Chapter 37~ Hammer and Anvil
A/N: Character refresh (even I lose track of them all! XD)
Galion—secretary/butler
Feren—captain of the Royal Guard
Haldaner—General and father to Helgilion (elfling)
Nestael— Haldaner's wife
Filendis— Royal master healer and father to Estella and Fararth (elflings)
Helmeren— Filendis' wife
Dorthion— an ellon soldier with, erm, a soft spot for Tauriel :P
Alagbara— influential elleth of a settlement demolished by Ausocitin
Nimmîr— an ellon from Alagbara's settlement who is supportive of Thranduil
Minaitir— orphaned elfling, son of the late treacherous general, Gindorelle
Aldaner— master healer Filendis' assistant and Feren's mother
Denisale— the late reconciliatory captain who had become treacherous under the influence of Greenwood's Darkened Ring. He was murdered by two captured Edain
The others' identity are refreshed in the chapter :)
oOo
Galion massaged his brow and Feren blew air out of his cheeks. Legolas was perched on the edge of the cot beside them, arms still raised in expectancy from his... speech. Prodding speech perhaps it should be called; the source of the elder two ellyn's headaches.
Estel stood by his friend, nodding fervently to punctuate each statement. Of course, he was deemed too young to have much say, but he sure could be a fiery little thing when he wanted. A fact solely blamed on his Noldorin upbringing.
General Haldaner and Master Healer Filendis were sprawled on barrels or crates of the sort the Edain had dragged in to accommodate them all. Helmeren, Filendis' wife, had gone to town to make use of a kindly family's kitchen and make up some bread.
"Well?" Legolas said, his voice a bit louder than it usually was from riling himself up so.
"Legolas saes," Galion groaned.
"With all due respect, ernil nin, we cannot possibly ask these folk to come to a fight that is not theirs. It is folly," Haldaner said in a pleading, almost apologetic tone. He did not yet fully understand the close relationship between the prince and Feren and Galion and nearly winced each time pleasantries were dropped. Legolas did not seen to notice, though.
"But we may not have to fight! We transport our party over to the siege line, Lord Elrond will see and bring out the remainder of the armed warriors out, and the Edain—seeing as they are going to be crushed between hammer and anvil— will flee! No more blood will be shed!" Legolas finally brought his arms down and rubbed at his side. He had given everyone quite a scare with that one. It was rather odd; spiders didn't usually stick their whole stinger into the victim, but usually only enough to pump the venom through. They were getting more vicious.
"How can you be sure that the Edain are going to flee so easily?" Feren asked almost heatedly. Barely pausing, he answered his own question with an exclamation. "That's correct, tithen ernil, you can't!"
Legolas folded his arms crossly and sank down to the edge of the bed near Estel.
"They're mercenaries. They came for the gold not the fight," Legolas reasoned, "and don't call me that."
"Legolas, there are other places on the opposite side of the country that have compiled wealth such as this. And not all of them came just because they were payed to do so. They have their own reasons against Thranduil and they refuse to see anything else," Galion said, not heeding Haldaner's scrunched grimace as the drop of titles.
"But surely we must try something," Estel intervened. "We cannot just let things continue on like this. We cannot leave my father in there to be scorned by a bunch of shifty-eyed Silvans, I mean—"
Estel quickly broke off, realizing from the glares that he was receiving that his jest was not being taken in good humor as it would with other... Noldor. In Imladris. Estel supposed it was fair, though. Silvans sneered at Noldor so why should he be left out of the great game just because he took the opposite side.
He gave everyone a wide, patronizing smile with just enough sheepishness to mask his triumph.
"You're going to have to learn better than that if you do not wish to have another arrest warranted for you, dear adan," Legolas jested wearily.
Estel lifted his chin and smiled wider. "It's against my upbringing."
Feren rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Just the Noldor thing to say."
Hildor, one of the Edain that had first helped take care of the young prince, chose that moment to enter the tent.
