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Tâd Edhel a Firion   by Fiondil

XII: A-Farad We Will Go

Few elves were up the next morning when Estel made his way to the dining hall, though the kitchen staff were busy enough setting out a sideboard for those who wished for breakfast. Elrond and Glorfindel joined him a short time afterwards. It was the first time the three had sat together for any meal since coming to the Stronghold.

It was while they were finishing their breakfast that Estel looked up to see himself facing Master Gorlas and a very miserable looking Garulf. The lad was looking very white and a bit unsteady. Estel noticed that his father was surreptitiously holding him up by one arm.

"Lord Elrond, Lord Glorfindel, a good morning to you," the Master said with a small bow after the two elves acknowledged his presence, then he turned to Estel with another bow and said, "Lord Aragorn, my son wishes to say something to you."

Garulf glared at the table between them, not bothering to look up. Gorlas gave him a nudge and the young man muttered something in Westron Estel pretended he couldn’t hear.

"I’m sorry," he said, keeping his expression neutral. "Could you repeat that, please? I didn’t quite catch it."

Garulf’s face reddened with anger as he looked up and said in a louder voice, "I am told I made an ass of myself last night. I apologize for any offense I may have caused you."

"My lord," Gorlas prompted.

"My lord," Garulf echoed him, though Estel could tell he meant it more as an insult than a title of respect, but decided to ignore it and accept the apology. However, when he addressed the young man it was as a captain to a ranger brought before him for discipline and Estel had decided that young Garulf was in sore need of discipline.

"Your offense was less against me than against our hosts. The elves of the Woodland Realm honor us by celebrating our festivals with us and we do well to respect that at all times. And there is a certain elleth to whom you should also apologize. She should not have had to be subjected to the kind of barracks language you used in her presence last night."

Gorlas nodded. "You are correct, Lord Aragorn, and if I knew the lady’s name I would have my son apologize to her and her family."

"Her name is Eirien and she is the daughter of Lord Sadron and Lady Nelluin. Lord Sadron is one of my adar’s closest advisors."

Father and son turned to see Legolas standing behind them, along with Halgaladh. Elrond, Glorfindel and Estel all rose and gave the prince their bows. Gorlas bowed as well but Garulf had to be prompted by his father to follow suit. Legolas gave a short nod in return, his expression as neutral as Estel had ever seen it. Not even the elf’s eyes gave anything away. Halgaladh just looked bored.

"Perhaps Prince Legolas will be kind enough to accept your apology on behalf of his father, Garulf," Aragorn suggested, sounding more the Chieftain of the Dúnedain than he had in some time while traveling with Elrond and Glorfindel. He did not notice either elf exchanging looks.

Garulf looked rebellious, or perhaps he was simply feeling the effects of the Dorwinion, but with a slight nudge from his father, he bowed to Legolas and muttered an apology that all there knew was less than sincere, but Legolas decided to be gracious and accept it. He then instructed Halgaladh to escort the Master and his son to Lord Sadron’s flet where Garulf could extend his apologies to Eirien and her family. Halgaladh did not look pleased at this but gave Legolas a respectful bow and the three left, Gorlas again holding onto Garulf’s arm to keep him more or less upright.

"I am very happy to know that the position of Master of Lake-town is not hereditary," Legolas said with a wry grin to Estel and the other two elves once they were alone.

Elrond and Glorfindel grinned and Estel snorted. "Thank the Valar for small favors."

"I feel sorry for Master Gorlas," Glorfindel commented as the four sat down. Elrond had gone to the sideboard for another pot of tea and was pouring some for them all. "He seems a decent sort and I think he’s feeling out of his depth here."

Legolas nodded as he took a sip of tea. "Yes, he has only recently acquired the title of Master after the last one died earlier this spring. I think he was more surprised than anyone that he was chosen, yet, in spite of his son, he has proven to be a very good Master and has been on good terms with us, as well as with Dale and Erebor."

Elrond turned to Estel with a calculating look. "You handled yourself well with Garulf, Estel. I must only assume you’ve had a lot of practice dealing with such as he."

