Ducks heavy flying objects.
Ok, ok, I'm sorry I haven't updated in like…AGES!!! But you will never believe how much h/w my teachers have been giving me! SO HARSH!
But I've updated now, ok? And I promise that the wait will not be so long next time!
Faerlain
Lindele – Teehee, I like springing surprises upon people like that! Hmm, will she fade or will she live? Ain't sure yet. Keep an eye out; you'll soon see what happens! Thanks for reviewing.
Rayame325 – Yes, poor poor Elrohir! He has to go through so much. I am so evil aren't1 Sorry Elrohir! Huggle. Teehee thanks for reviewing.
Chapter 14: Assurances.
"I think we are just about ready to go now my Lord."
"But Elladan and Elrohir haven't returned yet. We cannot leave without them."
"Prince Legolas, trust me. I have known the twins since they were born. They are able warriors. They will return to Rivendell safely."
"I still think we should wait."
"The injured cannot wait my Lord. They need to get to professional healers now. Leave some that are uninjured if you wish, but we need as many as possible to return to Rivendell."
"I know, I know, I am just worried for my friends."
"As we all are. Come now, let's get these people home."
The two mounted their horses, and started getting everybody into orderly groups. The new scout from Rivendell had just arrived, and was being a great help.
Between them, they managed to get an injured person on a horse with an uninjured person, and the procession back down the Pass began. Legolas rode with Celeblaith, as her horse had been killed. A thing she was still very upset about. She could also not ride alone, as her wrist was still rather painful. Dolenmíl had fixed it as best she could, but it still throbbed a little.
He kept near the back of the group, looking back every now and then to see if there were any signs of Elladan and Elrohir. But there never was.
Celeblaith, fed up of her brothers' fidgeting, elbowed him in the stomach. She was sat in front of him. "Will you stop moving?" she complained, looking back over her shoulder.
"I'm just keeping an eye out for…"
"Elladan and Elrohir, I know." She sighed and nestled further back against his chest. "They'll be fine," she assured him. "Don't worry."
"I cannot help but worry Cel. They're my best friends."
"I know that, and I completely understand where you're coming from, but please, stop jiggling about so much. I'm getting rather worried that I'm going to fall off any moment."
"I won't let you fall," he promised, slipping his arms tighter round her and kissing her cheek.
She grinned. "That's good then. Shall we continue?"
"A very good idea my Lady." He nudged his heels into Galu's flanks, and walked her forward a bit more.
"Let's find Dolenmíl. I need a female friend to talk to."
"Oh, so, your brother's not good enough for you any more then?"
Celeblaith laughed. "My Greenleaf is the only one is this whole world for me, you know that."
He laughed back and leant his head on her shoulder. "That's good to know."
"You seriously think anyone could take your place?"
"Mmm, I see what you mean."
She laughed again, and they rode on, looking out for Dolenmíl.
Dolenmíl was in fact, somewhere in the middle of the party of Elves. She was riding alongside Thilio, who it had turned out, been missing her since she had moved to Rivendell. The two had been friends before the fight against the Dagnir-o Lóre, and they were using this time to catch up on what the other had been doing.
"So, you've been keeping up your training I presume?"
"Of course I have. What do you think I am, completely stupid?" He watched Dolenmíl's' face twist into a grin. "Hey, I'm not that bad! Bit…of a…dipstick at times, I must admit, but I am not stupid!"
"Aww, I know you're not Thilio. I am merely joking."
"Ha, sure you are."
She laughed. "You really think I could be mean to my dear little Thilio?" She reached across and patted his head.
He shook her hand off. "Get off." But he was grinning.
Heledir rode up beside them then. "Hello you two. How are you feeling?"
"Alright thanks Hel. Yourself?" Dolenmíl asked.
"I'm good. I haven't had chance to speak to you much. How are things in Rivendell then?"
"Great actually. I miss Mirkwood dearly, but there are so many things to see and do in Rivendell. It's amazing."
"She's forgotten all about Mirkwood in other words," Thilio told his friend.
She scowled at him. "No I have not! How could I ever forget Mirkwood? That is my home, and always will be, in my heart."
"Good, I should hope so too," Thilio said, smiling slyly.
Dolenmíl smirked back at him, then all three of them started laughing.
"How long will it take us to get there Legs?"
"I cannot say for sure. A week, maybe a bit more.""Why so long?"
