14.
"I will never ask Thranduil for help!" Thorin growled.
Planted firmly on his feet and arms folded across his chest, the Dwarf glared darkly at the equally enraged Elf before him.
"The only way I will ever meet that heartless bastard is on the battlefield, where I can finally show him the business end of my sword," Thorin clutched the hilt of his Elven blade.
Orcrist was once more strapped at his side and the irony of Thorin wishing to dispatch the Elven King with a blade of his own people did not escape Fili. He bit his lip against the inappropriate remark that sprang to his mind in reply. But how long he would be able to keep quiet was another matter altogether. Along with his hungry and ailing companions, he watched the dispute between their king and Celegorm with mounting impatience, wondering who would prevail and to what end.
Throughout the hours of a grey and unhappy morning, they had not moved a step away from camp, forgetting the miserable state they were in and hovering around the sleeping forms of Amrod and Kili. They had brought the two out of the ravine and laid them on beds of dried leaves, anxiously checking them for signs of life and awareness. Both Oin and Celegorm agreed that their kinsmen were sleeping and had succumbed to some kind of enchantment that floated in the dark waters of the stream.
That brought Fili a small measure of relief, but nobody could say what the effects of that deep sleep would be or how long before Kili and Amrod would come to their senses. They had been in a bad way to begin with and even without further poisoning, Fili could not push back the gnawing worry. Not when Kili lay there motionless, pale and so very quiet that Fili could not even hear his breathing unless he put his ear against Kili's lips. The Elf at his side appeared even less alive, his skin colorless against his blood-red hair and his vacant eyes were wide open, in spite of how Amras gently attempted to close them.
After his panic had subsided and Celegorm managed to calm himself, he left Amras to look after their brother and stalked off without a word. Amras could not have followed him even if he wished to, as he was still very weak and could hardly stand on his own, let alone chase after anyone. Celegorm did not answer when Fili and Thorin called after him, but they saw the Elf scaling the tallest beech he could find.
In the perpetual twilight of Mirkwood and from that distance, Celegorm resembled a giant spider, going up the wide trunk and disappearing into the thick foliage. He did not give his companions much time to wonder what he was doing, though, as he dropped back down a few minutes later and returned to camp. That was when the argument with Thorin began.
From the top of the great tree, Celegorm had seen the line of the Forest River crossing Mirkwood in the north and the hills rising on the eastern border, where the river passed through Thranduil's halls. The Elf said that they could be no more than two days away and if they marched northward in a straight line, they would come across an Elven path through the forest. Elrond of Rivendell had suggested that seldom trod path as a possible route across Mirkwood in what seemed like another lifetime to Fili.
Celegorm wanted to seek out the Elves and ask them for aid, but predictably, Thorin would have none of that. Surprisingly, Amras argued with his older brother as well and even though Fili could not understand a word of it, it was plain to see that Amras did not agree with his brother's plan, in spite of how dire the company's need for aid had become.
For his part, Fili understood the enmity between his people and Thranduil and he shared his uncle's loathing of those Elves, but as long as Kili lay there in that terrible swoon, it did not matter where help came from, so long as it came quickly and he could hear Kili's voice again. They were stranded in a forest that seemed determined to vanquish them at every turn, sick and injured and without any provisions. With each passing moment, Fili found it more and more difficult to keep himself from shouting that it was a terrible time to hold onto pride and old grudges.
"Believe me, I would feed Thranduil a knife to the hilt, if I had that option," Celegorm growled, looming over Thorin. "Those Elves are not my friends either. They are nothing like Elrond's people and they will not welcome me anymore than they will welcome you. But we need help!"
"No! If you seek them out, Thranduil's archers will take us prisoners. Don't you understand? Haven't you heard anything of what I've said about them? They left us to die once, what makes you think they won't do it again? Who knows, they may be out there right now, watching us and making sport of our predicament!"
