Chapter 38: Keeping Busy
The council the next morning went by well enough. Most of the men snuck glances at Legolas, despite the fact that each one of them had seen the King's son before, whether in the marketplace of Lake-Town or in a council like this one. The elves came down from time to time for councils or for simply trading in the market place for items they could not produce in their home. They were always held in awe, and sometimes mistrust, for their natural beauty left them all dazed.
Legolas sighed inwardly. They had just finished discussing how the men trespassed into the woods.
"My people can not spend the time keeping track of men who go astray in the woods. The men's eyesight's are impenetrable to the darkness and they are very likely to fall into a spider's web or run into a band of orcs." Legolas had argued reasonably. His mind had flashed to where he had tracked a lone man wandering into the forest, apparently to the elvenking's stronghold.
The men had argued that they couldn't watch their people to make sure that they stayed clear of the forest until it was necessary to enter it. There were too many men and not enough guards and they were already struggling with inflicting punishments of the many crimes men had committed. Silently Legolas agreed with them.
Eventually, as the sun slipped past midday, they came to the undesirable conclusion that they would impose warnings to all their people of wandering into the forest and the elves would not be held accountable for any of the men's doings. It was undesirable, Legolas felt like it was a poor decision and he could just imagine what his father would say to him about it.
They parted for lunch and Legolas joined his guards and the twins, who did not accompany him into the council room. They ate the meal the maids brought up for them and made plans to wander the markets before departing, a thing the twins were most eager to do.
The afternoon meeting dealt with the damage of the berries that made the Dorwinion wine from the weather. Because of this the prices had gone up considerably. But for Thranduil that was not a problem. The best wine was Dorwnion and the wood-elves dearly loved it. The actual problem was that fewer and fewer crates of bottles were being sent to them.
Legolas managed to maintain the Elvenking's usual shipment of the wine, although the prices would be higher. Some of the men had argued that they would not have enough of the wine for their own stores, but the soon ceased when it became obvious to them how important the business Thranduil made with them.
The council ended in the evening and Legolas had retired to his room for an hour to write his father a report on what transpired. The two guards that had accompanied the twins and Legolas would depart the next morning for the stronghold while Legolas and his friends browsed among the stalls of the marketplace before heading to the southern patrol.
"Back so soon?" a fair voice teased from above just before a body nimbly landed on the ground in front of the horse.
Giselle drew back her hood and climbed off her horse. "Haldir! It's always good to see your face first thing inside the wood."
Haldir chuckled and patted her back. "What's this?" He asked, taking her hand and bringing it to eye level. "You've gotten yourself betrothed! To the prince I expect. Congratulations little one!" Hadir said as he hugged her tightly.
"Thank you. I expect to see your face at the wedding."
"It will be there," Haldir released her from the hug. "Along with the rest of me."
"You're getting cheekier every time I see you."
Haldir winked at her before stepping in front of Gandalf and bowing his head. "It is good to see you once more Mithrandir."
"I can say the same to you, March warden."
"And who is this?" He asked eyeing the cloaked figure by Gandalf.
A hand snaked up and lowered the hood to reveal an old woman. "This is Clara…. Giselle's mother." Gandalf hesitated.
Haldir snuck a glance at Giselle and noticed that she occupied herself with her horse. It did not take much to conclude that a rift was between mother and daughter.
His thoughts stilled as a voice entered his head and he turned back to Gandalf. "The lady of the wood has permitted her admittance. Come, I will show you to the city."
They walked in comfortable silence. Giselle walked in the front with Haldir while Gandalf and Clara walked behind them, and the guards at the rear. At a path that split in two Giselle left the group to journey to the Mayvelle's house. As she approached the mallorn tree she saw Dalion sitting under it gutting a fish. He looked up when he heard her and broke into a wide grin.
"Giselle! You've returned, wonderful!" He made as to embrace her but Giselle stepped out of his reach, laughing.
"I'm sorry, Dalion, but as much as I want to hug you too, I don't want to be covered in fish guts."
He looked at his hands and chuckled. "Why don't you go up and when I'm finished and cleaned up we'll pick up where we left off."
"Deal." Giselle said, as she began to climb.
Dalion settled down again on his stool and Giselle finished her climb up the slender silver ladder. When Giselle walked through the door into the living room she was greeted by Mayvelle at her loom and a crib besides her. Mayvelle looked up when she saw the door open and smiled widely when she saw who it was.
"My friend, you have returned!" The two embraced. Mayvelle frowned slightly. "Has something happened?"
Giselle shook her head, understanding what her friend was talking about. "Well not in the way you are thinking…" she held up her hand with the ring on it and Mayvelle took a few moments to stare before she squealed in delight and hugged Giselle again. "By the Valar, you are getting married! I am happy for you Giselle!" she said as she reluctantly ended the hug and walked to the crib where her squeals had wakened Turgon.
He was no longer the three month old baby and it showed. "Its amazing how fast they grow." Giselle remarked idly, watching mother and son.
Mayvelle quieted Turgon and as he fell asleep again, Mayvelle said. "Soon you will be holding your own child in your arms." Giselle smiled. In truth that was exactly what Giselle had been thinking.
"I cannot wait to see Legolas again. How will I survive these months?"
"Don't worry, I'll keep you busy."
