Oh to an Are you Kididng: in the words of the great Rob Zombie " I am the dog, demon of hell you cry" I would like to thank you for the flame. It really did help heat my home and I hope you had just as much fun writing it as I did reading it. So basically, my idea, you don't like it, don't read it. Simple as that.
Thanks to all the other kind reviewers! Please enjoy this next chapter!
Behind Blue Eyes
Chapter 4: Of Horses, dogs, and humans
(Legolas)
Following Elrohir and Elladan into the stable I quickly seek out my mare, who is standing beside Estel's Fenris, her dark eyes open. Sansincry lets out an anxious whinny and I smile, going to her side and petting her face. Sansincry nuzzled her all white face into my shoulder and snorted, warming the tunic material as he breath flows through it.
" Good morning my friend." I whisper to her, scratching the tender spot behind her ears.
" Fenris, come." Estel commands with a click of his tongue and the dark bay comes from his stall and follows the mortal from the darkened stable into the morning sun. He whinnies and glances back at Sansincry who only snorts and pushes me with her nose.
" All right old lady, all right." Grasping the leather halter I undo the stall door and lead her from her comfortable stall into the morning. The other three are tacking their own horses, all three a dark bay in color, but each with different markings. Elladan's horse has four white stockings and a snip on his head. The long black main and tail are braided to keep them from getting snagged on branches while riding the trails. Elrohir's horse has not any patch of white on him and seems to enjoy nibbling on the cloak as his rider puts the breastplate on. Fenris gives his rider a playful shove and knocks Estel off balance, only to be glared at by his rider. Fenris is the only one here that has conflicting colors on his body, for at the points he has a light brown showing through the dark coat, making him look like he has a whole other coat under the dark one. Bringing Sansincry over and tying her I brush the rust colored coat, making the horse swish her tail. Unlike the other's horses Sansincry's hide is decorated with scars and pockmarks, these came from the battle with the Orcs's the day my mother was killed. She is very old and I have had her for many years and she hasn't failed me once yet.
" Here let me help you Estel, looks like Fenris doesn't want a bit today." Elladan says to his brother and taking the snaffle bit from his hands. He then catches Fenris's head and places a finger into his mouth, then when the horse begins to open its mouth he pushes the bit into its mouth, smiling when he begins to chomp angrily on the steal piece. Sansincry takes tacking easily, she rarely gives me a fight, although she use to my father. He would get so angry when the filly would buck and bare her teeth at him.
" Ready to go?" I blink and look at Estel who is already mounted. I nod and quickly jump up on the saddle and take up the reins that aren't attached to anything, only the pressuring bridle points.
" Why do you ride her without a bit?" Estel asks, pulling Fenris closer to Sansincry and myself. I look at the questioning human and smile slightly, bracing for myself when she has to jump over a small sapling on the trail.
" Sansincry never gave me a hard time when I rode her before. I trust her and putting a bit in her mouth would be betraying that trust." I explain and Sansincry snorts, shaking her head and putting her black tipped ears back. Laughing slightly I pat her on the neck and look up ahead to realize that we have lost the twins.
" I think we should catch up with your brothers." Estel looks ahead, his eyes widening in shock. He then nudges his horse into a trot, one I quickly copy, and we pound down the trail looking for signs of the others.
~~~~~~~~~O
" Where could they have gone?" Estel asks after bringing Fenris to a stop near a small brook. I jump off Sansincy and allow her to drink from the running water, knowing she isn't as young as she use to be and probably needed the water. She dips her nose in and basically blows at it, making it blow to the side.
" Well I know Aradeous and Kalagorn can't walk that light since they are stallions and not mares. They have far more heft to them than either Sansicry and Fenris." Estel say, looking at the ground.
" Wait, Fenris is a male is he not?" I ask, glancing sidelong at the roman-nosed horse.
" Yes a Gelding. Adar says I'm not allowed to have a stallion until I'm older." I smile, my own father said the same thing before mother died when I tried to ride his horse a huge blue roan named 'Harvian'. The horse was fairly docile up until you said the command for battle and then he became this battle horse from hell. He would stand tall and when asked to move he would move stiffly and swiftly.
" I see, and what of your brother's horses?" I ask leaning against the tree near Sansincry. I watch the human boy as he wanders around, checking Fenris's hooves and cinches.
" Well Elladan's horse was given to him when he turned the equivalent of nineteen in human years, he got to go to the foaling barn and pick him out. Aradeous has been with him since and has been an accomplished sire as well. Elrohir's horse Kalagorn was given to him when he became a scout and patrolman, since his old mare couldn't take the long distances any more." He explains and comes over, pulling out some bread and cheese and a canteen of water. He sits near by, watching the river. For some reason I feel oddly safe with the human close, so unlike the time humans came to Mirkwood and caused such a problem. Shivering as that memory assaulted my mind I quickly dismiss them as another question comes at me.
