not understand I simply do not wish to lose this opportunity for true happiness? The maid of whom you speak is gracious and beautiful and...'

'And barely knows you exist!' interrupted Melpomaen. 'How many times did you fall in love in Imladris? Daily? Discard this ill-founded love-lust and join us. We shall have a jolly time together and you will return with renewed spirit.'

Melpomaen smiled at Amrion, sure his speech would have the desired effect and result in a change of heart in his friend but Amrion was not to be moved.

'No, no and no! Go on your adventure...quest...whatever you perceive this little outing to be, but leave me in peace!

Balewath turned to Melpomaen and shrugged. Realizing they had tried and failed, they both left the Smithy together. As they parted, Balewath turned to Melpomaen and said

'Do not forget to pack your weapons. We shall need protection at some point I am sure.'

Melpomaen watched the retreating form of his friend and swallowed hard. As an advisor to Lord Elrond he had had no need to wield sword or bow and as he made his way to his quarters he began to consider from whom he could borrow such items - and whether we could master their use in a day or two

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A mere two days had passed since Legolas first announced his intentions to his friends and now all six stood gathered in the main square of Bair Edhellen. They had each packed only as much as they felt was absolutely necessary by way of provisions, along with their weapons. Each Elf bore a sword according to personal preference, a bow and quiver filled with newly fletched arrows. Melpomaen looked decidedly uneasy, unaccustomed as he was to bearing arms and every now and again he would reposition the sword which hung at his side. Gimli carried only his axe which had accompanied him for as long as he could recall and he patted a small pouch attached to his belt. He had refused to pack Elven bread and instead had opted for a few small loaves of conventional grain, together with some cheese and a small flask of ale. Legolas had tried to point out that Lembas would be more effective at sustaining stamina on a long walk but Gimli held his ground, saying he found it tasteless and preferred 'good, honest food'.

Legolas led his old friend Saelbeth aside and relayed his final instructions:

'Do not forget to check the supply of ore for the new weapons, and remember to send updates regularly to Gondor!'

'Fear not, Legolas, Bair Edhellen will not suffer in your absence nor will it dwindle into non-existence. You have my word I will let nothing pass lest I have double-checked it. Now go, your companions await you.'

Saelbeth smiled graciously at the prince and Legolas knew he was leaving the colony in good hands.

'A thousand thanks my friend,' replied Legolas, somewhat embarrassed for his anxiety. Until that time he had not appreciated the weight of responsibility which lay upon any ruler and determined to express his admiration for the way in which his father had carried out his encumbrance for many eons passed.

Finally, Legolas joined his companions and with one last wave to the few who had gathered to make their farewells, they set out to begin their trek. Amrion stood amidst the small crowd and waved to Balewath and Melpomaen. With looks of amazement they saw a beautiful elleth had her arm intertwined with his.

'Do you suppose she is the one of whom he spoke?' enquired Melpomaen.

'I believe she must be,' replied Balewath. 'She is indeed most lovely.'

'Lovely enough that, were you in his position you would pass on so wonderful a journey as we are about to undertake?' enquired Melpomaen.

'Of course not!' rejoined Balewath.

'Nor I,' answered Melpomaen and both laughed as they returned Amrion's gesture.

Legolas led his small group with a sense of purpose unseen in the prince for many a long year, Haldir and Rumil followed closely; Rumil enjoying immensely the opportunity to spend time with his brother. They had spent much of their time since their arrival in Bair Edhellen immersed in different ventures and had seldom spent a great deal of time in each other's company. Melpomaen and Balewath chatted animatedly behind them, obviously delighted with the opportunity to leave their day to day cares behind them, if only for a short respite and Gimli brought up the rear. Despite his complaints and disappointment at having others along on their journey, inwardly he accepted Legolas' reasoning and concentrated on maintaining the pace set by his friend.

As they walked, each gazed at the passing landscape with mixed feeling. The scars still remained and lay testament to the years of cruel despoilment by Sauron but slowly signs were emerging of recovery and growth. Blackened earth was giving way to sparse greenery and small trees and bushes were struggling to establish their hold on areas which once had been abundantly verdant. The Elves were doing all they could to encourage and aid in this growth and the fruits of their labour were now plain for all to see.

