Except for the crackle of the fire, a silence descended upon the five. Elladan spoke first: "Would that be wise?" His brow furrowed.
"Most adventures do not sound wise," Vanasulë countered, his bright blue eyes sparkling in the firelight.
"I cannot imagine my father approving." Elladan's frown deepened.
"We don't have to ask him for approval," Elrohir said. All eyes turned to him. "I mean, why bother him with our plans to continue the education of our dear friend, Estel?"*
Aragorn felt heat flood his cheeks as all four Elves turned to face him. "I wouldn't shoulder this burden," he said slowly. "It is up to each of you whether you would go on this quest or not and it is also up to you if you would tell your father, Sons-of-Elrond." His gaze met Elrohir's.
"Surely Thranduil's son would enjoy this opportunity tarry a while in the world beyond Mirkwood," Vanasulë suggested, turning his attention upon Legolas.
"The only source of our information is Saruman," Legolas reminded them, "and, if the truth be told, I don't entirely trust him."
There was a moment of stunned silence, broken by Vanasulë's laughter. "Don't let such a minor incident color your entire opinion of the Wizard," the Elf in Lorien-grey suggested.
"What little incident?" Elrohir eagerly asked.
Legolas remained mute, glaring at Vanasulë, who added: "He explained it was only because you resembled Orodreth so closely, didn't he?"
"Legolas!" Elrohir urged. "Don't let us die of curiosity."
A smile tugged at Aragorn's mouth. It had not gone unnoticed that Elves in general and Elrohir in particular were very curious about the world around them.
"If he doesn't care to explain, Elrohir, you shouldn't torment him." Aragorn held up a hand.
"It was just that since I first met Saruman he has had a tendency to stare at me," Legolas spoke slowly. "Almost glare at me, as if there was bad blood between us."
"How could that be, though?" Vanasulë looked to Aragorn, as if he had the answer. "Legolas is the kindest of Elves, honest, loyal."
"You make me sound like a pet dog," Legolas chided. "And perhaps it is ungenerous of me to even speak of it, but I have a sense of unease around him."
"Indeed," Elrohir looked thoughtfully at Legolas. "And what were his doings with Orodreth? That is odd, you see, because Orodreth wasn't even in Middle Earth when Saruman finally arrived. Had you forgotten? The Istari arrived here well into the Third Age."
Vanasulë's mouth fell open. "Why, you're quite right. Do you think he meant that he saw Orodreth in the Halls of Mandos? Do the Maiar visit there?"
"But, you indeed are a descendant of Orodreth's, Legolas." Elladan looked carefully at Legolas. "You may resemble him." Elladan turned his gaze to Vanasulë. If you were just born a little earlier, you might have known Orodreth."
"Legolas' resemblance to Orodreth is a question to take up with Galadriel," Aragorn suggested. Elladan turned to him and Aragorn continued, "After all, he was her brother." Aragorn looked back at Legolas, who raised both brows in a silent question.
"Yes," Elladan laughed, "My father has made sure Estel knows all the lineages of the Elves as well as his own people."
"We venture far from my suggestion," Vanasulë waved a hand, dismissing the entire subject of Legolas' lineage and his dislike of the Wizard Saruman. "Are we going, or are we not?"
"I am willing," Aragorn told him, "though I doubt there will be much to discover after so many have gone ahead of us."
"Good!" Elrohir slapped Aragorn on the back. "I will be there, also. What about you, brother?"
"Aye," Elladan nodded, his blue gaze upon Aragorn.
"Most definitely I shall be with you," Vanasulë told them. "You'll need a Healer and I'm bored these last few years. A new adventure would suit me well."
The tall Elf looked at Legolas. "Are you in?"
"I would like to see the world beyond Mirkwood and if we bypass my father's Halls, I need not worry him with our journey. It would be interesting to see these distant lands and to look for a city no one else has been able to find."
"We're all agreed," Elrohir grinned. "We can leave at dawn."
" Then I'd better get some sleep." Aragorn sighed. He imagined his friends would be discussing their trip until then.
*Estel means Hope in Sindarin, and was one of Aragorn's names when he dwelt in Rivendell
Thank you, all of you who have urged me to continue. Some action is coming.
