Chapter 25

The Stallion

Admiring the halls of Mirkwood, Aragorn slowly walked down the long corridor with one of the king's guard. Many times Aragorn throughout his life has visited Mirkwood and many times Legolas visited Rivendell. When growing up, Aragorn would spend most of his days with Elladan and Elrohir. They would teach him how to track. Often, Legolas would join them for an entire summer. Aragorn learned much from Legolas. He was more a brother to him than anyone was. Aragorn also knew King Thranduil and knew not to push this king too much. He ruled Mirkwood much like he ruled his own son, with very strict rules. He also knew that Legolas was never raised with a closeness a father and son should have shared. In this they had much in common. Aragorn lost his own father and the next best thing to a father that he knew, was Lord Elrond. However, Lord Elrond and King Thranduil, did not get along too well. King Thranduil was jealous of Lord Elrond and did whatever he thought necessary to undermine his authority. The only difference between the two highly respected elves were, one would seek wisdom, while the other sought richest.

Everything in these halls of Mirkwood has not changed much over the years when Aragorn used to visit. In the Kings corridor, there were valuable treasured items set upon elaborate stone pedestals and guarded, so no one could touch them. There were rare vases and decorative swords of greatness. Jeweled crafted knives that glimmered and shined to their utmost perfection. These items lay on fine cloth from the elf's weaver that was especially skillful in his trade. However, Aragorn was not that impressed with them. Treasures such as these adorned many kingdoms, but the things that Aragorn valued was his family and his friends. This King Thranduil was greatly lacking.

Aragorn paused at the great doors of the King's chamber. He had hoped to find the king in good spirits and that the news of Merry and Estella's wedding would not upset the king's plan for his ball. Hopefully he would be able to persuade him.

Aragorn heard the guard announce his presence and he walked in with confidence as he greeted the King. Bowing slightly from the waist, Aragorn sat facing King Thrandui and began telling him of the plans for the hobbit's wedding.

King Thrandui was thrilled with the news and offered his servants to assist them in any way that they could. He promised to make their wedding day especially grand.

Aragorn thanked the king and strode off to find Merry. Within an hour the corridors were bustling with activity. The dress marker's were sent to make robes for the hobbits, while the other servants, arranged for the flowers and seating in the gardens for all the elves and guest to attend. There were going to be special foods and drinks made to honor the newly wed couple.

Aragorn saw Gimli and Legolas getting ready to leave and he stopped them.

"Where are you going?" Aragorn asked.

"Gimli has come up with an idea to capture the stallion and we are going to the hidden valley to prepare a sight in an alcove." Legolas informed him.

Gimli explained to Aragorn how they would separate the stallion and lure him into that alcove next to the mountain. There they would be able to capture him.

"I will get Merry and some of the others. We will meet you there later this afternoon. Having that stallion caught will make a wonderful gift for our newly weds." Aragorn said as he turned to find Merry.

Aragorn strolled down the long corridor passing one servant elf after another as they rushed in their preparation for the up coming events. Their arms were full of garments, baskets of cut flowers and stacks of table clothes. Aragorn dodged in between them.

Finding Merry's door and wanting to escape the rush of elves in the corridor, Aragorn opened the door and walked in narrowly missing an elf carrying an oversized sliver bowl. Aragorn looked over his shoulder to make sure the elf made it past him. He turned his eyes towards Merry who stood on a table. While the dress marker measured and marked lines on the cloth that he would cut, in making, Merry an appropriate robe for his wedding.

Aragorn folded his arms and leaned against the doorway, began laughing. He could clearly see how uncomfortable Merry appeared as the dress marker snapped at him to hold still. Having Aragorn, now watching him, made him all the more nervous and fidgety.

"Really, Master Merry, I can not take accurate measurements if you do not stand still." The dress marker cursed under his breath, as he was very meticulous in his art. Holding the tape measure to his crouch and running it down his leg, Merry thought this was too much and pushed the dress marker away. Dismissing him abruptly.

Aragorn knew all too well what Merry was going through, since his wedding with Arwen. Aragorn lifted Merry from the table and set him on the floor.

The dress marker gathered his garments and his bag as he turned, walking out in a huff.

"Legolas and Gimli found away to trap the Stallion, in an alcove, next to the mountain of the hidden valley. I thought perhaps a day away from the dress marker would do you some good."

"Thanks, Aragorn. I could use a day away from all of this fussing. I'm not much for the finer things." Merry said trying to regain some of his dignity.

