Chapter 9
The next morning, Legolas rose early and bathed in the sea. It felt great to be clean after god-only-knows how long they've been traveling. When he was done, the fire was rebuilt and the shelter was extended over it, a hole in the roof let the smoke escape.
Joanila was rocking on her rear, hugging her knees to her chest. Legolas sat beside her and rest his hand on her shoulder. They sat close by the fire until the sun came up. Aragorn soon joined them, followed by Frodo. After awhile of just sitting, staring at the fire, Frodo spoke up.
"I'm going with you." he said. "I've learned swordplay well, and I am armed with my mithril." Legolas laughed.
"Frodo," Aragorn said. "Your enthusiasm is helping, but no use. The legend says that only elf, dwarf, or orc can control the power of the Vist, and your mithril cannot help you cross the Rage River." Aragorn sighed. "We're not sure if we can even cross it." Frodo paused.
"Still, I have learned to swim and to resist drowning." he was confident. "Also, I've learned much about the lands south of Mordor!" the young hobbit's eyes were wide with hope.
"No, Frodo." said Aragorn firmly. "I'm afraid that this task is much, much greater then the ring's. The greatest minds of the world could be destroyed, and others would be under torture and prison." he leaned toward Frodo and watched his bright blue eyes. "If we fail, the world will become dark with evil. Everything will suffer greatly, and if not, they die." Frodo began to tremble. He stood and walked away from the fire. Joanila trembled under Legolas's arms.
They left a little while later. Legolas kissed his sleeping daughter good-bye and his wife. Aragorn bid Sam farewell and gave Joanila a friendly hug. She kissed him on the cheek. Legolas held her hand afterward. Aragorn looked about for Frodo, but he was out of sight.
"You'll say good-bye to him for us, won't you?" asked Legolas. His wife took his wrist that had healed overnight from the treatment she gave him.
"Of course." she leant in close and they shared a kiss that may be their last. When they had stopped Legolas began to sing to her, without even realizing it.
His voice was a whisper of elegance as it carried out to the lands of Mordor. He heard the lyrics in his head, but didn't recognize the actual song.
"I'll keep a part of you with me, and everywhere I am there you'll be. And everywhere I am there you'll be." his wife smiled at him.
"That was the song I hear when I thought you were dead." he whispered in her ear. Joanila threw her arms around his neck and Legolas held her close. He wanted to pour his heart out to her, but he was silent. Joanila felt the curing wetness of a tear roll down her cheek.
"Promise me you'll come back." she said with a sob in her voice.
"I promise." replied Legolas, holding her neck.
They let go of each other, Legolas held her hand. Aragorn smiled at him.
"It's time to go." he said. Legolas began to back away, stretching his arm to continue holding Joanila's hand. Eventually, a step he took separated them, and Legolas turned forward and walked alongside Aragorn, heading to the southern plains that awaited them.
***
By mid-day, Aragorn and Legolas had reached the edge of Mordor, a day away from the Rage River. They carried their swords at their sides and two bags on their backs that held provisions and knives. They traveled light, hoping to get back to Mordor within a week's time.
The grass was more yellow then green here, and there were very few trees but many large rocks. Bugs were scarce, like bushes and shrubs where they could get some berries. They camped under the shelter of a large rock that night, living without fire, in case of some nearby Beasts, which is what Sam named them, had seen them traveling. The next day was cold, and a heavy mist had settled over the plains.
"What way?" asked Aragorn, referring to the elf's magical senses of direction.
"This way." Legolas nodded towards the thickest part of the fog. They packed their things and Legolas lead the way through the mist.
Maybe an hour or so into their journey that day, the whinnies and stomps of horses froze them in their tracks. Legolas looked all around, the air grew colder. He felt a wave of panic heading towards them.
"The Beasts," he said. "they're collecting wild horses." Aragorn drew his weapon. Legolas shook his head. "We can go by unnoticed." he said. He headed further and faster into the direction they were going. The stamping of feet got louder, and a first horse appeared ahead of them. Legolas continued running, but Aragorn hesitated. "Come!" cried Legolas.
Aragorn ran behind him. Another horse appeared with a filly alongside it. The cracks of whips and yells pierced the air. Legolas stopped. Aragorn did also.
"Crouch down," he said. The both huddled to the ground. A black horse with a mounted beast was running by maybe twenty feet ahead of them. It passed, and both the warriors leapt and ran out of the chase.
They continued walking, leaving the Beasts' chase behind. After about four hours of walking through the heavy mist, Legolas heard the sound of water. He slowed down. He heard raging rapids and the rush of a waterfall made the mist more moist. It wasn't long before Legolas stopped at the edge of a cliff, staring down at the white waters of the Rage River.
