Author's Notes (For Disclaimer See Chapter One): A couple of things that I forgot to mention in the previous post: A cookie, and an extra prize (to any who want it) if they can find the direct quote from LotR (the book, not the movie) in the first chapter (well, not really a prize, but I'll think of something). I'll give you a hint. It's from FotR; Gandalf tells Frodo this about Aragorn. Can you find it? Grins (I'm also doing this so if someone does find it they don't think that I'm plagiarizing, as I didn't quote it. Details, details.) Secondly, the character of Taradin that was mentioned belongs to Cassia and Sio. All the rest of the characters that come along that you don't recognize belong to me, unless stated otherwise.
Also, I have to apologize. I'm not very good at writing fight scenes, so you must forgive me if this chapter (or any other chapter involving said settings) is choppy or disjointed. I am trying to do my best, but I don't have a lot of practice with this sort of thing. (This is my first time, so please be gentle…)
Also, don't be surprised if you go back and read a previous chapter and find it subtly changed. I'm always working on improving my writing, and that means going back and fixing any mistakes already made.
On a related note as a word of warning, I don't know when future chapters will be coming out. I will try to get them out as quickly as possible, but I have a chronic case of writer's block, and it rears its ugly head at the most inopportune times. Also, lots of other things are going on and all of these things will slow the story down even more. Again, I will work very hard on this story, but please be patient with me.
Don't forget to review! PLEASE! Blinks long eyelashes and makes puppy-faces
Thank you's: I'd first like to send out a big, heart-felt "THANK YOU!" to Evil Spapple Pie and Newmoon for their wonderful helpful comments on my grammar and text! Such suggestions are exactly what I need, and I thank you guys big time! I would also like to thank all of y'all who reviewed. Thanks a lot! Now for the individuals…
Gemstone: Wow! I'm flattered that you could even think me in the same category as those two wonderful writers. I'm… like… Wow! Thanks! (So it's Elladan for you, huh? I dunno, I'm more into the playfulness of Elrohir myself… But hey, I'd take them both! Elvin twins?! Who wouldn't! Licks lips)
Jadelyn Rashwe: Blushes Thank you so much! I'm deeply honored. That's much more then I deserve. But I will try to meet your expectations. Thank you so much!
Anolinde: Thanks for your input on my Elvish. It was driving me mad that I couldn't find the right translations. I try to be original, and I'm flattered that you thought I was. Stay tuned to see if I can continue to be so (maybe, maybe not – but I hope!)!
Evil Spapple Pie: I know, I know, I need a beta reader. The problem is that I can't find anyone online who I trust enough, and, no one, and I mean no one who sees my face reads my works! Not my family, not my friends, not anyone! (I'm shy.) But anyway, thanks for your help! I try to catch as many mistakes as I can (I reread and proofread every chapter three times to check, but mistakes slip through). I fixed the ones that you pointed out though, so thanks so much! Grins
Newmoon: I did as you suggested! I changed the format of the Elvish so that it's translated at the very bottom, instead of disrupting the flow. Did that work? Thanks for your support on my Elvish (although I know it would make even Legolas wince), and I'm glad that you liked the friendship bond. Not that I would ever say so, but perhaps there may be too many…umm… sexual relationships in fanfics, and I was hoping for something more basic and ordinary (and maybe more special) then that. But I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for reviewing!
Gracer: Grins Yeah, I thought that might catch somebody's attention. I was kinda thinking that it was a hook (a not very subtle one, but…), and I was hoping it would catch y'all. Now I only have to live up to it…
Wilwaren: Thanks a lot! Unbelievable? My plotline, maybe? Grins Just kidding! I'm really glad you liked it, and I'll try to keep going ASAP!
Calad Ú-Sila (Erin Camm Agarwaen)
No Light Shines (On Blood-stained Hands)
Rachel, The Lady Tigress
Chapter 2
The first evening stars were twinkling when the two travelers arrived at a small plateau at the Western base of the Misty Mountains. No movement or sound pierced the dark night, and that in itself made the Ranger shift his eyes nervously from side to side. This close to the Wilds there should be some signs of creatures stirring in their night burrows – small rodents should be coming to feed; owls and nightbirds should be preparing to hunt; predators and scavengers should be making use of the starlight.
But there was nothing. No sound was made, and nothing moved, save for the wind through the rushes. But even the wind made no noise as it flowed over the ground. It was an unnatural silence, and one Strider did not like at any time…but especially not when it was so close to the Rangers' base.
Strider turned to look at Legolas. "Something is wrong," the young man murmured. The whisper seemed loud in the quiet darkness. The Prince turned to look at his friend.
"So you feel it, too?" Legolas answered back. "Things are not right here. I feel as if we have entered another time or place. I do not feel the presence of any evil per se, but I do not like this unnatural silence and confusion that has fallen over the land. It is very strange; something that I have never felt before." He shuddered and asked, "How far is it to the outpost? If we are very close, then I do not think that we will like what we find there."
