SHADOW IN THE TREES
By : mirkwood-elf-2931 & Thala


CHAPTER 4


The three brothers, two Elves and a man, had their bows drawn, arrows locked arms tight against the bowstrings' resistance. A bush the size of a doe was shaking in the path ahead.

They crept closer, closer, almost upon it.

Aragorn's thoughts were of his next meal and what this unknown creature could be, secretly wishing for deer. What he didn't know was that Elladan and Elrohir were thinking the same.

Circling the bush, they moved still closer. Suddenly, all movement ceased as if nothing was there. All thoughts of venison escaped Aragorn's mind when a small boney figure, the size of a child, emerged from the bush.

Running down the path towards the gates of Rivendell, Elrohir, Aragorn and Elladan all gave the shout to open the doors. They were exhausted and looked haggard. As the gates swung open, they entered, never slowing their pace, for fear their package would escape them. They headed straight for the House of Elrond.

Nearly out of breath and ready to collapse, they ran through the gardens and saw Lord Elrond and his adopted daughter, Thalawen.

They skidded to a halt in front of their father and sister, and panting, tried to tell of what was happening.

Thalawen looked at her brothers queerly, mostly eyeing the cloth sack thrown over Elrohir's shoulder. They were most excitable little boys, she thought to herself.

Seeing that their matter was of much importance, Elrond asked Thalawen to return later for their lesson in medicine.

"Father," gasped Elrohir. "we have something you should see right away." Understanding immediately, Elrond led his sons down to the storage room.
 
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Legolas Greenleaf stood leaning in the frame on the wide ledge of a tall, glass-less window in his elaborately decorated bedroom. He gazed down at the lush gardens of the palace, breathing in the fresh morning air and listening to the sounds of the forest.

It was early, just two hours after sunrise, but he was dressed and ready for the day, waiting for the routine of the staff to begin inside and outside of the palace.

But this relaxation was interrupted, when a quiet knock sounded upon his door. "Prince Legolas?" He heard the voice of his father's advisor. "There is someone here to see you." Selihar called through the thick wood. The prince jumped lightly down and walked to his door. "They are waiting in the Assembly Hall." He smiled, as Legolas opened it in mid sentence.

"Thank you, Selihar."

The Elf nodded and stepped away, going right, down the end of the hall, then left, toward Thranduil's study.

Legolas followed and then a little on past, opening a side door of the spacious room. As he swung it inward, it revealed who had come to his home.

"Surprised?" Asked a tall, dark and at the same time fair featured Elf, standing in the middle of the room.

Who beside him, stood another that looked so identical it was hard for at times, even Elven eyes to tell the two apart. And beside them both, stood a rugged looking man dressed in a color that seemed entirely black when not in the sight of the sun's bright light.

"Elladan! Elrohir! Strider!" He said hurrying toward them.

"Hello, Legolas!" Elrohir chimed in happily. Legolas grinned, as he clasped their hands, which they fondly returned.

"A surprise it is indeed! And it is good to see you, my friend." Legolas finally greeted Aragorn, reaching out to clasp his own hand, in which the prince was instead pulled into a tight hug. The Ranger eventually stepped back and grinned.

"Not half as good as it is to see you."

"Really? Miss me that much?"

"He has been wanting to come to Mirkwood for some time now, but had quite an ill delay and Father would not let him leave the house!" Elladan laughed, dodging a swat from his youngest sibling.

"Strider, are you going on 'adventures' without me again?" Legolas accused, arching a brow.

He only smiled sheepishly, as his brothers snickered beside him. "Well, I wouldn't exactly call it an 'adventure'. More like just being in the wrong place at the wrong time." Which what he didn't realize, was that was how most of their past 'adventures' had usually always started.

"Tell me," He went on. "Was Mirkwood attacked anytime in the last several months?" Legolas cocked his head, wondering how he could have known. "Yes, in fact we were in mid Ivanneth." [September.]

Aragorn sighed. "That's what I feared. Eastern Gondor and Lothlorien were also attacked a month after that. I was unfortunately in Gondor at the time."

The prince nodded in understanding. "Ah, I see. Hurt much?"

"He was! That's why Father refused to let him go anywhere!"

"Elladan!" Aragorn was getting very annoyed by the interruptions of his answers to Legolas' questions. Then Elrohir took up continuing his twin's explanation. "And he wasn't even suppose to go in the first place, so it was Father's punishment to keep him home!"

Aragorn let out a long. exasperated sigh, glancing at the ceiling.

"Weren't suppose to go?" Legolas eyed him, smiling.

"I heard Gandalf was suppose to be there and I desperately needed to speak with him! Anyway," He emphasized the last word toward his older brothers. "What happened here?" He directed the question more seriously back to the blond prince.

