Yeah it is a -47°C temperature with the wind chill, so that means, no buses, which means NO SCHOOL!!!!! YEAH!!!!!
Legolas: Why is it that you abhor education which such intensity?
Hey mister-sneak-liquor-into-class shouldn't be opening his trap.
Legolas. (° °)
Elrohir: Yes it is important to learn, about languages, math's, sciences, health, not plagiarizing Tolkien's work, arts, and getting physical education.
You sound like a teacher, BSTRDS.
Elladan: While she runs around beating on things to vent her obvious dislike for her instructor, we'd better start this version of the chapter.
Aragorn: Why are you so eager?
Elladan: You'll see…
Answering to the Threat
Chapter Twelve: The Council, and… After…
"Yes sir, wargs and orcs, and you can ask the Lord's son Estel to clarify that I wasn't drunk." Sitting around him were the Noldor diplomats, the worst pricks out there, they were the sole reason Mirkwood elves despaired to come into the Last Homely House for business reasons. At least the dwarves were forthright enough to admit their hatred, these servants of diplomacy hid behind tact, and with their nose in the air. You see they thought they were the wiser and more appeasing of the elves. They probably wanted to talk with the wargs and ask what was coming to pass. Legolas sighed, 'Here comes the lecture.'
"Lord Legolas, it is of the utmost importance that you restrain your temper in our council." It was one of nameless diplomats that Legolas never cared to talk to. Legolas glanced at the Lord Elrond, and he just raised that bloody eyebrow. Oh how Legolas was sick of being manipulated by the damning tacticians.
"Legolas sit down, where did you see this probable occurrence?" The elf sitting next to the one that reprimanded him looked on with an amused glare, spoke with irritated concern.
"Probable, I'll show you probable. It is probable that if you send me away without a thought, and dismiss my words, because you don't like where I come from, that you will be the first to die. It is obvious that someone of intelligence has organized this, and your order of people will be suckered in by his guile speech first. It's also probable that some one of valuable possibly the same person resources funded this experiment; the animals we saw were slightly altered from that of regular breed. My guess that someone with a lot of time, and men, had these creatures bred to be less voracious or just enough so, they would not consume their own riders.
"They are unlike any that I've seen before; they are gaining knowledge on tactics and scouting efficiently. I killed a pair of new enemy not a hundred steps from the Old Ford, the same that injured the child of Men the traveled with us. How would the orcs on foot be rapid to follow us, on the horses of Mirkwood? If you believe I conjure this tale to amuse you, to waist your time, I so hope that you quit your delusions and be of the first to go over the sea. We must answer to the threat, or it will all races apart." Legolas sat back down, he had about half of the council convinced, and Elrond looked him square in the eyes, his face gazing with a sympathetic look. Legolas leaned back into the ordinate chair and wished he hadn't. One of the carvings dug into his back into the stitches.
"I agree with our brethren from Greenwood, there is a new threat spawning in the darkness, with aid from the over shadowed benefactor of whom yet remains a mystery to our interests. I will send my son Estel and Legolas of Mirkwood to head a party of warriors to search out the enemy that dares to be so close on our borders, and meet Elladan and Elrohir whom I am told are coming back from Lothlorien. Both sets of messengers have met resistance along the way; both were suspended. I believe that there is a chance that the humans organizing this may be caught dealing at the camps were we can take them, and interrogated them for information on their masters." Elrond walked around looking at the different diplomats and getting nods from the different army officials present for council.
Legolas looked at Aragorn who had yet to speak at the meeting; he nodded in enthusiasm towards the supporters. "My lords, at least send a force to ensure more neighboring villages and trading ports are not torn apart, no more families torn away. Myliné, the woman that came with us, deserves to go somewhere safe to live after the tragedy. If you choose to deny the existence of the threat, you would be the ones to tell her that there is not sufficient evidence to mount and expedition into scouring these abominations from the earth. That would be true peril" Estel sat down and reached for the flask of water.
'At least when he chooses to say something, it is of worth. He will be a great leader…' Legolas mused.
"Estel we have come to the same conclusion, we will have an offensive force sent out in two days, hopefully that is long enough so that you can meet your brothers about three quarters of the way from Lothlorien and trade information, the Lady of the Light informed me of their departure three days ago. They are riding hard to meet you there." Elrond smiled, and looked to the two men that came in from their quest. "Until then, I expect you both to relax and recover. It would be a shame for you to fall out off of the horses' backs, and most intolerably embarrassing. Council dismissed, Estel and Legolas, you will remain here to speak with me."
Aragorn shot Legolas a sheepish look as the required members of council left. He then looked for that instant the boy of seventeen that he claimed to be. Legolas smiled back, preparing to hear one of the fatherly sermons about not arguing and making asses of yourselves in public.