"Send two scouts to patrol the area." Legolas ordered his lieutenant. The lieutenant bowed his head and swiftly picked two warriors and told them their assignment.
Legolas and the twins had arrived in the southern patrol a week before in a most favorable time. At that time, the patrol was busy fending off a rather large group of orcs. All of the arrows had been spent, forcing the elves to retreat from the trees and perform hand-to-hand battle. They were outnumbered and the advantage was lost now that their bows were useless. Picking up on the sounds of battle, the twins and Legolas had swiftly climbed up a tree and surrounded the battle sight. Soon arrows were flying from the trees hitting and killing the orcs, causing confusion which gave the patrol elves the upper hand again to defeat the enemy.
Thankfully no elves had been lost and there had only been one seriously wounded from the battle, but he was transported back to the stronghold for treatment.
Skirmishes were frequent in the south, and the elves were engaged in them every other day. But new recruits came every other week, replacing those who were injured, and dispirited by the ongoing onslaught. And with the fresh batch of soldiers, came mail from family and friends.
As the scouts left and camp life began to pick up Legolas turned over to the reports that were needed to inform Thranduil on the happenings. As he finished the reports and sealed them in an envelope with wax he could clearly hear the twins on their turn as cooks. The patrol had quickly realized the twin's knack for pranks and they were especially wary this day as it was the twin's day to cook for the patrol. Who knew what they would do with their food? Everyone seemed to be watching them, either bluntly or secretly.
The twins, however, were making such a racket that it was hard not to stare. Legolas shook his head. He knew that the twins were capable of the simple task of lighting the fire, but you wouldn't know it by the way they went about.
First Elladan (purposely) got wet branches and tried lighting a fire. Then Elrohir, using dried wood this time, made a fire, but it was a single tiny flame, which he placed gently under the cooking pot. He had then turned to a member of the patrol who was watching him, saying "It might take a while." He then proceeded to vigilantly keep watch over the tiny flame.
By now the twins had managed to gather an abundance of dried wood and were able to start a cheery fire, but the commotion now was that Elladan had hunted down a black squirrel and was roasting it on a spit over the fire. The problem was that although the black squirrels were not poisonous they had an undesirable stench when you tried cooking them and tasted extremely bitter.
"…I thought we could enjoy some fresh meat." Elladan was explaining to a few of the elves. Legolas shook his head and hid a grin. He knew the twins knew what a black squirrel was, he had told them himself on their first visit here, and they were jesting. But he also knew if the twins kept it up, the hungry soldiers would be in a rather sour mood.
Thankfully Elladan disposed of the meat and their proper meal was cooked and delivered in record time.
The scouts returned and reported back to Legolas that there were no signs of the enemy. Legolas nodded and released them so they could eat. Even thought the scouts had found no orcs in the area, that could change quickly, and he was prepared with three guards stationed around the camp on watch.
Elrohir handed Legolas a plate and sat down next to him. He looked at the silver band that adorned Legolas' finger and shook his head. "I still can't believe you are going to get married."
Legolas chuckled and replied, "Is that so?"
"I wouldn't say it otherwise."
"Now Elrohir, no need to snap."
"Sorry," the twin replied meekly, for he did indeed snap unintentionally.
"I believe you need a sweet." Legolas jested lightly, saying without words that he was not angered by Elrohir's mood swing.
"Oh, I wouldn't want to be spoiled." They laughed lightly at this and ate in silence for a while. "Doesn't it bother you? Not to see the stars and the sky?"
Legolas replied thoughtfully. "I miss their presence, but this is my home. The tree's offer comfort as the open sky does."
"I've always wanted to be able to communicate with trees." Elrohir remarked.
"We don't communicate; we are just able to sense emotions. Danger- happiness- wariness. The trees are great spies."
"Well then, I can't 'sense' these emotions you speak of."
"Of course not," Legolas scoffed, standing up. "You're not a wood elf." The prince disposed of his empty plate by the dishwashers and tried hiding a smile. Although Elrohir-and Elladan- wouldn't admit it, being in the south of Mirkwood, in total darkness, and to feel the constant threat of shadow and evil was beginning to wear on them. Not to say that the wood elves didn't feel the same strain. That was the reason why new soldiers arrived every other week.
Giselle sighed and rolled onto her back to look out the window. It was well pass midnight, but Giselle couldn't get any sleep. She kept thinking of her mother. Where was she? Was she staying in a talan near Gandalf? Was she allowed to stay here? She knew she had to clear the air, so to speak, with her mother. But it was just so frustrating. She wondered if she would ever forgive her mother. Sighing again she looked at the ring on her finger and couldn't help but smile. Legolas. She was going to marry the elf she loved and she couldn't be more ecstatic. It was an unkind tradition, she thought, to keep the bride and groom apart for at least a year, and when they see each other again it would be at their wedding.
"Mrs. Legolas Greenleaf…" she mused out loud. And then she giggled.
A/N sorry for the long delay, again. My play rehearsals had gotten hectic. For example I come home from school, have enough time to eat, do as much homework as I can before I have to rush to rehearsals and then when it was over I was so tired I went to bed. Going on the computer at all on a week day was unheard of for these past weeks for me, and writing even a sentence of this story was put in the back of my mind. But now that the play is over I can once again devote my time to this story. Again, sorry for the delay guys!