Yay, action starting to kick in!!! This is getting to my favourite part of the story! (Ok, now I'm bragging!)
They have FINALLY reached Imladris! Took them long enough! Right, I'll stop the exclamation marks now…
Um…not many reviews…
…not good….
…me not happy…
…me NEED reviews…
PLEASE REVIEW THIS CHAPTER!!!! (Hint, hint…)
Thank you! ^_^
I'll shut up now…
~Lainfaer~
Gwyn- Good, glad you thought it wasn't too mushy. Now that action is really gonna kick in! Well, in the next couple of chapters anyway…
Thanks for reviewing! Have a cookie. ^_^
Elerrina- Yeah, roughly 7. Thanks for reviewing, keep up the good replies! You can have a cookie too. ^_^
Deana- Here's 20. Thank for reviewing. Here's a cookie, as you were one of only THREE who reviewed! ^_^
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Chapter 20: Imladris at Last.
The group slowly made their way down into the valley. It was normally filled with the voices of Elves, singing and laughing. But now it was silent, as silent as the grave.
Elrond looked around, despair showing clearly in his eyes. His once peaceful, serene land, was now full of hate and anger. The whole group could feel the coldness of Imladris, and it made them shiver with fear and sadness.
Legolas led them down, one hand resting lightly upon the sword hilt. The other hand was holding Nifredils' reins, but it was tight, gripping the leather so hard the knuckles were white.
"He is waiting," he said quietly, his voice dripping with hate.
Elrond looked at him. Legolas' once blue, sparkling eyes, were dark and meaningful, filled with a wrath that only destroying the Dagnir-o Lóre would extinguish.
"We cannot all go down. The carriages must go, surrounded by only a select group of the very best warriors we have left. I will lead them down. Only people who are willing are to join me. We leave tomorrow."
"I will join you," Elladan said softly, coming up beside him.
"And I," said another voice.
"No way Dolenmíl," Legolas told her firmly, looking at her. She saw the dark light in his eyes, and shivered. "You are to stay here, no arguments."
"I am not leaving you to fight this thing alone. You said yourself I am one of your best warriors. Let me live up to that."
"You have already proved yourself on this journey. You need not prove yourself again."
She squared her shoulders, and looked directly at him. "My Lord. Your father sent me, and everyone else, to help and protect you on this quest. I intend to stick to his orders. He is the King, and I must obey his command. No matter what you say, or do, I am coming with you down into Imladris. Are you clear on that?" Her brown eyes were ablaze, but her voice was calm, just a hint of severity and determination to it.
Legolas looked back at her, and knew that he could do nothing to change her mind. "Very well. If that is the King's orders, then they must be obeyed. You will accompany me down into Imladris."
She smiled, her eyes returning to their normal deep brown. "Diolla lle Legolas. It will set my heart at rest, knowing where you are, and what is going on. I cannot just stay here, and wait."
"I understand," he replied, looking out over Imladris once again.
A small camp was set up, but no fires were lit. "No point in announcing our arrival," Elladan told Legolas.
He laughed, but there was no sparkle in his eyes. "No, he knows we're here. He's just waiting for us to go down and join him."
The Elves wandered around, not speaking, their minds elsewhere. Everyone seemed to be lost in his or her own little world, trying to imagine what was going to happen next. The Mirkwood Elves knew their Prince was walking straight into danger, but they also knew that he had to do it. They still had the job of telling their King just how many of his warriors had been lost. That set fear into all of their hearts, just thinking about what his reaction would be.
Legolas was sat silently in his tent, cross-legged on his bed, going over everything in his head. He was planning how he was going to get down into Imladris, and take all the sleeping with him. The carriages would not be able to fit down the path. The only option was that they carried them as far as possible into the City, then he would find, and hopefully destroy the Dagnir-o Lóre.
Dolenmíl peered in through his half-open tent flap. She could see the frowns on his forehead from there. She sighed. He was under a lot of pressure, and it didn't help having the thought of their kiss hanging over his head all the time. She needed to sort it out with him once and for all.
She cleared her throat by way if announcing herself. He looked up at her, and smiled. "Come in Dolenmíl," he told her. She could hear how tired he was just by the sound of his voice. She walked in and sat beside him.
"Are you alright? You look rather pale."
"Just tired. I've got a lot on my mind."
