Authors notes: - Welcome to my new reviewers and thank you to the returning
ones!! You are wonderful :-)!! Hope you all enjoy this and please keep them
ol' reviews coming!!
**
Aragorn knelt next to the two bodies examining them.
"It does not look like an orc killing, it is too clean. The throat was slashed from the front it was a quick death. I think that both were killed with the same weapon."
Aragorn sighed as he placed a blanket over one of the bodies and stood up.
"We have a problem." Eomer said with a sigh.
"Yes we do. There are spies among us."
"You think that they were killed by our own side?" Gimli questioned appearing in the clearing.
"You have seen how orcs kill; this is far too clean and nice for them. The blade that killed them was wielded with a finesse that dark creatures do not possess."
"A dwarf did not do this!" Gimli stated in an assured tone of voice.
"Nay of that I can be certain. It is either a highly skilled man or elf." Aragorn said as they walked slowly back to the camp.
"An elf? Surely not!" Eomer stated.
"It is within the realm of possibility. They were betrayed before. The battle and subsequent defeat came too swiftly for them to find if there were more traitors."
"I fear to explain this to Legolas. Betrayed again by one of his own." Gimli said sadly.
"I thought elves hated the darkness and the Dark Lord more than anything?" Eomer stated confused. "Why would they of all people betray their own kind?"
"Because..." a new voice stated. Aeolian joined them. "Sauron has captured and tortured many elves of this realm for generations. If they are not turned into orcs or meet death in his stronghold he changes them to be loyal to him. They infiltrate us to try and deceive us. We did not see this latest betrayal before it was too late. Though it pains me to admit it there could be more traitors within our midst."
"We cannot remain idle as one by one we are picked off. We need to go on the offensive, rid the forest of the scout parties and then set our defences." Aragorn stated angrily.
"My father agrees, he wishes to see you, King Eomer and Lords Elrond and Gimli at once to deploy warrior parties. As these parties clear the forest the rest need to set up the defences and ambushes fast. This battle is coming our way swiftly and we are most definitely not prepared." Aeolian stated.
As they entered the clearing they saw Legolas walking towards them followed at a discreet distance by a pair of Rivendell elves. His face was a picture of irritation.
"Do they have to follow me around all the time?" he pleaded to Aragorn and Aeolian.
"Yes little brother and no amount of complaining will change our minds." Aeolian said all too happily for Legolas's liking.
"Especially that even with guards you still managed to disappear for most of last night!" Aragorn stated. Aeolian frowned.
"I did not disappear. I was in the trees; it is not my fault that they cannot find me." Legolas said almost belligerently. Aeolian rolled his eyes at Legolas's childish behaviour.
"No one can find you Las if you don't want them to but for our peace of mind do not wonder off. There have been two killings and father has decided that it is time to move."
"Killings?" Legolas said in surprise.
"Yes two of my border guards had their throats slit sometime during the night." Aragorn stated.
"Orcs?"
"I don't think so." Aragorn didn't elaborate and Legolas regarded him closely before turning to Aeolian.
"Do I have my own command?" he asked. Aeolian nodded.
"Both Azian and I have as well. It is time to move and father wants to strike a decisive blow."
Legolas smiled. "I think we can do that." Aeolian grinned.
** Legolas urged Astalder faster as his group of fifteen elves weaved between the trees. The young prince seemed calm giving no indication of the struggle going on inside of his head.
'You see pet, mortals and immortals are easy to fool.'
'My friends will notice. I will defeat you'
'You are growing weaker as each hour passes.'
Legolas drew his horse to a violent halt.
"What is it my lord?" Kireyn his second in command asked.
Legolas turned around to face him smiling broadly.
"What better way to cause a decisive blow than to take back our homes? If we recapture the citadel it will be a major victory!"
"Yes sir!" Kireyn said excited. The young elf was inexperienced in a command and was obviously eager to please and be involved in an impressive victory.
'This is too easy' Sauron chuckled and Legolas struggled to regain control.