The group had been walking for half a day when Gimli finally succumbed to the growling of his stomach.

'Would it be too much to ask if we might pause for a wee while?' he muttered, as he thought, inaudibly.

However, even the quietest of words did not pass the acute hearing of Elves, and Legolas stopped, abruptly.

'Forgive me, dear friend. I was so immersed in my thoughts; I did not think to pause for rest. Let us sit a while and consider our course.'

Haldir turned to regard Gimli, and a slight smirk broke through his, until now, impassive features.

'It would seem tales of the stamina of Dwarves are greatly exaggerated!' he said, addressing his comment to his Elven companions, but clearly aiming his barbed comment at Gimli.

Gimli merely growled as he sat upon a fallen log and refused to rise to Haldir's baiting.

'I feel comments of that nature do little to add a sense of serenity to our excursion, Haldir,' rebuffed Legolas, 'and you would do well to leave any feelings of animosity or rancor here, in this spot.'

Haldir regarded his friend impassively for some moments, the only acknowledgement of his comment being the slight raising of an eyebrow. Slowly, however, a gracious smile formed about his lips and he bowed elegantly:

'Forgive my impropriety, Legolas,' he replied slowly. 'I was merely commenting on the inaccuracy of information I had heard. I give my word, never again will I draw attention to the short-comings of the Dwarven race,' and he inclined his head toward Gimli in a gesture of mock apology.

Legolas sighed inwardly and took some Lembas from his pack. He felt slightly subdued and began to rue his decision to invite others of his kind on the journey. He had hoped to once again experience the feelings of serenity and joy of his past travels with Gimli, but the first day had not passed and already he was feeling the need to act as mediator between his companions.

Suddenly, he was pulled from his thoughts by movement amidst a rocky outcrop, some distance from where he stood. As he watched, he once again saw what appeared to be a shadowy form moving stealthily between the large boulders. He quickly turned and retraced his steps back to the group and informed them of his discovery. They swiftly formed a plan and split up. Legolas, Gimli and Rumil would approach the rocks directly, whilst Haldir, Melpomaen and Balewath would skirt around and approach from the rear.

As Legolas and his group neared, however, whatever had been hiding moved quickly and disappeared, seemingly into the rocks. They quickened their pace and reached the outcrop just as Haldir and his group appeared above them. As they approached the place the form had last been seen, they saw a small cave entrance hidden low between some boulders.

'I believe our mysterious watcher has taken refuge inside!' stated Rumil.

Legolas frowned but before he could reply, Gimli had already made for the entrance, and axe in hand, was making his way into the cave.

'Hold, Gimli!' called Legolas. 'We must not follow blindly without due consideration of what may lie beyond. We know neither the depth nor safety of this cave.'

'Ah, laddie, then it must be the stories I've heard about Elves are true also,' replied Gimli, smiling broadly 'though after our adventure with Aragorn in the Paths of the Dead, I didn't think a little cave like this would bother you!'

He glared pointedly at the Marchwarden as he spoke causing Haldir to frown.

'You'll never find a Dwarf hanging back, especially when there's a mystery waiting to be solved and a good cave in which to solve it!'

Legolas considered Gimli's word carefully. He was certain he wanted to know the identity of the creature who had been watching them. It was also true that they had undertaken their trek in search of adventure. Was he then to falter at the first temptation of discovery, merely because the path led them underground?

Setting his shoulders assertively, he turned to the rest of the group:

'Gimli is right. We will not rest lest we have answers to our questions. I will enter with him. The rest of you remain here. If anything untoward occurs or others arrive, do not call out but hide amongst the rocks and await our return.'

'And if you do not return?' queried Haldir.

'Ah, that's right!' stated Gimli 'always look on the bright side,' and he promptly slipped into the cave before Haldir even had chance to consider his reply.

'Fear not. We will not do anything which will put us in untoward danger.' said Legolas and he placed a reassuring hand on Haldir's shoulder.