"Because of all the wounded. We have to go a slow, steady pace so as not to cause them further injury."
She sighed and squirmed uncomfortably in his arms. "I hare going slow though!"
He grinned, and without warning, dug his heels into Galu's flanks. The horse galloped away up the column, towards the front at a dangerously fast speed.
He slowed down when they came next to the Captain right at the very front, and started talking to him. Celeblaith was now rather quiet, and also no longer fidgeting.
"How far do you reckon we have to go?" Legolas asked, grinning as he noted how silent his little sister now was.
"I'd say about ten miles, but that is an average guess. At the speed we're going, it should take us roughly a week to reach Rivendell," he answered; knowing Legolas was about to ask that question.
Legolas grinned at him. "You must be able to read minds."
"No my Lord I'm just good at guessing, and I have been taught to tell my leader everything of importance when on a journey such as this."
Legolas laughed, memories coming back of his own training. "Oh yes, I can remember being told that as well."
"It was drilled into me by Lord Glorfindel I seem to remember. He was very strict about that."
Legolas raised an eyebrow. "You were trained by Lord Glorfindel?"
"Yes. Lord Elrond seemed to have rather high expectations for me."
Legolas laughed. "He was clearly right. Then, you cannot be very old, for Lord Glorfindel returned to us not long ago. Well, when I say long, you know what I mean."
He nodded. "I understand completely my Lord. No, I started my training when I was very young, a mere child some may say. But Lord Elrond insisted that I have the necessary training from an early age. And I think it paid off."
They continued to talk in this manner for a while longer. Celeblaith made herself comfy. She found talk of warfare and weaponry rather boring at the best of times. She could wield a bow and knives well enough, but only when necessary.
She was a more creative person. Drawing and painting were her strong points. She loved just picking up a piece of parchment, and drawing things of nature. Animals, plants, trees…anything.
She gazed up at the sky. It had lots of fluffy white clouds, drifting about after the storm. She smiled. That would make a nice picture. Along with the trees, mountains and plants…yes, a beautiful portrait. Or would it be better landscape…?
Legolas noticed his sister wasn't talking much. He rested his head on her shoulder, peering round her to look at her. "You're quiet Cel. You feeling ok?"
She smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. Just daydreaming. Painting a picture in my mind."
"Eh?"
She inclined her head towards the scene before them. "The landscape around me. I am picturing how my painting of it would look. Looks very nice so far."
He laughed. "I see. Well, I shall leave you to your…mind-painting."
She nodded, and sat back against his chest again, looking at the land around her.
He smiled to himself, then at the Captain beside them. "Artistic sister my Lord?"
"Aye, very much so. Always got her head over some drawing or sketch."
"I'm guessing she's a good singer too?"
"Yes, actually she is. How did you guess that?"
He shrugged. "Art and singing always seem to go together. A lot of people I know who can sing very well can draw marvellously too. Very talented."
"She got it from our mother. Naneth is a wonderful singer. And she can paint the most amazing landscapes. We must have hundreds lining the corridors of the palace, almost all of them done by her. Celeblaith's are starting to join them as well. Aren't they Cel?"
"Hmm." She was concentrating.
Legolas rolled his eyes at the Captain, who grinned. They carried on discussing their bow techniques.
It was three days after they had started making their way back towards Rivendell. They were nearing the end of the Pass, and Legolas know Rivendell was only a few short miles away…
"Prince Legolas! Prince Legolas!"
Legolas turned round to face the rider who was galloping up the column at a tremendous pace. He skidded to a halt beside the Prince, and bowed his head. "My Lord, I have news for you."
"What, what is it?"
"We have spotted people drawing up on us from back down the Pass. I am not sure, but I think it could be Prince Elladan and Prince Elrohir. Whoever it is, they are on horseback, and galloping very fast up to us."
Legolas wheeled Galu round and thundered back down the group with the messenger. Reaching the end, he peered back down the Pass. Sure enough, there were a number of figures hurtling towards them, all on horseback.
"It is too dark to see them clearly," Legolas muttered. "But that definitely looks like Elves to me." He turned to another Elf beside him. "Ride up and find Lady Dolenmíl. Inform her of what has been seen back here, and tell her to prepare the healers for further possible injuries."
"Yes my Lord." He dug his heels into his horse's flanks, and charged back up towards the head of the group.