Estel looked at his foster father with a thin smile. "In the last five years I’ve had my share of dealing with stupid youngsters among the Dúnedain. Usually a stint of patrol duty in winter does wonders for their dispositions... and mine."

They all chuckled at that. "Too bad we can’t send Garulf to the Dúnedain for similar discipline," Legolas smiled wickedly.

Estel shook his head. "I would never be that cruel, Legolas. I actually like my kinsmen."

Now they all laughed out loud, eliciting not a few stares among the other diners in the room. While they drank their tea Estel told them about some of the more obstreperous of his young rangers and the solutions he had come up with (usually with Halbarad’s help) to bring them into line.

"Halbarad is most inventive in coming up with suitable punishments," Estel commented at one point with a wide grin. "I think he could give my brothers lessons."

"Oh, please no, iôn nîn," Elrond said with a pained expression. "They are inventive enough without anyone else’s help."

"Valar, yes!" exclaimed Glorfindel with an exaggerated shiver. "Last thing we need is for those two to learn new tricks." Then he gave Elrond a sly look before turning back to Estel, speaking in a loud whisper. "Why don’t you send Halbarad to me, instead, when we get back to Imladris?"

Estel and Legolas laughed at that. Elrond’s response was to throw a sticky bun at Glorfindel, who deftly caught it before eating it, a huge grin on his face.

****

For the next couple of days, life in the Stronghold continued apace. The Master of Lake-town and his retinue left the day after Second Yule, much to the relief of all, for Garulf had been surly and unpleasant the entire time, to everyone’s embarrassment. King Bard remained, however, for Dain of Erebor was due to arrive at the beginning of the second week of Narwain to hammer out some trade agreements between Erebor, Dale and the Woodland Realm.

This was the other reason for their journey to Mirkwood. While the relations between the Elves and the Dwarves was generally good, several of the Dwarves who would be attending the conference were those either incarcerated by Thranduil fifteen years earlier or their kin. There was still some resentment among some of the Dwarves over this, though Dain himself had no quarrel now that his kinsman Thorin was dead. When Thranduil learned that Elrond planned to come to Mirkwood so that Aragorn could meet Mithrandir, he decided to ask Elrond to attend the conference while he was there. The Dwarves had no quarrel with the Lord of Imladris and in fact held him in high esteem. Elrond agreed, and thus he and Glorfindel planned to attend, along with Legolas and Estel, though the latter two would be observers rather than participants to the conference.

In the meantime, Estel spent some of his time in Legolas’ company, but more often than not he was seen in the company of the Ithron Mithrandir, the two of them taking long walks together outside if the weather was cooperative, or sitting quietly in the Sam Eiliant, watching the play of light upon the fountain, if it was not. If Legolas resented the time his new friend spent with the Wizard, he did not show it, and in truth, he had been told by Elrond himself that the sole purpose of their trip had been for Estel to meet Mithrandir in the hopes that the two of them would become friends.

"My foster son has a difficult road ahead of him," explained Elrond one day to Legolas when they were alone. "Difficult and lonely. I am the Lord of Imladris and my duties do not allow me the luxury of leaving Imladris as the whim takes me, so I cannot always be there for him. Mithrandir, on the other hand, wanders freely and will be in a better position to help Aragorn when I cannot be there." He paused for a moment before continuing, his tone darker. "I foresee that Aragorn’s friendship with Mithrandir will be very important, though in what fashion I cannot say. Suffice to say, that if they do not become fast friends, if Aragorn does not learn to trust Mithrandir implicitly, we may all rue it."

Elrond looked grim with these words and the younger elf wondered but said nothing, only nodding his understanding. It was Estel who broached the subject with Legolas one evening as the two of them enjoyed a dinner together in Estel’s parlor.

"Do you resent the time I spend with Mithrandir?" the young Man asked in a diffident tone that did not fool the elf.

"Should I?" Legolas asked in genuine surprise.

