Author's Note: Hello again! Sorry for the long update, but I am more than
determined to finish this story so no worries then. As always thanks so
much for the lovely reviews, I'm glad some are enjoying my first take on
the el-twins. And I own pretty much nothing in this story, as long as
that's understood.
Chapter 3
Elladan and Elrohir made their way quietly out of the house, though their stealth may have been for no reason. Nobody else was to be found.
"Shall we go get some horses?" Elrohir whispered.
Elladan shook his head and instead made off in the opposite direction. "That is where everybody else is. Father will see us and order us to stay."
"Then what is the point of our going?" Elrohir hissed as he followed his brother. They walked quickly and furtively, avoiding lighted areas and darting behind trees. "If all the others have horses they will be far ahead of us. We have no hopes of getting to mother first, only of our getting lost."
"Come now brother," Elladan said, not even bothering to turn to look at him as he spoke. "I thought you had more faith than that in me. Did you not agree with me when I told father we knew these lands better than anyone? You forget our travels with the rangers, I know a short-cut."
"A short-cut through what?" Elrohir asked. Though he did have a lot of confidence in his brother, he still could not shake the feeling that their trip would result in nothing more than angering their father. He did not hold the same conviction as Elladan that they would be the ones to find their mother.
Elladan was still not fazed by his brother's lack of enthusiasm. "Have you not heard of the rumors of orcs in the Misty Mountains? All we have to do is find the orc stronghold and we will find mother."
"That is not a short-cut," Elrohir muttered. As much as he trusted his brother and wanted his mother back, Elrohir could not help the sinking feeling in his stomach. They were rushing into this blindly.
"Worry not," Elladan said, "we will find her. I know it. She is still alive, I can feel her calling out to me."
Without another word Elladan picked up his pace and made his way out of Rivendell. Elrohir had no choice but to follow, like he had amended before, there was no way he could let Elladan do this on his own. And it was quite apparent that Elladan was going to do this no matter what.
The two had just left the borders of Rivendell and were working their way down the main path when they heard horses coming up from behind them.
Elladan stopped and regarded their surroundings quickly. If they were spotted now they would be sent back before even having a chance to begin.
"To the side," Elladan whispered while he grabbed onto Elrohir and pulled. Both of them sprang to the side of the road and crouched down low in the shadows. They did not move as the group of horses came closer and then began to pass them. Their suspicions were right of course, it was the search party Elrond had called together. It was a large group and they passed the two elven brothers quickly, not one of them even casting a glance in their direction.
It was not until the horses were well out of sight and hearing that the two brothers stood.
"See," Elladan said, "it is a good thing we did not take horses."
Elrohir blinked. "Their path seems that much easier and quicker than ours."
Elladan was hurrying down the road. Elrohir kept abreast of him. "Horses have to stay on the main roads," Elladan said, "this way we can veer off the paths and cut a straighter course."
"I just hope somebody finds mother soon," Elrohir said.
"We will," Elladan promised. His tone was grim but so convincing that Elrohir began to think that perhaps this would not be so hopeless after all.
The two elves quickened their pace even more until they were in a steady, loping gait. It was a tireless and swift run, one that they would be able to keep at for many hours. Silently, the two ran underneath the dark sky, using the moon as their beacon for avoiding obstacles and marking their course.
Elladan was true to his word and went off the main road the first chance he got. He was heading straight for the Misty Mountains, which was a good thing as that was their first destination before making their way to the Redhorn Pass. But there was a reason the main road curved to go around a bit. Their path quickly turned impossible.
They were forced to slow down in order to avoid rough terrain and steep pits in the earth. It was not a forest they were in, rather the transitional earth between forest and mountain. And with only the moon and stars as their light, it was difficult to pick out a path even with their keen sight.
Elrohir did not voice a complaint until he stepped in one of the pits they had been hopping over and fell to one knee. He got up smoothly, almost as if he never fell as all, but he felt the pain throb all throughout his leg. "Is this your short-cut?" he gasped.
Elladan was a little ways ahead. "We will be at the base of the mountains before daybreak. So yes, this is a faster way."
"If we do not break our necks first," Elrohir said.
Elladan stopped in front of him. Elrohir caught up and looked at his brother. "Lost already?"