Legolas looked back at the approaching riders. "I pray to Eru that they are Elladan and Elrohir," he said, sighing.
"I think they are," Celeblaith whispered. "I can feel it. It's on the wind. Listen."
Legolas listened as the wind blew through his golden hair. A whispering, faint and far away. But a definite hushed voice, saying something that he couldn't quite pick up.
"We can only wait until they catch up. We cannot stop; we must keep going. I'm going to stay here at the back again. Someone ride up to the head of the column, and tell the Captain to stay there. Under no circumstances must he leave to come back here. We need someone up the front at all times. If he wishes to tell me anything, he shall have to send a messenger. Go, quickly." An Elf urged his horse up to do this.
"Cel, do you want to stay here, or would you rather go up the front?"
"I'm staying with you."
"But what if it isn't the twins?"
"It is; I know it is. Just trust me Legs." She took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly, making sure to link their little fingers.
He squeezed it back. "Ok." He turned his horse round to walk in the right direction. Keeping hold of Celeblaith's hand, he looked up at the sky. "It's growing darker," he said grimly. "We shall have to stop soon. It won't be safe for us to continue during the night. Start passing the message through the group that we will be halting in the next hour." Four Elves left to go, two up each side, sending the message along.
"You make a really good leader Legs," Celeblaith told him, gripping his hand tightly. "I'm proud you're my brother."
He smiled, a feeling of pride and love threatening to burst him. "Thank you Celeblaith," he whispered, kissing her cheek softly. "That is a lovely thing to say."
"That's because it's true."
"Really? All of it?"
"Every single word." She tilted her head back to smile up at him.
He smiled back, and then they turned to face the road ahead again.
"I think it's poisoned."
"Its deep, I know that much."
"Anyone can see that you dolt!"
"Alright, alright, don't bite my head off. An Orc nearly did it earlier. Not a nice experience."
Dolenmíl smiled, relaxing a little as she inspected Celebrían's wounds. "You were extremely lucky not to get yourselves killed. Do you realise just how worried everyone has been?"
Elrohir crouched down beside her, slipping an arm round her shoulders. "I know we shouldn't have just gone like that, but we had to. She's our mother Dolenmíl. We couldn't just leave her in the hands of those…those…beasts."
"I know, and I understand that. You could have at least told someone you were going though."
"She's right Elrohir. No one had a clue where you had gone. Let alone the people you took with you. We didn't know if you were dead or alive," Legolas agreed, frowning slightly as he watched.
Elrohir stood and faced him. "Legolas, we had no choice." His voice was stern. "We had to go straight after them. If there had been anyone around, you know I would have told him or her. As it was, there wasn't. So we just grabbed a random number of willing volunteers, and followed the Orcs."
Legolas sighed and his expression relaxed. "I know; I'm sorry for seeming angry. It's just…it's been a crazy week. For everyone. Let's just concentrate on getting her home to be healed."
Elrohir smiled gratefully at his friend, and embraced him. "I knew you'd understand eventually," he whispered.
"Elrohir! Elladan!"
"Oh no…" Elrohir groaned.
Arwen came running up. "Oh thank Eru! I've been so worried." She flung herself into Elrohir's arms.
Legolas raised an amused eyebrow at Elrohir's expression. He scowled, but put his arms round his sister. "Don't worry Arwen, we're fine. We found mother…"
"What?" Arwen pulled away.
Elrohir pointed down on the floor to where Dolenmíl was bathing Celebríans' more serious wounds.
Arwen gave a cry, and knelt down beside her mother, taking her hand in her own. "Amil," she whispered. "Amil, wake up, please wake up."
"She's unconscious Arwen," Elladan told her, kneeling down beside her and putting his arm round her trembling shoulders. "We need to get her home so Adar can heal her."
"Well then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
"Let me bandage these wounds that are still bleeding," Dolenmíl told them. "Bits of tunic would be appreciated."
This mild stab at humour broke the nervous tension that hung in the air, and sleeves were ripped off, all offered as bandages for the injured Queen.
Once her worst injuries were sorted, Elladan mounted his horse with Celebrían in his arms, and the group set off again. It was now the middle of the night, but everyone agreed they had to get to Rivendell as soon as possible. Hopefully, Elrond would be waiting for them, readily armed with healers and herbs.
THEY FOUND HER!!!!!
Aren't the just the BEST sons ever? Next chapter coming soon.
Faerlain