Chapter 9

Mithrandir's Strategy

Elrond was hesitant, as he stepped off of the boat and onto the deck... Celebrian was at his side, looking out over the harbor... A harbor that she had not laid eyes on for many, many years.

Elrond sighed dejectedly. "I don't know how you persuaded me to set foot on that ship..." he said to his wife as they continued to walk away from the ship, and onto the soil of Middle-Earth once again.

Celebrian laid her head against his shoulder briefly saying, "Your sons are still here though, meleth nin. Elladan and Elrohir oversee your kingdom now."

"Aye. That they do... Loth am I to think of the state of it now."

She laughed lightly, kissing his cheek. "Little faith do you have in our sons?"

"Little faith do I have in sons who tormented me with every prank and jest possible, even when they were past two-thousand years. And what's more, they are not here! Late! They said they would be awaiting our arrival."

"Perhaps we merely wanted to make a surprise entrance?" whispered a voice close to Elrond's ear.

He almost jumped, and whirled around to see his twin sons grinning with feigned evil.

Then, the two recognized who was holding father's arm...

"ATARA!" they cried in unison, embracing her so tightly, that Elrond feared they had severed her spine.

"Heel you heathens!" he said, attempting to pry Elrohir from Celebrian, who was laughing and kissing her sons' forhead.

"Let them be! They haven't seen me in a few thousand years, can you forgive them?" Celebrian said, as she was finally released.

Estellia timidly peered around her father's legs, wondering what all the commotion was. Legolas saw the curiosity in his daughter's eyes, and lifted her up into his arms. "Ada!" she protested.

"Calm down, estel nin, they are only your uncles." (my hope) Legolas reassured.

Elrohir saw the approaching prince, and beckoned him closer. "Well now, if it isn't the Prince of Eryn Lasgalen." he said with a smile, embracing him. "And who might this penneth be?" (little one) he inquired, trying to get a look at the little elfling.

"Elrohir, Elladan, may I introduce you to my daughter, Estellia." Legolas said. Estellia eyes the two warily.

Elladan saw the look in her eyes, and laughed. "So cautious... Just like her dear mother. Speaking of which..." He quickly retreated to his horse's saddle bags, and returned holding something behind his back. "I have a present for my little niece."

Estellia's eyes seemed to brighten. "You needn't trouble yourself over me, my lord." she said politely, still nestled against her father.

Elrohir eyed her closely. "Legolas! What have you done to the poor girl! She has better manners than Arwen had at that age! Good Valar... Elladan, it looks like we have to teach this girl how to be an elfling!"

"Aye, it does. She hasn't been spoilt enough. It almost hurts my ears to hear such proper grammar." Elladan said with a smirk. "And I shall start by doting upon my sister's daughter." he revealed what he was hiding behind his back. It was a perfect porcelain doll dressed in elvish clothes of pinks and golds. He pressed it to her, and she curled her arm around it, holding it as if it were the most precious thing she'd ever seen. "It was your mother's when she was just about your age. I thought she'd want you to have it. As a matter of fact, when you come with us to Rivendell, you can use anything that is in her old room."

"Diolla lle, uncle." Estellia said shyly, clinging to the doll even more the tighter, when she heard it was her mother's. (thank you)

"Lle creoso, penneth." (you're welcome, little one) he answered, placing a light kiss on his niece's forehead. "Now, Estellia. Will you go over by the horses with your grandmother Celebrian? I'm sure she could tell you some funny stories about my brother while us adults talk."

"Hey!" Elrohir retorted.

Estellia looked up at her father. "You're sending me to Rivendell? Alone?"

"Nay, not alone. You'll be going with your grandmothers." Gandalf interjected, pulling on a dark gray cloak that would cover his white clothes.

"But ada - I don't want you to leave." she protested little tears forming in her azure eyes. "What is something bad happens to you?"

Legolas smiled. "You sound just like your mother."

"And was she ever right?" she asked, rubbing her eyes of stray tears.

Legolas frowned, as though in thought. "Well... Sometimes."

Celebrian took Estellia from Legolas's arms, beginning a long tale about when Elladan had put beetles and honey in Elrond's boots. Her glazed blue eyes stared at her father as Celebrian walked over to the horses with Galadriel.

Legolas turned back to the others, looking worried. "I hate that look of hers. She always makes me feel guilty."

"Aye, she does. But she'll be safer in Rivendell than in Minas Tirith." said Elrohir. "There are still at least some elves that haven't left Middle-Earth yet. She is our kin, and we will protect her."

Elladan cleared his throat loudly. "Now... Adar's letters were very vague as to what is happening here."

Elrond nodded. "They were. But before I explain, tell us of the conflicts brewing in this land."

"Eldarion is quite old now, but he has Aragorn's strength and cunning in his blood. He knows what he's doing in this war. I can only venture a guess that you know who he's fighting against?"

Thranduil nodded gravely. "The Witch Arya..." he spat, "What news of her army? Where do they advance from?"

"At the moment, no more than twenty-thousand uruks are in her ranks. But she has a few tricks up her sleeves. Her Easterling commanders trained them better than she could. One of her generals is actually a mortal female. She's the one who causes most of the casualties."

"Valar... That can't be Tari, could it?" Elrond asked, exchanging significant looks with Legolas.

Elrohir and Elladan exchanged confused looks. "That's where you lost us in the letters. What is this about our sister? Adar, I thought you said she had-"

"Passed, yes, she has. But all elves are granted the choice of either to remain in Mandos or be reborn in another body. We can only assume that Tari was born into this world again as a child of a slave in Durthang. Arya said that she's already twenty, so she isn't exactly weak." Legolas said, as they walked over to the awaiting horses. Estellia was seated in front of Galadriel on a tall dapple-gray mare.

"Perhaps we needn't even approach Durthang..." whispered Mithrandir quietly.

Legolas turned to him. "Mani?" (What?)

"If we can engage her and a few of her troops in battle, then we needn't even go to Durthang."

Legolas nodded slowly, mounting his fiery gray stallion. "Aye, that does sound safer. But how can we do that? Would not Arya suspect something like this?"

Thranduil shook his head. "Nay. She is probably to preoccupied with her little war to think about it."

"And what happens when we do meet her in battle?" asked Legolas, watching Galadriel and Estellia ahead of him.

"We have to subdue her. It won't be easy. As Arya said; she's known evil her whole life." said Thranduil.

His son nodded slowly, his eyes fixed upon his hands holding the reins. "Do you think she'll remember me?" he asked.

Elrond shook his head. "No. If she hasn't run away from Arya yet, then she doesn't even know you exist."

That wasn't exactly heartening to the elven prince. It appeared to him, that she would have to learn to love him all over again... That is, if she didn't kill him first.

"Galadriel and Celebrian will make for Rivendell with a few of our guards. They'll be safe there. In the mean time, we're going to Ithilien." said Gandalf, spurring his horse forward into a gallop, the others following close behind.

To answer oliverlover's question ('What does Legolas feel when he finds out Tari is in Middle-Earth?'). Well, what is the word for when you feel sad, relived, scared, and angry (at Arya, not Tari) all at the same time? When somebody finds out, tell me. That's gotta' be one awesome adjective. The closest thing I can come up with is 'overwhelmed'. He'd feel sad, because he wasn't sure whether or not he could return to Middle-Earth. Relieved, because he knows that she isn't gone forever. Scared, for her safety. And angry, that she is in Arya's keeping.

Review!

P.S A little warning. I am going to be going up to the U.P. of Michigan for about a week or so, starting on the eighth of July. I do not know whether or not I will be able to update, so I'll be sure to post some before I leave. : )