" Legolas? What happened when your mother was killed?" Estel asks and I narrow my eyes, alarmed by the question. The mortal boy was sitting there, watching the ground his eyes coming up slightly to look upon me.
" I don't really want to talk of it." I say and get to my feet, jumping into the tree.
" I didn't mean to offend you!" the human yells up but I keep silent as a group of men come barging into the area, their horses sweating heavily.
" Hello lad." One, large man says stepping closer to Estel as the boy backs slowly away. I look upon these people. There are three men, the other two on horseback. In their hands they hold leather leashes and glancing down the leash I find dogs, their faces covered in slobber and they bark at Estel.
" What is a young boy like you doing out here in the woods?" he says and advances on Estel, who is beside Fenris now and grabbing a sword. He pulls the bright blade from the sheath and threatens the man with it.
" Back off!" He shouts and the adult only laughs. He draws his own sword, making Estel's look like a stick compared to the great blade. Knowing something has to be done I swoop around the back of the tree and slowly drop from the tree beside Sansincry. Grabbing my cloak and bows and arrows I slip behind the tree. Drawing my hood over my features and notching an arrow I sigh and then move from behind the tree.
" You are trespassing on Lord Elrond of Rivendell's lands. Remove yourselves now!" I tell them and the two men on the horse's stare at me, drawing their own bows. Estel looks over at me, his face the mask of concern and awe. The three men laugh, and the dogs bark viciously.
" A human children? Please what kind of joke are you playing boy's." the leader laughs and stalks closer to Estel, who glances at me in fear. I see the fear in his eyes and quickly spring into action. Switching my aim from the men on the horses to the man going after Estel I loose my arrow, hitting him in the hand that is holding the sword. He screams and drops the weapon, clutching his hand.
" Release the dogs! Let them play with their new toys!" he yells and I suddenly bring my eyes back to the men on the horses just in time to see three dogs baring down on me, their teeth flashing dangerously. I give a cry and draw my white-handled knives from their sheaths on my quiver. The dogs swarm around me, snarling like a bunch of Wargs, as they snap at my feet, arms and often jumping at my neck. One catches me off guard and I am thrown to the ground, forced to throw my arm over my neck to protect it from the teeth. Sharp fangs bite into my flesh as the dog whips his head about trying to shake himself from me. The feeling of dread comes to my mind when I realize he can't free himself from my arm!
" Hahaha, lock tight jaws boy! There is no escaping once they are attached." The leader says, throwing Estel down beside me where I lay with the dog still attached to my arm. The pain is terrible and I begin to see small black and yellow dots about my vision. I vaguely hear the sound of approaching hoof beats but don't care, I allow myself to be pulled into the dark abyss of my mind.
(Elrond)
" ADAR!" I jump from where I sat in the room of books and quickly go out onto the balcony overlooking the main courtyard. Four riders come pounding in and pull their horses to a stop. Yet to my horror three horses have riders on them, one with two. Going quickly down the stairs to greet my boys I groan when I notice the great bruise and gash on Estel's head
" I don't even want to know." I state pointing to Estel who looks worriedly at the door where his twin brothers come stumbling in, Elladan holding onto something covered in a cloak.
" Father, Legolas." Elrohir says and I step toward my son, glancing quickly at the pale face, noting his eyes are closed which isn't normal for an elf.
" Bring him to his room." I instruct the boys and they quickly race up the hall to where the rooms are and I go into the small herb room, gathering everything I will need. Going out the door I slam right into someone, not noticing they were there. Rathager stands there a slightly amused look on his face.
" I'm sorry, I didn't see you there Rathager." I apologize and am about to take off down the hall, leaving my old friend standing in the hall. Going into Legolas's room I quickly dump all the supplies on the desk and go right to the boys' side.
" What happened?" I ask, looking over the injured side of his body, making sure that hasn't been caused further damage. The looking at where his arm guard usually is I finally see what caused the pain. The arm guard or what I left of it is covered in the Princes blood and tattered to no extent. Hissing as I remove the leather guard, revealing two rows of bites, deep wounds with the ridges all torn.
" He was attacked by hunting hounds, a group of men were trespassing on the lands and they were cornering me. Legolas stepped out to confront them and they leased the dogs on him. The dogs quickly brought him down and I remember the many saying something about 'Lock Jaws'." Estel says and I nod, now the situation and reasoning for such wounds comes into focus.
