Restoration II: The Story Continues ...

by Fianna Leighton

Chapter Ten

Legolas made his way carefully along the trail, eyes cast to the tracks at his feet. Orcs, a group of five or more which should not concern him but yet it did. He shifted his bow from his back and crouched low to brush his fingers over one of the footprints.

The orcs were in a hurry. The toes had dug deep, the prints spaced out in a loping run. Who were they after? Who or what? The who nagged him worse, a faint fear of another life lost.

He stood abruptly and looked around him. The Mirkwood forest was dark as always, but no longer with the underlying sense of evil. It was simply shadowed from the vast array of trees, the canopy thick to let in little light. The trees creaked in the wind, leaves shivered and dropped like snowdrops, golden flutters that caught the eye.

He tightened his grip, fingers tense as he closed his eyes, allowing his senses to play out further, smell, touch, hearing all intune as one. Nothing came to him, nothing to note anything was amiss, but he could not put aside his concern, worry etched into lines around his eyes as he squinted, narrowing his focus on the forest itself.

A faint trill of a bird lifted his chin.

Another in answer, short and almost too soft to hear made him pull an arrow from the quiver on his back. He moved in the direction of the calls, knowing the birds were not of his forest, but one much further south.

OoO

Orophin held Eria close to his side, shielding her with his body behind the tree, the second set of arrows flashing by as if in slow motion, their arcing path far too wide, yet still deadly for someone like Eria.

"Stay down, behind the tree."

Eria shuddered, crouching to the forest floor with a moan.

Orophin squeezed her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her, but could spare little time to ease her fear. Another Orc chattered ahead, its calls shrill to the ear. The creatures should not have been in Mirkwood, should not have gotten past Thranduil's guardians.

Unless... Orophin shook off the thought. Sweeney was Captain here. Thranduil would not be so lax.

Another arrow wobbled past, dropping to the ground after bouncing off a tree.

Orophin snorted at the sight, pulled his bow up and drew back his own arrow as he stepped around the tree. Fingertip brushing his cheek he sighted down the arrow, locking on the Orc ahead, too stupid to get behind something...

He blinked when the Orc stumbled forward suddenly, sprawling flat on his face, another elven arrow to his back.

The other Orcs shifted, looking back angrily, then back at Orophin as he stood his ground, arrow still held to his cheek.

Then back again at the new elf appearing in the midst of the trees.

Orophin allowed a faint smile at the sight of Legolas.

Heard Rowen call out with a laugh.

Saw the Orcs scramble apart, leaping away in fear.

His arrow took one down before it took another step.

Rowen tripped another as she stepped out from behind another tree.

Tauriel stepped in front of the third so suddenly it spun completely around and then simply collapsed in terror to the ground. A kick had it screeching, a dagger finished it off as it drew its own, a final threat answered with no mercy.

Eria looked up, her face pale, eyes wide. "Are they gone?"

Orophin tucked his bow behind his back and reached down to help her up. "The threat is gone. Are you all right?"

She pushed a shaky hand through her hair. "Yes, I am fine. Simply frightened, as I shouldn't have been but it's been awhile since I've faced those creatures. I had hoped never to see one again."

"Many are gone, but there are still bands roaming that cause problems. I am surprised to see them this far into Mirkwood, however."

"Indeed," Legolas agreed, arriving to stand beside Orophin. "Sweeney will most likely take the blame, there are those just waiting for such an occasion." He sighed and looked around, smiling as Rowen moved into view. "I see many familiar faces, and am surprised at their return."

"Legolas should not still be here," Tauriel complained, laughing as she hugged him. "I expected you to have left as soon as your father returned. There is nothing wrong is there?"

Legolas snorted faintly. "Nay, I simply delayed my departure for some indepth questioning. It took him awhile to answer..." He turned to look past Orophin, head tilted in question.

Orophin grinned and stepped back to allow Legolas to see Eria. "May I present Eria, a friend of your father's."

Legolas's brow rose as he looked at both Orophin and Eria, and then at Tauriel. "Friend? She is the one?"

Tauriel chuckled softly. "So he has told you of his baker?"

"Baker? Nay, only that there was an elleth he found – intriguing- as he put it."

