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Meetings and Madness:
The trees were tall and thick, their twisted branches hid the sun. Estel followed the narrow trail through the woods, keeping a sharp eye all around him. He had heard stories about the evils that lived in these woods. His brothers loved to tell stories about giant spiders, orcs, and evil wizards. And then Estel supposed there would be elven guards of Mirkwood.
He rode until it got too dark to see the path. He set up camp and made a fire. He brushed and watered his horse, then sat down and ate some of his lembas bread. The fire lit up the surrounding woods and cast eerie shadows. Estel settled down for the night and was soon asleep with his sword by his side.
As Estel dreamed of the glory and great battle's he envisioned lay before him he was surrounded by Thranduil's guards. They had been watching the young man since he entered the woods. Now the stranger was asleep. The elves moved in and making no noise they bounded and gagged the sleeping Dunedain, then swiftly carried him off into the night.
Estel woke to a strange sensation, he was moving. A sudden jolt forced him back into the waking world. He opened his eyes and found he couldn't see, he panicked till he realized he was blindfolded. He assessed his situation finding that his hands were tied and he was gagged. He was riding a horse with someone behind him. He mentally cursed himself for being in such a deep sleep; if his brothers ever heard that he had been abducted while he slept he would never hear the end of it. That is if he survived this ordeal.
He had no idea where he was going and who was taking him. From the sound of it or lack of it, it must be elves. Estel sighed; at least it wasn't orcs or something nasty like that. Elves he knew, elves were his friends.
These elves, Estel decided he did not like. He did not like be kept in the dark and he did not like the silence. He had been taken off the horse and was now standing in what he thought must be Mirkwood with an elf at each elbow. He was becoming inpatient, he was ready to break his bonds and rip off his blindfold. After minuets or hours, maybe days Estel didn't know, someone spoke.
"Remove his blindfold, and bring him to the king."
Estel's blindfold was removed, he blinked and for the first time saw the city of Mirkwood. It was massive. The tall houses and buildings were built around the trees. Everything was dark and earthy; still and quiet. Estel was escorted into a great hall and into the presents of the king.
"My lord we found this ranger with in our realm." The guards bowed to Thranduil.
Thranduil was a wild looking elf his eye's held a madness that frightened the young Estel. Thranduil's face was hollow his golden hair hung limp to him shoulders. Estel looked around the room and noticed how unhappy and dead these elves looked.
Thranduil looked at the dundain man. "You dare to trespass the woodland realm ranger." Thranduil's old elf eyes saw a child standing before him, a very foolish child.
"No My lord." Estel bowed gracefully.
"There has been a mistake, I am no ranger, my name is Estel and I mean not to trespass. Lord Elrond has sent me from Rivendell to assist you in your great fight with the evil enveloping your land."
The Mirkwood elves stared at Estel like he had grown another head; hushed whispers broke the still air.
Rage started to burn in Thranduil's eyes "why would the Elves of Mirkwood need help from Rivendell, Elrond, or a Man?"
Estel started to explain that he meant no disrespect, but he was cut off by Thranduil. "I know what you're up to. You men are all alike only thinking of yourselves. You're not here to help. You're here too STEAL. You gave yourself away, you know. Elrond would never send anyone to help Mirkwood, especially a man. Lock him in the dungeon."
"My lord Thranduil surely you do not mean to lock me away for I have done nothing." Estel was becoming frightened his situation looked grim.
"Nothing you say. Nothing? What about your lies, your attempt to steal the gold of Mirkwood and I shutter to think, kill the king. Guards take him."
Estel tried to fight off the guards, but his hands were tied and there were so many on them. They had him on his knees and dragged away in no time. The mad king sat on him throne clutching at his chest some where in his fevered mind he knew that his contempt was killing him.
Estel had been thrown into a cell; his hands had been left bound behind him. He had no way of keeping the blood that ran from a wound on his fore head out of his eye, it stung. Estel sat down on the cold dirt floor his back to the wall and eyes to the thin metal bars that held him. They were thin but Estel knew the Elves gift for metal work and knew they would be strong. Estel leaned his head back against the wall.
What a way to start this his first time out on his own. His thoughts turned to Arwen Elrond's daughter, who Estel had only met a month ago. She had lived in lorien all his life. He had been told of her and her great beauty, but he had no idea how beautiful she was till he had fallen in love with her at first sight. Her fair skin and long raven hair, her gazing pool blue eyes and full lips, and then she spoke. She stole the young Estel's heart with one word. Estel's mind wondered back and forth between his first meeting with Arwen and the night he had said good bye. Soon the boy drifted off into dreams of his love and left his world of worry behind.
As Estel dreamed a Grey figure stole into the dungeon and peered through the bars of Estel's cell. The mysterious figured started mumbling and the door of Estel's cell swung open. The figure entered the cell and bent down to the sleeping man. Estel sensed a presents standing over him and he forced his eyes to open.
To be continued......