"How do we fair, my lords?" Hildor drawled with a lopsided grin. Strange as they were, he had come to enjoy the elves' presence. Even if the healer one kept giving him nasty glares when Hildor found himself staring at his elven wife. It wasn't his fault, though. Pretty thing she was, and she actually glowed for heaven's sake. Hard not to stare at the little looker when she shone like a beacon.
"I wish to request a counsel," Leolas declared in the most authoritative voice he could muster.
Feren turned his eyes upward as if questioning the heavens. This little sprite had far too many of his father's qualities than was canny. Galion shared his exasperation and gave Feren a glance that usually meant they would probably drain a wine bottle that night. Unfortunately, there was none of the glorious Dorwinion around and they feared they would have to drink the whole town dry to compensate.
"Legolas no—"
The fiery little thing turned steady eyes on the captain. By the stars. He's far too used to getting his way, the little spitfire.
"With all due respect, Captain, I remain your superior in this situation, and holding a counsel will not endanger me in any shape or form, meaning I have full authority here," Legolas relayed with a spark in his eye that reminded the two so much of Thranduil. Wouldn't the old man be proud to see his son take after him so.
Feren wanted to protest but knew that the prince was right. Blast the day Oropher decided to be King!
Hildor watched the exchange in bemusement. It was great fun watching the sharp eyed, elegant creatures ruffle their feathers at each other.
"Hildor, the counsel please," Legolas said, completely ignoring the interesting shade of red his 'personal captain's' face was turning.
"Of course, uh, her neen," the adan attempted with a low bow and jovial flash of his teeth. Hildor departed with a whoosh of air, leaving the tent's inhabitants to their own devices.
"What do you wish a counsel for, ernil nin?" Haldaner asked quizzically.
A bright smile bloomed across the young ellon's lips. "It's time to negotiate."
oOo
"Order please!"
The din the auditorium quieted at the request, yet whispers still floated from ear to ear with their own opinionated remarks. The young elven prince was not exactly popular with the folk in this area after thwarting them a pretty penny.
A very pretty penny.
Feren lingered at Legolas' flank as he stood on the pedestal, waiting for the bustle and murmurs to die down before... well actually Feren didn't quite know what the Sinda was doing; hence the scowl painted firmly on his face. He didn't agree with... whatever the prince was doing, but wasn't about to let himself wallow in his disagreement and let his charge be attacked by the mob, should it come to the worst.
He had already failed in his duty to protect the King, and wasn't going to chance any further harm to the remaining member of the royal family...
The very thought of it hurt. He knew Thranduil had gone out of the stronghold by his own stubborn will, and had Feren not been Feren, he would have easily thrown the blame off his own shoulders and onto Thranduil's. He knew he had every right to, and yet he did not.
He wished—
"I will keep this simple," Legolas said, interrupting Feren's muse. "We have come to negotiate; armed warriors for an established trade with the elven realm of Greenwood."
Murmurs smeared the silence throughout the room, some approving, some wary. Feren exchanged a skeptical glance with Galion behind the prince's back.
Narvi, a dwarven member of the counsel who had not been very pleased at Legolas' claim of the wealth, made an inquiry, "What is the purpose of the need of these warriors...?"
Legolas turned his fervently shining eyes to Narvi. "Well you see; the Greenwood is in need of an ally..."
oOo
Haldaner and Filendis promptly stood upon the entrance of the other three ellyn. Estel quickly translated the broad smile on Legolas' face to success.
Galion plopped down on the cot and blew air out of his cheeks.
"Well?" Filendis prompted.
"They agreed to come to our aid in exchange for regular trade with our realm," said Feren, still looking rather lost in disbelief that the whole thing had worked in the end.
"What exactly does this town have to offer in terms of trade...?" Haldaner asked skeptically.
At this, Legolas smiled even wider and threw his arm around Estel's shoulders jovially. "Leather, forged armor, raw steel..."
Filendis frowned and looked toward Galion, a question on his lips, "Do we have use for forged armor? That is only for battle on open ground, and we do not have much open ground to fight in to have use for such weighty protection."
Galion shook his head and gave a half-shrug.
Legolas rolled his eyes upward as if pleading with the Valar. "I got us a sizable party, so I do not see what the problem is."
