Disclaimer: I do not own anything created by Tolkien;I'm only borrowing some of the characters for a while.
This story takes place a little before Bilbo's 111th birthday party. By this time, the whereabouts of the One Ring were still unknown. The stirrings of the Dark Lord are being felt again throughout Middle Earth. The story shall dwell mainly on the events that led Legolas to join the fellowship, and how the journey of the One Ring begins, since the finding of Gollum by Aragorn, until the time he escapes from the wood elves of Mirkwood; and then, on to the Council of Rivendell and the departure of the Fellowship. Thanks for reading, and please, enjoy!
Chapter 1: Close to the Shadow
The night was very still. A world of silence prevailed upon the Black Forest as dark shadows crept over the top of the trees, extending to every crevice and corner of the woods like a reaching hand. All the land seemed to slumber under a blanket of black cloth which concealed the bright glow of the stars, allowing only glimpses of a dim light. The humid air, thick and heavy, was almost suffocating, and it pressed hard upon the hearts of the company making every footstep a painful effort.
The perfect stillness of the forest was only interrupted by the advance of a company of elves, who strove to make their way across the dark woodland. Even though the task was hard, they advanced with the agility and swiftness that belonged to their fair kind, for elves have a light step and their feet make little imprint on the ground. However, on close examination, a trained eye could have noticed the utmost care exercised by the warriors as they toiled to go unnoticed by the fellow creatures of the forest, who could be made to stir at such an hour.
They had journeyed long. It was now past midnight, as they had gathered from a bit of light that shone through a clearing in the forest. The moon should be high in the sky, almost half its way before it gives leave to the sun; but, not even the evening creatures were heard nor seen.
-"The forest seems to sleep tonight," -a low whisper arose from one of the members of the company, breaking at last the silence of the woods. This change in the mood caused a few heads to turn to his direction, and more than a glaring pair of eyes settled upon the countenance of the young elf.
-"You forget it is night-time. The forest is suppossed to sleep," -replied in jest a voice from the back of the line of elven warriors.
-"No. I mean, the forest is unusually still. I am not able to hear any noise... any noise." -Toronath turned his head around to face his companion who had now lifted his ears, having noticed the change taking place in the woods.
-"Hush!," -a voice arising from the first warrior of the company stilled their whispers. The two young elves stared at each other and one of them grinned. -"Meren, it would be wise if you lowered your voice, or kept silent altogether, unless you wish us all to become targets for any of our foes."
Thalion's command was the last sound they heard that hour. The elven warriors resumed their march. None of them said another word, but the silence wrung deep in their hearts and minds. From time to time, one of the fair heads would turn to the side with searching eyes, thinking, or rather hoping, to have seen something. Yet nothing disturbed the tranquil, almost dormant state of the forest of Mirkwood.
The company kept going forward for a while. Their progress could have been faster given the nature and skill of the elves; however, the heavy weight put upon them by the air's thick vapors had started to claim the strength of the travelers, and once or twice one of them was seen to struggle in their step. They continued in this way for another few miles, until at last they arrived to a glade, and Thalion gave the order for the company to halt.
-"Thank the Valar we are able to stop at last!" -Meren sighed. The young elf was already feeling the sore muscles of his legs, and tumbled to the ground in a very ungraceful manner.
-"Meren, one could mistake you for an untrained warrior! -replied Medlin, one of the she-elves of the group. -"Or for a sheltered elven maiden!" -and this last sentence ended in a grin from the warrioress, and a snort on the part of the male elf.
-"I know we are all tired," -another voice was heard.-"But this weariness seems very strange to me, almost, unnatural." -Cirion spoke with a doubtful tone, but his eyes searched the forest intently, as if expecting to discover the cause of their unusual fatigue among the shadows of the woods.
-"This only shows us how much power the Black Shadow has gained," -Thalion said, as a deep frown formed in his face,-"And how close have we come to it."
The three warriors gazed back at their captain. The countenance they knew so well seemed much hardened and stern. They saw the troubled look in his eyes and the curve in his mouth, as he stared at a fixed point in the darkness looking back on their former path.
-"He feels the shadow of the Dark Lo..."
-"Do not even utter the name, Meren," -said Toronath with a grave voice, at the time he glared at his friend.
-"Toronath, Meren, I need your help over here. Get moving, young ones!" -Ninniach's soft and playful voice was calling them from the center of the glade. They were setting up camp to rest before dawn came, and it was their turn to help with the preparations..- "Where are the others? We do not have much time to remain here."