Estel grimaced. "I know Adar wanted me to meet with Mithrandir, that that’s why we made this trip in the first place, but I did not want you to feel... left out." He ended on a more apologetic note than he had intended and reddened with embarrassment, looking down at his plate.

Legolas placed a comforting hand on his friend’s arm, forcing Estel to look up, and gave him a warm smile. "I rejoice that you and Mithrandir are becoming fast friends. I have known Mithrandir all my life. He does not often come to the Stronghold, but his teaching me the names of the stars when I was just an elfling is one of my fondest memories of him. He is a good friend to have and I don’t mind sharing him with you."

Estel raised an eyebrow. "Oh, is that what you’re doing, sharing?"

Legolas laughed but made no other comment and the two spoke no more on the subject but went on to discuss the upcoming hunt with Halgaladh and Maedrust.

"If the weather holds, and it should, we will set out the day after tomorrow," the elven prince explained. "Laslaerion and Galadhor will accompany us as well."

"What do you hope to hunt?"

"There have been reports of a boar rampaging in the southern reaches near the Ered-nu-Fuin. Our patrols rarely go that far south anymore, but we still have people living in that region who refuse to come further north. The evil emanating from Dol Guldur has forced my people ever northward over the millennia, but some few have refused to give in. Adar has tried to convince them to at least move closer to the Stronghold so they have a place of refuge, but they refuse. They are mostly Silvan elves who were here long before my daeradar brought his people east out of the ruins of Beleriand."

Thus it was that early on the fourth of Narwain, five ellyn and one adan set out towards the Ered-nu-Fuin. They would be gone for four or five days if all went well. The trade conference was not expected to begin until the tenth, so there was plenty of time for them to return.

As they were mounting, Elrond could not resist giving Estel one more piece of advice, speaking softly to the young Man as he leaped onto Mithfaron’s back. "Do not stray far from Legolas or the other elves, iôn nîn. The forest south of here is very dangerous and very deadly for the unwary. Take care."

"I will, Adar," Estel promised, resisting a sigh, knowing that the elf-lord had only his best interest in mind.

"Do not worry, Lord Elrond," Legolas said, having overheard their conversation. "I will not let any harm come to Aragorn. Glorfindel would never forgive me."

Elrond smiled. "Oh, and I would?"

Legolas laughed. "I am more afraid of Glorfindel than I am of you, Ada Elrond. He is after all a balrog slayer."

Elrond turned to Glorfindel, who had been standing next to him during this exchange, and looked more amused than anything at Glorfindel’s smug expression. He turned back to Legolas and Estel and said in a conspiratorial tone, "I know what you mean. He scares me too, sometimes."

They all laughed as Glorfindel stuck his tongue out at Elrond, then they bade farewell to the two elf-lords and set off. They made their way into the forest south of the causeway, following a well-worn trail that led to several nearby villages, according to Legolas.

"We will spend the night in one of the more distant villages," he explained to Estel. "But afterwards we will camp in the woods. The boar was sighted not far from the village where we will be staying tonight. With any luck we will be able to pick up its trail easily enough."

So they traveled through the day, stopping at one of the villages for the noon meal where they passed a pleasant hour visiting the village leader, an elleth named Manadhovor, who greeted the prince and his companions courteously enough, although she looked somewhat askance at the mortal in their midst. When she learned what had brought them south, she frowned in concern.

"Do you think it wise, my prince, to bring one of the Secondborn on such a dangerous hunt?"

Estel was tempted to respond but decided to let Legolas handle the matter. He had gotten somewhat used to some of the Wood Elves speaking about him as if he weren’t there, though he little liked it. Legolas tried to apologize to him once but Estel assured him he did not take offense.

"They are unused to dealing with mortals on an equal basis," he had allowed. "It is difficult for them to break long-standing prejudices against us."

So Legolas was left to explain to Manadhovor that Estel had been hunting orcs since he was fifteen and had been leading his people since he was twenty and this was not the first boar he had ever hunted. Manadhovor still looked dubious, but did not argue the point. Instead, she told them all that she knew about the boar in question, which was little enough, for only rumors had reached her this far north.

