The Mission:
Gandulf watched as the man opened his eyes. The boy Jumped back started that there was someone with him.
"Get up we have to go." Estel opened his mouth to question.
"Quiet!" Gandulf said in a mighty whisper. "Follow me"
Estel got up and the man cut his bonds. Estel followed the robed figure. Estel didn't have time to think about what he was doing or who this person was he just wanted to get out of the dungeon so he followed.
The old man led the young one out of the Elf city and into the woods. Soon they came to were the robed man had wanted them to reach. The Robed man moved around what looked to be his camp. Estel stood waiting for something to happen for the old man to say something. Spontaneously the camps fire erupted, Estel jumped but the other man was calm. In the new fire light Estel got his first good look at his emancipator.
This was neither man nor elf it could only be a wizard, the gray wizard, Mithrandir.
"Come sit child. I trust you know who I am." Estel nodded "you are the one the elves call Mithrandir."
Estel remained standing as the old wizard sat. "Yes and you are the one the elves of Rivendell call Estel, Aragorn son of Arathorn." Estel was surprised that the old man knew who he was both among elves and among men; though he shouldn't have been he had been told that wizards knew much of what was hidden.
"I've been waiting a long time to meet you Estel; I have heard many things about the fine man you have grown into."
Estel finally took a seat; guardedly he sat across the fire from the wizard. He had heard tales of Mithrandir and his great deeds, Estel hoped that this meeting was not putting himself into danger.
"Why is it that you have taken me from the Dungeon of Mirkwood Master Wizard?" The wizard's face turned solemn and excepted the fact that the young man would get straight to the point, it was probably for the best any way.
"It was I that sent for you, I that asked your father to have you come to Mirkwood. I needed you out of the dungeon so that you could hear my proposal." Estel sat now, intrigued by the prospects before.
"And what would that be my lord." Gandulf smiled at the respect paid him.
"As you have seen the king of Mirkwood has become quite mad. These woods are filled with evil things and advancing darkness that the mad king can no longer hold back. Years ago when the shadows started and Thranduil was still in his prime he thought if he could become more powerful he could save his realm. But Thranduil was foolish, he mistook gold for power. Soon lust for gold filled his mind and the thing that he had been trying to keep away took up residence in his heart. No longer knowing the person that was her Husband, Thranduil's wife fled never to be seen in Mirkwood again and thus went all those that Thranduil cared for, leaving him alone. Now Mirkwood is in great peril, the evil has come to a boiling point and soon will explode. It has been foreseen that seven days from tomorrow on the anniversary of the founding of Greenwood there will be an uprising against the King, led by his own guards. This will throw the realm into chaos, no one will be able to keep order and protect against the things that live just at the edge of the last remaining light. Then all the elves of Mirkwood will perish. That is way you have been sent for Estel. As I must stay here and try to reach any remaining sanity of the king, you must go into these woods and find Thranduil's heir. He is the only one that can bring the light back to this land"
Estel looked at the wizard puzzled "Mithrandir you have already told me that Thranduil's wife fled these woods, there is no heir."
"At any other time I would agree with you. But in this dire time the trees have begun to whisper of what they have protected for so long. They say there is an heir and I am inclined to believe them. If the prince of Mirkwood is out there in the darkness living in these woods you must find him Estel."
Estel thought on this, He would have to find an elf that no one had ever seen before, Hiding Varda knows where, if he does exist. Then to top it off he may have to search the whole forest and have enough time to get back to stop anarchy from destroy all that was beautiful left in this wood. It sounded like a great adventure like on his brothers or Elrond might go on, noble and important. "Alright, I'll go but I do not know the way."
"That is alright my young friend you are brave you will find the way. For now rest the day will be upon us soon."
**************************
Estel woke as the sun peaked through the dense canopy above him. He looked around recalling his meeting the night before; but he found no wizard. What he did find was a pack of lembas bread, a canteen of water, and his sword. Gathering the things the Mithrandir left for him, Estel looked around for a good place to start. If he was secretly a prince were would he hide? After a second the thought struck him as funny, he was a prince in hiding. So going with his young and adventurous instincts he picked the darkest and thickest part of the woods he could find to start his search for the mysterious prince of Mirkwood.
Estel made his way through the brush and the briers; he did not hack at the branches in his way. Being raised by elves he knew to respect nature and how not to leave a noticeable trail behind him as so many of his kind did. The man wondered what exactly he was looking for. Would he know the prince when he saw him? How old would he be? Would he look like Thranduil and the other noble elves that Estel knew? What would happen if this mythical prince didn't exist would all of Mirkwood die as Mithrandir had said?
Estel was deep in his thoughts. Not being an elf meant his senses were not as attuned to his surroundings as his elf brothers who he usually accompanied on journeys like this one. Had he been of Elrond's blood he would have known he was being stalked. Estel had become the prey of one of the giant spiders that had made their home in Mirkwood.
