Chapter 12

So the company parted, Aragorn and the hobbits heading south and the remaining company heading north.  No one questioned Gandalf' orders, they said their goodbyes promising that they would meet again.

 Pushing north Sam hurried after Gandalf with Gilmi beside them.

"Keep up you two" Gandalf remarked over his shoulder. "We must hurry"

Legolas face fell, he was not looking forward to being reunited with his father after the recent events, yet his heart yearned to know if his kingdom still stood.

"Will Mirkwood still be standing, Gandalf?" he asked, voicing his concerns.

"Let us hope so, Legolas" the wizards reply was dry, he too was concerned for the elves.

 The day slipped by with little talk between the group, they gladly rested as the night drew in but Gandalf stood restlessly over them, while Sam and Gilmi slept.

"Have peace Gandalf! See Sam and Gilmi are spent. No harm will become to me or them this night" Legolas whispered unable to contain himself with Gandalf pacing around them.

The wizard stopped at stared at warily at company their rationed food from Rivendell stretched between the two companies; they were exhausted, cold and hungry. He knew they couldn't continue this night at the pace he had set them.

Legolas stood beside the ageing man.

"No harm will come to us this night, these wounds are not affected me"

Gandalf fixed him a piercing stare.

"I am not as blind as you believe my friend" Legolas said softly patting Gandalf on the shoulder. "I have seen Ragwort infected Men may times for it grows in Mirkwood; I know the affects and remedies you seem to have forgotten that."

"None of us here have the skill nor the herbs to help, time will run out for you sooner then you think"

"Then let it. I am stronger then you and Aragorn believe"

Gandalf paused and searched his friend and surprised himself. "You have grown Legolas. First you were a child now you have grown."

"I have accepted the truth, no matter how hard and painful it was to believe. I can not afford to moan and sulk about it, our predicament has worsened."

Gandalf smiled: "You are as wise as any old man"

"More I hope"

Gandalf chuckled lightly.

"I have not told them" Legolas looked sadly down at the sleeping forms of Sam and Gilmi.

"They will understand"

"They may, but will my father?"

At dawn Gandalf woke the small company he refused to wait until the sun had fully risen before they set out once again.

 Sam rubbed the sleep from his eyes, yawning as he stumbled behind once more.

"How far away are we from Mirkwood?" he asked wearily.

"Days my laddie" Gilmi muttered feeling equally tired.

"Why then is Gandalf walking so fast? He knows I can not keep up"

"He is haste. I think it has something to do with Legolas' wounds, plus the sooner we are able to be rid of that thing the better" Gilmi nodded towards Sam's shirt.

"Legolas has changed since I remember him when we parted eight years ago. You two were going to roam Middle-Earth together weren't you?"

"We did return to Fanghorn and Helms Deep as we promised, but went our separate ways afterwards. I was going to say something at Rivendell, but then he was attacked. I couldn't bring myself to say anything after that. But you'll quite right he has changed, he wasn't like that we parted."

"Why did you two go your different ways?"

Gilmi sighed. "You know, I don't really remember. We argued about something and we couldn't agree on it, so we separated. I wished I hadn't it was a very lonely trip home." Gilmi shrugged his round shoulders. "I don't remember why"

"I hope Mirkwood still stands, he talked about it proudly didn't he? I remember asking why he often called it Greenwood and someone else would call it Mirkwood"

"I too hope no evil has become to the forest for we never journey there. We promised we would but we parted before we arrived. Yes, I remember him telling us of how the forest became Mirkwood. Shame really, Greenwood suites it better"

"I remember Bilbo telling me of his tale in Mirkwood with the dwarves and Gandalf and it sound rather sinister its hard to believe that it is the same place Legolas talks sp proudly of"

Gilmi shuddered suddenly and shook his head. "My father has told me that tale many times of the great spiders"
"They must be similar to the one me and Frodo met in Mordor. I certainly hope we won't met any one was bad enough"

"We will just have to wait and see. If things turn ill I don't know what we will do."

