Raenor returned mere hours before dawn when the sky was still dark, the first wisps of grey swirling from the horizon. Charlotte had napped in Elrond's chair, with her feet on the end of Legolas's cot so she could be close if he needed her, but Legolas had slept straight through the evening, his sugar high long depleted. He was handling everything remarkably well, and she was still struggling to believe that he was as unaffected as he claimed.
When Raenor entered the tent, Maethor nudged Charlotte awake, and she placed a finger to her lips to warn Raenor not to wake her elfling and guided him toward the oak dining table.
"What have you found?" She whispered, eyeing Legolas.
"Unfortunately, it is ill news, my lady," Raenor said. "They're passing the mountains on the west side. At this point, they might already be rounding the western edge. They'll be between us and the caverns."
"An odd choice for them," a voice said from the entrance. Elrond swooped in, his expression serene once more, and Celebrían glided in behind him. A pink-cheeked Glorfindel followed and stationed himself against the backdrop of the tent where he could see his charge and the entrance.
Charlotte cocked her head as she caught sight of Elrond's wet hair. It dripped down his robes in dark streams, near twins to the rivers soaking Celebrían's gown from her own golden tresses. When she raised a brow at Celebrían, the elleth only twitched the corner of her lips and rested her fingers atop her husband's.
Haedirn studied the tabletop as if it had been carved with a map of the Greenwood and said, "I agree. Why? Going along the River Running on the east would bring them closer to the caverns and keep them near a source of water."
"And farther from Lórinand and Imladris," Charlotte muttered, picturing the Greenwood in her mind. "Thranduil wouldn't be able to call for aid with them blocking the western border. They don't know that we're camped here."
Haedirn frowned. He tapped his finger on the wood and said, "But there's still no way we can get our hosts into position between the orcs and the cavern. If we're lucky enough to get ahead of them, we'll be chased the whole way before we're forced to turn and fight wherever we stand. We might be able to pinch them between us, with Imladris and Lórinand herding them from the west while Eryn Galen crashes against them from the east. But Eryn Galen could be overrun in the orcs' desperation to escape two hosts at their back. With half of the guard missing with Thranduil…"
"We would be annihilated," Maethor finished.
Charlotte pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. Is this what it would come down to? Crushed between the orcs to the south and the missing orc army to the north?
"Is it too late to evacuate?" Celebrían asked.
Raenor shook his head sadly. "They might be able to flee, but Cúthon will never agree to it. He's convinced that the caverns are impenetrable and will attempt to outlast a siege, which is possible. Orcs are unintelligent and violent creatures; it wouldn't take long for them to turn on each other and slaughter their own. Besides: where would our people go?"
"Imladris would welcome them," Elrond argued.
"But they wouldn't be able to reach Imladris," Charlotte pointed out. "Not without traveling north toward the orc host in the mountains or south toward Aman Lanc. Going through the forest is out as well." She bit her lip. "And I doubt they would go anyway. This forest is their home, it's as much a part of them as their own fëar, and they've been running for over a century. They're tired of running."
Raenor smiled approvingly. "It is the oath of the Guard of Eryn Galen; we will protect this land until the age of the Firstborn ends and all of our people sail west to Valinor. You will find it impossible to sway us."
"Then we stay and fight," Maethor said. "The question is: how do we survive?"
"Our best chance will be to snap them between us." Haedirn's lips twisted with displeasure. "If Imladris and Lórinand can flank them…" He clenched his fist on the wood. "But many of our people will depart for Mandos."
Charlotte hoped it would be a long time before she ever heard his voice again. While not cruel or unkind, Mandos had a way of making her feel as if she were trapped forever in a chasm, alone and adrift, as if the universe had ceased to exist. She wouldn't forget her visit with him anytime soon, nor the relief when Nienna and Varda managed to free her.
Like one of those thousands of stars, an idea blossomed in her mind. She chewed her lip, trying to figure out the details. It could all go horribly wrong, but if it went right, they had a chance. It was absolutely crazy, though. Insane. "What if," she said hesitantly. "What if we add to that?"
Haedirn took one look at her and groaned. "No," he said. "I don't even know what you're planning, but there's that look again and no."
"You act like all my ideas are terrible," she scoffed.
"For your welfare, they are," Haedirn said, crossing his arms.
Maethor narrowed his eyes. "What are you thinking?"
She turned to Raenor, "I need another request. Do you think you could grab a few things from the caverns without Cúthon stopping you?"
Raenor eyed Maethor and Haedirn's stony expressions but grinned. "What would my lady wish of me?"
— O —
Once Celebrían and Elrond had retired, and the others had departed from the pavilion, Charlotte seized her chance.
"Lord Glorfindel?" She asked. "Could I trouble you for a moment?"