The Elves watched as Legolas disappeared into the cave after his friend, and then settled themselves to wait.

Inside the cave, Legolas was amazed to find the small entrance was the gateway to a cavernous interior. Stalactites hung majestically from the ceiling and the only sound was that of tiny droplets of water dripping from their tips into the large pools beneath them. Slowly the pair advanced deeper into the cave and soon, a dim orange glow began to appear some way ahead. As the glow increased to lend more light to their surroundings, so the faint sounds of what seemed like chanting, began to reach their ears.

Legolas cautioned his companion silently and they redoubled their stealth lest they should give warning of their presence to whoever lay within. As they moved closer, the words of the chant became clearer, but they were in a tongue neither Gimli nor Legolas had heard before:

'Cruor est vita!

Imbibo cruor!

Nex est vita!'

The words repeated over and over, with increasing volume and fervour and as both strained to see those who gave rise to the sound, frenzied shadows danced across the roof of the cave.

Suddenly the sound of the chant stopped and in its place came the plaintive cries of undoubtedly human origin. Legolas stiffened as words spoken in the Common Tongue interspersed with sobs reached his ears;

'That sounds like a child!' hissed Gimli.

Legolas agreed and motioned to Gimli that he was going to attempt to move closer still. Gimli opened his eyes in amazement as Legolas suddenly leapt from his hiding place and moved into the glowing area. Panicked voices accompanied his unexpected arrival and Gimli fought with himself to prevent following his friend. He knew if anything happened to Legolas, he would have to hasten back to the others to fetch aid.

Legolas moved slowly into clear view and the sight which met his eyes both amazed and horrified him. Standing in a large circle were at least twenty heavily robed human-like forms, their faces hidden inside the hoods of their voluminous black cloaks. Behind them, sconces flared against the cold rock-face. In the centre of the circle lay a large alter-like rock and on it, restrained by ropes, lay a small human boy. Legolas supposed him to be no more than nine or ten years old. Beside the alter stood another of the cloaked beings, but unlike the others, this one did not wear a hood and his features were clearly visible. He was tall by human standards. His face was twisted and cruel and a large scar ran the length of his face. Long, greasy tendrils of hair fell about his shoulders and he loomed menacingly over the child. In his hand he held aloft a dagger; the jewel encrusted handle glimmering in the torchlight. As he caught sight of Legolas he raised his other hand and pointed menacingly at the Elf. Several of his followers ran forward in an attempt to capture the intruder. Legolas drew his twin blades and for a short time was able to keep them at bay, but as others joined the mêlée the sheer number of adversaries proved too great and they quickly over-powered him, wrenched his knives from his hands and threw him forcefully at the feet of their leader.

Throughout the fracas, the child struggled and squirmed as hope of being saved gave way to terror once more. The leader of the group bent down and snatched at Legolas' hair, wrenching his face to within inches of his own.

'So, the report from my minion of Elves close by was correct!' he growled through yellowed teeth. 'Do not suppose I do not know of the others, Elf!' he spat.

Legolas braced himself against the searing pain and snarled through clenched teeth:

'Who are you, and what is your business with this child?'

His antagonist grinned chillingly:

'I am Glythvyr, of the order of Ysberin. Long have we dwelt here. We take what we need from the villagers and give only to our gods.'

He pointed then to the child and continued:

'He is to appease our gods. They have a great thirst for human blood and we are the means by which it is quenched.'

The boy struggled even harder and Legolas watched helplessly as Glythvyr reached across to poke his arm cruelly with the blade. A thin trickle of blood ran from the wound and the child screamed.

Glythvyr ignored him and called to his followers:

'Find the others and bring them here. If they resist……kill them!'

Without delay, all but a handful of the followers streamed from the inner chamber as they rushed to do their leader's bidding, each snatching a short sword from a jumbled pile as they fled. Legolas fervently hoped Gimli would be able to keep knowledge of his presence from them and held his breath as they rushed past the place he knew his friend to be hiding.

………………………………………………………………………………….

Outside the cave, the Elves were becoming restless.

'How long must we wait?' queried Rumil, irritably, pacing up and down.

