Chapter 4
It had been two weeks since Aragorn left the comfort of Rivendell, the days were long and the journey wearisome, but finally on the night of the fourteenth day he reached the boundaries of Mirkwood. Exhausted, Aragorn stood there for a while pondering on whether he should enter the forests. Remembering the last time he had done so, he decided instead to search for a place to set camp for the remainder of the night.
Looking around, his eyes landed on a small area well hidden from view by thick bushes and tall trees. Estel cautiously walked over to it, still wary of his surroundings. He knew of the foul creatures that roamed the woods at night and he would not like to be caught unaware.
Reaching the area he would be camping for the night, he slowly knelt on the ground fumbling with the straps that attached his bedroll to his pack. In minutes, Estel had his bedroll unfolded on the ground and was removing his weapons, placing them next to his bedroll in case he would need them sometime during the night.
Just as he was placing his bow and quiver on the ground, he saw movement to his left, and quickly notched an arrow. He stood still for a few minutes, but he heard nothing else, and warily put back the arrow into his quiver and laid his bow on the ground.
Rest did not come easily to him that night; he was still disturbed about what happened. When he finally did fall asleep, nothing around him could wake him, not even the creatures of the night.
*****
Aragorn awoke with a start at the sound of movement within his small camp. Instinctively he reached for his sword, which he had placed beside him before he went to sleep. Fear ran through his body as he noticed that his weapons were no longer at his side, nor anywhere in his camp.
Running his hand down the length of his boot, he was relieved to find that his dagger was still there. He knew, however, that it would not save him from whatever had stolen his weapons, and he quickly set about gathering his things while paying close attention to his surroundings.
The darkness was slowly diminishing as the sun began to rise, casting eerie shadows over the area. Shouldering his pack, Estel knew that he must make for Mirkwood's gate as quickly as possible. He did not know if this new threat was meant for him or to the whole realm of Mirkwood. It was strange though that whoever had stolen his weapons, had not tried to hurt or him or steal anything else but his weapons, and Aragorn found this incredibly nerve-wracking. It was almost as if they wanted him alive.
He shuddered at the thought, but then dismissed it from his mind. What he needed to do now was get to Legolas and tell him of what was happening in the depths of Mirkwood.
Peering into the ever clearing darkness for any sign of an attacker, Aragorn quickly ran to the cover of Mirkwood, hoping that at least the trees could shield him from unwanted eyes. Without knowing it Estel quickened his pace; paranoia and the added fear of being weaponless ran through his entire being, adding to his own adrenaline.
He felt that someone was following him, and soon enough he was racing through the woods, speeding around trees and jumping over fallen logs and protruding roots. Ahead of him he saw the familiar gates to Legolas' home, but he couldn't stop himself from running, not until he felt he was safe.
"Halt! Halt! Who are you and what business brings you to Mirkwood?" one of the elves guarding the gate shouted, staring at the running man.
Aragorn heard the shouts directed at him and slowly brought himself to a stop. Steadily he bent over, placing his hands on his knees, and letting his dark brown tresses cover his face as he tried to slow the beating of his heart and regain his breath.
The guards mistook this gesture thinking that the man was wounded, and ran to him while calling for help. Aragorn tried to stop them, but he didn't have the breath to yell out.
The guards were soon surrounding the ranger, and quickly hurried him inside the gates, having no idea of whether this man was friend or foe. It was only when Estel looked up, that the elves recognized who the man was.
"Strider! Are you alright? Why were you running?" one of the guards asked, concerned at the way the man had come to Mirkwood.
Aragorn fixed his grey eyes on the elf and softly clasped him on the shoulder. "I am fine, Saelmin, I need to speak to the prince immediately."
The elf was skeptical of the man's answer, but did not question further. Turning to one of the guards, Saelmin sent him on an errand to bring the Prince to him at once.
"What brings you to Mirkwood at this time of the year, Strider?" Nadeniel, another of Aragorn's friend and one of the guards of Mirkwood, asked curiously.
The ranger was about to answer, when from the corner of his eye, he saw Legolas approaching him. He couldn't help but smile at the seriousness of his friend's face.
"Strider?" Legolas asked confused. His men had said it was urgent for him to come, and the last thing he expected was to see his friend.
"Yes, mellon nin, it is I." Estel replied. For a moment he forgot about what had happened that day, and was only glad to see his friend once more.
The guards slowly dispersed, leaving the two of them alone. Walking forward, Legolas embraced him. "My guards said you were hurt," Legolas said, raising an eyebrow as he pulled away from the embrace.
"They were mistaken." The man paused for a moment before continuing. "I am so glad to see you again. It has been too long."
"That explains why my clothes have no recent tears or bloodstains," Legolas teased clasping his Estel's shoulder.
Aragorn smiled at his friend's jest, but did not counter it. Legolas knew this was odd, but didn't think much on it. Slowly, the two of them turned to walk, and it was then that the elf observed the ranger's disheveled appearance, and then he noticed something he had not noticed earlier.
"Estel, surely you did not travel from Rivendell without your weapons?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"Of course I didn't," Aragorn replied, his voice revealing his true emotion. "They were stolen from me."