Eria's eyes widened and she stepped back, her expression suddenly gray. "I knew I should not have come."

Orophin turned to reach for her, but Legolas pushed his way past to capture Eria's hands, holding her from turning away. "I meant nothing ill of his words, and you should not. He said you ordered him about, like a servant, yet he was not angry at this."

Eria blushed, pulling on her hands but Legolas held her tight. "I overstepped myself I know. But he was so... so... "

"Condescending?" Legolas finished with a grin. "Pompous, and annoyingly snooty? Aye, that is my father's cloak of indifference."

Eria stopped struggling, her gaze suddenly intent. "So this is all an act?"

"A well worn pattern of attitude. I was happily surprised to see someone had finally pierced his armor. Even I have little success at doing so," Legolas admitted.

Orophin clapped a hand to Legolas's shoulder. "Glad tidings then, that our mission is not in vain. But why should Sweeney take the blame for the Orcs? I fear your guardians may have fallen to their arrows."

"Nay, I would have seen them, for I was nearly to our border when I saw the Orc tracks. I think more they were so few and for once, used great stealth in gaining past my brethern." Legolas released Eria with a smile. "We shall see, soon enough. But know Sweeney's position here has been deceptively quiet. There are those who do not see his value, nor understand why Thranduil chose him for captain after Tauriel left. Not that it matters."

"It matters," Tauriel argued. "But they do not speak of it aloud. Where is Sweeney these days?"

"I am sure he is gone, for my father had plans for him. Something in regard to Dale and being a spy."

Tauriel frowned, stopping to look at Legolas. "Thranduil's manipulations sometimes go awry. He has sent the half-elf into great danger."

"As he would any if he thought it necessary. Who better to ascertain any danger to the elves than an elf, nee man, or one who can become either one?" Orophin shook his head. "A hard choice by both. I can see why Thranduil would want Sweeney then. But does he send any to patrol nearby just in case Sweeney needs help?"

Legolas shrugged. "I deemed it best to leave when I did, for I did not necessarily agree to my father's plans. Should any harm come to Sweeney..."

"Haldir will be most upset," Rowen finished quietly. "As will I." She moved past Legolas to stare at the trail ahead. "Clearly he has gone since he can look like any man. Any elf would be suspect, if there is trouble in Laketown, or Dale, or anywhere there." She turned to Orophin. "I have to go after him."

"And hand Haldir my head? I think not," Orophin growled. "We will see Eria to Mirkwood, and then will decide if Sweeney will need aide. But not before."

Rowen scowled but did not argue, allowing Orophin to stride past her, lips tight, his expression so much like Haldir's stern expression she shook her head and smiled.

OoO

The creak of the oars had lulled Esteri into a state of partial reverie, eyes closed in order not to look at Sweeney plying the craft through the lake, his gaze amused whenever he looked at her, amused and something more heated, so much Esteri had retreated into her oblivion to avoid him.

The sudden absence of movement made her sit up, rocking the craft slightly, to find Sweeney kneeling on the edge of the boat, reaching out for something floating in the water. Dragging it closer revealed a man long dead, bloated and unrecognizable. Sweeney grunted and pushed it back away with his oar. Settled back onto his seat with a frown creasing his brows.

"Rethinking your mission?" Esteri hissed, chin lifted angrily, for she was still tied, if not gagged for the moment. A cry for help would only bring her more misfortune, for they were not far from Laketown, still in the shadows of the moonless night, but clearly able to see the city sprawled over the water.

Sweeney smiled faintly, a glimpse of white teeth and a glittering wink of an eye. Perhaps he had some elvish magic for at times he had seemed to emit that faint aura elves did in the dark, perhaps unaware that he could.

She wasn't sure what all the man could do, he had claimed many elvish abilities, and more, human ones of what he hadn't offered to explain, and for her, unable to conjure any ideas. She had not been around men long enough, ranger yes, but most of her life had been spent in the woods of Mirkwood, fighting the hated spiders and worse, but rarely men.

That had been left to more experienced elves, even at the end of the war.

She had been there to guard home and family, that had been enough.

So close, so far, the men of Dale or Laketown had never interested her.