"When do we move out?" Haldaner asked with the jerk of his head as someone burst through the flap of the tent.
"Elbereth! As soon as I heard, I came as swiftly as possible...!" Helmeren exclaimed in a rush of breath, searching the room.
"We dispatch within the hour," Legolas said.
Everyone stood silently for a few beats, trying to process the information.
"Well!" Helmeren said with a clap of her hands, "We best be getting on then!"
Estel grinned broadly and pat his friend on the back, who responded with a smile of his own. The pending reunion brought warmth to all their hearts.
oOo
Estel squinted through the trees for perhaps the millionth time that night and wished with all his heart that he had the sight of the Eldar. Even if he did, though, the trees were spaced far too closely together to see very far, making the large party's trek through the wood a difficult one. He had to stifle a smile at the distant curses in Khazdûl that followed the harsh rattle of clanking armor. He would never understand dwarves and their silly tendency to carry as much metal with them as possible wherever they went.
He was practically bouncing in anticipation to see his adar and brothers. However much he wished to deny it, he was getting rather homesick. He had enough adventures to last him a year!
...but only a year.
He gave Legolas a side glance; he had been quietly plodding along the familiar path, struggling to remain stoic. Estel knew that however cold he may think Thranduil, he was still Legolas' father, and he could imagine that the ellon was very eager to see him, or at least assure himself of his Lord's safety.
Their relationship was a complicated one and Estel tried not to dwell on it too long. He immediately began planning what juicy details he could amend to the spider story to get back at the twins for making him believe that all spiders were the size of Ungoliant herself. He shook his head ruefully, a fond smile playing out on his lips.
"Is there something you find amusing, adan?"
Estel snapped out of his reverie and grinned up at the ellon, reaching out without a second thought and yanking one of his braids.
He snickered at the affronted look Legolas gave him and couldn't help but laugh. "Now there is!"
His mirth immediately extinguished when the elf did not respond in kind or offer a return jibe. The Sinda bit his lip and studied the toe of his boots as he trudged on, a crease in his brow.
Estel—being used to the elves' unusual mannerisms— drew an arm across the young elf's shoulders. He had already guessed what what bothering his friend.
"Is it your adar?"
Legolas did not look up and his brow twisted further.
"I have not seen him since the incident at the camp where Jaseric—"
Estel let him gather his thoughts and waited patiently for him to continue.
"I—I do not even know who survived; if Tauriel is alright, how things are at the stronghold. What if my father never made it to safety, or if he was injured and the Edain got their hands on him—? Estel, how do I know that we are not walking into a trap!? Many things may have happened; what if the stronghold is already overrun, and what if everyone is already dead and—"
"Valar, Legolas, bite your tongue!" He paused and lowered his voice when the ellon flinched and looked sharply at him with uncertainty. "We cannot know these things, like it or not. Sometimes all we can do is keep moving and hope for the best," he said, finalizing the statement with a nod of his head.
Legolas relaxed a bit and absently reached out to touch the trunk of a tree, recoiling as his face contorted into a grimace. The shadowed trees were not exactly welcoming. He looked toward Estel and smiled at the pure sincerity shining in his eyes.
A laugh bubbled from the Sinda's mouth.
"'Is there something you find amusing, edhel?'" Estel mimicked, relief rushing through him at the sight of a grassy knoll up ahead.
"I'm afraid that was not entirely poetic, mellon nin. Perhaps you should leave those kind of, erm, reassurances up to your—ai!"
Estel laughed loudly at the scowl on Legolas' face after jerking on his braid again. He was suddenly cut off as the Sinda barreled into him with his shoulder, sending him flying into a bramble thicket that nearly sent him careening off the hill.
The jesting immediately came to a stand-still at the flash of steel. Estel let out a yelp as the unmistakable prick of the edge of a blade was pressed to his throat.
In front of him, Legolas was wide-eyed and frozen, staring at him and his captor uncomprehendingly.
Heart pounding, Estel dared shift under the grip of his assailant and snuck a look at his face.
It took a moment to process just what was happening.
"Elladan!"