"Be quiet," Elladan commanded. He was silent a few moments before continuing, "Do you not hear it?"
Elrohir drew himself up. He automatically slowed his breathing and strained his hearing. And that was when he did hear it, very faintly, but there. The sound of many feet coming towards them.
"More of the search party?" Elrohir asked.
"No," Elladan answered, "have you ever heard elves make that much noise? These are still far off from us."
Elrohir berated himself silently for not thinking that right away. "What then?" he whispered.
Elladan sniffed the air. They were downwind of whatever it was. "Orcs," he said.
"That is not possible," Elrohir said, "they would not dare be so close to Rivendell."
"Whatever they were doing they are going back to where they belong now," Elladan said distantly. "Perhaps bringing home their latest kill."
Elrohir's hand found his long knife. "Good, let them come to us. I would like to warm up my skills with a few orcs."
"Get down," Elladan said. Elrohir sighed and then crouched down next to where Elladan settled himself. He was already tiring of hiding from whoever they came across on their way.
"Are we going to do a surprise attack then?" Elrohir asked.
Elladan shook his head. "No. They are going home."
Elrohir was confused. "They have immunity then?"
Elladan shot Elrohir a sharp look. "We shall follow them. Where their home lies is where the orc stronghold lies."
Elladan seemed so determined that Elrohir did not want to mention the fact that there might be more than one group of orcs in the Misty Mountains. Though the foul creatures often banded together there were different groups, crude tribes, among them.
The orcs were upon them sooner than Elrohir thought and passed closely next to the two hidden elves. So close in fact that Elrohir thought for sure that they would be sniffed out. But the orcs seemed preoccupied and were running quickly, perhaps with some sort of message or errand to carry out. Though what message they might have that would need such haste Elrohir had no idea.
Elrohir suddenly realized that he had an arrow notched to his bow. He looked at it with mild surprise, it must have been a subconscious reaction. And now his hand itched to send the arrow into the backs of one of the orcs that had just passed by. It was a small group, only about eight or ten of them, and Elrohir was confident that he and Elladan would have little trouble taking out all of them.
But Elladan was already getting up and starting to follow silently behind the creatures. Elrohir sighed and put the arrow back into his quiver.
Another time then.
Chapter 3
Elladan and Elrohir made their way quietly out of the house, though their stealth may have been for no reason. Nobody else was to be found.
"Shall we go get some horses?" Elrohir whispered.
Elladan shook his head and instead made off in the opposite direction. "That is where everybody else is. Father will see us and order us to stay."
"Then what is the point of our going?" Elrohir hissed as he followed his brother. They walked quickly and furtively, avoiding lighted areas and darting behind trees. "If all the others have horses they will be far ahead of us. We have no hopes of getting to mother first, only of our getting lost."
"Come now brother," Elladan said, not even bothering to turn to look at him as he spoke. "I thought you had more faith than that in me. Did you not agree with me when I told father we knew these lands better than anyone? You forget our travels with the rangers, I know a short-cut."
"A short-cut through what?" Elrohir asked. Though he did have a lot of confidence in his brother, he still could not shake the feeling that their trip would result in nothing more than angering their father. He did not hold the same conviction as Elladan that they would be the ones to find their mother.
Elladan was still not fazed by his brother's lack of enthusiasm. "Have you not heard of the rumors of orcs in the Misty Mountains? All we have to do is find the orc stronghold and we will find mother."
"That is not a short-cut," Elrohir muttered. As much as he trusted his brother and wanted his mother back, Elrohir could not help the sinking feeling in his stomach. They were rushing into this blindly.
"Worry not," Elladan said, "we will find her. I know it. She is still alive, I can feel her calling out to me."
Without another word Elladan picked up his pace and made his way out of Rivendell. Elrohir had no choice but to follow, like he had amended before, there was no way he could let Elladan do this on his own. And it was quite apparent that Elladan was going to do this no matter what.
The two had just left the borders of Rivendell and were working their way down the main path when they heard horses coming up from behind them.
Elladan stopped and regarded their surroundings quickly. If they were spotted now they would be sent back before even having a chance to begin.
