A/N
Thanks to everyone who left a review on Chapter 5! And thank you to Sidewalk Surfer and Amaranth Carlton for PM'ing me. This chapter fills the request for more of Elladan and Elrohir, and Legolas finally finds out what the cause of the rivalry between Elrond and Morcion is.
Chapter 6
Legolas absent-mindedly stroked his horse's mane. His mind was filled with worry, for Aragorn and Elrond, and what state they might find the two in. His thoughts drifted back to the letter that had been sent to Lord Elrond. Aragorn had always been strong-spirited and resilient, even in the worst of times that the two had shared together. To find him any other way… Legolas hoped with all his heart that it wouldn't come to that.
He directed his attention back to Elladan, who was carefully following the track they had found not ten minutes after leaving, terrified of losing it. If they lost the trail, they also lost their hope of finding Estel and Elrond.
"Elrohir," the prince said timidly, "where does the resentment between your father and Morcion come from?"
Elrohir turned in his saddle to face Legolas. Elladan didn't even lift his head, his eyes glued to the ground in front of him. The younger twin sighed. "That goes back a long way, Legolas."
Legolas waited patiently.
Elrohir thought for a moment. "Yenì ago, Morcion and ada were friends. Father once even looked to him for advice. But he changed. He became paranoid of death, so terrified of it. Once, when Rivendell was under attack by an army of orcs and men, Morcion made a deal with them. At the last second, right before the war, he snuck out of Imladris and was given safe passage through the enemy ranks where he hid like a coward at the back." Elrohir glared at the ground bitterly. "When the war was over, we were victorious. Elladan and I found Morcion with his two sons hiding behind enemy men at the back, and we brought him back to Rivendell before ada."
Legolas blanched. An elf making deals with orcs? It was unheard of. Just like almost every other elf, Legolas hated orcs with a burning passion. Orcs were the shadowed, evil remains of what once was an elf, and they only served as a reminder to the prince what he could become one day, however unlikely that could be.
Elladan looked up from the trail they were following. Elrohir immediately took over. The eldest twin continued the story.
"Father couldn't believe that one of his friends betrayed him like that. He banished Morcion, but his two sons refused to leave their father. Morcion argued with ada, saying that he only wanted to protect his sons against what seemed like a hopeless battle, but ada had no choice." Elladan went on heatedly. "How could he forgive an elf that would rather hide behind enemy lines to save his own life, instead of fight beside his friends?"
"Morcion was exiled, his two sons with him, and the three of them immediately fled. Rumours reached us that they travelled east, and remained in the lands between Rhûn and Harad, but no one saw them for centuries. And now, he is back, and he obviously intends to wreak havoc on Imladris in some twisted way."
Elladan finished recounting the story with a tortured sigh. He had clearly never forgiven Morcion in the first place, and now that he had captured Estel, his emotions consisted of barely controlled rage.. Legolas let out a shaky breath. He had never met Morcion, but what he did already know about him didn't sound good.
Elrohir lifted his head from the ground. "The trails are getting harder to track. I'm going to ride a little further ahead to keep sight of them," he said, clearly troubled.
Legolas and Elladan nodded.
The fair-haired prince closed his eyes, trying to setting his raging mind. This way, he was surprised when Elladan spoke, and taken aback at the deep, shaky undertone in his voice. "We have to find him Legolas. Estel. We have to. But what if we don't? Elrohir and I can't handle losing another family member, not like this."
Legolas tilted his head sympathetically. He wanted to comfort Elladan, but he had his own doubts too.
The dark-haired twin's eyes lowered in anguish. "When we lost our mother, to those filthy orcs… it was unbearable." Elladan closed his eyes tightly, trying to keep embarrassing tears from spilling. "It isn't just losing the person you love, it is learning to live without them. Learning how to fill the empty place in your heart that's left behind when they go. But sometimes it feels as if it is all in vain. It almost killed us last time." Elladan glanced desperately at his twin in front of him, his eyes red. "We are going to save our little brother, or die trying."
Legolas wished he could share his friend's confidence. His own worry for Estel was becoming excruciating. But he knew that whatever happened, he would do whatever he could to protect his human friend…
Leaning over, he put his hand on Elladan's shoulder. "Do not worry my friend, I understand you. I too know what it is like to lose people I love," he said comfortingly.