"It is said the boar is maddened and has caused much destruction. The villagers to the south claim it came from beyond the Ered-nu-Fuin and is indeed a creature of the Shadow and no ordinary boar." She shook her head. "I do not doubt that it is a dangerous beast, but I doubt me that it is a spawn of the Shadow."

"Perhaps you are right, mistress," Maedrust said, stealing a glance at the others in the company. "We will not know for sure until we find it."

Soon they were on their way again, following the trail ever southward towards the last village.

"The leader of the village is named Gilgelair," Legolas told Estel. "He is quite old by elven standards and was here when daeradar came. He was one of the few Silvan elves who did not follow daeradar to Dagorlad. When Adar returned from the war and decided to build the Stronghold, Gilgelair refused to follow him north. Most of the elves in the village barely recognize Adar as their overlord, preferring to go their own way."

"Will they not resent your presence then?"

Legolas shook his head. "Gilgelair is no fool. He knows that Adar’s patrols are all that keep us from being swallowed whole by the Shadow. He may resent Adar’s decision to abandon the south but he understands the wisdom of doing so. No, he will treat us with all courtesy, never fear."

They reached the last village where Gilgelair was leader late in the afternoon, just as the late winter sun was setting, casting deep purple shadows through the woods. As they entered the clearing where the village was located they were greeted by torches and people milling about in near confusion. The approach of the six horses caused much excitement among the villagers.

"Mae govannen, Prince Legolas," called out one of the elves as they rode in. Estel saw that this particular elf was taller than most of the Silvan elves standing around him, though not quite as tall as the Sindar. His hair was a russet brown, his eyes dark, though there was little to see of his features in the torchlight. Legolas dismounted and went up to the elf who had called his name, giving him a warrior’s salute.

"Mae govannen, Gilgelair. Surely you and your people are not astir on our account."

The elf shook his head. "Indeed no, my lord. Two of our elflings are missing and we fear for their safety. I was just about to organize search parties."

The others in their company had dismounted and Estel stood by Legolas, his expression grave. "Where were the children last seen?" he asked.

If the elven leader was surprised to be addressed by a mortal, he gave no sign. Instead he gave a nod towards one of the other elves standing next to him. "Borgil was the last to see them this morning."

Legolas and Estel looked at Borgil, who turned out to be an older elfling of about forty or so. The young elf gave them a nervous smile and both Legolas and Estel smiled back in encouragement.

"Where did you see them last, Borgil?" Legolas asked quietly.

"They were heading for the pool, my lord." The ellon’s voice squeaked with nervousness at the end. He pointed southwest.

"But do you know if that is where they went?" Estel asked.

The ellon looked at the Dúnedain with some surprise and glanced at Gilgelair for permission to speak. The older elf nodded.

"I...I guess not...my lord. I saw them take the path to the pool. There’s nowhere else they could have gone."

"Yet I assume that was the first place you looked," Legolas stated and Gilgelair nodded.

"Their naneth went to the pool and called for them but they did not answer. She came back and told me. We have looked everywhere else for them but they are not to be found."

"How old are they?" Estel asked.

"I don’t think they’re even twenty-five yet." Gilgelair motioned to two other elves, an ellon and elleth of indeterminate age. They both had haunted expressions and the elleth had obviously been crying. "This is Ereglos and Gaelfinnel. Their son, Calenharn is one of the missing elflings. Their niece, Nínim, is also missing. Nínim’s father was killed when she was very young and her mother sailed shortly thereafter, leaving her daughter in the care of her sister."

Legolas nodded, his expression sad. "I am sorry this has happened to you. I will do what I can to see that your children are returned to you safely." He turned to Gilgelair. "Have you put your trackers on their trail? Surely they left some sign. They are too young to know how to move through the woods without a trace."

Gilgelair grimaced. "We have no real trackers. Our people live simple lives. All know the use of the bow and the knife, but we are not warriors."

