Chapter Nineteen
"What do you mean you can't find her? It's been more than two days." Thranduil slammed his fist on the table. "Even if she were harmed there would be a body. Elves don't just disappear."
"My lord the smoke still has not cleared –" Lainos said quickly.
"Are you giving me excuses?" Thranduil asked, his eyes flashing dangerously. This was unbelievable. He never dreamed Manwathiel would be missing this long. The noise from the great hall was making it hard for him to think. Half his people still couldn't go home yet. He had sent soldiers to rebuild but the forest had been burned. It would take time. He also had all the injured pouring out of his infirmary with no healer until they found Manwathiel or heard from Lothlorien. He was desperately hoping they found Manwathiel first. He imagined Celeborn and Galadriel's response when they heard he needed a healer. He expected to hear from them at any moment.
"No my lord." Lainos said bowing his head. "We will find her."
"I expect answers soon Lainos. If there are challenges it is your job to overcome them." Thranduil said, pacing. The forest was large but it wasn't that large. If she had fallen behind some foliage maybe... "Osto, send your men to reinforce. Look under every log, behind every tree. She better be here safe and sound by the time my son returns."
"Yes my lord." Osto said.
"Go." Thranduil ordered. They both bowed and left the throne room. Thanduil resumed his pacing.
"My lord the western villages have begun construction. We think we can get basic structures rebuilt in a week's time until something more permanent can be built." Amareth said, bowing as he stepped into the room. He carried plans with him. Thranduil reluctantly turned his mind from Manwathiel and walked across the rooms to the papers Amareth was carrying.
Lothlorien had escaped the attack relatively unscathed. Thranduil's first set of riders had arrived after the initial attack but Galadriel's ring had repelled the orcs and those that slipped through were swiftly dealt with outside the borders of Lothlorien. Galadriel and Celeborn were making plans with their advisors to send aid to Mirkwood when a second set of riders arrived. They were promptly summoned to their sitting room.
"My lord, my lady." The soldier said bowing deeply.
"What is the news from Mirkwood?" Celeborn asked.
"We have won the day. The king sent me to ask if you need aid and if you do not if you could spare a healer." The soldier said.
Galadriel and Celeborn exchanged alarmed glances. "A healer? Mirkwood has two." Celeborn said.
"Our medical tent burned down. I don't know what happened to the healers." He said. "Can you spare some aid?"
Celeborn looked at Galadriel horrified but she was already staring off into the distance. "She lives. She is unharmed for now."
"For now?" Celeborn said.
Galadriel nodded. "She is in danger. She is in a field. They are looking in the wrong place. You should go. You have to discuss Dol Guldur anyway. I will hasten your horse."
Celeborn was already walking for the door gesturing for the Mirkwood soldiers to follow him. "Are there any markers?" he asked.
She shook her head. "It looks like the fields near us and Mirkwood but I can't see where. She is on foot that is all I know. Look near the edges of the forest, I can just make out the trees. You go. I will tell Elrond."
"Send a healer to meet me at the stables immediately." Celeborn said to one of his men, grabbing his cloak as he strode out the door. Galadriel followed. When they were all mounted she chanted a few words and placed her hand on each horse, each one taking off like a shot afterwards.
Celeborn, the healer and the soldiers made the journey in only one day. He could see the smoke from leagues away. The whole forest seemed to have been set on fire. As he got closer he could see the fires were mostly out but the smoke and ash lingered. The destruction here was terrible. As they rode through the forest there were still dead bodies that hadn't been cleared. There were piles of orcs placed throughout the forest burning without end. Houses smoldered and soldiers and carpenters hammered to fix them. It was chaos. When they reached the palace, the soldiers said a word to the guards and the doors swung open. The noise was overwhelming. It sounded like one of Thranduil's parties except there was no music.
"What's going on?" Celeborn asked the soldier nearest him.
"The people can't return to their homes yet. They've been staying at the palace." He said and led Celeborn to the throne room.