The golden-haired ellon eyed the fabric partition that blocked his view of the lord's quasi-bedchamber and then nodded, having decided that his charge was safe enough at the moment to indulge her. "How may I be of assistance, my lady?"
Charlotte bit her lip. Meeting Glorfindel, getting to truly speak with him, had been a pipe dream at first. She hadn't really considered how to ask him about his death without dredging up potentially painful memories.
"I was wondering," she started, "that is… if you're uncomfortable answering…"
Glorfindel took pity on her. "I wish that I could give you the answers that you no doubt seek," he said. "But I am afraid our circumstances are drastically different."
"How so?" He was a reborn elf, right?
"I began as an elf," Glorfindel explained. "Your fëa is unique, forged from something other. Whatever power you hold, it is not something that I am familiar with."
"I know," Charlotte sighed, "but when you were reborn, how did you know what your task was? How did you know how to accomplish it?"
"I did not," Glorfindel said simply. "The Valar informed me of my task, of course. I was given a choice, after all, but they gave no instruction on its completion."
"They gave you a choice?" Well, that was nice of them. They hadn't even spoken to her before dumping her on the plains outside of Imladris. "What would have happened if you said no?"
"I likely would still be waiting in the Halls of Mandos." He shrugged, as if being cast adrift in that place was no more concerning than being trapped inside during foul weather. She'd heard he'd faced a terrible creature of fire and had been dragged into death by it. Perhaps, to Glorfindel, it was an apt comparison.
"But they didn't give you anything?" Charlotte pressed. "Any tools?"
"Only my sword," he said. He eyed the necklace. "The Valar have thousands of souls at their disposal, and yet they selected mine and armed me only with my old memories and my sword. I am well-trained, and it is not boasting to say that I am one of the best warriors within my race. Perhaps, they gave so little because I already possessed that which I required."
Her shoulders slumped, and she eyed her dormant necklace.
"Maybe," Glorfindel said gently, drawing her gaze to him. "Maybe you already possessed what you needed too."
From far in the recesses of her mind, she could hear her mother's voice. "Keep it safe," she'd said, hours before she'd left the world. "It has what you need."
If only she could figure out what she carried from her mortal life that would allow her to wield her own sword.
— O —
Saying goodbye to Legolas destroyed both of them. She let him rest for as long as she could while Elrond and Amroth's hosts made ready to march into the Greenwood and the Elven leaders quietly constructed contingency plans in Elrond's pavilion, but when the treetops were burnished with the morning sun, she knew she had run out of time.
She had already extracted a vow from Celebrían when the elleth had come to help Charlotte braid her hair after she'd changed into borrowed leggings and a tunic. Celebrían had readily promised to watch over Legolas and knew that she was to flee with him to Imladris should anything happen to her and Oropher. If Thranduil returned to Eryn Galen, he would at least know that Legolas had been kept away from the battle. Charlotte had warned all of the Elven leaders that Legolas was not to return to the Greenwood with Cúthon in charge, and after reminding them of Cúthon's attempts and successes at kinslaying, they all agreed it would be best for Legolas to grow up far away from the advisor.
Legolas had other opinions.
"But I can help!" He cried after Charlotte had informed him that he would be staying behind. "I've been training for a decade, and I killed those orcs in the forest, remember?"
"Of course, I remember, little leaf," Charlotte soothed. She'd settled on her knees on one of the many rugs in Elrond's pavilion to meet him at eye level. "This is different. There will be far more than three orcs this time."
"Which means you'll need as many warriors as you can find," Legolas said. He crossed his arms and smirked. It was as if someone had shrunk Thranduil or reverted him to an elfling.
A pang shot through her chest. Thranduil had only been gone about a week, but so much had happened in those days. The adult elves hardly slept, and their days were long. She swore Thranduil had been away for months.
She swallowed and pinched her eyes closed, stealing a deep breath before Legolas noticed. She had, perhaps foolishly, decided not to tell him about Thranduil's disappearance. With everything her little leaf had suffered and her own impending departure, she needed to protect him. He would only worry more if he knew that his adar had vanished. Worse, it may cause him to be more reluctant to part with her, and he definitely couldn't come with her.
Charlotte shook her head. A battlefield was no place for an elfling, especially not the only legitimate heir to the realm. "Legolas," she tried, "I cannot concentrate if I am worried about you."
"But I can protect you!" Legolas insisted. "I'll stay up in the trees the whole time. I'm a good elf. A prince defends his people, and I can help. Nobody lets me help anymore, and I'm a good elfling."
She cocked her head in confusion. "Of course you are, but it's not about being a good elfling. This will be dangerous. I couldn't bear it if something were to happen to you. Nor could your adar. Besides, someone will need to protect the ellith here. Lady Galadriel and Lady Celebrían are both staying behind."