"But… they're Elves. I don't see how Elves could do that. They wouldn't leave anyone to starve in the woods like this," Celegorm shook his head.
Fili heard Bilbo coughing loudly and Celegorm's eyes narrowed in his direction, an ugly grimace passing over the Elf's face for the briefest of moments. But before Fili could even begin to question it, Celegorm began to pace and wave his hands as he argued with Thorin.
"You don't know these Elves," Thorin insisted. "I'm telling you, they won't help us. We'll be captured and dragged before their king like a pack of stray dogs. Thranduil will want to know what our business is and I'll sooner die than tell him a single word about it!"
"Fine then, die if you will!" Celegorm shouted. "But I will not! Look at my brothers! Look at your kinsmen! How long do you think they will last like this? We have nothing! We can't hunt in this place and the waters are poison. It'll take us days to leave the forest and then what? You mean to trudge on and drag our wounded for Eru knows how long and even if we reach the Running before we all collapse with thirst, how will we cross it?"
"We'll find a way. And we will endure. Do not underestimate the strength of my people. Rather, concern yourself with that of yours."
Fili sprang to his feet and leaped toward the angry Elf, catching Celegorm's arm and giving it a hard squeeze. He felt Celegorm tensing and shaking with barely repressed anger and knew that it would end very badly for them all if he and Thorin did not keep their formidable tempers in check.
"My uncle means you no insult," Fili croaked, coughing to clear his parched throat. "We will help you carry your brothers to safety."
A shuddering breath hissed past Celegorm's clenched teeth and he crouched before Fili, looking at him rather than paying attention to the glowering Thorin.
"I know you will," the Elf replied hoarsely. "But say we manage to crawl out of the forest. Say we don't lose our way and we are not attacked again and neither of us collapses by the time we are out in the sun-light again. What then? We'll still starve. Our horses and ponies are long gone and you heard what Bilbo and Ori said… Everything we carried with us is trampled and lost. What are we going to eat? There won't be anything left to hunt out there, not even field mice, after that stampede. Not unless you mean to feast like carrion birds on a week old carcasses that they haven't picked clean yet. Something evil was at work behind those animals and it may still be out there, waiting to destroy us if we emerge from the forest. But even if it were safe and we had strength to hunt, what would we catch anything with? Our bows are destroyed, we have just two good swords between us and if your uncle means to lead us north to Esgaroth, that means more days of marching on foot. Do you think we can do that? If my brother and yours do not wake by then, even if the effects of the spider poison pass for the rest of us, do you think we will have the strength to carry them and ourselves for so long?"
"I don't know," Fili whispered, raising an unsteady hand and gripping Celegorm's shoulder. He could see past his friend's anger and read the anxiousness beneath. Somehow, that was worse than any other threat, as the Elves had always been impassive in the face of danger. But Celegorm was so concerned and uncertain and he seemed to be pleading with Fili, hoping perhaps that he would help change Thorin's mind.
"Look… I would not even think about going anywhere near Thranduil and his people. My brothers and I will, in all likelihood, have a worse reception in those halls than you, Fili. We would risk more than you know by going there and father will be furious with me. But he would be angrier if I let us wallow in this miserable state and not do what's best for my brothers' health," the Elf shook his head and raised himself back to his full height. "I am sorry, Thorin. Leave if you will, but I will take my brothers north. We will crawl on our own if we must, but I will see them healed even at the risk of Thranduil's wrath against us."
"I do not know what you have done to fear my father's wrath so much, my Lord," a voice wafted toward the company from somewhere among the trees. "But you are not mistaken in your belief that we will aid you with your wounded."
Every Dwarf able to stand jumped to his feet and brandished whatever weapon they had, even if those were no more than branches and sticks and stones. Thorin raised Orcrist and growled fiercely, ready to charge whoever that voice belonged to. In front of Fili, Celegorm whirled around, but did not touch the sword at his side.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" he called out.
