Time seemed to go by much more quickly now that Legolas wasn't a prisoner. Perhaps it was because he was getting to know the horse he rode. Perhaps it was because the men were more willing to talk to him now. Or perhaps it was simply because of the optimism that lightened his heart.
Two days sped by quickly as the company sped north. Much of that time was spent talking to Damial, who seemed considerably happier with his position after the battle with the orcs. Apparently he had had some hand in tracking the band that had held Legolas and Aragorn prisoner.
Damial talked freely about his training as a Ranger of the North, which was almost complete now. Legolas had heard of these men, but only in whispered stories that often spoke ill of them. Now he was learning the truth, and was gaining considerable respect for this group of people who fought the forces of darkness and gained nothing but distrust for their efforts.
After listening in on their conversations occasionally, Eltha declared that she wanted to be a Ranger. Legolas expected the men to dismiss this, but instead Aragorn smiled at her and said that anyone who could sneak past someone he'd trained deserved to be a Ranger.
As the company was setting up camp on the eve of the second day, a horse approached, coming out of the north. For half a moment Legolas wondered if it was an elf sent by his father to learn what was happening. Almost immediately though, he saw that it wasn't an elf but an old man. Or rather, someone who looked like an old man.
Mithrandir dismounted with more skill than many of half his appearance of age, warmly greeted by Aragorn. The man hugged the wizard violently before demanding why he was there.
"I have some information that I think you would like to hear," Mithrandir answered. "Privately," he added, glancing at the company of men, and Legolas in particular.
Aragorn and Mithrandir walked a short distance from the company, while the rest of the men continued the task of setting up camp. Legolas felt a little annoyed that Mithrandir hadn't even acknowledged his presence. Legolas had always considered the wizard a friend, but it barely seemed as though Mithrandir had noticed him. He was completely focused on Aragorn, while Legolas was the one who had almost been sold into slavery.
Legolas realised suddenly how petty his thoughts were becoming, and almost laughed at himself. If Mithrandir had some important news, it was only right he should tell the one it was meant for.
A few minutes later, wizard and man returned to camp. Aragorn's face was skilfully blank, which made Legolas suspect that the news received was grave.
"I don't suppose you'd take care of an errant prince," Aragorn said, with a wry smile and a glance at Legolas.
"No," Mithrandir replied, "I have my own business to take care of. I cannot always be aided you in your errands. I will stay here for one night, but then I must go my own direction."
"As you always do," Aragorn commented, receiving a nod in reply.
"What news do you bring?" Legolas asked, when Aragorn left to see to something.
"For you? None," Mithrandir answered, "save that your father is worried about you."
"I do not need to be informed of that," Legolas laughed.
"The news I brought was for Aragorn."
"How well do you know him?" Legolas asked, hoping that the wizard, who seemed to know everything about everyone else's business, would be able to answer the questions Legolas was filled with.
"I know him well enough," Mithrandir replied, "I knew his father as well, before he died. He is a good man, and will make you a very good friend if you let him."
"Do you know about his past?"
"You are walking on dangerous ground. A single misstep could cause a chasm to form that the elves would never recover from." This statement, cryptic and vague, was as much as Legolas should have expected from Mithrandir. Wise as he was, he rarely shared his knowledge except in riddles.
"What do you mean?" Legolas asked.
"I mean that sometimes the events of the past are best left there. You could do a great deal of harm by uncovering them."
"And if that is meant to sate my curiosity, I'm afraid that you have failed in your attempt, Mithrandir." The wizard merely laughed at that.
***
Mithrandir left early the next day, just as the men were breaking camp. He rode off south-west, with only a brief farewell to Aragorn and Legolas.
"Try to forget your curiosity," Mithrandir had warned Legolas, "only grief will come from revealing those secrets Aragorn hides." Then he was gone.
Aragorn was slightly distracted in the wake of Mithrandir's news. He was so focussed on his thoughts that he seemed almost unaware of the surrounding world. The other men, taking their lead from their lord, became increasingly anxious.
"What news did Gandalf bring?" Ethindal asked Aragorn, "What is worrying you so?"
"Not here," Aragorn answered, "We must first see our charge home, then I will explain."
"I can make the rest of the way alone," Legolas said, "you have done more than enough for me already."
"No," Aragorn said firmly, "I swore to your father that I would see you safely back to Mirkwood, and I will do just that. I will not become an oath-breaker. Not for their sake." He refused to explain who the final comment had been referring to, either to Ethindal or Legolas.
The horses seemed to pick up something of their masters' unease, for they found new strengths from somewhere and the landscape sped by even faster than before. Aragorn was being driven on by a need to be rid of Legolas so that he could be away, making Legolas more curious than ever about the new Mithrandir had brought. Whatever it was must be urgent, and Legolas felt badly about keeping Aragorn from attending to it.
Still, they did not have long to wait. After a further two days of hasty travel and little rest, a dark shadow began growing on the northern horizon. Legolas fancied that he could hear the trees singing to him across the distance. The distance was such that they couldn't cross it in one day, but still Legolas was in sight of his home.
