CHAPTER 30

Before either of them could so much as squawk, they each found an ear was being held in a firm and no-compromising grip, as though they were errant teens caught in a prank.

Legolas led them to a fallen tree, and plunked them down upon it, hard. He held their gaze with his own, as he towered over them.

“I think perhaps you failed to take into account Elven ears, when you planned your flight,” he said, his voice very soft. “I have been following you ever since you left.”

Dago tried to speak, and all that came out was a tiny squeak. Legolas ignored it. He turned his eyes full on Clovis, who cringed as though he had been struck.

“You have the privilege of sharing blood and kinship with one of the finest people it has been my honor to know. Instead of appreciating him, you have allowed jealousy to poison your soul. You would do well to remember that the one you slander is the sworn knight of the High King. Moreover, he is *my* dear friend.” And now Legolas gave a mirthless and implacable smile that somehow reminded Clovis of the smile Merry Brandybuck had given him just before he drove his knee--now Clovis squeaked, and crossed his legs as he remembered.

Legolas turned his gaze on Dago. “And you--greed is your undoing. Do you really believe you could get away with such a scheme as you thought? Men are mortal, but there are not many who are such fools as to be cozened by the likes of you.”

Dago gulped.

Legolas reached into his pouch and took out rope. “I do not believe you will escape me so easily.”

He took Dago’s left hand and Clovis’ right hand and bound the two of them together, leaving enough free rope at one end for him to hold on to.

The two hobbits looked at the grey rope in surprise. It was finer and thinner than the rope with which they had been previously bound, and they could scarcely feel it. It was almost as though they were not bound at all. Yet when Clovis tried to pull his hand away, both of them could feel it tighten perceptibly. Their eyes grew wide, and they quickly dropped their hands to their sides. Legolas glanced at them and his lips twitched in amusement. Hithlain rope was very useful.

Legolas turned, keeping the other end of the rope in one hand, started walking. The rope tightened, and the two prisoners suddenly had to trot to keep up.

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Cado could not understand it. It was clear by their absence from breakfast that Dago and Clovis seemed to have made their escape. Yet there was no hue and cry, no signs of a search party. No one was questioning him as to their whereabouts. It did not seem logical that the Men would take the escape of two of their prisoners so lightly. Clodio looked at his younger son.

“He left me.”

Cado nodded. Why weren’t they trying to find them?

“I wouldn’t have gone,” said his father quietly, “but they didn’t even ask.”

His son shook his head in answer. Something wasn’t right. He wanted badly to ask where the other two were, but he was afraid to draw attention to himself.

“You didn’t leave.”

Cado finally looked at his father, whose face was drawn and strangely expressionless. “No, no I didn’t.”

Clodio sighed and nodded, and fell silent.

Cado still scanned the campsite for any sign that something out of the ordinary was going on, and failing once more to see any sign of it.

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Danulf and Adrahil finished saddling their own horses, as their hosts saw to loading a packhorse with bread, vegetables and smoked meat, enough to feed the camp for a couple of days. Beorhstan was saddling his own horse.

Beorhthelm came over. “Be sure to let your Captains know you will all be welcome to camp here for a day or two, and purchase what surplus we still have to spare.”

Danulf nodded, and placed his right hand on the former Rider’s shoulder. “Westu Beorhthelm hal” he said.

“Westu hal,” Beorhthelm responded. He looked up at his son who had mounted. “Be careful my son, especially on your return!”

Beorhstan inclined his head. “I will, my father!”

They rode off, the little family waving farewell after them.

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Freddy had been watching Cado and Clodio all morning. The older one seemed downcast, the younger seemed perplexed. He wondered how much of the other two had revealed of their plans. He could tell that Cado, especially, wished to ask questions.

“I’m worried.”

Freddy started. He had not heard Mistress Poppy come up behind him. “Has Bergil taken a turn for the worse?” he asked, alarmed.

“No. He’s mending very well. I am concerned for the older one.” She gestured with her chin to where Clodio and Cado sat. “He seems to be falling further and further into melancholy. I shall have to keep an eye on him.”

“I can’t help but wonder how much the two of them knew of the others' escape plans. I may have to speak with them.”

Poppy raised an eyebrow. Freddy shrugged. “I know. It’s distasteful, but it has to be done. For one thing it seems unkind to keep them in the dark all these hours.”

Poppy raised a sardonic eyebrow at him “Unkind? After what they did? You worry about being ‘unkind’?”

Freddy shrugged, and walked over to where they sat.

Without addressing them, he said, “Do you two wonder where the others have got to?”

Clodio did not at first respond. Cado’s head shot up with a snap, and his eyes grew wide. After a brief moment Clodio looked up as well.

Cado nodded.

“They had decided to attempt to escape. However their plans were overheard, and it was decided to allow them to try it. They have been followed since they left by the Elf, Prince Legolas. He will bring them back when he’s ready.”

Two pairs of eyes grew huge and round. Cado gulped and nodded, and after a second, his father did as well.

Freddy looked at Cado. “Did you know they were going to do that?”

“Y-yes,” Cado said hesitantly.

“Why didn’t they take you along?” Freddy sounded perplexed, not angry.

Cado blushed red, and swallowed. “I told them it was a bad idea. And--they didn’t want to take my father.”

Freddy looked at him quizzically. “You were quite right. It was a very bad idea.” With another nod, he walked away.

Cado stared after him. He had spoken to them without absolute necessity. And it didn’t look as though there would be repercussions for the two of them from the others’ folly. Most unnerving of all was the knowledge that they had felt secure enough and certain enough of the Elf’s ability to allow Dago and Clovis the illusion of freedom. He thought of the occasional implacable stare he received from Legolas. He was glad he had not gone. He wouldn’t want the Elf coming after him.

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They had been moving steadily for a couple of hours, and Legolas could tell from the drag on the rope that his prisoners were flagging. He stopped abruptly.

“Sit down,” he said.

They immediately plopped themselves on the dirt. Legolas took from his pouch the journey bread he had pilfered from them the night before, and gave each of them a piece. They devoured it ravenously. He handed them his waterskin, and allowed them each a few swallows before he took it back.

He squatted down in front of them and held them with his gaze. They stared back in horror, but unable to look away, as though he were a dragon entrancing them. “Why?” he said.

For a long moment, neither spoke. Finally Dago croaked, “W-why what?”

“Why did you try to escape *now*?”

“B-because th-they were short of Men…”

“Did you not think of Master Gimli and myself?”

Dago shook his head. “Y-you’re not part of them. They’re guards and soldiers, uh, and you aren’t…” his voice trailed off.

“Ah.” Legolas nodded. “I see. It was not that you discounted our abilities, but that you misunderstood our roles. It’s true that the Dwarf and I are not attached to this embassy in any official way. But both of us are warriors, and we respect our companions. Moreover, we respect our friend the King, and would not see his reign flouted. And we very much respect our good friends Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, and look with a good deal of disfavor at anyone who does not respect them in turn. I do hope you will keep that fact in mind the next time it occurs to you to speak rudely of any of them.” His voice as he said this was almost amiable, but the glint in his ancient eyes was not.

His two prisoners nodded, their heads bobbing up and down vigorously.

“Good. Let us be on our way.” He stood up, and gave a little tug on the rope, and continued, moving just a bit more slowly this time. It would not do to tire them so much he had to carry them.

They stopped briefly about once an hour. He did not speak to them again, although he did allow them a bit more food and water. It was mid afternoon when they approached the Road, which they would need to cross, and only a few minutes’ walk from there to the encampment.

When they arrived, Legolas was pleased to see that Danulf and Adrahil had returned--and with them was another Man, and two more horses.