A/N1: This was a very long chapter and I considered turning it into two chapters but it just wouldn't divide right so I turned into a master swordsman and cut it down to a somewhat respectable size. Hopefully, it will still be an easy read.
A/N2: Language warning.
A/N3: To the new readers who may question the relationship between Elrond and Anayah … Anayah was sent to Imladris by her Grandparents to foster with Lord Elrond and his sons in the hopes that she would be able to experience the love of a family, something she grew up without. Elrond is technically her Uncle but as he told her, after she accidentally called him 'Ada,' (Black Rider) it would be too confusing to call him Uncle since her brother calls him 'Ada,' so he gave her his blessing to call him 'Ada' as well.
A/N4: Tond Galadh (tall tree) is a nickname that Anayah gave to King Thranduil in the first story of this series, Black Rider. She had the sun in her eyes and accidentally walked into Thranduil and because he was so tall, thought she had walked into a tree by mistake - hence the nickname.
A/N5: The term "true" black when used with a horse means that he is fully black. Many horses that are considered to be black look more like "reversed colored bays." Where a bay horse has a reddish brown coat with black nose, legs, mane and tail, the more common black horse has a black coat with dark reddish coloring on his nose.
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"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."
--Steve Prefontaine
Chapter 16
Chicken and Pigs
His recurring dream and his worry about his son had made him hyperaware, his senses fine tuned to the most minute of changes, the possibility of the return of the one he held dear to his heart. So it was that the eyes of the mighty Mirkwood King - and grieving father - popped open when he heard the quiet closing of a bedroom door. Even though he knew that the newcomer was more than likely not his son, he did have hopes that it was the elf who had the best chance of finding him. Throwing back the blanket and sheet that had been covering him, Thranduil rose, put on his robe and after tying it closed with its belt, opened the door of his room and walked quietly down the hall.
Common sense told him that the hour was late and she who he now sought might not appreciate a visitor at this time and understanding temperamental females as he did, understood that he might just lose his royal head. However, he still needed to speak to her, if for no other reason than to give his heart hope and so, with the eagerness of an elfling that could not wait until daylight to open his Solstice gifts, he quietly knocked on the bedroom door.
"Anayah?" He called tentatively.
When he did not receive an answer, he knocked on the door, called to the she-elf again, and was just about to turn away when a hand on his shoulder almost erased the last two millennias of his life and gave him a heart attack in the process. Putting his hand over the heart that still thundered in his chest, the King turned to see Lord Elrond standing at his side with a twinkle of mirth in his eyes.
"Sorry about that, mellon-nín - it was not my intention to frighten you. You received no answer when you knocked?"
The woodland King shook his head, suddenly embarrassed by the fact that someone else had witnessed his impatience.
"No I didn't. I heard the door close so I know she is in there."
Lord Elrond put his hand on the handle of the latch and when he again looked at Thranduil, his eyes were wide and held a look of mock innocence.
"A father has certain prerogatives that he may choose to use if the circumstances warrant it. Now, I don't know what you think Thranduil, but I am quite sure I heard a noise and think we should investigate and make sure that there is nothing about that might disturb my daughter's peace of mind."
When the two elder elves entered the room, they stopped, for Anayah was sitting on the edge of her bed with her head hanging down - fast asleep. Elrond knelt in front of her and after gently tucking the hairs behind her ears that had fallen over her eyes, he quietly called to her.
"Anayah. Daughter, wake up."
The glaze of sleep suddenly left her eyes and she raised her head and reached for her weapons bag that was sitting on the bed beside her.
"I'm not asleep." She said groggily. "I just sat down for a minute before I put my weapons bag in the closet."
Without directly acknowledging either of her visitors, Anayah got up off the bed and walked into her large walk-in closet where she normally stowed her weapons. There were a few moments of silence before she spoke.
"Now why did I come in here? Oh … now I remember … my weapons. Where's my weapons bag?"
