PART 6
As the Company of Elessar stepped out of the palace, Arwen, who had been holding back, suddenly ran up to Aragorn in tears.
"You can't leave me again. Not again, Aragorn."
Aragorn gently stroked her hair and kissed her tears. "My help is needed, love. You of all people should understand that Middle-earth needs strong defenses. You promised me you'd never hinder me in doing my duty."
Arwen blinked back the tears hovering on the edge of her dark eyes. "I know. I remember. I just . . . I can't bear it if . . ."
Aragorn took her hand and pressed it to his lips. "I will return. That I promise you."
Elrond looked upset. "Arwen, you must let us go. We must be on our way!" He ran a hand through his hair and mounted his horse. "I would like to reach the Gap of Rohan by tomorrow, if possible. Isengard is no longer a threat, so we should be able to pass by with no problems."
Aragorn held Arwen for a second longer, then turned and mounted his tall black stallion. The rest of the Company followed, except for Gimli, who remained stubbornly on the ground.
"I will not mount any horse. I thought I made that clear the last time we went on something like this! Dwarves walk!"
"Gimli . . . " Elrond looked at him helplessly. "You will slow us down, Master Dwarf!" The two glared at each other fiercely.
Legolas moved his horse to where Gimli stood. "Come on, Gimli, you did not mind riding on Arod last time. Come, you can ride behind me again and Arod will speed us to Rohan, for you know, that is his home."
Gimli looked at Legolas in grim amusement. "Do not try to pacify me, Legolas. I will never forget riding on that infernal beast of yours, trying my best to stay on and not lose a limb tumbling off!"
Legolas hated to beg, but Elrond and now Gandalf were beginning to get very impatient. "Please, Gimli?"
Gimli grumbled. "All right! I am sure I don't know how you manage to convince me . . ."
He was lifted by Elrohir and Elladan up behind Legolas. Elladan grinned at them both. "There, Master Dwarf. Let's be on our way, shall we?" He turned to mount, but was stopped by a very tearful, upset Firgoniel. After reassuring her again that he would return, he mounted and the Company left admidst cheers and well-wishes.
Gandalf, on Shadowfax, rode ahead, his palantir glowing greenly in the sunshine. "We're finally on our way! The palantir has advised that we take the Gap of Rohan on our way to Mordor. Zycrah has sent orcs to surround Isengard, but she has grossly underestimated our abilities. She does not know that I have prepared us for this journey."
Elrond, on his horse, Asfaloth, smiled. "At this rate, we should make Caradhras before nightfall!"
Gimli, behind Legolas, groaned. "Not bloody Caradhras again! I remember our journey up there! Avalanches! Cold! Snow! I'm not like you Elves. I can't run over snow like it's regular ground!"
"Well, Gimli, you don't have to come . . ." said Aragorn, exasperated. "But Caradhras is our fastest route to Rohan and if Mithrandir wants to go that way, then we will go! I am ordering you!" He drew himself up on his horse and glared down at the Dwarf.
"All right, all right, Aragorn. No need to get all royal on me. I will go where Gandalf says." Gimli glared at him under his heavy brows and beard. "A Dwarf does not hinder important progress!"
The other six members of the Company, including Legolas, all turned and snorted.
*******
They reached Caradhras as the sun went down over the mountains. Gandalf stopped at the base, in a grove of trees. "We will stop here for the night. Caradhras is a dangerous mountain at the best of times and I would not dare to attempt it in darkness, not even by the light of the moon."
"That is wise, Mithrandir." Elrond leapt nimbly off of Asfaloth and set him loose. He spoke a few words in Elvish and the horse nuzzled him and galloped off. Legolas slid off his horse with a sigh and lifted Gimli down. He turned Arod loose and set to work collecting dead branches.
Gandalf whispered to Shadowfax, no doubt asking him to look after the horses and to protect themselves against the wolves that still patrolled around the base of the mountains. Shadowfax whinnied in reply and ran after the rest of the horses.
The Company was tired from a day of hard riding, but they built a fire and ate some lembas, the travelbread so loved by all the Elves, then arranged the watches.
"Legolas, you're up first. When the moon reaches halfway through its path, Elrohir will take over until it has completed two-thirds of its journey, then Aragorn will watch until sunrise." Gandalf declared. "The rest, make camp. We have to cross Caradhras tomorrow, and that will be no easy feat."
