Salan: Hello, Salan. I see that you just reviewed Chapter 10. Hope you stay with us so that you see this greeting at the beginning of Chapter 63!
Dragonfly: Hmm, Legolas' loincloth seems to have been a big hit. Uh oh, the string is fraying. Um, Legolas, mind your loincloth. Legolas! Deleted scene. Should I include a blooper reel? I dunno.
Fluffy's fangirls: I regret to report that in this chapter Legolas puts his leggings back on.
Legosgurl: Oh no, no excuses! You have to finish your chapter. If you don't, I'll unleash Yarrie on you, so you'd better be careful.
Yarrie: Hey, Yarrie, I wanna put out a contract out on Legosgurl. She hasn't finished her chapter, and she's says it's partly because my last chapter had her in hysterics. But I'm not gonna take the fall for her!
Joee: Yeah, some people have Sneak-O-Meters, but Legolas has a Trouble-O-Meter.
The essence of popsicles: It's not too late for me to use the line because Thranduil is not done trying to marry off Legolas.
Andi-Black: Well, I think it was very civic-minded of Edwen Nana and Gandalf to share a blanket! Ahem.
Beta Reader: Dragonfly
Chapter 62: Archery Duel
In the morning their clothes were still a trifle damp, but they shrugged them on nonetheless. They were not so wet and clammy as to impede their movement.
"Mithrandir," said Legolas to that worthy wizard, "are you still resolved on a visit to the Shire? Or have you had enough adventure for the time being? The beds at Imladris are warm and welcoming."
"So too are the beds in Bag End," rejoined the wizard. "Although," he added thoughtfully, "they are considerably shorter than the beds in Elrond's Hall. Still," he went on briskly, "I've endured worse sleeping arrangements than a too-short bed, and I can look forward to several excellent repasts by way of compensation. Bilbo sets a good table! Besides," he added slyly, "visiting the Shire will give me an opportunity to replenish my stock of pipe weed, which has diminished considerably."
Legolas grimaced at the mention of that loathsome leaf, but over the centuries Gandalf had made it perfectly clear that he had no intention of giving up his objectionable habit until he departed for the Undying Lands, where he knew that the weed would not be tolerated.
"Very well, then," Legolas said. "Whilst you head for the Shire, the remainder of the company will make for Fornost and take shelter in its ruins. We will await you there."
"Ah, that's a good rendezvous point. Intriguing place, that old city of Men. You do know that it was once the capital of the Northern Kingdom, don't you?"
"Goodness," exclaimed Legolas. "What do you take me for—an elfling? Of course I know that! Erestor drummed that tidbit of information into my head, along with all sorts of similar nuggets of knowledge. I don't think Erestor ever met a fact that he didn't like."
Gandalf chuckled. Legolas' sketch of Erestor hit the mark with an amusing precision. Still, even a seemingly trivial fact might prove to be of significance at some point.
"It is true," the wizard acknowledged, "that Erestor seems to place an inordinate emphasis upon the memorization of minutiae, but it often the least of things upon which the outcome of great events may depend. Men have a saying, 'For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost; for want of a horse, the rider was lost; for want of a rider, the battle was lost; for want of a battle, the kingdom was lost'."
"From the smallest of beginnings come the greatest of results," said Legolas, smiling slightly at the seriousness of his friend. Gandalf, however, continued on in the same earnest vein.
"Yes. Truly, Legolas, I would not be surprised if the fate of Middle-earth itself should depend upon something quite small, so small that one would be inclined to think it a trifle."
"Indeed," Gandalf murmured to himself as he went off to gather his effects. "Indeed, more and more I am convinced that this will be the case."
Legolas, meanwhile, went off to give the order to mount up. To the dismay of the Elves, however, the horses proved skittish and would not allow themselves to be caught.
"Do you suppose they want us to stay here?" Legolas said to Gilglîr.
"In such an exposed setting? I would be surprised. But apparently they do not like the place we propose to repair to."
"What do you think we should do?"
"I think," said Gilglîr slowly, "that something may not be right at Fornost. If so, it would not be wise for us to approach it from the south, for we would be easily spotted. Let us journey further toward the east, and then head north. Once we are above Fornost, we should leave the horses and traverse the North Downs, taking advantage of the cover that those hills will afford us. If an evil invests the ruins of the ancient city, we may thus be able to take it unawares."
