Disclaimer: Not even lack of electricity can warp the world enough to make these characters mine.

Chapter 12

Bratherond's Warriors

Another inky night shrouded the ruined trees of Mirkwood. A small fire hissed and ruptured the black veil with its misty, flickering glow.  Gandalf distractedly stroked Cièdron's hair as the elf lay asleep in his lap. Legolas continued to hum or sing softly as he held on to Cièdron's hand and Aragorn, after drifting in and out of sleep, languorously watched the two, allowing Legolas' songs to entrance his tired mind.

Throughout the night, the ranger intermittently checked Cièdron's pulse and breathing and gently peeked at the wound to make sure it had begun to heal. Legolas observed Aragorn as he worked with an almost child-like curiosity combined with a profound concern for his brother. When he finished, Legolas would return to his song and Aragorn would once again fall under its enchantment.

Thus, the sudden silence when Legolas ceased startled Aragorn since he had not even risen to check up on Cièdron.  When Aragorn looked up, he met the elf's intense gaze, the blue of his eyes glittering in the wavering flames of the fire.

"Aragorn, thank you," Legolas said softly.

"I already told you Legolas, there is no need to thank me."

"No, Aragorn, you must accept my gratitude for I know not what else I could offer…. I did not see it Aragorn. I was with him the entire time, and yet I did not see it. Had it not been for you…" Legolas trailed off as he gazed back down at Cièdron. Though his breathing had steadied, his eyes remained tightly shut. Legolas sighed and lightly brushed his cheek. "You stubborn fool," he muttered to Cièdron.

"And had it not been for you, that first warg would have killed him. Legolas, do not blame yourself – I did not see that wound either." The ranger's voice was adamant and unyielding. He simply would not allow the elf to start feeling guilt so early! Aragorn was no stranger to guilt's powerful noose and he knew all too well how quickly it could strangle its victims.

"Legolas listen to me. Sauron feeds on guilt – he feeds on guilt, sorrow, despair, and anger. You cannot allow your mind to be clouded by these feelings, especially when there is naught to feel guilty about in the first place! Cièdron's wound was not your fault mellonin and there is no point to feeling guilty about what might have happened. He is alive, and he will soon be well, and he will not blame you, so why should you blame yourself? Do not let yourself become so vulnerable when the Valar have allowed Cièdron to live." Aragorn spoke softly placing his hand on the elf's shoulder and squeezing it to emphasize his support.

Legolas did not answer and continued to gently graze his brother's cheek. He knew Aragorn was right, yet he could not help the darkness that crept into his mind, miring the flare of hope and optimism that had always lit his soul. Gandalf too considered the ranger's words and nodded thoughtfully in agreement.

"Aye, you are correct Aragorn. Sauron, and before him, Morgoth, increased their power through lies and deceit that caused elves and men to fall victim to falsehoods that darkened their minds with despair and anger. It is his talent for twisting minds that has allowed him to grow so strong, and no mind is as easily twisted as that of one who is already weakened by their own demons." The wizard did not say this to Aragorn or Legolas specifically, but rather to himself.  The words rolled off his tongue as the thoughts passed through his head. Aragorn and Legolas both sensed the wizard was once again thinking of something bigger, something beyond the two of them, but did not press him further.

A moment later, Gandalf was brought back from the high world of Istari wisdom to the realm of mere elves and humans. "I do hope he wakes by morning. We must not remain in one place for too long.  I fear where the hounds of Sauron roam, Orcs will not be far behind."

"Aye, I have been listening to their horns all night," Legolas whispered.

Gandalf and Aragorn jolted at this statement. "Legolas, by the Valar! Why did you not say anything?!" the wizard demanded.

Legolas paused calmly before he looked up at the wizard and answered, "They are not a threat to us yet… I suspect they are about seven leagues away, though they are south which is where we head anyway. Do not worry Mithrandir! If you feared our Orc friends would have trouble finding us and we would miss out on another lovely melee, you are quite wrong! For we will soon find them – we may as well prepare a greeting party now!"

Gandalf furrowed his brows as he considered the dire words of the elf. "Legolas, from now on tell me everything your elven eyes see and your ears hear, whether the danger is near or not. Though I do agree, there is little we could do to avoid walking straight into another attack – unless of course we run home and tell Thranduil a pack of wargs scared us off and we turned back on our missions!"

"Mithrandir, if I tell you everything I see and hear as we travel through these woods, my tongue would fall off from weariness! I hear Orcs, I hear the howls of wargs, the skittering of spiders, the wails of the trees, the dying moans of the wind… Ai, if I could I would lend you my senses so that I could have a moment's respite," Legolas sighed.

"Nay, Legolas you would find no respite, for your soul would tremor from the evil surrounding us, yet you would not be able to see or hear from where the evil comes," Aragorn replied. Under different circumstances, he would tease the elf for wishing to unburden himself of his superior senses, but now he had not the heart or the desire. Besides, he sympathized with Legolas for even his mere human senses would not let his mind rest as they screamed warnings whichever way they turned.

"Yes well, would you expect anything less as we draw nearer to Dol Guldur? I told you the odds against us would grow worse as we move south. Now I will hear no more of this whining about your overloaded senses. Remember why we are here! Do not let the Enemy extinguish your hope so soon!" Gandalf looked sharply at Legolas, but the elf did not offer any response or playful assurance that he still retained hope. Ai, Legolas! Do not lose your hope so easily! If even you cannot keep it, then we are all doomed!