After a few more moments of silence during which Lord Elrond caught Thranduil's eye and pointed to the utility bag still sitting on her bed, Anayah started muttering some very colorful and completely unladylike dwarvish curses. Thranduil and Elrond both flinched as they looked at each other.
"That was definitely not Sindarin." The King said.
"It was not Quenya, either." Lord Elrond added.
Before either elf Lord could say anything further, Anayah walked out of the closet, went to her bed, paused a moment, then turned right around and entered the closet one more time. After a few silent moments, she reemerged and after walking to her bed - again - sat down with her head once more hanging down. It was quickly becoming evident to both her father and the King that she was almost asleep on her feet and more than likely did not even realize what she was doing.
"I'll just sit here a minute then I will go put my weapons away."
Thranduil and Elrond waited patiently for Anayah's next move. Finally she managed to lift her head and open her eyes.
"Ok … I'm moving now … Here I go … Moving … I am walking towards my closet … This time I have my weapons bag in my hand … Moving …"
The hilarity of the situation made it extremely difficult for both elder elves to maintain their Lordly dignity and, in fact, Lord Elrond was actually red in the face from trying not to laugh, and Thranduil was not that far behind his friend. The mood of the moment was broken when Rahan and Semoro, the Captain and Second-in-command of her Guards, entered the room. Seeing the elf Lord and Mirkwood King sitting in chairs beside the bed and almost hurting themselves by trying not to laugh outright, they shook their heads.
"My Lords, perhaps another time would be better for a visit for our Commander has not slept in eight days. Please consider waiting until breakfast this morning to talk to her."
Rahan turned to his brother who was kneeling in front of Anayah trying to get her attention.
"Rahan, I don't think she is really awake."
Rahan just shook his head as he turned back to face the two elder elves.
"Why did Anayah not sleep while on this diplomatic mission, Captain? It was supposed to be a simple mediation between chicken farmers and pig farmers."
Rahan sighed and shook his head in exasperation at the memory.
"The pig farmers insisted that they could not talk to Anayah until the pigs had been tended, a task that took until about sundown to accomplish. Then when they did meet with her, they could not focus their minds specifically on their grievance and kept bringing up off topic items - water shortages, the cost of feed, their Grandfather's arthritis - that sort of thing."
He paused as Anayah began to mumble but when she didn't say anything further, he lowered his voice and continued.
"When the two groups finally decided they were willing to talk to each other, they couldn't decide what time of the day to talk to each other. The Chicken farmers insisted on talking during the day because, as they put it, they had to guard their chickens from chicken thieves at night. Now keep in mind that when they are making this remark, the chicken farmers are looking pointedly at the pig farmers and their tactless comment almost starts a fist fight which my elves and I had to break up before it brought a premature end to the negotiations."
He chuckled before he continued.
"Everything finally worked out, the grievances were addressed and as of the time we left, there had been no more threats of personal retribution and no reports of any more chicken or pig thieving."
The Captain looked to where Anayah was sitting with her head leaning against Semoro's shoulder.
"If I may make a small suggestion here, my Lords … it might be for the best if nobody mentions pigs or chickens around Anayah for awhile for they are topics that have a tendency to make her a bit grumpy."
Before either Lord Elrond or King Thranduil could reply, Anayah opened her eyes, raised her head and once more got off the bed and walked into the closet, once more without her weapons bag. The four elves listened to the disembodied mumbling coming from the small room, all of their eyes twinkling in amusement.
"I know I came in here for something. Oh for the love of …. This is the second time that I have forgotten the damn bag!"
Elrond looked at the other elves and held up three fingers, signifying that it was, in fact, the third time. Both Lord and King almost laughed until they saw that both Rahan and Semoro were favoring them with the "look of doom" and immediately assumed more appropriate and "lordly" expressions.
"The poor thing is practically sleep walking and if I am correct in my assessment, the adrenaline she is running on is quickly running out!"
He rose from his chair and walking to the closet, took Anayah by the arm and after guiding her to the bed, helped her lay down and other than mumbling something about pigs and chickens, she did not protest. He turned to look at the big Captain.