Legolas agreed. He pointed out, however, that they were traveling with two ellith.
"We can't very well leave Caranlass and Edwen Nana by themselves. The thicket is a most insubstantial shelter against both the weather and any foes that might happen upon them. But, if there is danger at Fornost, we may have need of all our warriors."
"True. Edwen Nana and Caranlass should ride with us to the hills. We need part with them only when we conceal the horses. Perhaps we could leave one guard."
"Yes, and it should be Tathar. Everyone would approve choosing him as guard, for no one would want to ask him to leave to another the task of safeguarding his spouse."
Their plans laid, Legolas went to gentle the horses, who were at last willing to allow themselves to be saddled and laden. Indeed, they now seemed quite eager to be off, especially the horse Gandalf had been riding. Gandalf had departed for the Shire on foot, for he did not wish to attract the attention that would result if he rode into Hobbiton astride a great elven horse. His steed had been sulky at having been left, but, now that there was adventure afoot, he had recovered his spirits.
The company rode several miles to the east. Finally Legolas and Gilglîr were convinced that they had gone far enough so that they would not be spied from Fornost as they passed by heading north. The order was given, and they turned north. Everyone—warriors, ellith, and horses alike—was alert, but they saw no sign of danger. They rode north until they were at least ten leagues above Fornost, when they turned west, making for the North Downs.
Once they were in the hills, they continued to ride until they were only five leagues north of the ancient capital. Legolas and Gilglîr then deemed that they had gone as far as they safely could on horseback. From here, they would proceed on foot, and so more stealthily. They looked for a likely glen in which to conceal the horses. Once they found one, Legolas ordered the company to dismount and issued his orders.
"We are going to reconnoiter Fornost and its environs, to make certain that no foes are lurking about. It would not be good for Imladris if enemies established a foothold in these hills. Caranlass and Edwen Nana, you will remain with the horses. Tathar, it is needful that someone remain to guard both the horses and the ellith. This shall be your task."
Ai! Legolas should not have intimated that the ellith needed to be guarded like livestock!
"I beg your pardon," spluttered Edwen Nana, "but I don't remember asking for anyone to guard me."
"But, Edwen Nana," protested Legolas, "you can't be meaning to remain here alone."
"Oh, and who said that I meant to do so? I am going with you."
Legolas was thoroughly flustered now.
"Nana! There may be fighting!"
"May I remind you that I have some experience in that department," the elleth retorted acerbically. "Have you forgotten who it was slew the warg that invaded our cottage? Have you never heard the tale of how I dismembered a score of Orcs that had invaded the Great Hall?"
Now, a 'score' of Orcs may be exaggerating matters somewhat, but it is true that Edwen Nana had proved to be handy with a sword, which she wielded with as much aplomb as if she were dressing a carcass for dinner.
"Oh, very well," Legolas reluctantly conceded. (After all, what choice did he have?) "If you insist, you may accompany the warriors."
"I do," Edwen Nana calmly said.
Legolas turned to Tathar.
"It seems you shall have to guard only the one elleth."
Caranlass, however, had not yet had her say. The younger elleth had always been very independent minded. She had, after all, set her sights on marrying a carpenter instead of a lord, a choice that most young ellith of her station would have eschewed. And this streak of independence had been further encouraged by Edwen Nana, whom the younger elleth had come to admire. In the short time that she had known the older elleth, Caranlass had already become notably bolder in both speech and behavior. Now she was about to prove exactly how much bolder.
"I will go as well," she said firmly.
"Caranlass," exclaimed Tathar, aghast, "you most certainly will not!"
"Excuse me," said Caranlass. "Did I hear you aright? Did you just command me as if I were an elfling?"
"But, but, but, you, you're my wife!"
"And you are my husband," rejoined Caranlass. "What of it?"
This brought Tathar up short. Indeed, what of it? Elven marriage vows included much on the subject of loving and cherishing, but nothing on the subject of obeying. In place of such language, common in the espousal ceremonies of Men, the Eldar spoke much of respect—the wife for the husband, the husband for the wife. On what grounds, then, could Tathar forbid Caranlass from accompanying the warriors?
To dispel the looming marital crisis, Gilglîr hastily intervened.
