Yay, I had reviews for the last chapter! Woo hoo! Thank you my lovely, lovely friends!
This chapter is still in Mirkwood, and mostly figures on Leggy and his mates galloping round the woods. And Celeblaith missing him of course.
Hope you enjoy it, and reviews will be very much appreciated!
Lainfaer
Elerrina – Yay, you reviewed! Yeah, poor Celeblaith. Glad you think the name Thrálindë is ok. Yup, it's Monday, so of course I am updating! Thanks for reviewing.
Kitsune – Yay, more Leggy is always good! Glad you liked it. Thanks for reviewing.
Rayame325 – Very very very very good? Wow, I take it you like it then? Heehee…
Thanks for reviewing.
fallenangel – Yup, I think I kinda got the gist of that! I'm really pleased that you're enjoying it. Thank for reviewing.
Chapter 3: Singing and Speeding.
"I think we had better be getting back now."
"Really?"
"Don't get sarcastic with me Flugo!"
"Who says I was being sarcastic Heledir?"
"It was your tone of voice that gave it away."
"I'm not the one making the most obvious comments, and making them sound like brainwaves!"
"Will you two just shut up?" Legolas looked exasperatedly at his two friends. "We are heading home."
"How do you know? I haven't got a clue where we are."
"Flugo, I know exactly where we are. Just shut up and let me concentrate on getting us home in one piece!" He urged his horse forward a little, scanning out the area ahead.
Flugo looked at Asar. "What's wrong with him?" he mouthed.
Asar shrugged. "Haven't got a clue," he mouthed back.
"Flugo…" Legolas said warningly.
"What?"
"Stop talking about me."
"I'm not…"
"Yes you were. Here we are," he said, steering off the subject before Flugo could retaliate. "The Mountain Bridge."
"We're almost home!" Thilio cried gleefully. The other five looked at him curiously.
"What? I'm still hungry!"
They laughed and galloped over the Bridge. They were crossing a branch of off the Forest River, and this was a main border of the safest part of Thranduil's realm. From now on, guards would be posted everywhere. After this, they had to head in a North direction until they reached the Main Bridge. Then it was east to the Palace.
"I bet the Princess will throttle you for being away so long," Dinnu warned Legolas.
"Probably. Oh well, I'll just pick her up and threaten to chuck her out of the highest window. That'll shut her up."
"Aww, don't be mean!"
"Excuse me, but its not nice being throttled you know!"
"Actually yes, I do know. You practised on me once, remember?"
"Oh yeah." He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that. But you shouldn't have stolen my bow and hidden it."
"I didn't steal it, I just helped with the hiding," he protested. "It was Thilio who took it from your room."
"I heard my name," Thilio called to them.
"Nothing Thilio," Legolas called back. "Oh well, you were all involved in some way or another. I got you all back in the end."
"Yes you certainly did!" Heledir agreed, riding up beside them. "I was bruised for a week! I could hardly walk, let alone sit down!"
Legolas grinned again, but this time, exultantly. "Serves you all right."
They galloped on until it grew dark. "Are we stopping or carrying on?" Dinnu asked as the forest grew darker.
"Ceri-lecin baur na daur?" Legolas asked Galu. The mare nodded. (Do you need to stop?)
"Legolas is doing horsy-talk again," Flugo whispered to the others.
As he talked to Galu, Legolas made a rather rude gesture at his friend. Flugo gasped. "Legolas Greenleaf! I had no idea you knew that kind of language!"
"I didn't say a word," Legolas replied, facing his friends again.
Flugo scowled at him. "Stop twisting my words."
"But they are so easy to twist and throw back at you my dear friend. You make yourself such an easy target."
"No I do not!"
"There you go again, submitting yourself to our teasing. It's so easy to mock you Flugo; you just don't realise it."
The other four burst into laughter. Legolas was right; they were always teasing Flugo. It was mean, but it was just so fun, and so easy to taunt him.