"Most adventures do not sound wise," Vanasulë countered, his bright blue eyes sparkling in the firelight.
"I cannot imagine my father approving." Elladan's frown deepened.
"We don't have to ask him for approval," Elrohir said. All eyes turned to him. "I mean, why bother him with our plans to continue the education of our dear friend, Estel?"*
Aragorn felt heat flood his cheeks as all four Elves turned to face him. "I wouldn't shoulder this burden," he said slowly. "It is up to each of you whether you would go on this quest or not and it is also up to you if you would tell your father, Sons-of-Elrond." His gaze met Elrohir's.
"Surely Thranduil's son would enjoy this opportunity tarry a while in the world beyond Mirkwood," Vanasulë suggested, turning his attention upon Legolas.
"The only source of our information is Saruman," Legolas reminded them, "and, if the truth be told, I don't entirely trust him."
There was a moment of stunned silence, broken by Vanasulë's laughter. "Don't let such a minor incident color your entire opinion of the Wizard," the Elf in Lorien-grey suggested.
"What little incident?" Elrohir eagerly asked.
Legolas remained mute, glaring at Vanasulë, who added: "He explained it was only because you resembled Orodreth so closely, didn't he?"
"Legolas!" Elrohir urged. "Don't let us die of curiosity."
A smile tugged at Aragorn's mouth. It had not gone unnoticed that Elves in general and Elrohir in particular were very curious about the world around them.
"If he doesn't care to explain, Elrohir, you shouldn't torment him." Aragorn held up a hand.
"It was just that since I first met Saruman he has had a tendency to stare at me," Legolas spoke slowly. "Almost glare at me, as if there was bad blood between us."
"How could that be, though?" Vanasulë looked to Aragorn, as if he had the answer. "Legolas is the kindest of Elves, honest, loyal."
"You make me sound like a pet dog," Legolas chided. "And perhaps it is ungenerous of me to even speak of it, but I have a sense of unease around him."
"Indeed," Elrohir looked thoughtfully at Legolas. "And what were his doings with Orodreth? That is odd, you see, because Orodreth wasn't even in Middle Earth when Saruman finally arrived. Had you forgotten? The Istari arrived here well into the Third Age."
Vanasulë's mouth fell open. "Why, you're quite right. Do you think he meant that he saw Orodreth in the Halls of Mandos? Do the Maiar visit there?"
"But, you indeed are a descendant of Orodreth's, Legolas." Elladan looked carefully at Legolas. "You may resemble him." Elladan turned his gaze to Vanasulë. If you were just born a little earlier, you might have known Orodreth."
"Legolas' resemblance to Orodreth is a question to take up with Galadriel," Aragorn suggested. Elladan turned to him and Aragorn continued, "After all, he was her brother." Aragorn looked back at Legolas, who raised both brows in a silent question.
"Yes," Elladan laughed, "My father has made sure Estel knows all the lineages of the Elves as well as his own people."
"We venture far from my suggestion," Vanasulë waved a hand, dismissing the entire subject of Legolas' lineage and his dislike of the Wizard Saruman. "Are we going, or are we not?"
"I am willing," Aragorn told him, "though I doubt there will be much to discover after so many have gone ahead of us."
"Good!" Elrohir slapped Aragorn on the back. "I will be there, also. What about you, brother?"
"Aye," Elladan nodded, his blue gaze upon Aragorn.
"Most definitely I shall be with you," Vanasulë told them. "You'll need a Healer and I'm bored these last few years. A new adventure would suit me well."
The tall Elf looked at Legolas. "Are you in?"
"I would like to see the world beyond Mirkwood and if we bypass my father's Halls, I need not worry him with our journey. It would be interesting to see these distant lands and to look for a city no one else has been able to find."
"We're all agreed," Elrohir grinned. "We can leave at dawn."
" Then I'd better get some sleep." Aragorn sighed. He imagined his friends would be discussing their trip until then.
*Estel means Hope in Sindarin, and was one of Aragorn's names when he dwelt in Rivendell
Thank you, all of you who have urged me to continue. Some action is coming.