"I know. Listen Legolas, we need to talk."
"About what?"
"You know what. Us…that night…remember?" She flinched at the look on his face
then. He sighed. "Very well."
"I didn't mean for it to happen," he continued, looking at the floor, hands clasped in front of him. "I don't know why I did it. It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing. My mind was all over the place that night, as were my feelings. I'm sorry if you thought me wrong."
"I didn't think you wrong, I just wasn't ready for it," she assured him, placing one hand over his. He looked up at her. She was smiling gently at him. "I think it would be best of we just remained friends, nothing more, and I hope, never anything less. Agreed?"
He smiled back. "Agreed." They shook hands on it.
"Now, we are going to
forget it ever happened, ok?" she asked him. He nodded. "Definitely."
"Now, you get some sleep. You've got a hard few days ahead of you."
"As have you, so back to your tent." She laughed.
"Yes Legolas." She rose, and stopped to look at him again. "Good night Legolas."
"Good night Dolenmíl." She bent down, gave him a small kiss on the cheek, then left.
He smiled at her retreating figure. It must have taken a lot of courage to talk to him about it. He knew he wouldn't have been able to do the same.
//Friends. Nothing more, nothing less.//
He lay back, and went to sleep, his mind at rest…for now.
****
The next morning, a group of about twenty Elves gathered in the centre of the clearing. They were all able warriors who were willing to join Legolas and Elladan down into Imladris. Gandalf would also go, but Elrond would remain with the others.
"This is going to be dangerous," Legolas announced to the group. They were all mounted on their horses, weapons by their sides. "I am not forcing you to join me. You are all coming of your own free will. If at any point, you wish to return to this camp, you may. There is no bond holding you to this venture."
"We will go with our Prince wherever he may lead us," Dolenmíl called from near the front, her brown eyes shining. "We believe in him, and our trust lies with him." She bowed her head, as did everyone else.
Legolas smiled at them. "I thank you for your kindness. Now, we must continue on. Down in to Imladris we go. Farewell to all who remain." He placed his hand over his heart, and sent his blessings to Lord Elrond. His company followed suit.
Lord Elrond returned it. "Be careful. Our blessings go with you." He bowed his head, and the party set off.
The sleeping were being carried by the Elves on horseback. At the beginning of their journey, there had been twenty plus Elrohir. Now, there were fifteen, plus Elrohir. He was carried by his brother in the makeshift sling made out of a cloak. This was how they were all carried.
Legolas rode at the head, his hand resting upon his fathers' sword hilt again. Dolenmíl rode silently beside him, ignoring any throbbing in her chest. It had been badly bruised, and she wasn't quite ready for hard riding. Just gentle made it ache.
No one spoke, no one even whispered. The horses were quiet, the only sound being their hooves crunching the gravely path down into Imladris Valley.
The wind was a gentle breeze, rustling the new spring leaves in the surrounding trees. Long grass lined the path, swaying from side to side in the breeze. The flowers were just starting to open, red and blue heads poking out from the long grass searching for the sunshine. The Sun herself was relatively low in the sky, it being only early morning. It was chilly, and the Elves' breaths came out like steam in the crisp morning air.
Normally they would have met many patrols by now, but there were none. It was silent and deserted. All the Elves were being kept within the House itself, away from danger. Even though the Dagnir-o Lóre was an evil creature, it had to look after his victims. If they got hurt, his strength would fade, and eventually wither. He had to protect them.
The main archway was soon in sight. Elladan felt his heart lift at the sight of the main entrance to his home, but it was still full of dread for what lay beyond. What evil had befallen his people, his friends, and the rest of his family? He swallowed, trying to forget about how his sister and mother were, hidden within the House.
Legolas entered first, Nifredil walking as silently as she could. Her ears fell flat against her head as soon as she went under the arch, but she kept going. Legolas softly patted her neck. "Good girl, well done," he whispered in Elvish. She gave a small snort as reply, determination taking hold of her. She would not be frightened; she would go with her master to whatever end.
The rest of the company filed through, each horse feeling the tension and fear n the air. But they all remained silent and strong-willed. The Elves themselves could feel it too, and many took deep breaths to calm themselves.