Legolas bade them all goodnight and sat by the fire as the rest rolled themselves in their blankets to sleep. He was nostalgic, because this reminded him of the Great War of the Ring, when the hobbits had been with them. He missed their cheerfulness and strength. He wished they were with this Company now. But they deserved their rest; the last quest had taken a lot out of them all. Gentle hobbits were not meant for war.
Legolas tensed, hearing something in the distance. The long howl of a wolf, followed by many others, reached his ears. They were still extremely far off, but were coming closer. Legolas went over and shook Aragorn awake.
"What is it, Legolas?" Aragorn yawned, but reached for Anduril and got up, pulling his cloak close around him. He stood up.
"Wolves, Aragorn. Coming closer." As Legolas said this, a howl, startlingly near, startled them both.
Aragorn unsheathed his sword. "Wake the others."
Soon they were all on their feet, weapons drawn. Gandalf passed his hand over his staff and murmured something in the Old Tongue. Each tiny elessar set in the Company's weapons began to glow with an unearthly green light.
Gandalf looked up. "We are ready. The wolves are some of Zycrah's creatures. They are fierce, but we are fiercer."
The first wolf burst into camp a moment later, his teeth glittering in the magickal light. The wolf was three times the size of a regular wolf, and had yellow eyes that gleamed ferally. Legolas strung his bow and let an arrow fly. It hit its mark perfectly and the wolf fell.
There was silence for a long moment. They waited.
Out of the mountains burst twelve wolves, each one growling and barking angrily. The Company went into action, cutting them down and shooting them through the eyes. Soon there were eleven carcasses, lying crumpled on the grass. The twelfth wolf knew when he was beaten. Growling one last time, he turned and ran back in the direction he came from. Elrohir shot an arrow after him for good measure.
By this time, it was Elrohir's turn to watch. He asked Elladan if he would watch with him and the two archers sat by the fire. Legolas wrapped himself in his cloak and closed his eyes wearily. He would have given anything to be home.
The night wore on and some of the Company slept. The ones that watched were left with their own thoughts and fears of the enemy to face.
As the Company of Elessar stepped out of the palace, Arwen, who had been holding back, suddenly ran up to Aragorn in tears.
"You can't leave me again. Not again, Aragorn."
Aragorn gently stroked her hair and kissed her tears. "My help is needed, love. You of all people should understand that Middle-earth needs strong defenses. You promised me you'd never hinder me in doing my duty."
Arwen blinked back the tears hovering on the edge of her dark eyes. "I know. I remember. I just . . . I can't bear it if . . ."
Aragorn took her hand and pressed it to his lips. "I will return. That I promise you."
Elrond looked upset. "Arwen, you must let us go. We must be on our way!" He ran a hand through his hair and mounted his horse. "I would like to reach the Gap of Rohan by tomorrow, if possible. Isengard is no longer a threat, so we should be able to pass by with no problems."
Aragorn held Arwen for a second longer, then turned and mounted his tall black stallion. The rest of the Company followed, except for Gimli, who remained stubbornly on the ground.
"I will not mount any horse. I thought I made that clear the last time we went on something like this! Dwarves walk!"
"Gimli . . . " Elrond looked at him helplessly. "You will slow us down, Master Dwarf!" The two glared at each other fiercely.
Legolas moved his horse to where Gimli stood. "Come on, Gimli, you did not mind riding on Arod last time. Come, you can ride behind me again and Arod will speed us to Rohan, for you know, that is his home."
Gimli looked at Legolas in grim amusement. "Do not try to pacify me, Legolas. I will never forget riding on that infernal beast of yours, trying my best to stay on and not lose a limb tumbling off!"
Legolas hated to beg, but Elrond and now Gandalf were beginning to get very impatient. "Please, Gimli?"
Gimli grumbled. "All right! I am sure I don't know how you manage to convince me . . ."
He was lifted by Elrohir and Elladan up behind Legolas. Elladan grinned at them both. "There, Master Dwarf. Let's be on our way, shall we?" He turned to mount, but was stopped by a very tearful, upset Firgoniel. After reassuring her again that he would return, he mounted and the Company left admidst cheers and well-wishes.