'No Kireyn. Question the orders!' he cried but instead of his desperate cries emerging from his mouth a small smile curved his lips.
"We are retaking the citadel! We will show that the wood elves are not so easily swept aside!"
"Aye" the elves cried and following their leader they changed direction and charged towards the citadel.
* Darkness settled through the forest as the last rays of the sun dipped below the horizon. King Thranduil was stood with his advisors within his tree platform. Slowly but surely the warrior parties were reporting back and with mainly positive results. Wargs and orcs had been killed in there tens. The scouting patterns had been interrupted and for at least the time being the enemy were disorganised.
Thranduil looked up as Aeolian entered; his eldest son's face was grave.
"What troubles you?" he asked.
"Legolas's group has not reported in. Nothing has been heard from them since they left this morning."
Aeolian now had the attention of everyone. The loss of an entire warrior party would be a devastating blow especially if it included one of the King's sons.
"He was scouting to the west of here wasn't he?" Thranduil said turning to the map trying to stop the frantic pounding of his heart.
"Yes, there have been reports of wargs but nothing so dangerous that could wipe out an entire party. I fear for Legolas! He is a target for Sauron" Aeolian stated his fear increasing as each moment passed.
"If this has something to do with what that meddling wizard did I will not be held responsible for my actions!" Thranduil snapped his own fear manifesting into anger. If they lost Legolas again to Sauron...The grief would be too great.
"That meddling wizard as you put it is still unconscious after trying to help your son!" A stern voice stated and Thranduil turned to see Elrond enter the tent with Aragorn.
"Who is currently missing!" Aeolian snapped impatiently.
Both Elrond and Aragorn looked surprised.
"Missing?" Aragorn questioned.
"Yes he and his scouting team have not returned." Thranduil stated.
"Maybe there are wounded within his party slowing him down." Aragorn stated reasonably.
"Even if that were so the teams search parameters were designed to overlap. Nothing has been seen or heard from the party since its deployment."
Before anymore could be said a gust of wind blew through the tent carrying the dark warnings of the trees.
"Something ill has occurred." Thranduil said and this was immediately confirmed by a breathless elf bursting inside.
"My lord!" he gasped. "I am from Prince Legolas's party. We have been cornered and have suffered heavy casualties. We need aid!"
"How exactly have you been cornered?" Elrond demanded before the others could speak.
"We recaptured the main citadel but the orcs received reinforcements before we could secure it!" the elf informed them and despite the panic he felt for his fellow warriors his voice held a certain pride for what he felt was a great accomplishment.
"Why in all Middle Earth was your party attacking the citadel?" Thranduil demanded. "I gave no such orders! Legolas should not have been anywhere near there!"
The elf looked confused. "He said it would be a decisive victory my Lord!"
"If you didn't order the citadel's recapture why would Legolas disobey orders?" Aragorn questioned knowing that Legolas would never normally go against orders.
"Because Legolas is not longer in control of his own mind" Gandalf's voice stated and quite a number of the group jumped.
"Gandalf? How is this possible?"
"I woke up." The wizard said mysterious as usual.
"What about Legolas?" Aeolian demanded.
"While I was in his mind I discovered some dark mist, a remnant from his period with Sauron. It attacked us and rendered me unconscious. Legolas has lost control of his mind and therefore his body. He is no longer Legolas. I fear we have once again lost him."
"NO!" Thranduil said enraged. "I will not lose him again. Aeolian make ready a party, we ride for the citadel." Aeolian nodded and went to do as commanded.
"You cannot waste your troops! Legolas is lost to us!" Gandalf stated. "We will find a way to bring him back to us but I cannot condone this course of action."
"You failed us before so why I should listen to you now is beyond me!" Thranduil snapped. "I will not waste my troops. I go for Legolas, if he is lost to us and we can not retrieve him then I will not, for his sake, allow him to be taken."
Silence descended as the full implication of the statement impacted.
"You would kill him?" Aragorn said in disbelief.
