Chapter Seventeen
A cloak of twilight darkness hung over the land as thousands of murky shapes moved across it. Legolas paused and watched as people moved past him. Their eyes were downcast, but, those few that bothered to look up at him only reflected the sorrow and weariness that was in his own heart.
"Legolas." Gandalf's voice called, breaking the spell despair had cast on the elf.
"Gandalf, I can feel Middle Earth crying out. It speaks the loudest through their eyes and tears into my heart. Aragorn would not have wanted to have seen these dark days." Legolas murmured, sadly.
"But you cannot give up hope yet. We came through one such time, and we can do it again." Gimli said, from behind him.
"I wonder if deep down, I knew that our troubles with Sauron weren't over? Could my soul feel the stirrings of darkness appearing again in Middle Earth?" Legolas mused, aloud.
"That may have been, Legolas, but you weren't the only one who felt it." Gandalf said, as he watched Kage and Link ride alongside a still very ill Sheik.
"If anything, we were all called together by more than just chance and the sense of approaching danger. Do not feel as though this were somehow your fault, Legolas." Pharengese said, startling the three with her words.
"You're probably right but……….." Legolas trailed off, then jumped when Garrack slapped him hard across the back.
"Listen, elf, we've got enough negative talk comin' from Deedlit. We don't need you addin' to it! I realize that you're ancient and all, but couldn't you have just left all that extra baggage where you came from?" Garrack asked, wincing when Raina whacked him over the head with someone's mace.
"Garrack! Show a little more tact! The poor elf has been in the Undying Lands since the end of King Elessar's reign! He knows this kind of sorrow better than the whole lot of us put together!" Raina scolded, angrily, while Gandalf gave her a rueful glance. Garrack remained silent after that. As quiet conversation drifted around him, Legolas took notice of how close Arislan and his group were sticking to King Ashram.
"He's taken up the color-bearer's position. There aren't very many royals that I know of that would do that." Legolas thought, his mind taking him back to that long-ago day in the countryside of Rohan, on the way to Helm's Deep.
"Legolas!" Gimli said, startling him somewhat.
"Yes, Gimli?" Legolas asked, patiently.
"You'd better not fall asleep! If you fall out of the saddle, you'll take me with you!" Gimli muttered, moodily. Legolas sighed and shook his head, hiding a slight smile while he was it.
"I won't. I certainly wouldn't want you to get trampled, my friend." Legolas said, good-naturedly, chuckling when he heard some disgruntled grumbling in Dwarvish come from behind him.
"Legolas, if I may, could I ask you something?" Narsus asked, his ever thoughtful expression never wavering.
"Speak on." Legolas said, his full attention now on the strategist.
"Since we have just left Gondor, where do you think we are, according to the old maps and your recollection of the way things once were?" Narsus asked, as he and Elam gave Legolas a curious look.
"I'd say that we're probably somewhere between Gondor and Mirkwood by now. From what I have seen, some places in Middle Earth aren't really that different from what I remember." Legolas said, as a look of foreboding crossed his features.
"Legolas? What's wrong?" Cecil asked, having noticed the look and speaking up before Narsus could.
"I'm wondering……….What would I find if I returned to Mirkwood? Has the evil returned there as well?" Legolas mused.
"Good question, but we don't even know if the forest still stands. As it is, it could well be gone by now." Leaf said, matter-of-factly.
"True enough." Legolas murmured, as he lapsed into thoughtful silence. Elsewhere in the column, Lina and her group kept an eye out for trouble.
"You'd think that they would have attacked by now." Zelgadis muttered, as he rode along.
"Don't encourage 'em, Zel. We're gonna get trouble from them soon enough. They're just biding their time, waiting for the right moment to strike." Lina said, with grim certainty in her voice.
"I know, Lina, I know. It's the fact that they are letting this column move, unhindered, through empty land, that unnerves me. What thoughts are going through our enemies' minds right now? What evil purpose do they have in store for us?" Zelgadis murmured, careful to keep his voice low, for fear that the people would hear him and lose hope.
"I don't know. I wish I knew; it would certainly make things a little easier." Lina said, with a sigh.