"Is it true that orcs were once elves?" Sam asked suddenly.

Gilmi frowned, "I'm not really the best person to ask, Gandalf would know the answer better then me. But yes orcs were elves once. Thousands of years ago Sauron captured a band of elves; he tortured and mutated them into a foul creature deprived of all its beauty and innocence. Each elf became more and more mutated into orc-like creature. How Sauron and Saruman made them in the thousands I do not know, but the Uruk-hai were crossed between orcs and goblins"

"How is it that Sauron has lived for so long? Wasn't he killed by Isildur?"

"I-I don't know" Gilmi struggled. "I never thought to it like that. I don't know, some sort of magic I suppose"

"Maybe Sauron's an elf!" Sam laughed, Gilmi laughed shortly afterwards.

"Your mind is filled with such nonsense" he scoffed clapping Sam merrily on the back.  

By late afternoon the next day treetops could be seen across the Anduin, the sight bought smiled on the faces of the company for no smoke could be seen drifting form the forest.

Gandalf quickly gathered them again.

"Enough staring there are still many miles to go before we reach there. Let us cover as much as we can this night and hopefully we will be able to cross the river in the morn" he snapped his finger impatiently at them. As hard as Gandalf appeared they all knew he met well with his hard drilling and fast pace, though temper began to fray.

 "He shouts us for stalling then why does he stop and gaze around as if he has not set foot in this world before" Gilmi muttered willing his tired legs into action.

"He only means to help, Gilmi" Legolas replied hiding the fact that he felt the pain of exhaustion also.

"Help!" Gilmi snorted, "how will it help if I am too exhausted to breath!"

"Surely a brisk walk will not kill you, Gilmi. Remember our hunt for Merry and Pippin – oh how you moaned!"

"We went four days and night purist without rest or food! Of course I was angry! And where were they? With some walking, talking tree!"

"An Ent, Gilmi. Don't insult them" Legolas said testily.

"A walking, talking tree"

"I wished I could have meet Treebeard and the other Ents they sound interesting. I remember many tales of moving trees from my childhood but I never imaged their was such things" Sam said.

"You may meet them yet, Sam" Legolas smiled.

Gandalf had stopped ahead of the other three with the Old Ford in front and the deserted and abandoned home of Beorn in distance. Gandalf had mourned his death and vowed he would return here to pay his respects for Beorn had helped them when he, Bilbo and the dwarves journeyed to the lonely mountain. He had given them somewhere to stay and provisions – something needed especially if you company if made of nine dwarves and a hobbit plus a wizard with a keen appetite. He dearly wished Beorn was here to greet them with such but the 'Skin Changer' was not there nether his son Grimberon old age had claimed them both.

Early the next morning they crossed the river and headed northwards under Legolas instructions.

"Elves do not use the main path through the woods. Many folk have lost their lives travelling along that road due to spiders and my father's watchmen. I would never forgive myself if that fate should before any of us" he spoke swooping under a low hanging branch.

"This is an elf path. It is hard to find as elves tread lightly, but see here orcs have found this path" he pointed ahead where the path had been widened and trampled. "They delight in destroying everything even if it is not in their path" he sighed.

 Gilmi looked down at the trampled ground and could make out the iron shoe prints of the orcs, their must have been many to make such damage on the ground, the forest floor had been turned, the fallen leaves buried in the slippery moist mud. Behind Sam had to be pulled free from the wet mud which he had begun to sink in. Pressing on the path continued to show signs of damage caused by orc feet.

"Cassione sent them this way. Only elves know this path" Legolas looked ahead his eyes hard and burning with hatered.

"Not all of them made it though to the Elven hall" Gandalf nodded toward several orc bodies ahead. Only a few had arrow wounds or blade gashes the remainders had sticky stringy substances clinging to their clothes and skin.

"Spiders" Legolas declared kicking one out the path. He looked up into the tree branches above "they have feasted well, they won't bother us".