"Estel? Valar, you frightened me half to death!" The blade fell away and Estel spun to tackle his brothers into an embrace.
Feren promptly shook his head and relaxed, exchanging a relieved glance with Legolas and sheathing his sword. He had shot over to his charge's side at the slightest sound of distress.
"Hail! Tis friend not foe! Hail!" Elrohir called gleefully. Elves emerged from the undergrowth and dropped out of trees.
Estel was soon smothered in his father's embrace as they laughed out of sheer relief.
Feren darted about, delivering instructions to their odd party of Edain and Naugrim.
Galion shared a wry smile with Lord Elrond, who still clung to his youngest son, then went off into the crowd.
oOo
Nestael could hardly believe her eyes. Her pounding heart had dropped into her stomach as soon as she had caught a glimpse of him, unconsciously clutching her daughter's hand tighter. Before she knew it, he had swept her off his feet and she suddenly felt safe.
General Haldaner bent to scoop his daughter into his arms and press a joyful kiss to her cheek. Nestael peered around him into the surge behind.
"Haldaner?"
"Yes, meleth nin?"
"Where's 'Gili?"
Haldaner's eyes bulged. "I—I thought he was with you..."
Nestael buried her face into his chest as she was overcome with sobs.
The little elleth in the general's arms began softly stroking her naneth's hair as tears began to collect in her own eyes at the sight of her ada's despairing face.
Filendis and Helmeren approached the distressed couple in their own search for their two little elflings.
"Your son?" Filendis asked
"Gone. We know nothing of his whereabouts."
Helmeren's face fell and even then she clasped the fellow elleth's shoulder.
"Wherever they are, let us hope they have found each other," Helmeren said, more of a prayer sent upward than a comforting thought.
"Elbereth protect them," Haldaner murmured.
oOo
Feren strode up to Lord Elrond once everyone was settled.
"You have evacuated the stronghold." It was not a question. He had the smallest hint of scorn in his voice.
Elrond nodded stoically and Estel fidgeted uncomfortably at the sudden tension and slid off his lap to go banter with the twins.
"I had a vision. We were in danger there."
Galion ambled over, still searching the crowd.
"Where is Thranduil?"
Elrond froze and Feren's heart dropped.
The Noldo swallowed slowly as horror began to dawn on their faces. "He is not here," the Noldo said slowly, "The last we saw of him was before he stormed out of the stronghold..."
Feren could take it no longer. Worry had taken hold of him and now that the possibility that the Sinda had made it to the stronghold was extinguished.
"Valar, no," the captain whispered and buried his face into Galion's shoulder. Galion's countenance became drawn and he absently stroked Feren's hair.
"Elrohir! Tolo, saes."
The young elf ambled over, a smile still on his face and mirth on his breath from reuniting with their clumsy little brother.
"Elrohir, when you and Elladan were in the human camps, did you hear anything of Thranduil? Did the Edain speak of him?"
The young Noldo surveyed the sullen faces before him and understanding dawned on him and his mouth pursed in concern.
"I can assure you that nothing was said of the king while were there."
Galion gave him a measured look that said 'you have some explaining to do, penneth'.
"Eru save him."
oOo
Legolas was lost in the crowd of rushing elves. He watched familiar faces fling each other into embraces, all smiling. Laughs rippled throughout the area and the sea of voices was heartening.
But not for him. A tight knot had weaved itself into the ellon's gut as he stood with tense giddiness. Half of him was eager to search through the crowd for his father, and the other half whispered a chorus of 'what ifs' in his mind.
So he stood, indecisive, in the middle of the crowd. No one approached him. No one sent him a fleeting glance. Suddenly he felt very small and insignificant.
He eyed a nearby tree with branches stooped down low enough to prevent much strain to his side if he were to take shelter in it. The Sinda had been about to steel himself into curling up in its boughs and pretending he was invisible when Tauriel hesitantly approached him.
"Legolas? Legolas, is that you?"
The knot in his stomach tightened and he felt the sudden urge to flee from it all. He found not the energy to even fake a smile.
Tauriel stopped in front of him and gave him a soft smile before gently giving him a one-sided embrace. Her face reappeared, concerned.
