Chapter 6
Two hours later the gates of Mirkwood were visible in the near
distance, and as the three friends made their way to its gates, they all
felt the ever thickening presence of evil slowly seep into their blood.....
As soon as the gates of Mirkwood were upon them, the presence that
Gimli felt as they entered Mirkwoods forests showed them selves, as a
group of Mirkwood warriors seemed to appear out of the dense forests
before Mirkwoods kingdom.
" Hail and well met, Legolas Thranduilion and friends." The caption of
the guard greeted.
" Hail and well met, Harnsil." Legolas greeted in return from atop Arod,
glad to see his long time friend again.
" I am afraid that our pleasantries must be cut short, my lord." Harnsil
said regrettably. " I have ill news, and I can see that you are all
weary." Harsil observed, looking at the three with wise seeing eyes.
Aragorn noticed the way the warriors were standing, alarmed that they
were still watching their surroundings keenly, as if their was still
something out their.Something that they could not see.
"Come, my lord, and friends" Harnsil acknowleged, Glancing at
Aragorn and Gimli who had been his friends for a long time as well. "
Let us sit and discuss the ill news that I must regrettably inform you
all." Harnsil said, guiding them into their hidden campsite, away from
Mirkwood.
" Why do you lead us away from Mirkwoods gates?" Aragorn asked
wearily.
"There are some things you all must know before you set foot into the
kingdom and your not going to like what I tell you." Harnsil informed
seriously.
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When they reached the campsite about two leagues away from
Mirkwood, Legolas was surprised that he had never been there before.
Harnsil could see the look of surprise on Legolas' face, and explained, "
This camp site has been here for a long time, my lord, we never told
anyone of the royal family because this was to be the safe haven for
us incase we wanted to stay away from the palace, but not Mirkwood."
" Are you referring to the Mirkwood patrol's when you say 'we?'
Legolas asked, upset though understanding. " And why would you not
tell me, I am as much as a member of the patrol as I-
"As you are Prince of Mirkwood, my lord." Harnsil interruptedly
finished. " We could not risk the chance that maybe you would not
allow this, and tell your father." Harnsil explained.
" HOW could you ever possibly even THINK that Harnsil?!" Legolas
cried, incredibly upset that his friend and fellow patrol leader didn't
fully trust him.
" I have been an adult for over 2 1/2 thousand years, Harnsil, Yet you
think me immature enough to go to my father for such troubles, and
thinking me stupid enough to not see the reason in telling me about
this camp?!"
"I am sorry my lord, as a friend and second leader in patrol. I
shouldn't have even considered not telling you, and doubting your
trust and judgment." Harnsil said, truly sorry. ' I can't believe I
actually doubted Legolas!' Harnsil yelled inwardly. ' I just practically
stabbed my own Prince, leader, and friend in the back, and twisted it
to add the pain!' Harnsil cringed inwardly when he saw the look on
Legolas' face. A stony mask of no emotion, yet his eyes showed pain
and betrayal that went beyond the camp incident.
"I truly am sorry, my friend." Harnsil said apolegeticly. Looking into
Legolas' eyes, he knew that he was forgiven, yet the betrayal was still
deep in his crystal elven dilated blue eyes. Knowing that Legolas would
not forget this incident, Harnsil sighed inwardly deep regret and guilt
shadowing his heart like a dark cloud.
" Come, let us sit around the fire, and discuss the news Harnsil was
going to tell us." Aragorn said from atop Vanyll, trying to change the
subject, though feeling sad for Legolas, knowing that he takes
friendships seriously and always gives his complete trust and loyalty
when becoming friends with someone.
Gimli, from behind Legolas, noticed how tense he still was, and
sighed.' I wish this didn't have to happen right now, though I also wish
it didn't have to happen at all. Legolas will always think about this
when he is alone for a long while, and it is going to hurt his pride and
heart everytime he thinks of it. Yet, I will not let that happen' Gimli
inwardly promised. ' I will stay beside him every minute of each
waking moment if I have to keep his mind from drifting to the things
his heart hates most…or longs most.' Gimli inwardly smacked himself
for thinking that…..
