Chapter Ten – Messenger
Aragorn woke up as the sun broke over the hills. He sat up, only to find a small sheet of paper fall off his chest. He picked it up and read it.
Aragorn,
By the time you read this, I will be very far away. I must go to Imladris to inform Elrond that the forces of Sauron are coming. If you can, try and bring enough strength to wipe out this army. Sauron will only get stronger over time, and so if there is going to be an ultimatum, then it would work in our favour if it was sooner rather than later. Also, I'm sorry for what I said last night. I didn't mean it. You are hardly selfish, and I know that what I said wasn't true. Please forgive me.
S
Aragorn eyed the letter, and then looked around. Gimli, Théoden and Éomer were still asleep, Gandalf was... not there... and he had no desire to talk to the guards. The only person who was conscious and in the vicinity was, of all people, Pippin.
"You're up early."
Pippin glanced at him with distain. "And you're as polite as always."
"I was only commenting that you're up before Gimli. That's not exactly hard."
"Once again, you have proven that you are so full of wit that a... that a... err..."
"Would you like a couple of minutes to think about the rest of that insult?"
"Yes please."
"All right then. Well, this was given to me by Saladrion last night." He handed the letter to Pippin. "It's a letter," he pointed out helpfully.
Pippin took a minute to read it. "Well, if Saladrion has gone to Rivendell, then he probably won't be back for a while..."
"No, really?" Aragorn's voice was sarcastic.
"But maybe it's for the best. He might have left so as to try to save us."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Aragorn walked away, and once he was far enough away, Pippin pulled a note out of his pocket, the writing identical to that on Aragorn's note.
You can't tell anyone. Not even Merry.
Demetreos reached the border of Rivendell as the sun began to set that night. Legolas marvelled once again at her speed, and started towards the Last Homely House. He only got a few steps however, when a familiar voice spoke to him. The harshness in it, however, was not familiar.
"Drop your weapons!" yelled the voice.
Legolas unsheathed the knives from his back, before dropping it onto the floor. It was then joined by his quiver.
"All right, Glorfindel, you can come out now. I mean you no harm!" Legolas called into the forest.
Glorfindel dropped from the nearest tree and walked towards the weapons lying on the ground.
"Standard bow and arrows used by the Galadhrim," he said to Legolas, as if he didn't know the quality of his own weapons. "Now these," Glorfindel picked up the knives, "are far less standard. Very finely made, even for elven knives, embossed with the coat of arms of Mirkwood. This kind of weapon is only used by Mirkwood's royalty. They're also laced with a poison strong enough to bring down a balrog. That is very strange." Glorfindel tossed the knives onto the pile of weapons that lay at Demetreos' feet. "Who are you, and how did you learn my name merely from listening to my voice?"
"We've met before."
"When? The only person who I know who would have this kind of weaponry is dead. His knives, very like this, were taken back to his father as proof of his death. Now who are you?"
"You can call me Saladrion."
"Oh yes, orcish for Dead Man, that's very believable. Let us try something else." Glorfindel fitted an arrow into his bow. "Take off that mask or I will shoot you."
"All right, all right!" Legolas pulled down the mask reluctantly. Glorfindel's jaw dropped.
"Legolas?" he said disbelievingly. "But I thought... Sauron captured and killed you... hang on... what?"
Legolas rolled his eyes and pulled his mask back up, glancing around warily for anybody else who might have seen him.
"Take me to Elrond," he said calmly to Glorfindel, "and I will tell you everything."
-:-
"So Lothlórien has fallen?" Elrond asked incredulously once Legolas had finished telling his story. They stood in a small room, its only occupants being Elrond, Legolas and Glorfindel. Legolas had finally agreed to take down his mask, and felt much better for it. The fabric may have been soft, but it did get quite irritating having something around his mouth all the time.
"Yes, Lothlórien has fallen. And they are coming for Imladris next. If you can, make preparations to defend yourselves. I have asked Elessar to try to get Rohan's armies to come to your aid, but I cannot make any promises."