"If we enter the forest this far south," Aragorn said as they made camp that night, "we may pass close by Dol Guldur." His statement was rich with unspoken questions, which Legolas understood nonetheless.
"The White Council have banished the shadow that dwelt there," Legolas said, "but there are still many foul things in that region. Further north, in the forest surrounding our homes, we are driving back the servants of darkness and restoring Mirkwood to the place it once was, when it was Greenwood the Great."
"Then we will enter the forest further north," Aragorn accepted Legolas' description, "there is no sense in exposing ourselves to more danger than necessary."
He moved away then, and Legolas lay down to sleep. His eyes faced northwards, but the night hid the trees now. He awoke in the morning, his eyes still fixed on the treeline, feeling comforted by the presence and closeness.
The company rode onwards, reaching the trees and riding north along the western boarder of the forest. They could ride faster by far in the open than they could have done beneath the trees, and Legolas could tell that many of the men wished to prolong the journey outside the forest as long as possible. They looked suspiciously at the dark trees, dense undergrowth and deep shadows. Legolas understood. Mirkwood was not like Rivendell, with its wide, open spaces and trickling streams, its flowers and its fruit trees. Mirkwood's own, wild beauty was harder to see, save for those to whom it was home.
They travelled along the forest boarder for most of a day, before they reached a small path. There were few roads through the trees, but the smaller paths were easily navigable by those who knew where to look for them. Legolas knew which path this was, and knew that they could easily skirt Dol Guldur and all the venomous things that surrounded it.
He told this to Aragorn, who decreed that they should rest for the night and attempt the entry to the forest in full daylight. Legolas was surprised by this, since up to this point he had seemed anxious to hurry the journey. Why delay now?
Still, it was growing towards evening already, so it was not so long a wait. Legolas slept better that night than any previous night of their journey, comforted by the song of the trees that reached out to envelop him. The song contained memories of long ago, a time when all had been bright and clean, when blossom had hung in garlands from the trees, when birds and beasts had dwelt beneath the trees unafraid. The trees sang of home.
They had only made it a short distance under the trees the next day, riding single file along the narrow path, when Aragorn pulled his horse to a halt. He looked around him uneasily. Several horses behind him, Legolas sensed the same disturbance, almost concealed.
He felt rather than heard the movement. Too late. A mass of arrows were aimed at each member of the company.
***
Author's Note: The delay for this chapter was caused by my novel. I'm struggling with the name at the moment (the worst part of writing any story). Which title do you think is best? Phoenix Fire, Syra of the Sanners Val, or Crystal Heart.
All answers will mean I have to spend less time worrying about that and have more time free to write this.
Two days sped by quickly as the company sped north. Much of that time was spent talking to Damial, who seemed considerably happier with his position after the battle with the orcs. Apparently he had had some hand in tracking the band that had held Legolas and Aragorn prisoner.
Damial talked freely about his training as a Ranger of the North, which was almost complete now. Legolas had heard of these men, but only in whispered stories that often spoke ill of them. Now he was learning the truth, and was gaining considerable respect for this group of people who fought the forces of darkness and gained nothing but distrust for their efforts.
After listening in on their conversations occasionally, Eltha declared that she wanted to be a Ranger. Legolas expected the men to dismiss this, but instead Aragorn smiled at her and said that anyone who could sneak past someone he'd trained deserved to be a Ranger.
As the company was setting up camp on the eve of the second day, a horse approached, coming out of the north. For half a moment Legolas wondered if it was an elf sent by his father to learn what was happening. Almost immediately though, he saw that it wasn't an elf but an old man. Or rather, someone who looked like an old man.
Mithrandir dismounted with more skill than many of half his appearance of age, warmly greeted by Aragorn. The man hugged the wizard violently before demanding why he was there.
"I have some information that I think you would like to hear," Mithrandir answered. "Privately," he added, glancing at the company of men, and Legolas in particular.
Aragorn and Mithrandir walked a short distance from the company, while the rest of the men continued the task of setting up camp. Legolas felt a little annoyed that Mithrandir hadn't even acknowledged his presence. Legolas had always considered the wizard a friend, but it barely seemed as though Mithrandir had noticed him. He was completely focused on Aragorn, while Legolas was the one who had almost been sold into slavery.
Legolas realised suddenly how petty his thoughts were becoming, and almost laughed at himself. If Mithrandir had some important news, it was only right he should tell the one it was meant for.
A few minutes later, wizard and man returned to camp. Aragorn's face was skilfully blank, which made Legolas suspect that the news received was grave.
"I don't suppose you'd take care of an errant prince," Aragorn said, with a wry smile and a glance at Legolas.
"No," Mithrandir replied, "I have my own business to take care of. I cannot always be aided you in your errands. I will stay here for one night, but then I must go my own direction."
"As you always do," Aragorn commented, receiving a nod in reply.
"What news do you bring?" Legolas asked, when Aragorn left to see to something.
"For you? None," Mithrandir answered, "save that your father is worried about you."
"I do not need to be informed of that," Legolas laughed.
