Disclaimer: Do not own anything recognized from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien or from the movies directed by Peter Jackson.

Chapter Four: Rescued

Glorfindel

"This has gone on long enough. It is time for her to come out of hiding." I said to Elrond and Mithrandir. They both looked to me as though I was insane. Finally Mithrandir nodded and looked to Elrond.

"Do you have a key my friend? For I fear Glorfindel will break the door down if it is not given to him." Mithrandir finished. Elrond nodded to him and opened a drawer in his desk. He then handed me the key. I did not wait for them to say anything before I bolted from the room to check on Elena.

Once I was at her door I knocked. When there was no reply I knocked a little louder and called her name. Still there was nothing. So I placed the key in the lock, turned it and opened the door. With the first glance of the room I thought perhaps she was on the balcony for the doors where open. I slowly walked in that direction. She was not there.

It was then I spotted foot prints in the ground below the balcony. They could not have been more that ten hours old. I was not one to prone to panic but I felt it beginning to seep through me. Quickly I made a check of the room. Upon the desk I found a note. I walked over to it and recognized it as Elena's hand.

Forgive me for being so rude to you all. I believe that you have mistaken me for another so I take my leave to make my own way in this world. I thank you for your hospitality. Elena.

I crumpled the note and ran from her room. I almost knocked over Legolas who was strolling leisurely down the hall. I knew he would take no offense but would surely fallow me. Once I reached Elrond's study I did not bother with knocking.

"She is gone!" I told them and handed Elrond the note. "There are tracks below her balcony that look to be from the night."

Elrond quickly read the note by that time Legolas was in the room. "Mithrandir find my sons and inform them. You and I shall search Imladris. I will send them out to fallow her trail." Elrond said.

"I go now." I told them and made leave for the door. Mithrandir's voice paused me.

"Take Legolas with you." he said. I had no reservations in taking the Mirkwood elf with me and nodded. Legolas quickly went to his room and retrieved his equipment as did I. He was probably confused about the whole ordeal but decided there was no time for questions. My arrival at the stables was the same as that of Legolas. Our Mounts had already been prepared as had those of the twins. However the twins were no where in sight. We mounted and with my nod Legolas fallowed me out.

Legolas

From the moment I had arrived in Imladris I noticed every single thing that was out of place since the last visit. It was all very odd to me, however upon my arrival I had felt more at ease than I had in the past two weeks and rejoiced in it. I had not had time to speak with the Lord Elrond on the matters of late for he was deeply evolved in some current event. No doubt it tied to what I was doing at the present.

"Glorfindel would you mind informing me of this women we search for?" I carefully asked. The usually calm manner of Glorfindel seemed rather tense and it was curious to me why he would be like this over a mortal women. There had to be something more since everyone was not forthcoming in information to me.

Glorfindel glanced sideways at me, "The women is Elena, she was brought to us by Mithrandir. She is very important. As I am sure you seen her display upon her arrival?"

"Ah yes but I do not understand. Could you possibly tell me why you are so tense if she has such powers?" I asked Glorfindel. He looked as if he was having an inner debate with himself.

"She cannot summon those powers at will Legolas. She has led a sheltered life and does not know the dangers of this land." Glorfindel finished and dismounted to look at some tracks. I knew he was only telling me what he felt safe in saying so I let it pass for a moment.

I dismounted as well and began to survey the area. It was near the noon hour and the tracks were fresh but likely to lead to many more hours ahead in our search. Silently I looked to where Glorfindel was now studying. It looked as if a person had sheltered in the brush. There was something else. Orc tracks. I mumbled aloud. Glorfindel then looked to see the women's tracks picking up stride.

"She ran that way, I only see one Orc, wait there where three more." Glorfindel murmured I seen the fear flash through his eyes. I started into the forest forgetting my mount for the moment. As I watched it was obvious that she became surrounded. I fallowed the tracks out. There was no sign of the women's tracks, but there was no sign that she was killed either. Glorfindel approached with the horses and we both mounted fallowing the orc trail.

Darkness soon came upon us and we had to stop for the night. Glorfindel had fallen so silent that I dared not speak to him for fear of facing his wrath. I climbed a nearby tree and looked to the stars. The same uneasy feeling began to settle over me again. It was the one I had only recently left behind. I pondered this for a few moment when a great flash of light erupted in the sky.

"Foolish Women!" Glorfindel hissed below me. I jumped from the tree having seen the general direction of the flash. My heart rate had increased suddenly and I had to shake my head.

"I know the location, we can retrieve her now, or at least scout her out." I told Glorfindel.

"If the foolish women is still alive, though I imagine she did not have much choice in the matter. Let us make haste for who knows what has befallen her this night.." Glorfindel murmured the last to himself mounting his steed.

We made haste through the trees till we needed to dismount for a more stealthily approach. The orc group was of only eight that could be seen. They were all surrounding Elena and she appeared unconscious bur alive. I could see the shallow rise and fall of her every breath. I studied the women for a moment. Something about her was calling to me and my heart rate steadily increased. To distract myself from these odd feelings I looked to Glorfindel and he signaled me to back up.