Strider's eyes were troubled as he looked around. "That's just it, mellon nin. We are close enough to have met some sentries, or night-watchers by now. Sérë is just over that small ridge. We should at least see a fire-light or smell one of the Ranger's nighttime meals from this distance." He pointed to a hill only a hundred yards ahead.
Legolas also looked worried at this news. "Come then Strider, and we will see if there are any clues to this mystery to be found. We may find your people there, or if not then perhaps we will be able to determine where they have gone to." Shifting their packs, the two broke into a light run to the ridge.
Before they reached the rise, however, Legolas stopped his friend and dropped quickly to the ground, pulling Strider down beside him. He leaned over, and using the near-silent language that they had developed from years of traveling in each other's company, the Prince warned the Ranger to stay silent. Someone – or something - was out there.
Legolas reached behind and gripped the handle of one of his blades, while Strider loosened the sword from his sheath. The Prince would have preferred to use his bow, but it was still strapped to his back unstrung, and to fit the string to the notches would bring too much attention to the pair concealing themselves in the tall reeds. The sound of movement through the dried grasses was audible to both their ears, and it was coming closer. In the silence of the night the soft noises of someone trying to move stealthfully toward them was plainly perceptible to the two experienced warriors. The person was nearly on top of them.
Suddenly, the movement stopped. There was a short pause, and then the unmistakable sound of a sword leaving its sheath scraped the silent darkness. They had been discovered.
The friends looked at each other, and with a nod of agreement, sprang from the ground to face whoever it was emerging from the night. Legolas moved to right, coming in below his opponent's guard, while the Ranger bounded to the left coming in high.
Their adversary, however, was not as unaware as they had thought. The dark form sidestepped Strider's swing, and easily blocked the elf's blow with his own longsword. The young Dunadan, seeing that the initial attack had failed, stepped back to prepare himself for the next strike. Legolas, recovering from his surprise at being evaded so easily, renewed his assault with a vengeance. He pressed in, his knife flashing in the pale light of the stars, and the unknown assailant was pushed backed by the ferocity of the elf's attack.
Twisting in an attempt to avoid a thrust of the Prince's long knife, the man turned fully into the pale light of the quarter moon, giving Strider the opportunity to see the swordsman's face clearly.
The young Ranger's eyes widened in surprise. "Daro!" he cried. "Legolas, stop!" The Prince had been preparing to draw his other blade, and finish his opponent off when he heard Strider's cry. The other man too had heard his shout, and stepped out of the elf's reach. Cautiously he lowered his weapon.
"Who are you, strangers, that you would come to this place by way of stealth and with blades prepared to attack?" The man's voice was gruff and harsh. "Are you servants of the Dark? No friend would enter this area in a manner such as you did."
Strider gave a small laugh and stepped forward so that the guard could see him clearly. "Neither stranger nor servant of the Dark am I, Thordir," the young Ranger replied. "And while we haven't seen each other in a while I would like to hope that we can still be called friends."
Thordir peered at him closely, before breaking out into a wide smile. He sheathed his sword and bounded over to clasp the young man in a warm embrace of welcome. "Aragorn! Strider, my lad! You're back! You've been away for far too long." The older man's look suddenly became serious. "But why are you here now? Did you not get our message? We sent Derenor to Rivendell to warn you away."
Strider nodded. "Yes, I met Hunt, and he gave me the message. I can tell you more when we go inside, if you like. But for now, my companion and I are a bit weary, and wouldn't mind a warm meal and a soft bed." He motioned to Legolas, who until now had been watching from the shadows. "Thordir, may I introduce Legolas Greenleaf, heir Prince of the Elven Realm of Mirkwood, and son of King Tharanduil. Legolas, this is Thordir, head of the night-watch here at Sérë, and also known as Pace. He's actually the one who honed my tracking abilities through field and plain." Aragorn smiled at the memories.
Thordir looked at Legolas with a keen eye before also smiling and bowing slightly to the Prince. "Suilad a mae govannen. Ten'late, caun Legolas Tharanduilion." The Elvish greeting was heavily accented, but Legolas recognized that it was well offered. He nodded his head in return.
"Ten' creoso le, im hannon le."
Thordir turned to Strider. "You both look weary and tired. There's a bit of stew left over from dinner still on the fire at my cabin. Melolie will let you in, and we have a few extra bunks where you can sleep." Strider knew Melolie was Thordir's wife of many years. Legolas looked grateful at the offer, but the young Ranger was troubled.
"Not that I'm am objecting to your hospitality, my friend, but why are you offering your cabin? Surely the great hall is not completely full. And what of the community rations?" In the main hall of the compound there was almost always a meal simmering for the unexpected guests who were hungry. There were also plenty of spare beds for travelers who did not have regular residents here, such as Strider. It was these features, and more, that made Sérë such a haven for the Rangers.
Thordir averted his eyes. "My watch will be over in a few hours time. When my relief comes, and if you are still awake, then I will tell you what has been happening. But for now, find Melolie and take some rest. I must return to my watch." With that he would say no more.
Strider stared hard at the older Ranger for a moment before relenting. "Very well, old friend," he smiled. "We will talk more in a while then." He turned to the elf. "Come Legolas, we have a treat tonight! Melolie is one of finest cooks at Sérë. She will feed us well."