Blinking furiously, the older twin gave him a grateful smile.
Suddenly Elrohir shouted from up ahead. "Elladan, Legolas, come quickly!"
Legolas and the elder twin spurred their horses, bursting into a familiar clearing to join Elrohir. Legolas immediately recognized the place. "This is where I was attacked on my way to Imladris," he said softly.
The trio scanned their surroundings. It was a devastating sight. Slowly decaying bodies were strewn across the ground, staining the soil and leaves a dark, bloody brown. Legolas lowered his eyes when he saw Haeleron's mutilated body lying on the forest floor, his face pale and his lifeless staring eyes open. To leave him here, amongst the dishonourable dead who killed him didn't seem right, but as of the moment they didn't have a choice.
The three friends stood in silence, allowing a brief moment of mourning before they reapplied their stoic facade. Suddenly, they heard a loud crash and the sound of blades being drawn up ahead. Elladan breathed. Ada. Exchanging one quick, desperate look, the elves sprinted back to their horses.
Aragorn breathed heavily. Everywhere he looked, there was crushing darkness. It was swallowing him up, ridding him of all clear thoughts and feelings. He was drowning in misery. Just like elves, Estel didn't bode well with darkness. It weakened him somehow, in a way he could never begin to hope to explain.
Shifting uncomfortably in his bonds, his thoughts inevitably drifted back to Elrond. He hoped that his father had outsmarted Morcion and Donngal, but in his heart he knew it wasn't true. A shiver ran down his spine. If Morcion got what he wanted, what would become of them? He seriously doubted they would be set free out of the goodness in Morcion's heart.
He closed his eyes tightly. He wished that Legolas was here. Of course, he was relieved beyond words that his fair-haired friend hadn't been caught up in this madness, but when they were together, it gave him courage. When they were by each other's sides, every daunting task seemed easier, and all the pain seemed more bearable. But Legolas wasn't here, and Estel was on his own. Feeling incredibly small, he pulled his knees up to his chest, careful not to aggravate his burning injuries that were weakening him more by the day.
The door to his cave cell abruptly swung open, screeching on its rusty hinges. He snapped his eyes open. He was greeted with Fergal, the man's stringy blond hair sitting dishevelled around his filthy face.
"Valar, get me out of this nightmare," Aragorn hissed quietly to himself.
Fergal didn't say a word. Bending down, he untied Aragorn's chained hands from the wall behind him and yanked the weary man up. The ranger groaned loudly in protest, but Fergal ignored him. "Get your miserable hands off me, and tell that dhaeraow Morcion who you call a lord to leave my family alone!" Estel spat bitterly. Fergal clenched his jaw, but continued to disregard him.
He began to push Estel out of the door. The ranger, disorientated and wounded, couldn't resist, and allowed himself to be forced outside. He only hoped that he wouldn't find his father, brothers or Legolas, trapped and suffering, stuck alongside him in this nightmarish situation.
When the sunlight hit his face, he immediately closed his eyes. After being in the dark for so long, the sun was unbearably bright. Eyes still closed, he breathed in deeply. He didn't know how long he would have the privilege to revel in this daylight, so he took advantage of it. Slowly, his vision returned, and not wanting to ruin his moment of peace, he reluctantly opened his eyes.
Estel looked around fearfully for any sign that his family or Legolas was here. He found none. Chewing the inside of his lip, he wondered if that was a good or a bad thing.
Pushing against Fergal, he turned around to face the wretched man. "Why did you bring me out here?" He demanded.
"Don't you want to greet your father, ranger?" Fergal asked nastily.
Aragorn's heart skipped a beat. "Where is he? What did you do to him you scum?" Aragorn nearly shouted in fury.
The dirty-blonde haired man shoved Aragorn onto the ground against a tree. The ranger blew his own brown hair out of his face, giving Fergal a look filled with pure detest.
Fergal bent down, putting his vile face right in front of Aragorn's. "You will find out, boy, in due time. Roughly five minutes ago, he walked directly into our trap, completely alone. I am sure the men have overpowered him by now."