When finally the oily blackness of night began to dissipate and a honey colored mist lightened the wood, Merionè stirred and Bratherond was revealed to never have been asleep in the first place as he sat in the shadow, quietly sharpening his weapons. Legolas started when even Cièdron began to shift slightly and show signs of coming to.

"Cièdron! Cièdron can you hear me! Cièdron, you are well, Aragorn healed you! Cièdron?!"

Cièdron groaned and squeezed his eyes tighter in response. Legolas immediately took this as a sign that the elf wished to wake, but just needed some 'assistance.'

"Cièdron, you fool! How late do you plan on sleeping!? Ada will not be pleased to see you are nodding off on the job like this! A warrior you are indeed. I have seen toddlers that are more fearsome than you, sleeping beauty! To think a brother of mine could be such a lazy sloth…"

Aragorn smirked as he began to prepare a breakfast for the travelers. Gandalf's eyes sparkled with relief and he squeezed and massaged Cièdron's shoulder with a little more pressure. When Cièdron became still again though, Legolas sighed dejectedly and fell back on his heels.

"He will wake when he is ready to Legolas," the wizard assured the elf.

Legolas frowned and again leaned over Cièdron, "He has been out for quite a long time though, don't you think Mithrandir?"

"Legolas, it is no small thing to lose so much blood…"

"But he is an elf…"

"Elves are not invincible, Legolas…"

"Aye, but he should have healed don't you think?"

"He is healing…"

As Cièdron slipped in and out of consciousness, he heard bits and pieces of this conversation though it sounded to him like it came from the far side of a narrow tunnel.

"Perhaps he is just afraid to get back on his own horse and so he feigns being unconscious so he could ride under my protection."

"Legolas, that is hardly fair of you…"

If anything could bring back Cièdron from the depths of unconsciousness, it was the threat that he would have to share a horse with his brother. Thus the elf's eyes weakly fluttered opened, revealing slightly clouded over, blue orbs. As he struggled to focus his vision, he began to speak in a weak, raspy voice,

"I…will…"

"Cièdron!"

Legolas perked up and leaned in closer to Cièdron so he could make out whatever it was the elf was trying to say. Aragorn and Gandalf also hurried to his side and peered at him expectantly. Cièdron shut his eyes again for a moment, and quickly reopened them before breathlessly finishing his sentence. 

"ride my own…horse."

Legolas grinned widely and laughed. "Cièdron! So you have decided to join us!"

Gandalf too leaned over as he asked, "Welcome back! Tell me how do you feel?"

"Does your side bother you much, Cièdron? And your leg?" Aragorn added as he leaned over as well.

Bratherond and Merionè could not resist being a part of the elf's wakening party either and soon their faces joined Aragorn, Legolas and Gandalf in peering closely at Cièdron.

"Cièdron, I do not think you will be able to ride…" Merionè said worriedly.

"Aye you must rest first! Do not be so foolish!" Bratherond continued gruffly.

"But I am afraid we will have to move on…"

"I will ride with you, not Legolas, he is too injured himself…"

"I am not too injured!"

"Cièdron, please tell us how you feel."

The poor elf furrowed his brows in confusion at the sudden appearance of five concerned, blurry, slightly vacillating faces above him and the barrage of questions, orders, and unnecessary arguments that were thrown at him. Eventually he could not even make out who was saying what as their voices blended together in a cacophonous medley of irksome concerns and questions. Deciding he really did not feel like dealing with this band of fools (as he now thought of them – did they really think this is what he wanted to wake up to?), he closed his eyes and tried his best to pretend to be unconscious again. But if they dare try to put me on a horse with Legolas…

The elves, ranger and wizard fell quiet and blinked with surprise and confusion. Suddenly, Gandalf's head snapped up and he scolded the rest of them, waving his staff as he did so.

"Fools of elves! Do you really think anyone would want to wake up to your squawking? Shoo! Shoo!"

Merionè and Bratherond staggered slightly, but backed away just as the wizard ordered. Legolas stubbornly remained, but leaned out of Cièdron's view, as did Aragorn who guiltily looked towards the ground.  With a *hmph* Gandalf returned his attention to Cièdron.

"Now Cièdron, take your time… Do not let these ninnies keep you from the conscious world, though I perfectly understand how tempting that must be…" he murmured gently.

With an inward, sigh Cièdron decided to risk opening his eyes again. This time, much to his relief, all he saw was the smiling, genial face of Gandalf who did not say a word as the elf slowly registered where he was.

"Mithrandir…I…hurt…" Cièdron grimaced as he tried to raise himself and at the insipid words that he could not control tumbling off of his tongue.

"Well that is no surprise at all, my young elf! Perhaps you would like some water? Lembas?" Gandalf responded softly.

Cièdron hissed from the pain of attempting to move and reclined again in Gandalf's lap. "Water," he muttered despondently.

A second later, Aragorn pressed a canteen to the elf's lips and he drank it gratefully before closing his eyes again and leaning back. A few moments later, he opened them and appeared at least slightly less befuddled.

"How do you feel Cièdron?" Aragorn asked carefully, afraid to overwhelm the elf once again.

"Like a pack of wargs attacked me," Cièdron frowned as his memories slowly came into light.

"Well then, since that is exactly what happened, we should not be too concerned – at least he did not say 'like a Balrog ripped me apart and spit me back out!'" Gandalf chirped though Legolas did not appear too convinced as he offered Cièdron a piece of Lembas.

