Hey it is me again I have the forth chapter for you ;). Happy New Year everyone :).
I hope you all will like it ;)
Sorry for any mistakes, because I know I make them but not see them ;).
Chapter 4
Travelers
The sunny days were getting colder and shorter for the friends in Rivendell. And each day more travelers stopped in the Last Homely House.
The elrondion twins were on a patrol again because of the pranks they pulled on Glorfindel and Erestor. Rearranging furniture and painting their chambers was one thing, but dyeing their hair in rainbow colors was another. And that was why the young elven prince was playing with the small boy alone in the garden among the trees and flowers, while his faithful feline companion, and friend, was watching them sprawled on a sunny patch. A russet bundle was sleeping at her side buried in her long fluffy fur.
Suddenly the ball, the pair was playing with, rolled to the great bluish feline. Estel ran after it and when he saw where it ended up, he stopped and looked back to the golden haired elf. To that Legolas urged him to get it. Luin looked at the wide eyed child and then at the ball. She used her tail to push the ball in Estels' direction.
The small boy took the ball. "Thank you." Estel shyly said and smiled a bit.
"You are welcome." Luin answered with a bow of her head and a smile and rolled on her back exposing her furry belly to the sun. Her bluish fur was not helping in getting more heat from the sun as a darker toned one would but, she still liked it.
Legolas came to the small edain and ruffled the boys black hair. Estel looked up and smiled at the elf and back to the bluish mass of fur and legs. 'She is not that scary. She acts like an overgrown dog, or a housecat.' The small boy thought. The great cat was as protective as any dog if not more, and her loyalty was undoubtable.
While the friends played a group of seven men crossed the fort of Bruinen and were heading to Imladris.
"How far we have to walk to get there?" Walcott whined again.
"We hopefully get there by sunset. And now shut up! If I hear you asking again you cannot even imagine what I will do with you." Halsey, the leader, spat out to the shorter brown haired man.
Halsey wondered why in the world he took that simpleton with him, which was driving him crazy always asking if they are there yet. Maybe because he thought that the guy knew how to fight with a sword and was most loyal, almost a fanatic, to him from the whole group. Or maybe it was because the man was almost like a nephew to him, the one he never had. The other four members of his group were also chosen because of their great skills with different weapon. The last one joined them at their last stop in Bree town and did not know anything about them. Each and every one of them was a master of their weapon. Garret a tall black haired, strong build man, who was great with an axe, Pierson, very silent man, really slim, dark brown haired with a dark look in his eyes, who usually fought with knife and short sword. Bronson a brown haired, blue eyed man with a short temper, who fought with a pike, Weldon a black haired brown eyed man with a scar running over his left eye down to the chin, who was another swordsman. And Colton, a stout blond haired blue eyed man, loud and most cheerful of the group, who fought with a broadsword. He was the only newcomer to the group and the most honorable one.
Halsey never told anyone, except for Walcott, what was his goal. He recruited Colton on his way through Bree-town, because he needed more muscle if things went wrong.
"Worry not friend Walcott. You will soon enjoy the sight, pleasure and the calm of Rivendell." The cheerful blond said to the short man who just scowled at him a bit.
"I take you have been there before." Weldon asked.
"Aye, I have It is the most beautiful place I have ever been." Colton said with a smile and dreamful look in his face.
Halsey was surprised but mostly glad that at least one of the group new how to move around the place. And an evil smile appeared on his face.
It was nearing midnight when a group of seven men passed the guards of the south gate to Rivendell. One of the elven guards guided them to the Last homely hose and the serving elves escorted them to the chambers for travelers. They were given four chambers. Halsey and Walcott shared the first one, Weldon and Pierson shared the second one, Garret and Bronson shared the third one and Colton had the whole chamber for himself.
The travelers got a light dinner consisting of dried fruits and warm soup. After that Colton excused himself and said that he will be retiring to his chambers.
Halsey then took the remaining men of his group to his chamber.