"You are of course correct, Caranlass: Tathar cannot order you to remain with the horses. However, I believe he speaks only out of concern for your welfare and not to denigrate your right to choose your own path. You must concede that Edwen Nana is not only an experienced fighter but also heavier than you and more muscular. You could hardly wield a sword as she does."
"I was not proposing that I wield a sword," retorted Caranlass. "My weapon is the bow. In my land, the ellith hunt with the ellyn, and I am acknowledged to be a better shot than all but the most experienced of the archers."
So this was why Caranlass' baggage included a bow and a quiver. Seeing them strapped upon her horse, Gilglîr had assumed that they were gifts from Caranlass to Tathar. It had never occurred to him that they were for her own use. Gilglîr looked helplessly at Legolas.
"I think," said the prince, "that if Caranlass can match an elven archer from Mirkwood, then she may indeed accompany the warriors." He drew an arrow from his quiver. "I shall shoot ten arrows into yonder bole. If ten times she can come within a finger's breadth of each of my shafts, then no one can gainsay her rights in this matter."
Tathar smiled happily. Legolas, the paramount archer in all of elvendom, could easily accomplish such a feat, but few others could. Caranlass' safety was assured.
Caranlass went to fetch her bow and quiver. When she returned, Legolas drew back the string and released his first arrow. Caranlass calmly fitted a shaft to the string of her bow, smoothly drew it back, and, hardly seeming to aim, released it. It whirred through the air—and split Legolas' arrow. The onlookers gasped, and with an effort Legolas refrained from gaping at the outcome. He recovered quickly, however.
'After all', he assured himself, 'even an untutored novice will sometimes be lucky in his shooting."
He selected another arrow, nocked his bow, and sent the shaft flying after the first one. Caranlass promptly split this second arrow. There was no gasp this time, but only because the wind had already been knocked out of all the onlookers.
Legolas released a third arrow. This time Caranlass' arrow 'merely' grazed it, but that was enough for Legolas. He stepped back from the target without drawing a fourth arrow.
"I think," said Legolas, respectfully inclining his head toward Caranlass, "I think that additional trials will not be necessary. It is plain that Caranlass possesses more than enough skill at archery to hold her own in battle. Indeed, we would be fools to turn down an offer of aid from one as proficient as she."
Tathar hardly knew how to look. He feared for the safety of his wife, but he could not help but be proud of her skill and poise. Gilglîr clapped him consolingly on the back.
"Don't fret, lad. She took us by surprise; be sure that she will take our foes by surprise as well. By the time they realize that she is a threat, they'll all be dead."
Tathar nodded wordlessly and then went to fetch his own weapons.
Dusk was falling as they finished preparations, but this did not deter them from setting out. Legolas judged that, by traveling during the night, they would reach Fornost by dawn. If they discovered Orcs there, they would be preparing to slumber. If Men, their foes would just be arising. Either way, the Elves would have the advantage of coming upon them when they would be sluggish and ill prepared.
Several scouts moved in advance of the main body of the company. When they were only two miles from Fornost, one of them returned with his report.
"There are indeed foes encamped within the ruins of the city," he reported to Legolas.
"Orcs or Men."
"Half and half."
"A combined force of Orcs and Men?"
"After a fashion, my Lord, but combined in each and every body."
"I do not follow you."
"Each enemy looks to be part Orc, part Man."
Half-goblins. Not good. Such creatures sometimes combined the strength of Orcs with the cleverness of Men.
"How many."
"Two score."
At least their number was manageable.
"How armed?"
"With scimitars."
Better and better. They could bring down some with volleys of arrows before they had to engage in hand-to-hand combat.
Quietly the Elves encircled the enemy encampment. The ruins, which had hitherto shielded the half-goblins, would redound upon them for it now provided cover for their foes.
Tathar was by Legolas' side. Gilglîr had insisted upon it, for he said that otherwise Tathar would be too distracted by concern for Caranlass' safety and therefore might himself fall to a foe. Tathar had protested, but Gilglîr was adamant. Edwen Nana would shepherd the younger elleth, and that was the end of it. Now, nerves taut, Tathar listened alongside Legolas as one by one were given the bird calls that signaled that each small band of Elves had moved into position. Legolas prepared to give the signal to attack. Suddenly, he froze, shocked. Across the way, Caranlass had stumbled into the open. She did not carry her bow, and she peered about helplessly, as if she were lost. Tathar tried to leap to his feet, but Legolas yanked him down and clapped his hand over his mouth. The two peered out from their cover, hoping that at any minute Edwen Nana would leap forward and pull the elleth behind a wall. Instead, a half-goblin lounging against a heap of stones gave a shout and leaped to his feet.