"Very well. How long do you think we have until Sauron's armies arrive?"
"I do not know, not having seen the pace at which they march. But I think they will try to go by the Gap of Rohan, which will give you a week, maybe ten days."
"Glorfindel, can you see to it that all the women and children get out of Rivendell safely?"
"I can try, but I doubt that many will want to go. They will not wish to leave their homes."
"Tell them that it's a matter of life or death."
"Ok."
Glorfindel left, and as he opened the door, he was confronted by the twins, Elladan and Elrohir.
"Do you want something?" Glorfindel asked.
"We wanted to see our father," replied Elrohir calmly. "We wish to tell him that-"
"LEGOLAS!" Elladan yelled, sighting the Prince of Mirkwood through the door. Glorfindel tried vainly to stop the twins from running into the room. Elladan reached him first and pulled him into a tight embrace, which Legolas half-heartedly returned.
"I thought you were dead!" he said excitedly. "I was there when your father was told of your death."
"I wasn't," said Elrohir, "but I'm told that his ire was terrible to behold."
"Oh, terrible doesn't even begin to cover it!" said Elladan. Legolas looked desperately at Elrond, and the pair of them rolled their eyes simultaneously, resigning themselves to hear Elladan's tale. "Sauron's messenger came right up to the palace, and one of the guards showed him in. He tossed your two knives onto the floor in front of the throne, and said: 'With complements of my master.'
"'How did you come by these?' your father said. He was as shocked as us all.
"'Oh, your son gave them to us. Or at least, he did in death.'
"At that, your father got up, and faced the messenger. 'You're a lying wretch!" he screamed.
"'Hardly!' laughed the messenger. I've never heard a laugh so cold. It froze all those who heard it right to the bone. 'The knives speak for themselves. Oh, how he cried in death, begging for mercy!'
"We all knew he was lying then. Your father was furious! I've never seen anybody who possesses the same ability to get quite as angry as your father, and that was your father's ire completely unleashed. I do not wish to see that again.
"'Do I at least get a body?' he yelled. "Do I at least get to see my son again? Do I get to lay my son to rest?"
"The messenger laughed again. 'I'll let you work that out. Although if we're feeling nice, we might send you his head!'
"Your father lost all sense of restraint in that moment. Without a word, he pulled out a knife and stabbed the messenger again and again until the foul creature's blood soaked his hands, the floor and the knife. He asked for the body to be removed, picked up your knives and left. That was the last time I saw him before departing Mirkwood."
"When did you depart?" asked Legolas innocently.
"That evening."
Glorfindel suddenly returned.
"Ah, Glorfindel," said Elrohir. "You just missed Elladan's tale of how Thranduil reacted to Legolas'... err... death."
"I wish I had," muttered Legolas in an undertone. This earnt him a painful stamp on the toe by the younger of the twins, who mocked rage to one of his best friends, not counting family.
"Most of the women and children," said Glorfindel, who looked relieved that he had missed Elladan's spiel, "as I predicted, did not wish to leave. However, given some gentle persuasion, they have started making preparations to leave. Where, though, shall they make for?"
"Mirkwood," said Legolas unflinchingly. "My father will accommodate them, and it is easier to defend Mirkwood than Imladris."
Glorfindel glanced at Elrond, who nodded in confirmation. Glorfindel then bowed respectfully and left.
"There's something else that you should know." Legolas' face was grave. "Arwen was in Lothlórien when it fell. She, too, has perished."
Elrond's face fell at these words. He felt then a shadow of what Thranduil had felt after being told that his son was dead. However, it had been worse for Thranduil, as Legolas was his only child and heir, and Elrond had long ago accepted that Arwen would perish. The abruptness of her death, however, still hurt him greatly, and it was only by the support of Elrohir that Elrond stayed upright.
"I take my leave," muttered Legolas quietly, and left the room, carefully avoiding anyone's eyes.
As he shut the door behind him, he lingered for a moment in time to hear Elrond sob. Legolas pulled up his mask again and left Rivendell reluctantly.