A/N: Chapter 4, wow, I didn´t think that it would be finished so shortly after posting chap. 3…. But all your reviews seem to accelerate my writing speed…. thanks a lot!!!!!! Please continue!
By the way: I decided NOT to write from Aragorn's POV (at least not yet), for I don't know yet, how fate will treat him!! Maybe you'll have some suggestions…. but I cannot promise that I can pay heed to them!
Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, the great master!!! Oh, yes, I took some sentences out of the book again - from the part when Legolas and Gimli and the Hobbits meet Gandalf…. Chapter (I guess): The White Rider
From the shadows returned to life
Legolas lifted his gear that he had laid on the ground and entered the wood. Within a single heartbeat the sounds from the outside reaching his ears grew faint and more silent as if shielded by something. Also the light became dim, no trace of something alive could be seen or heard. 'Strange, indeed,' Legolas thought, 'it seems that nothing lives around me for miles, even when I know that Gimli and the Hobbits are only some steps away.'
Thinking about them, they seemed to have overcome their fear either, and came towards the Elf.
"A queer feeling I have," Merry uttered, "it is so quiet, so silent as if nothing has ever taken a breath here."
Gimli said nothing, he only tightened the grip on his axe he had taken out of his belt as they had reached the eaves of Fangorn some time before. A slight shiver ran down his spine.
Legolas looked around himself. "We still have to heed west for some time, then we will reach Entwash as it flows down from the northeastern end of Fangorn. There, hopefully, we can cross the River easily and then turn southward towards Edoras, then heed eastward again towards Minas Tirith, along the mountain slope stretching along the Eastfold and Anórien."
The Elf glanced at the Hobbits. "But I might add, that today we will not journey on for long. It will get dark in here soon, the trees are blocking the sun. In the darkness, I do not want to walk in Fangorn for one can lose its way easily and if we go astray, we would never find out of the Old Forest again. It stretches along many leagues. Today we will rest throughout the whole night."
The other's mood cleared a bit. Thinking about wandering through Fangorn at night had frightened them but neither of them would have objected against Legolas for he was their leader and he had often said to them that they had to go in haste since they must not arrive too late in Minas Tirith. Things would go ill then, the Elf had promised.
For only about three hours the four comrades continued to walk through the Forest. There was, of course, no direct path to Entwash, but often they saw their way blocked by deep folds in the ground and sometimes they even had to walk through a little stream flowing across their trail. This part of their journey was almost more exhausting than the continuous march through the plains of Rohan.
The sun was setting early, not the only sign that winter was approaching fast. Under the trees, which still, though, bore their leaves, it got cold rapidly. When the last hint of light had disappeared in the west, Legolas called for today's rest.
"We will not go on further for this day. For long have we journeyed on and now we shall rest to gather strength for tomorrow when we will have to cross Entwash and take on the long road to Minas Tirith. Sleep well tonight, my dear friends, for nothing shall disturb you. I will keep watch for you. Do not worry about Fangorn, as long as we will do no evil, it will not harm us."
Gimli smiled. Merely the thought of not having to get up this night was refreshing. The Hobbits and he got out their blankets and placed them around the dry branches Legolas had collected in the meanwhile. To get a fire started was no difficulty for the Woodelf and soon the flames were flickering in the wind.
Merry and Pippin had fallen asleep at once, Gimli, though, was just lying there and stared up into the sky.
"If someone had told me five or six moons ago that I would journey through the countries with four Hobbits and an Elf, I would have laughed at him," the Dwarf suddenly stated.
"Middle Earth is far greater than I have ever imagined. Only now I know that things out there happen which my people have no idea of, and that things which are of great concern for my people are not as important as they think."
Legolas did not reply at first. "If someone had told me five or six moons ago," he then said, "that I would journey through the countries with four Hobbits and a Dwarf, I would have laughed at him either. Strange things have happened in the meantime, things that could not be foreseen, my dear friend. In these times my only hope is, that all people will be able to discover the things we had the chance to…" The Elf suddenly lifted his head, staring into the shapeless dark below the trees.