"And make figuring our enemy out easier too." Amelia added. Lina nodded, then forze when she heard Gourry begin to sing. At first, his voice was soft, then it gained strength.
"O mor henion I dhu: Ely siriar el sila. Ai! Aniron Undomiel. Tiro! El eria e mor. I lir en el luitha uren. Ai! Aniron Undomiel." Gourry sang, his voice, and the Elvish song, driving away the despair and darkness for a few precious moments.
"The song of Arwen………where did Gourry-san learn that?" Amelia whispered, as she wiped away tears that had unexpectedly gathered in her eyes.
"Something his mother probably taught him. He's never ceased to amaze me. And I hope he never does." Lina said, softly, as she listened to Gourry continue the song. She was surprised when the elves from the Undying Lands echoed the song, prolonging the effect the Elvish was having on the people.
"The elves are singing………" Spark murmured.
"It's a song of longing, but it is still driving away the people's despair. Even the simplest of Elvish words has power." Ashram said, quietly, as though he somehow knew what the song was about.
"Yes, but even the words of elves can't bring back the lives that have been lost." Gieve said, as he glanced at Deedlit. Ashram sighed.
"Very true. Of all the great plans and promises men make, death has a cruel way of breaking them." Ashram said, as he remembered what he'd told Parn on the Bridge.
"Ashram, it wasn't your fault. It was Parn's choice to remain behind and safeguard the people's escape………….and your escape as well. He knew that your people needed you." Pirotess said, as she tried to console her husband. He gave her a grave smile.
"That's true, but in the grander scheme of things, it was a pretty poor trade. The Heir of Isildur………for a minor king. No. It wasn't a very fair trade at all." Ashram murmured, as he rode on ahead, putting distance between himself and Pirotess.
"So much guilt and self-loathing on those shoulders……….Doesn't he realize that there was nothing he could do?" Kage asked, breaking his silence for the first time that day.
"He's always been this way, Kage. He was like this the day Beld died, and he is acting like this now because he had a lot of respect for Parn." Pirotess replied, as she watched her husband withdraw into himself.
"If he keeps this up, he'll destroy himself. All of the efforts we have undertaken to keep him alive will be wasted. And Parn will have died in vain." Link said, knowing full well that the king of Marmo could hear him. All of the travelers watched as Ashram straightened, turned, and Link an unreadable look.
"He speaks the truth, your Highness. For as long as I have known him, he has always spoken the truth. If you allow the cloud of self-loathing and doubt to overtake you, the enemy will win and darkness will claim dominion over all lands. The Line of Isildur has not fallen into shadow, since Fianna still lives. And you now fight in Parn's name, not just your own. I may have only known Sir Parn for a short time, but he was a strong, stubborn, yet unselfish man. He fought to get as many people off of that island as he could, and he succeeded in saving many. You should live your life in gratitude to what he did for you, and your people. You owe him that much." Sheik said, strongly, despite his weakened appearance. Ashram didn't say anything in response, but the look in his eyes told them that Sheik's words had reached his heart.
"Well spoken, Sheik. Well spoken, indeed." Gandalf thought, as the dark-haired king turned back around and faced the shadows, with a resolve in his eyes that he hadn't had before.
"I will get them there……….it is what he died for, after all. I will not fail again." Ashram murmured, so only the keen-eared elves and Gandalf could hear.
"Hope may yet have time to shine." Navi said, as she hovered near Link's head.
"Yeah. Well, on a lighter note, at least that awful looking hat of yours is gone, Link." Kage quipped.
"Shut up, Kage." Link muttered, as Sheik sighed in exasperation.
"Count on Kage to bring that up! Sheesh! He's the king of bad timing!" Mizuu grumbled, as she flitted away from Kage just as he swatted at her.
"This is going to be a long trip." Legolas said, rolling his eyes when Kage blew a flying raspberry at Link in response to a dirty look.
"That, laddie, was a foregone conclusion." Gimli muttered, as they both watched the two Heroes exchange some not-so-friendly sounding insults and gestures.
"I have the feeling those two are going to be at it for a while." Ghim mumbled.
