Chapter 5
The trees blurred past Elladan as he slowed his horse to a brisk trot while trying to ignore the pounding of his heart, the image of Sauron etched into his mind. Glancing over to Thranduil, Elladan noticed that he looked even more drained and pale than previously thought. Pulling up next to Thranduil, Elladan quietly asked, "Your majesty, are you all right?" Jerking in surprise, Thranduil turned to look at Elladan and inclined his head in thanks then said "I must admit that I am not at full health. On our way to pick up my wife, we were ambushed by orcs. During the ambush, I was hit in the shoulder by an orc. My healer has already dressed the wound, but I am hoping that your father will look at it while we are at Imladris." Smiling gently, Elladan replied with mirth in his voice, "I wouldn't worry about father not looking at your wound. In the hearing halls, my father is very controlling. He feels personally responsible for every person that enters his doors ". Before Thranduil could reply to Elladan, Elrohir pulled up on the other side of Thranduil's stag and said, "We are reaching the edge of Greenwood and plan to set up camp and rest for the night before setting off on the month-long leg to the journey to the edge of the misty mountains." Nodding sharply, Thranduil replied, "As long as we make camp within Greenwood the trees will alert us to Orcs and goblins in the area." Satisfied, Elrohir pushed his horse into a loping canter to catch up with the guards at the front of the party and relay Thranduil's orders.
Coming to a halt just within the edge of Greenwood, they began to set up camp while two of Thranduil's guards wandered off to collect firewood and locate some game for them to eat; to prevent them from using their supplies before heading into the misty mountains. Hours later, Elladan flopped down beside his brother. The heat from the roaring fire helping to ease his aches and pains. Turning to Thranduil, Elladan took a deep breath and asked, "How is your shoulder?" Turning slowly to face Elladan, Thranduil winced as he moved. Before Thranduil could reply, Elrohir had leaped up from his place at the campfire and was saying in an urgent voice, strongly reminiscent of their father in the healing hallS, "I know I am not as skilled as my Father in the arts of healing. However I do possess a strong talent for them and if you would allow me, I could treat your wound until we reach Imladris." For a long moment, Thranduil's piercing ice-blue eyes evaluated his brother before he said, "You're Father often boasts of your skills in healing and laments the fact that you seem more interested in being a guard of Imladris than perfecting your talent in the healing arts, so I do not see any reason that I wouldn't allow you to treat me." For a moment Elrohir froze, shock clear on his face before he quickly shook himself from his surprise and began to aid Thranduil in removing his robes, revealing blood-stained bandages.
While Elrohir was removing the bandages, Elladan, cautious of the rumors of Thranduil's short temper, asked, "Why was your wife in Dol Guldur?" Blinking, Thranduil turned to look at Lainel, who had gone deathly pale as Thranduil said: "I am unsure of why my wife was in that foul place as she was supposed to be inspecting the living conditions of the elves that live and roam in the southern areas of Greenwood." Smiling nervously at Thranduil, Lainel hung her head and in a quiet voice said: "One of the Travelers told me that darkness was stirring in Dol Guldur." Raising his eyebrow, Thranduil whispers "So you just decided to check out the ruins of a fortress that the dark lord used to inhabit by yourself rather than go home and tell your husband, who has an army and can warn the rest of the last remaining elven kingdoms if darkness is truly growing in Dol Guldur." Tears stream down Lainel's face as she whispers, "I wanted to prove to you that I was worthy of you and our son and not just some stuck up Noldor as the other lords of the Greenwood say when they think I can't hear them."
Thranduil's face darkened in rage as he said, "When we return home, you will inform me of all the defectors so that they may be punished and if you ever leave the castle, it will be with a guard." Opening her mouth to protest, Lainel was cut off as Elrohir quickly said: "That is why we are here. Our Father informed us of a vision that foresaw Queen Lainel falling from the tallest tower of Dol Guldur." A heavy oppressive silence hung over the camp as everyone realized what could have happened and its implications on the last Elven King. One of the Greenwood guards cleared his throat before saying "My King, I would offer my services to protect my Queen. I tire of being captain of the guard, while your son, who desperately wants my post, is more suited to the job than I am."