She wished now she'd paid more attention. Sweeney resumed rowing, pushing them ever closer to Laketown. He answered, finally, his voice low and nearly a whisper. "Nay, I am not. I know what I am to do, but perhaps consider other avenues to lessen your danger."

"I can take care of myself," Esteri hissed, forgetting for a moment her bondage and how it would prove troublesome. "Just do what you need to do so that you can release me."

Sweeney gave a small snort. "If you had any idea of my plans you would not be saying that."

"I can imagine what you plan after those last two men. If any touch me or harm me in any way you will pay..."

"As Thranduil assured me," Sweeney agreed softly.

Esteri blinked at that, silenced for a moment by surprise. "He did?"

"Indeed, I promised no harm to you, pretty one, so trust me that I will do all I can to ensure that."

"Yet you will use me as bait."

"I will, unless I come up with a better plan."

"And if I tell them you are half-elven? At some point my gag will be removed. I will tell them all..."

"And if you do you will die, as surely as I will."

She had no response to that and sat still, rocked by the movement of the boat. "And if things do not go as planned?'

"Then I am thankful you are very skilled as a ranger and can fight."

"And in the process, kill you."

Sweeney only laughed quietly.

OoO

Thranduil paced the small confines in front of his throne, weighed not only by the heavy damask a robe he wore, its hem trailing behind him a good pace or two, but more by his latest decisions, wondering, oddly enough, if he had made the right choices. He had put one of his elves into serious danger, left with the half-elf Sweeney, he trusted that the man would take care of Esteri.

Or had he trusted too much, not a common quality of his normally, but perhaps the business with Haldir had altered his normal reservations. Or perhaps Sweeney had had some way to overcome Thranduil's suspicions...

No, Sweeney was Sweeney, the man/ elf was who he was with no other thought to be someone else. Even as he attempted to live with the elves, he was still separate, that strange entity of both elven and human blood, a creature unto himself, with that same aura curiously like Elrond. That made Thranduil shiver, for the Imladris elf was not to be taken lightly. Sadly gone now across the sea with Galadriel and Celeborn. Thranduil found it interesting that he missed the elves.

Not that he saw them often, but they were part of the echelon of older elves that had lived so long in Arda.

He sighed, brushing aside his robe to change direction. The fabric made a faint scuffing as it dragged behind him, his boots another faint tap on the stone floor.

A cough made him pause.

"My Lord, we have word of visitors, sir."

Thranduil shifted his head to look at the elven guard. "Indeed? And where are they?"

"Coming along the forest road. Tauriel is with them."

Thranduil's right brow lifted as he touched a finger to his lips. He waited a moment to digest the information, his thoughts whirling around why.

"And who else?"

The guard cleared his throat. "Legolas returns with them, Haldir's brother, Orophin and Rowen the half elleth. Another elleth we do not know..."

"Another elleth?" Thranduil turned toward the guard. "A warden?"

"Nay, she is not dresssed as one of the Lorien guardians. A simple elleth, my lord."

Thranduil's lips curved, unable to keep them from the expression for the moment, his thoughts distant. She would not come. Would she? Perhaps another... he was jumping to conclusions. Yet his heart thumped oddly at the thought that Eria might have come.

"So no Haldir."

"Nay, my lord. Shall we open the gate?"

"Of course, Legolas is with them. They are welcome."

"As you say, but they have sent word ahead, sir. They met with several orcs along the way, deep within Mirkwood." The elven guard frowned. "Sweeney cannot be found, he is gone..."

"Aye, he is gone from Mirkwood. Do not blame him for it has been nigh a fortnight since he left. Send word to the border guardians, I would know why and how these creatures have gotten past them, or if they still live."

The guard shivered faintly, his expression carefully controlled. "Aye, as you command, Thranduil."

Thranduil watched the guard leap down the steps to the lower levels, fingers tapping his chin. So, a elleth unknown to his guards, Tauriel and Orophin, not surprising since the two seemed attached at the hip of late. Rowen, no surprise for she had taken Haldir's place as emmisary, but why, was intriguing. Was there some kind of negotiation at hand?

Thanduil smiled in amusement and headed down the stairs after the guard.