-"Legolas," -a voice called from the back of the elven lord.-"What have you been doing, my friend? I have been looking for you."
The prince stood tall and attentive, peering into the shadows of the night. His gaze seemed to reach even further than the forest, but the frown dwelling on his face showed signs of frustration, or perhaps, concern. His thoughts had strayed for a moment, or so it seemed, but after a few seconds, he turned and beheld his friend.
-"Edregol," -he said, the frown relaxing,-"How long have you been there?"
-"Long enough to know that something troubles you, nin mellon. What is it? Do you, too, feel the Shadow?"
At the mention of the word, both of them fell silent; it seemed to carry a heavy weight that threatened to press upon them like a hammer would a nail. Edregol's face became slightly pale as he regarded his friend. Legolas' gaze was again lost in the night. -'The shadow must be growing by the minute, or else he would not be so concerned'-were Edregol's thoughts as he studied his comrade's troubled expression. Not only did he have a lost look in his eyes, but his fists were tightened, and his brow arched as was his usual way when pondering about something that disturbed him.
-"Legolas, Edregol," -a tall elf issued from the woods and walked toward them, placing both his hands upon their shoulders. -"Do not be troubled now. You should rest during the little time we have before setting up again. We shall leave with the first rays of dawn."
-"Thalion," -said Edregol, turning to face his captain, -"I have to say I agree with Cirion. Such a silence in the woods is not natural. I have traveled around the Black Forest for a long time, but had never encountered such stillness. We will not have good news to report upon our return, I'm afraid."
Thalion stared at him for a moment, as if considering the words he would say. However, it was not Thalion who spoke, but Legolas.
-"I feel it," -he said, turning abruptly to face his companios.- "We have come too close to its domain. Yet, we did not have much of a choice," -here his voice faded, and he looked away.
-"Your senses are keen, my young friend," -was Thalion's reply.- "Both of you have made very interesting observations. However, there is not much we can do now, but rest our limbs, and prepare for the journey ahead. The sooner we get out of this wretched place, the better," -and tossing his hand to the side, he left. The faithful captain tried to appear unaltered, yet the two warriors understood what was going through the mind of their commander. They had been together many times before, and knew each other so well it was nearly impossible to conceal a thought, or to let an expression or gesture go unnoticed; but, this time they let go and followed after him.
By Thalion's command, the party drew lots for watches, and Legolas had been picked to the first, along with Toronath, Ninniach, and Faelon. All the warriors had noticed that instead of calling only three to keep watch, four had been assigned. Most of them chose to ignore this, and went to their beds in haste, taking advantage of every minute they could afford to rest. The four watchers walked to their places, one at every corner of the camp, and positioned themselves as to have command of the view to their partners and the surrounding area.
Legolas was relieved when the lot had fallen on him and he had been picked to keep watch. He knew trying to sleep would have been useless in his distressed state. He wished to be alone with his thoughts and thus be able to search his feelings. He had been aware of the stillness of the forest long before Toronath spoke of it, but had not ventured to say a word. It was in his nature to be quiet and keep most of his thoughts for himself. He did not wish to trouble his companions, and desired to have more time to observe the woods before saying anything. However, Toronath had uttered what his own mind felt, and soon enough the rest of the party started to notice the change that had wrought around them. The spirits of the company grew heavy under this shadow, and so his doubts increased. 'The Dark Lord is gaining power over the forest. He is close. His shadow grows already upon us,' -he thought, as he gazed intently into the dark night. 'We might have gone too near. The borders of Mirkwood are no longer safe. What kind of power can one person hold to be able to control the creatures of an entire forest!' -The prince's thoughts were bent on putting together the pieces of an old puzzle. From the elders, he had heard the stories of the ancient days; how a Dark Lord had gained so much power over the hearts of men and other creatures, that they served him with their own lives. Those were tales of a past long gone, but now the shadow cast a threat upon his own birth place.
-"Legolas," -the soft yet firm voice of Thalion brought him out of his musings.
-"Sir, you should not be awake at this hour," -was Legolas' reply.-"Let us watch until it is time, and then we will depart again as you ordered. We do not need to worry beyond our own strength."
