4. Spiders
She made her way through the stairs to Aldúnil's quarters. Unfortunately her guard ended up in confrontation with some spiders, but no casualties were presented. However she needed to take a bath before looking after him, after all she could not go around there with black blood on her face. Yes, that was the reason.
She turned left but froze to what she saw. The blond maiden of lady Sinnié was coming out of the room. She was badly dressed and sneaky, especially because it was early morning. Her hair was a mess. It was pretty evident what happened, after all Aldúnil had created fame for himself.
Tauriel sighed and a fire inside her burned. She was worried and he was apparently very fine. What disrespect to lady Sinnié and to her that also took care of him. Her chest stung and she made her way to the room and opened the door roughly.
"You! Excuse of an elf. You had us worried but, apparently, you are very fine" she said to him whose expression was that of a child caught on the act and being reprehended by his mother.
"Good morning" he covered himself, as he was still naked.
"oh, nobody minds about your body, get up" she said.
"Fine, fine…" he said leaving the bed naked to put on clothes.
"Fine, what?"
"Fine, sir" he paused. "Am I not ill to do my duties?"
"At the very least you will do guard for the time being as apparently you can move just fine" she said accusingly. However Aldúnil stopped dressing and pointed at her while half closing his eyes.
"And how would you know that?" he asked. The ginger elf seemed even more upset but she could not find an answer for a minute.
"that is not of your concern" she finally said.
"Did you spied on me?"
"What? Of course not you ignorant orc!" she replied offended.
"Then you must be experienced on these matters to know what happened in my chambers…" he said as he put a short sleeve shirt on him. She was unable to answer again. "oh you are! Who was it? Kili? Or Legolas before? Was his father Thranduil? Both of them?!"
"Be quiet, one more of those and I will put you through an equal punishment as the last" her fair white skin had some small traces of red now; something that he had only seen on a few elves, especially during long combats or training, "I want you in the barracks in ten minutes, or at the very least I will have you whipped."
"Yes, sir!" he said with a big smile on his face. The ginger elf groaned in fury and walked out of the place.
Next to the throne room, Sinnié was waiting for her brother since Fariel had already showed up to service. Although she disliked her brother's lust, she permitted Fariel to get some rest. Besides she wanted to know every corner of Mirkwood if possible. This was her first time in a long time that she left Lothlorien or even eons since she left her aunt Galadriel's wing. A broad sense of adventure was taking over the elf, but her brother was nowhere to be seen, so she hooked to the adventure feeling and searched for him. Until the dim voice of her brother reached her, saying: why did it had to be push-ups? Vaguely and faintly, with a funny expression in his face, she assumed. She walked towards the barracks, where a platoon of soldiers were carrying out very heavy training regimes, in a wide room surrounded by trees that made an arch above them, letting just the right sunrays through. At the end of the corridor, she saw Tauriel siting on a bench and counting in elvish, with her feet on her brother's back, while he did push-ups soaked in sweat and with a red face.
With complete indignation, she walked right in between the soldiers training, forcing them to stop and bow to her in respect. All Thranduil's soldiers looked at her wondering why a high born lady would be in their barracks. Tauriel raised her sight and saw the very upset elf walking towards her.
"May I speak with Aldúnil, Captain Tauriel?" Sinnié asked with a severe look. However Tauriel did not move from her position.
"What for? He needs to keep training. If I allow him to rest more than he should he will become slow, and therefore we would not need him anymore, that is why he is here, right now" Aldúnil was buffing in exhaustion and stopped his movement for a second. "Why do you stop?"
"I finished" he answered tired.
"Give me fifty more and you are finished… with the push-ups."
"The matters I must speak with him are none of your concern Captain" the lady said. "I will give him back to you for his training when I finish my business with him, besides… if you over exhaust him, he will not be of use as well."
Tauriel then remembered that just a day ago he had been in bed after being punished in one of the most severe ways, so, she removed her feet from the commander's back and helped him stand up, then ordered him clean himself. Aldúnil obeyed and smiled to his sister before leaving.
"How long have you known Commander Aldúnil, Lady Sinnié?"
