Disclaimer: Well, I think as we all know at this point I own none of this.

Well, here it is chapter 18 and now that debate/forensics is done and it's summer I should be able to promise weekly updates so check back every Thursday for another exciting adventure of Gimli, Legolas, Irana, and of course Nodin!

--------------------------

The elf's eyes widened as he saw the bright fires surrounding the small town. He did not doubt that they were the fires of enemies. It seemed the enemy which had pursued them from the slopes of the mountain did not give up easily and was not as quickly vanquished as might be imagined.

Legolas moved to lay the child upon the bed, but paused, remembering the words of a dying Uruk upon the plains of Rhohan. It seemed the plan that had come from the lips of the mad was not so insubstantial after all.

He looked back at the bright flames attempting to ascertain the size of the force arrayed against them, but it was too vast even for the eyes of the elves. He shifted his hold on the child, pushing open the door and stepping into the hall.

The shadows were thicker in the hall than was normal. Legolas paused, glancing about him. It was strange that none of the torches would be burning... He turned just in time to see the heavy wooden club swinging towards his head.

Legolas lunged to one side, clutching Nodin, catching the blow on his side. He set the infant on one of the benches that lined the hall, turning to face his attacker. Legolas looked closely at the face concealed by a mask of cloth. The man smiled and gestured to the elf that he was ready.

"Come," the man whispered in a voice to soft to reveal his identity, "Let us test elven steel against that of men."

Legolas' blades rasped as he pulled them from their sheaths. For a moment he felt a pang of regret that he had removed his sword, leaving it to hang in his room during his night long vigil.

The man must have seen his thoughts in his eyes, as he spoke, "Do not fear elf, I too am without a sword, but let that not impede our battle. I have long sought such a fight. Such a pity elves are so hard to find. I have wanted for some time to prove myself against your race."

Legolas did not speak, not desiring to converse with the man who stood before him. Something about the man disturbed him deeply. He kept himself between the man and child. His side ached where he had taken the hit from the club.

The man came at him with a yell, his own daggers flashing in the dim light of the torches. Legolas stepped forward to meet him, trapping the man's blades with his own, forcing them up and away. The man strained, heaving with all his strength, using their meshed blades to push the elf back.

Legolas stumbled back, catching himself in time to intercept another attack as the man's dagger flashed for his throat, the other going low in at attempt to injure the elf.

Legolas twisted the blade away from his face, forcing it back upon its owner and scoring a cut on the man's face. The man broke away, touching the bloody gash with one hand, taking a few breaths. He looked at the blood, and smiled.

"Well done elf, but not enough, and I shall make you pay for what you've done." He swung forward, his blade diving low, but as Legolas moved to intercept it he came up again, his hilt striking the surprised elf in the face.

Legolas gasped, but kept a steady grip on his own weapons, bringing them up in time to prevent a blow that surely would have taken his life. He caught one of his opponent's daggers, trapping it against his side and bringing own weapon to bear, and scoring another hit on the man's face, to match the one had already given him.

Rather than deter him though the wound seemed only to enrage the man further. As he ran at the elf something within him snapped. He struck the elf's defenses again and again with a might that would have seemed impossible. He fought with strength greater than his own, a strength born of desperation though what its caused may be Legolas could not guess.

The man yelled something unintelligible, his eyes wild as he forced Legolas back step after step, until his legs were against the bench upon which he had set Nodin. Sweat ran on his face, mingling with the blood from the blow dealt by the man's dagger hilt. The child's cries mingled with the clash of steal.

There was a sound at the end of the hall, distracting Legolas. The man however heaved again, knocking the elf back, this time into one of the scones that held the guttering torches.

Legolas struggled to hold on to consciousness, but darkness closed about him as pain washed through his head, the last thing he saw as the shadows closed in was the man standing above him, naked steel gleaming in the weak torchlight.

The man stood dagger poised to take the life of the elf lying before him, but another sound made him turn. The Lady Marja stood at the end of the hall, her hands folded before her demurely, but hatred blazed in her eyes.

In one hand she clutched a small dagger, "I will not let you do this."

The man pulled the mask from his face revealing himself as her husband, "You cannot stop this, anymore then you can stop the sun from setting." He snarled as he threw the dagger he held. Marja threw herself out of its path, but when she regained her feet he had taken the infant and fled.

Lord Kent, Master of the Hall ran through the shadowy ways into the night, clutching the infant to him. He kept his thoughts from what fate it faced. That was not his concern or responsibility.

Above them the moon rose, bathing the plains in a pale watery light, but doing nothing to reveal the dark cloaked man, as he saddled the horse he had left tethered on the edge of his home. He swung into the saddle holding the babe close.

The small child wailed as the horse broke into a canter. The Lord smiled down at the baby boy, "Fear not young one, you will not be harmed, Virag has great plans for you. It is you who will bequeath the earth to the children of men. You will be the instrument of the dawn of a new time." They galloped by the groups of Uruk-hai clustered around small fires and through the empty plains, still and quiet, as if waiting to see the path this world would take.