He and Legolas started walking towards the top of the ridge. As they crested the rise, the Prince saw many buildings cluttered together in what looked to be a small, well-founded community. Upon a closer inspection, though, the Prince could see that only a few of the buildings were occupied; most were dark and closed. Strider too noticed this and it troubled his heart to no end.
As they walked through the community Legolas noticed a few faces peering out from cracked shudders. Some of the bolder ones, recognizing Strider, called out cautious greetings, but for the most part the people inside the huts closed their homes tight as the two passed by.
"I am puzzled, Strider," the elf murmured. "From the way you described Sérë I was picturing it as a warm welcoming place. But with the way that people are acting here I feel as if I am an uninvited guest, and the host cannot wait to see the end of me."
The Ranger didn't answer for a moment. "It should not be this way, Legolas." He said finally. "These people are frightened; I can feel it. But of what I do not know. What could scare the Rangers so badly that Sérë would diminish to this? The Dunadain are the last descendants of Numenor. The blood of kings and mighty lords runs in their veins, and never have they been timid or quick to run. And yet these people who I see before me are not as the kin that I remember. Strong they were, and fearless! Now I see only hollow shells of the past. What has happened here?" The young Ranger was very troubled. Suddenly he stopped in front of a building; light shone from the windows. "But perhaps our questions will be answered soon. Look here, this is Pace's cabin. Melolie will know what is happening."
Strider knocked softly on the door. "Melolie?" he called. For a moment there was no answer. "Melolie," he tried again, before speaking in a language the elf recognized but did not understand.
"She speaks the language of the Rohirrim?" Legolas asked, surprised. Strider smiled over his shoulder.
"Melolie was a noblewoman of Rohan, a shieldmaiden in her own right. Pace met her on one of his journeys, and asked her to come with him. She agreed, and for a time they wandered the Wilds before settling down here. They had three children – two boys and a girl – all grown. The boys are of the Dunadain, and are wandering now, and Kela, the girl is married." He would have said more, but at that moment the door to the hut cracked open.
"Aragorn? Is that you?"
Aragorn's smile widened into a grin. "Melolie! You haven't forgot me yet, have you?" The woman peering through the slit stared for a moment before throwing the door open and rushing into the young Ranger's arms.
"Aragorn it is you! Oh how I missed you so!" Legolas stepped back and let the two long friends have their reunion. It also gave the Prince the chance to study the woman. She did not look old enough to have born and raised three grown children. Legolas could not determine her age, but the elf admitted that that particular trick was never one of his skills to begin with. She was tall and golden-headed, and if a person did not look deep enough one could say that she seemed fragile and delicate. However, Legolas could see that somewhere inside this pale woman there was a core of steel.
Strider turned to wink at the Prince before stepping back and bowing formally. He motioned to Legolas to do the same. "Melolie of Eroran, may I present Prince Legolas of the Elven Realm of Mirkwood. Prince of Mirkwood, the great Queen before you is my Lady Melolie of Eroran of the Rohirrim, a Shieldmaiden of mighty virtue. My lady, we have traveled far today at great speed and have done battle with the foul orcs of the Dark. May we be allowed to seek shelter in your great house?"
Melolie just sighed and waved the two into the cabin. "Don't mind him," she told Legolas when they were inside. "He never forgets that it was I who taught him the formal greetings of the Courts of Men. His father did well in teaching him the courtesy of the Elves, but it was I who instructed him in the ways of Men. He always feels the need to try to impress me whenever he sees me. But sit down, sit down!" She pulled two chairs closer to the table. "Sit and eat! I have some bread that was baked this morning and the stew that we had for dinner tonight. It's not much, but then I wasn't expecting visitors."
She bustled about the cabin while Aragorn and Legolas sat down. Presently two bowls of fragrant broth and two hearty pieces of soft bread were placed in front of them. Legolas had to admit that Strider had been correct in his assessment of Melolie's cooking, for though the fair was simple it was extremely flavorful and very well seasoned.
After every bite had been consumed, Strider leaned back in his chair and looked at the former shieldmaiden. "Alright, Melolie, what's happening in Sérë? What has everyone so scared and frightened that they would possibly close this area to travelers, and shut down the community house – the very reason that this base was created?"
Melolie looked troubled for a moment. Then she sighed. "I think that it would be better to have Thordir answer your questions, Aragorn. Things around here… have not been safe." She looked into the young Dunadan's eyes. "Aragorn, the Rangers may be leaving Sérë. It is no longer a haven to us. And the reason the community hall is not active is because…" She trailed off.
Strider leaned in closer. "Because…?"
Pain was etched on
the woman's face. "It's because there
are not enough of us left to keep it going.
Aragorn, out of the fifty Rangers that once lived here, only twelve
remain." With those words she would say
no more.
Daro - Stop
Suilad a mae govannen – Greetings and well met Ten'late – It is a honorCaun – Prince
-ion – Son of; in this case, Son of Tharanduil
Ten' creoso le, im hannon le – For your welcome, I thank you