"Then come, we have much work to do then." Aragorn led the way to the stables to get some fresh horses to ride.

~*~

Merry, Pippin, Wilcome and Tom all joined Aragorn to help capture the stallion. They rode their horses to the camp at the base of the hidden valley. Merry and Pippin stopped their horses to see the young colt that Pippin had just told Merry about. Aragorn and the others joined them.

Seeing the young colt made Merry laugh at its playfulness. Steadier now, the young colt bolted and darted amongst the herd of miniature Palominos. He seemed more legs than body. However, Merry noticed the coloring of this young colt as it mirrored that of the stallion. The soft fluffy mane of the colt fluttered in the wind as it ran from one end of the coral to the other. Pippin picked a handful of grass and held it close to the colt's mother, in hopes that she would walk over to nibble it. When she did, Merry gently stroked the silky texture of her long mane and neck. Merry was pleased at the horses that Aragorn and Legolas caught for him.

"Come we can not delay too long. There is a storm brewing in those clouds. If we are not quick enough to catch that stallion we all will be chilled to the bone.

When they entered the hidden pathway leading into the valley, Legolas rode up to met them. He pointed towards Gimli, where he sat in a tree that he cut almost threw with his ax. Once the stallion entered this area, Gimli could cut the tree down blocking the path of the stallion from escaping. There they would be able to rope and capture him.

Separating the herd, the group of hobbits slowly inched their way towards the stallion. Boxing him in. The only path that was free to the stallion was the small alcove where Gimli waited in the trees. The winds began to pick up and the branches swayed in the breeze.

The stallion bolted trying to get away, but was forced into this area. Swiftly, Gimli hit his ax against the tree sending it toppling to the ground blocking the stallion from escaping. Gimli did not possess any skills with horses, so he was quite happy standing on the fallen tree. He began to cut notches into the tree with his ax to make an escape door once they have caught the stallion. They all climbed down from the fallen tree and slowly began circling the stallion. Legolas whirled his rope in the air and sending the lasso flying when the stallion raced by him. The lasso caught the stallion around its neck and began to charge him. Aragorn suddenly tossed his rope, but missed when the winds slowed its descend, as Legolas suddenly had to jump out of the path of the charging horse. They had expected the stallion to stop when it approached the fallen tree, but with a mighty leap the stallion landed onto the tree, knocking Gimli to the ground with a loud thud, as it raced away out of the hidden valley. Aragorn and Legolas with all their experience with horses, has never seen such strength and determination in a horse. Aragorn could clearly see why Merry wanted this one horse so much. It was very special indeed. Aragorn promised he would track the stallion after Merry's wedding and bring it back to him.

Helping Gimli up, the rains began beating down on them. Legolas helped Gimli onto his horse as they all bolted for the halls of Mirkwood.

~*~

Approaching the stables of Mirkwood, Legolas set Gimli down on the ground. The riders all took their horses into the stables. While Gimli, headed into the halls of Mirkwood. Three Guards just rounded the corner of the entrance saw Gimli stand there by himself. Approaching him, one of the guards spit on him and called him a stinking dwarf. Legolas, Aragorn and the hobbits bolted into the door. Hearing this, Legolas darted after the guard, but Aragorn could not stop him.

Legolas grabbed the guard by his collar around his neck and force him down to his knees.

"If I ever catch you saying or doing anything to this honorable dwarf, you will not live to see another day!" Legolas shouted in anger at this guard. "While you were warm in your bed sleeping, this dwarf fought more orcs and Uruk-hai, not to mention cave trolls and the likes, protecting your lands and your families from the evil of Sauron and his monsters. You owe him a debt of gratitude to your miserable existence!"

"I am sorry, your highness." The guard begged from Legolas.

"It is not my forgiveness that you should be seeking, it is his!" Legolas shouted in animosity towards the guard and gestured towards Gimli.

"Forgive me, Master Dwarf." The elvish guard said of Gimli.

Gimli only nodded his head, for the sake of Legolas, so he would not kill the guard.

King Thranduil stood peeking through a slightly opened door heard and saw the encounter with his guards and Legolas. King Thranduil knew this dwarf was all that his son said he was. Having Legolas see that the dwarves were untrustworthy was not going to happen by its self, especially not with this dwarf. King Thranduil began planning.

Gimli proved to be threat and if the Hearth Stone was ever going to stay in heritage of the elves, he would need to prove to his son that this dwarf was unworthy of Legolas's trust.