Out of Mirkwood
Scribbles-on-Parchment
September 12, 2020
Chapter 58 – Arrival at the Greenwood
It was just before midday when the escort group reached the top of the pass. The trek up the steep hills had been slow and nowhere near as fast as Elladan had hoped. The horses' hooves kept sliding on the loose gravel and the added weight of the extra weapons and supplies that they carried were not serving to help their progress in any way.
Storm clouds had rolled in only an hour or so after they had left the camp and the threat of rain was heavy on the air. Elladan had called for a brief halt at the top of the pass to allow the horses a chance to rest. A thick fog lay heavy in the valley they had just come from obscuring any last glimpses they would have had of the camp below. On the other side of the pass, dark thunder clouds and rain rolled over the vast open plains of Rohan.
A chill breeze blew up the pass and sent a shiver down Elladan's back. This was a miserable start to the journey and things did not appear as if they would be improving. Already he could sense the mood of the other ellyn darkening along with the weather. Only Estel seemed entirely unfazed by the prospect of having to travel and set up camp in the rain.
Elladan frowned as lightning flashed further out on the plains. The last thing he wanted was to get caught in a rainstorm, but a lightning storm would be worse. They were painfully exposed up here on the pass and even when they journeyed onto the plains. There simply was nothing to shelter them from having to experience the full brunt of a storm.
"We should not wait here long. The weather continues to worsen and our guest is growing more and more agitated the longer we stop."
Elladan glanced over at the young prince as Tamír said this. The Sinda was standing by the side of his horse, a dark look on his face. Estel and Elrohir stood next to him and appeared to be saying something to the elfling, perhaps trying and lighten the foul mood of the prince; but the azure eyes seemed to only darken in frustration. Yet underneath it, all the older twin could sense a great weariness and worry that undermined Legolas's demeanor and posture.
"He is anxious," Elladan remarked, "I believe he is eager to continue on and make it back to Mirkwood. I am sure I would be too if I were in his position."
"No doubt. However, the great amount of resentment and anger that he still holds against us does worry me. He is hiding his true feelings from us, though if you can look around the mask he has erected you can see that something is greatly troubling him."
Elladan nodded slowly. He agreed with the Silvan's words.
"Do you think that this vision Legolas had yesterday was true? Do you think that we shall find a battle raging when we arrive?"
Tamír did not respond for a moment as he cast another glance towards the young prince.
"I have never known the Sindar to tell falsehoods. They are an exceedingly proud and arrogant race, yes, but not one to create stories merely for the sake of attention. I do fear that our friend speaks the truth."
"Then we shall be ready for whatever we come across. I do not think anything but evil beings have entered that forest for millennia so we will be relying solely on the guidance of Legolas to lead us on safe paths through those woods. Eru permitting we will reach Thranduil alive and uninjured - but that remains to be seen."
The escort had not traveled but ten paces from the top of the pass when the rain began. What started as a light sprinkling of rain soon turned into a steady, drenching downpour. Elladan wiped a strand of wet hair from his face and tugged the hood of his cloak up to try and shield his face from the onslaught they were in.
He had been leading the group for what felt like hours now. The swirling grey and black clouds made it feel as if they had been riding in perpetual twilight. The low altitude of the clouds also made it almost impossible to see how far they had come or in the direction in which they were headed. Several times Elladan had to call on Tamír to be sure that they were still making their way, albeit slowly, towards Mirkwood. The Silvan was renowned for having an incredible sense of direction even in the harshest of conditions and the older twin was grateful to have him in the escort. Had it not been for him they would have been forced to stop long before now.
A particularly strong gust of wind slammed into Elladan and he gritted his teeth resisting the urge to spit curses at the storm. They could have made good time today and perhaps have even made it to the edges of the forest by as soon as tomorrow evening, yet this accursed weather had slowed them down and he had no way of even knowing how far they still had to go.
"Elladan!"
The Noldo jerked his head up at his younger twin's call. He glanced over and saw the Elrohir was now riding close beside him, shouting against the wind and rain to make himself heard.
"We need to stop. We do not even know if we are going in the right direction."
Elladan looked behind him at the pitiful group of soaked ellyn that followed him and called out to his brother,
"How is Estel?"
"Fine… for now. But you know him, he will never say when he is uncomfortable or cold and the last thing that we want is for him to get ill before we even get to Mirkwood."
Why in the Valars' name did I ever agree to lead this company?
The older ellon pulled on his cloak as he tried to figure out what the best thing was to do. If they were to stay here and make camp, they would have all the farther to go tomorrow. Not to mention if there really was an attack going on in Mirkwood then their stopping now could prove to bring them to Thranduil's halls too late. However, if he were to push for them to keep going as they were then they risked Estel's health.