"Estel and Legolas," the elder elf looked over the two of them, Legolas considered their appearances his son worried, and goaded; and himself rebellious, and tense. "It is to my understanding a very dire issue, and has cost many lives, and will cost many more if it continues to go unchecked, but the councilors, are simply exploring every option, thinking this is all an elaborate deception. I know that they are indeed folly and have justly over-ruled them. Legolas consider closely your words before you become brash in council, though effective as it was, tact would have worked as well and caused less disruption. Estel, conserve the integrity and passion, use it wisely." Elrond at his son, and looked around, "Now all we need is Elladan coming in here half dead dragging a warg and an orc behind him as proof with Elrohir wondering whether to just to shoot all three of them. Yes Legolas, you can laugh, that was a joke."
"Aye Lord Elrond, funny, funny joke. Are we now dismissed to go rest, or can we proceed to the archery field so I can demonstrate to the ranger how to shoot a bow properly?" Legolas smiled, Elrond looked him over with a careful glance.
"I taught my son how to shoot. What do you mean properly?" Elrond eyes burned but his mouth grinned. "And you both of you should be resting."
Legolas looked over to the ranger, who when Elrond glanced away for a second, nodded towards the practice field. "You are right Lord that is a folly suggestion, we should be at ease and I am sure the Myliné would enjoy company, let us proceed there now and remove our burdening presence from the great Lord Elrond. Aye ranger, it is truly idiotic idea."
Legolas walked off, he kept his voice casually and inconspicuous, hopefully it worked. He needed to relieve some stress and relax, pretend to kill things, increase his skill, and possibly show off. He sorely knew he needed to rearrange his priorities. The stranger's presence came and went, and made the air seem heavy and stiff, it did not help his tenuous mood. It was with him now blocking his elven senses of detecting threats and even the ability to talk the trees, but when it left, the headaches that would ensue were becoming unbearable. Archery focused his mind enough to bridge over the pain and the presence, he had noticed while fighting to ford.
He noticed he was now following the ranger back to him room like they promised, once the walked inside the room, the ranger rumple the bed and threw a blanket over the chair. Legolas gave him an inquisitive look and watched unobtrusively. The ranger turned to him and laughed. "You see this is our escape defensive plan. I mess up the bed and the make it look like you resided in the chair. When ada checks my room in two hours or so expecting to see us asleep, he will assume that we were resting and then went to Myliné's ward room. Then where upon he will be told be her, I'm sure we can sway her to our side, that we just left there and were heading to the kitchens, then back to our room. Of course there are several kitchens and my father will have to check them all to confirm our attendance. By that time Myliné would have had enough time to come our rescue and retrieve us. Instead of going back to our rooms, we returned to hers where Elrond will look after failing to find us in any other place."
Legolas was astounded, that was nearly a foolproof plan, but there was one thing wrong with it, he had his weapons at his room, which was coincidently across from the study where Elrond surely was. After voicing his concerns, Estel cuffed him, "I suggest you hurry and grab your bow, I'll talk to Myliné. Get caught and ruin my plan I have been concocting for three years, and I will shoot you in the ass with your own arrows. That is if my Noldor methods aren't so inexperienced and inadequate."
With that they met at the archery field and Legolas pulled his bow out from the large poncho looking tunic he had acquired. Estel looked at him holding a Noldorien composite bow. "You did not get caught?"
Legolas looked back over to the ranger grinning at a memory, "Yes, oh yes I did, but the elven maiden that caught me, will not betray us, I am sure. She was persuaded by my infinite charm." Legolas sighed fulfilled, make that two things that masked the presence, he'd be talking to her again that night in the corner of the Great Hall. Estel was a most unhealthy shade of white, then pink, and finally settled into red.
"Really, did not need to know that. Fortunately such congenial methods were not needed to ensure Myliné's part of the agreement but she did say that you needed to have her give your horses' names. And she told me that you see to it that we can go back to her village when this is done and burry the people." I assumed that was alright with you."
Legolas nodded, and the pain came rushing back and almost knocked him off his feet, he immediately drew and arrow and fired into the target, surprising the ranger who jumped unnecessarily back out of the way. He split the arrow twice before the pain resided enough to think straight. He envisioned sending pressure in his head out with each arrow. He heard Estel talking to him. "Legolas what is going on, what's wrong with you?"
The elf turned to Estel and glanced at him, "Nothing," what went unsaid was continued that statement in his head, 'that I understand.' The ranger did not look convinced and grabbed the bow from his hands. Legolas did not even attempt to resist when the ranger grabbed his shoulder and shook him.
"I do not know what ails you, but you have something possessing your thoughts and mannerisms. Speak up for I do not buy this. Do not continue with the silent way of the warrior crap." The ranger looked straight into his face, Legolas was unable to see the seventeen-year-old boy, and looked into an imposing leader's eyes. Legolas knew with pain overtaking him again, this was the last time he was going to be able to mask its presence.