Haldir knew patience had never been his brother's strongest attribute and he smiled as he replied:

'Until they return, little brother! You heard Legolas' orders as well as the rest of us.'

Rumil kicked at some small stones at his feet and sat down heavily upon a rock. A fractious reply to his brother's remark balanced precariously on his tongue but before he could utter it, Melpomaen gave a cry of surprise as two arms suddenly encircled him and pulled him from his resting place. Balewath jumped up to aid his friend but he too was quickly set upon and struggled against two heavily garbed forms. Quicker than human eyes could follow, Haldir drew his bow, knocked an arrow and aimed at the sea of adversaries which now flooded from the cave entrance. His brother joined him and the two released volley after volley, but so sudden was the attack and the range so close, it was difficult to maintain accuracy.

Melpomaen managed to throw off his opponent and drew his sword, albeit without the usual grace for which the Elves were renowned. He held it in front of him with both hands and pointed the blade a his opponent, wiggling the weapon in his face.

'Kill him!' yelled Balewath.

'What?' replied Melpomaen. 'How?'

Balewath, who was battling two opponents at the same time, glared at Melpomaen.

'Thrust the sword at him - aim for his heart!'

Melpomaen did as he had been bid. Closing his eyes he thrust the sword away from him and felt the resistance against the blade as it pierced the body of his enemy. He swallowed hard and opened his eyes. At the sight of the slumped corpse lying in a pool of blood he felt slightly nauseous but a frantic yell from Balewath snapped him from his trance and he ran to aid his friend.

Holding his weapon aloft and with a scream of rage, Melpomaen advanced toward the spot where his friend was battling the two assailants. Within moments Melpomaen had engage his opponent, swinging the blade high above his head in a great arc and decapitating his foe with the downward movement.

Balewath stared in amazement as his assailant dropped to the ground. The odds were now balanced, however, and Balewath lost no time in grasping the remaining foe and breaking his neck; bones offered little resistance to one who had worked at forge and anvil for centuries.

The small battle raged for some time and the Lorien brothers, realizing their arrows were being mostly wasted, resorted to swords. Fighting back to back, and joined by their friends, the Elves slowly but systematically dispatched their attackers. After a while the ground about them lay strewn with broken, blood-soaked bodies.

"It would seem I was right to be impatient!' stated Rumil gravely.

Haldir merely nodded his agreement and made his way to the cave entrance.

'Come, we must not delay…. I fear our friends are in grave danger!'

Without further word the Elves hastened through the cave entrance and into the murky interior.

……………………………………………………………………………………..

Gimli waited until the last of the minions had passed by before slowly and carefully extricating himself from his hiding place. He halted behind a large rock and pondered his next move. Five remained of the original throng and they had wasted no time in binding Legolas hand and foot to restrain him. Gimli felt confident they would pose no real obstacle to him, but he also knew in the time it would take to dispatch them, their leader would most likely kill Legolas and the boy and make his escape. Thoughts of how to proceed whirled in his mind but suddenly became redundant as he caught sight of Haldir and his party dashing along the passageway headlong into the chamber.

Quickly, Gimli ran from his hiding place, axe at the ready and, leaving the confused minions to meet their fate at the hands of the Elves, headed straight toward his friend.

Distracted by the sudden attack, Glythvyr did not see him until it was too late. The dagger flew from his hand as Gimli's axe embedded itself in his neck and he fell to the ground, the suddenness of his demise frozen forever on his face.

Looking over his shoulder, Gimli watched as the last minion fell, then set about releasing first Legolas and then the child.

Legolas helped the boy from the alter and rubbed his wrists and ankles to relieve the pain caused by the constricting restraints.

'Th..thank you, my lord!' stammered the boy.

The child stared them from Legolas to each of his liberators:

'You're Elves!' he stated, incredulously.

Legolas smiled kindly.

'We are indeed, young one! Now, tell me, what is your name and where do you hail from?'

The boy drew a deep breath and announced proudly;

'I am Amren, son of Bedwyr from the village of Rhuthun.'

'Well, Amren, son of Bedwyr, I am most honoured and pleased to meet you. These are my companions, Haldir, Rumil, Melpomaen, Balewath and…..'