Estel shared a look with Legolas and sighed. "Take me to where they were last seen and perhaps I will be able to find some trace of them."

Gilgelair looked at the mortal with some surprise and not a little resentment. "You? How do you expect to find them when we cannot?"

"It won’t hurt to try, will it?" Estel said with some exasperation.

For a moment it looked as if Gilgelair would protest further but finally he grabbed a couple of torches and began to lead them in the direction of the pool. Legolas ordered their friends to stay with the villagers, although Estel noticed Laslaerion following. Now that they were well beyond the protection of the Stronghold, neither guard would let their prince out of sight. Others made to follow, but Gilgelair ordered them to remain where they were.

"We don’t need the entire village messing up the traces. Though truth to tell," he continued more quietly to Legolas and Estel, "I doubt we’ll find anything in the dark, but the thought of those children having to spend the night in the forest alone does not bear thinking on."

Legolas and Estel agreed. Soon, they reached the clearing where the pool was. The path brought them towards the east end of the pool. It was not very large, though the far side was lost in the shadows of the encroaching night, nor was it even very deep. A stream ran from the east into the pool before flowing out again towards the southwest. Woods surrounded the clearing on three sides but where the southern shore would be the pool abutted against a bluff, perhaps twenty feet high upon which stood a stand of beeches. The bluff was sheer towards the middle but tapered off on either end. During the summer the pool was a favorite place for swimming but in the winter it was little visited, for though it did not freeze over completely the water was frigid. Not even elves would dare to swim in such cold waters.

According to Gilgelair, Nínim, only twenty, had decided she wanted to look for colored stones that were often found near the pool and her cousin, three years older, had accompanied her. As long as it was daylight, no one worried, but when darkness encroached and the children had not returned home, everyone started to be concerned.

"We’d only discovered that they were nowhere in or near the village when you arrived, Prince Legolas," Gilgelair said and Legolas nodded.

"I am glad that we arrived when we did then. Lord Aragorn is one of the best trackers ever born. I have it on the best authority."

Gilgelair looked skeptical. "And what authority would that be, my lord?"

But it was Estel who answered, smiling grimly. "He means my brothers, Elrohir and Elladan of Imladris." Before the village leader could respond, Estel motioned for them all to stop. "Stay here and I will see what can be found."

He grabbed a torch from Laslaerion’s hand and ignoring all else stooped to the ground and hunted for traces of the elflings. Had this been a village of Men, he might not have had any luck, for the tracks of the children would have been covered up by the tracks of the adults looking for them. Adult elves, however, rarely leave any trace of their comings and goings and only the training he had received from his brothers allowed him to see such traces at all. However, he was more interested in finding heavier tracks left by elflings untrained in the ways of walking lightly and leaving little or no trace behind.

In spite of the near dark, he was able to find one set of prints, possibly the elleth’s, for they were small and light. They headed for the pool. When nearly there he found another set of prints, definitely the ellon’s. They stopped at the pool’s edge then moved westward along the shore in the aimless way of all children whose attention span is measured in mere minutes as something else catches their eye. For a while the traces were quite discernible and then stopped before reaching the west side of the pool where the stream ran out. Estel was confused at first when he could no longer find any traces of them, for it was as if....

He looked up.

"Legolas!"

The elven prince was by his side in an instant. The others were not far behind. Estel pointed up. They all gasped. A large oak tree, apparently lightning-struck in a recent storm had toppled over but only part way. It leaned against another smaller oak tree which had been pushed back so that it now leaned over the stream, brushing its upper branches against the face of the bluff where it curved close to this side of the pool. It was difficult to make out in the dark but Estel suspected that the smaller oak’s branches were close enough to the top of the bluff to be reached by determined elflings. This natural bridge across the stream was too much for any child to resist.

"Do you think they went that way?" Legolas asked quietly.

Estel pointed down. "Their prints stop here. They must have decided to try to climb the trees and see what is on the other side of this bluff."