"A very long time… He is very close to my heart" Sinnié answered, without thinking on what she just said. Tauriel walked towards her, looking now downwards, for some reason she felt embarrassed, "but I could assume he never spoke about me."
"No he did not, my lady… I suppose his life has ever been a mystery to me."
"It has, even for me, the only clearness I have is that he has very few dear things, and he will never break an oath even if that means that he must give up on his life" Sinnié smiled to Tauriel, which seemed less embarrassed than moments ago, they both laughed.
"He is rather unusual for an elf, is he not?"
"Indeed…" she looked at the ginger she-elf. "I know it must had been hard for you to perform de Dosta en-restlas, I never thought it would turn out so brutal. You are very brave" Sinnié smiled.
Tauriel remained quiet for a second, looking down in deep thought.
Until that moment, nobody had mentioned that except barely the king. She was caught off guard since she felt Sinnié might not be quite convinced of what she was saying and she would not blame her. She would not be convinced herself. She still struggled with what she did and why she did it. Maybe it was out of fear more than respect but thinking on what he said during the punishment, thinking that she was better doing this rather than someone without empathy and seeing it as a routine. Sometimes she would think he was being condescending in that moment, but she knew better than that. Nevertheless, her conscience was haunting her and would do it for a while, maybe it was the price someone had to be burdened with in order for him not dying. Maybe it was unavoidable.
"Thank you" that was all she could afford to say at that moment.
Sinnié saw something that sparked a bit of curiosity in her; given more time she may have read her well enough to know something maybe the ginger elf herself did not know but Aldúnil appeared back again.
Tauriel was called by another soldier and she warned the elf to be back soon for his day was not even close to be over. When Sinnié asked why she was pushing him, he smiled.
"She is just a hard boss."
Sinnié knew her brother well enough to know that was not all of it. However, she also knew it was nothing important. Probably his brother being the buffoon he usually was. Aldúnil walked his sister towards the main garden of the castle.
In Lasgalen the winter was inexistent, and no snow should ever drop, allowing this perpetual spring to endure through the ages. At least two acres of land were surrounded with tall trees, marking the terrain for the garden. As you made yourself inside, rarer and darker the flowers and plants turned, making a beautiful yet gothic palate of colors with beautiful plants and such a peaceful environment. In this moment she understood why King Thranduil could be so protective of what they had there, of that way of life. He had the world he needed in his kingdom. It was filled with exotic and celestial flowers, which glowed with a mystic aura, illuminated by the sun rays that were coming down through the tree branches, with a perpetual green, fruit trees in bloom and unique trees with branches filled with braids of different color flowers. Sinnié smiled like a little girl when her eyes saw the sight.
"I knew you would like this place" Aldúnil said, sitting on a marble bench bellow a white flower tree, "I like it too, but I am no big fan of flowers."
"Muindor, it is dazzling!" without further notice, Sinnié threw herself towards her brother's arms. She didn't care if someone saw them; she had the right to hug her own brother. After a long night and a horrid sight of him being tortured and punished, all that she wanted was to hold him in her arms and cry. And so she did, "Never do that again!" the elf looked at Sinnié surprised, but answered back to her hug, triggering in the she-elf some tears. Although they were elves, between them, their signs of affection were very human, that particular aspect had ingrained deep within their nature.
"Please, Sinnié, stop crying" Aldúnil whispered to her, caressing her hair in consolation, "I am alright now… You are making my wounds hurt but I am alive."
"Sorry…" she retired from her brother's arms and sat beside him, looking towards the sky, covered in a golden-green aura, "long has passed the last time we hugged. I wish not to ever need to hug you for the reasons I did this time Aldúnil… Please think at least that you have a sister that will mourn your death right after cursing you for being this foolish."
"You know that even if I thought of you mourning me, I will do whatever I feel and know in my heart that is right… but you have all the rights to curse me if you want, though little effect your words would have on a corpse" he said with a smile.
Sinnié punched him in the arm, making him bend it in pain, laughing for making his sister angry
"I have missed you."
"So have I… even accompanied by Galadriel and Celeborn, I often felt alone. I think that was the main reason she let me come here, besides saving you."