Dorthion hung back, politely inclining his head at the prince. Legolas gave him a timid nod of acknowledgement in return, more out of habit than anything else. He found himself absently rubbing his side as he struggled for words.
"What is the matter, mellon nin?"
Legolas could not look up at her.
"He is not here?"
It came out as more of a question than anything else. Not a full truth, but not a complete lie either.
They both knew who he was talking about.
She wet her lips and studied his face, brow creased.
"No."
He looked back up to the melee swarming around them; happy faces and joyful tears going around as if they were contagious. He rubbed at his side again.
"Talk to me, Legolas."
He remained silent, head down, before fiercely embracing the elleth, unable to express the storm of emotions coursing through him at the moment.
Not a tear fell, but he felt better.
Dorthion wished he imagined the small twinge of jealously in his heart and balled his fist as the prince flung his arms around Tauriel, his eyes hollow.
She gave Dorthion a reassuring and very knowing smile over the Sinda's shoulder and pulled away, striding over to the commander's side without a word and a troubled look in her eye.
He looks so lost...
oOo
"Ada! Ada, the second party is closing in!" Elladan's frantic voice rang out and the activity stopped at once.
"What—?!" Feren began, alarmed.
Elrond looked uncharacteristically anxious. "I may have failed to tell you of the armed party advancing from the west..."
Taking a deep breath, Feren plunged into the crowd, making his way to the top of the knoll without even a spare sentence.
"Halt! Who goes there? Are you friend or foe?" Feren called out in the most authoritative voice he could muster.
The slinking group of figures came to a simultaneous stop in obedience to his request. The lead stranger threw off... her? cowl and stepped forward, a cascade of long brown silky waves falling down her back.
"A friend. We have come to the aid of our kin," the elleth's strong voice rang out for all to hear. The elves behind her slithered out of the shadows and revealed themselves.
Galion could have hugged the elleth. Elrond nearly crumpled in relief.
A shriek erupted from the crowd, tiny flashes of color shooting into the arms of Helmeren and Filendis.
"Ada nana!"
"Estella! Fararth! Oh, Eru be praised!"
The children were promptly swept up into their parent's arms, another joyous reunion.
Helgilion followed soon after and Nestael fell to her knees to hold her baby close. Helgilion flashed his sister a wide smile before burying his face in his ada's chest.
"'Gili!"
"I'm alright, nana, I really am!"
"Don't ever do that again, penneth. Ever."
The two happy families were content to smother their children with love.
Estel watched them under lax eyelids, smiling contentedly like a purring cat as he leaned into Elrond's side. Everyone was together. Except for Legolas...
Estel cast a glance around the sea of faces and found the familiar head of gold hanging sullenly at the back of the reunions, his eyes empty and grey. Estel pursed his lips in concern but turned back to the trees as the tail end of the new force of elves arrived.
An ellon holding the hand of a chestnut-haired elfling filed inconspicuously out of the darkness. The elfling lifted his chin as if looking for someone. His eyes either skittered over the other elflings' complete families, or avoided them altogether. He seemed uncomfortable with the general idea of family and even gave Estel—who was still bunched under his adar's arm— a queer look that appeared as something between grief and curiosity.
The elfling froze in his search, eyes singling out one person from the crowd. He let go of the ellon's hand and determinedly made his way to said targeted person.
His attention turned away from the elfling when the lead elleth approached them.
"Lord Elrond!" she stated with a streak of surprise, instantly recognizing him from the wisened grey eyes and the young human leaning into his side.
"Yes," he said simply, turning his head to watch the elfling.
Minaitir stopped in front of a willowy ellon with wispy golden hair and striking blue eyes he would recognize anywhere. Thranduil's son for sure. He looked almost... hollow, and it saddened Minaitir to see him so.
Minaitir looked up at the prince, who only blinked down at him in a puzzled manner. The Sinda was surely taken aback when the elfling flung his arms around his waist and kept his large brown eyes trained on his.
"Will you be my brother?"
