Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places
thereof
*****
Four days later, they reached the city. Estel felt his jaw drop. Such a municipality in only a year! A true feat, that was. All that was visible was the great stone wall surrounding the city, what a protection! Yet. . .where was the gate?
The four stood uncertainly for a moment, gazing about them. "Shall we ride round the perimeter?" Legolas suggested.
"Perhaps. . .it is odd, though: one gate of the old cities faced east and the other west, looking upon each other. It leads me to wonder where the gate is positioned in this obstruction," Elrohir said. A wind blew over them from the west, rattling the grasses at their feet.
"North or South, I would imagine; we are to the East, whence faced the gate of the eld city of the Elves." Elladan's eloquent speech was somewhat taken away from by his cry then of, "Estel!"
The mortal had not, as the others, been looking up at the wall but been squinting that he might clearer see something, an abnormality if you will, further down the wall. Now he turned his horse and trotted towards what appeared to be either a cleft in the wall or a great shadow. "Estel--" Elladan began to call the boy in, but Elrohir laid a hand on his shoulder.
"He has found it," Legolas said, his face gleaming with the same pride the twins felt. The rift they only now realized had existed closed itself up. "Come on!"
True to this proclamation, Estel had found the gate to the city, realizing that the wall was indeed broken! Here one segment ran over another, a great gate of wood and metal fastenings standing between the two endings. Estel dismounted and, holding the reins of his horse in one hand, examined the workmanship. Nothing short of brilliant it was, and so he had expected. A door built in such a place! It would prove difficult to truncheon down, that was certain.
"Well done, Estel!"
The three joined him at the door, an awkward process. Now Estel saw that one horse might ride abreast here. If any army sought to invade this fortress, they would be killed ere they set foot within the city. "Go on," Legolas said, nudging Estel. He answered with a questioning look. "Knock on the door," said Legolas.
Amazed, Estel took in his hands the great knocker attached to the doorfront. Nearly he required to hands to lift it but nay! This the boy would have done as easily as any, and mustered up his strength. CLANG! The sound issued of steel upon steel. Almost at once a shutter was drawn aside and a face appeared. "Who are you and what do you seek?" asked the Man whose face was that in the window.
Estel began to answer but Elladan stepped in, "We come from Elrond of Rivendell to observe the progression of the erection of a dwelling-place in Eregion."
The face disappeared, then another appeared, presumably that of a superior. Could it be coincidence that this was an Elf? Surely it was nothing more. "Have you any documentation of this claim?"
Estel looked to Elladan, who drew from within his cloak a sealed letter and passed it through the small window. Further muttering ensued from behind the door, then something like an angry order. "It will be just one moment," said the Elf, "until you are permitted entry." Then the window was slammed shut.
"Well, that was rather. . .abrupt," Legolas commented.
Estel wanted to ask why Elladan had shoved him aside like that, why he hadn't even given him a chance, but, just as he had scrapped together sufficient courage, the door to the city creaked open. Standing in the space through which they should all have to pass to enter the city was an Elf. He, the Elf, wore robes of a regal yet somber grey sweeping low enough to show no skin between the garment and his coal-black shoes, yet high enough to retain from grazing the floor. He smiled, and Estel felt his stomach writhing. That was no true smile.
The Elf bowed and the company bowed in response. Estel fought to keep himself from trembling. At the hands of this Elf he had taken more than his share of abuse. Memories banished for the past twelvemonth resurface, and Estel felt sick.
Around him, the world continued as usual. "Well met, and under better circumstance thankfully!" the Elf spoke in such a pleasant manner. "Welcome to the Prince of Mirkwood and the sons of Elrond, Legolas, Elladan, Elrohir, and. . ." he faltered, then said, "Faith."
"Hope," Legolas snapped. Then he had seen it too! Or had he? Estel knew that the Elf had made no mistake, simply intentionally offended them. Something in his eyes, or his manner, the boy distrusted. Either Legolas saw this, too, or his memories coloured his image of the Elf.
"Of course," replied the Elf, as though grateful for this enlightenment, smiling at Estel in what the boy took to be an intentionally foul manner.
Elladan replied for them, "And well met to you, Pellatal."
*****
To be continued!