"Tell me that it did not involve Thranduil and you fooling around" he made a funny disgust face ending this sentence.
"Of course not! I can; unlike you, control the desires of the flesh" but before the elf could answer wittingly, one of the soldiers of the barracks; a brown-haired green-eyed elf, came running into the garden, saluting them.
"What is it?" asked Aldúnil, standing up saluting the soldier with a fist in his chest and a slow bow.
"Pardon me commander, but you are required by Captain Tauriel, she says is urgent" Aldúnil left his seat and before leaving he kissed his sister's hands, and assured her that she could venture into the garden as much as she wanted.
When they were at the entrance of the barracks, Aldúnil stopped his friend and asked:
"Lairion what happened? You seem worried."
"Some men found more spiders, closer than the last time, their nests have increased in number, and Captain Tauriel wants us to accompany her to clean the area" he said after running his fingers to comb backwards his long hair.
"Very well, let me arm myself and well part" Aldúnil ran towards the armory while Tauriel, Lairion and a third soldier walked towards the entrance of the castle.
Meanwhile Sinnié paced around Thranduil's garden, breathing the warm perpetual spring air that flowed all around her. After making sure no one was picking, she took of her shoes and let herself feel the grass beneath her feet. A pleasant rush of life ran through her spine with each step. The trees and flowers whispered to her, some of them sang, some of them recited poetry, all in a harmonious chorus of life being celebrated at each waking moment. A transparent butterfly flew around her as she walked towards a darker corner of the garden, where purple roses of different tones were growing next to a pond at the level of the ground where water lilies floated in harmony surrounded by a couple of fireflies. She sat by the pond, playing with the water with the tip of her fingers, watching the waves create and dance all over, making her hum some melodies about fairies that built castles made out of water lilies.
Suddenly she saw herself 6500 younger, in a quiet village, playing in the same way with the water in the town's well with one hand, while watched her brother play with other town kids with wooden swords by the corner of her eye, dodging the people that walked around. She never joined them for much she liked, her books always casted a spell on her as soon as she opened, making her finish them before doing anything else.
A smile decorated her face, remembering the good times in their quiet human village while the hours passed by, until one of her guards cleared his throat trying not to startle her, and get her attention.
"Pardon the interruption milady, a message for you" he said extending Sinnié a white envelope with a wax golden leaf.
"Thank you." She opened the letter intrigued. Her eyes moved quicker and quicker as she read the message within the letter. She then placed the letter inside the envelope and stood up with determination. "I need an audience with King Thranduil" the guard saluted her, and made his way towards Thranduil's chambers.
Something then troubled her, and all the peace she felt in the garden faded away as a dark shadow covered her and everything surrounding her with her gift of sight. Slowly, with a slimy sensation to the touch, yet nothing was happening around her. Sinnié tried to shake off the feeling of being covered in tar to deliver very important information to king Thranduil, although she wasn't sure about how was he going to react after he listen to her words.
"You requested an audience with me, Lady Sinnié" Thranduil's voice echoed in the room, while he stepped down from the left wing stair.
"King Thranduil" Sinnié bowed.
"In what can I help you with, Lady Sinnié?" he walked towards his throne but did not sat on it.
"My lord, a message was sent to me by Lady Galadriel, the content on this message warns us about a growing darkness each time nearer Mirkwood, and considering the events in the lonely mountain and Dol Guldur we shan't ignore her warnings" Sinnié replied. Thranduil arched one brow and looked at the she-elf.
"It appears that your time spent with Lady Galadriel has taught you well" he said, walking towards her. Sinnié felt as if her stomach had turned upside down as the king got closer and closer.
"If Mirkwood falls, the enemy will have a perfect hiding place, and you would be the first one to fall into their trap by letting it happen" the eyes of the she-elf glowed.
"I do not think you are the one with whom I need to discuss tactical affairs" Thranduil said calmly, "I understand the graveness of the matter, especially when someone as important and wise as Galadriel would bother to send such warning… She does nothing without careful though."