Legolas looked around. There was no sound at all, except the river, which ran as loud as ever, tumbling down the mountainside in a flurry of foam and froth. No birds sang, no harps played. It was as silent as a grave, and a feeling of dread lingered in the air. It was cold, not bright, and sunny as it usually was.
They made their way to the stables, as that was where the path led. The Rivendell horses were here, but they were under-fed and dehydrated. The Elves set to work reviving them. Their own horses were left to wander in the stable freely, so they could leave if they wished. Legolas was holding his promise to them as well as his companions.
When the troughs and water buckets were re-filled, and the horses were given a quick groom, the Elves left the stable, and set off towards the House. Legolas could feel something watching him, and he knew what it was. A shadow seemed to hover just out of his vision, and no matter which way he looked, it was always there, watching, and waiting. But he squared his shoulders and carried on.
They climbed the stairs to find the doors wide open, as if they were being expected. Elladan gave a small, quick laugh. "I am a guest in my own home. Am I the only one confused here?" A few more laughs passed through the otherwise extremely nervous group.
Legolas was the first to step over the threshold, and he felt the Dagnir-o Lóres' power try and take over him immediately. It was an irresistible urge to just stop and fall asleep literally on his feet. But he was strong, and held out against it.
Gandalf followed him, and muttered a counter-spell against it. From far away it seemed, there came a yell of anger, distant, yet so close. Legolas shuddered. That had been him, the Dagnir-o Lóre. That was the first noise he had heard of him.
The rest of the party entered the House then, now that the House was free. But they still needed to find the rest of the sleeping.
"Now, in groups of no less than four, search around," Legolas whispered. "Have your swords drawn at all times. Orcs may be wandering around, as they serve him." He did not say the creature's name, as it put fear into everyone's heart.
The group split. Elladan took four, as did Dolenmíl. Legolas took Gandalf with him, plus two others. Rédethuil took three with him, and the other four went together.
Legolas allocated them directions, and they went off, all swords drawn. They walked silently, peering everywhere for any signs of the Dagnir-o Lóre or his victims. Elladan took his group to the area around his and his brothers' sleeping areas. Dolenmíl headed to the kitchens, whilst Rédethuil went towards Elronds' study. The last group of four went to find the healing rooms, and Legolas went towards the main hall, where feasts and dances were held. The Hall of Fire was situated off the main hall. He would go there after he had thoroughly checked the main hall.
They walked on, eyes and ears alert. Thranduils' sword, Pelatus, felt suddenly heavy in Legolas' hand. He never remembered it being so hard to hold. He shifted it in his hand slightly, and it felt a bit better. The sunlight shone through the windows onto the blade, making it shine eerie silver.
They came to the main hall, and immediately found many inhabitants of Rivendell laying here. At least fifty were crammed in, one on top of another.
As soon as he walked in, Legolas saw Princess Arwen, lying beside the table, her eyes shut, and the Z clear upon her forehead. He hurried over to her, carefully avoiding treading on anyone's fingers or other body parts. He reached her, and automatically felt for a pulse.
It was there, strong and normal. He breathed a sigh of relief, though he had known she would be all right. He checked her over, for any wounds. She was as close to him as the twins, and if any harm had come to her…
Her left arm was broken. It was laid at an awkward angle, and he could feel the break.
"Mithrandir," he whispered,
motioning for the wizard to join him. Gandalf tiptoed over. "What's wrong?"
"Can you fix her arm?"
"I'm not sure. Let me have a go." He whispered a few charms, but it made no
difference. "No, she is under His power. I cannot do anything to help her I'm
afraid." Legolas nodded. He had guessed as much.
The fire had long ago burnt itself out, but the Elves did not build a new one. They did not have time, and it could attract unwanted attention. Legolas covered Arwen with his cloak, as she felt cold beneath his touch.
"Into the Hall of Fire," he whispered. They followed him through, and found more Elves just scattered carelessly around. It was said that the Fire in here was never put out, but that was if it had Elves to tend to it. It had not had anyone for a long while, and so had slowly burnt itself out. It was cold and dark in this room, much more so than the Hall.
Lady Celebrían was in here by the fireplace. She too was cold, and another Elf lay his cloak over her. She did not appear to have any major injuries, so they continued their search.
"What do I do when I meet Him?" Legolas asked Gandalf quietly as they left the Hall of Fire and entered another corridor.