"You need not feed it to me, I will take it myself, Legolas," Cièdron said as he took the piece of elvish way-bread from his brother with a quivering hand. 

When he swallowed it and rested a few minutes longer, Gandalf shifted slightly.

"Cièdron, do you think you will be able to rise? I fear we must be moving on soon… You shall ride with me, for no matter what you claim, I do not believe you are ready to ride alone."

Cièdron frowned, but did not argue with the wizard. "Aye, Mithrandir, I can rise."

Cièdron could stand, but only after several attempts at raising himself, during which he pushed off any offered help from Legolas and Aragorn and hissed, gasped and cursed under his breath. Finally, several minutes later when he was upright, leaning heavily on one wobbly leg and clenching his side in pain, he found he could only hold such a position if Legolas remained on his other side to support him.

"See, I told you I did not need any help to stand," he breathed as he finally steadied himself.

"Aye, it is only the act of standing that you need my assistance in it seems," Legolas answered wryly.

Unable to argue, Cièdron merely frowned and leaned heavily on Legolas as the rest prepared the horses for the continuation of their journey. 

"Cièdron! Over here!" Gandalf called. Legolas led Cièdron to Gandalf's horse which he stubbornly climbed and fumbled his way to the top of, refusing to be hoisted up by any of the others.  The rest then mounted their own steeds and they set off on their grim journey.

For the remainder of the day, the group proceeded grudgingly through the ever darkening wood. Cièdron fell in and out of consciousness and Gandalf often had to catch him as he slipped off the horse.

"Now, now Cièdron, up you go, now is no time to go falling off this horse," the wizard mumbled as he grabbed tightly to the limp elf.

Legolas, despite his best efforts, could barely hide his own weariness and Aragorn continually examined the elf out of the corner of his eye as he rode next to him. The day passed slowly, and the slinking darkness and shadows escalated in the forest and worse, in their minds. None spoke and none made any pretenses of wanting to speak or to cheer up the mood.  The mirth had completely drained even from Legolas who now sulked silently as he glimpsed the unconscious Cièdron and fought against his own sore wounds.  Aragorn, when not checking up on Legolas, stared straight ahead, his gray eyes clouded over with fatigue though he neurotically glanced over his shoulder and to his side at every scuffle and twitch. Bratherond seemed the least affected of the group if only because he had been the dourest from the start.

Gandalf sighed whenever he glanced at the others or whenever he felt Cièdron gasp or slip from his grip, but even the wizard knew not what to do to lighten the mood and he could feel his own heart darken with the impending doom.  One cannot underestimate the power of Sauron to dim the hopes of even the most lighthearted souls.  Occasionally, he would ask the elves if they heard the Orcs, to which they would all impassively grumble 'yes.' Like pulling teeth, Gandalf would have to press them further to reveal what they knew about their whereabouts, and they would sullenly give a terse answer, assuring the wizard they were not near yet.

And then Gandalf noticed Merionè. He did not speak once when the wizard asked them about the Orcs, and he did not seem to even be paying attention to their path or the threatening sounds that surrounded them as the other elves were.  As they pressed further into the darkness and nearer to Dol Guldur, the elf passed further into shadow, his eyes growing blank and distant.

The sun did not even begin to set when Gandalf finally decided to stop for the night, unable to deny anymore his own weariness.

"We will stop here and rest for the night," he curtly broke the tense silence. It was a testament to everyone's weariness that not one of them, not even Bratherond protested stopping so early. Only Cièdron spoke up.

"So soon? Do not stop because of me Mithrandir…" he feebly insisted.

"We are all tired, Cièdron. It is not only for you that we stop, though it will do you well to rest some more," Gandalf answered.

Cièdron chose a tree to recline against and Legolas sat next to him. The others perched themselves quietly against various trees and rocks and remained silent as they drank and ate their miniscule rations.

Gandalf watched everyone as they slowly drifted off into their own dreams, with the exception of Merionè who was to take the first watch, followed by Bratherond and Aragorn.  Though Legolas struggled to remain awake as his brother fell into another deep sleep, he too soon drifted into elven reveries. The two leaned against each other and slept peacefully throughout the night, allowing Gandalf to relax slightly, knowing they were now healing.

The next day went much the same as the day before, only just as if they had been walking deeper into a cave, the forest continued to grow darker and more stifling the farther south they went. Cièdron still rode with Gandalf, though he had healed spectacularly over the night and Gandalf had little doubt he would be fit to ride his own horse tomorrow. Thank the Valar for the healing power of elves!

Once again, they decided to stop before the sun set, under the pretext that Aragorn needed natural light in addition to the fire to check up on everyone's wounds.  But in their hearts they knew, it was the shadow that made them so weary and eager to halt their traveling. Since they first began, their momentum had faltered dramatically and their pace slackened as the evil of Sauron burdened their minds.

In an effort to quell the shadow in his own mind, Aragorn took out his pipe, taking care that the smoke did not blow in the direction of any of the elves.  As he inhaled the smoke he lightly closed his eyes and tried to imagine Imladris, Arwen, Lord Elrond, even that beautiful day in Thranduil's realm when he watched Legolas and Alasse in the field. But his ever cautious senses did not permit Aragorn such pleasures, and the ranger immediately returned to the never ending task of listening, watching, and waiting for whatever doom they would inevitably encounter next. 