Legolas had been longing for the sea ever since the War of the Ring,
when he heard the cry of the gulls. Gimli had vowed to never leave
Legolas' side for longer then necessary, and has not broken that
promise yet, after 4 1/2 years.
" Yes, let us sit and enjoy some food, while I tell you all, everything
you need to know." Harnsil said, helpful of the distraction.
Climbing of Vanyll, Aragorn noticed how Legolas got off of Arod slowly, pale face in a painful grimace.
"Legolas, Are you alright?" Aragorn asked, despite knowing he would
not receive a truthful reply, since he knew that Legolas admitting to
pain would severely ruin his pride.
"Ai, Aragorn, I am fine. Do not worry about me." Legolas lied,
restraining himself from wrapping an arm around his stomach and
ribs.
Aragorn walked over to Legolas as Gimli and the rest of the patrol
moved to sit around the now present fire.
" You are in pain, Legolas, and I am sorry that you had to ride that
damned horse to get it. I should have known that your ribs were not
fully healed to the point of riding a horse as energetic as Arod."
Aragorn said with guilt, fully blaming himself for Legolas' pain.
"Aragorn, please stop." Legolas said teeth clenched tightly to stop his
grimace of pain to show through his façade. " You are my friend, even
more-so, a brother to me, and I will not allow you to take any blame
for something that was completely out of your hands.
It was not your fault that I was injured in battle, it was mine. Stop
blaming yourself for something that was NOT your fault. And the ride
here, it was not your fault either, it was my ignorance that made me
want to ride when I knew that my still healing ribs were not capable
of such a journey.
I am the one who should be apologizing for letting you take the blame
and guilt without a thought of reason. I love you like a brother
Aragorn, but you must stop driving yourself mad with guilt, for not one
good reason." Legolas told Aragorn, with compassion and pleading in
his voice. Legolas felt as if he needed to shake Aragorn until all guilt
was rattled out of him.
Aragorn looked at Legolas with a deep and new respect in his eyes
that went deeper then friendship.
Putting his hands on both of Legolas' shoulders, Aragorn looked deep
into Legolas' eyes showing him his soul.
"Thank you. My brother." Aragorn said, trying to swallow the lump in
his throat that had formed from Legolas' speech and from the relief of
letting go of all the guilt Aragorn held for Legolas' unfortunates from
his present injury and from all the others from the past.
"Thank you." Aragorn repeated, showing all the emotions he felt in his
heart to his best friend through his eyes.
"Your welcome." Legolas said simply, though with more meaning
behind the words then actually said, Returning the gesture and
gripping Aragorn's shoulders in return giving them a heartfelt squeeze.
" Come, let us go to the camp fire, so that we may here the news that
Harnsil wishes to tell us. They wait for us." Legolas said, walking
towards the campfire where Gimli, Harnsil and the rest of the patrol
waited for the two friends.
Harnsil had heard the conversation, and envied there deep friendship,
and knew that Gimli also shared in their friendship, though not as
much as Aragorn and Legolas shared since they had known each other
a many longer.
"Welcome strangers." Gimli jested, missing out on the conversation his
two friends had shared, so completely bewildered by the look of new
respect in their eyes.
"Come, enjoy the delicious meat and wine that Telious has prepared
for us, while I tell you what you need to know." Harnsil said heartily,
though with dread in this heart for the upcoming conversation.
As they ate, everyone sat in apprehension as Harnsil began his
informative tale.
" My lord, the reason why I brought you three here was to tell you
about the way Mirkwood has drastically changed into a twisted
nightmare, its spirit completely morphed into an ever darkening abyss
of death." Harnsil said, beginning his tale with the good news.
"Ever since you left Mirkwood about one year ago, a dark shadow has
been growing in the base of Mirkwood, twisting the essence of this
kingdom into a death reeking swill of evil." Harnsil said darkly.