"Lord Celeborn of Lothlorien." The herald called. Thranduil spun around and strode across the room. He bowed and took Celeborn's hand.
"I brought a healer. You should have no need of one. You have Manwathiel. Where is my granddaughter?" he asked, forgoing all pleasantries.
Thranduil winced. "I do not know." He admitted. "I've sent as many men as I can spare to comb the forest. There has been no sign of her for three days."
"She is not in the forest. Galadriel says she is in a field near some trees. She does not know where but thinks it's close to us or you." Celeborn said.
"Beren!" Thranduil barked. Beren ran into the room and bowed smartly. "Pull men from the forest. I want riders around the whole perimeter of the forest and the paths to Laketown and Lothlorien. We think the princess left the forest. As many riders as you can spare. Have them leave from all directions."
"How did this happen?" Celeborn demanded.
"We experienced very heavy casualties. My healer couldn't keep up. I needed the men. I pulled her from the palace to help. She must have been attacked and fled." Thranduil said.
"Galadriel says she is in danger. Is she alone?" Celeborn asked. Thranduil blanched. They needed to find her and quick. Legolas was going to kill him.
"No, one of my best soldiers is with her." Thranduil said. At least he hoped Ernil was with her. He was missing too so he was hopeful.
"We will have to hope that will be enough." Celeborn said, sighing. "This is Galur. Where is your infirmary?" Celeborn asked, gesturing to his healer.
"Show the healer." Thranduil snapped to one of his men who quickly escorted Galur out the door. "Thank you for bringing aid. Drink?"
Celeborn nodded.
Thanduil snapped and a glass of wine appeared. "Please sit. Hopefully we will have news soon now that we are looking in the right place." Celeborn took the drink and sat since there was nothing else for him to do.
Legolas awoke in a cold sweat. Something was very wrong. He sat up in his bed and looked around. He was sleeping in a cozy room in Minas Tirith. It was the most comfortable he had been since leaving Rivendell but everything was all wrong. It was quiet but he was deeply uneasy. He got up and put on a tunic. He left his room almost panicked and passed Gimli's room. He could hear him snoring. Down the hall, Merry and Pip were up and talking. He poked his head in.
"Everything alright?" Legolas asked.
Merry and Pip looked at him in surprise. "Merry finished the last of the Longbottom leaf." Pip said accusingly. Legolas suppressed a smile. This was not a real problem.
"Maybe Aragorn can get you more in the morning. I'll ask." He said.
"Told you." He heard Merry say as he shut the door. Legolas continued on to the throne room. Aragorn was still up as was Gandalf.
"Did something happen?" he asked, striding into the room. He bowed automatically just before he reached the throne. Aragorn waved him off as he did every time. He didn't like it when Legolas bowed to him, especially not when they were alone among friends.
"No, nothing." Gandalf said. "We were just discussing the black gate."
"Not Frodo, or the ring?" Legolas asked again urgently. He was sure something was very wrong.
"Frodo lives." Gandalf said confidently. "Something troubles you."
Legolas shifted uncomfortably. "There is a dark shadow in my mind. Something terrible has happened or is about to happen."
"Many terrible things have happened." Aragorn said plainly. Half of Gondor's army and a good part of Rohan's army were dead. Boromir was dead. Gandalf had died and then come back. Helm's Deep had been razed. It had been weeks of terrible things.
Legolas nodded uncertainly. "The ring troubles you." Gandalf said reassuringly. "It troubles us all. None of us will breathe easily until it is destroyed."
Legolas still wasn't sure but that sounded right. "Ok, how can we help Frodo?" he asked, pulling up a chair.
"We will create a diversion." Gandalf started.
"Wait before we begin, Aragorn can you get Merry and Pip some more Longbottom leaf? They were arguing about it on my way over." Legolas said.
Aragorn laughed loudly and Legolas immediately felt lighter and more normal. Nothing was more normal than hobbits and Longbottom leaf. "Yes, that can be arranged." He said and began to tell Legolas their plans to march on the black gate.
