Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters or settings from Lord of the Rings or Xena the Warrior Princess
Author's Note:
Warning: Concepts contained in this chapter include semi-fighting scenes!
During this chapter, no stallion was harmed.
This is a LegoRomance (slow-burn)
~ XXII: The unexpected ambush ~
Imladris, 3018 TA, October 27
Stallions are magnificent creatures with unique beauty and a strong purpose to possess. Galloping over the fields assured the rider's return to Imladris was filled with incredible excitement and amazement. All four riders understood the significance of a horse; it was not only a trusted companion on whatever trip they chose, but it was also a method of getting them to their objective quicker and without the rider tiring.
Two of the horses had been reared and trained to traverse Mirkwood's terrors and gloom. Because beings that had not been nurtured in Mirkwood would be afraid of it, and most would flee or freeze in the face of all the evil that existed in the Mirkwood forest. One of the horses, in particular, was the prince's horse, which had endured atrocities that most horses would not. It had accompanied Legolas on many journeys throughout the years. Legolas called it Súrë, which means "wind" in elvish since it was one of the quickest horses he had ever had.
The horse handed to Xena had a similar pattern of brown and white as Legolas, it was a horse trained in Mirkwood, and it had seen a lot of blood and darkness as well. Varnë was the name given to him by his owner because of his brownish colour. It was a quick horse, but it had one little flaw: it was often spooked by its own shadow. And now, when the riders returned to Rivendell, the light cast more shadows than it should have, making the poor creature jump startled.
Asfaloth was Arwen's horse; it belonged to Glorfindel and was sometimes ridden by Elrond's daughter. When Glorfindel was at Rivendell or travelling without his faithful friend, Arwen would ride his horse. Everything began when she overheard Aragorn and Glorfindel discussing her riding abilities, and both agreed that Asfaloth was a highly strong and powerful horse to be utilised by Arwen. The following day, Arwen rode Asfaloth to Lothlórien to see her grandmother followed by her brothers.
It didn't take long for everyone in Rivendell to be talking about Arwen's ability to gallop such a horse and her act of seizing it without consulting Glorfindel. Elrond was irritated by the occurrence and the rumours spread in his daughter's name. Aragorn and Glorfindel were left to cope with the aftermath. To resolve the quarrel, Glorfindel told them that he had given Arwen permission to ride his horse. Since then, it's been known that Arwen would sometimes be spotted using Asfaloth.
Aragorn's mare's name was Aira, and she had been with him for most of his life. Aragorn's last experience with it occurred when taking the hobbits to Rivendell; after that, he would leave the horse in Imladris to live his final years in peace. Aira was gasping for air as it was carrying Aragorn and Pippin on his back, making the mare tired. Next to Aragorn, Arwen was galloping Asfaloth, and Merry was riding with her.
"Aira seems exhausted," Arwen said as she observed Aragorn's horse. "She's been galloping for many hours now, Aragorn."
"We can't keep going at this rate because she's becoming old. This was, I suppose, the final trip I took on her." While lovingly running his fingers through the mare's silky hair, the ranger responded.
"Are you going to abandon her in Imladris?" Arwen inquired as she held her stallion's reins, ensuring Asfaloth took the correct way.
The ranger smiled and nodded. "I feel Imladris is the best spot for her to spend her last years. I am not abandoning her she is in good hands."
"Merry! Merry! Are you sleeping?" Pippin inquired after noticing that his cousin had not talked in a while.
"I guess I was dreaming," Merry remarked as he straightened his back and held against Arwen.
"Our last meal was hours ago," Pippin murmured quietly, not wanting the others to hear him and scold him again. "I'm starving!"
"Sam would have had the breakfast ready by half-past nine," Merry added, remembering how Sam was always the one who made sure they ate on time by preparing their meals.
"He'd be cooking the second Breakfast," Pippin continued.