"The news I brought was for Aragorn."
"How well do you know him?" Legolas asked, hoping that the wizard, who seemed to know everything about everyone else's business, would be able to answer the questions Legolas was filled with.
"I know him well enough," Mithrandir replied, "I knew his father as well, before he died. He is a good man, and will make you a very good friend if you let him."
"Do you know about his past?"
"You are walking on dangerous ground. A single misstep could cause a chasm to form that the elves would never recover from." This statement, cryptic and vague, was as much as Legolas should have expected from Mithrandir. Wise as he was, he rarely shared his knowledge except in riddles.
"What do you mean?" Legolas asked.
"I mean that sometimes the events of the past are best left there. You could do a great deal of harm by uncovering them."
"And if that is meant to sate my curiosity, I'm afraid that you have failed in your attempt, Mithrandir." The wizard merely laughed at that.
***
Mithrandir left early the next day, just as the men were breaking camp. He rode off south-west, with only a brief farewell to Aragorn and Legolas.
"Try to forget your curiosity," Mithrandir had warned Legolas, "only grief will come from revealing those secrets Aragorn hides." Then he was gone.
Aragorn was slightly distracted in the wake of Mithrandir's news. He was so focussed on his thoughts that he seemed almost unaware of the surrounding world. The other men, taking their lead from their lord, became increasingly anxious.
"What news did Gandalf bring?" Ethindal asked Aragorn, "What is worrying you so?"
"Not here," Aragorn answered, "We must first see our charge home, then I will explain."
"I can make the rest of the way alone," Legolas said, "you have done more than enough for me already."
"No," Aragorn said firmly, "I swore to your father that I would see you safely back to Mirkwood, and I will do just that. I will not become an oath-breaker. Not for their sake." He refused to explain who the final comment had been referring to, either to Ethindal or Legolas.
The horses seemed to pick up something of their masters' unease, for they found new strengths from somewhere and the landscape sped by even faster than before. Aragorn was being driven on by a need to be rid of Legolas so that he could be away, making Legolas more curious than ever about the new Mithrandir had brought. Whatever it was must be urgent, and Legolas felt badly about keeping Aragorn from attending to it.
Still, they did not have long to wait. After a further two days of hasty travel and little rest, a dark shadow began growing on the northern horizon. Legolas fancied that he could hear the trees singing to him across the distance. The distance was such that they couldn't cross it in one day, but still Legolas was in sight of his home.
"If we enter the forest this far south," Aragorn said as they made camp that night, "we may pass close by Dol Guldur." His statement was rich with unspoken questions, which Legolas understood nonetheless.
"The White Council have banished the shadow that dwelt there," Legolas said, "but there are still many foul things in that region. Further north, in the forest surrounding our homes, we are driving back the servants of darkness and restoring Mirkwood to the place it once was, when it was Greenwood the Great."
"Then we will enter the forest further north," Aragorn accepted Legolas' description, "there is no sense in exposing ourselves to more danger than necessary."
He moved away then, and Legolas lay down to sleep. His eyes faced northwards, but the night hid the trees now. He awoke in the morning, his eyes still fixed on the treeline, feeling comforted by the presence and closeness.
The company rode onwards, reaching the trees and riding north along the western boarder of the forest. They could ride faster by far in the open than they could have done beneath the trees, and Legolas could tell that many of the men wished to prolong the journey outside the forest as long as possible. They looked suspiciously at the dark trees, dense undergrowth and deep shadows. Legolas understood. Mirkwood was not like Rivendell, with its wide, open spaces and trickling streams, its flowers and its fruit trees. Mirkwood's own, wild beauty was harder to see, save for those to whom it was home.
They travelled along the forest boarder for most of a day, before they reached a small path. There were few roads through the trees, but the smaller paths were easily navigable by those who knew where to look for them. Legolas knew which path this was, and knew that they could easily skirt Dol Guldur and all the venomous things that surrounded it.
He told this to Aragorn, who decreed that they should rest for the night and attempt the entry to the forest in full daylight. Legolas was surprised by this, since up to this point he had seemed anxious to hurry the journey. Why delay now?
Still, it was growing towards evening already, so it was not so long a wait. Legolas slept better that night than any previous night of their journey, comforted by the song of the trees that reached out to envelop him. The song contained memories of long ago, a time when all had been bright and clean, when blossom had hung in garlands from the trees, when birds and beasts had dwelt beneath the trees unafraid. The trees sang of home.
They had only made it a short distance under the trees the next day, riding single file along the narrow path, when Aragorn pulled his horse to a halt. He looked around him uneasily. Several horses behind him, Legolas sensed the same disturbance, almost concealed.
He felt rather than heard the movement. Too late. A mass of arrows were aimed at each member of the company.
***
Author's Note: The delay for this chapter was caused by my novel. I'm struggling with the name at the moment (the worst part of writing any story). Which title do you think is best? Phoenix Fire, Syra of the Sanners Val, or Crystal Heart.
All answers will mean I have to spend less time worrying about that and have more time free to write this.