Summary: What happened to the four Wraiths that were not immediately chasing Frodo in the Fellowship of the Ring? Set before the Council of Elrond, for the characters that you did not see...
Four Wraiths Behind You:
A Meeting with Elves:
"If anyone was to ask for my oppinion, which I not they are not, I would say we were taking the long way round!"
- Gimli, The Fellowship of the Ring
Aragorn groaned as he tugged against the rope he held firmly in his hands; the receiving end was not so forthcoming. It hissed and cursed and spat whenever it felt mistreated, but in Aragorn's position who wouldn't have hesitated at dragging Gollum along the ground?
"Come with me, or go back to the Orcs," Aragorn threatened. They were nearing the borders of Mirkwood now, and without Gandalf, the journey from the Dead Marshes had been a long and sleepless one. He would certainly be glad to rid himself of the insufferable creature.
"It burns usssss!" Gollum shrieked, "We hates it! We hates it all! All Men and Orcses, dead!"
"Will you be quiet! These Elves will not tolerate your complaining!" Aragorn warned becoming less agitated and more anxious. There was still a darkness that crept over the South of the forest, one which they would do well to avoid drawing attention from.
"Nasty Elveses..."
Aragorn gave a final tug and Gollum came crawling after, as they stepped onto the Elf Path and through Mirkwood heading west to the Elven Kings halls.
They had travelled no further than a few trees when two Elven archers came forth to halt the travellers.
"Aaye," Aragorn said by way of greeting. The Elves regarded him curiously and rightly guessed that he was not foe but friend, though they did not know exactly who he was.
"Mani naa essa en lle?
What is your name?"
"Amin Estel," Aragorn replied carefully. Gollum was not to be trusted.
"Lle anta amin tu?
Do you need help?"
"Kwara sina ten'amin-
You might hold this for me," He smiled though not expecting his request to be fulfilled; it wasn't.
As soon as they saw the creature, the Elves understood and beckoned Aragorn through the forest as fast as Gollum would allow. They had been warned that the ranger and Mithrandir might return from their expedition but that had been some years before.
"Creoso, mellonamin!"
Aragorn stopped walking and woke from his thoughts and weariness to a familiar voice,
"Mae Govannen Legolas," He smiled leaving Gollum's leash with the guards to grasp his friends arm.
Nae saian luume'
"It has been too long,"
"Indeed," Aragorn admitted, "unfortunately this is not the time for reunions. Amin utue ho - I found him,"
Serious dawned on the once enthusiastic Elf and he started to make for his father's halls.
"Manke naa Mithrandir?"
"Where is Mithrandir?" He asked, remembering the Maia's visit some eight or nine years ago, which of course was no time to an Elf, but he had expected the task to have been done sooner. Gollum must have been difficult to track, or Aragorn would have surely found him. Which reminded him the creature was still being lead behind them.
"Wicked Elveses! Nasty, filthy Men! Ptthhhh!"
"We had given up on all hope of finding him," Aragorn explained glancing over his shoulder at Gollum and stopping in his tracks. "As luck would have it, I found him no less than a week after I abandoned my search. Mithrandir has left with hope of uncovering the truth about..." He glanced at Legolas knowingly, who knew of what he spoke. "But I cannot linger here, he does not know Gollum has been found. I must find him,"
"Lle sinta manke ho naa?
"Do you know where he will be?"
"Yassen Peredhil,
With the Halflings,"
It was agreed that Aragorn would ride out the next day; King Thranduil granted him the use of one of the Elvish horses to quicken his quarry, but they were rapidly running out of time.
Gollum spent the night in Thranduil's dungeons, while Aragorn and Legolas talked long into the night about the troubles of Middle-earth. Over a barrel of wine...
Not far from the refuge of the Kings Halls, Aragorn sat back against a particularly large tree; the most relaxed he had been in several years. He was at last free to speak of his 'mission' and fears for the Halfling, Bilbo Baggins.
"Mithrandir believed he may have The One Ring, he left for Minas Tirith in a last attempt to discover the rings identity."
"Do you think it has been found?"
Aragorn nodded. "It's a feeling," he added, "there's a strangeness surrounding Bilbo's tales of his travels with Dwarves." At this he couldn't help but smile. "I'm sure it would have been very useful in your dungeons,"
"That was not my fault," Legolas replied defensively, "a Dwarf should know better than to sneak up on Elves and not be assumed suspicious,"
"Sneak up on Elves? You at least should have heard them coming,"
Legolas grimaced; this was one of those debates of words, which Aragorn would undoubtedly win. "You should rest," he finished, deciding at least to try and better his friend. "You have a long journey ahead of you,"
"As do you, mellonamin," came the reply, with fresh memories of Gollum coming to mind...
Reviews welcome, as are Betas. I have no one to beta so any mistakes are my own and I'll have to suffer unless anyone would like to volunteer :)