"Captain Rahan, if I may be so bold as to ask, what exactly happened on this mission?"
Rahan shook his head and chuckled.
"We all knew that the negotiations were going to prove interesting - especially after the way they started out."
"What happened?" Thranduil inquired as he sat back in his chair and made himself a little more comfortable.
King and Lord looked at Semoro who was laughing so hard, yet trying to do so quietly, that he had tears running down his cheeks. Rahan looked at his brother and raised an eyebrow.
"Well you have to admit that it was kind of funny, Rahan." Semoro gasped out.
Rahan continued.
"When we arrived in the village, the pig farmer together with his prize hog and the chicken farmer with his prized rooster met us so we could all start to get acquainted. Anayah dismounted and was shaking hands with the pig farmer when his hog bites her on the back of her leg."
Rahan again looked at his brother who was now sitting on the floor, holding his sides as he laughed. When the Captain looked at the elf Lord and King Thranduil, he saw that they were both beginning to chuckle as well for they both knew Anayah's temperament and could take a guess at what the rest of the story was going to be like.
"Anyway … we all thought there was going to be a second Battle of Dagorlad right then and there, but before we could even get off of our horses to help, Anayah turns around and grabs the hog's ear and twists it as hard as she can from that angle. The hog squeals and lets go of her leg, backs up a few steps, then opens his mouth and comes at her again. Anayah jumps on the back of this 750-pound hog then bends over and bites down on the thing's ear. That old boar hog starts squealing and running around the area where the group of us were sitting on our horses, with Anayah on its back with her mouth full of that hog's ear - she actually ended up biting a chunk out of it. When she finally jumped off the hog's back, she walks up to this pig farmer who is standing there with his mouth hanging open, spits a couple of times on the ground, and continues with the introduction like nothing happened."
It took a few moments before Elrond, who had almost fallen out of his chair because he was laughing so hard, and Thranduil who had to wipe tears off of his face, finally managed to settle down. Elrond looked at Thranduil and the two burst out laughing again but when the elf Lord saw both Rahan and Semoro looking at him strangely, he decided to tell them what had happened some years before.
"I was tending some wounds Anayah had gotten in a fight with some orcs when I noticed this circular pattern of bruising between her shoulder and neck. When I said, 'These aren't what I think they are, are they?' - she just looks at me and says, 'Well, I guess I deserved it - I bit him first.' She had lost her temper and had bit one of the foul creatures and it had bitten her back! I think I laughed about that one off and on for the rest of the day."
Rahan shivered disgustedly.
"Only Anayah." Semoro said while shaking his head.
"So how did she end the dispute?"
Being a diplomat himself, Thranduil was always interested in new and inventive methods of dealing with difficult situations, but even he wasn't prepared for the Captain's reply to his question.
"Anayah took the prized chicken from one man and the prize boar hog from the other and told the two that she would keep both until the two of them settled their dispute saying that the holding of the bird and the pig would guarantee the good intentions of both parties. She also admonished the two humans not to make her wait too long to hear that they had reached a resolution in the matter.
Then she invited them to come to the Inn where we were staying for dinner the next night and when they both showed up the first thing she did was to ask them if they had settled their differences. When they told her they had not, all she did was look at the two of them and calmly say that she didn't think they would - nothing else - not another word on the matter.
So, when they finally sat down to dinner, Anayah turned to the two and told them that the cook there at the Inn was absolutely the best and had gone 'all out' to prepare a delicious meal for all of them. She picked up this silver serving platter and offered it to the two farmers, saying that they had their choice of two different meats, chicken (she pointed to one side of the platter) or pork (she pointed to the other side of the platter)."
Rahan nudged his giggling brother with his foot and though he did his best, Semoro could not quite quit laughing. Finally Rahan decided it would be for the best if he just ignored his brother altogether and continued with the story.