Legolas froze and blanched, eyes wide as he looked up at Lord Elrond who gave the lead elleth an alarmed glance, searching for an explanation.
Alagbara smiled thinly, though it was genuine. "King Thranduil dropped into our settlement and explained the situation here," she delivered a quirk if her mouth that could've been called a half-smile, "we decided to heed his words and came to aid."
Galion closed his eyes and breathed out slowly.
"When? Where is he now? Is he injured?" Feren bubbled, not at all ashamed by his barrage of questions and the fact that they somewhat crumpled his composure.
Alagbara lifted her brows, mentally noting this observation; this was someone close to the king.
"Not a week ago. He did not appear to be physically injured though he looked... drained. He arrived quite unexpectedly with four elflings hanging off his arms." At this, her mouth quirked again as if remembering something amusing, but any smile looked misplaced on her brooding countenance.
"Where is he now?" Galion repeated.
"I do not know exactly. He headed north, following his troublemaking rogue advisor. I see that everything is settled here and would like to trail him immediately. Can a horse be spared?"
Feren lifted his brows at the mention of Ausocitin. So the sniveling coward had shown his face after all.
After explaining the situation of their settlement and how Ausocitin had been trying to ruin Thranduil's reputation by demolishing it, was she informed that all the stress in the stronghold had been set loose. Shouldering her pack, she promptly set off for a horse and then to the king. Everyone was too stunned to offer going along, and before they knew it, she was gone.
A thought turned itself over in Elrond's mind. Alagbara had mentioned that the Greenwood's Ring has been Darkened. He could only remember the two clashing figures in his dream in relation to this.
Suddenly, the ground shook with an unseen force. Once, twice, and again, getting increasingly violent with each wave. Exclamations rippled through the throng and everyone crouched down low to avoid the ground being jerked out from under them.
A blast of thunder ripped through the sky, the horizon erupting into flame. Elrond whipped around, and sure enough, the stronghold was enveloped in fire. It surged and consumed and snapped the great oaken gates and walls of stone between its deathly tendrils.
Gasps flew around the crowd, Nestael coming to stand near Elrond, flanked by Healer Aldaner.
"The Edain," Aldaner whispered.
"Pardon?" Elrond said.
"The Edain you exiled for the murder of Denisale. Had they been kept in the dungeons, they would have burned."
Admiring and appreciative smiles were cast his way and he couldn't help but return them. He was becoming more accepted.
Aldaner abruptly whirled on Feren and poked his chest.
"You! May the Valar punish you for not coming to greet your own mother! Come now, or I will see to it that you skip supper and breakfast!"
Feren gave her a wry smile and fell into her arms as she enjoyed the feeling of her only son being close and out of harms way again.
The ellon who had been leading Minaitir approached the group.
"Hir nin, hiril nin," Nimmîr said in accompaniment to a pair of polite bows. "I am at a loss of what to tell the others; what shall be our next move?" He cast a disturbed glance to the burning stronghold.
Elrond smiled and turned to the mingling throng.
"The siege has been broken!" he proclaimed. The newcomers exchanged sighs of consolation. "We stand now together to finish this!"
Galion yanked on the Noldo's shoulder. "What are you doing?" he hissed. He was not angry, merely confused.
"Finalizing our victory!"
Feren had caught on.
"Yes! We will purge this land of traitors! Together!" he yelled with a broad smile. It was moments like this that made being a warrior all the worthwhile for him.
"TOGETHER!" the assembly roared.
They charged down the hill, shouting in victory and driving out any Edain who had not already fled when met with such a large amount of resistance.
They were free, but their home was destroyed. Their path was set to the East, where their other stronghold lay; the cave network. Now, they only lacked their king...
oOoOoOo
A/N: Wow! Almost to 200 reviews!! Thank you all so much for your support! It means the world to me :). I grieve that I am only able to offer this sad little overdue chapter in return ":3.
Consider that this is where all those Mirkwood elves got their steel armor from in BOFA xD. The explanation for the stronghold suddenly getting destroyed will come next chapter... ;)
Edhel... elf
Tolo...come
Naugrim... dwarves (literally, 'stunted people')