"But Lady Galadriel is a warrior," Legolas argued. "She won't need protecting. She's fought in loads of battles. She said so last night."
Charlotte frowned and glanced at the dainty elleth, who nodded solemnly. "It is true, but I have no desire to raise my sword once more." Her shoulders were hunched, pressed down by a burden that haunted her eyes.
Legolas turned his wide, pleading gaze on Charlotte. "Please," he said. His gaze flickered to Galadriel before returning to Charlotte. "I can help. I can."
"I'm so sorry, Legolas—"
"No." He stomped. His eyes turned glassy. "I'm going."
Charlotte's heart lurched in her chest, and she once more shook her head. "Little leaf, you will stay."
"You cannot make me." He huffed, though his lip wobbled.
"I don't want to force you, but you will not be joining us," Charlotte said firmly. "If I have to put you under guard, I will. You are staying with the others, and you will travel to Imladris if Lady Celebrían deems it so."
Legolas hesitated, his tiny nostrils flaring, before he said, "Fine." His voice cracked, and he turned on his heel and fled from the pavilion.
Charlotte rocked back, and her hands sank to her knees as she watched his long blond hair disappear. He was probably going to run straight to Oropher, who was helping the elves tuck away the camp. Elrond had issued the order as soon as Raenor had departed for the caverns, so those left behind would be prepared for a swift flight to safety should things go south.
A gentle hand settled on her shoulder, and Charlotte glanced up at a blurry Celebrían. "He'll understand eventually," the elleth soothed.
Charlotte nodded and wiped the moisture from her eyes. Her nose was burning, but she scrunched her face and stole a deep breath to cut off the pain lancing through her. What if that was the last memory she ever had of Legolas? She didn't even get a chance to hug him goodbye or tell him she loved him. "Keep him safe," Charlotte begged again.
"Of course, mellon nîn," Celebrían said. Her eyes darted over Charlotte's shoulder to the tent entrance, where two ellyn waited patiently. "Of course," Celebrían said again and then waved her arm to shoo everyone out. "Let's move this elsewhere. This must be packed as well. Beorn has offered us lodging, so we will travel south soon after we say our farewells."
Glorfindel poked his head in, quickly taking stock of Charlotte kneeling and the assembled elves before he addressed Elrond. "They're ready, my lord."
Elrond had donned his golden armor, his circlet balanced perfectly atop his dark hair. His hand clenched the pommel of the sword dangling at his waist, and he nodded to Amroth beside him. "And so once more, we are cast together to decide the fate of Middle Earth."
"It will be an honor to fight beside a friend," Amroth said, clasping the lord's forearm. He turned and bowed his head to Charlotte, his own glinting crown reflecting the light of the sun beaming in through the tent's entrance. "We follow your lead, Anniuel."
Charlotte rose on shaking legs, wondering how she'd gotten to this place, to this moment in time. She was not fit to lead them, even symbolically as she was, so the words spilled naturally, authentically from her lips. "I have no claim over either of you," she said. "I have no title which gives me rights to command you."
"Much in the way of the Greenwood," Amroth said, "we have selected you, and we will proudly march at your side."
Charlotte bowed her head and let her next breath turn her to stone. When she rose, she felt as if Thranduil himself had lifted her chin from afar. "Then let's move out."
Elrond and Amroth fell in behind her as the group swept from the tent, and Charlotte was struck by the majesty of the lines and lines of Elven warriors stationed between the pavilion and the forest border. It wasn't near their full numbers, but both Elrond and Amroth had brought with them an army of elves for their journey, knowing that orcs were roaming outside the borders of their realms. Her eyes darted around to find Legolas in the crowd of ellith, but she didn't see him. Her heart ached that she wouldn't at least get one last view of him. Hopefully, in time, he would forgive her.
The columns shifted, rotating inward to form a corridor, much as the host of Eryn Galen had done for Thranduil. She hesitated for a second, panic welling inside of her, until she felt it.
Maethor and Haedirn's fëar brushed against her, curling protectively around her own fëa, and she forced her lungs to exhale and straightened her spine before taking her first step into the host. She kept her chin high and met the gaze of each ellon, putting all of her confidence, all of her gratefulness, into her eyes.
They had chosen to follow her, at least symbolically, of their own volition. She prayed she would be worthy of that choice. Hoped she would be worthy of the leaders that walked by her side.
Oropher stood at the head of the host, the reins of two horses clutched tightly in his fist. When she, at last, stopped beside him, he swept his arm out, taking in the whole of the forest, and said, "The Greenwood awaits you, Anniuel."
AN: I had a rare slice of downtime (Miracles!) and so a new chapter two days in a row! I can't wait to read your thoughts! Thank you!