Ok, now it starts to get a bit more action-like……sort of. Just out of interest, did anyone see Orli on V Graham Norton on Halloween? Man he looked fit! I missed it, but my mate taped it…luckily. She knows what I'm like! If you missed it, you missed out BIG TIME! He acted really shy I thought. Anyway, on with the story!
Gilraen3.
Elerrina- I know, I feel the same way. I like writing Legomances, but they get kinda bring after a while. The same thing always happens really. Thanks for reviewing.
EnglishMsytic- I updated ASAP as you requested.
Chapter 4:Trouble.
Over the next few days, Legolas spent as much time as possible with the twins. They would go riding together, and practice their fighting skills together. Legolas told them the tale of the Dagnir-o Lóre, and they insisted to join him on his return to Mirkwood. Lord Elrond eventually agreed for them to go, and so they started to prepare.
"So, what does this Dagnir-o Lóre creature actually look like then?" asked Elladan as they were riding one day.
"He's a shadow demon, so like…a shadow I guess," Legolas replied. Elladan raised an eyebrow. "That's very helpful Legolas."
"Well I've never seen him, so I don't know," Legolas said curtly. "I don't know how big he is, or how tall he is. He might have horns, he might have a tail…no one knows as they never stay awake long enough to find out."
"True," said Elrohir quietly. The other two looked at him. "Are you alright?" Elladan asked. "You've been quiet all day."
"Just thinking."
"About what?" Legolas pressed.
"Íríma."
"What?!" the other two asked simultaneously. They stopped their horses mid-trot. "After what she done to you, you're thinking about her?" Elladan asked, stil in shock. Elrohir looked at his twin. "She's leaving."
"So?"
"So. She's going to Lothlórien, which is hundreds of miles away."
"Well all I can say is good riddance to bad rubbish, don't you agree Legolas? Legolas?"
Elladan looked at the Prince. He was listening, and his horse looked spooked. Her ears lay flat against her head, and her eyes were wide with fear. Suddenly, Elladans' own horse jumped, as did Elrohirs'. "Woah, calm down Wilwarin," he said softly, stroking his horses' neck. But Wilwarin would not be calmed. She tried to turn round to go back towards the House.
"Legolas? What is it?" Elrohir asked, also trying to quieten his horse.
"Something's following us," Legolas whispered. The twins looked around. The wind, which had at first been a gentle breeze, turned cold and harsh against their faces. The sky darkened, and more clouds appeared. "Get back to the House, now!" Legolas ordered. No one moved. "Now!" he shouted.
The twins turned their horses around, and started galloping back the way they had come, Legolas not far behind. Shadows seemed to move around them, darkening their path. "It can't be," Legolas whispered.
"Legolas" what is it?" Elrohir asked from in front of him.
"He's left Mirkwood. He's here," Legolas replied.
"What? The Dagnir-o Lóre?"
"Yes."
They galloped on, but things started to block their path. Branches that had not been there before, rocks and boulders. They had to keep turning off of the main path. They galloped along as fast as they could, the Dagnir-o Lóre on their tails.
****
Elrond hastily paced his study. "Where are they?" he asked. He looked out of his window. A storm was brewing.
"Gandalf, where are they?" he asked again. Gandalf sighed. "They are out riding, as I have already told you. They will be fine, do not fret."
"But Gandalf, they are in danger."
"We do not know that for certain. All Thranduil said was that no one had fallen asleep for about two weeks. That the Dagnir-o Lóre seemed to have ceased his attacks…"
"…and left the forest!" Elrond finished. "Gandalf, he is after Legolas. He will have followed him to here, to Rivendell. He has a cunning mind. He must know of our plan." A clash of thunder made them both jump.
"Gandalf. We never have storms in Rivendell of this scale. It can only mean one thing. The Dagnir-o Lóre has crossed our borders. He is after the Prince!" He started pacing again. "I pray to the Valar that they are still safe."
****
"Faster!" Legolas shouted to the other two. He dared to look over his shoulder. Through the pouring rain, he saw a dark shape following them. It was shrouded in mist, but he could see two flaming red eyes watching them. It was catching up.
//How on Middle-Earth did it get in here?//
Thunder rolled and lightening flashed. They felt completely lost now. "Legolas, get to the front!" he heard one of the twins call. "You must stay safe!"
He did not want to leave Elrohir at the back, but knew he had to stay awake for his people. He spurred his horse on, and overtook the twins.
Boulders and rocks were cascading down from the mountains above them, but they managed to dodge them somehow. They wove in and out of tree roots and hillocks that had appeared, and hurried on through the rain.
"Where are we?" Legolas shouted back to Elladan.
"I don't know, but nowhere near the House. He's making us do this on purpose. Changing our route to suit him." Legolas cursed under his breath. It must have left Mirkwood, and followed him to Rivendell. Now, not only was Mirkwood in danger, but Rivendell too! There was only Lothlórien left.
A yell surprised him. He looked behind. Elladan was the only one behind him. "He got Elrohir! Elrohir's been caught!" Elladan shouted. He stopped his horse, and rode back. Legolas followed.
Elrohirs' horse galloped forward out of the mist, riderless. The rain started to ease off, and the thunder and lightening stopped. Boulders were no longer bombarding them, and the tree roots returned to their trees. The mist started to lift. As it cleared, they saw one figure lying curled up on the ground.