"So these two farmers are sitting at the dinner table, looking like they were going to burst into tears at any moment when the chicken farmer looked at Anayah and said in this pitiful little voice, 'Where's my prize rooster?" Not to be outdone, the pig farmer who had lost absolutely all the color in his face looked at Anayah with these big eyes and said, 'Where's my prize hog?'
How Anayah could have pulled that thing off with a straight face, I will never understand. She looked at both men with those big innocent eyes of hers and the most cherubic expression I have ever seen - you know the one, Lord Elrond."
"Yes indeed, Captain. I have seen it many times."
"So Anayah looked at the two humans and said, 'Didn't you see them outside?' When the two said that they had not, she just smiled at them and kept on eating. The 'import' of the moment had not quite sunk in yet for they were both still staring at her in shock. Then, without even breaking stride she pushed the meat plate towards the two again - then winked.
I swear that those two humans were on the verge of tears because they thought they were looking at the remains of their 'babies' on that plate. Finally Anayah relented and said, 'No gentlemen, this meat does not come from either your rooster or your hog, but come tomorrow afternoon, if I check and the two of you have not settled your dispute like gentlemen, then I swear on Manwë's beard, that tomorrow night at supper, we will dine on your bird and your pig. (She pointed at each of them in turn.)"
Elrond and Thranduil were both shaking their heads.
"Only Anayah could pull off something that devious."
"Aye, Thranduil. The child does have a devious mind at times - as her brothers have found out on more than one occasion."
The energy of the moment had died down and even Thranduil and Elrond started to feel the lateness of the hour. Rahan took Anayah's boots off and Semoro covered her with her favorite quilt then both big Guards crossed their arms and gave both Lord and King equally stern looks, after which the two finally got the message and left. Then after one final check to make sure that Anayah was comfortable and asleep, Rahan blew out the final candle and left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.
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The next morning, shortly after dawn, there was a light knock on her bedroom door. Anayah had already bathed and dressed and was sitting in a chair with her feet propped up on a footstool, dozing, and quietly groaned in frustration at the interruption of her solitude before she answered.
"Come in."
Thranduil walked into the room, carrying a tray with a teapot and two cups and after setting it down on a nearby table, he poured two cups, handing one to Anayah then pulled up a chair and sat facing her. She remained silent and sipped her tea while staring intently at the King.
"You're trying to make me feel guilty, aren't you?"
"Uh hum. Is it working?"
"Quite well, actually."
He looked at her again and saw the wink and smile and finally relaxed.
"I want to apologize for seeming over eager last night."
"Morning."
"You are right - this morning." He replied sheepishly.
Anayah leaned over and patted his knee.
"That's all right - I slept through most of it although I must tell you that Captain Rahan has already been by and told me about my visitors." There was a twinkle in her eye.
He looked down at his hands, suddenly feeling nervous.
"Would you feel up to a breakfast meeting in two hours?"
She paused only a moment before she answered, for how could she even think about turning down an invitation from a King - especially a worried King whose only son was missing.
"Sure. I wouldn't mind at all. See you there."
Sensing that a tactful retreat would be in his best interest, Thranduil stood and after Anayah had thanked him for the tea quickly left.
After the door had closed, Anayah took a pillow from off the bed then yelled into it so that it could muffle her frustrated cry.
More than halfway down the hall, Thranduil hear the muffled sound and cringed for he had once had a wife and could easily tell the sound of a scream of frustration being muffled by a pillow.
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Two hours later, Anayah bounced onto the breakfast patio full of energy and ready to tackle the challenges of the new day - or so she wanted everyone to think. There were few elves attending the breakfast buffet, however, who did not notice the dark circles under her eyes and knew that the four hours of sleep that she had finally gotten would not be enough to make up for eight days of going without sleep - even for an elf.
After greeting everybody at the table, Anayah fixed herself a small plate of fruit but on her way back to the table, Semoro "accidentally" stepped in front of her and when she stopped, Rahan put two pieces of toast and honey on her plate while Súrion added some eggs. After glaring at her Guards, which they all ignored, everyone sat down and began eating.