"Can you condemn him to more suffering? I cannot, but do not dare accuse me of something so callous and cold hearted. If he falls so will I."
**
**
Aragorn knelt next to the two bodies examining them.
"It does not look like an orc killing, it is too clean. The throat was slashed from the front it was a quick death. I think that both were killed with the same weapon."
Aragorn sighed as he placed a blanket over one of the bodies and stood up.
"We have a problem." Eomer said with a sigh.
"Yes we do. There are spies among us."
"You think that they were killed by our own side?" Gimli questioned appearing in the clearing.
"You have seen how orcs kill; this is far too clean and nice for them. The blade that killed them was wielded with a finesse that dark creatures do not possess."
"A dwarf did not do this!" Gimli stated in an assured tone of voice.
"Nay of that I can be certain. It is either a highly skilled man or elf." Aragorn said as they walked slowly back to the camp.
"An elf? Surely not!" Eomer stated.
"It is within the realm of possibility. They were betrayed before. The battle and subsequent defeat came too swiftly for them to find if there were more traitors."
"I fear to explain this to Legolas. Betrayed again by one of his own." Gimli said sadly.
"I thought elves hated the darkness and the Dark Lord more than anything?" Eomer stated confused. "Why would they of all people betray their own kind?"
"Because..." a new voice stated. Aeolian joined them. "Sauron has captured and tortured many elves of this realm for generations. If they are not turned into orcs or meet death in his stronghold he changes them to be loyal to him. They infiltrate us to try and deceive us. We did not see this latest betrayal before it was too late. Though it pains me to admit it there could be more traitors within our midst."
"We cannot remain idle as one by one we are picked off. We need to go on the offensive, rid the forest of the scout parties and then set our defences." Aragorn stated angrily.
"My father agrees, he wishes to see you, King Eomer and Lords Elrond and Gimli at once to deploy warrior parties. As these parties clear the forest the rest need to set up the defences and ambushes fast. This battle is coming our way swiftly and we are most definitely not prepared." Aeolian stated.
As they entered the clearing they saw Legolas walking towards them followed at a discreet distance by a pair of Rivendell elves. His face was a picture of irritation.
"Do they have to follow me around all the time?" he pleaded to Aragorn and Aeolian.
"Yes little brother and no amount of complaining will change our minds." Aeolian said all too happily for Legolas's liking.
"Especially that even with guards you still managed to disappear for most of last night!" Aragorn stated. Aeolian frowned.
"I did not disappear. I was in the trees; it is not my fault that they cannot find me." Legolas said almost belligerently. Aeolian rolled his eyes at Legolas's childish behaviour.
"No one can find you Las if you don't want them to but for our peace of mind do not wonder off. There have been two killings and father has decided that it is time to move."
"Killings?" Legolas said in surprise.
"Yes two of my border guards had their throats slit sometime during the night." Aragorn stated.
"Orcs?"
"I don't think so." Aragorn didn't elaborate and Legolas regarded him closely before turning to Aeolian.
"Do I have my own command?" he asked. Aeolian nodded.
"Both Azian and I have as well. It is time to move and father wants to strike a decisive blow."
Legolas smiled. "I think we can do that." Aeolian grinned.
** Legolas urged Astalder faster as his group of fifteen elves weaved between the trees. The young prince seemed calm giving no indication of the struggle going on inside of his head.
'You see pet, mortals and immortals are easy to fool.'
'My friends will notice. I will defeat you'
'You are growing weaker as each hour passes.'
Legolas drew his horse to a violent halt.
"What is it my lord?" Kireyn his second in command asked.
Legolas turned around to face him smiling broadly.
"What better way to cause a decisive blow than to take back our homes? If we recapture the citadel it will be a major victory!"
"Yes sir!" Kireyn said excited. The young elf was inexperienced in a command and was obviously eager to please and be involved in an impressive victory.
'This is too easy' Sauron chuckled and Legolas struggled to regain control.
'No Kireyn. Question the orders!' he cried but instead of his desperate cries emerging from his mouth a small smile curved his lips.