From behind one of the huge tree-trunks, a shadow materialized, obscured from head to toe in a cloak that mimicked its surroundings perfectly, making whoever wore it almost invisible. But when the hood was pulled down by gloved hands, it revealed the blond head of a smiling Elf.
"I am Legolas and it is my father's aid that some of you wish to seek, if I have understood correctly," the Elf tilted his head in greeting.
Fili heard Amras groaning and caught the Elf passing a hand over his face. If he understood correctly, a prince stood before them and even though he did not seem unfriendly, Fili knew that the Elves mastered dissimulation to a fault. And he had crept up to them unheard, spying on them while they debated which road to take. Fili's fears were immediately confirmed when Legolas made a small gesture with his hand and all around the company a circle of archers made themselves visible.
The Dwarves growled angrily and tightened their own circle around their wounded. Thorin let out a curse that Fili dearly hoped none of the Elves could understand and seemed ready to sell his freedom at the highest possible cost. It would come to that, Fili feared, seeing the arrows pointed at them and the stern faces of Thranduil's archers.
"Let me handle this," Celegorm raised his hand, giving Thorin a hard look from the corner of his eye. "Let me talk to them."
"You will not speak for me and bargain with this Elf in my name without my leave!" Thorin thundered. "Is this how you treat all travelers that pass through your lovely forest?" the Dwarf sneered at Thranduil's son.
"We treat travelers with the attention they earn for themselves, Thorin Oakenshield. You and your company have caused a great disturbance in your coming here. I believe we are well within our rights to investigate the matter," Legolas replied smoothly, the small smile never leaving his features.
"Tell your archers to lower their weapons, we mean no harm," Celegorm said, in spite of how most of his companions showed the exact opposite.
"Then have your Dwarf lord put that fine blade away himself. We mean you no harm either."
Both Elves eyed Thorin expectantly as the Dwarf very grudgingly lowered Orcrist, but still kept the weapon ready. Legolas nodded toward his archers and they shouldered their bows in one quick motion. But they kept formation and eyed the Dwarves warily.
"You have run into the most spider-infested area of Mirkwood, it seems," Legolas said, slowly walking toward them.
Fili watched him closely, marveling at how the greens and grays and browns of his clothes made him blend with his surroundings. If not for the Elf's pale-blond hair and his luminous eyes, he could have flattened himself against a tree and disappeared completely, even without the aid of a magic ring.
Legolas held out both hands, palms open to show that he was not armed and approached them with peaceful intentions.
"Your people seem to be doing a fine job at keeping this place so safe and hospitable," Thorin muttered. There were still strands of spider silk in his hair and on his clothes, to attest that he had indeed been visiting the most spider-infested area of Mirkwood.
Fili saw the Elf's jaw clench for a moment, before Legolas smoothed his expression and nodded slowly.
"Unfortunately, my people have been hard pressed by the darkness encroaching our home. If you mean to imply that we let spiders roam through Mirkwood and destroy the forest unchallenged, you are mistaken, Master Dwarf."
"That is not what my uncle meant to say," Fili cleared his throat and braved Thorin's wrath, flinching when he felt angry eyes at his back. "We are weary and hungry and we have barely escaped with our lives after being held captive by spiders for… I do not even know how long it has been. Two or three days… I cannot even recall when we were taken."
"Days...?" Legolas blinked.
"Yes. The spiders caught us at the edge of the forest and dragged us all the way to their lair. I can't…," Fili passed a hand over his face. "I do not remember much about that journey and I do not wish to think back on it either. They had us wrapped from head to toe in their foul silk and dragged us along until we were all bruised and tender for them to feast on. If not for two of our friends who escaped capture and rescued us, we would be dead right now."
The Mirkwood prince frowned and shuddered minutely at Fili's description of their torment.
"We are still suffering from the poison and the most terrible thirst. Unfortunately," Fili turned and gave Kili a sad look. "My brother found a stream not far from here and did not know that it is foul. Our friend tried to stop him from drinking, but they both fell in and they have been like this ever since."