"No doubt about it." Woodchuck agreed, as he sighed and shook his head.
"Don't make me come back there and separate you two." Raina threatened.
"Believe me, she will do it." Garrack mumbled, flinching when Raina gave him a dirty look.
"Wouldn't dream of it, Lady Raina." Link replied, with a nervous smile. His eyebrow twitched when Kage made a smart remark behind his back.
"Suck up." Kage grumbled, but backed off very quickly when she made as though to get her whip. He hid behind Shiroi and Rain, who, up until that point, had been minding their own business.
"Don't hide behind us, Kage. Take whatever punishment you've got coming like a man." Rain said, irritably.
"Do you think I'm suicidal?! I'd rather face orcs than that lady!" Kage replied.
"That's a rather low blow, my friend." Shiroi said, quietly, with a hint of humor in his voice.
"Well, it's the truth!" Kage retorted, still from behind the two Sages. This got some laughter from the people in the column, and Kage winked at Raina, getting a look of confusion from her.
"He was intending for that to happen, Lady Raina. He's trying to ease the peoples' minds a little bit. Just goes to show what kind of person he is." Navi murmured, as she floated near Raina for a few moments. Raina slowly nodded; she could now see what the Shadow Elf was trying to do, and appreciated the effort. As the hours dragged on and the column moved onward, the warriors began to notice that some shadows seemed to move alongside them. Sometimes the murky shapes of Wargs would appear, and, at other times, it looked like one of the Nazgul was following them.
"Always they remain just beyond sight……..What are they waiting for?" Daryoon muttered, as he nervously fingered his sword.
"I don't know……….they seem to be just watching us." Narsus said, quietly, as he tried to help his friend remain calm.
"For now, anyway." Elam added, as he also watched the shadows with apprehension in his young eyes.
"This doesn't bode well." Pharengese murmured, as she also turned a distrustful gaze onto the thick mists.
"I agree with you on that one, Milady." Gieve mumbled, as he reached up and touched his quiver of arrows, as though to reassure himself that it was full. Arislan looked up when he heard Ashram growl. He could tell that the raven-haired king was uneasy and that the reason was just beyond sight.
"King Ashram?" Arislan asked. Ashram gave him a sidewards glance.
"Are you all right?" Arislan again asked. Ashram sighed; the action in itself revealing how tired he truly was.
"I'm weary, Arislan. Very weary. Yet I can't rest while these phantoms haunt me and my people. We must reach the Forest of Never Return with time and strength to spare." Ashram admitted, as he watched the ghostly figures with his keen grey eyes, his left hand never once leaving his sword's hilt.
"While that may be true, your Highness, you must rest sometime. Your people even moreso. They can't keep running forever without pause." Legolas said, wisely, earning himself an approving look from Gandalf while he was at it. It was then that Deedlit broke her mournful silence.
"There are two places in Lodoss where we can find sanctuary from the enemy. They have been known to my people since the end of the Fourth Age." Deedlit said, lifelessly.
"Where are they, Deedlit? Can you lead us to them?" Cecil asked, anxiously. The High Elf maiden nodded.
"I can, but one of the places of refuge is dangerously close to the enemy. We must be exceedingly careful." Deedlit replied, then jumped when Ashram gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Lead on, then. I trust in your Elven judgement." Ashram said, quietly. With a nod, Deedlit rode to the front of the column, now intent on completing the task that had been set before her.
"At least this will take her mind off of the pain in her heart for awhile." Legolas thought, not realizing that Pirotess was thinking the same thing.
In the ruined tower of Minas Morgul, the Witch King watched the evacuation with satisfaction in his dark soul.
"Yes. Run. Run for your lives, foolish mortals. I will soon catch up with you." The Witch King growled, as he peered at the palantir, watching as the people and king of Marmo evacuated from Valis. He turned when he heard an orc shuffle in.
"Report." The Witch King snarled.
"We follow them from a distance, sir, just as you ordered. They are weary and nervous, ever on their guard. What do you wish us to do now? Do you want us to attack?" the orc asked, eagerly.
"No. Continue to follow them. I will let you know when you are to attack. Dismissed." The Witch King said, as he turned his attention back to the palantir.