Gandulf watched as the man opened his eyes. The boy Jumped back started that there was someone with him.
"Get up we have to go." Estel opened his mouth to question.
"Quiet!" Gandulf said in a mighty whisper. "Follow me"
Estel got up and the man cut his bonds. Estel followed the robed figure. Estel didn't have time to think about what he was doing or who this person was he just wanted to get out of the dungeon so he followed.
The old man led the young one out of the Elf city and into the woods. Soon they came to were the robed man had wanted them to reach. The Robed man moved around what looked to be his camp. Estel stood waiting for something to happen for the old man to say something. Spontaneously the camps fire erupted, Estel jumped but the other man was calm. In the new fire light Estel got his first good look at his emancipator.
This was neither man nor elf it could only be a wizard, the gray wizard, Mithrandir.
"Come sit child. I trust you know who I am." Estel nodded "you are the one the elves call Mithrandir."
Estel remained standing as the old wizard sat. "Yes and you are the one the elves of Rivendell call Estel, Aragorn son of Arathorn." Estel was surprised that the old man knew who he was both among elves and among men; though he shouldn't have been he had been told that wizards knew much of what was hidden.
"I've been waiting a long time to meet you Estel; I have heard many things about the fine man you have grown into."
Estel finally took a seat; guardedly he sat across the fire from the wizard. He had heard tales of Mithrandir and his great deeds, Estel hoped that this meeting was not putting himself into danger.
"Why is it that you have taken me from the Dungeon of Mirkwood Master Wizard?" The wizard's face turned solemn and excepted the fact that the young man would get straight to the point, it was probably for the best any way.
"It was I that sent for you, I that asked your father to have you come to Mirkwood. I needed you out of the dungeon so that you could hear my proposal." Estel sat now, intrigued by the prospects before.
"And what would that be my lord." Gandulf smiled at the respect paid him.
"As you have seen the king of Mirkwood has become quite mad. These woods are filled with evil things and advancing darkness that the mad king can no longer hold back. Years ago when the shadows started and Thranduil was still in his prime he thought if he could become more powerful he could save his realm. But Thranduil was foolish, he mistook gold for power. Soon lust for gold filled his mind and the thing that he had been trying to keep away took up residence in his heart. No longer knowing the person that was her Husband, Thranduil's wife fled never to be seen in Mirkwood again and thus went all those that Thranduil cared for, leaving him alone. Now Mirkwood is in great peril, the evil has come to a boiling point and soon will explode. It has been foreseen that seven days from tomorrow on the anniversary of the founding of Greenwood there will be an uprising against the King, led by his own guards. This will throw the realm into chaos, no one will be able to keep order and protect against the things that live just at the edge of the last remaining light. Then all the elves of Mirkwood will perish. That is way you have been sent for Estel. As I must stay here and try to reach any remaining sanity of the king, you must go into these woods and find Thranduil's heir. He is the only one that can bring the light back to this land"
Estel looked at the wizard puzzled "Mithrandir you have already told me that Thranduil's wife fled these woods, there is no heir."
"At any other time I would agree with you. But in this dire time the trees have begun to whisper of what they have protected for so long. They say there is an heir and I am inclined to believe them. If the prince of Mirkwood is out there in the darkness living in these woods you must find him Estel."
Estel thought on this, He would have to find an elf that no one had ever seen before, Hiding Varda knows where, if he does exist. Then to top it off he may have to search the whole forest and have enough time to get back to stop anarchy from destroy all that was beautiful left in this wood. It sounded like a great adventure like on his brothers or Elrond might go on, noble and important. "Alright, I'll go but I do not know the way."
"That is alright my young friend you are brave you will find the way. For now rest the day will be upon us soon."
**************************
Estel woke as the sun peaked through the dense canopy above him. He looked around recalling his meeting the night before; but he found no wizard. What he did find was a pack of lembas bread, a canteen of water, and his sword. Gathering the things the Mithrandir left for him, Estel looked around for a good place to start. If he was secretly a prince were would he hide? After a second the thought struck him as funny, he was a prince in hiding. So going with his young and adventurous instincts he picked the darkest and thickest part of the woods he could find to start his search for the mysterious prince of Mirkwood.
Estel made his way through the brush and the briers; he did not hack at the branches in his way. Being raised by elves he knew to respect nature and how not to leave a noticeable trail behind him as so many of his kind did. The man wondered what exactly he was looking for. Would he know the prince when he saw him? How old would he be? Would he look like Thranduil and the other noble elves that Estel knew? What would happen if this mythical prince didn't exist would all of Mirkwood die as Mithrandir had said?
Estel was deep in his thoughts. Not being an elf meant his senses were not as attuned to his surroundings as his elf brothers who he usually accompanied on journeys like this one. Had he been of Elrond's blood he would have known he was being stalked. Estel had become the prey of one of the giant spiders that had made their home in Mirkwood.