"We will stay in this place for two days just to locate the boy and when the night comes we will capture him and take him to the master." The black haired man said to his followers.
"But how do you want to keep the boy quiet?" Bronson scowled at their leader.
"I have this." Halsey said and took out a small pouch. "This is the most potent sleeping powder I ever encountered." The man grinned at the pouch.
"And how do you know the boy is here?" Hissed Pierson.
"My master knows the son of Arathorn is here."
"What about Colton?" Garret asked.
"Any of you here, will not tell him anything. He is too friendly with these people. I do not trust him as much as all of you that are gathered here. Understood?" Halsey spat at this men.
"Aye." All of them nodded.
"Now go to your rooms." Halsey ordered.
The next morning in the Hall of Fire Halsey thanked his luck as the little boy, he was searching for, appeared in the doorway. After him came a golden haired young elf and then his eyes widened. After the pair a great feline entered the hall. 'It would make a good coat.' He thought. He thought that after this job he will get back to get the fur of that cat.
Luin was the first that saw the newcomers in the Last homely house. She looked at them and did not like how the black haired edain was looking at her friends.
Lord Elrond was already in the Hall of Fire with Glorfindel and Erestor, chatting and enjoying their breakfast when his adopted son and his friends came. The ancient elf smiled when he saw the Estel was slowly losing his fear of the great feline, as he was nearer the bluish feline than ever before.
"Good morning ada, Lord Glorfindel and Lord Erestor." Estel smiled at the raven haired elf.
"Good morning penneth." Said the ancient elves and looked at the child with broad smiles.
"Aye good morning my lords." Legolas greeted.
"And to you Legolas." The elves bowed their heads a little.
Luin was still watching the men seated at furthest table. "And good morning to you too Luin." Lord Elrond laughed.
The great cat was jarred from her thoughts by the voice of Lord of Imladris and looked at the ancient elves. I am so sorry my lords. Good morning to you all. The feline bowed.
"There is nothing to forgive, mellon nin." The raven haired elf said and smiled.
Estel was puzzled. He knew for sure that the cat was able to talk yesterday so he pulled at Legolas' sleeve.
The golden haired princeling kneeled to the small eadain. "What is the matter Estel?" he smiled at the boy.
"Cannot she talk? I could hear her talk yesterday, but today she just meows." Estel asked in a sad voice. He thought that maybe he just imagined it yesterday.
Now Legolas looked puzzled and then it hit him. "Oh penneth. Luin can talk like we are doing now." The young elf smiled. "She is talking to your ada right now, but only elves and animals can understand her now. Worry not penneth, she will be talking to us so that you will understand her." And patted the boys head.
"What is the matter Luin?" Legolas asked his feline companion when he and Estel sad down and took their food.
I do not like that man sitting at the other side of the Hall of Fire. The great cat said and looked at the man, who immediately looked to his companions.
"Oh. You know Estel was sad because he heard you speak yesterday and he thought that he just imagined it." Legolas said to the feline.
Luin on the other hand laid down behind the pair near to Estel, to which the boy flinched a bit, when he felt her whiskers on his neck. Legolas looked at the bit frightened boy. "I am so sorry penneth. You were right I can talk. I just do not like those men to hear me." Whispered the great cat.
"I knew it. You can talk." The boy whispered and turned to the great head and to the sky blue eyes. "You are forgiven." Estel smiled.
"Hannon le Estel." The bluish snow leopard whispered and licked the boys' cheek. To which the small boy laughed and hugged the great cats' head.
Lord Elrond smiled the three fiends. 'Their friendship is on the mend.' The elven lord thought.
After breakfast lord Elrond sent one of the serving elves to fetch the leader of the newcomers and waited for a bit. After a few minutes a knock on the door could be heard.
"Enter." Lord Elrond loudly said.
Then the great wooden door opened and revealed Halsey standing behind them.
"You requested my presence, lord Elrond?" The man asked
"Aye, I did. I always meet people, who are staying under the roof of the last Homely house." The ancient elf said and looked at the man. "I just want to know you and your companions better." He added.
