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


CHAPTER 9


"Saruman is no longer an ally of ours, as Gandalf has informed me." Elrond put in sullenly, when the supper table was set with food.

Arwen and Landailyn joined the two lords in the meal, who discussed the day's events.

"He in fact bred that army himself. As you have seen, they are much stronger and will even travel in sunlight. I fear for the Fellowship as well, Saruman will stop at nothing to possess the Ring."

The maidens stopped eating, not that they particularly felt like it in the first place and sat there listening to the conversation in mere shock. All of their friends were in danger and they could do nothing about it. Or could they?

The princess stared up into the face of the friend she still had left. She knew Landailyn wanted to go after the Orcs just as much as she herself did. "Father," She burst out. "We must go after them! We must save Thala!"

He arched a single brow at his anxious daughter. "Who is 'we'?"

Arwen didn't hesitate in answering him. "Myself and Landailyn!"

The Mirkwood captain looked across the narrow table at the dark haired Elf when her name was mentioned almost startled by what she'd suggested. Of course, she wanted to save Thalawen too, but knew the two of them alone would never be enough against what they'd seen that day. Then she quickly rethought the idea; if Saruman had turned as Gandalf had said, they would be heading for his black tower. There, maybe they could rescue her more easily without getting caught, if it were only the two of them. And if their prayers came true and nothing happened to her along the way.

"No, Arwen. It is out of the question." Elrond said flatly.

"Father, I am grown now, I can take care of myself! Thalawen even told you that. And Landailyn will be with me!" She spoke of her as if it should be a comfort that his daughter would be completely safe in the Wood-Elf's presence. "We may have a better chance if it is just the two of us!"

Finally! Someone had said it so Landailyn didn't have to and now she knew that Arwen had been thinking the same thing.

Elrond liked Landailyn, as he did Legolas, but he also knew how the prince and his Human son always got themselves into more trouble than they'd bargained for, even when they weren't looking for it. Then again, things always managed to turn out fine. Not that that was supposed to be a comfort either. He looked to his right for her reaction.

Landailyn's eyes had widened and her mouth slightly hung open, but she quickly composed herself when she found the Rivendell lord scrutinizing her.

"She is an excellent warrior, my friend." Thranduil tried to reason with him and help the young she-Elves out. Although, he himself would tell Legolas not to go, if it were his situation, perhaps Landailyn too, but that was up to her parents. He would not tell Elrond how to handle his own children, but he could see that the young princess was more than determined.

The Half-Elven lord spoke up again. "I know that you are captain now of the guard here. That must have been an honor indeed to be chosen from so many." He turned his attention on Landailyn again. He knew women were rarely, if ever, allowed to be put into positions like a warrior captain, though this one was certainly different, like another he knew.

"It certainly was, my lord. I take on the responsibility gladly." She replied.

Elrond nodded, appearing as though he was now considering the matter.

"Ada," [Father,] Arwen attempted again. "You adopted her many years ago, remember? Just like Estel not so long ago. Have you not grown to love her as much as I have?"

Elrond sighed, turning a pair of soft brown eyes on his youngest flesh and blood. "Of course I have. I love all five of my sons and daughters." He stopped, eyeing a smiling young captain at these words. "And I have indeed grown very fond of their friends and know for a fact that they would protect one another with their own lives." And he spoke the truth, for he had seen this many times in Legolas and his three sons.

Landailyn turned more serious and gave a confirming nod.

"If it is alright with Lord Thranduil," He turned back on Arwen. "You may seek Thalawen with the Mirkwood captain."

The king was nodding, as the three glanced at him at the opposite head of the table. "Yes, you may take leave, Landailyn, for as long as the situation needs."

"Thank you, my lord."

"But only if both of you promise me this," Continued Elrond. "That you will track them to find out where they are going and not just rush into their camp to try and rescue her. No matter how much you wish to, they are too many and you will be captured yourselves and that will not help matters at all."

"I certainly agree." Thranduil added his opinion. "You must be careful; Orcs are still being spotted near this area."

"We will, we promise." Arwen quickly assured them, incase they changed their minds and Landailyn helped by adding her own agreement.

"It is settled then. When will you leave?" Elrond left the decision up to the two younger Elves, causing Arwen to bare a questioning look toward Landailyn.

"On the morrow?" Asked the captain.

"Aye, we can leave early in the morning." Agreed the princess.

"Then I shall be here bright and early, not that that time is unusual for me to arrive here anyway." This made the others laugh, lightening the serious mood.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


After the meal had ended, Arwen said goodnight to everyone and left for the privacy of her guestroom. She stopped at the door, glancing to her right at the next room, the one that had been Thalawen's. "If it is the last thing I do." She murmured Landailyn's earlier words.