"Hey, boys," he shouted. "We got company!"
Legolas noticed that the half-goblin did not bother to pick up his scimitar when he began to saunter toward Caranlass.
Another half-goblin, similarly unencumbered with weapon, shouted "In't it a purty pointy-ear?" and began to likewise move away from cover.
"Oooooh," Caranlass shrieked, "I am so afraid." Her hands fluttered in the air helplessly.
Now Tathar had to stifle Legolas because he was afraid that the prince would giggle and give the game away. Legolas could hardly have been blamed if he had laughed, however, for Caranlass was putting on such a marvelous impersonation of a weak and vulnerable maiden.
More half-goblins came out into the open. Legolas waited until the lead one was almost to Caranlass and then gave the signal.
The lead half-goblin was the first to fall, brought down by Tathar, who, once he was sure Legolas would not giggle, had kept his bow aimed squarely at that one target.
Perhaps a quarter of the half-goblins died in the first volley. That meant about thirty of their foes remained, but the half-goblins were surrounded and had been thrown into a state of confusion. Even those who had not broken cover had left their weapons as they had peered out to see what all the commotion was about. Legolas was to remember this engagement as one of the easiest of his career as a warrior.
Afterward, he asked Caranlass how many foes she had brought down.
"Ten," she replied archly, "and without expending a single arrow. Match that if you can."
Now Legolas did laugh, both long and hard.
"I know," he later said to Gilglîr, "that I ought to rebuke her because she acted without orders."
"Actually," replied the seneschal, "you would be out of order if you rebuked her."
"How so?"
"You said before Caranlass went off with Edwen Nana that she was to do nothing without the permission of the older elleth. Caranlass suggested the ruse to Edwen Nana, and that elleth gave her leave to act as she would. So, you see, once you deputized Edwen Nana, you laid open the possibility that some such trick would be played."
"I see," said Legolas, chagrined.
"Of course," Gilglîr suggested impishly, "you could rebuke Edwen Nana."
"Oh, I think not," Legolas replied hastily.
While this conversation was taking place, Tathar and Caranlass were having one of their own.
"I have to concede that you and Edwen Nana were very clever," Tathar said, "but it seems rather sneaky to employ such a trick."
"Do not Men say, 'All's fair in love and war'?"
"Hmmph! I hope that doesn't mean that you will be playing tricks on me! I shall know how to requite you."
"Oooooh," Caranlass murmured, "I am so afraid."
Tathar's eyes glinted, and he took her in his arms. Just then he heard Gilglîr shouting for him. Legolas wanted the carpenter to help devise shelters in the ruins more comfortable than those that had been flung up by the half-goblins. Tathar sighed and stepped back.
"Wherever did you get yourself to?" said Legolas when Tathar reappeared.
"I was putting up my sword," grumbled Tathar, "when I was interrupted."
"Well," said Legolas, suddenly noticing Tathar's scabbard, "I am sure that you had time for that. Your sheath is empty."
"Both of them are," growled Tathar.
"Oh," blushed Legolas, suddenly catching Tathar's drift. "I am sorry. Um, if you wish, you may return and finish what, what you were doing."
"Legolas," Tathar explained with as much patience as he could muster, "it's not like a candle that can be lit, blown out, and then rekindled upon command. I can't very well stroll back to Caranlass, knowing that you will be waiting here knowing—oh, never mind!"
At this point both young Elves were suffering from a full elven blush, meaning that the color had spread to the very tips of their pointed ears.
"Well," said Legolas awkwardly, "I suppose we had better get on about the business of devising shelters. We are going to be here a fortnight, and we may as well be comfortable and under cover."
'Yes', Tathar thought to himself as he surveyed the remnants of the ancient capital. 'Yes, I do want to be under cover tonight—substantial cover!' And, having considerable unspent energy after his all-too-brief exchange with Caranlass, you may be certain that he made sure of that.