As the moved eastwards towards the Elven hall the company picked up speed a sense of dread befalling them as before them the path was littered with and more orc bodies, a sense of daja vu passed across their minds, but they had noted that they had not yet seen a single elf body. Somehow that filled them with hope as the continued eastwards. Suddenly Legolas, who was in the lead stopped and ordered the others to stand in silence as he listened. They jumped – they could hear voices chanting close by.

"Those are not words of orc" Gandalf said breaking the silence. "They sound distressed"

"Let us hurry!" Legolas hurried away, despite his mortally and wounds he felt at ease in the forest but he feared for his people. Drawing his blades he ran faster the words of the grey tongue becoming louder and louder. A roar rose in his throat as he charged along the Elf-path homewards.

The path widened into and opening and Legolas slowed, his heart soaring. His home still stood, damaged and in mourning but alive and standing.

The owners of the chorus of voices stopped abruptly surprised by his entrance, they stared at him blankly as he quickly replaced his blades and composed himself.

Gandalf, Gilmi and Sam fell in beside him and stared around; many more elves stopped and stared at them.

 One mourner glad in black stepped forward frowning slightly, he stared first at Legolas then to Gilmi, Sam, Gandalf then back to Legolas. He stepped closer his golden hair lining his long face.

"Legolas ta tanya lla?" //is that you// he asked in a string of elvish. 

Legolas nodded recalling the mourner's name. "Aye it is I Erbschaft" Legolas smiled half guessing what he had said.

"We feared you were dead, scouts saw you under attack and they found you horse rider less and bloody" Erbschaft said slipping into Common tongue much to Legolas' relief.

"I escaped them, only just though. What happened here?"

"The orcs attacked us. They seemed to know exactly where to hit us, it was scary. They were organised and swift but we overpowered them. They had run into bad fortune in the forest"

"So we saw"

Erbschaft frowned at the others.

"Forgive me," said Legolas "for I have not introduced by company. These are Gandalf, Gilmi the dwarf and Samwise of the Shire"

"We must speak to Thranduil immediately" Gandalf said stepping forward slightly.

"Of course Mirthrandir" Erbschaft bowed. "Follow me"

The Elven city buzzed with activity many able elves were rebuilding damaged homes while others cleared the grounds of orc carcasses and saw to the wounded. These were people how had seen much hatered and bloodshed, yet still continued and worked together. This is what made the race of elves so strong. They play a key role in Middle-Earth and to defeat Sauron. Elves and Men would need to be reunited if they wished to stand any chance of winning.

 Erbschaft walked swiftly through the commotion of the village and into the palace which stood blackened by smoke and wounded by many attacks.

"The children took refuge in the palace whilst male and female attacked. We lost many lives but we knew they were coming when your horse returned rider less, and we were able to make a defence before they attacked. Your father has taken hurt, though Legolas, the healers should have seen to him by now. He refused their help at first claiming he was not seriously wounded but we have forced him into it." Erbschaft cast a sideways glance at Legolas' bruised face and bloodied clothing. "It seems that they have another one to see"

"My journey here has not been peaceful" Legolas replied dryly.

Passing down another stone corridor elves where cleaning the smoke damage from the stone work, many stopped and stared at them, their eyes disapproving of the dwarf in tow. Some muttered amongst themselves.

"They do not believe you should be openly welcomed, my lord. With your hair shortened. But that was the fate of a handful of elves that night. My brother too has had his hair shortened, but strangely enough many are becoming… well sick. I can not explain it. I'm sure the healers and your father will tell you more" Erbschaft stopped in front of pair of great oak doors; strangely they had not taken any damage. "The orcs never found this door, they became lost in the maze of corridors" he smiled knocking on the large doors.

Gilmi cast his eyes on his surroundings it seemed the elf-king and him had something they knew what good stone was. Sam looked bewildered around him, feeling small next to the great oak door, but bemused as he realised they were in a cave of some sort – didn't Legolas say that elves didn't like being underground? That was the impression he received when they were trapped in Moria.  

 The doors swung inwards and inside the hall stood empty and cold. Erbschaft called for the servant but no one appeared and he called again but still no reply.