"But there is nothing on the other side," Gilgelair protested. "The bluff slopes down into the forest. Another five leagues and you reach the foothills of the Ered-nu-Fuin. If you were able to climb the bluff you would see the mountains in the distance."

"Can we get around to the other side from here without risking this bridge?" Estel asked.

Gilgelair shook his head. "No, and you cannot cross the stream. It looks shallow, but it is not. It doesn’t shallow out for another three leagues."

"Then we will have to risk the bridge. Elflings would have no trouble crossing it and I know you will have no difficulty either, but in the dark, I do not think I will be able to cross it safely." Estel hated to admit to such weakness before these Firstborn, but prudence won out over pride. He was sure that in daylight he might be able to make it across but not in the dark.

"Is Calenharn trained to find refuge in the trees if he gets lost?" Legolas asked Gilgelair.

"Would the trees tell you if they are safe?" Estel asked immediately on Legolas’ question, remembering how Legolas had told him the trees would tell the Wood Elves escorting Elrond that he, Estel, was safe.

Gilgelair stared in surprise at the mortal. He had not expected such a question from him. There was more to this mortal than met the eye, he deemed. He decided to answer the prince’s question first, though. "All our elflings are trained so, but these are dangerous times and I fear that more than wild boar haunt these woods."

Legolas nodded. Gilgelair had told them as they had made their way to the pool that the boar they were planning to hunt had been sighted further north than was first thought. "Let us return to the village and discuss our options. I fear that even we will find it difficult to cross over these trees in the dark. We may well have to wait until morning."

None of them liked that idea but they had no choice and so shortly thereafter they returned to the village and told what they had found. Many were ready to go immediately and attempt a crossing, but Legolas and Gilgelair convinced them that it would be foolhardy to try in the dark. It was best to wait until morning. In the meantime Legolas went to one of the oldest oaks surrounding the village and, placing his hand on its trunk, began to breathe quietly. All around him the elves became silent as the prince communed with the tree. There was a rustle of leaves at one point and then all was silent. Legolas opened his eyes and looked about him.

"I have asked the trees to keep an eye out for our missing elflings. None of the trees near the village sense the children, but they will ask the other trees of the deep forest and if there is any news they will let us know. For now we have no choice but to get what rest we may until morning."

**** 

It was a miserable night for all concerned. Estel felt sorriest for Ereglos and Gaelfinnel. They both looked devastated and Gaelfinnel had to be led away when she became hysterical. Gilgelair offered Legolas and the others from the Stronghold the hospitality of his flet and managed to feed them all, though in truth none had any real appetite. Legolas insisted that Estel try to sleep and the mortal reluctantly agreed. He doubted that he would sleep at all, but was surprised to find the sky lightening when he happened to roll over at one point.

He sat up to find himself alone in the flet and making quick ablutions he started down to where everyone else was milling about. Legolas noticed him and with a smile handed him a couple of hot rolls and a mug of hot sweet tea.

"I almost despaired that you would waken at all, mellon nîn," Legolas said with a smile.

Galadhor turned at Legolas’ words and smiled when he saw Estel. "I even suggested we throw you off the flet but Legolas thought Lord Elrond would be very upset if you happened to break your neck on the way down."

Estel laughed. "Upset is not the word I would have used. You could have simply shaken me."

"Oh no, Aragorn," Legolas said with a laugh. "That would have been even more dangerous than rolling you off the flet."

Gilgelair walked up then, his expression anxious. "Are we ready to go?"

A quick question to Legolas told Estel that the trees had not had anything to report. He downed his tea and with a nod said, "Yes, let us go."

This time it seemed half the village accompanied them, though Gilgelair had determined only he, Legolas, Aragorn and Galadhor would attempt the climb. It was only a matter of minutes before they were at the pool and now all could see how the trees leaned against each other. In the growing daylight it was obvious that the elflings had dared the climb: tree limbs were broken and the bark was scuffed where they had scrambled up. Galadhor offered to go first and with a nod from Legolas he walked swiftly up the oak then crossed over to the other tree. He was surefooted and had no difficulty making his way across but he stopped once or twice to point out some feature of the trees that might make it difficult for Estel to climb. Legolas assured the guardsman that he would stay close to Lord Aragorn at all times.

