A/N - Firstly, thank you all so much for the reviews. They are a real boost and inspiration to write. I'm glad people are enjoying this.

This chapter is where things begin to move. It also gets a bit more complicated, so you will find a note with a bit of history from the Silmarillion and Unfinished tales at the bottom. You don't need to read it if you don't want to know how I worked certain things out, but please read the last couple of lines, its just a little warning.

Chapter Nine, into The Dark.

Silvery scales caught the sun and refracted through the clear blue waters of the Limlight into a rainbow of colour as the fish swam downstream.

Pale hands darted after it, slim fingers gripped it firmly and pulled it, gasping, from the water. Aewen reached for her knife, meaning to gut the creature quickly rather than watch it die a slow death, suffocating in air.

Not far away, Legolas walked slowly between the trees, deep in thought. He had set out to check for Orc tracks, but, although his eyes were fixed upon the ground, his mind was not on the job at hand. It instead replayed the events of the previous night with startling clarity. He recalled her as if she were before him again, the faint smell of honeysuckle in her hair, the light brush of her eyelashes against his cheek....

Thus it was a shock when at last he looked up and found himself flanked on either side by two dark haired elves, and he looked about him to see where they had so suddenly sprung from.

A riotous troop of Orcs could have been marching in your wake and you would not have know it, Legolas! Elladan laughed. Would you care to enlighten us as to what occupies your mind so completely that it dulls all your other senses?

After moving camp that morning from the banks of Entwash to those of Limlight, and reaching the decision to spend one more night under Fangorn's peaceful eaves before setting out to cross the Anduin, the Brothers and the wood elf had begun an investigation of the Forest borders, in case anything further could be found to suggest the presence of Orcs in the area.

The search had revealed nothing, and so it was with easier minds that the twins had set out to track down their friend where he wandered.

I was meditating on something of beauty. Legolas answered stoically.

Such as the beauty of the forest? queried Elrohir.

Aye, the forest is indeed beautiful. answered the blond elf.

Our niece seemed in excellent spirits this morning, Legolas. Elladan observed. You and she spent a long time together last night. I wonder, was it meditation on the beauty of the trees that delayed your return, or meditation on beauty of some other kind?

Legolas stopped walking. I will not deny that Aewen's beauty far outstrips that of the trees, to my mind. He said.

Ah, but purely in a nostalgic sense, as you told us so firmly back in Gondor, eh, old friend? Humour tinged Elladan's words, and indeed both elven Lords appeared to be fighting a battle against laughter.

Legolas sighed, and held up his hands in defeat. You were right, I did not know my own mind then. I denied what was in my heart. You saw before I did and I bow to your greater perception.

Elrohir snorted, Why thank you kindly, my Lord. But, of course we must now enquire as to your intentions toward our young niece.

Elladan nodded sagely, Indeed, it is our duty. Aewen is but an innocent girl, and her honour must be protected. The grin that tugged at his lips was quickly restrained and replaced with a contemplative frown.

I can assure you that my intentions are quite honourable. said Legolas defensively.

You say that, wood elf, Elrohir began, But one cannot help but wonder at the intentions of someone who would lead a lady into a dark, unfamiliar forest, alone, and hold her there for several hours.

Several hours. Elladan reiterated, moving closer to Legolas as he continued, Several hours in which any number of unsavoury actions could have been pressed upon our young, innocent, naive niece.

We did but kiss! Legolas protested to the grim faces of the two Brothers. We did but kiss and talk pleasantly together, and nothing more. If you would claim that I could ever willingly insult the honour of a maiden then you are much mistaken!

The grim faces were suddenly not quite so firm. A lip trembled. A nose wrinkled. Before long the woods echoed with the sound of long suppressed laughter.

The fish was placed into a large pan full of water. Aewen set about building a small fire.

Elrohir shook Legolas' hand firmly, then took his arm as the three walked back toward the camp. You have won me a wager, friend. Elladan swore you would never make your move. You will be pleased to know that I had more faith in your abilities as a suitor.

I am unsure if pleased would be my chosen word.... Legolas put in.

Ah but was I not the one who first remarked on how his eyes turned so often towards her? Elladan boasted, And I am glad, Legolas, to be proved wrong and that you were able to let your feelings be known at last. I have kept watch on you this last week for fear you should burst!

I had to be certain of my heart. The blond elf explained. I wished not to act in haste.

