Chapter 33
"BORKA!" Another voice came from behind and the sternness of it made Legolas cringe inwardly. "PRISONERS! Are you insane? They're just children! They can't possibly be any threat!" the voice continued. Legolas turned around to face the speakers.
Between the tress stood a large man, with black curly hair and a black curly beard to match. His arms were crossed over his chest and he glared dangerously at the woman next to him.
She was smaller, but just as broad in the shoulders as the man was. Her hands were firmly set against her sides. More skin-changers, only in human form this time.
"NOT a threat, Lovis?" the man thundered. "Did you not see the direction they are coming from? I will not trust anything that comes from Dol Guldur! They are prisoners, and THAT IS FINAL, WOMAN!"
"OH, Really! Will you guard them all by yourself day after day, night after night? Hmmm? And will you do the dishes from now on? Cook your own dinner? Make the beds? Hmm? If you can make desicions all by yourself, then you can run the household all by yourself a well. OR CAN YOU?" the woman roared back.
The man didn't answer, but simply glared at the woman.
She didn't move under the glare, just grinned triumphantly.
She turned towards the elves, and as she spoke again, her voice changed completely. "I'm sorry if my husband scared you. Hospitality is not his greatest strength."
Her husband let out a snort.
This part of the forest ours," the man said. "And no scum from Dol Guldur will take it. No matter how innocent they look."
"They are elves, Borka! No orc could look like an elf! I will not have you scare poor lost children! Imagine If your own son was wandering alone in the forest. You would want the elves to help him! To live in these dark parts of the forest is no reason to forget there is such a thing a compassion."
"Lovis! Foolish woman! They are from Dol Guldur, I tell you!"
Legolas had had enough. The humans were treating them like they did not exist; talking over their heads, and insulting them like that.
"We are not from Dol Guldur," he said, glaring at the both of them. "And we are not lost either. We are returning home, and If you will excuse us, we will continue on our way."
"Out of the question," the man said forcefully. "I will not have evil minions running around in my forest."
Legolas now really began to lose his patience. He straightened his shoulders, making himself as tall as he could.
"This is not your forest, human. This forest speaks to elves, and to elves alone. It has but one ruler, and that ruler is not you. You linger here by his approval, and by his approval alone."
The two humans stared at him.
"Well, well well," another voice came from behind. "Look who has returned home. I must say, Legolas, your timing is perfect. Mirkwood was much in need of a miracle. You are Legolas, are you not?"
Legolas stared at the newly arrived. The person was nothing like anyone Legolas had ever seen. He looked like a man, but there was a light shining from him, that was deeper and older than even that of the elves. This was a great soul, yet he was dressed in humble clothing, all in various shades of brown.
"How do you know my name?" he stuttered. "And... and...Mirkwood? And..."
"What are you?" Lainfea interrupted her faltering brother.
"Lainfea!" Limloeth said. "That is very rude!"
But the creature smiled at the girl. "Strength can be found in all of Thranduil's children, I see. I will remember that. You may call me Radagast, little one, and I am a wizard."
"A wizard?" Lanthir's eyes lit up. "Are you from Valinor? What is it like there? Oh, you must know all kinds of stuff! Can you tell something? Something no one else knows? Like, what is the air-velocity of swallows?"
Radagast smiled at Lanthir. "An excellent question," he said, and he breathed deep to start answering, when a bird landed on his shoulder. He glanced at it before giving Lanthir a sad smile. "For another time perhaps. We will meet again, young Thranduillion. I must be on my way. Borka, Lovis!
You will make sure these children will get the supplies, they need, will you not? And they could use some bandages as well, I believe."
"Are you sure they are trustworthy?" Borka said, staring at Legolas as if he was trying to discover the hidden orc. Legolas resisted the urge to shoot the man.
The Istar did not answer; he had already moved away.
Lovis gave her husband a push. "Get moving, you big bear! You heard the wizard! They need supplies and bandages. Come on, children! Our house is this way, and there are plenty of honey-cookies for everyone."