Even though she tried to pay attention, her eyes kept trying to close; all the voices of the elves started blending together into one cacophony of sound and twice her cheek almost slipped off her hand. But, when her father tactfully suggested they postpone their meeting until Anayah had rested a bit more, she opened her eyes as wide as she could and tried to convince everyone that she was perfectly rested because she had gotten so much sleep the night before.
Finally, after she had eaten her breakfast and had finished off her fourth cup of tea, she was awake enough to finally be able to give the proceedings her full attention. She listened attentively as Thranduil told of the message Legolas had sent to him as well as his recurring dream. The King then introduced the Lieutenant of Legolas's archers, a young elf by the name of Tilion, who could give her more detailed information about the conversation between Legolas and the strange human the Prince had left with. Unfortunately, when the young elf rose, he managed to knock over both Anayah's and Rahan's beverage glass and so the conversation was postponed for a few moments while the mess was cleaned up and the blushing young elf was reassured that he had done nothing wrong.
After everything had calmed down a bit, Anayah asked the young elf if his Prince had mentioned or alluded to the possibility that he might go somewhere else before he went to the village. When Tilion answered no, Anayah knew that she would have to start her search in Hope.
Their conversation was interrupted when the Stable Master walked up to Anayah and whispered in her ear that they had arrived. Everyone saw her eyes light up and she jumped up from the table and after making her excuses, started to follow the elf out. When her four Guards started to rise and follow her, she looked at them with a twinkle in her eye and told them to wait for her and that she would be back in 15 minutes.
True to her word, 15 minutes later she reappeared at the breakfast table with a smile on her face and asked the Guards to step out to the courtyard. She then extended an invitation to the rest of the diners at the table to come with them as well.
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When the four Guards finally reached the bottom steps, Anayah was practically bouncing with excitement. She gave a piercing whistle, which caused most of the elves present to cover their ears and shortly thereafter, her stallion, Elias, trotted into the courtyard from the direction of the stables followed by four grooms leading four "true" black horses.
When they reached the courtyard, the grooms unsnapped the lead ropes off the halters and the four horses walked forward until each was standing in front of one of the Guards. When the four elves looked to Anayah for an explanation, she gave it.
"The horses choose their riders and in that way the personalities of elf and horse match and there is a better chance that there will be a bonding between horse and rider. Rahan, your stallion is Loki, Semoro, your stallion is Orë, Saeros, your mare is Yavië and Súrion, your mare is named Gaya. These are horses of the Rohirrim and, I am assured, are the strongest and fastest that they had."
Elias nickered and butted Anayah with his head and she turned to the stallion.
"I'm getting to that so just be patient! Geeze!"
She kissed the big stallion on the end of his nose then turned to the Guards once more.
"I got tired of looking at your horses in the dark and "seeing" them - not such a great thing to do while on a covert mission guys - so I traded stud service …"
She was interrupted when Elias butted her with his head again.
"Ok Elias … Geeze! As I was saying, Lord Elias here, traded stud service to Rohan for these four beauties. So … no more trying to be stealthy with horses you can see in the dark! And in case you were wondering, the pecking order has already been worked out so we will not have to worry about the three stallions fighting. So … enjoy!"
Everyone was admiring the four horses when the sound of approaching riders reached their ears and soon after the hoof beats had first been heard, two matching white horses galloped through the gates of Imladris carrying riders who were as identical to each other as were their horses.
The twins had come home.
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Her four Guards had taken their new horses out for a ride and while they were gone, Anayah had decided to take a walk in the beautiful and peaceful gardens of her home. The whole situation had her deeply troubled for even though her brother and the Mirkwood Prince had a reputation for disappearing without telling anybody where they were going, she didn't feel that this story was quite the same. This time both Legolas and Aragorn had taken pains to tell their fathers of their plans and had both made contingency plans in case either of them did not contact their fathers within a certain time frame. She was getting a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach and it was a feeling that was really beginning to bother her.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the light sound of approaching footsteps which caused her to smile for she recognized the footsteps as belonging to one particular Mirkwood King and very worried father.