Aye, and that is a good thing. said Elrohir. You would not trifle with the lady's affections. See that it remains so, for I am sure you are aware that, should you ever hurt her, in any manner, my Brother and I would be forced to gut you like a fish supper.

Legolas smiled, though he knew Elrohir in no way jested with his words. I am aware. he said, And can assure you that I mean to keep my guts, and the Lady Aewen, perfectly safe.

With these words they reached the camp, only to find that their fish supper was perhaps not so well gutted as it should have been. Aewen sat, cross legged, staring dismally into a deep pan wherein swam a large, completely whole, silver scaled fish.

I have never caught my own meal before. She explained, I did not realise that the catching was not the hardest part.

Later, the four elves walked together along the banks of the Limlight as it wound its way out of Fangorn. Elrohir carried a large, empty pan, it's captive fish now returned to the waters from whence it came. His brother walked beside him, and his niece a few steps behind, arm in arm with the blond woodland Prince.

They had been walking for some time, it was a warm day and a fine afternoon for a stroll.

That was, until the ground beneath them began to fall away. There was a terrible groan, then a grinding, crunching noise as the earth began to tilt and crumble. Robbed of their balance, the elves fell forward, and then downward, as a great pit opened where they had stood.

It was a long drop, and a hard floor that rose up to greet them. None were able to recover from the fall in time to see the stony slab of earth swing back into place above their heads, leaving the cave as dark as pitch.

For a cave it was, Elladan soon realised, as he became the first to revive and get to his feet. The walls had been carved out of the earth, and they had fallen through some sort of long concealed secret door.

Is anyone hurt? he called out into the darkness, Aewen? Elrohir?

Various groans of acknowledgement came out of the black.

I don't think anything is broken... Elrohir ventured, as he rubbed his painful wrists.

I'm soaked. Aewen said, sounding somewhat shaken, I think I'm in some sort of pool.

Legolas moved toward her voice, groping blindly. A warm substance clung to his forehead and made rivers down his cheek, and he knew it to be blood, but it was not serious, and he had survived otherwise unscathed. Call out again. He instructed, I can't find you.

Aewen was about to oblige, when a small part of the rock above them came loose and fell. A thick stream of light poured through the gap it left, and there was a collective intake of breath from the captives in the cave. The sunlight hit the wall and its gleam was mirrored in the facets of a thousand gemstones that glittered there. They sent out their own, smaller beams of light, criss crossing the cave and lighting upon other gems, scattered in the rock like tiny stars. It would have been beautiful, if they were not trapped there.

As their elven eyes adjusted to the half light, they found they could now locate each other by sight. Elladan and Elrohir stood close to each other in the centre of the cave, Legolas had been searching its edges, and Aewen stood waist deep in a natural stream that trickled out of the very rock face, her hair and clothing saturated in the filthy water.

As Legolas and Elrohir hurried to help the Lady, Elladan stared upwards. I believe we fell through some sort of secret entrance. This must be an abandoned dwarf cave. The rock above is hinged to allow it to be pushed open, but how did they ever get up there?

I should want to know how this place came to be abandoned. Aewen said as she shucked off her sodden coat and accepted Elrohir's as a warmer replacement. Not for nothing would dwarves leave such treasures.

Legolas agreed, drawing Aewen close against him and brushing her wet hair away from her face. My old friend Gimli would have had a few choice words for any who left this place uncared for.

It had indeed been left uncared for. There was no furniture but a carved table and two chairs, of dwarf height, now thickly coated in dust and grime. Piles of rubble were stacked up by the walls and the remains of old metal torch holders were rusted in the rock.

I think the question that should be foremost in our minds is how do we get out. said Elladan. There would appear to be only one exit, and the walls are unscalable.

Broken rock we have in abundance. said Legolas, Perhaps enough when stacked upon itself to suffice as a crude ladder?

I had the same thought, Elrohir said. We can but try. This low table may serve as a base.

And so the work began, collecting stones and stacking them into a perilous tower. It soon became clear that it would never reach high enough, but there seemed no other option. And then Aewen's hands found something smooth and round, lying half submerged in the water of the stream.

She pulled out the dark globe, and as she set it down before her, her eyes were filled with the brightest light, and a voice, female, deep and strong spoke inside her mind.

Suilad, El-yende.

Aewen pulled her hands away from the sphere with a cry. Immediately Legolas was by her side.

What happened?

The princess gestured to the glass ball, now darkened and silent once more. I heard voices....inside my head. There was a light. She reached a hand toward the orb, but Legolas caught her wrist.