A question of importance plagued her, as she later lay wide-awake in bed. If she ever saw Thalawen again, would she even be the same person?

This was a fear greater than she could ever imagine. Sadness filled her heart, as she thought of when her mother had passed over the sea. Too soon had it been for her to leave and Thalawen was even younger; she still had much time yet to dwell in Middle-Earth.

Please do not let this change her, she prayed.

But yet another thought crossed into her mind, one she would rather have kept pushed to the very back. Or would Thalawen's ties with the world be cut and she would be lost forever?

The time of the Elves was ending and someday she, unlike herself, would have to take a ship into the west and reunite with her family again, to leave Middle-Earth behind when her time came.

If she didn't make it out of this mess alive, Arwen would never forgive herself.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


Elrond paced slowly around the throne room, just coming from talking to Thranduil in his study. He stopped only when his attention came to rest upon a door. Going toward it, he went through to the outside.

"Good evening, Captain."

Landailyn almost visibly jumped, as a gentle voice broke her train of thought, recognizing it immediately and realizing she hadn't even heard him come into the courtyard. "Oh, good evening, my lord." She turned to face the Lord of Rivendell and gave a smile for show. Though it didn't matter, he could see right through it in the orange flickering of the torches that hung on the palace's outside walls.

"What troubles you?" He asked.

"You know," She laughed a little. "I've been asked that a lot lately."

"Is it about the journey?"

She would rather not, but Landailyn just decided to admit it. He was one of the wisest and could read others easily, so he would know right away she was lying if she told him 'no' anyway. She nodded, her eyes never leaving his.

"I see," He began to pace again, like he had done inside. "I will not hide that I do not have a good feeling about any of this. I fear for my daughters. And for you. Just as I fear for Estel and Legolas with the Company."

"My lord, I would not even have Arwen go with me, if it were my choice to decide." She stated. "But I cannot tell my friend what to do. She wants her sister back and I do not think anyone can change her mind about going."

"No, not even I." He sighed, his face holding the faintest smile.

"Well, you have my word that I will protect the princess...my friend...from what I can."

Elrond's smile spread, shaking his head. "I never had doubt that you would, or could not. I just hope that none of you come back to us in the shape that Estel and the prince always seem to for me."

At this, she let out a true laugh. "That, my lord, I think I can promise you will not happen."


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


Pitch black. Nothing but blackness all around her. She couldn't see! Panicked, she tried to call out for help, but no saviors would rescue her. No one would come for her. This she knew and her anxiety grew. Thalawen's hands were bound at the wrist, a tight rope looped about her ankles. The cold ground seeped through her tattered garments, chilling her skin and seemingly seeping straight to the bone.

She tried to sit up, only to have a slimy, cold booted foot pressed upon her chest. A quiet, but no less afraid, sound escaped her throat. She was surprised, but knew this to be an Orc.

The beast laughed softly. "Where do you think you're going, my pretty?" He said, his voice almost a whisper.

Thalawen heard him bend down to her and the blind covering her eyes was torn away. The black was replaced by a face with squinted yellow eyes and bared fangs. Eyes growing wide, Thalawen tried to back away, causing this Orc like creature to laugh more.

Then she remembered Mirkwood and the attack from these creatures. She was suddenly no longer afraid of him. Cocking her head to the side, she said. "What are you?!" There was a hint of utter disgust and fascination for what this being was.

His smile fell as quickly as it appeared. Odd, she thought, he looked more menacing with the smile.

The Orc's hands shot forward and grabbed her lapels. He tugged with little force and brought her forward, so close that their faces nearly touched. She tried to jerk back, but she was immobile. This beast was a solid rock of pure muscle.

"I will not tolerate insolence from you!" He roared. His breath made her slightly dizzy with nausea. He saw the face she made and was much angered by it.

Throwing her back to the ground, he got to his feet and began unbuckling the many fastenings securing his weapons to his body. All the while glancing at her with that evil grimace covering his face.

He knelt to her once more and grabbed hold of the rope around her wrists. He drug her to the nearest tree, one with narled mangled bark, which cut the soft skin almost effortlessly. He brought her arms above her head and affixed the rope tightly. His dirty fingers thick and greasy, were clumsly on the elabortate and small Elven bucklings that carried her weapons. Throwing them aside he made a move for the many strings tying her clothes.

Facing the tree, Thalawen leaned her forehead against the trunk. She knew what was to come, as well as she knew she could do nothing to prevent it.