"Who are you and what do you want?" he then called into the night. Gimli at once righted himself up. As he was staring in the same direction as the Elf, he could spot a dark shadow among the trees. It looked in some way like a Man, yet something familiar was around him. The Hobbits, however, had not woken yet. During their journey they always had slept like logs, it was not easy to rouse them.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Legolas called again. "It is of no use to hide under the trees, we have spotted you and it is our right to ask about your name and purpose. If you do not want to do any harm, you can come to the fire and spend the night in our company. We have no evil things in mind."
The shadow took one step towards the group. Now they could see that it was indeed an old man, wearing ragged clothes, leaning on a rough staff. His head was bowed and he did not look towards them. In other lands they would have greeted him with kind words, but now they stood silent, each feeling a strange expectancy: someone was approaching who held a hidden power – or menace.
"I do not want to harm you," a tired voice then said, "I am an old wanderer, seeking only for warmth and company."
"If that is so, come to the fire," Gimli said, "at least in this night you won't have to be cold." Legolas was watching the old man closely, something in his behavior and way of movement felt familiar in a certain way. The Elf, though, could not put his finger on it, but still he felt suspicious. In Fangorn, where no one had journeyed since long, it was strange that someone suddenly appeared out of thin air and only asked for fire and company without any real purpose why wandering through the Old Forest.
Legolas slowly got an arrow out of his quiver and bent his bow. Isengard was not far from Fangorn and he still remembered well Gandalf´s tale of the treason of Saruman at the Council of Elrond. Saruman had turned to evil, why should he not try to get hold of the rest of the Fellowship of the Ring? He could not know that the ringbearer was no longer among them. And, after all, it had been said, that Saruman often wandered through the lands appearing to others like an old man with a long gray beard. The hooded figure at the fire had such. The Elf fitted his arrow to the string and lifted his bow.
"Do not commit such mistake," the old man suddenly said without turning around. Legolas was caught off guard completely and the arrow went up high up into the air, where it vanished in a flash of flame.
"Mithrandir, Mithrandir," he cried. "I never thought to see you again!"
"Well met, indeed, Legolas, my friend," the old man replied. He had turned around and threw back his hood and cloak. His hair was white as snow and gleaming white was his robe. His eyes under his deep brows were bright, piercing as the rays of the sun. Power seemed to be in his hands.
"Gandalf," Gimli said, "Gandalf." Other words he could not find, he was stunned of joy and surprise.
"Gandalf," the old man slowly repeated as if recalling a long lost memory. "Gandalf, yes, that was my name. I was Gandalf." He wrapped his cloak around himself again and was silent for some heartbeats. "Yes, you may still call me Gandalf," he said then and his voice was the one of their old friend and guide.
"Beyond hope you have returned from the shadow," Legolas softly said. "With you, hope comes back to the remnants of the Fellowship. Many things happened since you fell in Moria and not all things went well."
Gandalf looked at the Elf and the Dwarf, then let his glance fall on the still soundly sleeping Hobbits. "Would you tell me your tidings, then, my friends? I see, that Aragorn is not with you and neither are Frodo and Sam. Boromir is also missing. Nine were sent out, only five are still together. What has happened to your comrades? Is that the evil news you have to tell?"
Gimli gestured to the fire. "Don't we want to sit down before we'll start our tale? It has gotten cold since we have left Lothlórien. Winter is approaching fast."
The others nodded and they placed themselves by the fire, careful not to disturb the Hobbits.
"I may start from very beginning, if you do not wish otherwise," Legolas suggested then. Gandalf only nodded. He had a strange feeling that indeed evil things had happened and that Aragorn was concerned by at least one of those. The wizard could not think of any reason why the Ranger should have left the company, his friend had promised to watch over his comrades if something ever kept Gandalf from continuing their journey together. It, though, was a completely different matter with Frodo and Sam. They were only Hobbits, but in a way Gandalf knew that they had left the company on purpose and that there was no immediate peril waiting for them. In this, though, his guess should prove wrong, as the wizard would realize during Legolas' tale.