Meetings and Madness:
The trees were tall and thick, their twisted branches hid the sun. Estel followed the narrow trail through the woods, keeping a sharp eye all around him. He had heard stories about the evils that lived in these woods. His brothers loved to tell stories about giant spiders, orcs, and evil wizards. And then Estel supposed there would be elven guards of Mirkwood.
He rode until it got too dark to see the path. He set up camp and made a fire. He brushed and watered his horse, then sat down and ate some of his lembas bread. The fire lit up the surrounding woods and cast eerie shadows. Estel settled down for the night and was soon asleep with his sword by his side.
As Estel dreamed of the glory and great battle's he envisioned lay before him he was surrounded by Thranduil's guards. They had been watching the young man since he entered the woods. Now the stranger was asleep. The elves moved in and making no noise they bounded and gagged the sleeping Dunedain, then swiftly carried him off into the night.
Estel woke to a strange sensation, he was moving. A sudden jolt forced him back into the waking world. He opened his eyes and found he couldn't see, he panicked till he realized he was blindfolded. He assessed his situation finding that his hands were tied and he was gagged. He was riding a horse with someone behind him. He mentally cursed himself for being in such a deep sleep; if his brothers ever heard that he had been abducted while he slept he would never hear the end of it. That is if he survived this ordeal.
He had no idea where he was going and who was taking him. From the sound of it or lack of it, it must be elves. Estel sighed; at least it wasn't orcs or something nasty like that. Elves he knew, elves were his friends.
These elves, Estel decided he did not like. He did not like be kept in the dark and he did not like the silence. He had been taken off the horse and was now standing in what he thought must be Mirkwood with an elf at each elbow. He was becoming inpatient, he was ready to break his bonds and rip off his blindfold. After minuets or hours, maybe days Estel didn't know, someone spoke.
"Remove his blindfold, and bring him to the king."
Estel's blindfold was removed, he blinked and for the first time saw the city of Mirkwood. It was massive. The tall houses and buildings were built around the trees. Everything was dark and earthy; still and quiet. Estel was escorted into a great hall and into the presents of the king.
"My lord we found this ranger with in our realm." The guards bowed to Thranduil.
Thranduil was a wild looking elf his eye's held a madness that frightened the young Estel. Thranduil's face was hollow his golden hair hung limp to him shoulders. Estel looked around the room and noticed how unhappy and dead these elves looked.
Thranduil looked at the dundain man. "You dare to trespass the woodland realm ranger." Thranduil's old elf eyes saw a child standing before him, a very foolish child.
"No My lord." Estel bowed gracefully.
"There has been a mistake, I am no ranger, my name is Estel and I mean not to trespass. Lord Elrond has sent me from Rivendell to assist you in your great fight with the evil enveloping your land."
The Mirkwood elves stared at Estel like he had grown another head; hushed whispers broke the still air.
Rage started to burn in Thranduil's eyes "why would the Elves of Mirkwood need help from Rivendell, Elrond, or a Man?"
Estel started to explain that he meant no disrespect, but he was cut off by Thranduil. "I know what you're up to. You men are all alike only thinking of yourselves. You're not here to help. You're here too STEAL. You gave yourself away, you know. Elrond would never send anyone to help Mirkwood, especially a man. Lock him in the dungeon."
"My lord Thranduil surely you do not mean to lock me away for I have done nothing." Estel was becoming frightened his situation looked grim.
"Nothing you say. Nothing? What about your lies, your attempt to steal the gold of Mirkwood and I shutter to think, kill the king. Guards take him."
Estel tried to fight off the guards, but his hands were tied and there were so many on them. They had him on his knees and dragged away in no time. The mad king sat on him throne clutching at his chest some where in his fevered mind he knew that his contempt was killing him.
Estel had been thrown into a cell; his hands had been left bound behind him. He had no way of keeping the blood that ran from a wound on his fore head out of his eye, it stung. Estel sat down on the cold dirt floor his back to the wall and eyes to the thin metal bars that held him. They were thin but Estel knew the Elves gift for metal work and knew they would be strong. Estel leaned his head back against the wall.
What a way to start this his first time out on his own. His thoughts turned to Arwen Elrond's daughter, who Estel had only met a month ago. She had lived in lorien all his life. He had been told of her and her great beauty, but he had no idea how beautiful she was till he had fallen in love with her at first sight. Her fair skin and long raven hair, her gazing pool blue eyes and full lips, and then she spoke. She stole the young Estel's heart with one word. Estel's mind wondered back and forth between his first meeting with Arwen and the night he had said good bye. Soon the boy drifted off into dreams of his love and left his world of worry behind.
As Estel dreamed a Grey figure stole into the dungeon and peered through the bars of Estel's cell. The mysterious figured started mumbling and the door of Estel's cell swung open. The figure entered the cell and bent down to the sleeping man. Estel sensed a presents standing over him and he forced his eyes to open.
To be continued......