The sudden violation tore a scream of pain from deep within her. The whip slashed against her naked back, cutting, painful, excruciating. When she felt she could take it no more, she gave herself strength to go on, but it would soon perish. She turned her head to look over her shoulder.

The whole camp stood in a tight circle, surrounding the tree, cheering their fellow Orc on. An anger so sudden and blinding consumed her mind, blotted out the pain momentarily.

"You are all damned!" She screamed in Elvish, at the top of her lungs.

The crowd hushed and became silent and still. The whip stopped in mid air and slowly dropped to the Orc's side.

"Before this deed is done, you will all die by my hand!" She said quietly, almost out of breath with the need to stay strong.

The silence was cut abruptly with the Orc's yell of rage. Raising the whip again, striking harder than before, screaming his anger for her until the others joined. The last sound she would hear as her vision went black, was her own cry of pain and the call to her friends.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


The next morning, it was not so bright and sunny. As if the day knew of their treacherous expedition and it was simply setting the mood for them. They readied themselves, dressed in the proper attire and strapped with their gear, taking only items that were absolutely needed for the occasion.

Landailyn was ready to go first thing and they set out as soon as Arwen was.

"Are you ready for this?" Landailyn asked, not knowing what would happen or what they would find.

"If you are."

"I am." She whispered.

Thranduil and Elrond joined them, as did Teredith with Arwen's horse. Farewells and be carefuls were exchanged between the five and the two rode out of the courtyard, into Mirkwood Forest and on most of that day, late into the night.

There was not much time for talk however, both of them busy watching out for their surroundings and keeping to the trail of the Orcs.

"Are you tired, Arwen?" Asked the fair blonde Elf several hours after dark; their horses walking more slowly than before.

Arwen guessed like she had and knew it had to be somewhere after midnight.

She looked around at their current spot, thinking a bit before answering. Doubting that anything would bother them during the remainder of the night, nothing had so far. "Perhaps a little. The horses could definitely use a rest anyway, I believe."

Landailyn nodded. "Then we will stop here if you wish it so. It is about as good a place as any."

"Let us do then." She agreed, pulling back the reins of the graceful creatures that carried them. Stopping under the trees and starlit sky, to continue on a little before dawn that morning.

Landailyn dismounted her white stallion, Athron, with his even brighter mane and tail, as did Arwen hers. They found well darkened spots, taking their turn at keeping watch and eating, while the other rested, until sunrise came again, then they were off.

Once out of the familiarity of the forest, the two endured climbing up and down tall hills, trudging long open plains and passing or camping near small rivers, or ruins of ancient structures. Along with the weather as it was, with the hot sun beating down, the rain soaking their cloaked forms at least twice and now it was growing colder each day, as it neared the middle of December. Though luckily, harsh temperatures do not bother their race and the two hardly noticed.

It had been exactly a week and a half now and they had never once been close enough to even see the Orcs and now had lost their tracks entirely, but they had no doubt they were heading for Isengard, the previous ones had been pointed southwest.

On this afternoon, while leading their horses from the ground, Arwen noticed an oncoming wooded area. "Lothlorien," She smiled, recognizing the trees. "I have not been here in some time."

"Neither have I."

To her surprise, the Elf next to her had just agreed. "I did not know you had ever been here before."

Landailyn nodded. "I also had grandparents here, great grandparents, for my mother's lived here. But mine moved to Mirkwood, where my mother was born and where she then met my father, whose family originally came from there."

"Oh," Arwen smiled again. "You had kin here too? It is only your parents and yourself left though, is it not?"

Landailyn nodded to confirm her right. "It is."

It was reaching evening before they were even close to areas inhabited by the people of Lothlorien. And it was only when Landailyn almost literally walked into one of these people, did they stop for the first time that day.

She was aware of their surroundings at all times, but didn't expect someone to step right out from behind one of the trees, making her almost fully draw one of her knives, as she stepped back from him.

"Ah, lady Arwen. We were told it was you who had crossed our boarders." Said the man, who stood slightly taller than Landailyn. He like the few others that had come from their own hiding places, looked like herself, with long blonde hair.

"Haldir," Arwen smiled at him. "Good to see you. This is my friend, Landailyn, from Mirkwood."

Landailyn slowly held out her hand and he took it.

Realizing with where she was from, that what she wore and the weapons she carried, he'd only seen on one other person. "Captain," He addressed. "I apologize."

She half grinned, knowing he must have figured it out. "Captain," She replied the same, already knowing who he was by the mention of his name. "It is alright."

He smiled and nodded as though amazed and amused at the same time. "Then let us go, your grandmother is anxious to see you…both."


TBC …