They made camp that night under a tall beech tree, and put Legolas and Thilio on first watch. They stood at opposite ends of the camp, holding their bows tightly against them, almost cradling them.
Legolas looked up at the sky. The trees blocked his view, but he could spot a few stars through the branches. He smiled, and felt his heart relax at the sight of them. He could spend hours looking at the stars. They gave him a feeling of comfort whenever he felt alone. He would just have to look up at the sky, and they would be there, twinkling back at him.
Memories came flooding back to him, of sad and happy times. One memory in particular. He was stood on a balcony, overlooking the beautiful valley of Rivendell. It was late evening, and there was a crescent moon high in the sky over the Mountains. People were dancing in the Hall behind him, and everyone was celebrating.
He was lucky to have that memory. Minutes later, he had collapsed and almost died.
Elladan had saved his life. Fed him a poison to counter the one the Dagnir-o Lóre had given him. He had put his own life at risk to save Legolas'.
You couldn't get a better friend than that.
Little did Legolas know, that Celeblaith was also looking up at the stars. From her balcony, she could see for miles. High above her, hundreds of thousands of stars twinkled and glittered in the moonlight.
"Come back to me Legolas," she whispered. "Please."
"If only you knew,
The pain you're putting me through.
I need you by my side,
Day and night.
You've stayed away so long,
So for you I sing this song.
Come back to me now,
I'm surviving, though I don't know how.
Come home to us,
Come home you must.
Legolas, please return,
This ache inside of me burns.
My heart aches when you're away,
Every night and every day.
Don't you understand my brother?
I love you."
Her voice faded with the wind. Her golden hair blew in front of her face, the folds of her dress blowing freely also. She gripped the railings tighter, hoping, praying that her brother would come home soon.
"My brother…"
Legolas heard a faint voice on the wind. He listened more intently, his ears picking up every little sound.
"I love you…"
"Celeblaith?" He turned to face the direction in which the palace was, just a few short miles away.
"Legolas?" Thilio looked over at him. "You ok?"
"Fine," Legolas assured his friend quickly. "Just…thought I heard…something."
Thilio nodded, but looked more than a little puzzled at the way Legolas was behaving.
The rest of the night passed uneventfully.
"I just have this great feeling to just shout out when we arrive 'Hi everybody, we're back!'"
"Please don't," Legolas pleaded with Flugo. "It would make such a bad impression. A lasting one I am sure, but a bad one."
"It would be funny though."
"That's not the point," Heledir told him, mounting his horse. "It may be funny at the time, but I don't think King Thranduil would look at it that way. Disturbing the peace and tranquillity of Mirkwood? Flugo, you surprise me!"
"Ah, shut up," Flugo replied, mounting his horse. "You lot just don't know have to have fun."
"Actually we do," Asar scolded. "But we know where the boundaries lie."
"Alright, alright, enough reprimanding already," Flugo muttered, urging his horse forward into a trot.
The others grinned and followed.
It was just after dawn, and the six friends were nearly home. Just a few more miles, and they would be able to rest in their homes, and not have to camp under a tree or in a cave. They could have blankets and pillows. Warm food and wine. That was what they had missed most - the wine.
"Going home again, going home again…" Flugo started murmuring.
"Nearly there, nearly there…" Thilio joined in.
"Just a few more short miles, just a few more short miles…" Asar added.
"Coming home, coming home…" finished Dinnu.
Legolas and Heledir looked at each other, one eyebrow raised. "A few more miles mummy and I'll be home," Heledir concluded.
They all laughed, and started singing again.
"In the hall of the Wood-Elf King,
There lived a tall, fair maiden.
So beautiful and fair was she,
Living in Thranduil's' haven.
Many males went up to her,
Asking for her hand.
But she dismissed them all away,
And so they left Thranduil's' land.
This maiden, she was fair but cold,
Taking no nice gentleman.
Time and time again, said she,
'I shall not be owned by a man.'