Gandalf, on Shadowfax, rode ahead, his palantir glowing greenly in the sunshine. "We're finally on our way! The palantir has advised that we take the Gap of Rohan on our way to Mordor. Zycrah has sent orcs to surround Isengard, but she has grossly underestimated our abilities. She does not know that I have prepared us for this journey."
Elrond, on his horse, Asfaloth, smiled. "At this rate, we should make Caradhras before nightfall!"
Gimli, behind Legolas, groaned. "Not bloody Caradhras again! I remember our journey up there! Avalanches! Cold! Snow! I'm not like you Elves. I can't run over snow like it's regular ground!"
"Well, Gimli, you don't have to come . . ." said Aragorn, exasperated. "But Caradhras is our fastest route to Rohan and if Mithrandir wants to go that way, then we will go! I am ordering you!" He drew himself up on his horse and glared down at the Dwarf.
"All right, all right, Aragorn. No need to get all royal on me. I will go where Gandalf says." Gimli glared at him under his heavy brows and beard. "A Dwarf does not hinder important progress!"
The other six members of the Company, including Legolas, all turned and snorted.
*******
They reached Caradhras as the sun went down over the mountains. Gandalf stopped at the base, in a grove of trees. "We will stop here for the night. Caradhras is a dangerous mountain at the best of times and I would not dare to attempt it in darkness, not even by the light of the moon."
"That is wise, Mithrandir." Elrond leapt nimbly off of Asfaloth and set him loose. He spoke a few words in Elvish and the horse nuzzled him and galloped off. Legolas slid off his horse with a sigh and lifted Gimli down. He turned Arod loose and set to work collecting dead branches.
Gandalf whispered to Shadowfax, no doubt asking him to look after the horses and to protect themselves against the wolves that still patrolled around the base of the mountains. Shadowfax whinnied in reply and ran after the rest of the horses.
The Company was tired from a day of hard riding, but they built a fire and ate some lembas, the travelbread so loved by all the Elves, then arranged the watches.
"Legolas, you're up first. When the moon reaches halfway through its path, Elrohir will take over until it has completed two-thirds of its journey, then Aragorn will watch until sunrise." Gandalf declared. "The rest, make camp. We have to cross Caradhras tomorrow, and that will be no easy feat."
Legolas bade them all goodnight and sat by the fire as the rest rolled themselves in their blankets to sleep. He was nostalgic, because this reminded him of the Great War of the Ring, when the hobbits had been with them. He missed their cheerfulness and strength. He wished they were with this Company now. But they deserved their rest; the last quest had taken a lot out of them all. Gentle hobbits were not meant for war.
Legolas tensed, hearing something in the distance. The long howl of a wolf, followed by many others, reached his ears. They were still extremely far off, but were coming closer. Legolas went over and shook Aragorn awake.
"What is it, Legolas?" Aragorn yawned, but reached for Anduril and got up, pulling his cloak close around him. He stood up.
"Wolves, Aragorn. Coming closer." As Legolas said this, a howl, startlingly near, startled them both.
Aragorn unsheathed his sword. "Wake the others."
Soon they were all on their feet, weapons drawn. Gandalf passed his hand over his staff and murmured something in the Old Tongue. Each tiny elessar set in the Company's weapons began to glow with an unearthly green light.
Gandalf looked up. "We are ready. The wolves are some of Zycrah's creatures. They are fierce, but we are fiercer."
The first wolf burst into camp a moment later, his teeth glittering in the magickal light. The wolf was three times the size of a regular wolf, and had yellow eyes that gleamed ferally. Legolas strung his bow and let an arrow fly. It hit its mark perfectly and the wolf fell.
There was silence for a long moment. They waited.
Out of the mountains burst twelve wolves, each one growling and barking angrily. The Company went into action, cutting them down and shooting them through the eyes. Soon there were eleven carcasses, lying crumpled on the grass. The twelfth wolf knew when he was beaten. Growling one last time, he turned and ran back in the direction he came from. Elrohir shot an arrow after him for good measure.
By this time, it was Elrohir's turn to watch. He asked Elladan if he would watch with him and the two archers sat by the fire. Legolas wrapped himself in his cloak and closed his eyes wearily. He would have given anything to be home.
The night wore on and some of the Company slept. The ones that watched were left with their own thoughts and fears of the enemy to face.