Manwathiel was starving and exhausted. They had walked for days straight but Ernil must have misjudged how far south they were because they still weren't home. Manwathiel was used to being starved and exhausted but she was worried about Ernil. He would be no use to her half dead from sleep deprivation and he had refused to dream walk and leave her unattended. They would have to make camp. She had seen him stumble twice from exhaustion. There was no way around it.
"Ernil. We must stop." She said finally.
"Are you ill?" he asked, turning to her quickly.
"I'm exhausted and I'm sure you are too. We must rest." She said. She wished they had some food, even lembas bread.
"Come you can sleep. We can stop for a few hours." Ernil said, leading her to a clearing.
"We should sleep in shifts. You need rest too. You sleep first then I'll sleep when you wake. I've been dreamwalking. I can wait." She said.
"No my lady you should sleep. I am fine." Ernil protested. "I don't even think I could sleep knowing you were just alone in the night."
"I will wake you if I hear anything. I can help you sleep but you must rest. You're no use to me exhausted." She insisted firmly. She sat down in the spot Ernil led her too. "Where are you going?" she asked.
"To get firewood. I'm not leaving you alone all night without a fire." Ernil said.
"Do we have the means to make a fire?" she asked. All she had on her were her bow and arrows.
"Yes, my lady. Standard issue in my pack." He said and gestured to the bag around his shoulders. "I'll return shortly."
Manwathiel waited in the quiet darkness, hearing only the occasional animal until Ernil reappeared, arms full of wood.
"I can still smell the smoke." She said. They were about a mile from the forest's edge.
"It will smell for some time." Ernil said. "The orcs set many fires but I heard no fighting when I got close. I think the battle is long over." He placed the firewood on the ground and quickly made a fire.
"Here, I will help you sleep. I will wake you in a few hours or if I hear anything." She said, putting her hand on his forehead.
"Anything at all?" he asked, grabbing her wrist.
"Anything at all." She repeated. "If I hear a rabbit I'll wake you."
He nodded, satisfied and laid down. She placed her hands on his forehead and chanted to herself. He was soon sleeping peacefully. She had never kept watch by herself. She was scared. She drew her knees to her chest and sighed. At least it was a clear night. She had the stars to keep her company. She looked up at them and remembered her coming of age and Legolas and smiled sadly. How far away Rivendell and that night felt now. She longed her for her old life where the biggest problem she had was her father's strictness. In this distance she heard birds. She remembered how she had ridden alone from Rivendell to Mirkwood when she was 85 and was astonished by her own stupidity. She understood now just how dangerous it had been. Her father and Legolas had been right to be angry. For the hundredth time that day she wondered if Legolas was ok and where he was. She wondered if there would be a letter waiting for her when she got back. Maybe he had had the opportunity to write again? The idea made her happy and hopeful.
The hours stretched by in silence. Ernil must have been exhausted because he slept peacefully. Manwathiel let him sleep. She had no need of him and he would be more use to everyone well rested. She sang to herself to pass the time and wished she had thought to bring letters with her to read but then she never dreamed she'd be on another journey. She found herself writing a new composition, playing with the melody in the moonlight. She wished she had sheet music. Songs rarely stayed with her once she wrote them. This one would be gone by morning.
In the early morning she noises in the distance. She listened closely for a moment before recognizing the sounds. Orcs. She peered off into the distance. It was a mistake. She should have doused the fire. They had been spotted.
"Ernil." She said urgently, shaking him. He didn't wake. "Ernil!" she said as loud as she dared. He still didn't stir. Her stomach turned over. She had never woken someone from a magical sleep before. Perhaps they had to wake naturally. She shook him hard. He still didn't wake. The orcs were getting closer. She saw probably ten. She had her bow and arrows but not her sword. She would have to try to use Ernil's.