"Lady Galadriel will have an army ready from the West, she asks for your force to strike from the North. We meet in Dol Guldur in one week."
"I lost nearly a fifth of our force in Erebor, I don't have enough men to send to a siege."
"Every man will be of value in this matter, my King; I believe she's fully aware of your loss, yet you need to make this sacrifice for the sake of all our kin." Sinnié said. "These lands will be consumed by darkness along with its people if you refuse to meet them head on and root them off once and for all."
Thranduil was about to answer when was promptly interrupted by loud and fast paces going up the stairs.
"Take him to the healers, quick!" a female voice said in elvish.
From the stairs, Aldúnil arrive rushing, jumping two stairs at a time. With black blood stained clothes and hands, a bleeding wound in his shoulder and a cut in his cheek.
"Aldúnil!" Sinnié walked towards his brother worried, but he looked at her, warning her to stay away not to arise suspicion so she had to swallow her instinctive reactions.
Tauriel was second, it had been her voice giving orders. She was in the same dirty condition as the male elf, she had a bleeding scrape on her forehead.
"What is the meaning of this, Tauriel?" Thranduil was worried.
"Hirin vuin" She respectfully saluted "Spiders!"
"My lord, Thranduil." Aldúnil added "We chased a group of spiders south and we killed them all in their nest, but…"
"As soon as we were coming back hundreds of them jumped on us, we barely made it out alive. When we looked back they were regrouping south but they stopped the chase. Some orcs were spotted along the way too. My king, I think they are coming from Dol Guldur."
The king sat on the throne, worried and looking at the void in front of him.
"This is precisely what Lady Galadriel warned me about, we need to face our enemy at once, we wouldn't be alone on the battlefield for she's also moving her armies, yet we cannot risk civilian lives" Sinnié replied, facing her brother, tightening the letter in her hands.
"I think she is right, my king" Tauriel added.
"What you saw, Tauriel… was it really that troublesome?" He asked in doubt and the red-haired elf nodded. "Very well…" Thranduil looked at her and took a deep breath. "I do not relish on the thought of sending more elven lives to die… however, I'd like to know your opinions on this subject."
"My king!" Aldúnil answered with determination. Thranduil looked at him and seemed worried that the elf would challenge him yet again, even after his punishment, but then the elf lowered his voice, took a closed fist to his heart and kneeled in front of the king. "We are sworn to die for or people at our king's order and none of us shall think twice if you order us to go."
Thranduil's breathing calmed down and in his eyes some gratitude was drawn quickly substituted by confidence. He was the elf that had it worst from him, Aldúnil had endured a punishment beyond any other, ordered by him, yet he was there reassuring him his army would follow, including him. He felt lucky to have such an outstanding soldier, he was loyal beyond any judgment and he doubted if he deserved that but he also knew it was the right thing to do.
"Capitan Tauriel," he called while everyone was thrilled in expectation "assemble the army!"
Tauriel bowed and headed out along with Aldúnil who looked at his sister with a comforting smile. Even when Sinnié knew and wanted Thranduil to act, she knew this meant Aldúnil being in the front lines of battle yet again and that was something that worried her.
"Thank you, king Thranduil" she said and he smirked.
"You maybe old, but you are eager, I can tell you have not seen darkness such as this." He said and Sinnié silence just confirmed his suspicions. "I hope your aunt is not wrong on this call and that you and your kin are as wise as her…" He kept walking, and finished his sentence without looking at her. "Because we are running head on towards darkness as there is few on this world."
He then disappeared, leaving Sinnié thinking about what was ahead of them. Somehow she felt that she needed to show as much bravery as everyone right then, she was insisting in a war she had not taught taking part of and after what Thranduil said to her she felt as a youngling talking of what she did not understand, even if in her heart she trusted Lady Galadriel to the death and she knew she was right.
