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Recap
"Anyway. Why aren't you sparing with Alice? I thought you were teaching her!"
Legolas laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. "I was, until Gildor and the twins threatened to take away my elfhood if I didn't stop pussyfooting around. Alice didn't object, and she receives better instruction from them then I could give her. My forte is in archery anyway, which is more long distance." Legolas looked rather sad at this, but Sam had perked up and glanced at the elder blonde elf with a speculative gleam in his eye.
"Would you teach me archery? I need to desperately find a way to defend myself, but I don't have the backbone to do the type of sword fighting that Alice does…" He didn't need to wait for an answer. The thrilled look in the back of Legolas' eyes was all the answer he needed.
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It was a week since Legolas had started teaching Sam archery, and whilst Sam was no expert yet, he was proficient, and had the potential to be excellent, for he had the natural eye that came to virtually all elves. Even though he was only half Elf… There had been signs of movement within Mordor. The steward of Gondor had reported drums and roars beyond the black gate, and the wraiths had been seen abroad… a bad sign in times of war; let alone peace. Although Imladris was ready; the elves were drawing in their allies, and the walls were fully operational, as well as the… other protections; that Imladris featured. Mirkwood upon hearing of the threat was fully prepared to send out their finest warriors at once to Imladris, but as Elrond pointed out, Mordor still thought that the elfling's were at Mirkwood… so it was likely that the first assault would be to Thranduil and his people. Now was not the time to leave Mirkwood forest bereft of its finest, especially as one of it's finest commanders and bowman; Legolas, was currently at Imladris anyway. But even in the darkest and most fearful of times, life must go on… and it was as such, that laughter was still heard, though it was spare and spread far and between; and the beauty that was Imladris was still to be extinguished, despite the adorations of armour, made by it's people…
It was as the first rays of the sun shone down on the halls of Imladris that the first alarm was sounded. Elrond, Legolas, Gildor, Glorfindel and the twins were checking the walls for the third time that morning when one of the watchmen noticed the unmistakable glint of the sun off of a metal breastplate. Within minutes the guard was awake and along the walls, wide awake and ready for battle. The great Elven city of Imladris steadied itself in the great quiet before the storm that was battle.
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'Ready?'
'As much as I'll ever be…' Alice turned back to her little brother who was sweating profusely with nervousness. She knew this wasn't his scene, and had decided to do everything in her power to make sure that he came out of this alive and in one peace. The two siblings had of course heard the call to arms along with the rest, but their orders were slightly different to the rest of the elves. You see Legolas refused to leave them alone, whilst there was even a small chance of them being in danger. But at the same time, he was one of their finest warriors and was needed on the front line. So the moment that the attack came, Alice and Sam were supposed to lock themselves in the very innermost heart of Imladris, out of harms way. On the assumption that, if the orc's got that far they were doomed anyway, and there was nothing else that could be done… Now, do you think that the rebellious Alice and intelligent Sam would follow these orders? Of course not! They weren't cowards! They did recognise the need for prudence though. So they nodded and said yes in the right places. But they had formed their own plans, knowing about this world as they did, they were far more prepared than the Elves thought that they were.
'You'll be fine. Just try and remember what Legolas taught you, and stay out of the close range fighting. Never forget. You are both Elf and Human. You have the best of both species, and you have me. Together we won't fall!' Alice unwittingly finished her speech in the stereotypical Hamlet 'to be, or not to be' position.
'You do realise that was very Mary Sue don't you?' Alice smacked her forehead with the back of her hand. She was about to launch into a tirade, when she noticed Sam's small smirk. It wasn't often that he caught her off guard like that. She must be off balance with the upcoming battle! That must be it… Her younger brother couldn't possibly have outwitted her! That was simply unacceptable and would require immediate punishment were it true…
'Never mind! You get the point…' The pair turned and snuck with all the stealth that their race befitted them to the outer wall where the battle was in progression, not without picking up a set of borrowed weapons though. They didn't think the twins would mind…
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The battle ground was awash with confusion and the two elflings went unnoticed. Whether this is a good or bad thing depends on who you are, your opinion on this subject and the knowledge of what was about to happen next. (Twilight's note – Which I have and you don't. Ha ha.) For example if you were a ring wraith who had specifically come to Imladris with the orders to capture or kill said elflings then this was a good thing. But if you were an Elf, a wizard named Gandalf, a rider of Rohan or a specific Ranger who would go on to shape the very nature of middle earth then this was a bad thing. (I hope as readers you are of the latter opinion of course. No one likes to be likened to a ring wraith. Or at least no one that's not incredibly stupid does. I mean come on, they are possessed with no mind of their own and live in perpetual torture… (Twilight looks embarrassed) but anyway! Back to the story!) Alice had come face to face with said wraith, as is Murphy's Law in such a situation (for those that don't know Murphy's Law is – if anything bad can happen, it will) and was fighting with all the experience she had gained in the short time she had been on