"Tond Galadh, your footsteps betray your heart." She turned and smiled at the King.
"That boy is going to give me my first grey hair, Anayah."
Taking the King's arm, the two began to slowly make their way along the well manicured paths of the garden. When some moments of silence had passed, Anayah spoke to the tall Sindar Lord walking at her side.
"I will find him, my Lord, I hope you know this, and I also hope your heart knows this as well."
The King patted the hand on his arm.
"I know this Anayah for whenever my son goes missing I trust two beings to find him - your brother and you."
She stopped at a bench and after she sat, patted the seat next to her and after the Mirkwood King had taken a seat beside her he spent a few moments just looking down at his hands. Anayah frowned.
"What is troubling you, my Lord?"
When the King finally looked at her, his eyes were full of unshed tears.
"I think it is the helpless feeling that is troubling me the most as well as the emotions that feeling is stirring in my heart because I know my son needs me and I also know there is nothing that I can do except to petition your assistance. A King is not supposed to appear weak or troubled for how can those he governs have faith in a King who becomes overwrought just because he has a bad dream and has not heard from his son for a time?"
Anayah made a rude noise and Thranduil couldn't help himself and smiled. After giving the King's arm a squeeze and briefly leaning her head against his shoulder, she answered his question.
"Believe it or not my Lord, it is such empathy that makes you strong for it is a true emotion and proves that you care for those you govern as living beings and not just as beings that you can command - you can command a dog but can only lead and guide people. Your people see this and what could be a kingdom ruled by an iron fist becomes a home for a people who follow their King not only out of respect but out of love as well. Your rule has lasted for over 3,000 years, King Thranduil - you must be doing something right. I have already sent my falcon out to see what he can find and since Shakir is fast I think we will probably be back with some kind of an answer in a couple of days. I will find Legolas and will bring him home to you - on that you have my vow."
Thranduil wiped a stray tear off his cheek.
"Thank you, Anayah. If there is ever anything I can do for you, you have but to ask." He smiled at her.
Anayah playfully punched him in his arm.
"We are old friends, my Lord … well in our case I guess old only applies to you … but you know what I mean."
The King laughed and hugged her before she continued.
"Anyway, friends do not do things for friends and then request payment. I only ask that you do not give up hope."
As the two rose and began walking back to the Last Homely House, Anayah looked up at the tall Lord.
"Have you grown since I last saw you?"
Thranduil's baritone laughter filled the gardens as the two continued their walk.
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Two days later…
When Anayah walked through the doors of the house, she was immediately attacked by identical elves who hugged her then kissed the top of her head - a running joke that was in direct reference to her height … or lack thereof. She pushed them both away from her then made a show of smoothing down her ruffled hair while mock glaring at the two. Together the three made their way out onto the patio for afternoon tea and had almost made it all the way without incident until Elladan started imitating a rooster and Elrohir started imitating a pig. Elrond, who was already enjoying his tea - and peacefully at that - was jerked out of his tranquility by the sound of twin howls of pain. When his children finally stepped out into the sunlight, two of them had a decided limp and the third was wearing her famous cherubic smile.
After being joined by King Thranduil and Tilion, Elurin brought a tray loaded with sandwiches, pastries and beverages after which everyone applied themselves diligently to their light meal. The twins were regaling everyone with the latest news of Lórien and telling how Arwen had gotten them both in trouble with Haldir by telling the March Warden that it was the twins that had put the eggs in his boots and not some bird that had mistaken his boots for its nest during the night while the elf was sleeping as the twins had suggested.
Trying not to smile at the thought of the expression on Haldir's face when he put on his boots in the morning, Elrond finally gained control of himself and informed the twins that their Grandmother had already sent word to him regarding their unlordly-like conduct. What the elf Lord failed to tell his sons were the last three words of Galadriel's message … "It was hilarious," she had written.