*****
Four days later, they reached the city. Estel felt his jaw drop. Such a municipality in only a year! A true feat, that was. All that was visible was the great stone wall surrounding the city, what a protection! Yet. . .where was the gate?
The four stood uncertainly for a moment, gazing about them. "Shall we ride round the perimeter?" Legolas suggested.
"Perhaps. . .it is odd, though: one gate of the old cities faced east and the other west, looking upon each other. It leads me to wonder where the gate is positioned in this obstruction," Elrohir said. A wind blew over them from the west, rattling the grasses at their feet.
"North or South, I would imagine; we are to the East, whence faced the gate of the eld city of the Elves." Elladan's eloquent speech was somewhat taken away from by his cry then of, "Estel!"
The mortal had not, as the others, been looking up at the wall but been squinting that he might clearer see something, an abnormality if you will, further down the wall. Now he turned his horse and trotted towards what appeared to be either a cleft in the wall or a great shadow. "Estel--" Elladan began to call the boy in, but Elrohir laid a hand on his shoulder.
"He has found it," Legolas said, his face gleaming with the same pride the twins felt. The rift they only now realized had existed closed itself up. "Come on!"
True to this proclamation, Estel had found the gate to the city, realizing that the wall was indeed broken! Here one segment ran over another, a great gate of wood and metal fastenings standing between the two endings. Estel dismounted and, holding the reins of his horse in one hand, examined the workmanship. Nothing short of brilliant it was, and so he had expected. A door built in such a place! It would prove difficult to truncheon down, that was certain.
"Well done, Estel!"
The three joined him at the door, an awkward process. Now Estel saw that one horse might ride abreast here. If any army sought to invade this fortress, they would be killed ere they set foot within the city. "Go on," Legolas said, nudging Estel. He answered with a questioning look. "Knock on the door," said Legolas.
Amazed, Estel took in his hands the great knocker attached to the doorfront. Nearly he required to hands to lift it but nay! This the boy would have done as easily as any, and mustered up his strength. CLANG! The sound issued of steel upon steel. Almost at once a shutter was drawn aside and a face appeared. "Who are you and what do you seek?" asked the Man whose face was that in the window.
Estel began to answer but Elladan stepped in, "We come from Elrond of Rivendell to observe the progression of the erection of a dwelling-place in Eregion."
The face disappeared, then another appeared, presumably that of a superior. Could it be coincidence that this was an Elf? Surely it was nothing more. "Have you any documentation of this claim?"
Estel looked to Elladan, who drew from within his cloak a sealed letter and passed it through the small window. Further muttering ensued from behind the door, then something like an angry order. "It will be just one moment," said the Elf, "until you are permitted entry." Then the window was slammed shut.
"Well, that was rather. . .abrupt," Legolas commented.
Estel wanted to ask why Elladan had shoved him aside like that, why he hadn't even given him a chance, but, just as he had scrapped together sufficient courage, the door to the city creaked open. Standing in the space through which they should all have to pass to enter the city was an Elf. He, the Elf, wore robes of a regal yet somber grey sweeping low enough to show no skin between the garment and his coal-black shoes, yet high enough to retain from grazing the floor. He smiled, and Estel felt his stomach writhing. That was no true smile.
The Elf bowed and the company bowed in response. Estel fought to keep himself from trembling. At the hands of this Elf he had taken more than his share of abuse. Memories banished for the past twelvemonth resurface, and Estel felt sick.
Around him, the world continued as usual. "Well met, and under better circumstance thankfully!" the Elf spoke in such a pleasant manner. "Welcome to the Prince of Mirkwood and the sons of Elrond, Legolas, Elladan, Elrohir, and. . ." he faltered, then said, "Faith."
"Hope," Legolas snapped. Then he had seen it too! Or had he? Estel knew that the Elf had made no mistake, simply intentionally offended them. Something in his eyes, or his manner, the boy distrusted. Either Legolas saw this, too, or his memories coloured his image of the Elf.
"Of course," replied the Elf, as though grateful for this enlightenment, smiling at Estel in what the boy took to be an intentionally foul manner.
Elladan replied for them, "And well met to you, Pellatal."
*****
To be continued!