-"My friend, you advice me to rest and not worry, when it is plain to me that your own mind has not ceased to ponder over this matter. You should not give an advice that you cannot keep," -and Thalion half grinned at him. He knew his young friend's character, and was aware that Legolas would not be completely at rest until he formed an opinion or traced a solution to their current situation. He read the sigh of relief when he had been picked to keep watch. Thalion knew Legolas would be restless for the entire night, and as he was undergoing the same emotions, he sought an opportunity to speak with him.
-"You felt it earlier, did you not, Legolas? You felt the change ever since we left the old grove yesterday. I noticed your searching eyes as we traveled tonight. Did you expect to see something in the woods?"
-"I felt the presence of something else, something beside us. I cannot be sure of this, for as hard as I tried I could see nothing. But the feeling was pressing. Something is there, something... that I do not understand."
-"Do not try too hard to understand it, Legolas. How can one understand the designs of the Dark Lord?"
Legolas turned his head abruptly and fixed his gaze on Thalion's own. It surprised him that his captain would mention the name of such a foul creature so close to the domains of evil; but he was more surprised to see that Thalion's opinion on the subject was so similar to his own.
-"You think, then, that all this is the work of... the Eye himself?
-"What do you think, Legolas?" -Thalion was very aware of Legolas' thoughts. He knew the prince attributed the stillness of the wood to the workings of the Lidless Eye, but only wanted to hear it from his own lips. -"My Lord," -he proceeded,- "the time will come when you will be forced to make your own decisions about the matters concerning the kingdom. I know you are ready. You have a noble heart, and a keen intelligence. Do not be afraid to let it show."
Legolas' eyes turned from him, and stared blankly at the starless sky. Thalion could see a frown forming on his face, and realized he had been bothered by the mention of his future. The prince did not like to be reminded of his royal inheritance. When he was with his fellow partners he seemed to forget about his crown and the duties that came with it. Thalion had seen him grow from a young untrained elf, to the full stature of a dauntless warrior. As he stood gazing at the elven lord, thoughts raced to his mind as recollections came of a time when Legolas had been but an apprentice in the skills of battle.
*-"Legolas! Open your eye, and aim to that cursed target!" -all the other trainees laughed and Thalion grinned broadly as he saw the fruitless efforts made by the young prince.
Legolas' face reddened with embarrassment. His first encounter with the bow had not been very promising. His brother Faelernil, the heir to the crown of Mirkwood, thought this to be so amusing he teased Legolas about it for a whole month. But, as usual, the prince came along nicely. He wanted to get things just right, and very seldom fell short from his goal; he put much work into things until he was able to master them.*
'And so, it is the way with Legolas' -Thalion thought, now back to the present. Much had happened since that first day, and many a time had Legolas proved to be the means of saving one of his comrades, or himself; although with every loss came a deep grief. However, Legolas had come to be a very skilled archer and fighter, respected by all of his companions, and much beloved by his siblings. He knew the duties of the court cast a heavy weight on him, for all Legolas wanted to be was a warrior so he could defend and protect all that was dear to him.
Thalion had had time to ponder all of this while the two of them had been silent. At last, Legolas turned and faced him, his gray eyes sparkling with an intense light.
-"Thalion," -he said,- "if all of these is caused by black sorcery, as we both believe, what hope is there left? Something must be settled about this matter! Our campaigns to drive the dark forces out of the borders of the city will be to no avail if Sauron is gathering strength to combat against us."
-"You knew our mission was to patrol the area and drive the bands of orcs as further away from us as we could."
-"Yes, but now that we know the power of evil increases, we need to act upon another strategy. This threat does not only creep over us, but, if this is indeed the working of Sauron, all of Middle Earth is in great danger!" -the fire in the voice of the prince subsided as he beheld the soothing countenance of Thalion.
-"I fear I have led us all too far into enemy lines. It was a risk, but in order to measure the strength of his power, we had to come closer to him. I do not intend to make a stand now, but I think we have gained a fair idea of what his power really is," -Thalion's voice wavered, and after a brief pause, he continued.-"I am sorry for having dragged you all to this awful place, so vulnerable to the power of darkness."
-"We come willingly if it is you who lead us, Thalion. In the shelter of the city we would not have imagined how close the hand of evil has already stretched. This course was necessary, and sooner or later we would have had to take it. I hope there is still time for us to figure a way to put an end to this."