As everyone stared gloomily into the fire, Merionè shifted and turned towards Gandalf. "Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe we will be separating soon, Mithrandir," he said, breaking the dreary silence and slightly startling the others in the group.  No one spoke anymore unless it was absolutely necessary. Just the sound of a voice that was not quipping out a warning sounded strange to the travelers.

Gandalf considered this for a moment and agreed. "Aye Merionè you are correct, I would say in another two or three days, it would be time for us to follow our separate paths."

"In that case, there is much I wish to tell you before you head East," Merionè addressed Aragorn and Legolas, again startling everyone. The elf had not exactly shown great enthusiasm for discussing the Rhun and the Avari in the past – in fact the very mention of it seemed to make him want to bury himself away like a turtle retreating into its shell.  But he showed no sign of such trepidation now and in a rare display of command and authority, he claimed Aragorn's and Legolas' full attention. Gandalf was especially surprised for he was beginning to believe they had perhaps lost Merionè to the shadow.

"Legolas, Aragorn I want you to listen carefully, for this will be important to your success. I do not know much of the Avari, but I will tell you what I do know. The Avari are not just of one clan, but many – they are scattered throughout the Rhun in multiple small tribes. The one thing they seem to have in common is resentment for the elves of the West."

Gandalf cleared his throat and interrupted. "Aye, that is no surprise - remember, they are the ones who refused the summons of the Valar. They feared the Valar and many were easily duped by the lies of Morgoth."

Merionè nodded, "Aye, and now Sauron. Their fear and resentment has only grown through the ages. I can assure you, they will not appreciate a Sindarin prince in their realm!  Thus, I believe it would be wise for you to try to blend in with the Avari, Legolas. Your greatest chance of discovering more about these dark elves and their threats to us is to pretend to be of the Avari yourself. Lone elves are not a rarity in that part of Middle Earth, so they will not be suspicious of you because of that. You will have trouble understanding them for they speak in a language similar to the Silvan tongue and their accents are strange. Yet few do know the Common Speech. So use that, but do not speak in the Sindarin tongue and speak softly and only if you must – otherwise they will not miss your accent."

Merionè then stood and walked over to Legolas. His eyes immediately fell to the prince's brooch. "This you cannot wear…" As he said this, Merionè carefully removed the brooch and placed it in his own pack. "And you should take these out as well," Merionè continued as he held up Legolas' braids. 

"They will recognize this as well as the style of Thranduil's warriors...I noticed the elves there preferred to tie back their hair." Legolas nodded and swiftly undid his braids, allowing his hair to fall in soft waves before tying it all back in a single long ponytail.

Merionè then turned to Aragorn. "As for you ranger, I do not think I need to tell you the importance of hiding your own identity. You too would do well to pretend to be a lone human, wandering about the eastern wasteland. Do not reveal your connections to the Dunadain, and certainly not to Lord Elrond!" 

"You must also pretend to sympathize with Sauron from the start." As he said this, Merionè's eyes darkened and his voice became steely and low. "Do not try to play the hero, do not allow your pride to get the better of you, do not feel the need to defend anyone of the West.  As Thranduil said, you are not there to fight, you are there to learn…And most importantly, do not trust anything that they say."

Merionè stared intently at Legolas and Aragorn and he repeated in a voice full of foreboding, "Whatever you do, do not trust any of their promises, do not believe they will keep their word. They will not."

Aragorn furrowed his brows and leaned forward, his intense gaze studying Merionè carefully, "What do you mean Merionè? How do you know this?"

Merionè looked sadly at the ranger. "Because if they did, I would not be here now."

Merionè then fell silent. The weight of the conversation descended heavily upon the group.  Aragorn's eyes widened and he gaped for a second at Merionè.

"What did you promise them, Merionè?" he demanded.

"Myself, Aragorn, I told them they could have me instead…"

"That is all?! They would take one warrior instead of a dozen!?"

"Well, they didn't, did they!" Merionè retorted. He sighed and continued. "It was a choice they presented to me – Aye, of course I thought it was rather strange myself that one could make up for a dozen, but of course I took it! Any captain who cared about his warriors would not have to think twice about offering himself to save them! Yet here I am…and they are still there…"

"This doesn't make sense… " Aragorn murmured. "Why would they make such an offer in the first place? And why would they then let you go? Why not take all of you?"

"To deliver the threat to Thranduil, it seems," Merionè answered.

Aragorn locked his gaze onto Merionè's.  He could not quite place what it was, but he suddenly knew something was not right.  Either Merionè was still leaving out parts of his story, or the elf had been deceived more than he realized. It frustrated him that he could know so certainly that they were somehow being toyed with, somehow falling into a trap and yet have no idea what that trap was or what he could do about it! Furthermore, the darkness continued to fog his mind and hinder his ability to make sense of anything. In a desperate attempt to test Merionè, to perhaps pressure him to reveal more (if there was in fact more to reveal), he mustered Lord Elrond's most forbidding gaze and then uttered in a low voice, "I fear we are walking straight into a trap."

Aragorn thought perhaps Merionè would be caught off guard by this statement, and if he did know anything else, he would not be able to hide it. But though anyone would have trembled from the ranger's gaze, Merionè only started slightly. He kept his gaze steady as he spoke, "That is why you must take heed of my warnings and advice now. If you do not wish to be ensnared by these creatures, do not let them know who you are and do not trust them. There may be hope for my warriors yet and there may be answers to the questions of what we must do to prepare for this final battle against Sauron, but you will find naught if you make the same mistakes I did by not disguising who you are and trusting that these are beings honorable enough to keep their word!"