"We are retaking the citadel! We will show that the wood elves are not so easily swept aside!"
"Aye" the elves cried and following their leader they changed direction and charged towards the citadel.
* Darkness settled through the forest as the last rays of the sun dipped below the horizon. King Thranduil was stood with his advisors within his tree platform. Slowly but surely the warrior parties were reporting back and with mainly positive results. Wargs and orcs had been killed in there tens. The scouting patterns had been interrupted and for at least the time being the enemy were disorganised.
Thranduil looked up as Aeolian entered; his eldest son's face was grave.
"What troubles you?" he asked.
"Legolas's group has not reported in. Nothing has been heard from them since they left this morning."
Aeolian now had the attention of everyone. The loss of an entire warrior party would be a devastating blow especially if it included one of the King's sons.
"He was scouting to the west of here wasn't he?" Thranduil said turning to the map trying to stop the frantic pounding of his heart.
"Yes, there have been reports of wargs but nothing so dangerous that could wipe out an entire party. I fear for Legolas! He is a target for Sauron" Aeolian stated his fear increasing as each moment passed.
"If this has something to do with what that meddling wizard did I will not be held responsible for my actions!" Thranduil snapped his own fear manifesting into anger. If they lost Legolas again to Sauron...The grief would be too great.
"That meddling wizard as you put it is still unconscious after trying to help your son!" A stern voice stated and Thranduil turned to see Elrond enter the tent with Aragorn.
"Who is currently missing!" Aeolian snapped impatiently.
Both Elrond and Aragorn looked surprised.
"Missing?" Aragorn questioned.
"Yes he and his scouting team have not returned." Thranduil stated.
"Maybe there are wounded within his party slowing him down." Aragorn stated reasonably.
"Even if that were so the teams search parameters were designed to overlap. Nothing has been seen or heard from the party since its deployment."
Before anymore could be said a gust of wind blew through the tent carrying the dark warnings of the trees.
"Something ill has occurred." Thranduil said and this was immediately confirmed by a breathless elf bursting inside.
"My lord!" he gasped. "I am from Prince Legolas's party. We have been cornered and have suffered heavy casualties. We need aid!"
"How exactly have you been cornered?" Elrond demanded before the others could speak.
"We recaptured the main citadel but the orcs received reinforcements before we could secure it!" the elf informed them and despite the panic he felt for his fellow warriors his voice held a certain pride for what he felt was a great accomplishment.
"Why in all Middle Earth was your party attacking the citadel?" Thranduil demanded. "I gave no such orders! Legolas should not have been anywhere near there!"
The elf looked confused. "He said it would be a decisive victory my Lord!"
"If you didn't order the citadel's recapture why would Legolas disobey orders?" Aragorn questioned knowing that Legolas would never normally go against orders.
"Because Legolas is not longer in control of his own mind" Gandalf's voice stated and quite a number of the group jumped.
"Gandalf? How is this possible?"
"I woke up." The wizard said mysterious as usual.
"What about Legolas?" Aeolian demanded.
"While I was in his mind I discovered some dark mist, a remnant from his period with Sauron. It attacked us and rendered me unconscious. Legolas has lost control of his mind and therefore his body. He is no longer Legolas. I fear we have once again lost him."
"NO!" Thranduil said enraged. "I will not lose him again. Aeolian make ready a party, we ride for the citadel." Aeolian nodded and went to do as commanded.
"You cannot waste your troops! Legolas is lost to us!" Gandalf stated. "We will find a way to bring him back to us but I cannot condone this course of action."
"You failed us before so why I should listen to you now is beyond me!" Thranduil snapped. "I will not waste my troops. I go for Legolas, if he is lost to us and we can not retrieve him then I will not, for his sake, allow him to be taken."
Silence descended as the full implication of the statement impacted.
"You would kill him?" Aragorn said in disbelief.
"Can you condemn him to more suffering? I cannot, but do not dare accuse me of something so callous and cold hearted. If he falls so will I."
**