Once Galadhor was safely across and standing on the bluff, Estel and Legolas made the attempt. The first part was easy for the old oak was large and sturdy. The second part was less so because the younger tree was not as sturdy and there was a moment when Estel felt the tree slip under him as he put his weight on a limb but Legolas caught him in time and pulled him up to a larger limb that could take his weight more easily. Thus, it was only a matter of minutes before all four were across and standing on the bluff. Estel asked them not to move until he determined in which direction the elflings had gone.

There was a little snow on the ground mixed with mud, which made it easier to find traces of the children. Estel had to scout about for a moment before he found a sign that an elfling had stood there.

"Here," he said, pointing. "Calenharn, I think. His tread is somewhat heavier and larger than the elleth’s. It appears they went down this way."

‘This way’ proved to be a light trail, probably made by some animal, or rather, several animals. It was not wide and barely discernable but it was enough of a track for someone to walk unimpeded by the undergrowth. They started down the bluff with Estel in the lead. At the bottom of the bluff the track disappeared but Estel had no difficulty finding traces of the elflings — they led almost directly south towards the mountains in the far distance. The elves were grim. Spiders haunted these woods south of the villages, spiders and other fell creatures.

The first indication that the elflings might have encountered trouble was when Estel found a piece of blue-green cloth snagged on a hawthorn branch. The ground was torn up as if the elflings had been running.

"Nínim’s cloak. She was wearing this color according to her aunt," Gilgelair said when Estel showed him the piece of cloth.

"There is nothing to indicate that anything was following them, though, so I do not know what would make them start to run."

"Perhaps they heard something that frightened them," suggested Galadhor.

"Or imagined some danger," Legolas opined. "Elflings that young would be unable to discern what might be a real threat from an unreal one."

They continued on. By now even Gilgelair could see which way the two children had fled. At one point one of them, most likely the elleth, had tripped in her haste.

"Something definitely frightened them," Estel commented. "Could something have been following them through the trees?"

They all looked up instinctively but saw nothing but a few birds and a squirrel, black and overlarge, true, but more interested in gathering nuts than in what was happening below him.

"Should we call for them?" Gilgelair asked.

"Let us continue on for a bit first," Estel answered him. "We may find them soon."

But it was not the elflings that they found. They had gone only a few hundred yards when Legolas grabbed Estel and forced him to stop, placing a finger on the mortal’s lips to caution silence. Estel attempted to still his breathing and listen, but the elves heard it first before he did and all three started running in the direction they had already been heading. Legolas pulled Estel along with him and in a short while he heard what the elves had heard: the snuffling roar of an enraged boar and something else.

"What is that?" Estel cried.

"Yngyl!" Legolas cried even as he and the other two elves were nocking their first arrows to their bowstrings. Estel pulled out his sword just as they came into a clearing and they saw a scene out of a nightmare.

There was the boar and surrounding it were three large spiders. A fourth spider lay dead where the boar had gored it. Large sticky ropes of spider webs hung in tatters across the spaces between the trees and to their horror the elves and Estel saw that both elflings were hanging from one of the webs, firmly trapped. One of them was partially wrapped in spider silk, while the other was completely wrapped. Neither was moving and from where they were standing there was no way to tell if the children were even alive. It looked as if the boar had interrupted the spiders as they were securing their prey.

Without thought Estel shouted "Elendil!" and ran towards the elflings even as the elves shot arrow after arrow into the spiders and the boar. The first arrows did nothing more than alert the monsters to their presence and almost as one boar and spiders turned upon them. Estel was hard pressed to avoid them and had to stop once to engage one of the spiders. Luckily this happened to be one of the smaller ones and his skill as a swordsman was enough to fell the monster. Practically climbing over the spider’s carcass, Estel continued running towards the elflings, skidding to a stop just as he reached them. He was unsure how to remove the children from the web without getting trapped himself. He stared up intently at the still forms. Calenharn was half wrapped in spider silk but Nínim was completely wrapped so that even her face was covered.