If only she had known,
Just how despised she was.
Fairest of all maidens,
Not really giving a toss.
All the women were jealous,
All the men were sad.
This maiden would have no one,
So she really was quite…mad!"
The six friends burst into laughter. "That song makes no sense really," Asar said.
"But its funny," Thilio pointed out.
"Where does it come from?" Flugo asked.
"No idea," Thilio answered. "Heledir taught it to me."
"Thilio told me about it," Heledir said, looking at Thilio.
"Dinnu was the first one who sung it to me."
Dinnu pointed at Flugo, who in turn pointed at Asar.
"Don't look at me. Legolas was the one who taught it to me."
They all looked at Legolas. "Elrohir and Elladan made it up," he told them. "We were a bit…um…"
"Drunk?" Dinnu tried.
Legolas grinned and nodded. "Yes, drunk. Well…tipsy is more the word. We were in a cave…"
"A cave?" Heledir raised an eyebrow. He had got the habit off of Legolas, who had inherited it from Thranduil.
"Yes. Like I said, we were rather tipsy. We had got bored, so climbed up a mountain, on horseback of course, and I had stolen some wine from my fathers' bag earlier. We drunk it up there, made up a few songs, and carved our initials onto a rock."
"You must have been seriously pis…" Flugo started, but Legolas silenced him.
"Shh, listen."
They all stopped walking and listened carefully. Laughter could be heard in the distance.
"We can't have reached the palace already," Thilio whispered.
"Perhaps your father is holding a feast in the middle of the forest. He likes to do that I've noticed," Dinnu whispered to Legolas.
"He wouldn't do that without us would he?" Heledir asked.
"And not in the middle of the morning," Legolas concluded. He urged Galu a bit nearer. Peering through the trees, he made a face. He turned back to the other five. "Orcs," he told them gravely.
"Are they having a party or something, because they sound really drunk," Flugo asked.
"No, that is their normal laughter Flugo," Heledir told him.
"But it sounds like drunken Elven laughter!"
"Exactly."
"Eh?"
"Never mind." Heledir sighed and walked over to stand beside Legolas, leaving Flugo to his own confused thoughts. "What do we do now?"
"There are about thirty. We'll have to creep around them. We can't take them all on by ourselves."
"How did they get this far into your father's realm?" Thilio asked.
"Goodness knows. But I'm guessing there are a few dead or injured guards around somewhere." Legolas frowned thoughtfully. "We'll have to split up. Three of us go one way; the other three go in the opposite direction. Skirt around the edge of their camp, and don't even think about firing any arrows at them. We don't want to attract any attention. Once we are past their camp, we'll meet up by the River. Then, it's only a short way to the Main Arch. If we don't meet by the River, head straight home. Then wait in the courtyard until the other three return. Understood?"
They all nodded. Legolas was right. There was no way six Elves could take on thirty or more Orcs. They may all have been trained fighters, but thirty plus Orcs was not easy to handle.
"I hate fighting first thing in the morning anyway," Flugo whispered to Asar. "Especially on an empty stomach. Not good for you."
"Ok. Flugo and Thilio, you come with me. Dinnu, you take Asar and Heledir. Meet you by the River or back in the courtyard."
The six friends held hands briefly, and then split into two groups, creeping as quietly as they could along the path. Legolas took his group round the left-hand side of the clearing, Dinnu round the right. Soon, they had lost complete sight of each other.
As they snuck silently round, they peered through the thick undergrowth to try and see what they could of the Orc party. They had lit a few bonfires, even though it was morning, and were sat down mostly, eating and drinking. The Elves did not try and work out what they were eating exactly, but it looked disgusting.
Legolas was at the front, with Flugo in the middle and Thilio behind him. Dinnu led the other two, with Asar between him and Heledir who was bringing up the rear. They had to go in single file, as the path was rather narrow. They had to keep brushing branches out of their way, making rather a lot of rustling, but the Orcs were so caught up in their 'party', that they did not seem to hear.