"You were curiously quiet on our journey back," Xena noticed as she stood up, realising the elf was speaking to her. After her trip through the market with Arwen, Legolas had seen her serious thinking. He didn't know why, but he could sense she was bothered by something.
"It's not what it seems to be!" Xena reacted while attempting to forget the brief experience she had in the alley; she had many questions but did not trust the wooden elf to share them with him; he would believe she was insane. "Or did you miss our meetings?"
"One could have fooled me, but there is something bothering your mind?" the elf asked as he turned and looked at her "What have you seen?"
"Hold your tongue," she said angrily. "There's nothing to talk about with an arrogant elf."
"A weird request from someone who seems like to have encountered a spectre," he continued unafraid.
"This isn't about you, elf," she answered with a harsh tone, gazing at him. "We aren't precisely pals to discuss all my opinions with you."
"You are bad at this," he groaned, peering at her. "I know more about this world than you do; it would be prudent to disclose anything that may cause you to behave so strangely."
"You want me to believe you, but I'm not foolish." Xena fixed her gaze on him "or are you attempting to capture my undivided attention? How's that nose of yours doing?"
"What is keeping you?" Legolas responded, his grin more terrifying than Xena had imagined, with no charm or fear in his words and movements. "You are free to try again. However, you may wind up with a broken nose this time."
Xena watched him for a bit, understanding that this was exactly what he desired. To have her chat to him and perhaps end up talking about her and what she saw. "Clever elf," she grinned, "but the answer remains no, I will not tell you."
The shadows of dusk deepened as the group of the six spoke and galloped. As the sun started to set, Xena felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her, and a mist formed in front of their eyes. She felt chilled and realised that the hobbits were feeling the same way. Legolas rode close to Aragorn, observing the drastic shift in the environment.
"The hobbits are exhausted; they can't keep riding after midnight," Aragorn said.
"We can't stay here Aragorn, we have to get back to Imladris," Legolas argued. "There is evil out there that never sleeps."
"We have to ride to Imladris," Arwen agreed. "We are in danger, something is following us," she had sensed the unexpected darkness shattering the serenity.
They exchanged solemn looks before starting their ride, which was now faster than before. Arwen pushed them forward while keeping her gaze focused behind them. The hobbits struggled to keep their footing in the presence of Strider and Arwen. They had gone approximately twenty miles before midnight when they came to a split in the road that curved right and led down to the valley's bottom, straight into the river.
Legolas and the ranger chatted in elf-tongue, their faces darkened with worry as if they sensed what was pursuing them. The hobbits couldn't travel much farther that night, but they couldn't camp either. They were not far from the gate to Imladris, and what bothered them was who could go so near to Elrond's house.
"It will be safe if we reach the river," Legolas remarked, "because something has been omitted and is now quick behind us, and other dangers may lie ahead."
The route in front of them continued steeply downward, with little vegetation on either side in sections. Varnë continued leaping in panic when he saw his shadow, nearly knocking Xena down a few times. Fortunately, she was a competent rider and kept her balance. The bizarre part was that she could sense the spooky sensation seeping into her being as well.
More shadows appeared out of nowhere, cast by the dark shadows of huge pine trees. As they sped onward, echoes went along with them, and there seemed to be a sound of numerous footfalls following their own. The footsteps behind them sprang to life, merging with galloping horses. There was still an echo of following feet in the cutting behind them, a rushing sound as if a wind was rising and pouring through the pine trees.
"Run!" Aragorn said abruptly. "The enemy has arrived!"
Aira leapt forward, and Arwen rushed ahead of him down the hill. Legolas and Xena trailed after, one hand clutching their swords and the other the reins of their horses. The shadows of the horsemen were drawing closer behind them, and then, just like that, Aragorn saw a Black Rider. He reined in his horse and came to a standstill, trembling in his saddle. Another followed him, then another, and then two more.
"Ride on, don't look back," Aragorn yelled, and everyone followed without glancing back at the horror that awaited them.