Aragorn nodded slowly. Ai, perhaps I am wrong. He is not hiding anything else. Alas, it is this darkness that makes me suspicious even of my own companions! Yet still Aragorn could not shake the feeling that he was missing something. He sighed and glanced at Gandalf. The wizard had been listening and watching Merionè as intently as he did, and Aragorn felt somewhat relieved that he too appeared worried that something was amiss. I will speak to him later of this, Aragorn decided.

Merionè then swiftly turned to Legolas.

 "Legolas! Let me see your weapons!"

Hesitantly, Legolas drew out his knife and his bow and handed them to Merionè who studied the carvings on them.

"It is as I suspected. You may as well carry a giant sign saying 'Thranduil's Son.' Here, take these instead."  He unsheathed his own knife and bow, grabbed his quiver and gave them to Legolas. Legolas examined them and noted curiously that not a single elvish carving decorated the weapons.

Merionè in turn eyed Legolas' knife with a slight frown. "Your father gave this to you?" he asked, though it was more of a statement than a question.

Bratherond gazed intensely at the knife and murmured, "Aye, that is Feáner's knife." 

Legolas gaped at Bratherond in surprise, but before he could ask how the elf knew it was his brother's knife, Merionè once again interrupted his thoughts.

"Then I am not worthy of this…" He turned to Cièdron who had been watching and listening to the entire exchange. "You shall keep it Cièdron."

"But Merionè, what then will be your weapon?" Cièdron asked as he carefully took Legolas' knife.

Merionè laughed darkly and drew out a sword in one hand and another long dagger in the other. "Master Cièdron, do not worry about me not having enough weapons!"

"Oh," Cièdron responded before turning to Legolas with a slight twinkle in his eye. "Some warriors we are indeed! We carry but a bow and a knife, while our companions are armed to the teeth!"

"Well at least you have two knives now Cièdron!" Legolas returned. "And a braid!"

Merionè sighed and smiled faintly. "You two do not need additional weapons. I saw you fight those wargs, and I am impressed. Why, I am even tempted to ask Thranduil permission for you to join my warriors in our missions when we return!"

Bratherond snorted, "A grand idea indeed, Merionè! Yes, let us see how much we could stretch Thranduil's heart! As if this alone was not enough! I would think after the ill fate of the other warriors under your command, you would think twice about asking the King for permission to have his sons join with you!"

All conversation halted and only the crackling of the fire breached the tense, menacing silence that ensued. Regardless of what they were doing, or where they were looking, all eyes turned to Merionè and Bratherond and not a person breathed as Merionè's livid glare burned Bratherond who staggered in its wake. Bratherond had not meant for that statement to be so insulting to the already crestfallen elf, and as soon as he said it, he wished desperately that the Valar could somehow allow him to turn back the hands of time and take back his words.

"Merionè, I am sorry… that was foolish and unfair of me…" Bratherond stuttered as the flash in Merionè's eyes intensified with the elf's swelling fury. The others watched Bratherond in astonishment.  Not one of them could ever imagine the surly elf cowering before the more kindly Merionè! But in this shadow, all pretenses and facades became irrelevant, dripping off those who wore them like melting snow.

"I do not believe you are one to speak Bratherond!!" Merionè hissed dangerously.

Again the wood fell silent and if the others were stunned to see Bratherond cower before, they were absolutely astonished to now see the elf's face turn a deathly shade of white and his eyes cloud over in fear. Even Merionè, when he saw this, realized what he had just said and immediately tried to take it back.

"Ai, Bratherond, I mean… That was not fair of me either…"

Cièdron however had been watching Bratherond not with astonishment, but with fury and irritation that he once again proved himself as tactless as a child. Hungry for some retribution, he eagerly wondered what Merionè had alluded to that made Bratherond recoil and blanch like a withering flower.  He certainly was not going to let this slip of the tongue pass so easily!

"What do you mean!? What do you mean he is not one to speak!?" Cièdron demanded, his vindictive eyes darting from Merionè to Bratherond.

Merionè now also grew pale as he stared at Cièdron. "Cièdron, forget it, forget I said anything…I did not mean… It was not his fault…" Ai! It is the shadow in my mind that made me say that! What have I started? They will all be doomed because of me!

"No! I want to know! We are always hearing about our flaws, about our weaknesses. I think it is about time Bratherond enlightens us on his own demons!" Cièdron began to stand, but was held down by Legolas. Though Legolas remained silent, he too glared at Bratherond and did not hide his own eagerness to hear what Bratherond had to say.

Gandalf shook his head despairingly and let out a long sigh, "We are giving into this darkness…" he mumbled.

Aragorn agreed with Gandalf and watched the elves with growing anxiety. Though he did not know what it was that Merionè desperately wanted Bratherond to keep to himself, he knew it could only bode ill for the already strained relationships within the group. "Gandalf is right, we are playing right into Sauron's hands…"

"Well perhaps if Bratherond would come down to our level and admit to us his own faults, we could all be a little more at ease," Cièdron seethed.

"It will not leave anyone at ease, Cièdron!" Merionè frantically pleaded.

Bratherond finally met Cièdron's gaze and held it steadily. Not anger or fear flashed in his eyes. Rather a vacuous, emotionless light shone through, refusing to reveal whatever emotions the elf now harbored. 

"No Merionè, Cièdron is right.  If he wants to know, then he has every right to know," he said slowly and carefully. "Besides, I have nothing to hide."