The family's conversation was interrupted by the sound of a loud and discordant screech and when every elf on the patio looked skyward, they saw a large black falcon "coming in for a landing," as Elladan described it. Shakir had come home and for some reason the bird was not happy. After he had finally landed on the railing of the patio, Anayah rose from her chair, ran to her friend and after stroking his head to calm him, looked into his eyes and asked him what had happened to anger him.
The falcon told his Lady that he had found the village but it had been deserted although he sensed that both the human, as he called Aragorn, and the elf had been there at some point. He told her that he had begun his trip home when humans had seen him and had shot at him.
Alarmed at the news, and guessing that the humans who had shot at Shakir were probably slavers, Anayah checked the falcon over carefully and found the grazing wound of an arrow. Though it was not a serious wound, it would need to be tended and would also mean that the bird would not be able to accompany her Guards and herself on their mission.
Shakir cheeped and looked over her shoulder and when she turned, saw her father standing at her shoulder already wearing the falconing glove on his arm.
"Let me tend him, Anayah."
"Thank you Ada."
She turned, then ran from the patio in search of her Guards.
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She found her Captain down on the archery field instructing some younger warriors. The big elf turned as he heard her call his name.
"Rahan, Shakir just returned and though he found the village, he didn't see either Estel or Legolas. I'm not getting a good feeling about this one so I think we had better leave as soon as we can. I want to leave in two hours so go round up the others and meet me in the courtyard."
With a nod to his Commander, Rahan dismissed the young warriors and ran towards the warriors' barracks.
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Anayah was in her room packing clothes, weapons and medical supplies when there was a perfunctory knock on the door and both twins came in and plopped themselves down on her large bed then bounced for a few moments before they began talking. Though to some it may have appeared that the two were acting somewhat immaturely, Anayah sensed that her brothers had come for a specific reason and because they were nervous, were hiding it by … acting like immature elflings. She just smiled indulgently at the two and waited for them to speak. After a few moments and a few false starts, Elladan spoke what was on the minds of both he and his twin.
"Anayah, we want to go and even though you rarely take anybody with you and your Guards when you go on a specific mission I think you should consider taking us. Estel is our brother too and Legolas has been our friend since we all both elflings and that should count for something. We know that when those two get together they always get in trouble and they are probably in trouble now and we want to help."
The eldest twin looked at Anayah who was standing motionless, a folded tunic in one hand and looking at the two of them with an unreadable expression on her face.
"Well?" He asked hopefully.
She finally unfroze and answered her brother.
"Well, I didn't realize until this moment that there was anyone else on Middle Earth who could talk as fast as me."
She saw the hopeful expressions on the faces of both twins then shook her head and smiled.
"I was already going to ask the two of you to come because I know how you both feel about Estel and Legolas. There is one question that I must, in all seriousness, ask you, and that is, when the time comes, can you two take orders from me and carry them out without question or hesitation? When we play, kid around or cut up, we do it with flair but when it comes time to work, I will expect the same level of commitment from you two that I do from my Guards and myself. Can you do this?"
Elladan and Elrohir both rose from where they were sitting on the bed and executed elegant bows.
"We are yours to command, my Lady."
Anayah made a rude noise.
"You two are so full of it. Go. Pack your things and meet us out front … in another hour."
Both elves ran from the room.
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When Anayah exited the Last Homely house and walked to where the horses were standing. She touched foreheads with the twins then all three mounted and joined the four waiting Guards. All seven elves then turned to where her father, King Thranduil, Elurin and the elf called Tilion were standing, waiting to say goodbye and wish them well. After receiving her father's blessing for a safe journey and a successful mission, Anayah pulled on her riding gloves then, after touching gloves with her Guards, the seven galloped through the gates of the courtyard and soon disappeared from sight.
TBC
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kukumalu: I hope you keep enjoying the story. Thanks for the review.