"We are travelling guardsmen. We protect merchant caravans when they are going on a long journey. We are just returning home to Enedwaith from North Downs where we had out last assignment." Halsey lied to the lord of Imladris. He told the ancient elf the same story that his master told him to say if anyone was asking. "But we will be leaving soon. We want to get home to our families really soon." The black haired man said and smiled as best as he could.
"Oh. Then I will not trouble you further." The elven lord said and released the man.
When the man left his study the raven haired elven lord turned to look outside of the window with hands behind his back at his playing sons and his friends. There was something suspicious about the man and his group. Only one really was not fitting between them, and he remembered the man that once or twice visited Imladris last time was few months ago with a merchant caravan. The one named Colton.
Outside in the garden the elrondion twins and Legolas were playing with the little boy, while the great cat was watching them from the sidelines.
Luin was watching the elves and the boy play with the ball again and was thinking. She did not even realized that the ball stopped right next to her until Legolas came.
"Luin, mellon nin, what is wrong? You are not yourself today." The small elf said.
"I have a strange feeling and I do not like how that man was watching us this morning in the Hall of Fire." The great snow leopard said.
"I do not know Luin. Not everyone ever seen your kind or any kind of great cats. And you must agree you are a huge feline just moving around in Imladris." Legolas smiled.
"Aye, you are right, mellon nin." Luin said and smiled at him.
Then Estel came running to the group. "Come and play with us too Luin."
"Yea come and play with us Luin." The twins said and ran over to them.
'The little edain is so happy. I cannot ruin his fun.' Luin thought and stood up from her spot. The bluish snow leopard was happy that Estel was overcoming his fear of her. "Okay let us play then penneth." Luin smiled at him and grabbed the ball.
The elven lord smiled at the group as he seen all the fallen leaves fly around the garden. 'Let them have fun.' Lord Elrond thought and returned to his work.
On the other side of the last Homely house a dark cladded figure was prowling the empty hall and chambers. Pierson was ordered by Halsey to find the sleeping chambers of the little boy and not to be caught or seen by anybody. And he was taking the job seriously because he was perfect for sneaking around. He was a skilled burglar after all. When he found the right hall he stayed hidden and waited.
In the evening he was rewarded for his patience as the raven haired elven lord, his two sons, the golden haired elf and the great feline walked to one of the rooms with the sleepy boy. Only the bluish cat turned for a second and sniffed the air a bit and Pierson froze for a moment.
Luin stopped and sniffed the air around this hall and scrunched her nose. 'The whole house reek of those men.' The snow leopard thought and continued her way.
When everyone left the chamber after few minutes, he waited a bit longer till the hall got deathly quiet. Then he returned to Halseys' chamber to report what he found out.
"So we will make our move tomorrow night. Let our men to be ready." Halsey said to Walcott with an evil smile on his face, and the younger man left the room.
The next night the men were ready to go. They left Colton to pack all their belongings and said they have to go tonight because of urgent things they forgot about and that they are going to talk to lord Elrond about it.. Not telling him that they are taking the boy with them. And the blond giant agreed to go. Halsey also sent Pierson and Weldon to take care of the two guards at the south gate, while he, Walcott, Garret and Bronson went to get the boy.
In the dead of the night the four men stepped into the hall where Estels' and the other elves' chambers were located and quietly approached the lonely wooden door.
Walcott slowly opened the wooden door and peeked in. He saw the boy sleeping in the bed all alone, wolfish grin appeared on his face and waved at the other men on the wall to come in after him.
Last to enter the chamber was Halsey. The black haired man peeked his head and looked around the hall then and evil grin appeared on his face and quietly closed the wooden door.
TBC…
Translations:
Ada- dad, daddy
Adar – father
Edain- human
Hannon le- thank you
Mellon nin- my friend
Penneth- young one
Ion nin- my son
Tithen gwador- little brother
Gwador- brother
I hope you all liked the last chapter :) so please R&R.
Your LeoLuin ;)