-"I fear, Legolas, that things are not that easy. Dol Guldur is but a fortress, a small piece in the game of the enemy. You see how hard its power weighs upon our realm, and yet it is not the main stronghold. These are perilous times, my friend. The world has changed. I would not want to have the fate of this land in my hands. This goes beyond my understanding."
Legolas stared at him for a moment, trying to grasp the meaning of the words. They were both startled by a rustling in the camp, and turned around to see Linnathon already waking, along with three of their companions.
-"Thalion," -the warrior said,-"it is time to change watch. We will take over now. Go and rest."
Both captain and prince had to comply with Linnathon's advice, and walked back to the center of the camp, where their beds were already waiting for them. Neither wished to sleep, nor could have if they had tried, but for the sake of their companions they assumed a more relaxed attitude. The second watch started without any disturbance in the quiet of the night, except for the stirrings of their own hearts.
A soft light started to appear in the horizon, breaking through the gloom that had filled the evening. The darkness was yielding to Anor's bright rays, although only soft beams reached the company who had camped under the shield of the high trees. The humid air seemed to have retreated to the ends of the forest, and the morning offered a better prospect to the brave travelers.
Legolas had leapt out of his bed with the first rays of sunlight. He desperately wanted an occupation, so he could keep his mind and thoughts away from the ongrowing shadow. After readying his traveling gear, he joined Ninniach and Edregol who were also getting their belongings ready for the journey.
-"Good morning, Legolas" -Ninniach said.-"It was a long night, was it not?"
Legolas saw the twinkle in his friend's eye, and understood she had noticed his lack of sleep. He contented himself with nodding a reply, and glanced at Edregol who was looking at him with grave countenance.
-"Thalion and Maegron intend to go ahead of us to survey the area," -Edregol said, as he glanced in the direction of the two experienced warriors. Legolas turned his gaze as well, and noticed they spoke in earnest tones.
'Has something happened that escaped my notice?' -Legolas thought in bewilderment, for he had not slept, yet had heard nothing. 'What reason could they have that requires the sending of scouts to go ahead?'
Linnathon reached the three companions, and his undisturbed face eased some of their concerns. He addressed the three of them, but his words were mainly directed to Legolas.
-"Thalion and Maegron will lead the journey, and Legolas and I will close in the rear. The captain believes the best choice will be to take the eastern route that will take us straight to the Glade of Lonnath. From there it is an easy way to the Old Forest Road and then to the river,"-he explained, accompanying his words with gestures that indicated the distance the party would have to travel before reaching the glade.-"Thalion will press the march of our company, and most likely we will not stop again to rest until we have covered the full distance to the glade,"-and he stressed the word 'full'.-"We will have to exercise our skills to the utmost if we are to meet this challenge. Due to the swiftness of the march, we will send two scouts ahead to watch for any unexpected... encounter; and there will be two other closing the lines to be alert in case we pick a follower as we go."
With this explanation, Linnathon walked away to join the commanders, and left the three companions to finish their preparations. After a brief exchange of words and instructions, Linnathon motioned at Legolas to join them.
-"Legolas," -Maegron said, at the time he picked up his bow and fastened his knife to his belt,-"Linnathon has already expounded the plan to you," -he stopped, and Legolas nodded,-"Thalion and I shall lead the party. We count on you and Linnathon to close the line. We need to be very cautious, and I fear that in order to speed this march, we might be forced to sacrifice concealment for swiftness. Both of you," -and he turned to look at Linnathon,-"will have to be very aware of every sound or sign these woods can give. And also, see that we do not leave behind anything that might give us away."- With these words the council concluded, and Thalion left with Maegron to explain the instructions to the rest of the party.
In a few moments, the elven warriors were ready to travel, and at Thalion's signal, left the clearing where they had camped. Legolas grabbed his pack and fastened his knife, as he observed the first elves moving swiftly behind the captain. He gripped the hold on his bow, feeling the smooth surface under his fingers. On the edges of the weapon he saw the elvish runes that stated his name and lineage. Many times he had used his Mirkwood carved bow, at his home or in the battle-field, and his hands handled it with ease and precision. He counted his arrows and replaced them inside the quiver, glanced around at the now deserted glade and followed Linnathon, who had already started the march behind his comrades.
'Let us hope' -he thought, as he placed the bow carefully on his back,-'Let us hope the need will not arise to draw out this bow again... not until my friends are safely home.'