Merionè shook his head and slowly lowered himself to his seat. "This is folly, this is folly…" he repeated over and over again into his hands. Gandalf too sighed and stared straight into the fire.

"This is a mistake, Bratherond," the wizard warned.

But Bratherond took no heed of either of them and proceeded to tell his tale. His voice was level and tense as he spoke and its very resonance cut through the thick air like a knife.

"When the shadow first began to fall on Greenwood, I began my scouting missions for Thranduil, as we tried to discover what it was that haunted her trees and brought such fear into the hearts of the other races that her name had to be changed to Mirkwood. We soon discovered that a necromancer had taken abode in Dol Guldur, but we did not yet know it was Sauron. It was Mithrandir who later discovered the truth." Bratherond glanced at Gandalf as he said this, and then continued.

"Before Mithrandir discovered this however, I spent many dark days and nights traveling about Mirkwood with my warriors as we fought the ever strengthening shadow. It was awful… We watched as the trees changed – as they disintegrated into the gnarled monsters you see today, as Orcs and spiders violated our forest, chasing out the good creatures that once dwelled in Greenwood…" Bratherond paused and sighed. When he continued, his voice was barely even audible and he turned his bright eyes to the ground, unable to bear Cièdron's and Legolas' puncturing gazes when he uttered the next statement.

"Maegren and Feáner were two of my best warriors…."

What was done could no longer be undone. Gandalf, Merionè and Aragorn stiffened and watched Legolas and Cièdron with growing apprehension as the two sat frightfully still, as tense as pulled bowstrings ready to snap.

"Thranduil sent them out much more willingly than he did with you two, for the depth of the shadow was not yet known and besides – they truly were the most talented archers in Greenwood. I have not seen such talent since, with the exception of you, Legolas."

Bratherond stared at the ground, as the awful memories now inundated his mind. Memories he had hoped he would never again have to relive, that he had for over 1500 years strove to bury, but never with any success.

"They proved to be as talented in the wild as they were in the archery fields.  Aye, I admit, they were a pain at times – always teasing each other or the other scouts or teaming up against the rest of us for some foolish prank, but then again none of us, including them, really knew the seriousness of our situation. Anyway, they were fine warriors when they needed to be, so I let it pass…. But your sister was always rather jealous. She thought she could not join in our missions because she was a girl – she would complain often, 'but why is it I must stay at home with Legolas and Cièdron, who are but children? Why can I not join Maegren and Feáner, I am just as good an archer as they are!'  Yet Thranduil and I still thought she was too young – and could you really imagine your father allowing his only daughter to leave so easily? Anyway, as can only be expected from the children of Thranduil, 'no' was not enough to keep her at home. We often caught her trying to follow us and would then have to escort her back to Thranduil who was always prepared with a rather interesting punishment, but none ever seemed to get through to her."

At this point Bratherond gulped and he could no longer control the tremor in his voice.  Legolas and Cièdron still did not move.

"Well one day I suspected she had followed us again into the forest. I was especially annoyed for this was the fifth time I sensed her tracking us and we had already traveled rather far. I called for her, but she did not answer. I was also rather annoyed with Maegren and Feáner that day for they had been acting rather careless. So I ordered them to go and find their sister and bring her to me. I had no doubt she was near enough to hear me and I heard a faint scuffle that I knew was her running away in an attempt to hide from the inevitable trouble she would find herself in when her brothers found her. This annoyed me even more and so I ordered Maegren and Feáner not to come back without her – these woods are no place for a lone elf girl, even if the shadow was still in its early days! The rest of us set up camp and waited for your brothers to return, fully expecting it to take a while since your sister was quite the clever scamp."

Not a soul breathed when Bratherond stopped. The neglected fire dwindled, though still flickered and hissed weakly in the setting sun. Merionè held his head in his hands and Gandalf stood, facing away from the other elves.

"They did not return," Bratherond finally whispered. He closed his eyes again and kept them shut as he struggled with the rest of his tale. "We found their bodies far from our camp the next day and brought them immediately to Thranduil, though he had already heard of what happened from your sister. And you already know this tale as well."

All was still. Not even the wind dared to disturb the group as they sat in a mixture of shock, remorse, and fear for what would now happen. Gandalf held his head in his hand and leaned wearily against his staff.  Merionè still remained with his head in his hands and Aragorn straightened and observed Legolas and Cièdron closely, trying to gauge their reactions.

Both remained as still as stone for a few moments as they absorbed what Bratherond had just told them. Then, like an arrow released from its bow, Cièdron bolted up and struggled frantically against Legolas who desperately tried to hold down his brother. Aragorn immediately rushed to help Legolas in controlling Cièdron.

"IT IS YOUR FAULT!!! YOU KILLED THEM!" Cièdron yelled murderously.

Bratherond continued to stare at the ground, not even flinching at Cièdron's outburst. Cièdron thrashed against the restraining arms of Legolas and Aragorn, but his weakened body soon relinquished and he seethed softly.

"It is because of you they are dead. It is your fault – you are no better than a murderer, Bratherond."

Legolas reeled slightly from the hatred he heard in Cièdron's voice. "Cièdron! No, no, do not think that – he did not know! It was not his fault!"

Cièdron whipped around and gaped at Legolas. "Did you not hear what he just said? Did you not hear his tale?! He sent Maegren and Feáner out alone! He did not even bother to look for them until it was too late! If it were not for him, they would still be alive, Legolas! Maegren and Feáner would be here with us today! All the pain! All the misery that claimed Ada, that drove away Nana and Eilesiá and Orophmin! If it were not for him we would all be together today! We would not be here Legolas, in this forsaken wood, on this forsaken trip, we would be at home with our family! Our family that no longer exists because of him!"