"Now, to see what Gondor is up to…………." The Witch King mused, as he returned his gaze to the palantir. Through the mystic stone, he could see the besieged city. All along the walls, weary-looking guards kept a constant vigil.
Etoh looked grimly out at the seemingly empty lands beyond the gates of Valis. He knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the enemy was out there somewhere, and he also knew that Ashram and his people were out there as well.
"It's times like this I wish the kingdoms of Elessar's day were still around. The help of the Rohirrim would have been most welcome in this time of sorrow." One soldier murmured, sadly.
"Indeed it would have. Yet, the only one who could have rallied their help would have been Sir Parn. He seemed to have a knack for calling people together." Another soldier said, in agreement to the first. Etoh only sighed and shook his head, gravely, holding the tears he could feel stinging his eyes, back.
"Ours had been a Fellowship of sorts, Parn. Well do I remember the days when we traveled across Lodoss, unaware of your true lineage. Now, when we need you the most, you can no longer help us." Etoh thought, as he turned his gaze from the landscape and to the withered white tree that stood in the central courtyard. At one time, the tree had been a thriving, living symbol of renewed hope. Now it had gone the way of the previous white tree; it was dry and barren. Not even an elf could sing the life back into it.
"Etoh?" a woman's voice asked, concernedly. Startled, Etoh whirled around to find his wife, Fianna, standing there, with worry in her blue-grey eyes.
"Fianna? Is something the matter?" Etoh asked, in turn. He was again surprised when she hugged him.
"I could feel it, Etoh. Your heart was crying. Don't ask me how, I just could. Your heart mourns for Parn. He was this time's hope; this time's Estel." Fianna whispered, as tears slid down her cheeks and as she looked up at her husband.
"Yes. He was our hope. And now he is gone." Etoh murmured, then added, "Would that these times have come in the days of my house." For a long time, husband and wife, King and queen, held one another. They both knew that dark times were ahead.
"Sire! Sire! Stranger at the gate!" a sentry shouted, urgently.
"Bring the stranger before me!" Etoh replied, as he reluctantly broke the embrace.
"Etoh." Fianna said, gently. Etoh again turned to look at her.
"We cannot let the shadow overwhelm us. Parn would not want us to give in to it so easily." Fianna reminded. Etoh nodded, ever so slightly.
"I know. Thank you." Etoh replied, before walking off to see to the 'stranger'.
One could only imagine Etoh's surprise when he saw who in fact the stranger was.
"Karla. So you were behind this. Were it not for the fact that you could possess anyone through that circlet of yours, I would put you to death here and now!" Etoh growled, his words causing an eerie hush to fall upon the throne room. Karla bowed her head in shame.
"Yes……….it is my fault that the Nine have once again risen to spread the Shadow across the whole of Lodoss………….But they are the ones making the decisions in this war, not I. The only thing I can do now is warn you of the Witch King's intentions." Karla said, morosely.
"So you say, Karla. But you've been deceiving the kings of Lodoss for centuries. What is to stop you from doing so now?" Etoh asked, his suspicion never leaving his eyes.
"You amaze me, Etoh, High Priest of Falis. You are no longer the naïve youth you were on the battlefield almost twelve years ago." Karla marveled, as Etoh gave her a hard look.
"I have been forced to grow up quite a bit in the last couple of days." Etoh murmured, as some, but not all, of the ire faded from his careworn eyes.
"And it makes you all the more worthy to be the king of this kingdom." Karla said, before she could stop herself. Etoh shook his head.
"There is only one who is worthy of being the king of Valis………….and that man does not stand before you now." Etoh said, sadly, as he looked out to sea.
"I spoke out of turn. Forgive me…………..I will now tell you, as best I can, the plans the Witch King has for the world……….and the fall of men." Karla said, with much foreboding in her voice. Etoh signaled that he was ready to listen by a silent nod, but he never once looked at the Grey Witch; he kept his sad and troubled gaze to the west. Far away, yet still westward, the evening sun cast a brilliant golden light upon the water, before turning the many shades of red and purple that were typical of sunsets.