The next morning, Legolas rose early and bathed in the sea. It felt great to be clean after god-only-knows how long they've been traveling. When he was done, the fire was rebuilt and the shelter was extended over it, a hole in the roof let the smoke escape.
Joanila was rocking on her rear, hugging her knees to her chest. Legolas sat beside her and rest his hand on her shoulder. They sat close by the fire until the sun came up. Aragorn soon joined them, followed by Frodo. After awhile of just sitting, staring at the fire, Frodo spoke up.
"I'm going with you." he said. "I've learned swordplay well, and I am armed with my mithril." Legolas laughed.
"Frodo," Aragorn said. "Your enthusiasm is helping, but no use. The legend says that only elf, dwarf, or orc can control the power of the Vist, and your mithril cannot help you cross the Rage River." Aragorn sighed. "We're not sure if we can even cross it." Frodo paused.
"Still, I have learned to swim and to resist drowning." he was confident. "Also, I've learned much about the lands south of Mordor!" the young hobbit's eyes were wide with hope.
"No, Frodo." said Aragorn firmly. "I'm afraid that this task is much, much greater then the ring's. The greatest minds of the world could be destroyed, and others would be under torture and prison." he leaned toward Frodo and watched his bright blue eyes. "If we fail, the world will become dark with evil. Everything will suffer greatly, and if not, they die." Frodo began to tremble. He stood and walked away from the fire. Joanila trembled under Legolas's arms.
They left a little while later. Legolas kissed his sleeping daughter good-bye and his wife. Aragorn bid Sam farewell and gave Joanila a friendly hug. She kissed him on the cheek. Legolas held her hand afterward. Aragorn looked about for Frodo, but he was out of sight.
"You'll say good-bye to him for us, won't you?" asked Legolas. His wife took his wrist that had healed overnight from the treatment she gave him.
"Of course." she leant in close and they shared a kiss that may be their last. When they had stopped Legolas began to sing to her, without even realizing it.
His voice was a whisper of elegance as it carried out to the lands of Mordor. He heard the lyrics in his head, but didn't recognize the actual song.
"I'll keep a part of you with me, and everywhere I am there you'll be. And everywhere I am there you'll be." his wife smiled at him.
"That was the song I hear when I thought you were dead." he whispered in her ear. Joanila threw her arms around his neck and Legolas held her close. He wanted to pour his heart out to her, but he was silent. Joanila felt the curing wetness of a tear roll down her cheek.
"Promise me you'll come back." she said with a sob in her voice.
"I promise." replied Legolas, holding her neck.
They let go of each other, Legolas held her hand. Aragorn smiled at him.
"It's time to go." he said. Legolas began to back away, stretching his arm to continue holding Joanila's hand. Eventually, a step he took separated them, and Legolas turned forward and walked alongside Aragorn, heading to the southern plains that awaited them.
***
By mid-day, Aragorn and Legolas had reached the edge of Mordor, a day away from the Rage River. They carried their swords at their sides and two bags on their backs that held provisions and knives. They traveled light, hoping to get back to Mordor within a week's time.
The grass was more yellow then green here, and there were very few trees but many large rocks. Bugs were scarce, like bushes and shrubs where they could get some berries. They camped under the shelter of a large rock that night, living without fire, in case of some nearby Beasts, which is what Sam named them, had seen them traveling. The next day was cold, and a heavy mist had settled over the plains.
"What way?" asked Aragorn, referring to the elf's magical senses of direction.
"This way." Legolas nodded towards the thickest part of the fog. They packed their things and Legolas lead the way through the mist.
Maybe an hour or so into their journey that day, the whinnies and stomps of horses froze them in their tracks. Legolas looked all around, the air grew colder. He felt a wave of panic heading towards them.
"The Beasts," he said. "they're collecting wild horses." Aragorn drew his weapon. Legolas shook his head. "We can go by unnoticed." he said. He headed further and faster into the direction they were going. The stamping of feet got louder, and a first horse appeared ahead of them. Legolas continued running, but Aragorn hesitated. "Come!" cried Legolas.
Aragorn ran behind him. Another horse appeared with a filly alongside it. The cracks of whips and yells pierced the air. Legolas stopped. Aragorn did also.
"Crouch down," he said. The both huddled to the ground. A black horse with a mounted beast was running by maybe twenty feet ahead of them. It passed, and both the warriors leapt and ran out of the chase.
They continued walking, leaving the Beasts' chase behind. After about four hours of walking through the heavy mist, Legolas heard the sound of water. He slowed down. He heard raging rapids and the rush of a waterfall made the mist more moist. It wasn't long before Legolas stopped at the edge of a cliff, staring down at the white waters of the Rage River.