She crouched low to make sure she wasn't a target and released two arrows, hitting both her targets. The orcs screamed and ran for her. She released more arrows but was soon surrounded. She dodged and slashed at one orc and rolled through the legs of a second orc. She took his legs out from under him when she felt the worst pain she had ever experienced in her life. Her whole arm was on fire. She had been shot by an arrow. She cried out in pain and forced her shaking arm up to fire two more arrows.
All of the sudden she heard hoof beats in the distance. She couldn't turn to look. An orc had her pinned to the ground. He stabbed her with her sword and she screamed, seeing spots. As everything went dark, an arrow flew through the air and hit the orc in the head.
Legolas had woken just before dawn scared and sweaty. He had never had nerves like this before a battle. He wasn't sure what to make of it. He felt almost like he had been injured. He wandered into the great hall shortly after dawn. Gimli beckoned him over. "Eggs and sausage." He said, handing Legolas a plate. Gimli had been eating his fill and them some at every meal after having his food rationed for months. Legolas made note that Gimli was an expensive house guest.
"Beer already?" Legolas asked with a laugh, sitting down.
"Nothing like a prebattle beer. Gets your blood pumping." Gimli said, foaming pouring all over his beard. He poured Legolas a drink and passed it to him.
"I don't drink before battle." Legolas said. He needed his aim to be true.
"You look like you could use a drink." Gimli said and pushed it towards him.
Legolas felt the unsettled feeling in stomach again and agreed. He took the drink and sipped it. Aragorn walked in and everyone stood. He gestured for them to sit.
"When do we leave?" Legolas asked, sitting back down and taking a bite of his eggs.
"We ride out in two hours." Aragorn said joining them at the table.
"Who will I go with?" Pip asked eagerly.
"Eomer or Gandalf." Aragorn said. "I did ask down at the infirmary though and found you some Longbottom leaf."
Merry grinned. "Fantastic. We'll have some waiting for us."
Pip nodded eagerly agreeing.
"Everyone clear on the plan?" Aragorn asked. Everyone nodded and slowly breakfast chatter resumed. "Eat Legolas." Aragorn said after a moment.
Legolas realized his food had been basically untouched but for a small bite. "No appetite." He said by way of explanation but forced himself to eat.
Gimli look at him concerned. "Not like you before a battle. You're not nervous are you?"
"Legolas is an uneasy. As am I. It is a delicate time." Gandalf said puffing on his pipe. "It's amazing you have the appetite you do, Gimli son of Gloin."
"No need for perfectly good food to go to waste." Gimli said, helping himself to seconds.
"Hear, hear." Pip agreed and took a hearty bite of his sausage.
"Hopefully we are nearly done." Aragorn said.
"Any word from Rivendell?" Legolas asked him. He wanted some word from Elrond, Galadriel or his father. Some reassurance that everything beyond Gondor was alright.
Aragorn shook his head. "They've probably just received my letters." Legolas nodded.
Of course. It was a long ride to Rivendell. It was a long ride to Mirkwood too. Suddenly he felt morose. Maybe he just missed Manwathiel?
"Eat and then let's end this." Aragorn said, clapping Legolas on the back. "Then we can all be where we want to be."
Legolas nodded but ate the rest of his meal in uncomfortable silence.
Thranduil was woken near dawn by pounding on his door. "My lord the princess has been found. She is gravely injured." A young soldier told him.
"Where is she?" he asked, leaving his room immediately.
"The throne room."
"Wake Lord Celeborn." He commanded and strode down the hallway, down the stairs and into the throne room. "Get me a healer!" he cried seeing a solder holding her limp body, blood everywhere. She looked horrible. Pale, bloody and covered in ash and soot. Soldiers peeled out of the room. He strode towards her. She was unconscious.
"What happened?"
"We found her in a field fighting orcs. She was shot with an arrow and stabbed. We rode back as fast as could but she has lost a lot of blood. I didn't dare remove the arrow myself for fear of bleeding." The soldier explained.
"No you were right. Where was Ernil?" he asked.