Author's notes: Well, here is chapter 1. What do you think about it? Please, feel free to review with your comments, thoughts, any ideas, anything! ;)
This story takes place a little before Bilbo's 111th birthday party. By this time, the whereabouts of the One Ring were still unknown. The stirrings of the Dark Lord are being felt again throughout Middle Earth. The story shall dwell mainly on the events that led Legolas to join the fellowship, and how the journey of the One Ring begins, since the finding of Gollum by Aragorn, until the time he escapes from the wood elves of Mirkwood; and then, on to the Council of Rivendell and the departure of the Fellowship. Thanks for reading, and please, enjoy!
Chapter 1: Close to the Shadow
The night was very still. A world of silence prevailed upon the Black Forest as dark shadows crept over the top of the trees, extending to every crevice and corner of the woods like a reaching hand. All the land seemed to slumber under a blanket of black cloth which concealed the bright glow of the stars, allowing only glimpses of a dim light. The humid air, thick and heavy, was almost suffocating, and it pressed hard upon the hearts of the company making every footstep a painful effort.
The perfect stillness of the forest was only interrupted by the advance of a company of elves, who strove to make their way across the dark woodland. Even though the task was hard, they advanced with the agility and swiftness that belonged to their fair kind, for elves have a light step and their feet make little imprint on the ground. However, on close examination, a trained eye could have noticed the utmost care exercised by the warriors as they toiled to go unnoticed by the fellow creatures of the forest, who could be made to stir at such an hour.
They had journeyed long. It was now past midnight, as they had gathered from a bit of light that shone through a clearing in the forest. The moon should be high in the sky, almost half its way before it gives leave to the sun; but, not even the evening creatures were heard nor seen.
-"The forest seems to sleep tonight," -a low whisper arose from one of the members of the company, breaking at last the silence of the woods. This change in the mood caused a few heads to turn to his direction, and more than a glaring pair of eyes settled upon the countenance of the young elf.
-"You forget it is night-time. The forest is suppossed to sleep," -replied in jest a voice from the back of the line of elven warriors.
-"No. I mean, the forest is unusually still. I am not able to hear any noise... any noise." -Toronath turned his head around to face his companion who had now lifted his ears, having noticed the change taking place in the woods.
-"Hush!," -a voice arising from the first warrior of the company stilled their whispers. The two young elves stared at each other and one of them grinned. -"Meren, it would be wise if you lowered your voice, or kept silent altogether, unless you wish us all to become targets for any of our foes."
Thalion's command was the last sound they heard that hour. The elven warriors resumed their march. None of them said another word, but the silence wrung deep in their hearts and minds. From time to time, one of the fair heads would turn to the side with searching eyes, thinking, or rather hoping, to have seen something. Yet nothing disturbed the tranquil, almost dormant state of the forest of Mirkwood.
The company kept going forward for a while. Their progress could have been faster given the nature and skill of the elves; however, the heavy weight put upon them by the air's thick vapors had started to claim the strength of the travelers, and once or twice one of them was seen to struggle in their step. They continued in this way for another few miles, until at last they arrived to a glade, and Thalion gave the order for the company to halt.
-"Thank the Valar we are able to stop at last!" -Meren sighed. The young elf was already feeling the sore muscles of his legs, and tumbled to the ground in a very ungraceful manner.
-"Meren, one could mistake you for an untrained warrior! -replied Medlin, one of the she-elves of the group. -"Or for a sheltered elven maiden!" -and this last sentence ended in a grin from the warrioress, and a snort on the part of the male elf.
-"I know we are all tired," -another voice was heard.-"But this weariness seems very strange to me, almost, unnatural." -Cirion spoke with a doubtful tone, but his eyes searched the forest intently, as if expecting to discover the cause of their unusual fatigue among the shadows of the woods.
-"This only shows us how much power the Black Shadow has gained," -Thalion said, as a deep frown formed in his face,-"And how close have we come to it."
The three warriors gazed back at their captain. The countenance they knew so well seemed much hardened and stern. They saw the troubled look in his eyes and the curve in his mouth, as he stared at a fixed point in the darkness looking back on their former path.
-"He feels the shadow of the Dark Lo..."
-"Do not even utter the name, Meren," -said Toronath with a grave voice, at the time he glared at his friend.
-"Toronath, Meren, I need your help over here. Get moving, young ones!" -Ninniach's soft and playful voice was calling them from the center of the glade. They were setting up camp to rest before dawn came, and it was their turn to help with the preparations..- "Where are the others? We do not have much time to remain here."