"Into the shadow you had fallen…," Legolas slowly said, "we had great fear in our minds. We did not know how to continue our journey, even Aragorn did not seem to be sure about where to go. He, though, became our leader as you had wished it and we trusted him to lead us through the unknown lands. To Lothlórien we came and there we spent a whole moon in the care of the High Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn. Great peace we found there and our hearts could rest for a while. Nothing better could have happened for we were weary in body and mind. But finally we had to set out again, nevertheless our hearts did not want to leave for there is no peril in Lothlórien and to me it seemed that the Elder Days had awakened again. I had never felt like there before. In the land itself there is the spirit of the Firstborn and I am sure that it will never forget that once Elves had dwelt there, even if ages will have passed and all of my kindred will have gone to the Gray Havens and no one will remain in Middle-earth anymore. Alas, I fear, that this time will come soon, when the Fair People will only be a memory upon the land and no one will listen to the song of the earth, the trees and all other living beings. In Lothlórien my heart found peace and if I will ever get back from this journey, I will go there to dwell with my kindred until we will decide to leave Middle Earth and continue to live on in Valinor."
The Elf paused for a moment as if trying to recall something.
"I cannot describe it with words, although there is no other speech more expressive than the Sindarin, but even this tongue has not been made to be able to retell the greatness of Lothlórien, the Land of the High Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn."
"I know," Gandalf softly said, "all the times I have been there, Lothlórien has enchanted my heart and made my burden seem light. The spirit of the High Kindred lies upon that land and it forever will be holy and sacred, for nothing that is evil can do harm there, since its greatness touches the innermost part of your soul and that is honest and noble in every man."
The three sat silent for a minute ere Legolas started to speak again.
"When we had to leave Lothlórien after the moon that to us seemed only to have been four or five days, Lady Galadriel gave us three Elven-boats among other gifts, that we did not have to decide at once whether we would continue our journey on the right or left side of Anduin. I was pleased about that, but even more was Aragorn: For the whole time in Lothlórien he had pondered about which way to go. A great burden seemed to have been taken of his shoulders and his heart became lighter. Mine, though, cried as we passed the last Mellyrn trees. Only some days later I learned that Aragorn's heart might have been even sadder than mine. You, Gandalf, may know what I am speaking of."
"So do I," the wizard said, "but it is not only Arwen that he misses, it also is all the Elves, their way to live, their way to treat each other and everything that is around them. You two surely know that Aragorn spent his entire childhood in the house of Elrond where he, save his mother, was the only Man among the Elves. He was raised by them, he was taught everything by them. In a way you could say that he is an Elf, though the blood coursing through his veins tells differently. Especially in the first years he was wandering through the lands, he had difficulty to adjust to the way of the mortals, for he did not know their way of living. Even now, after he has spent many years away from Rivendell, he feels best in company of Elves. Legolas may have noticed that. Aragorn is kind to all people and he does not want to make a difference but he still finds it more easily to talk to Elves than to Men or Dwarves or Hobbits."
"I indeed noticed that," Legolas answered. "In the long nights of our journey we often sat together and talked about many things. But very lately only he spoke of Arwen, before I did not know about their love, one of his greatest secrets this was."
"That is true," Gandalf nodded, "he has not told many. Even now it is not sure whether they once will marry or if Arwen will have to leave Middle Earth together with her father and all of her kindred. If that will happen, though, Aragorn's heart will be torn apart. He loves her deeply, I know, and he can hardly stand being separated from her. If our Quest had not been so important, he would not have left Rivendell, I guess."
"His heart was sad while we were traveling down Anduin," Legolas said, "but I could not help him to overcome it. For the first time I understood how great his burden was: Aragorn had to care for us, had to make the right decisions to save us from peril but at the same time he hurt inside and no one was there to wrap his arms around him to let him forget his fears for a while. I saw what the time in Lothlórien had meant for him."
While Legolas and Gandalf had been talking, Gimli had stood up from the fire. Using the short pause between the Elf's last words and Gandalf's next, the Dwarf said: "Would you two excuse me for a while? I will look around for some time." With this question Gimli disappeared under the shadows of the trees without waiting for an answer.
Legolas stared on the spot the Dwarf had vanished. He knew why his friend had left. During the whole day he had seen that Gimli had debated with himself if he should believe that Aragorn had been captured by the Orcs or that he had taken his way towards Minas Tirith and now he did not seem to be able to stand listening to the talk about his tall friend.