When Arwen spoke to Asfaloth in the elven language, the horse sprang and galloped like the wind around the final circuit of the road. Aragorn followed after Asfaloth on his old horse, who was moving at the same rate as Asfaloth. Following them were Legolas and Xena, who were dealing with some issues with Xena's horse. Legolas peered behind him once again.
Varnë got so afraid of his own shadow that he sprung up, knocking Xena off balance and causing her to collapse. Her reactions were quick, and she was able to land save without being hurt. The shadows, though, were immediately behind them. She drew her blade and attempted to get aboard Varnë, but the horse refused to comply.
Legolas placed his Súrë on hold after seeing them clearly; they looked to have put away their hoods and were ghosty and white. Their swords were in their hands, and their eyes gleamed as they called to the hobbits. He closed his eyes and clutched the horse's mane. The wind whistled in his ears, and the harness bells sounded loud and harsh. As with the last burst, a deadly cold breath struck him like a spear.
"Ride on, don't stop," Legolas said as he observed Xena on the ground, the shadows a few feet away from her. "Do not wait for us, deliver the hobbits to safety."
Before he and Xena were ambushed, Aragorn shot a troubled look across to his loyal companion. "Ride on!" he yelled again as he rode back towards the human, seeing Aragorn and Arwen riding ahead. The nine horsemen sped by the human and him without pausing. They didn't want them; they wanted the hobbits.
As their horses stepped into the river and struggled up the steep road, Aragorn continued imploring Arwen to keep going. They ascended the steep slope, followed by the nine. Nothing the hobbits knew could keep the nine from reaching them. They'd been in their path before and knew how dangerous they were. They were fighting as hard as they could against the horsemen, attempting to outrun them.
In any event, he had the impression that they had been ordered to stop immediately. The leading Rider suddenly drove his horse forward. It rose up after checking the water. "Go back, and don't pursue us any further," Aragorn said, pausing in the middle of the river with Arwen beside him. "Return!"
"We'll take the halflings to Mordor, and we'll take you," they said.
"You will not have us or the hobbits," Aragorn said as he drew his sword and pointed at them. "Go back to the darkness and never return!"
The commander took a few more steps towards them, his gaze fixated on the hobbits who attempted to hide behind Aragorn and Arwen. He yelled something in the dark speech in his native dialect, and they resumed their ride towards them. Arwen closed her eyes and started to call out to the water, pleading for its assistance. Then there was a roaring and rushing: the sound of rushing streams tumbling countless stones.
The river below them rose, and a plumed cavalry of waves rolled down its path. Arwen and Aragorn took a step back as white waves with horse designs smashed into the nine, burying them behind the violent froth. Their shouts pierced the night as the flames carried them away from the hobbits and out of Rivendell.
Arwen and Aragorn started riding as quickly as they could towards Rivendell. They were concerned about leaving Legolas and Xena behind, but their main goal was to get the hobbits to safety. And, luckily, they arrived at the gate to Rivendell with the hobbits and all the goods intact. The only issue was that their companions stayed behind.
Legolas came next to Xena, who was surrounded by orcs. It was their footsteps they had heard earlier. As the enemy cycled them, Legolas remained still next to her. He taut his bow with an arrow, and Xena was already holding her Chakram, which she had split in two so she could utilise both portions. His fingers ached to be released, but the elf wanted to make sure she was okay first.
"Are you hurt?" he said in hushed tones, his gaze locked on the opponent. If he had counted properly, there were more than thirty of them, and he was unsure how they would battle them all.
"You remembered me," Xena said, her gaze fixed on the orcs. "You should have joined the others, foolish elf."
The orcs were yelling at them as they cautiously circled them, their swords ready, but something was awry. They didn't seem to want to kill them. They would normally have already attacked them They appeared to be studying their movements, waiting for them to take the first step.
"What?" Legolas smirked "And let you have all the fun!"
They both locked gazes on one other, and their assault began...
((Upcoming Chapter Twenty-Three))
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