Wincing as Elrohir pealed the final layer of bloodied bandages of the jagged seeping wound, Thranduil turned to the guard and said, "I would be honored to have you guard my wife Feron." Nodding gratefully; his pale brown hair glinting in the sunlight, Feron accepted his new post. Turning slowly as not to impede Elrohir's work on his shoulder, Thranduil moved to face both his wife and Elladan, then in a stern voice that brooked no argument asked, "While you were in Dol Guldur, what did you see?" Shifting nervously, Lainel replied; her head hung and her hands fiddling with the hem of her dress "I only saw one orc as Elladan killed it, but there was a true evil that I have not felt since the war of the rings that emanated from the place. However, I do believe that Elladan saw more than I as he remained at the top of the tower to ensure I made it to the ground safely." Swallowing, Elladan tried to ignore the deep fear, that the image of Sauron surrounded by an eye of fire caused, as he said "It was only pure luck that when I kicked the pillar, it fell across the door giving me time to get Queen Lainel to the ground. But as I was preparing to go down behind her, a mass of orcs broke through the pillar and I believe that I saw the dark spirit of Sauron wreathed in the eye of flame."
As Elladan finished talking, a couple of the Greenwood guards mumbled: "May the Valar save us." Looking off into the distance, memories clearly being remembered; Thranduil shuddered. He then turned sharply to face Elladan, causing Elrohir, who was bandaging the wound on his shoulder back up, to fumble with the bandage. Thranduil said, "Are you sure that is what you saw?" Nodding softly, Elladan replied, "I am fairly confident that was what I saw. However, I will double-check with my father and in the libraries of Imladris to be absolutely sure." The look of worry etched onto Thranduil's face was, for a brief second, replaced with the dragon burns that Thranduil had gained during the last alliance; trying to protect Gil Galad. Swallowing, Elladan forced himself not to shudder at the gruesome sight that lay below a carefully crafted illusion that covered the left side of Thranduil's face. Breaking the tense silence that hung over the camp, Elrohir in a clear voice said "I have recleaned your wound and will need to do so every day until it stops seeping. I would also recommend that you get as much sleep as possible to aid in the healing process." With a quick nod of thanks, Thranduil readied his sleeping roll and lay down for the night; leaving the others to take turns on guard duty.
As they traveled to the misty mountains, the days began to dissolve into an endless cycle of ridding and sleeping, all while checking over their shoulders for the orcs in Dol Guldur. The tension in the camp began to wear on their nerves causing the group to become quiet and sullen. To Elladan's disbelief, once they reached the edge of the misty mountains they did not encounter any goblins or orcs and instead made their way over the misty mountains in record time.
Knowing that the safety of Imladris was near, the elves pushed their tired horses onwards; eager for the journey to be over. Soon the wide-open plains became the leafy green of the forest of Rhudder. Cantering down the long bridge walkway, Elladan and Elrohir reached their father. Swiftly dismounting, the twins seamlessly bowed to their father. Elrohir, in a quiet voice that the other elves making their way along the bridge walkway at a much more leisurely pace could not hear, asked: "Father, where are the elflings and what should we tell the visitors?" Smiling softly at his son's wisdom, Elrond, in an equally soft voice, replied "The elves of Imladris have been instructed not to inform anyone of the reason for the meeting and the elflings have been kept in the private quarters and gardens so that even your grandma doesn't know what is going on, much to her concertation." Gapping at his father, Elladan pondered who you could keep anything from their grandmother. Changing the subject, Elrond smiled, as in a proud voice he said: "I see you succeeded in your mission as you and the Greenwood elves are the last people to arrive. We can discuss it tomorrow morning at the meeting of the White Council and the Free people of Middle earth." Bowing to their Father, Elladan and Elrohir turned and bowed in a farewell to Thranduil and Lainel. Pausing as he left, Elrohir turned to his father and said "Before we met up with King Thranduil, there was an ambush in which Thranduil was injured in the shoulder. I have been treating the wound and do not see any issue with it but you may want to take a look at it." Frowning slightly, Elrond replied, "I will take a look at it tonight, son." Satisfied that he could go wash up and sleep, Elrohir slipped from the courtyard; his thoughts completely focused on getting a bath and peeking into the nursery to see how the elflings were settling in.