" Alright, Elrohir, Elladan I will need you to hold him down. Estel, take one of the blades there in the pile and heat it up in the fires. Come back quickly." Estel nods and grabs the silver knife and takes off for the fires. I turn back to the two brothers who are watching me with questioning eyes.
" Ada what are you thinking?" Elladan asks, coming to watch me mix herbs.
" The wounds are deep and when the beast shook his head he tore them open under the skin. Teeth bit into the bone, making indents where blood can rest when it leaks from the vessels. In order to stop this we are going to have to cauterize the wounds and then place healing herbs on top." I begin mixing the many herbs that will numb the area as much as possible, while Elladan mixes on to force Legolas into a deep slumber.
" Here father." Estel says and hands a fiery red-hot blade over to me. I nod to Elladan and Elrohir who push down on the shoulders and Estel holds the boy's legs. Sighing and bracing myself for the hardest time I quickly plunge the blade into the wounds, making them sizzle as the wounds close. Legolas thrashes in the bed, making whimpering noises and crying out, I quickly remove the blade and go gown the line, each one leaving the suffocating smell of roasted flesh hanging in the air. Once the task is finished all three boys back away, trying to allude the awful smell, Legolas lays on the bed, deathly pale and breathing hard. Taking the bandages already soaked with salve I apply them to the wounded area, then cover the youth with a large blanket. Turning to my boys I remember Estel's gash.
" Sit Estel." I order the human boy and he comes to sit in the chair. I go and clean my hands in the basin before touching my son who's head wound is the least of his worries. Cleaning the wound I think of ways to begin my questioning.
" How did you get the men away?" I ask and Elladan quickly answers
" We shot arrows at them and they fled." I look at the boy, still not sure whether to believe him or not. Raising an eyebrow I look at Estel who isn't really enjoying my administrations.
" Ada it's the truth!" He cries and I nod, knowing that even if Estel is lying it's not a fun day.
" So you didn't seek these men out, like you do Orcs?" I ask and the twins sheepishly back away from my convicting gaze.
" No… they found us Lord." I jolt when the tired voice from the bed alerts me to the awakening of Legolas. Going to the side of the bed I see the slivers of blue coming out from under the lids. His eyes are glazed with sleep and pained but at least there. If he was to sleep any longer with his eyes closed I would be very scared for him.
" Welcome back!" Estel smiles from the chair and Legolas smiles slightly back before nodding his head and dropping back into sleep once more. Looking back at my boys I nod my head, showing them that I believe their stories and will be talking to them soon.
" We have to attend the horses." Elladan says and yanks his twin from the room. The door closes softly behind them and I sigh, rubbing my hands over my face. The sound of a chair scraping the floor brings my attention back to Estel. Watching as the human youth pulls the chaor over to the bed and curls up in it I am granted to see Legolas not flinch when his hand is taken in Estel's. Although he is asleep I see the hand move to tighten over the comforting hand, and I smile.
' He is beginning to heal. But this will come with time the trust needed to heal completely.'
" Estel?"
" Yes Adar?"
" Would you mind staying with him while I go and mix some more herbs?"
" No father I do not." I smile knowing that if Estel is determined to watch over his new found friend than I can trust the child to make the right decisions. I have noticed that the boy has become quite lonely over the past few years. Most of his friend have grown into adulthood and are now off exploring the land. While young Estel seems to be caught behind because he is different. Yet when Legolas helped him out of the tree there was something in his eyes that told me his loneliness is over and that he found someone new to focus his attention on and maybe Legolas will help him grow in both mind and spirit.
' Real friendship is a slow grower, and never thrives, unless ungratified upon a stock of know and reciprocal merit.' – Chesterfeild
Immortal Sadness: I hope you enjoyed this installment with this story. Please review! The last quote was one of my favorites that my teacher writes on the board everyday and I have to copy down. I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! REVIEW! Oh and I have to work all weekend so I won't have much time to update but I will update at some point next week. THURSDAY I GO FOR MY LICENSE! NICE! Wish me luck! REVIEW!
Thanks to:
Mellonim- uhh… ur welcome!
Deana: I thank you sooo much! The HTML does work and I am very happy! ::dances::
Me-chan: Thanks much!
Stormy: Ya know I wasn't serious! ::laughs:: really girl, you're my neighbor! Chicken Legs… oh yeah Elrond! Lol
Irish QT: wow.. where is ur theater? Mine.. I dunno.. I haven't been there is a while. I can't wait either. I don't really know, but I'll find a way to throw that into one of the chapters. Don't worry he will be finding out!