Legolas faltered just enough to allow Cièdron to break free of his grip, though Aragorn still held tightly to his other arm. "That is not true Cièdron. We were never meant to live in peace. That is not a life that we would have ever been blessed with. Sauron would have prevented that, he would have found a way," he whispered.

Gandalf gazed darkly at Cièdron. "Cièdron do not allow yourself to be a hostage to your anger. It will only weaken you."

Bratherond watched Cièdron and with a sigh he stood. "Mithrandir is right…" he murmured as he began to trudge away from the group.

"Bratherond, where are you going?" Aragorn demanded.

"I will not go far. I will be back in an hour before the sun has fully set. I assure you I have traveled through these woods many times alone."

"Bratherond, do not be so foolish!" Aragorn began to follow the elf, but Bratherond held up a hand to stop him.

"Aragorn, I wish to be alone and I am sure Cièdron and Legolas will not mind a moment away from me as well!" Bratherond insisted before turning and disappearing into the dark wood.

"Let him go. We are better off without him," Cièdron muttered.

Legolas gaped at his brother and grabbed his arm. "Cièdron! Do not say that!"

"How could you be so calm and compliant about this Legolas?!" Cièdron angrily retorted as he ripped his arm away from Legolas' grip.

"Cièdron!" Legolas again grabbed his arm and turned him around before tightly gripping his shoulders. "Cièdron, think about it – would Ada send him with us now if he blamed him for Maegren and Feáner's deaths? If Ada could forgive him then perhaps we should as well! Aragorn and Mithrandir are right! This anger, this fighting will only doom us! We already fell victim to it once – I will not allow it to happen again!"

Cièdron slackened considerably at this. Legolas did have a point. Yet he still could not shake Bratherond's words from his mind. Had he not decided to send them out, had he sent someone else instead… Cièdron collapsed to his seat, trembling slightly from his ebbing anger and the sudden grief that overwhelmed him. Legolas sat next to him and held tightly to his hand as he spoke gently.

"Cièdron, this pains me as much as it does you. You are right, had he not ordered them to search for Eilesiá, they would not be dead. But Eilesiá would be. Or anyone that he sent out in their place. It is fate we should blame for her cruelty, not Bratherond, though even that would be a waste of our time since she is out of anyone's control."

As Gandalf listened, he slowly turned and gazed in wonder at Legolas, for even he could not have predicted the elf's powerful display of wisdom.  Aragorn and Merionè also considered the youngest of Thranduil's sons with a mixture of surprise and astonishment.

Several long moments passed as Cièdron sat quietly, mulling over Legolas' words. As much as he hated to admit it, Legolas was right. How does he do it? He cannot stand Bratherond as much as me, yet he is still able to keep his head on straight even after this horrible tale. Aye, he is right, it was not Bratherond's fault- anyone who left that group would have been doomed!

At this thought, Cièdron stiffened. "We cannot allow him to go out there alone."

Aragorn nodded grimly, "I agree. I will find him."

"I will go with you!" Cièdron offered as he rose from his seat.

"Nay Cièdron! Do not be ridiculous, you are still recovering- I will go with Aragorn!" Legolas insisted as he pushed his brother back to his seat.

"But, Legolas, it is my fault…"

"Nay Cièdron, it is no one's fault. You did not force Bratherond to leave, he decided that of his own accord. You wait here." As Legolas spoke, he grabbed his new bow and knife and followed Aragorn into the wood.

Merionè sat down next to Cièdron and placed a hand on the elf's shoulder.

"It is difficult, I know, Cièdron, but you must find it in your heart to forgive Bratherond. You should know he never did forgive himself for that day. That is why he was against you and Legolas coming in the first place…Why, I even believe you two remind him a bit of them. I know you certainly remind me…"

"We are not Maegren and Feáner, Merionè. We will not face the same fate."

"Aye, I know…" Merionè whispered softly. Again his mind darkened, and he had to shake his head against the muddled fog that taunted and distracted him. This is all my fault…. They will not survive this… it is my fault….

Cièdron did not say anything else as he suddenly felt rather numb. The world spun around his head like a tornado and he wondered how they had come here, to such a fate. Ai, why must we live in such darkness?! What did Maegren and Feáner give their lives for? What is it we are fighting for now?

Legolas would have answered, Middle Earth, Thranduil, Aragorn, all the races, perhaps even the dwarves, the sun, the moon, Greenwood – he would have taken hours listing all the wonders of Middle Earth, whether he visited them or not (and considering he had not traveled very far from Mirkwood, they would mostly be places he had not yet seen), but for a moment at least, Cièdron could not think of an answer.  All he could think of was his departed kin.

Gandalf continued to face away from the fire and gazed distractedly into the forest.

"Did you hear that?" he asked suddenly, a sense of urgency growing in the wizard's voice.

Merionè and Cièdron listened carefully to the sounds of the forest, both having been too lost in their own thoughts to hear whatever it was that disturbed Gandalf. A short moment passed and then they heard it.

"Aye, Mithrandir, it sounds like distant thunder," Cièdron responded. At the same time, Merionè answered, "Aye, I hear Orc horns and they are not far now."

The two turned to each other, their eyes widening fearfully at what the other said.