"Do you recall me telling you of the presence that hung in the air after the encounter with the wolves? It is a spirit of a kind, I believe and it is using my energy to stay on Middle Earth, or that is what I guess from hearing the many legends of ghosts and such creatures. Something has cursed it, or has done it wrong enough to give up the afterlife and follow us around as a host." Legolas leaned against a tree, and pulled another arrow from the quiver, and nocked it pulling it up to shoot. The ranger stepped up and pulled the bow down.
"Legolas, who or what is it, what does it want? This is what has affected your abilities, isn't it?" The ranger looked over his face with a healer's piercing gaze. "Its presence causes you pain."
"No when it leaves and I am unable to feel it, the drain on my life is most apparent. I can concentrate and push away the pain and the being, through instinctive actions, fighting, archery, riding." Legolas brought the bow up and aimed for the farthest target. The ranger stepped back and aimed there as well. Legolas fired and felt a heavy burden lifted from his chest. The ranger fired and swore as the arrow skipped along the grass to the side of the preferred destination.
"Noldorien, come here and let me see your grip, as I thought. And get that bloody elbow up!" Legolas laughed, "This is worse than teaching young ones."
An arrow whistled by Legolas' head and stuck to the tree pinning part of hood in place. Legolas reached behind and pulled it out. "Lord Elrond? It is well that your aim is true, though your pupil's is not, but less extreme methods could have sufficed to prove your point." He examined the arrow and noticed the excellent craftsmanship, and slowly tried to pocket it in his quiver.
"Legolas, I'll be having that arrow back, and I'm glad that you took interest in seeing my skill." Legolas with a smirk drew the arrow and seeing there was no one behind the Lord shot it back to a tree just behind him. "Legolas, that is not how I anticipated my properties return, how would that sound in a letter to your father?"
Legolas glowered at the Elven lord, "The same as it would sound brought up in a council meeting, with Glorinfindel to reprimand you." Legolas held the hostile appearance even to Elrond's laugh.
"Ada! How you knew to come out here, Myliné told you!" The ranger had his eye's widened and quickly added, "And the shot I made, I was just warming up and I used the one of the batch the Elladan made, you know how crooked those fly."
"So woman Myliné is involved, see I found out because I came to tell you of what Galadriel informed me on your brothers, and I saw Legolas leaving a lasting impression on one of the ladies that were supposed to retrieve me a book from the far east halls. She informed me that you Legolas were heading to Estel's rooms, yet you turned to go either outside, or the other end of the building.
"So here I find you, my son's archery skills clearly diminishing, and Legolas' as strong as ever, though it is very clear that he has something bothering him." Elrond stood regally as ever gazing thoughtfully on them.
"Lord Elrond, you are as astute as ever, but we only wished to clear our heads, and outdoors is an excellent place to do that." Legolas looked pleadingly upon his elder, wishing just to find some corner to go shoot. When he was in Mirkwood, he was second in command an either order those not bothering away, or dismiss them early from their duties. He looked around to the trees, who were more or less indifferent to their strive, they being shot at in the conflict.
"Legolas has a presence feeding and gaining energy from him, maybe a cursed ghost or dreaded creature of the matter, we came out here to relax. It seems to be connected to the threat, in someway." Estel shifted a look to the blonde elf, who had raised an eye brow.
"Legolas, I can sense its presence as well, I thought you could, though did not mention it. I will give something for the pain of its rapture, but until it is satisfied and fulfilled I can not send it away. I have reason to believe that is following Myliné, not you in its course." Elrond looked Legolas over, "Stay and shoot, but come in for supper. The elven maiden you wooed will be distraught if you forsake her for your maiden bow. Estel do as you please, though, this lack of obedience will be remembered."
Elrond walked away, and Legolas was grateful. He notched an arrow, lined the shaft, saw the target, and shot.
Elladan: See I was so happy, I was not being picked on this time.
Aragorn: Uhh, you weren't even in it.
Elladan: My name is right up there. Hey the authoress is making fun of me.
Elrond: I suggested it.
Elladan: Bloodyfatherscan'tkeep&$commentstothemselves
Legolas: What was that?!
Elladan: Well meaning, like the reviews the readers will now give the mistress. Wait, why did I just call her 'Mistress.'
MHWA WA WA HA.
Reviewer Responses:
Deana: Yep know you enjoyed that edition of this chapter, did a load of changes, added a whole sentence. Thanks for you ongoing support.
Horsiegurl: Thanks for the review, I update every two weeks.
Mornflower: You don't have to review, BUT IT IS HIGHLY APPREICIATED. I'm insecure; the brashness hides the soft soul. Joking. Thanks for everything.