"I do not know for sure Legolas. The Mirkwood Elves are all here now, and He should have enough under His control to become solid. If not, then one or more of your group may have to sacrifice themselves for you to be able to destroy Him. But we may not have to go that far."
Legolas shuddered at the thought of having more of his people taken over by the Dagnir-o Lóre. Twenty was bad enough, plus the entire population of Imladris. Surely that was plenty enough by now?
They met Rédethuil returning from Elronds' study. "Lord Glorfindel was in there. Have you found anyone?"
"Yes, nearly everyone," Legolas answered. "Both Lady Celebrían and Princess Arwen are accounted for. What about Lord Erestor?"
"No, I haven't seen him. Perhaps Lady Dolenmíl has found him, or maybe Gildin and his party. We have not come across them on our search."
"Neither have we. Make your way to the Healing quarters, and try and meet up with Gildin. We will go towards the kitchens and cellars." They nodded their farewells, and carried on.
A few Elves were found dotted along the corridor, and they had been checked over by Rédethuils' group. The Z marks were all fading now, as the Dagnir-o Lóre grew stronger. He was 'feeding' off the Mirkwood Elves now, and Legolas could feel him growing stronger. His presence could be felt all around Imladris.
They found Elladans' group, who had found Erestor in his room. "He had a broken arm too," Elladan told them when Legolas told him about his sister. "They obviously tried to put up some sort of struggle, and paid for it."
"Clearly," Legolas replied, looking uneasily around him. They were back in the main corridor after doing almost a full circle of the House.
"Have you seen Dolenmíl and her group?" he asked.
Elladan shook his head. "No, we were at the other side of the House."
Legolas nodded. "Ok, let's make our way down to her then." They headed for the kitchens.
But Dolenmíls' scout was nowhere to be found when they arrived. "Where can she have gone?" Legolas wondered aloud. They had been there, as the cooks were down here asleep, and they had been check and partially healed.
They searched around, and a knife was found. It had Sindarin inscriptions along the blade and handle. "This belongs to no one in Imladris, except maybe Glorfindel or Adar," Elladan informed them. "But this isn't either of theirs, I know that for certain."
"It's not Dolenmíls', as hers has her initials on it," Legolas replied, inspecting it a bit more carefully. He passed it to one of his group to look after.
There were signs of struggling in the kitchen. Pans and cutlery was scattered everywhere, over the table and floor. Chairs had been knocked over, and items on worktops were broken or out of place. Cupboard doors were open, and water splashed over the floor from the still half-full sink. Someone had been washing up when they were attacked. They still held the cloth in their hand, as they lay slouched against the cupboard beneath the sink.
The Elves looked around, and their minds were so focused on searching and checking, that they did not hear soft breathing coming down the corridor.
A pair of deep, blood red eyes peered round the doorframe. They witnessed the Elves searching around, and saw Legolas among them. The creature to which the eyes belonged felt a slice of hatred pass through him at the sight of the young Prince. He spied the sword, and the eyes disappeared from beside the door.
Legolas felt something watching him, and he turned round to look at the door. But there was nothing there. He turned back to looking over the Elf who had been washing up.
The eyes returned, and this time, the body came with them. It stepped into the kitchen.
Everyone spun round at the sound of something entering. Fear passed through each one as they saw their worst fear before them. The Dagnir-o Lóre stood there, eyes blazing. He was almost twice the height of a normal Man, with arms and legs twice as thick and muscular. Yet shadow still surrounded him. He was shrouded in a dark mist, but his eyes shone through, piercingly dark and dangerous.
He snorted, and smoke puffed out of his nostrils. The Elves were frozen with fear as he took another step towards them. They still clutched their swords, but they felt useless against this thing.
Legolas stared bravely back, Pelatus now feeling as light as a feather. He could take this demon on, and he could destroy it. He could defeat him, and both of them knew it. Yet he could also be beaten, and they both knew this was true.
The Dagnir-o Lóre took another step…
Ahh…nice big cliffie! I love doing that! The fight is in the next chapter, so I'll update soon.
Well, once I get 6 reviews. Give me 6 reviews, and I'll give you Chapter 21. Savvy? We have an accord! (Sorry, been watching PotC…again!)
So, review, and chapter 21 will be up as soon as I get 6 reviews. Even if it is tomorrow, I will stick to my promise! ^_^
~Lainfaer~