It is a palantir. Do not touch it!

All four elves were by this time gathered around the globe. It was dark, and smooth as glass, about a foot in diameter. Aewen shook her head. It cannot be. All are lost or destroyed, save the stones of Anor and Orthanc.

Then explain how else you heard the voices. said Elladan, You are not touched, Aewen, it must be the work of the stone. It is as Legolas said, you must not look into it.

Aewen freed herself from Legolas' restraining grip and looked closer at the stone. If it is a palantir, then it is my birthright to use it, for they were gifts to the men of Numenor, ancestors of my Father. There is no Dark Lord to look back at me now, I saw only light.

She leant forward, then, and placed her hands upon the stone, looking into it. Once again the smooth surface filled with golden light, and this time all could see, as a face, pale and beautiful and wreathed with fair, shining hair became visible in the sphere. All but Aewen recognised at once the Lady Galadriel, and behind her an ebony haired Lord stood.

Elrohir cried, and placed his hand upon the stone, but only Aewen could hear the words of the Lady, for they sounded within her mind.

Greetings, Star - daughter. Listen to me, for we have little time, my mind cannot long hold the stone over such distance. You stand now in the dark, and there is darker yet to come for you. You must not seek the light! Your way is downward and deep, but do not be afraid. If your party remain steadfast then the light shall not die in your lands.

The light within the palantir began to flicker and fade, the final words Aewen heard were spoken by the Lord. Have strength, child, may none of you fall to the night.

The surface of the globe clouded over then, and became dark, and Aewen's head felt heavy upon her shoulders, as though tired from some great exertion.

Everyone began to speak at once, and it was some moments before Aewen knew she had seen the Lord Elrond, and the Lady Galadriel, the blood of both of whom she carried in her veins.

She told them of the Lady's words, and the Lord's, and there was much debate over their meaning. They did now stand in darkness, but what other way did they have other than to seek the light above them?

It was Legolas who provided the only possible answer. In removing rubble from the walls, he had uncovered a low ledge. Further exploration now revealed a small door, sealed tight with stones.

They gathered by the sealed passageway as the wood elf removed more of the blockage, until at last a gap was made. The rush of rancid air that issued from it drove them all back into the cave.

Finally, hand firmly over his mouth, Legolas ventured forward once more and peered through the hole. It looked down a dark passageway, but there was a faint light flickering at its end, and unfamiliar sounds could be heard echoing in the distance. Something came into view then, on the peripheries of Legolas' sight, and he turned to the others with darkness in his face.





Notes on this chapter:


Suilad, El-yende. - greetings, Star - daughter (Yende is Quenya.)

- Father!

- Orcs!

Okay, so, the palantir thing, how does that work?

Well, some seeing stones were gifted to Numenor from the elves of the undying lands and seven were brought to Middle Earth when Numenor was destroyed, by Elendil, who founded Gondor and Arnor - remember Seven stars and seven stones and one white tree?

All but the stone of Elostirion which only looked out at the sea, the Anor stone Denethor used in Minas Tirith, the Orthanc Stone Saruman used and the Ithil stone Sauron used were lost by the time of the war of the ring. The Ithil stone was probably destroyed then, and the stone of Elostirion was taken back to Aman on the ringbearers ship, leaving only two.

The stone of Osgiliath was destroyed and the stones of Amon Sul and Annuminas were lost in the north sea long ago by Avedui.

So how did one get into a cave near Fangorn? I worked it out like this. There is a stream in the cave, which is a tributary from the Limlight, which in turn is a tributary of the great river Anduin. Anduin crosses Middle Earth, running down from the North Sea. The stone they have found is the Palantir of Annuminas (the stone of Amon Sul was huge) and it has been carried over hundreds of years, out of the sea, down Anduin and into this cave. Its not cannon, folks, just my imagination.

Some things are just fated ;)

Now, how did Galadriel and Elrond manage to see them, since the stones generally never saw further than Tol Eressea (the lonely island) even when they were in Numenor?

Okay, there were more than Seven Palantir. They were made in Valinor in ancient times, and many remained there, including the Master Stone in the tower of Avallone. It is this master stone that Galadriel is using, and it takes a lot of her concentration to communicate over such a distance, which is why she did not have long.

As to how she knew they would be there, with a palantir, at that moment, well that's just part of the mystery of the Lady. I can't tell you all her secrets.

She is right though, things are going to be getting darker over the next couple of chapters, I hope you stick with me through it.