It had been two weeks since Aragorn left the comfort of Rivendell, the days were long and the journey wearisome, but finally on the night of the fourteenth day he reached the boundaries of Mirkwood. Exhausted, Aragorn stood there for a while pondering on whether he should enter the forests. Remembering the last time he had done so, he decided instead to search for a place to set camp for the remainder of the night.
Looking around, his eyes landed on a small area well hidden from view by thick bushes and tall trees. Estel cautiously walked over to it, still wary of his surroundings. He knew of the foul creatures that roamed the woods at night and he would not like to be caught unaware.
Reaching the area he would be camping for the night, he slowly knelt on the ground fumbling with the straps that attached his bedroll to his pack. In minutes, Estel had his bedroll unfolded on the ground and was removing his weapons, placing them next to his bedroll in case he would need them sometime during the night.
Just as he was placing his bow and quiver on the ground, he saw movement to his left, and quickly notched an arrow. He stood still for a few minutes, but he heard nothing else, and warily put back the arrow into his quiver and laid his bow on the ground.
Rest did not come easily to him that night; he was still disturbed about what happened. When he finally did fall asleep, nothing around him could wake him, not even the creatures of the night.
*****
Aragorn awoke with a start at the sound of movement within his small camp. Instinctively he reached for his sword, which he had placed beside him before he went to sleep. Fear ran through his body as he noticed that his weapons were no longer at his side, nor anywhere in his camp.
Running his hand down the length of his boot, he was relieved to find that his dagger was still there. He knew, however, that it would not save him from whatever had stolen his weapons, and he quickly set about gathering his things while paying close attention to his surroundings.
The darkness was slowly diminishing as the sun began to rise, casting eerie shadows over the area. Shouldering his pack, Estel knew that he must make for Mirkwood's gate as quickly as possible. He did not know if this new threat was meant for him or to the whole realm of Mirkwood. It was strange though that whoever had stolen his weapons, had not tried to hurt or him or steal anything else but his weapons, and Aragorn found this incredibly nerve-wracking. It was almost as if they wanted him alive.
He shuddered at the thought, but then dismissed it from his mind. What he needed to do now was get to Legolas and tell him of what was happening in the depths of Mirkwood.
Peering into the ever clearing darkness for any sign of an attacker, Aragorn quickly ran to the cover of Mirkwood, hoping that at least the trees could shield him from unwanted eyes. Without knowing it Estel quickened his pace; paranoia and the added fear of being weaponless ran through his entire being, adding to his own adrenaline.
He felt that someone was following him, and soon enough he was racing through the woods, speeding around trees and jumping over fallen logs and protruding roots. Ahead of him he saw the familiar gates to Legolas' home, but he couldn't stop himself from running, not until he felt he was safe.
"Halt! Halt! Who are you and what business brings you to Mirkwood?" one of the elves guarding the gate shouted, staring at the running man.
Aragorn heard the shouts directed at him and slowly brought himself to a stop. Steadily he bent over, placing his hands on his knees, and letting his dark brown tresses cover his face as he tried to slow the beating of his heart and regain his breath.
The guards mistook this gesture thinking that the man was wounded, and ran to him while calling for help. Aragorn tried to stop them, but he didn't have the breath to yell out.
The guards were soon surrounding the ranger, and quickly hurried him inside the gates, having no idea of whether this man was friend or foe. It was only when Estel looked up, that the elves recognized who the man was.
"Strider! Are you alright? Why were you running?" one of the guards asked, concerned at the way the man had come to Mirkwood.
Aragorn fixed his grey eyes on the elf and softly clasped him on the shoulder. "I am fine, Saelmin, I need to speak to the prince immediately."
The elf was skeptical of the man's answer, but did not question further. Turning to one of the guards, Saelmin sent him on an errand to bring the Prince to him at once.
"What brings you to Mirkwood at this time of the year, Strider?" Nadeniel, another of Aragorn's friend and one of the guards of Mirkwood, asked curiously.
The ranger was about to answer, when from the corner of his eye, he saw Legolas approaching him. He couldn't help but smile at the seriousness of his friend's face.
"Strider?" Legolas asked confused. His men had said it was urgent for him to come, and the last thing he expected was to see his friend.
"Yes, mellon nin, it is I." Estel replied. For a moment he forgot about what had happened that day, and was only glad to see his friend once more.
The guards slowly dispersed, leaving the two of them alone. Walking forward, Legolas embraced him. "My guards said you were hurt," Legolas said, raising an eyebrow as he pulled away from the embrace.
"They were mistaken." The man paused for a moment before continuing. "I am so glad to see you again. It has been too long."
"That explains why my clothes have no recent tears or bloodstains," Legolas teased clasping his Estel's shoulder.
Aragorn smiled at his friend's jest, but did not counter it. Legolas knew this was odd, but didn't think much on it. Slowly, the two of them turned to walk, and it was then that the elf observed the ranger's disheveled appearance, and then he noticed something he had not noticed earlier.
"Estel, surely you did not travel from Rivendell without your weapons?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"Of course I didn't," Aragorn replied, his voice revealing his true emotion. "They were stolen from me."