-"Legolas," -a voice called from the back of the elven lord.-"What have you been doing, my friend? I have been looking for you."
The prince stood tall and attentive, peering into the shadows of the night. His gaze seemed to reach even further than the forest, but the frown dwelling on his face showed signs of frustration, or perhaps, concern. His thoughts had strayed for a moment, or so it seemed, but after a few seconds, he turned and beheld his friend.
-"Edregol," -he said, the frown relaxing,-"How long have you been there?"
-"Long enough to know that something troubles you, nin mellon. What is it? Do you, too, feel the Shadow?"
At the mention of the word, both of them fell silent; it seemed to carry a heavy weight that threatened to press upon them like a hammer would a nail. Edregol's face became slightly pale as he regarded his friend. Legolas' gaze was again lost in the night. -'The shadow must be growing by the minute, or else he would not be so concerned'-were Edregol's thoughts as he studied his comrade's troubled expression. Not only did he have a lost look in his eyes, but his fists were tightened, and his brow arched as was his usual way when pondering about something that disturbed him.
-"Legolas, Edregol," -a tall elf issued from the woods and walked toward them, placing both his hands upon their shoulders. -"Do not be troubled now. You should rest during the little time we have before setting up again. We shall leave with the first rays of dawn."
-"Thalion," -said Edregol, turning to face his captain, -"I have to say I agree with Cirion. Such a silence in the woods is not natural. I have traveled around the Black Forest for a long time, but had never encountered such stillness. We will not have good news to report upon our return, I'm afraid."
Thalion stared at him for a moment, as if considering the words he would say. However, it was not Thalion who spoke, but Legolas.
-"I feel it," -he said, turning abruptly to face his companios.- "We have come too close to its domain. Yet, we did not have much of a choice," -here his voice faded, and he looked away.
-"Your senses are keen, my young friend," -was Thalion's reply.- "Both of you have made very interesting observations. However, there is not much we can do now, but rest our limbs, and prepare for the journey ahead. The sooner we get out of this wretched place, the better," -and tossing his hand to the side, he left. The faithful captain tried to appear unaltered, yet the two warriors understood what was going through the mind of their commander. They had been together many times before, and knew each other so well it was nearly impossible to conceal a thought, or to let an expression or gesture go unnoticed; but, this time they let go and followed after him.
By Thalion's command, the party drew lots for watches, and Legolas had been picked to the first, along with Toronath, Ninniach, and Faelon. All the warriors had noticed that instead of calling only three to keep watch, four had been assigned. Most of them chose to ignore this, and went to their beds in haste, taking advantage of every minute they could afford to rest. The four watchers walked to their places, one at every corner of the camp, and positioned themselves as to have command of the view to their partners and the surrounding area.
Legolas was relieved when the lot had fallen on him and he had been picked to keep watch. He knew trying to sleep would have been useless in his distressed state. He wished to be alone with his thoughts and thus be able to search his feelings. He had been aware of the stillness of the forest long before Toronath spoke of it, but had not ventured to say a word. It was in his nature to be quiet and keep most of his thoughts for himself. He did not wish to trouble his companions, and desired to have more time to observe the woods before saying anything. However, Toronath had uttered what his own mind felt, and soon enough the rest of the party started to notice the change that had wrought around them. The spirits of the company grew heavy under this shadow, and so his doubts increased. 'The Dark Lord is gaining power over the forest. He is close. His shadow grows already upon us,' -he thought, as he gazed intently into the dark night. 'We might have gone too near. The borders of Mirkwood are no longer safe. What kind of power can one person hold to be able to control the creatures of an entire forest!' -The prince's thoughts were bent on putting together the pieces of an old puzzle. From the elders, he had heard the stories of the ancient days; how a Dark Lord had gained so much power over the hearts of men and other creatures, that they served him with their own lives. Those were tales of a past long gone, but now the shadow cast a threat upon his own birth place.
-"Legolas," -the soft yet firm voice of Thalion brought him out of his musings.
-"Sir, you should not be awake at this hour," -was Legolas' reply.-"Let us watch until it is time, and then we will depart again as you ordered. We do not need to worry beyond our own strength."
