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Chapter 17

"He must be around here somewhere."  Aragorn muttered to himself, though he knew Legolas could hear.

"He will not be easy to find if he is being protected by a Wraith's magic."  Legolas answered cold-heartedly.  They had been wandering around in the maze of white hallways for a number of minutes, asking for Celidur, and none had seen or heard from him.  Aragorn looked at his friend. 

The elven prince's eyes looked so sharp and hard.  Remembering back many years, the ranger knew that the elf's eyes always got that way before something important was about to happen.

"We…we must warn the hobbits, and Boromir, Gandalf, and Gimli can help us in our search."  Aragorn suggested.

Legolas stopped walking for a minute.  "I would like to do that."  He said honestly.  "But five strangers wandering around looking for one person would seem much more suspicious than two, would it not?"

Aragorn nodded, the elf was right.  "But can't we at least tell them what is going on?  Perhaps Gandalf can counter whatever spell could be hiding Celidur so well."

Legolas thought about this, his bright blue eyes wandering across the tiles on the floor.  "Yes…"  He began.  "Yes, I suppose that would be best."

Without another word the two friends turned around and went back the way they came, to he hall that held the door to the chambers of their companions.  The knocked on each door separately, whispering a message to meet in Aragorn's chamber immediately.

Within several minutes, the Fellowship of the Ring was again together and facing a threat that could take all of their lives.  The hobbits listened worriedly as Legolas and Aragorn explained the situation.

"This is a very complicated theory you have about Celidur, Aragorn."  Gandalf commented once Aragorn had explained what he had heard from the cellar and told what he thought it meant.

"Yes, yet I fear it is even more so complicated than even I could imagine.  Still Legolas and I haven't uncovered all the details."  Replied the ranger with a frown.

"But how can you be so sure that Celidur is the real enemy, Master Aragorn?"  inquired Gimli.  "I know he has acted suspiciously, but perhaps it is a higher power that is the real danger here."

"I'm aware of that, Master Dwarf."  Aragorn answered.  "But we are not sure of that, either."

"Which is why we must find Celidur, and quickly."  Legolas cut in.  "Valar be willing we find him before anything else comes up."

"Well…"  Pippen began, a touch of nervousness in his voice.  He ceased his speech when everyone turned to him, expecting him to continue.

"Well, what?"  Urged Merry when no one else said anything.

Pippen shrugged his small shoulders.  "I just wanted to make you all aware of that…that we will be having lunch with Celebhen and his family in a very short time."

Aragorn muttered a curse under his breath while Legolas narrowed his eyes at the young hobbit.  Yes, they had completely forgotten that they were to share lunch with Celebhen at noontime.

"I can't believe this…"  the elf prince muttered as he kicked impatiently at the foot of the bed.

Boromir stood up.  "Let us not despair, friends."  He said with a strong and stern tone.  "We can start the search for the treacherous elf after the meal."

"By then he could have assembled the whole of The Nine."  Legolas said miserably. 

"I very much doubt that is possible."  Gandalf said in his old wise voice.  "By what Aragorn tells me, Celidur and the Nazgul do not consider us a very large threat."

Gimli snorted in offense.  "Then they are sadly mistaken.  My axe will cleave their heads."

"It may not be so easy, Gimli son of Gloin."  Gandalf breathed.  "Celidur might have other tricks up his sleeve."

Legolas listned to the old wizards as he felt his heart sink.  It all seemed so hopless.  Then, suddenly, his heart was lifted when he got an idea.

"Yes…he might have tricks…"  He said excitedly.  "But he has a weakness."

"What?"  Aragorn inquired.  "What is it?"

"Cefielle!"  Whispered Legolas.  "He's in love with her!"

"The daughter of Celebhen?"  Asked Boromir.  "How do you know this?"

"He told me,"  Legolas explained quickly.  "I caught him sneaking about in the morning and he was so terrified I'd tell Celebhen about it that he confessed right then and there."

"So he and the lass are lovers,"  Gimli said.  "How can this help us?"

"Yes…"  Aragorn murmured, ignoring the dwarf's question and remembering the conversation in the cellar he had overheard.  "Celidur was determined to keep her alive, even though he had bargained to kill all her family."

"Are you suggesting that we take her hostage?"  Boromir asked.  "For if we did that, not only would Celidur be after us, but Celebhen would be as well."

"It's the only weakness we know of.  If we obtain Cefielle, we might be able to subdue Celidur without a battle."  Aragorn  concluded.  "She will be at the meal.  We will be able to capture her there. That is the plan."

Pippen and Merry grinned.  "Are we done?  Because we are hungry!"  Cried Merry, who jumped up and ran for the door.

Aragorn watched as the two hobbits ran off and as their two friends lingered behind.  He looked down at the Ringbearer.

"Frodo, keep Sam close to you, and keep close to Gandalf."  He ordered.  "If a fight should ensue, his spells will be the strongest weapon we have."

"But what of Legolas?"  Frodo asked.  "Did you not say that Celidur and the Ringwraith were speaking of killing him too?"

Aragorn gave the hobbit a pat on the shoulder.  "Do not worry.  Legolas can fair well on his own."

With that, the rest of the fellowship left, and prepared for lunch with Celebhen and his family.

**********Personal thingy**********

AN:  Short.  Yes, I know.  Next will be longer!