The Elf shrugged slightly. "The usual, raided unexpectedly by a horde of about seven hundred Orcs. But many of our warriors were lost this time, including the captain, which now is Landailyn."

"Really? I bet she's more than happy over that." Aragorn chuckled, imagining what her reaction might have been like. "Oh she is alright." He agreed.

"Where is she by the way? It's been longer since I've seen her, than I have you!"

"And even longer for us!" The elder of the twins spoke up again. Legolas shrugged. "I'm not sure if she's here yet, she might be around here somewhere though."

"Well then, let's go find her!" Suggested Elrohir.

The group traveled out into the side courtyard, then around behind to the horses' stables, laughing and talking all the way, but the new captain was nowhere to be seen. "Well, we've seen the three places now where she usually is, so she must not have arrived yet." Said Legolas.

"Who's not arrived?"

The four, slightly startled, spun to find the she-Elf standing a few feet behind them and the three newcomers thought it seemed strange to see her dressed like Legolas. She smiled and cocked her head, she had been following them since the courtyard, seeing who it was and hearing that they were trying to find her.

But she could no longer contain her joy, hugging Aragorn first and then the twins. "My friends, it has been awhile! How do you all fare?"

"It has and we are fine, Landailyn." Elrohir was the one to answer. "But we do not bring such pleasant company with us."

"Company?" Asked Legolas.

"Yes, for that is the reason we've come." Aragorn said. "Your father has already had him taken to the dungeons." Landailyn shook her head as if to clear it. "Who?"

"Gollum."

The young prince and even younger captain looked at one another with surprise, they knew the name well. "But why have you brought him here?" She asked.

"We caught him near the river, while on a hunting trip and since we have only a cellar we could have kept him, our father told us King Thranduil would agree to keep him for us, which he has, if we made the trip to Mirkwood." Explained the older twin. "Father knew he would be kept closely watched here."

She and the prince nodded in understanding. "And I thought it was about time for a visit anyway." Aragorn put in.

"It certainly was, what have you been up to all this time?" Landailyn curiously wanted to know.

Aragorn sighed again, he knew his brothers were going to start in. Legolas supressed a laugh beside him, while Landailyn put hands on her hips and waited for an answer.

For the rest of the day, the four enjoyed catching up on the past events in their lives and exchanging stories or just simply retelling their best and most amusing ones.

Four meaning the fifth, Aragorn, would get slightly frustrated, always being interrupted and teased by his brothers. Though he knew it was all in good fun and much to the amusment of others.

Sitting down to the evening meal, an interesting conversation began between the six of them. "Gandalf may have found the One Ring." Said Aragorn quietly, almost out of the blue.

"The Ring of Power?!" Landailyn blurted with wide eyes and Legolas stared at him with the same expression. So this is why he had needed to talk to the Wizard so urgently when he had traveled to Gondor.

"Afraid so."

"Where does it lie?" Thranduil joined in the questioning.

Aragorn looked to the head of the table. "In the Shire, my lord. Bilbo Baggins has been in possession of it all this time, when he found it in Gollum's cave over sixty years ago."

He nodded. Remembering back to when he'd held the Hobbit captive with Thorin's company of Dwarves and realized only now, that that is how they must have escaped. 

The Prince and Captain must have also realized this, for their expressions changed to ones of sudden understanding.

"It's not certain what shall be done with it either." The Human finished.

The meal went on without much more talk, especially about the ill news they had just heard. But the younger Elves and Human did continue once in a while with their earlier jokes about their stories of past adventures, with Thranduil listening carefully to their banter, a small smile on his face. 

The five had their fun while the stay of the Rivendell brothers' lasted, but they remained only a few days more, before they said they should be heading home to see if anything important might occurred in their absence, with Legolas and Landailyn telling them they would return the surprise visit sometime in the near future.

Almost a week later, Landailyn strolled through the palace's front entrance for another day of duty, heading straight for the side courtyard door.

"Good morning!" She said cheerfully, going passed the prince, who was lounged out on the second of the three steps that lead up to he and his father's thrones. She stopped, doing a double take, when he only stared up at her with a sullen face.

"What's wrong?"

He didn't answer for a long moment, but she waited patiently. "Gollum escaped last night." He said finally. "What?!" Alarm rose within her, this was most ill news. "How?!"

"You know how we were letting him go outside? Last night he climbed a tree and refused to come down. Eventually Orcs attacked his guards and he took off. No doubt they were sent to help him." 

"Were any of the guards…?"

"Three. One made it back to tell us, the healers have tended him and he was sent home." This came as a bit of a shock. Three more of her men were dead. "Has anyone gone to look for Gollum yet?"

Legolas shook his head. "No, I was waiting for you."

She nodded curtly. "Then let us waste no more time."

They gathered a few groups of men and set out to the spot where it happened the night before. They searched the surrounding areas for what seemed like hours and finally decided it was of no more use. The prince and captain spilt up to go by themselves for awhile, but at last met up again with Landailyn groaning.