Middle Earth. Unfortunately when faced with a practically immortal opponent who had thousands of years of experience, that didn't count for much. She was barely keeping alive, finding out the hard way that there was a reason why they were ordered to lock themselves in the very heart of Imladris out of harms way. Great. But it was too late to do anything about it now. The wraith knocked her borrowed sword out of her hand and was poised for the killing blow. Then, he suddenly paused, stood up; and backed off… Okay… Now she's confused… Alice got up and looked at where the wraith was staring in horror. She shuddered too on contemplation. Legolas and Eomer were standing side by side with the murderous look on their face that stated clear as day that you had better have a bloody good explanation for this, or you are about to die. Slowly. Painfully, and with no one to come to your funeral, because they will be lying in coffins beside you… Combine that with the fact that you actually could see the killing intent surging off of Legolas in waves was enough to make anyone pause for thought. Let alone a ring wraith who was scared out of his wits and was only here in the first place because his master threatened to hang his pink boxers outside of the top tower if he didn't… No wait. That was his brother… (Twilight's note – Just… don't ask… really, you don't wanna know (Shudders at the memory of asking Aurora about it))
Alice smirked and backed off. Sometimes having a protector really was beneficial, not that he got to fight anyway. Just as Legolas was about to launch at the petrified wraith a great brassy horn sounded at the edge of the tree line. Gandalf was mounted at the forefront of the army of Rohan who had been mustered and were ready to fight. The enemy took one look at the force that was over twice as large as them, due to the good work of the elves, not even including the skill level, turned tail and ran back to Mordor for their very lives. Legolas and Eomer turned on Alice with a look the preordained trouble and she gulped. Uh Oh…
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"At least you had the sense to leave Sam with the archers on the wall!" Legolas was nearing the end of his rant that had been rather impressive, awing even Elrond who had given the twins a fair few lectures in his time. Gandalf neared the group on assessment that the danger was over… for now. He had no idea how Legolas would respond to this next input.
"I'm sorry I couldn't get here earlier. When I heard the alert, I was at the base of Mount Doom with Boromir and I raced here as fast as I could. As a matter of fact I think Boromir and the men of Gondor will be rather disappointed that they missed the action. They're marching here as we speak, though they might catch a few on their desperate flight back to whence they came." Gandalf thought he'd smoothed that over quite nicely! Until Legolas picked up on that which Gandalf had hoped he wouldn't…
"Gandalf. Why were you at the foot of Mount Doom?" There was a very suspicious tone of voice in Legolas' tone. As if he already knew. Which on reflection he probably did of course…
"Well you must see Legolas that whilst they remain in this dimension Alice and Sam are in constant danger! You yourself have seen what has happened in the space of a couple of months!" Gandalf winced in preparation for the explosion that was about to take place. "I was collecting black stones so that we could send the elflings back to where they came from." There was a few seconds silence as Legolas assimilated what Gandalf had just said. The quiet before the storm… when suddenly,
"WHAT! ARE YOU INSANE! THEY ALMOST DIED TODAY, DO YOU HONESTLY THINK THAT I'LL LET THEM OUT OF MY SIGHT AFTER THIS! YOU…" Alice faded out the screaming Elf that, judging by the curious look from the guard on duty at the wall on the opposite side of Imladris was audible to every living member; and maybe even some dead ones…
"I KNOW LEGOLAS!" Gandalf's unusual raising of voice was enough to quiet the prince of Mirkwood long enough for him to get a word in edgeways. "I'm sending Alice with a necklace of smaller black stones which, whilst not powerful enough to send them back, is powerful enough to send out a distress signal to us." Gandalf held up said necklace to prove his point, it appeared to be a plain gold locket, but on closer inspection… yes. There were a few fine grains of the infamous black stone in the centre of the front face, which were incorporated into the design. Gandalf's tone of voice took on a gentler edge as he handed said necklace to Alice and looked at all the elves assembled. "They will be safer where they grew up…" Several elves snorted. "Oh alright. Where they have grown up so far… the battle that Imladris is still recovering from is a testament to that!"
Legolas walked over to the grey clad wizard and assumed the same air that he had when facing the wraith that caused Gandalf to shudder involuntary. "I'm allowing this because it is in their best interest at the moment. But if they should be harmed in any way then this world is not big enough to hide from me; and neither is theirs!" Gandalf at this point had assumed the same look that a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car makes just before it is about to be squashed… Alice made a mental note to only use the necklace in times of absolute emergency…
"We need to be getting back anyway…" Several sets of eyes turned onto Sam. "Don't get us wrong! We've loved being here! But our parents will be worried sick by now!" At this the Elves relaxed slightly. This they could understand. Gandalf made a mental note to call on Sam if he needed help talking himself out of a tight spot again…
"If you're sure, then it is goodbye for now…" Legolas said his final goodbyes as the pair activated the larger black stone that was only powerful enough for a one way trip. "But this is not the end…"
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True to his word this is not the end! Keep an eye out for the sequel 'Once Lost, Now Found'. Where the authorities find out about Alice and Sam, and once again they end up in Middle Earth, only this time in the time of the Fellowship of the Ring! (and no they are not becoming a part of the fellowship! ;p)