"That is quite enough, Fili," Thorin growled. "They can see for themselves if they want to. And I wouldn't be surprised if all you get for your trouble is an arrow pointed at your face."
"Prepare to be surprised, then, Thorin Oakenshield," Legolas smiled thinly. "You may think of my people in less than flattering terms, but we will not leave you to starve or perish from sickness."
"You seem very familiar with my name, Elf. How long have you sat in hiding and spied on my company?"
"Long enough to hear your debate. Certainly long enough to catch some of your names and recognize who you are. But I am mystified by the presence of Elves in your company and the reason you have been caught trespassing through this part of Mirkwood. Truthfully, I am mystified by a lot of things," the prince said.
"We will explain what we can if you offer us your aid. Much is afoot in your forest, here and further south that you may not know of. Perhaps your father has news of that. If not, he will be interested in hearing what we have to say…," Celegorm paused and eyed the prince pointedly.
"If we offer you our aid?" Legolas finished his sentence. "I believe I have volunteered that already. Surely you, my Lord, have not the same false beliefs about my people as your Dwarven companions do. "
Celegorm's lips quirked into a terse smile in answer.
"Whatever supplies and medicine my archers carry are at your disposal," Legolas said. "But I must say, it surprises me to see Noldor traveling to this part of the world and in the company of Dwarves, no less. The only Elves of your kin visit our court in diplomatic delegations from Rivendell and the Grey Havens, but very rarely. I would have your names if I may."
Amras hissed something to his brother in the High Tongue, making the Mirkwood Elf start and his eyes widen in surprise.
"I am Tyelkormo," Celegorm said. "My brothers are both called Ambarussa. Mother's choice, and a poor one for twin brothers, but we manage."
Fili saw Legolas sucking in a sharp breath and eying Celegorm with obvious surprise.
"You… truthfully? Those are your names?" the Mirkwood Elf asked Celegorm, doubt quickly replacing astonishment on his features.
"Those are our names," Celegorm stared at the shorter Elf intently. "Why do you question it?"
"Well... some years ago, a man came to our halls asking after an Elf called Tyelkormo," Legolas said.
"A man?"
"A young bowman from Lake Town."
"Bard?" Celegorm whispered and Fili saw the Elf's hands suddenly shaking. "What that his name?"
"I think so. Yes."
Celegorm closed his eyes and let out a pained sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"An acquaintance of yours, perhaps?" Legolas asked him.
"I knew that man, yes. When was this? What did you tell him?"
"A decade may have passed, I do not recall precisely. To the best of my knowledge, that man is still a guard of the city, but I have not seen him again. And we told him that we know no Elf by the name of Tyelkormo. None of the Noldor we have ever met bears that Quenya name. No one alive that we know of, at least. We told the bowman that whoever gave him that name must have lied and probably vanished for a reason, although Bard would not tell us what his business with the Elf in question – with you – was, at the time."
"Of course he wouldn't," Celegorm sighed once more and smiled sadly. "Walk with me, young prince. There are some things I must speak with you about."
"Turko, be careful…," Amras warned.
"Be quiet!" the blond eyed his brother pointedly. "Let them help you and Pityo and don't say another word. I will handle this. It would be well, Thorin Oakenshield, if you eased your pride a fraction and allowed the Elves to aid you. It looks like we don't have much say in the matter, anyway. Now," Celegorm clasped the shorter Elf's shoulder, heedless of how every Mirkwood archer tensed at that gesture. "If you will…"
To Fili's surprise and Thorin's suspicious annoyance, Legolas let Celegorm draw him aside and they strode away from the company. Four archers followed their prince, wary and suspicious of the way Celegorm still had a hold on him. Fili stared after them and bit his lip, dearly hoping that Celegorm would do nothing reckless and put them all in further danger.