A Tale Only Whispered

Sentences in italics are thoughts.

Behind every great fortune there is a crime.

- Balzac

Chapter 10- Of Visions and Journeys

While Anborn and his brother kept up their friendly banter, Faramir sneaked away to meet his father.

One year later in Imladris

Denethor had slapped him so hard that his cheek had stung. As he raised his hand again Faramir ducked. Enraged, Denethor had grabbed his neck smashed it against the wall, then left him.

Tylendal now felt the same pain again in his head, the same white-hot pain but with something different. To his surprise instead of the red and white spots, he saw…a battle.

To his amazement he saw the twins, Elladan and Elrohir in the midst of the battle. Tylendal could only watch, horrified, as an Orc struck Elrohir on the head while Elladan cried out in horror and tried to get to his brother.

Then, to his utter amazement Arwen turned to him, (how did she get here?), and asked him, "Are you alright?"

Tylendal blinked to clear out the red and white spots in his vision. Arwen was looking at him strangely and asked again, "Are you alright, Tylendal?"

The twins were walking arm in arm towards him, all quarrels apparently resolved and forgotten. Tylendal smiled and lied flawlessly, "I'm alright, just a slight headache. I read too much."

"Well, Tylendal, ready for another game? And I promise not to underestimate you," Elrohir promised.

"Very well," he readily agreed.

Tylendal took his place once more, Elrohir smiled at him and Tylendal smiled back, a true smile.

"This is getting most ridiculous."

"I agree."

"We have to do something."

"I agree."

"Are you patronizing me, Erestor?

"I could never even dream to conceive such a thought to Glorfindel the Balrog slayer."

"Will you two stop? Its annoying me," said Elrond in annoyance.

"But it's unnatural, its not possible," insisted Glorifindol.

"Glorfindel, it does happen once in a while that the population of Orcs decreases and there is no reason to get suspicious," placated Erestor.

"But you have to admit, this sudden decrease of Orcs is strange at the very least," pointed out Lindir.

"Look," said Elrond bluntly, "the facts are that our scouts say that they have had very few sightings of Orcs anywhere near Imladris. The rangers also agree with them. Even though we increased the patrol and so did the rangers, we have no proof that the Orcs are setting a trap. We also do not have an inkling whether or not they have been called by the Dark Lord for some other heinous purpose."

"But don't you think-" started Glorfindel, but then stopped, "You're probably right. Things are getting so tame that I may be thinking things up."

"Now that has been resolved," said Elrond with relief, (he was getting very tired and irritated of Glorfindel and Erestor arguing, though he did not show it) "Legolas has been expressing a desire to go back to his father and his home."

"So soon?" asked Lindir with concern, "Is he properly healed to attempt such a long and dangerous journey?"

"He insists that he is," said Elrond, "and it would be useless to convince him otherwise for he is as stubborn as his father, King Thranduil of Mirkwood, besides my sons insist on accompanying him as protection. They reason that he would fall into some or the other trouble on the way home."

"Legolas does not fall into trouble if one of your sons is not with him," pointed out Erestor, "Aragorn especially. When Legolas and Aragorn are together they attract so much trouble that it seems that as though they are wearing a giant invisible sign that says, 'We are looking for trouble so please try to kill us'."

The others laughed heartily at this mental picture. It was true that Legolas and Estel attracted too much unnatural trouble. But it no more than Elladan and Elrohir attracted.

It was a favourite joke of the occupants of Imladris that whenever the four of them got together, three of them at the very least would end up in the healer's care. The only thing that kept any one of them from taking a permanent holiday to the halls of Mandos was their unwavering loyalty to each other and their conviction that they themselves would die before letting any of the other three die.

"In any case, Thranduil is also most insistent that he have his son back with him in a few weeks. He says it has been too long since he and Mirkwood have seen their Prince," said Elrond.

"Very well," sighed Glorfindel, "when does he want to go?"

"In his very own words, as soon as possible," replied Erestor and frowned, "and of course Elladan, Elrohir and Estel want to accompany him."

"Now that we're settled about that, we might divert our attention to these fresh reports that Celeborn and Galadriel have sent from Lorien. They say-"

In the meantime, while the council was going on late into the night, Tylendal was thinking about his day.

He realized that he didn't feel so bored now. Elrohir of course had won the second chess game. Elrohir had even offered to teach him the more complex moves and tactics.

But the problem was the strange vision. Tylendal frowned and tried to remember the details but could not. He went to sleep and tried to forget it.