'What about me?' blustered Gimli. Standing behind the Elves he had been hidden from the child and was impatient to announce his presence and lineage. Ignoring Legolas completely, he pushed his way between the Elves:

'I am Gimli, son of Gloin and as you can plainly see, I am no Elf!'

Amren giggled slightly and bowed.

Legolas placed his hand on Amren's shoulder:

'We will return you to the place you belong, and you can tell me along the way about your abductors.'

Taking the child's hand, he turned to lead him from the cave. The others followed and as they walked they took time to look about the cavern. Suddenly, Rumil ran to a small niche and called out:

'Come, look at this!'

Everyone rushed to join him and stared with incredulity at what they saw. Amulets, rings, buckles and other objects wrought of precious metals filled the small nook. Melpomaen picked up an amulet and lovingly traced the delicate tracery upon its surface with his finger. He held it toward his friend in order that he might join in the appraisal of the piece.

'This is a work of love,' said Balewath simply. 'I believe the owner of such an item would not have parted with it willingly.'

'Glythvyr and his followers have been forcing my people to give them things for many year,' said Amren. 'Sometimes though, they demanded food and wine and other times….' he paused and his eyes filled with tears as he continued in a voice barely above a whisper, 'they would take one of the children.'

Haldir frowned at this comment and knelt before the child:

'Have they taken many, my small friend?'

'Yes,' replied Amren, 'and they were never seen again!'

'Why did you not fight them?' demanded Gimli.

'They were many and we are few!' replied the boy.

Rumil, who had been rifling through the small hoard during the conversation suddenly tapped Legolas on the shoulder and handed him a delicate chain. Attached to one of the links was a small pendant and it was to this that Rumil wanted to draw Legolas' attention in particular.

'I believe this bears the crest of your father's House, Legolas!'

Legolas held the dainty item in his palm and drew a sharp breath. Too well he remembered the last time he had seen it. It was the exact same necklace he recalled seeing about his mother's neck. He could not recollect a time when she had ever removed it. Delight at seeing it again quickly gave way to bewilderment however, as one question raced through his mind.

How did his mother's necklace come to be so far from the realm of King Thranduil? His mother had been wearing it when she had disappeared during a journey long years ago. He turned to the child and asked him:

'Have you ever seen this before?'

To his amazement, for he did not really expect a positive reply, Amren said:

'It belonged to a beautiful lady. She and her husband passed through our village and used it to buy food from my father. He was very sad when he was forced to hand it over because he had always told me he was only looking after it until the lady returned. She was an Elf and so was her husband.'

'So that is how you knew we were Elves!' stated Haldir and he smiled slightly at Amren.

'Oh no, I knew you were Elves because of your……'

Amren pointed to his ear and circled his finger around the tip.

'Ah, I see,' said Haldir and the simple honesty of the child caused his smile to broaden.

'But the lady,' continued Legolas, 'did you see her?'

'Oh yes,' replied Amren and he continued dreamily 'she was the most beautiful lady I've ever seen. Long, blonde hair and really blue eyes - just like yours!'

Legolas' eyes widened in amazement and questions ran wildly through his mind. He knew his mother was dead; his father had told him of her death years before but now he began to question whether perhaps, there could be some slim chance she was still alive. He could not explain why, if she still lived, she had not returned to her home or why she would be in the company of another Elf, but the fact remained that her necklace now lay in his hand and as he gestured to the others to move out, he closed his fingers around it and held it against his heart.

Suddenly he had a quest. Suddenly he had questions to which he had to find answers and without saying a word to his companions, their light-hearted trek assumed, for him at least, a new purpose.

Tbc.

'Cruor est vita! Blood is life

Imbibo cruor! Drink the blood

Nex est vita!' Death is life

Well, there you have it! Chapter 1! I suppose you have an idea now of where this story is heading. I can assure you, all types of genre will be included in the travels of Legolas and his friends, from horror to romance, drama to mystery, so please join me for the journey!

Oh, and er…..if you have a moment and would like to review I'll be jumping up and down. Thanks!