"I want another cookie," Lainfea announced from her safe spot on Legolas' lap.
Their wounds were cleaned and dressed, and they had eaten well, yet Legolas did not feel very comfortable. Borka sat in a corner, watching the sibling's every move, his hands never leaving the sword at his side.
Legolas wondered about that. There had lived skin-changers in this part of the forest for as long as he could remember, but they never had used swords before. They had always believed their ability to change into bears was enough protection.
The fact that they were carrying weapons now, and the fact that they were so paranoid, had made Legolas realize that not only the trees of Greenwood had turned dark in their absence. Their inhabitance had changed as well.
"Mirkwood," Radagast had called the forest.
The word made Legolas feel sick. Mirkwood. As if the darkness was perminent; final. What had happened to the elves? Where was their light? Should they not have kept the darkness at bay?
Legolas watched his siblings fool around. Just by being there the room had lightened.
Lovis stretched out her hand and gave Lainfea a cookie. "Last one, Lainfea, child. I don't want your father complaining to me because your teeth are all rotten."
"Elvish teeth don't rot!" Lanthir said as he helped himself to three more cookies. Legolas grinned, but Limloeth was not so pleased.
"Lanthir!" she said. "Mind your manners!"
Borka laughed in spite of himself. "I was right! He is a little rogue."
But If three elvish siblings could light up a room so easily, if they could make he darkness go away, why did it prevail? The longer Legolas watched his siblings interact with the skin-changers, making them laugh, the more worried he became. What had happened to their father?
"Lovis?" he asked. "Do you know what happened to the elves?"
The woman shook her head sadly. "Elves do not come to these parts. Not for a long time."
"They are under even heavier attacks than we are," Borka said. "And their numbers are even lower."
Legolas swallowed. The number of elves was lower than that of the skin-changers? How could that be? "We have to go," he said abruptly.
Limloeth nodded in understanding. Legolas stood up, lifting Lainfea in his arms.
Lanthir quickly stuffed seven more honey-cookies in the pockets of his tunic and grinned.
"What are we waiting for?" he said.
Lovis nodded, and handed each of them a bag of supplies.
"Well," she said. "Be careful on the road. There are a lot of evil things around."
"And stay on the road, or the spiders will get you," Borka added as the elflings walked out the door.
"Are we not going to follow the path?" Limloeth asked as Legolas moved between the trees.
"No," Legolas said. "It will take us much longer. I want to know what happened to the elves."
"And what about Borka's warning? Something about spiders?" Limloeth asked, concerned.
"Who fears spiders?" Lanthir said. "Spiders can be crushed with a stamp of the feet."
"But Borka said..." Limloeth protested.
"The forest road leads away from the palace, Lim," Legolas interrupted her. "If we move this way we'll be faster."
"So we will move away from the road?" she asked once more.
"Yes," Legolas and Lanthir said at the same time.
TBC
Karone Evertree: No, the bear is not Beorn.. Beorn wasn't born yet.. but it could be one of his ancestors.
Thanks for your review of the Sins o/t Ancestor
Moriarwen: Not yet.. he is still about a 1000 years from being born.
Rutu: It's not just a bear, it's a skinchanger.. and wargs fear those.. Read the Hobbit! And thank you for you review of the Sins o/t Ancestor as well
kel: No it was a skinchanger alright..
Moriarwen: Even if it involves amputation of one of your hands?
Kirsten: Thank you! I updated!
CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: No, not Thranduil, not Haldir..
Isiliel: Just because we choose not to speak Quenya doesn't mean we can't... We're not stupid!
Umanyar sound a lot better, thanks!
And about orcs.. Tolkien never said they were mortal.. And as they were created out of elves.. there is a change they could be immortal.. That is what I believe. But they, of course stand a much better change of dying in battle..
no not Beorn.. he wasn't Born yet..
Nessa Ar-Feiniel: grins.. well,. they ran into everyting else.. what do you think?