"Wait here my Lord and I will find someone" Erbschaft disappeared out of a side door.

The ground stood taking in their surroundings, on first glance the stonework looked plain but their eyes adjusted and thousands of unique artworks began to appear. Gilmi cried in delight as he inspected some with a gentle hand.

Legolas chuckled at his friends delight. "I had forgotten dear Gilmi how marvellous you would find these halls"  

"Look at them as much as you wish, master dwarf for you won't stay for much longer"

They turned; an elf stood watching them from a corner. His robes were long and highly decorated and on his hair of blond hair lay a crown of flowers. Sam and Gandalf bowed their heads and Gilmi quickly pulled back his hands from the cravings. Legolas however stood staring coldly at his father. Gandalf spoke sternly distracted Thranduil's narrowed eyes from Gilmi.
"He is here on my account, Thranduil he like I are accompanies of you son"

Thranduil smiled at his son. "Glad am I to see you a live Legolas" he moved to embrace his son but Legolas pulled away.

"I am afraid your joy will not last Thranduil," Gandalf said coolly. "Legolas needs to see a healer quickly I believe him to be suffering from Ragwort poisoning"

Thranduil looked at his son and gradually met his eyes, inwardly Legolas recoiled not wishing his father to see his mortality. Thranduil nodded and called a healer toward him.

"Aufstand take Legolas into the infirmary" a she-elf stepped forward and lead Legolas away.

Thranduil watched them leave then turned to his quests. "Be seated I will have food and drink bought out. What is it you want to discuss with me Gandalf?" 

Gandalf lowered his empty mug and looked up at Thranduil's face.

"So the Ring of Power still exists after we thought it destroyed. Only to be found in the hands of my own kin" he sat heavily against his throne. "Shadows are being pulled over the woods, my friend. Evil is stirring in the air and your news of the Ring and of Isnegard being rebuilt worries me. My people are in no state to attack or even to defend themselves. Many of them are sick – sick Gandalf! Can you believe it?" Thranduil cried straightening himself.

Gandalf nodded slowly. "Cassione has betrayed your race in many ways then you could image. Not only has she turned her years of living in each elven realm to her will but snatched away the one thing that has made elves different from men. Aided with the power and evil of Sauron and his minions they have created a weapon. A powerful evil weapon which stripes any elf that is attacked of his or her immortally."

Thranduil stared at him blankly.

"Thus leaving the elves weak and exposed to sickness and illness'"

Gilmi and Sam exchanged glances whilst Thranduil gapped.

"This can not be true Gandalf!" he spluttered.

"If it proof you wish to see Thranduil, then look at your people, but do not discard or pity them. They will accept what they have become in time"

"No elf could ever accept this - this catastrophe!"

"Thranduil" Gandalf rose his voice raising. "Do not be blinded by the panic Sauron has plummeted you into! They will recover" Gandalf added in softer tone as Thranduil looked at him fearfully. "You are overshadowed by doubts, my friend. Do not let them cloud you judgement and soul. They can reclaim their formal self, though not entirely, as long as you give them comfort and encouragement"

"You comfort me with lies Gandalf. I will not heed them! The race of elves has fallen!" Thranduil turned away his face broken, tears threatened to spill.

"They will fall if you do nothing to aid them! Look to your son, Thranduil. Let him be their light – he has not failed them, let him be a beacon to them in their broken state, a milestone, an idol." Gandalf pressed.

"There is nothing neither he nor I, neither you nor any one can do, Mirthrandir! My race is broken"

"Do not give hope, Thranduil! Do not despair! Otherwise Sauron will win! Those who have been turned mortal will not die of sicknesses if you aid them, you will come to no harm. They will cherish your kindness and follow you to the end of their lives! They are strong, they have shown this many times and yet you do not see it"

"They are nothing more then men or orcs" Thranduil sobbed moving away.

"Is that you believe I am, father?"

Thranduil turned and gapped. Pale faced Legolas stood in the doorway watching his fathers face turn.

He could not believe his eyes. His son was mortal.