"To the side," Elladan whispered while he grabbed onto Elrohir and pulled. Both of them sprang to the side of the road and crouched down low in the shadows. They did not move as the group of horses came closer and then began to pass them. Their suspicions were right of course, it was the search party Elrond had called together. It was a large group and they passed the two elven brothers quickly, not one of them even casting a glance in their direction.
It was not until the horses were well out of sight and hearing that the two brothers stood.
"See," Elladan said, "it is a good thing we did not take horses."
Elrohir blinked. "Their path seems that much easier and quicker than ours."
Elladan was hurrying down the road. Elrohir kept abreast of him. "Horses have to stay on the main roads," Elladan said, "this way we can veer off the paths and cut a straighter course."
"I just hope somebody finds mother soon," Elrohir said.
"We will," Elladan promised. His tone was grim but so convincing that Elrohir began to think that perhaps this would not be so hopeless after all.
The two elves quickened their pace even more until they were in a steady, loping gait. It was a tireless and swift run, one that they would be able to keep at for many hours. Silently, the two ran underneath the dark sky, using the moon as their beacon for avoiding obstacles and marking their course.
Elladan was true to his word and went off the main road the first chance he got. He was heading straight for the Misty Mountains, which was a good thing as that was their first destination before making their way to the Redhorn Pass. But there was a reason the main road curved to go around a bit. Their path quickly turned impossible.
They were forced to slow down in order to avoid rough terrain and steep pits in the earth. It was not a forest they were in, rather the transitional earth between forest and mountain. And with only the moon and stars as their light, it was difficult to pick out a path even with their keen sight.
Elrohir did not voice a complaint until he stepped in one of the pits they had been hopping over and fell to one knee. He got up smoothly, almost as if he never fell as all, but he felt the pain throb all throughout his leg. "Is this your short-cut?" he gasped.
Elladan was a little ways ahead. "We will be at the base of the mountains before daybreak. So yes, this is a faster way."
"If we do not break our necks first," Elrohir said.
Elladan stopped in front of him. Elrohir caught up and looked at his brother. "Lost already?"
"Be quiet," Elladan commanded. He was silent a few moments before continuing, "Do you not hear it?"
Elrohir drew himself up. He automatically slowed his breathing and strained his hearing. And that was when he did hear it, very faintly, but there. The sound of many feet coming towards them.
"More of the search party?" Elrohir asked.
"No," Elladan answered, "have you ever heard elves make that much noise? These are still far off from us."
Elrohir berated himself silently for not thinking that right away. "What then?" he whispered.
Elladan sniffed the air. They were downwind of whatever it was. "Orcs," he said.
"That is not possible," Elrohir said, "they would not dare be so close to Rivendell."
"Whatever they were doing they are going back to where they belong now," Elladan said distantly. "Perhaps bringing home their latest kill."
Elrohir's hand found his long knife. "Good, let them come to us. I would like to warm up my skills with a few orcs."
"Get down," Elladan said. Elrohir sighed and then crouched down next to where Elladan settled himself. He was already tiring of hiding from whoever they came across on their way.
"Are we going to do a surprise attack then?" Elrohir asked.
Elladan shook his head. "No. They are going home."
Elrohir was confused. "They have immunity then?"
Elladan shot Elrohir a sharp look. "We shall follow them. Where their home lies is where the orc stronghold lies."
Elladan seemed so determined that Elrohir did not want to mention the fact that there might be more than one group of orcs in the Misty Mountains. Though the foul creatures often banded together there were different groups, crude tribes, among them.
The orcs were upon them sooner than Elrohir thought and passed closely next to the two hidden elves. So close in fact that Elrohir thought for sure that they would be sniffed out. But the orcs seemed preoccupied and were running quickly, perhaps with some sort of message or errand to carry out. Though what message they might have that would need such haste Elrohir had no idea.
Elrohir suddenly realized that he had an arrow notched to his bow. He looked at it with mild surprise, it must have been a subconscious reaction. And now his hand itched to send the arrow into the backs of one of the orcs that had just passed by. It was a small group, only about eight or ten of them, and Elrohir was confident that he and Elladan would have little trouble taking out all of them.
But Elladan was already getting up and starting to follow silently behind the creatures. Elrohir sighed and put the arrow back into his quiver.
Another time then.