CHAPTER TWO - SEARCH
Elrond had organised a dozen groups of elves to search the valley, but had ordered that no one was to cross the Bruinen before sunrise, whatever temptation there might be. Estel had left to help search, despite Elrond's protests. He always had been a rebellious child, but at least he had convinced him to stay with Legolas. Aragorn had readily agreed, Legolas had been his friend since childhood, and it seemed a small price to pay to join the search for the hobbits.
When Aragorn finally found him, Legolas was silently looking out of Frodo's window. Of course the hobbits had finally woken up during all the commotion and now they were running up and down the elven halls screaming mostly, so this room was quiet. Lord Elrond had insisted they inside Rivendell.
Legolas looked up at Aragorn's entrance, then just as Frodo had only hours before, climbed out of the window and dropped into the tree. Aragorn followed a little less gracefully, clumsily clinging to each branch for dear life. Aragorn breathed a sigh of relief when he felt firm ground beneath his feet.
The two hunters silently followed the scarce hobbit tracks, noting the added urgency and acceleration they found. Several minutes later, Legolas caught Aragorn's arm.
"Estel, we are nearing the Brunien."
Aragorn nodded and slipped as silently as a ranger can through the trees.
Legolas saw a glint out of the corner of his eye, near the ground on his left. He motioned to Aragorn. It was the ring.
*** For a moment, both the hunters simply stared at it's simple beauty.
"I do not think we should touch it, Legolas." Aragorn said finally.
"I agree Estel."
Neither hunter took their eyes off the ring. It seemed so perfect lying there in the dirt, glittering in the moonlight. So perfect.
Finally, Aragorn took a step forward and with an obvious amount of will, stood on it, covering the ring so that you could not see the shiny surface. Even without seeing it visually, they could still feel it.
"Come on."
Aragorn pulled on Legolas's arm slightly, urging him away from the buried evil. He complied.
The companions broke through the edge of the forests and were stood on the edge of the Bruinen. Elrond had made it quite clear that no one was to cross the Brunien, under any circumstances.
"What is that smell Legolas?"
"That is the smell of burning wood.and something else.cloth perhaps. Wait, there is an underlying smell. I do not like my instincts Aragorn."
Aragorn and Legolas stared at each other.
"It is the smell of burning hair and flesh."
Aragorn turned spontaneously, with years of elven training behind him.
"Frodo!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. He was but inches from the side of the river with Legolas caught him by the arms and held him back.
"No, nin mellon, we cannot cross the Bruinien before our fair lady shows her face upon the land. It will be only a few minutes my friend."
"No! FRODO!!" Aragorn cried in a yell that wrenched Legolas's heart, yet he held firm, not willing to risk Aragorn's life with whatever was across that river.
The first rays of light showed themselves over the treetops and just as they did, an entire acre of wood (or so it seemed to Legolas) burst into flames. He could hear their screams of pain, but yet he did nothing.
"FRODO!" Aragorn yelled. "I'm coming!" He tried to pull away from Legolas, but his grip was like iron around him.
"Why will you not let me go, Legolas? I can save him, I know I can. Just let me go, please."
Estel sounded young, younger even than his own human years.
"There is nothing you can do nin mellon. We must wait for the fire to die down. Frodo would not want you to risk your life coming in after him, even if he were there at all. He could well be hiding, safely waiting somewhere until the fire dies down to come out."
Aragorn's struggles weakened and Legolas could see the tears welling up in his eyes, and feel them cascade also down his own face. They slumped to the floor together and waited.
*** Glorfindel also smelled the smoke and ran quickly through the trees towards it. He sounded an small elvish horn to alert the others elves, knowing they would follow his path. He burst through trees into the open and it seemed as if the entire sky were alight with fire. All the trees in sight of the western shore were now burning freely and their flames reflected in the cool blue of the Bruinen.
He noticed Legolas and Estel, slumped on the floor, Estel freely crying now. His eyes flickered back to the trees. He could not remember when such an atrocity had happened this close to Rivendell.
One by one the elves appeared through the trees like shadows, drawn by Glorfindel's horn and the sounds of the dying trees. Each one's eyes were glued to burning and none moved whilst there were still flames.
There was silence. The last flame died out on the forest floor, but yet none of the elves moved. They had no recollection of the time they had spent, just watching the flames in shock, mourning the passing of the trees. None moved towards the burnt out forest.
The three hobbits burst through the crowd of gathered elves, having finally found their way out of Rivendell and down to the river, they wasted no time in leaping into the river. The sun was high in the sky now and no one stopped them. When Estel stood to follow them, no one hindered him. He looked down at Legolas and asked him silently if he would simply sit there. Legolas stared at him for a moment, then followed Estel's lead across the river.
Slowly the elves came out of their trance and began the search for Frodo whilst trying to clean up. This place would not be healed whilst they remained in Middle Earth, but they would still care for it until they did. Even the dwarves contributed, lifting the heavier fallen logs in teams, cursing quietly about how they would like to exact their revenge on whoever had done this, their quarrels with the elves forgotten.
The hobbits madly rushed through the woods, shouting out Frodo's name, but it was in vain. Aragorn had already found what he had been looking for, carefully falling the remains of the hobbit's tracks. He knelt beside the remains, and lovingly swirled the warm ashes around in his hand. His hand touched something still molten hot and he recoiled at the touch.
He turned back his head to it. It was the tiny clasp used to hold Frodo's black cloak together. The initials FB were still visible and another tear escaped over his cheek. So it was true.
The remains of tree trunk were still visible, obviously the hobbit had been out here when it had fallen and been caught underneath. And of course when the fire started.