"We could take them all with our arrows with no harm to the women." I told him, I was confident in my skill and knew Glorfindel could do as well. He shook his head.

"There is to much to risk." he then thought for a moment, "I shall go around to the other side of the camp and draw them out a little. Shoot all the ones closest to Elena and retrieve her. Wait for my signal." Then he vanished. A few moments latter I felt a presents behind me.

"You are late" I said without turning around. I knew it was the twins. They nodded and crouched next to me, arrows ready as like mine.

"This is to easy." Elladan commented. I nodded, that was my fear as well. Though orcs travel in small groups at times, the smallest I had ever encountered was twenty. I waited for Glorfindels signal and none came I frowned and the twins seemed to be thinking in the same direction. Elrohir then took my signal and fallowed in Glorfindel's tracks. I nodded to Elladan and he took aim on one of the other closest orcs to Elena.

I let lose my bow and loaded and fired again. Elladan and I continued to fire until the Orcs laid slain. There was still no sign of Elrohir or Glorfindel. Elladan and I exchanged a look and warily approached Elena. Elladan was leaning over her examining her when I noticed that there was another battle escalating over the hill. I looked to Elladan.

"I go my friend take her back." I told him. He looked a little reluctant to leave but his better judgment must have sunk in for he nodded and carried her off in the direction we had came from. I stood atop the hill and in the darkness and see the rest of the orc party.

Glorfindel and Elrohir where engaged in combat. There were at least ten orcs already slain upon the field. There where about ten more surrounding them. Glorfindel and Elrohir where standing back to back. I notched an arrow and of long practice began releasing the arrows on any orc that was threatening my kinsmen unawares. It was nothing to kill these creatures. They where mindless most times, however as soon as that thought crossed my mind I noticed a low rumble coming from a distance.

The current combat over, Glorfindel and Elrohir approached me hearing the same as I. Slowly we turned back to retrieve our horses. Though we could probably take more orcs than what we had slew already, it would be a better course of action to lead them into the woods and use the woods to our advantage.

"Why is it these creatures seemed to be expecting us, as if trying to set a trap?" Elrohir asked.

"That is curious, also the speed at which they traveled under the sun, their size, they were not of the usual." Glorfindel mumbled.

Soon our musing about this stopped as we retrieved the horses and made haste into the woods. We all took shelter among the trees to observe the creatures that would soon be below us. Elrohir sent out a call as the group of thirty to forty orcs entered the woods. No doubt that this would be a long night. Though they would not make it far it would prove to be a decent exercise for the three of us if these creatures where anything like the ones we previously encountered.

Elena

When I awoke I breathed a small sigh of relief that actually hurt to do. I was in the familiar room of Imladris that I had become accustomed to. At first I thought I was dreaming, soon though the smells of the air and my pain discharged that thought. There was a presents that I was reluctant to look upon for I was sure to get a scolding for my foolishness. When I turned my head I was a little shocked to see Mithrandir looking at me with a small smile playing on his face.

"I am glad to see you awake child, how are you feeling?" he gently asked me.

"Fine, sore, but I will survive." I said then I continued, "I know it was foolish so scold me and let us be done with it."

Mithrandir chuckled, "Ah but your scolding is reserved for Glorfindel, he so mentioned upon his return this morning, so I will leave it to him." I frowned because I would rather have Mithrandir scold me or Elrond for that matter. Mithrandir laughed then, breaking my thoughts.

"Now I have come here to assure you Elena that what we told you before you ran off is the truth. The Valar are mysterious in their ways and not even the wisest can tell their purpose. Though I know it is to soon for you to show any physical proof of what we have spoken, you will accept it in time." Mithrandir finished.

My ribs where aching and I was in no mood to argue my point with anyone, I turned to him and debated for a moment then I relented. "If what you say is true I will give you the time in which you speak to see if what you say is true." I told him not exactly sure what I would do if it was not and even less sure of what I would do if it was. "There is more that you did not tell me." I told him. He only smiled.

"If when you are convinced of what I have said Elena, I shall have you then know the rest of what we know." Mithrandir said, and stood up to leave, "I leave you know for your scolding for I hear Glorfindel in the corridor." I went limp and closed my eyes, all I wanted to do was sleep.

"Well Elena, I am glad to see you awake, tell me did you enjoy your outing?" Glorfindel said from the doorway.

"Forgive me it was foolish I know, I was not thinking clearly and for that I apologize." I hastened to say. Tears where forming in my eyes of their own accord and I tried to control them and forget all that had happened.

"I forgive you Elena and shall not scold you to harshly this time, for you knew not how dangerous this world has become." Glorfindel said and then walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, his look softened, "Promise me you will not be so foolish again Elena." I nodded and he kissed me on the forehead. "Then I will leave you to rest, for once you are well there are many things that Elrond and Gandalf wish you to do." He then tucked me in and I occupied my thoughts of what they could possibly want me to do and that was the last thought before I fell into the blissful sleep I desired.