Elladan groaned before glancing over at his twin,
"We are going to keep going. I do not want to wait and be stuck out here overnight, we need to find a better place. Keep an eye on Estel and let me know if we need to stop early."
Elrohir nodded once before slowing his horse down so he could fall back to ride beside Legolas and Estel. The bedraggled group continued forward pushing into the storm, none of them knowing how important Elladan's decision would prove to be.
Legolas was miserable. They had been riding through the pouring rain for the past two days. Each day was the same as they trudged through the downpour before stopping to create a makeshift camp on the sodden ground as soon as darkness fell. However, the nights were proving sleepless for all save Estel. So, it was a great relief to all when the torrential rain slowed on their second night out on the plains as the storm finally began to dissipate.
The morning sun rose a couple of hours later to reveal cloudless skies directly above them and what promised to be their first day for good travel since they had left Elrond's camp. Legolas stood by his horse, as he had been doing for the past several hours, watching the sky lighten as the sun at long last made an appearance on the far horizon. The Sinda gave a great sigh of relief to see this and pushed the sodden hood of his cloak off of his head. His wet locks shone as the first rays of true sunlight landed on his hair.
He had no idea how far they had come or how close they were to the Greenwood and he was growing increasingly anxious about this. If there truly was an attack going on then he desperately wanted to be home as soon as possible. He was sure this storm had slowed them down considerably; he could only hope the Elladan had not led them astray during the past two days of travel. But as Legolas watched the clouds begin to fade away around them a great shout suddenly went up from the camp.
The young elf whirled around to see what had caused this but stopped short as he saw towering trees looming up out of the fading fog not a league in front of them.
They had made it to the Greenwood.
The other members of the camp had now risen and were also staring at the forest that was now so close. None seemed to be able to comprehend how they had managed to get as far as they had in such a heavy storm. Legolas, however, did not care how they had gotten here, he could only think about seeing his adar and brother again.
"Are you happy penneth?"
The Sinda started as Tamír's voice came from right beside him. He had been so engrossed in seeing the Greenwood again that he had not heard the ellon approach. The ellon continued,
"I must admit that as we now draw near my heart begins to yearn for those woods and the song of the trees. Does yours not as well?"
Legolas frowned.
"My heart yearns to be back with my family, but I do not expect you to understand that feeling," a great look of hurt briefly crossed Tamír's face, "However, I am pleased to be back. The wide emptiness of the plains does not suit me. I belong in the Greenwood and nowhere else."
"And so it should be," Tamír's voice was gentle despite the harsh words that had just been directed at him, "I understand greatly your urgency to return home. I am sure so much has changed since I was last there. Yet that will have to wait as I fear that it may be slow traveling for all of us through the forest."
Legolas glanced at the older elf.
"What do you mean all of us? You have brought me to the edge of the forest. I thought that was your mission."
"Our purpose is to deliver you safely to your adar. We are not going to leave you at the edge of the Greenwood to travel the rest of the way by yourself."
The prince's eyes darkened a shade.
"You cannot enter the Greenwood. Not without expressed permission from the King, or have you forgotten this?"
"I have not forgotten penneth, but I am sure the king will make an exception for his son."
Before the other elf could say anything more Legolas whirled around and strode angrily over to Elladan who was preparing his horse several paces away.
"You cannot travel with me into the Greenwood," the Noldo elf stopped what he was doing and raised an eyebrow at the young ellon's forceful words, "The king will never allow it and it will only cause greater turmoil between my kin and yours."
"I am sorry Legolas, but my orders are to escort you until you are back with your people. I will not let you travel into the forest on your own."
"So Tamír said."
"And he spoke the truth. You are too young to be traveling on your own, especially if there is an army of yrch either attacking or about to attack your home. Your death is not something that I desire to have on my hands."
Legolas poured all of his furry into his icy gaze. The Noldo did not understand. If he came back being escorted by a group of Elrond's elves like he was a naughty elfling, it would not go well with his adar. He could already see the stern cold glare of his adar's eyes and hear the harsh words he would receive. Would Thraduil even be so mad as to hit him again? Legolas shuddered to think about it. He simply could not let Elladan and his elves escort him to the palace, even if there was a battle going on.
"You cannot go into the Greenwood," Legolas said again, "You will not be welcomed."
"Then I shall worry about that when the time comes. Until then you are in my care and you will listen to what…"
Elladan's last frustrated words were cut off by a shout from Tamír,
"Yrch! There is a great company, not three leagues off. They are entering the Greenwood."
Elvish Translations:
adar – father
penneth – young one
yrch - orcs