"Nothing! Not a single clue as to which way he went! And we promised we'd watch him!"

Legolas sighed, folding his arms. "I know."

They both felt guilty, for letting down their friends and knowing now what Gollum had been helped to escape for. The One of course.

With a last look around, they turned and began heading in the direction of the palace once more, calling the men who'd gone with them, to follow. "Find anything at all?" Asked Legolas to Teredith, once he'd caught up and was walking beside them.

"I'm sorry, my lord, my captain, but we found nothing."

They nodded. "It's alright, neither did we." Landailyn mumbled.

Soon, the groups reached the palace and informed the king of their empty handedness.

Two days later, from the hidden refuge of Rivendell, a carrier hawk was sent on its way to the Elven King's realm, with the message that a special private council was to be held there by Lord Elrond over the matter of the One Ring.

"I'm leaving for the Council in the morning, Father. Silinde said he would go with me."

Thranduil nodded, as he and his son were seated at their supper table that night. "Be careful, Legolas. Even if you did not see them the other day, Orcs may still be out there from Gollum's 'rescue party'."

"I will."

And the next morning he and his companion left, each atop their own swift mares.

And that night, a certain someone went looking for him. 

"Good evening, my lord." Landailyn bowed her head. "Where might I find Prince Legolas at this hour? I have not seen him all day."

Thranduil stared at her as though he didn't even know who she had just spoken of. "You were not informed?"

She shook her head. "Informed? Of what? Has something ill happened…?" Immediately jumping to conclusions.

The king paused. "Oh no, nothing like that, Legolas just left for Rivendell this morning."

"Rivendell?" Without me, she thought. Thinking of the surprise visit they were suppose to return to Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir.  

"Yes, he and Silinde arose with the sun and both of them set out soon after. The Lord Elrond is giving a council soon and I sent Legolas as a messenger to tell of Gollum's escape." This was news to the she-Elf that stood before him. "Oh, no he spoke nothing of this to me."

"It was a last minute matter, we only received the message late yesterday, they had to leave quickly to make sure they would make it in time."   

She nodded. "Do you know when he should be back home?"

The elder Elf pondered only a second. "It's hard to say, it usually takes six days to get there without delay and then the same back and I'm not sure how long they plan to stay there or when exactly the Council will be."

"I see. Well, I shall bid you good night, my liege, I should be heading for home, if I am not needed here."

"Yes, Captain, you are dismissed." He said with a broad smile. "I will see you on the morrow."

She nodded and headed for the back door. "Good night."

"Indeed. Sleep well, young Landailyn."

Quickly, she walked home in the darkness, all she wanted to do was go to bed. "Would you like some supper, Landailyn?" Said her mother, as soon as she had walked in the door. She stood there a moment, as if to consider it. "No thank you, I'm not hungry." She started for her room again.

"Something is the matter, my dear, I can tell. What troubles you?"

Her daughter sighed, turning to face her. "Legolas left today."

"Oh? Where did he go?"

"Imladris. Lord Elrond is holding a council over the matter of the One Ring and Lord Thranduil sent him as a messenger for the escape of that foul creature we were holding for them."

"Ah, well he'll be back sooner than you think. Rivendell is not so far…"

"It's not that," Landailyn broke her mother off. "I just feel…that something is going to happen there." She paused. "Never mind, I cannot explain it." She hurried off down the hall to her bed chamber.

Andolan watched after her with a heavy heart.

"What is wrong?" She turned to find her husband standing in the back doorway, coming in for the night from the day's outside chores.

"Prince Legolas left for Imladris today and it seems Landailyn does not wish to talk about it."

"Oh," He walked in further. "Then it's just as we had hoped, our daughter's feelings have changed over the years."

Andolan smiled. "She loves him. I can see and hear it, but…"

"Does he return it?" Mylthar finished. "Well, he obviously trusts her much to have given her the position of captain."      

"Indeed." Agreed his wife, as they sat down at the dining table. "It has been long since they became friends and they still may be young to us, but they are older and wiser now, love has become more important."

Once inside her room, she readied herself for what dreams might come to her that night.

Changing into more comfortable clothing for sleep, neatly folding her warrior clothes and placing them in a wooden chest, her bow and quiver propped up on the lid.

This feeling did trouble her, but whether it was for better or worst, she could not decipher. Well, she thought, a couple weeks time will tell. But since it happened to involve the Ring, she knew nothing good could come out of it. She wished now she could have gone with him. 

*Stop it, Landailyn!* She chided herself. *He'll be fine and back before you know it, like Mother said.* She sighed and pulled back the covers, sinking into the large soft bed.

She lay there, trying not ponder on these thoughts, until sleep clouded her mind and she drifted off.


TBC …