"He was there but unconscious. Other riders have him." The soldier explained.
"Where is she?" Celeborn demanded walking into the room. Thranduil stepped aside. Celeborn rushed forward. "Have you called for Galur?"
Thranduil nodded. "She was fighting orcs. She was shot by an arrow and stabbed."
Celeborn looked at the blood covering the soldier. "That's all her blood?" he asked. The soldier nodded grimly.
"I am uninjured." He said.
Galur came in a few moments later. He rushed forward. "Place her on the ground." He said.
"Gently." Celeborn added.
The soldier gingerly placed her on the floor. Galur healed her stab wound quickly and the blood stopped pouring everywhere. He pulled the arrow from her arm and healed her arm.
"Why isn't she waking up?" Thranduil demanded.
Galur looked up, his hands covered with Manwathiel's blood. "She lost a lot of blood my lord and her energy levels were dangerously low. It's like she hasn't slept in weeks."
"She had been healing before she disappeared." Thranduil said.
"How many?" Galur asked.
Thranduil shrugged. "Hundreds. Hundreds more a couple weeks ago. Maybe a thousand total."
Galur breathed in sharply. "She will need to rest for several days. You can't heal like that without a cost. Add in her injury and she will be unconscious for some time."
"Will she be ok?" Celeborn asked.
Galur hesitated. "If she survives the next day she will live." He admitted finally. "I healed the wounds but I can't create blood and she is dangerously exhausted."
"Can she be moved to her bedroom?" Thranduil asked.
Galur nodded. "It is safe to move her. She should be bathed too so that there is no infection."
"Melian!" Thranduil cried.
"He is asleep my lord." One of his guards said.
"Well wake him!" Thranduil yelled. Celeborn put an arm on his shoulder to calm him.
"Galur knows what he is doing." Celeborn said quietly. He was not in the habit of yelling at his staff. Thranduil was temperamental but now was not the time for him to lose his head.
"Of course." Thranduil said, quickly mastering himself. His anger could turn on and off like a light.
Melian appeared moments later still in his night clothes. He gasped when he saw Manwathiel. "Get her maids. She must be carried gently to her room, bathed and put to bed. Someone must be at her side at all times until she wakes." Thranduil said to him.
"Get me when she is ready for bed." Celeborn said. "I will sit with her. You have much still to do." He could still hear elves in the great hall. Thranduil realm was in complete upheaval. He was needed and not by Manwathiel's bedside.
Thranduil nodded. "Send for Lord Celeborn after her bath." He said to Melian. Melian bowed and left at a jog.
"Celeborn I am so sorry." Thranduil said.
Celeborn nodded. "Terrible things happen in war. You know better than any of us. She has been healed. We have to hope for the best."
Three maids entered the room and bowed to Thranduil and Celeborn. "Carry her upstairs." Thranduil said to the soldier. He turned to the maids. "Clean her, very gently, dress her and put her to bed. When you have finished send for Lord Celeborn. He will be in the dining room with me."
"Yes my lord." One of the maids said. The soldier leaned over and gently picked Manwathiel up and carried he up the stairs, the maids trailing behind.
"Melian, have them send breakfast early." Thranduil said and strode towards the dining room. "Tea, Celeborn?"
"Yes with cream." He said and followed Thranduil. He was greatly worried but kept his concerns to himself. Thranduil seemed close to losing his mind.
"Legolas will forgive you." He said quietly once they were seated.
Thranduil looked at him and smiled grimly. "We'll see. Would you?" he asked.
"If she lives." Celeborn said.
Thranduil nodded. "Yes." He agreed. "If she lives."
Legolas kept checking in with Gandalf as they approached the black gate. His feeling of impending doom had only gotten worse but Gandalf seemed not to feel it. As they approached the black gate, Aragorn rode ahead.
"Let the lord of the black land come forth!" he cried. Legolas sat uneasily as they were met with silence and then the gates swung open. It had begun.