-"My friend, you advice me to rest and not worry, when it is plain to me that your own mind has not ceased to ponder over this matter. You should not give an advice that you cannot keep," -and Thalion half grinned at him. He knew his young friend's character, and was aware that Legolas would not be completely at rest until he formed an opinion or traced a solution to their current situation. He read the sigh of relief when he had been picked to keep watch. Thalion knew Legolas would be restless for the entire night, and as he was undergoing the same emotions, he sought an opportunity to speak with him.
-"You felt it earlier, did you not, Legolas? You felt the change ever since we left the old grove yesterday. I noticed your searching eyes as we traveled tonight. Did you expect to see something in the woods?"
-"I felt the presence of something else, something beside us. I cannot be sure of this, for as hard as I tried I could see nothing. But the feeling was pressing. Something is there, something... that I do not understand."
-"Do not try too hard to understand it, Legolas. How can one understand the designs of the Dark Lord?"
Legolas turned his head abruptly and fixed his gaze on Thalion's own. It surprised him that his captain would mention the name of such a foul creature so close to the domains of evil; but he was more surprised to see that Thalion's opinion on the subject was so similar to his own.
-"You think, then, that all this is the work of... the Eye himself?
-"What do you think, Legolas?" -Thalion was very aware of Legolas' thoughts. He knew the prince attributed the stillness of the wood to the workings of the Lidless Eye, but only wanted to hear it from his own lips. -"My Lord," -he proceeded,- "the time will come when you will be forced to make your own decisions about the matters concerning the kingdom. I know you are ready. You have a noble heart, and a keen intelligence. Do not be afraid to let it show."
Legolas' eyes turned from him, and stared blankly at the starless sky. Thalion could see a frown forming on his face, and realized he had been bothered by the mention of his future. The prince did not like to be reminded of his royal inheritance. When he was with his fellow partners he seemed to forget about his crown and the duties that came with it. Thalion had seen him grow from a young untrained elf, to the full stature of a dauntless warrior. As he stood gazing at the elven lord, thoughts raced to his mind as recollections came of a time when Legolas had been but an apprentice in the skills of battle.
*-"Legolas! Open your eye, and aim to that cursed target!" -all the other trainees laughed and Thalion grinned broadly as he saw the fruitless efforts made by the young prince.
Legolas' face reddened with embarrassment. His first encounter with the bow had not been very promising. His brother Faelernil, the heir to the crown of Mirkwood, thought this to be so amusing he teased Legolas about it for a whole month. But, as usual, the prince came along nicely. He wanted to get things just right, and very seldom fell short from his goal; he put much work into things until he was able to master them.*
'And so, it is the way with Legolas' -Thalion thought, now back to the present. Much had happened since that first day, and many a time had Legolas proved to be the means of saving one of his comrades, or himself; although with every loss came a deep grief. However, Legolas had come to be a very skilled archer and fighter, respected by all of his companions, and much beloved by his siblings. He knew the duties of the court cast a heavy weight on him, for all Legolas wanted to be was a warrior so he could defend and protect all that was dear to him.
Thalion had had time to ponder all of this while the two of them had been silent. At last, Legolas turned and faced him, his gray eyes sparkling with an intense light.
-"Thalion," -he said,- "if all of these is caused by black sorcery, as we both believe, what hope is there left? Something must be settled about this matter! Our campaigns to drive the dark forces out of the borders of the city will be to no avail if Sauron is gathering strength to combat against us."
-"You knew our mission was to patrol the area and drive the bands of orcs as further away from us as we could."
-"Yes, but now that we know the power of evil increases, we need to act upon another strategy. This threat does not only creep over us, but, if this is indeed the working of Sauron, all of Middle Earth is in great danger!" -the fire in the voice of the prince subsided as he beheld the soothing countenance of Thalion.
-"I fear I have led us all too far into enemy lines. It was a risk, but in order to measure the strength of his power, we had to come closer to him. I do not intend to make a stand now, but I think we have gained a fair idea of what his power really is," -Thalion's voice wavered, and after a brief pause, he continued.-"I am sorry for having dragged you all to this awful place, so vulnerable to the power of darkness."
-"We come willingly if it is you who lead us, Thalion. In the shelter of the city we would not have imagined how close the hand of evil has already stretched. This course was necessary, and sooner or later we would have had to take it. I hope there is still time for us to figure a way to put an end to this."
-"I fear, Legolas, that things are not that easy. Dol Guldur is but a fortress, a small piece in the game of the enemy. You see how hard its power weighs upon our realm, and yet it is not the main stronghold. These are perilous times, my friend. The world has changed. I would not want to have the fate of this land in my hands. This goes beyond my understanding."