" Elves have been disappearing left and right, since last month, found
days later mutilated…we.." Harnsil broke off, voice cracking from the
stress of having to report something that he never wanted to see or
speak of again.
"Continue, when you are ready Harnsil." A pale Aragorn said shakily.
Harnsil inhaled and exhaled a few good times before he was able to
continue, after a few moments he again started slowly.
" Elves have been disappearing left and right, since last month, found
days later mutilated. We even..We even had to look for some of
their…body parts." Harnsil's voice broke completely this time, unable
to continue for a few good minutes, tears silently falling down his
cheeks.
" I am so sorry Legolas." Harnsil whispered brokenly.
"Who?" Legolas asked, dread filling his insides, terror and grief already
tightening his heart in a cloud of darkness.
" Randurin" Harnsil said brokenly, for he too grieved for Randurin,
because Randurin was Harnsils brother.
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Everybody was silent as Harnsil shoulders shook with silent grief.
Mourning for the loss of Randuril everyone sat in silence.
After hearing the news of Randurins death, Legolas sat frozen in
shock, and denial. ' He can't be dead. The last time I saw him, he was
joking around making plans on what we were going to do when I got
back! And now that will never happen.' With that thought, Legolas'
mind suddenly crashed, and the wall of denial burst into flames of
rage.
"Continue with the story, Harnsil" Legolas said coldly, though the icy
tone was directed towards the whole situation.
Harnsil looked up through teary bloodshot eyes into Legolas' own blue
stony eyes and saw the rage that was held just underneath the
surface, knowing that the anger was not directed towards him, Harnsil
straightened up and continued his story with no emotion, all spent on
his silent tears.
" Every patrol searched as far as they dared in every direction,
including south towards Dol Guldor, and in every direction we found at
least three bodies." Harnsil said. " We kept on finding them in bushes
and some even stashed on flets in trees!!" Harnsil said incredulously.
"We found out, that there was a serial killer prowling Mirkwood's
private escape halls after the fifth body." Harnsil said with a dangerous
edge.
" Wait a minute, there is only one way that could be. No one knows
how to get into the private escape halls but the private advisors and
the head captions of each patrol." Legolas stated, confused marring his
fair features.
" We have already questioned and interrogated all the advisors and
patrol captions." Harnsil told Legolas.
As Aragorn listened to the conversation, he could tell that there was
something Harnsil was not sharing with the rest of them. And
apparently Gimli noticed this too.
" Spit it out Harnsil." Gimli simply stated.
Harnsil looked at Gimli and Aragorn noticing how they both held
suspicious glares in his direction.
"You know?" Harnsil asked, misunderstanding the looks, thinking that
they knew what he was not saying.
" No, but you need to tell us what you are not sharing, if it has any
information about the serial killer, it is not meant to be kept hidden."
Aragorn told him seriously.
Harnsil sighed aloud, pain deeply etched in his Heart. Harnsil could see
that there was no way he could get around the terrible news, no
matter how dreadful and terrifying.
" Legolas.. Melkor is back, it is his essence that that has been stirring
in the foundation of Mirkwood." Harnsil said unfinished.
"How?" Legolas questioned, completely caught of guard by the
terrifying news that he was being being told.
" No one knows, we have sent 2 messengers in search of Mithrandir, in
hope that he would know what to do." Harnsil informed dreaily.
"That is not the worst of it Legolas" Harnsil said.
"Melkor is after the royal family,..He is after your father, and he is
using you to get to him."
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZI hope you all liked this chapter, EVIL cliffe…bwhahahaha runs sceaming when an angry mob of Legolas lovers tries to run me off a cliff. Please stay tuned for chapter 7, cant wait to read what you guys think of this chapter, lol, God I love writing!!..namaire!!! P.S. Hannon le for reviewing you dudes. I am going to give a special shout to Ithilden!!! HOLLAA!!! Lol….Do.Not.Ask. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