The night was long for everyone, the next day they would be slowly marching to an uncertain fate. They knew this was the right thing to do, however they also were aware that it was dangerous, perhaps too dangerous to go and meet an unknown enemy head on and it was more comfortable staying there, defending the terrain they called home, until one they the enemy was too much to handle, then…
Tauriel was one of the main ones thinking about that, somehow she was afraid of going. It was natural, few soldiers would say they are not afraid to go to battle and play dice with their lives but fear was overcome by courage and duty, that's what they were there for. However this time the fear was different, the could all feel it, as if invisible fingers of death were tangling on them, ready to take them. An unknown fear that did not lay dormant anymore. An ancient fear. She would think of possibilities, a middle ground to staying there or going to war but there was no viable answer that she could think of.
Laying on her bed, looking through the cracks on the walls, outside and towards the sky and stars. She could not avoid thinking of Kili. It was not less painful than before, but she was stronger. However, losing someone so dear to her in the heat of a battle like she had never seen before had taken a toll on her. She was heading to something similar and she was afraid of losing more. Maybe Thranduil was hard on her but, in a way, he was family. He was the only thing she knew beside Legolas from her childhood. He took care of her and even some times gave her counsel. Legolas would not be there but she had another person that kept appearing in her mind, she would shake that thoughts off repeatedly without avail, she finally started thinking why he would be in her mind so much but fell asleep before she could even come up with an answer.
Before the first light ten thousand elves of various parts of Mirkwood were waking up to get ready for war. They went down to the armory and barracks to get their equipment ready. Swords sharpened, shields mended and armors on. Officers shouted orders here and there, preparing their soldiers for what would come.
Aldúnil was walking to his room to get ready and his sister intercepted her.
"Muindor! I will come with you."
"Out of the question, no."
"I know I have to be part of this, I cannot just stand by and…"
"I said no."
"You are not a boss of mine! I will be coming with you." She said angrily and determined.
Aldúnil took a deep breath and grabbed her sister to then take her upstairs and trough some halls quickly until they arrived to an open balcony that was hig above the barrack grounds.
"I may not command you but I do have all those lives in my hands, I do command them and I will not have you fighting alongside of them for a whim" he pointed at several soldiers formed up and dressed in golden armors, ready for war.
Sinnié was going to reply something but an order was shouted to the soldiers on the ground and each of them moved in perfect harmony to give a ninety degree turn and then start marching at the exact same time as if they were one body and one mind.
"You have no idea of what war is, you cannot fight and you will not let me concentrate as I should because I will need to protect you. Sinnié, this is not an adventure where a couple of orcs might jump on us from which I can protect you, this will be a battle in which a lose end in that working army can be the end of us all." He explained.
Sinnié looked down, disappointed and his brother grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Please, do not let us say farewell under this circumstances. I promise you that in my return I will train you is that good?" he proposed.
"Muindor…" She looked at him and forced a smile on her tearing face.
She had no idea what his brother was heading to, she had just opened her eyes to something she had ignored. She may have read a lot in her years, devoured book after book but those were only subject to her own imagination. She believed she knew what war was about because she read about it, but only know she understood it was more complicated and darker than that.
She hugged her brother strong as a way to wish him good journey. No common tongue or elvish was spoken, only that what the heart could understand better, their own affection.
She helped him jump in his armor faster and finally smiled after looking at his always-ranger-looking brother in such a fine uniform. His was gold but embedded with some different features in comparison to that of his subordinates or superiors, the main difference was on the helmet he picked up and put between his elbows and ribs. The two crests on upper part traveled to the sides instead of going to the back.
He sister looked at him with tears in her eyes; they hugged again and stayed as long as they could in their brotherly embrace until it was finally the time for him to head out. He smiled one last time and left in haste as his sister looked at him go, knowing the risks and feeling great impotence.
Aldúnil went down to the barracks and made sure with his officers everything was going well to then report to the army captain and the guard captain last one being Tauriel.
At exactly the first light, the doors of the mountain opened and the horns sounded. The army started marching out in orderly fashion and thin lines. The rangers divided and ran through the forest and climbed trees to serve as scouts. From the gate tower Aldúnil watched as the army advanced below him. Behind him Tauriel arrived, dressed in her silver personalized armor too. They looked at each other and he smiled at her with nervousness, she knew he was afraid too, she knew she could feel that darkness too but little did they know why he and Sinnié felt it stronger.
A call from blood.