Legolas stared at him for a moment, trying to grasp the meaning of the words. They were both startled by a rustling in the camp, and turned around to see Linnathon already waking, along with three of their companions.
-"Thalion," -the warrior said,-"it is time to change watch. We will take over now. Go and rest."
Both captain and prince had to comply with Linnathon's advice, and walked back to the center of the camp, where their beds were already waiting for them. Neither wished to sleep, nor could have if they had tried, but for the sake of their companions they assumed a more relaxed attitude. The second watch started without any disturbance in the quiet of the night, except for the stirrings of their own hearts.
A soft light started to appear in the horizon, breaking through the gloom that had filled the evening. The darkness was yielding to Anor's bright rays, although only soft beams reached the company who had camped under the shield of the high trees. The humid air seemed to have retreated to the ends of the forest, and the morning offered a better prospect to the brave travelers.
Legolas had leapt out of his bed with the first rays of sunlight. He desperately wanted an occupation, so he could keep his mind and thoughts away from the ongrowing shadow. After readying his traveling gear, he joined Ninniach and Edregol who were also getting their belongings ready for the journey.
-"Good morning, Legolas" -Ninniach said.-"It was a long night, was it not?"
Legolas saw the twinkle in his friend's eye, and understood she had noticed his lack of sleep. He contented himself with nodding a reply, and glanced at Edregol who was looking at him with grave countenance.
-"Thalion and Maegron intend to go ahead of us to survey the area," -Edregol said, as he glanced in the direction of the two experienced warriors. Legolas turned his gaze as well, and noticed they spoke in earnest tones.
'Has something happened that escaped my notice?' -Legolas thought in bewilderment, for he had not slept, yet had heard nothing. 'What reason could they have that requires the sending of scouts to go ahead?'
Linnathon reached the three companions, and his undisturbed face eased some of their concerns. He addressed the three of them, but his words were mainly directed to Legolas.
-"Thalion and Maegron will lead the journey, and Legolas and I will close in the rear. The captain believes the best choice will be to take the eastern route that will take us straight to the Glade of Lonnath. From there it is an easy way to the Old Forest Road and then to the river,"-he explained, accompanying his words with gestures that indicated the distance the party would have to travel before reaching the glade.-"Thalion will press the march of our company, and most likely we will not stop again to rest until we have covered the full distance to the glade,"-and he stressed the word 'full'.-"We will have to exercise our skills to the utmost if we are to meet this challenge. Due to the swiftness of the march, we will send two scouts ahead to watch for any unexpected... encounter; and there will be two other closing the lines to be alert in case we pick a follower as we go."
With this explanation, Linnathon walked away to join the commanders, and left the three companions to finish their preparations. After a brief exchange of words and instructions, Linnathon motioned at Legolas to join them.
-"Legolas," -Maegron said, at the time he picked up his bow and fastened his knife to his belt,-"Linnathon has already expounded the plan to you," -he stopped, and Legolas nodded,-"Thalion and I shall lead the party. We count on you and Linnathon to close the line. We need to be very cautious, and I fear that in order to speed this march, we might be forced to sacrifice concealment for swiftness. Both of you," -and he turned to look at Linnathon,-"will have to be very aware of every sound or sign these woods can give. And also, see that we do not leave behind anything that might give us away."- With these words the council concluded, and Thalion left with Maegron to explain the instructions to the rest of the party.
In a few moments, the elven warriors were ready to travel, and at Thalion's signal, left the clearing where they had camped. Legolas grabbed his pack and fastened his knife, as he observed the first elves moving swiftly behind the captain. He gripped the hold on his bow, feeling the smooth surface under his fingers. On the edges of the weapon he saw the elvish runes that stated his name and lineage. Many times he had used his Mirkwood carved bow, at his home or in the battle-field, and his hands handled it with ease and precision. He counted his arrows and replaced them inside the quiver, glanced around at the now deserted glade and followed Linnathon, who had already started the march behind his comrades.
'Let us hope' -he thought, as he placed the bow carefully on his back,-'Let us hope the need will not arise to draw out this bow again... not until my friends are safely home.'
Author's notes: Well, here is chapter 1. What do you think about it? Please, feel free to review with your comments, thoughts, any ideas, anything! ;)