"Uh oh," Asar whispered.
"What?" Dinnu asked.
"My nose is tickling."
"Don't you dare sneeze now!"
"I'm trying!" He pinched his nostrils together, but it didn't seem to help. The sneeze was building up, and they were only halfway around.
"Let it out slowly and quietly," Heledir told him.
Asar turned and made a face at him. He was starting to go red, as he had to hold his breath.
"Dinnu, he's not going to make it!" Heledir warned the Elf.
"Damn! All right, when he sneezes, just stop dead. But please Asar, if you can hold on…"
"ACHOO!"
The three Elves stopped in their tracks, waiting and listening.
"Asar…" Legolas mumbled under his breath. He stopped his group too.
Everyone was silent, and the Orcs were looking around, trying to find out where the noise had come from. The Elves waited with baited breath, praying to the Valar that they were not discovered. They really couldn't be bothered to fight again, so soon after the Wargs.
"It came from over there!" one Orc yelled, pointing straight at where Dinnu and company were.
"Crap," Dinnu cursed. "Let's go!" The three Elves set off at a gallop along the path. The Orcs charged at their hiding place.
Legolas, seeing his friends were in danger, started galloping as well, the other two following. The Orcs turned around and listened. "No, that way!" another roared. The Orcs charged at Legolas' path.
The three Elves turned a corner just as the Orcs made it through the undergrowth onto the path. "There!" the same Orc yelled, seeing the back of Thilios' horse. Arrows were fired, but too late.
The Elves galloped on, round twists and turns in the path. At times, the branches would catch in their clothes, or scratch their skin, but they had to keep going.
Over fallen logs, ducking under low-hanging branches, they galloped on. At times the path would widen, then grow narrow again. Dodging around boulders and holes in the rough ground.
Dinnus' group was the first to reach the River. The path had eventually widened out, forking to join up with the other. But there was still no sign of Legolas, Flugo, or Thilio. They waited by the water, watching, waiting, and listening.
Minutes seemed to pass like hours. Then suddenly, after what seemed like an age, Legolas burst out of the trees, closely followed by Flugo, Thilio, and a huge bunch of Orcs.
"Go!" he yelled, galloping along the riverbank.
The Orcs continued to fire arrow after arrow, but all failed to hit the Elves. They ran after them, but were no match for the speed of the Elven horses.
More joined in the chase, and even though they were getting closer and closer to the Arch, they refused to give up the hunt. They wanted these Elves, for they recognised Legolas. Being the Crown Prince, he would make a fine prize for their master, as would any royal member.
They finally reached the Main Bridge and cantered across as fast as possible. There was now a clear path marked out, and they followed this in more or less single file, ducking when arrows skimmed the tops of their heads.
"Race you Legolas!" Flugo called.
"I'll beat you easily!" Legolas yelled back. They picked up their pace, turning this mad dash into a race.
The other four joined in, laughing as they put more and more distance between them and the Orcs.
"Sigil should have his patrol around here somewhere," Legolas called back to his friends. "Call for him. After three. One, two, three…"
"SIGIL!" The shout echoed over the tops of the tree.
Their answer was a flood of arrows streaming out of the trees around them, straight into the pack of Orcs. The Prince led his friends on; knowing the Arch was near…
"Oh we are so good!" Flugo praised them loudly as they galloped under the Arch, making the grandest entrance into Mirkwood's main courtyard that was ever seen.
Heehee, big entrances are fun! As you may have guessed, Asar and Flugo are the two…idiots, shall we say, in the little group of friends. They are definitely two of my fave characters!
Yes, I did make up those rhymes, that's why they're not very good. Especially the one Leggy and his mates sung about the Elf-maiden. That was actually pretty bad. I cringe every time I read it.
I'm looking forward to your reviews people, so please give me some! Pretty please?
Lainfaer