Chapter 1

Legolas leaned out between the branches of the large tree he was currently perched in to see what was making so much racket. What he saw made a smile form across his lips. For there, some ways off in the distance yet but clearly identifiable to his sharp eyes, was his friend Gimli, son of Gloin.

As usual, his stout dwarven friend was clomping through the underbrush, with not a care in the world for what might be hearing his approach. Also, something that had unfortunately become habit as well, the dwarf was swearing heavily in his native tongue. Legolas of course did not know the exact words he was uttering, but understood enough to know that it was not pleasant.

Legolas waited until Gimli had gotten within ten feet before making a move. And then it was with a silent rush, and Gimli felt nothing more than a gust of wind behind him. Gimli whirled around, his axe always at the ready, as he felt the danger at his back.

His shout caught in his throat as he felt a hand lock onto the handle of his axe and prevent him from bringing it down in a mighty blow. For Legolas also knew of his friend's other habits.

"You would not feel the need to strike out blindly if you simply kept you wits about you and was aware of your surroundings."

Gimli scowled and jerked his axe out of the tall elf's single-handed grip. "And decent people do not sneak up from behind their friends."

Legolas arched an eyebrow. "Sneak? I do no such thing."

Gimli grunted. "Say what you will. I am here on business. Though perhaps I should seek the true lord of these woods, for he certainly would not be wasting his time milling about in trees."

"If you wish to see Faramir I shall take you to him. You need an escort either way, the woods of Ithilien are too dangerous for those who do not heed their surroundings."

Gimli bristled under the small berating, as Legolas knew he would. "The only thing I need protecting from is your careless tongue. I come on a matter of serious import and you waste our time with jokes."

Legolas' mirth vanished from his eyes as he sensed the sincerity behind Gimli's words. "Is Aragorn well?" he asked quickly.

"Well enough now," Gimli answered. Legolas saw his friend's demeanor change before his eyes, and the dwarf suddenly looked tired. "There was an attempt on his life," Gimli finished.

Legolas' eyes widened briefly, which for the elf translated into astonishment. "When, how, who did it? And why was I not informed of?"

Gimli eyed the elf with impatience. "Am I not telling you now? It happened two nights ago. You would have known sooner if you were not so difficult to track."

Legolas felt slight shame at this. He had decided to take a few days off and escape to the far trees of the woods. Faramir had given full consent of course, for even though Legolas never showed any fatigue, the elf seemed to work constantly with patrolling and taking lead of many restoration projects.

"As for the how and who, that remains a mystery," Gimli continued. "There are suspicions of course, but Aragorn has asked for his closest friends to help as he is having trust issues at the moment."

"Of course," Legolas said. "You know I would come for any reason if he were to ask me."

"I know," Gimli said. "Which is why I volunteered myself to find you. I knew nobody else would be able to."

Legolas stopped for a moment, the hunting look that had come into his eyes as soon as Gimli had mentioned his purpose dimming. "And how did you find me?"

Gimli puffed out his chest a little. "I knew that you would choose a secluded area. Plus this is the where the greenest trees are."

Legolas let out a short laugh. "I see my habits have become too easy to trace. Perhaps I will have to change them less an assassin come after me." The word assassin reminded Legolas of Gimli's purpose and his eyes became sharp again. "Let us go now."

Gimli nodded and followed as the elf turned and began to walk quickly through the trees. "Where are we going?" Gimli asked when it became apparent that the elf was walking in the opposite direction of where they should have been headed.

"I need some of my things from Ithilien. Then we will move onto the city of Gondor. I assume messengers have already been sent to Faramir?"

"Aye," Gimli nodded, "he is merely waiting on word from you."

"Then we shall take the short-cut," Legolas said and immediately cut off from the small path they had been on. He stepped into what seemed like to Gimli the thickest part of the wood. He peered at it with disdain before stepping forward.

"Are you sure this will take less time?"

Legolas' fair head was already disappearing from his view. "It would not be a short-cut then, would it?" he called back.

Gimli growled and stepped forward. "If he wants to cut himself up on the branches and roots of all his friendly trees that is his matter, not mine."

"I can still hear you."

Gimli looked up. He could no longer even see Legolas and was unsure of which way to go. "Getting me lost will not help Aragorn any."

Legolas suddenly appeared at his side. "You are right," he said.

Gimli contributed his mithril-like nerves that he did not even flinch.

"So stay close, this way is faster, I promise," Legolas continued.

Gimli merely nodded.

Legolas proved to be right and they were back in the main part of Ithilien before nightfall. As Gimli had said, Faramir had indeed been waiting on Legolas' arrival. No sooner had the elf been spotted than Faramir came rushing down the steps towards him.

"I assume you will be leaving at once," he said in lieu of greeting.

Legolas nodded.

"I have been deciding what to do myself. For now I believe I should stay here, in case anything should happen in Ithilien. We do not know if this was an individual attack on Aragorn or whether it is the beginning of an affront on all the people of Gondor. And I know with you and Gimli by his side, it would take a fool to try anything against Aragorn."

"The biggest fool," Gimli said, thumbing the blade of his newly sharpened axe.

Faramir smiled, "As I know it. However, if anything more happens, I will come out at once to Gondor."

Legolas nodded again. "We will keep you informed of all updates."

"Good, I will be sending out runners every day." Faramir turned and looked back up the steps from where he had come from. Eowyn now stood there, and she had a distressed look on her face.

"For the sake of the people," Faramir continued, his eyes not leaving his wife, "we believe it would be best for now to stay here. I would not want any reason for panic."

"Aragorn will be safe," Gimli interjected. "I left him with ten guards personally assigned to him, despite his objections. I overruled him of course, telling him that they would all leave him be once me and Legolas were back."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Faramir had to smile at the mental image of the shorter being ordering about a stately king.

Legolas was unaffected by the image, he had seen it far too many times for it to be funny anymore anyway. "I shall pack some things, and then we will be off," he said. Not waiting for any particular answer, he walked past Faramir and disappeared into the newly constructed stone building.

It was not long before he was back outside, his Lorien bow and a full quiver strapped to his back along with his usual twin daggers and the long knife that was ever present at his hip. He had also slung a bed roll and a skin of water over his shoulder. He did not expect it to take them too long to reach the White City, but one should always be prepared.

"Do you want the stablemen to prepare you horses?" Faramir asked.

Gimli quickly spoke up. "We do not need those troublesome beasts."

"We would reach Gondor quicker with those troublesome beasts," Legolas said.

"Not the way they treat me," Gimli answered. "Dwarf and horse will never get along."

"And here I thought Eomer had changed him," Faramir said.

"We will be fine on our own two feet," Gimli said.

Legolas nodded. "We will not waste time arguing. We should go."

The pair turned and Faramir watched them walk away. An odder pair Middle-earth had never seen, but when they were together, it seemed it truly would take a fool to try to cross them.

"Aragorn will be safe with them," a voice said from behind him.

Faramir turned to see his wife now standing right behind him.

"I know, yet I feel in my heart that this is not something that will be resolved easily. Aragorn has only been the crowned king of Gondor for not even a year yet. I was wrong to assume that all would get along as soon as Sauron was removed. Gondor still has enemies."

"And Gondor still has friends. Aragorn and the peoples of Middle-earth have not come through fire only to be destroyed by a petty flame."

"I know it," Faramir said, "yet I am still uneasy."

"If you do not feel better in a few days we will ride out as well," Eowyn promised. "But once Aragorn's friends are at his side you will feel much better."

Faramir nodded, and turning, they both made their way back inside.