Gandalf, though, was not surprised about Gimli's disappearing. To him it was plain that the Dwarf had gotten bored, since only the wizard and Legolas truly knew something about Aragorn and his life. On their journey he surely had not spoken a lot to Gimli.
For some moments neither said anything. The fire was flickering in the wind and the forest almost seemed alive with the shadows of the trees moving with the flames.
"We journeyed down Anduin then," Legolas continued to speak, "and those days were good days for there was less peril around us than before the time in Lothlórien. We passed through Argonath and saw the great Pillars of the Kings guarding the way towards Minas Tirith. Isildur and Anárion are still standing there as they have done in all the time and still, although they have suffered since Gondor has been left without a king, they are mighty, and awe and fear befell us, for we saw how powerful the Kings of Old once had been. When I beheld them and looked into Aragorn's face then, I saw that indeed he was their heir and I wished nothing more than him becoming King of Gondor and Arnor again, bearing the Winged Crown of Númenor. For peace only can settle on Middle-earth with a leader of great wisdom and majesty.
This same day we decided to rest at Parth Galen under the shadow of Tol Brandir, not far away from the falls of Rauros. Frodo knew that the time of his decision of where to go had finally come but he had not made up his mind yet. Thus he asked us to leave him alone for a while and he went up the hill of Amon Hen. Even Aragorn was unsure about the way Frodo would choose and we all were anxious to hear about his decision. However, ere Frodo came down from Amon Hen again, we heard the battle cry of Orcs and suddenly we were surrounded completely by them. Each of us fought hard and many Orcs were slain but still they had been able to separate us from each other and so indeed it was almost a miracle that Gimli and I, Merry and Pippin could free ourselves from the Orcs and return to the small clearing in the forest where we first had held council. There, though, ill tidings awaited us for far more Orcs had stayed there instead of fighting against us who had been driven away."
Legolas paused for a short moment, then, in a soft whisper, he continued. "There we found Boromir, leaning against a tree as if he was resting, but as we slowly drew nearer, we saw that his life had fled. The great warrior of the Tower of Guard has perished and will not come home to his people."
"Alas," Gandalf cried, "that indeed is evil tidings. Trust and hope has been placed in Boromir by Elrond and me for we saw great help in him in our battle against the Dark Lord. But fate would have it different, I fear, and now hope again is dwindled." The wizard drew a deep breath. "Continue with your tale, my Elvish friend, you have not yet spoken of Frodo and Sam and neither of Aragorn. Are the tidings about them as ill as they are about Boromir? Alas, I fear it."
"My friend, your heart shall get lighter again, for we found sign that Frodo and Sam took one of our boats and left for Mordor to fulfill their quest. I admire their courage, it might not have been an easy decision. In the middle of our fight they must have left, they did not come to our aid nor were they wounded. Three days ago that happened, by now they should have passed the Dead Marshes and we only can hope that peril will spare them on their way to Mount Doom where the fate of Middle Earth will be decided."
A smile had crossed Gandalf's old face as Legolas had told them about Frodo's and Sam's leave but by now it darkened again. "Yes, we only can hope. We have done what we could have done and doom does not lie in our hands anymore. Is it not strange that two Hobbits shall determine the fate of all people in Middle Earth?" he added quietly.
Legolas, though, had not heard Gandalf's last words. His voice had become merely a whisper, a hint of sadness underneath, and the wizard had to lean in closely to understand the Elf. Legolas suddenly could not meet his eyes anymore and fear crept its way back into Gandalf's heart.
"With Aragorn," Legolas said slowly, "it is a completely different matter. You may have wondered why he is not here with us and why I have told of nothing concerning him after our council under the shadow of Tol Brandir."
Gandalf nodded but he did not say anything. The following words he would never forget again, they burned into his mind and later he often remembered this very moment in the nights he could not sleep and it became a vivid image in his dreams.
"I think," Legolas slowly said, "that Aragorn was captured by the Orcs."
A/N: Still like it? Please review! And don't forget to write constructive critics! I truly want to improve things, but I can only do that by having them mentioned by you!