****
Elrond stopped pacing as the storm finished. He looked out of his window. "That ended quickly," Gandalf said quietly.
"Too quickly," Elrond murmured. He looked at the wizard. "Something's happened. I can feel it. Something has happened to one of them, if not all of them!"
"Peace Elrond. This isn't doing you any good. Sit down, and I'll fetch you a drink." Gandalf stood up, led the Lord to his chair, and fetched him some wine. "Thank you Mithrandir," said Elrond, changing back to the Elven name for the wizard. He sipped his wine, but could taste nothing. "But I can feel it, in my heart. Something has definitely happened, and it is not good. I have a feeling the Dagnir-o Lóre has done what he wanted to do here in Rivendell."
"Well, we'll just have to wait," Gandalf said quietly, sitting back down. "Just give it a while, then all three of them will come trudging in, soaked to the skin because they got caught in the storm. They'll all look like drowned rats." Elrond couldn't conceal his smile.
"You're probably right Mithrandir. I just worry, as they are still young."
"You're a father Elrond. Worrying about your children and their friends is part of being a father. Especially when you have twin sons whose friend is the Prince of Mirkwood, who has a reputation for being quite mischievous. I am sure they are fine."
****
"Oh no," said Legolas softly as he gently rolled the motionless body of Elrohir over. His eyes were closed, and there was a single mark of a Z on his forehead. Elladan had not moved. Legolas looked up at him. "He got him," he said quietly.
He lifted Elrohir into his arms, who was as light as a feather, and sat him in front of his brother. "Hold him tightly. We can get back to the House now." He mounted his own horse, and they galloped back.
They stabled their horses, and Elladan carried his sleeping twin into the House. "Take him to his room. I'll fetch Lord Elrond," Legolas told him. Elladan just nodded and walked away. Legolas hurried along to Elronds' study.
He knocked softly on the door. "Come in," answered Elronds' voice. Legolas opened the door and stepped in.
"What did I tell you Elrond? Like drowned rats!" said Gandalf cheerily. Legolas smiled half-heartedly, and Elrond noticed. "Legolas? What is wrong?"
"My Lord, you must come with me now." Elrond looked at Gandalf. "What did *I* tell *you*? Something's happened." They both looked at the Prince, who was shivering slightly.
"Come by the fire Legolas," said Gandalf softly. "You must be frozen."
"Elves do not feel the cold Mithrandir," said Legolas, but he moved to the fireside anyway.
"No, but you sense it, and so feel cold," Gandalf answered.
"Where are my sons?" asked Elrond, frowning slightly.
"In Elrohirs' room my Lord."
"Very well. Mithrandir, please stay here with Legolas. I'll send someone along with warm drinks. I'm going to see my sons." Before Gandalf could say another word, he swept out of the room, deep red robes swirling about his ankles. Gandalf looked at Legolas, who was staring into the flames. "Legolas?" he said softly. "What's happened?"
"He's here."
"Who's here?"
"The Dagnir-o Lóre. He came for me, but got Elrohir instead." He looked back at the wizard. "Elrohir wasn't supposed to get hurt. It was supposed to be me!"
Gandalf stood and wrapped a blanket round Legolas' trembling shoulders. "We don't know that Legolas."
"Its obvious Mithrandir. The Dagnir-o Lóre is trying to take over Mirkwood. I am Prince of Mirkwood. I'm his second most important target. Father is his first. Why else would he have followed me here?" He looked back into the dancing flames.
The door opened, and a maid brought in a steaming drink in a goblet. Gandalf thanked her, and handed it to Legolas. "Drink this, it will make you feel better." Legolas gratefully accepted it, and sipped it delicately. The warmth flowed around his veins, and relaxed him. "Do you know for sure it was him?" Gandalf asked, sitting back down.
Legolas nodded. "I saw him. His eyes anyway. Deep flames of red, burning like the sun. He was shrouded in a dark mist, like smoke. Like a shadow. I could feel it was he. The evil lurked everywhere we went. He controlled the area around us. He created the storm, to make the boulders from the mountains crash down around us. He turned the trees against us, to try and trip our horses up. He changed our path directions, turning them left instead of right, and sent us round in circles. He had total control of Rivendell. And we were caught right in the midst of it all." He continued to gaze into the fire, remembering those flaming eyes glaring at him. He shivered, even though he was no longer cold.
Gandalf frowned thoughtfully. "How did he get into Rivendell though, that is what puzzles me. It is heavily guarded, and no enemy would be able to get through the gates."
"That is what I thought, but he did get in. Unless he sent all the guards to sleep as well."
"Possibly. It does not matter if they are awake; he can still cast his spell over them. We know this because of Elrohir."
"Another way I know it was him, was because there was a Z on Elrohirs' forehead. He leaves that mark on all of his victims. It is his entrance into their minds."
"Very well then," Gandalf agreed quietly. He looked up at Legolas, who had his back to the wizard. "I think we should go to Elrohirs' room," Legolas said softly. He placed the goblet on the desk, took the blanket off from around his shoulders, and left the study, Gandalf following.
Uh oh, it got Elrohir! Had to put that in! ^_^ So, now what do you think? The plot has taken a bit of a twist. Well, there's only one way to tell me. Review! Please? ^_^