Gandalf looked sharply at Cièdron. "Thunder?"

"Aye… though I hear the Orc horns as well…" Cièdron glanced at the sky and into the forest nervously, though through the thick branches he could see little.  "But I fear this storm will not be light…"

A sudden flash followed immediately by a rolling boom caused Cièdron to leap from his seat.

"Nor slow in coming!" he shouted. "We must find the others!"

"Wait Cièdron!" Gandalf stared nervously at the trees and then anxiously paced around the area where they had set up camp, examining the depths of the forest.

Suddenly, an elf crashed through the shadowy wood. "A storm! A storm is coming! Quick! the wood is too dry! We must get away from here!" Bratherond ordered. He halted suddenly when he noticed only three awaited him. 

"Where are Aragorn and Legolas!?"

"They went searching for you! We must find them!" Cièdron grabbed his bow, but the wizard again stopped him.

"No Cièdron, they may already be returning. We must stay together as best as possible."

"But Mithrandir!" Cièdron started, but another deafening clap of thunder and blinding flash did not allow Cièdron to finish.  Just as he was about to resume his argument, Gandalf shushed him and motioned for everyone to listen carefully.

Suddenly he straightened and whipped around to the others, "Did you hear that?!?" he demanded, the urgency in his voice rapidly mounting to an uncharacteristic panic.

"Aye, Orcs!" Bratherond and Merionè shouted as they swiftly pulled out their bows and took aim at the shadows.

But Cièdron did not pull out his bow. After listening carefully, he sniffed the air suspiciously and at the same time as Merionè's and Bratherond's yell, he shouted with even greater urgency,

"Aye! A fire! I hear the hiss of fire!!" 

Bratherond and Merionè gaped fearfully at Cièdron and Gandalf as the horrible truth of Cièdron's cry sunk in. They too could now smell the smoke. But before they could react, an arrow whizzed by Merionè's face, striking a tree behind him.

"Fire and Orcs will not so easily defeat us! We will fight these devils and then we will continue south to the clearing of East Bight!" Gandalf cried to the others as they rapidly assumed defensive positions.

"But Legolas and Aragorn!! What of them?" Cièdron demanded.

Before anyone could answer another flash of lightning revealed the hideous figures of Orcs hurtling towards them, their arrows aimed and swords unsheathed. As the horses neighed and panicked, and the storm angrily erupted in another violent clap of thunder and lightning, another battle descended upon the unlucky scouts of Mirkwood.

TBC

I know I am a horrible horrible person, leaving you off like this… And what's worse, I don't know when I will post again (classes start soon and I am moving this week) Plus I think I need a short break (just a short one! Do not worry, I promise this story will not be abandoned! *waves notes and epilogue as proof*)

I may write one more chapter before school starts, just to get off this cliffie here, but then I'm afraid there will be longer waits between chapters…. I do have a habit of missing entire months as they fly by when I get into school, so if it starts to take too long, just badger me (for someone who's going to be a lawyer, I give in to guilt trips pretty quickly). 

Some of you were wondering how long this story would end up being. I suspect I have at least 12-15 chapters left, but then again I have a reputation for underestimating everything, so who knows.

Abomination: lol – sorry to disappoint you there! Yeah, I guess he's not the most likeable of characters… Perhaps I'll do a prequel/spin off type fic one day "Kariler, Filinor and the Mules"… a vignette or something… hmmmm……

Alexa:  Yeah, I wondered about the same thing myself (about legolas taking a backseat to Aragorn) But I guess even with all those elven powers, that can't make up for experience which Aragorn has.  Ah, and you're right, I certainly didn't throw in all those comments just for the fun of it.

Arayelle Lyn:  An angst lover I see! Hehehe

Dot: Thank you! I was very nervous about that chapter because it was my first real fight scene. I'm so glad you approve!

Ecri: Thank you! Yeah, you're right, there are no elf children mentioned… And I bet he probably is one of the youngest elves in Middle Earth. Or certainly he is of the youngest generation at least.

Gwyn:  Eek! I'll remember to hide away for a while then if I do kill him!

Lamiel:  hehe… I do like to push the limits of Elven powers to defy the laws of physics… 

LittleLoopy: Ah, I see… of course, I guess I did misunderstand.  Well, in that case….

Maranwe: Thank you! Yes, I have noticed Fanfic is a little funny with their reviews – I don't know if its holding any back or not, but it lists a different number depending on how I find my story, and none match up with the number they actually sent me by email.

Pinto: Thank you so much!

RainyDayz:  Wow! Thank you! Don't umm… die or faint or anything… ;) Thank you so much! *mmm…. candies….*

Shaan Lien: Thank you!

Shadow Warrior: Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying it (even the OCs!)

Sirith:  Thank you for the review!

Sirithiliel: Thank you! You don't have to review every chapter… well you could, of course I appreciate it, but I understand if you don't.  : )

Tainted Fortune: Thank you! Glad you're not too disappointed. Yeah, there is lots of guilt going around… Everyone blames themselves for everyone else's problems. Sheesh

Tourignyne:  Thank you! This is my first venture into creative writing and though it is fun, it is rather tough, so the idea of writing a completely original one boggles my mind – I doubt I will venture into that territory anytime soon.  But thank you!

Viktoreja Rose: Thank you!! So glad you're not mad anymore *phew* 

WeasleyTwinsLover:: Yeah it would have been difficult to write Legolas after that not fading or being horribly depressed and that really would not work well for the other things I have planned…