He tried not to imagine it.
Elrond had organised a dozen groups of elves to search the valley, but had ordered that no one was to cross the Bruinen before sunrise, whatever temptation there might be. Estel had left to help search, despite Elrond's protests. He always had been a rebellious child, but at least he had convinced him to stay with Legolas. Aragorn had readily agreed, Legolas had been his friend since childhood, and it seemed a small price to pay to join the search for the hobbits.
When Aragorn finally found him, Legolas was silently looking out of Frodo's window. Of course the hobbits had finally woken up during all the commotion and now they were running up and down the elven halls screaming mostly, so this room was quiet. Lord Elrond had insisted they inside Rivendell.
Legolas looked up at Aragorn's entrance, then just as Frodo had only hours before, climbed out of the window and dropped into the tree. Aragorn followed a little less gracefully, clumsily clinging to each branch for dear life. Aragorn breathed a sigh of relief when he felt firm ground beneath his feet.
The two hunters silently followed the scarce hobbit tracks, noting the added urgency and acceleration they found. Several minutes later, Legolas caught Aragorn's arm.
"Estel, we are nearing the Brunien."
Aragorn nodded and slipped as silently as a ranger can through the trees.
Legolas saw a glint out of the corner of his eye, near the ground on his left. He motioned to Aragorn. It was the ring.
*** For a moment, both the hunters simply stared at it's simple beauty.
"I do not think we should touch it, Legolas." Aragorn said finally.
"I agree Estel."
Neither hunter took their eyes off the ring. It seemed so perfect lying there in the dirt, glittering in the moonlight. So perfect.
Finally, Aragorn took a step forward and with an obvious amount of will, stood on it, covering the ring so that you could not see the shiny surface. Even without seeing it visually, they could still feel it.
"Come on."
Aragorn pulled on Legolas's arm slightly, urging him away from the buried evil. He complied.
The companions broke through the edge of the forests and were stood on the edge of the Bruinen. Elrond had made it quite clear that no one was to cross the Brunien, under any circumstances.
"What is that smell Legolas?"
"That is the smell of burning wood.and something else.cloth perhaps. Wait, there is an underlying smell. I do not like my instincts Aragorn."
Aragorn and Legolas stared at each other.
"It is the smell of burning hair and flesh."
Aragorn turned spontaneously, with years of elven training behind him.
"Frodo!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. He was but inches from the side of the river with Legolas caught him by the arms and held him back.
"No, nin mellon, we cannot cross the Bruinien before our fair lady shows her face upon the land. It will be only a few minutes my friend."
"No! FRODO!!" Aragorn cried in a yell that wrenched Legolas's heart, yet he held firm, not willing to risk Aragorn's life with whatever was across that river.
The first rays of light showed themselves over the treetops and just as they did, an entire acre of wood (or so it seemed to Legolas) burst into flames. He could hear their screams of pain, but yet he did nothing.
"FRODO!" Aragorn yelled. "I'm coming!" He tried to pull away from Legolas, but his grip was like iron around him.
"Why will you not let me go, Legolas? I can save him, I know I can. Just let me go, please."
Estel sounded young, younger even than his own human years.
"There is nothing you can do nin mellon. We must wait for the fire to die down. Frodo would not want you to risk your life coming in after him, even if he were there at all. He could well be hiding, safely waiting somewhere until the fire dies down to come out."
Aragorn's struggles weakened and Legolas could see the tears welling up in his eyes, and feel them cascade also down his own face. They slumped to the floor together and waited.
*** Glorfindel also smelled the smoke and ran quickly through the trees towards it. He sounded an small elvish horn to alert the others elves, knowing they would follow his path. He burst through trees into the open and it seemed as if the entire sky were alight with fire. All the trees in sight of the western shore were now burning freely and their flames reflected in the cool blue of the Bruinen.
He noticed Legolas and Estel, slumped on the floor, Estel freely crying now. His eyes flickered back to the trees. He could not remember when such an atrocity had happened this close to Rivendell.
One by one the elves appeared through the trees like shadows, drawn by Glorfindel's horn and the sounds of the dying trees. Each one's eyes were glued to burning and none moved whilst there were still flames.
There was silence. The last flame died out on the forest floor, but yet none of the elves moved. They had no recollection of the time they had spent, just watching the flames in shock, mourning the passing of the trees. None moved towards the burnt out forest.
The three hobbits burst through the crowd of gathered elves, having finally found their way out of Rivendell and down to the river, they wasted no time in leaping into the river. The sun was high in the sky now and no one stopped them. When Estel stood to follow them, no one hindered him. He looked down at Legolas and asked him silently if he would simply sit there. Legolas stared at him for a moment, then followed Estel's lead across the river.
Slowly the elves came out of their trance and began the search for Frodo whilst trying to clean up. This place would not be healed whilst they remained in Middle Earth, but they would still care for it until they did. Even the dwarves contributed, lifting the heavier fallen logs in teams, cursing quietly about how they would like to exact their revenge on whoever had done this, their quarrels with the elves forgotten.
The hobbits madly rushed through the woods, shouting out Frodo's name, but it was in vain. Aragorn had already found what he had been looking for, carefully falling the remains of the hobbit's tracks. He knelt beside the remains, and lovingly swirled the warm ashes around in his hand. His hand touched something still molten hot and he recoiled at the touch.
He turned back his head to it. It was the tiny clasp used to hold Frodo's black cloak together. The initials FB were still visible and another tear escaped over his cheek. So it was true.
The remains of tree trunk were still visible, obviously the hobbit had been out here when it had fallen and been caught underneath. And of course when the fire started.
He tried not to imagine it.