Fergal sneered at Estel, ensured his wrists were tied properly behind the tree, and then stalked off in the direction of the small pitched tents the other men had been staying in over the past few days.
Aragorn watched him go with hatred in his heart. Illuvatar, he thought, in a way, these men were no different than orcs! Even Fergal had the same level of hygiene as an orc. The dark-haired ranger tried to calm his rapidly beating chest as he thought over Fergal's words. Completely alone. Lord Elrond had walked right into a trap, completely alone. Aragorn knew he must have received the message Calanon had carried, and tried to rescue him without endangering anyone else in the process. 'But ada must have underestimated them,' he thought despondently.
Calanon! Valar, he had forgotten about the poor little elfling! Aragorn felt ashamed. He had been too caught up in his own worries, not even giving the young elfling a second thought. He had been wounded, he remembered, but it hadn't been severe.
Aragorn struggled not to think of his father, wounded or captured, all for his sake. But if Elrond had left alone, it meant he had forbidden Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas from following. And if he had forbidden them, that meant that they wouldn't be far behind…
Estel closed his eyes in desolation. What he wouldn't give to be free of this chaos…
Glorfindel paced up and down the hallway between Elrond's office and the twins' empty rooms. Legolas's room had also been empty.
When the three of them didn't show up in the dining hall the previous night, he had known immediately that they wouldn't be in the Last Homely House. But that didn't stop him from making sure. He had searched the kitchens, the Hall of Fire, the gardens, the Bruinen and the healing wing. Not a trace of them was to be found. The only evidence he had that proved the trio had left, were three missing elven horses, and a considerable amount of athelas that appeared to have gone missing from the healing wing storage room.
Coming to the end of the hallway, he turned around, preparing to walk right down to the other end. He was not expecting to see an elf standing in the way. He studied the newcomer's face. "Tatharon, is it?" Glorfindel asked unsure.
The young elf smiled slightly, his surprise at being recognized by the famous balrog-slayer evident in his green eyes. "Yes, my Lord Glorfindel."
Glorfindel looked at the Mirkwood elf. "Is something troubling you, pen-neth?"
"No. Well, I suppose it is. It's just; I am undecided whether I should return to Mirkwood. Usually, escorts return a few days after delivering their charge. But with all the mess that is going on here, I am advised to stay and help, especially now that the prince seems to be caught up in it as well."
Glorfindel raised an eyebrow. "Yes. Prince Legolas does have a way of walking right into trouble."
Tatharon nodded. "Under normal circumstances, I would stay until the crises here are resolved. But, my good friend Haerelon was killed on our way here. Mirkwood is still unaware of his death. I know his family well, and I feel that it is my duty to inform them of what happened, before they find out some other way. They deserve to know what a noble death Haerelon died."
Glorfindel looked at Tatharon for a moment. "I agree with you, pen-neth. Do not worry about Imladris; all will be well within a few days. Go home."
Tatharon looked at the balrog-slayer. "You are sure?" He asked apprehensively.
Glorfindel nodded. "Yes. But when you do, I advise you leave early in the morning. It is safer. And take the usual route out of Rivendell, not the long one that messengers usually take. It will steer you clear of the attacking men. Elrond informed me that they have occupied the road west of the Bruinen."
Tatharon nodded thankfully. "Thank you my lord. I will prepare to leave at first light tomorrow."
Glorfindel smiled in agreement. He watched as Tatharon walked down to the end of the corridor, his pale blonde hair swishing around the corner of the wall.
He sighed. Now Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas were missing, as well as Estel. It took all of Glorfindel's will not to immediately jump on a horse and ride after them, but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't leave Imladris. Whatever was going on in the forests, the best he could do was hope against hope that Elrond could manage it.
The golden-haired being suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion pass through him. The constant feelings of stress and worry had finally taken their toll. Supressing an inelegant yawn, Glorfindel strode down the hallway, needing to rest, despite the sun that still resided in the sky.
TBC…
Yenì – Elvish equivalent to 144 years
Ada – Father
Dhaeraow – Traitor
Pen-neth – Young one
Another chapter completed, finally. In the next chapter, everything will start to fall together, I promise! Hope you liked it.