"Calenharn. Nínim," he called, but neither elfling stirred. After a few seconds, however, he could see the slow rise and fall of the ellon’s chest and Estel remembered that spiders preferred their prey alive, so hoped that Nínim was equally alive, if unconscious. Breathing a sigh of relief he looked at the web carefully, trying to ascertain the best way to cut the children down, but a shout behind him alerted him to trouble.

He turned to see that, although all the spiders lay dead, the boar was still very much alive and rushing towards him. Legolas yelled at him, but he did not move. He stood with his feet planted, his sword in both hands, waiting for several hundred pounds of furious death to fall upon him. At the very last moment he fell to the ground, his sword above him as the boar ran over his body. The sword caught the animal just below the neck and nearly decapitated it as the momentum of its charge forced it into the web.

Estel felt the monster trample him and he thought something snapped. There was a tearing sound above him and then he felt a heavy weight fall upon him. His breath was driven out of him and everything went black as he lost consciousness.

****

Consciousness was slow in coming and before that there was pain, intense pain. Estel was not sure if he wanted to face the pain and tried to slip back into darkness but then someone lifted his head and he felt cool water slide down his throat. He swallowed reflexively and slowly opened his eyes. Legolas stared down at him, concern in his eyes. Estel tried to smile assurance but wasn’t sure he succeeded.

"Leg—"

"Shh. Don’t try to talk. Drink."

And he drank, but the pain became overwhelming and before he had taken more than two or three sips he slipped back into unconsciousness.

His next waking thought came as he felt himself moving. He opened his eyes to see several elves surrounding him and he realized that they must be carrying him on a litter. He was still in pain but it seemed more manageable. He must have made some noise or movement for suddenly the motion stopped as the elves placed the litter on the ground and Legolas was staring down at him again, this time with a weak smile on his face.

"How do you feel, Aragorn?"

"What happened?"

"Do you not remember?"

Estel had to think about it but thinking proved too hard and he shook his head slightly.

Legolas looked up at someone Estel could not see then looked down again at his friend. "No matter. You were injured but not very seriously. We are taking you back to Gilgelair’s village. Do you remember Gilgelair?"

Estel tried to nod but that was too difficult for him so he just settled for saying, "Silvan leader," and that seemed to satisfy Legolas who smiled and nodded.

"That’s right. I know the pain is very bad but once at the village we will be able to tend to you properly and relieve the pain."

Estel didn’t bother nodding but closed his eyes as the elves picked up the litter once again. A few minutes later, or so it seemed to him, though it could easily have been hours or even days later for all he knew, the stretcher was again placed on the ground and he was carefully lifted up and put upon a narrow cot. He kept his eyes closed, for the pain was now centering behind them. He felt a cool cloth on his forehead and someone was singing softly in the distance. The song soothed him.

At one point he sensed someone removing his clothes and tried to protest but hands gently forced him back down, so he lay there and allowed it to happen. Then he felt his body being bathed with cool cloths smelling of comfrey and rosemary. And all the while someone sang a song of healing. He must have fallen asleep or lapsed into unconsciousness at that point because the next thing he knew he was waking to find himself sweating and feeling abnormally hot. Again cool cloths were applied and then his head was lifted and he found himself drinking something warm and sweet and tasting of melb garan. The smell of raspberries was soothing and seemed to clear some of the cobwebs from his brain. He opened his eyes to see a strange elleth kneeling over him, wiping his brow. She smiled down at him.

"How are you feeling, Lord Aragorn?" she asked and he recognized it as the voice that had been singing earlier.

Estel just shook his head, too tired to speak.

"It’s all right. You just have a slight fever. Let me call for Prince Legolas." She moved out of his line of sight for a moment and when she returned she was followed by the elven prince.

"So you’ve decided to join the living after all, neh, mellon nîn?"

Estel tried to smile but wasn’t sure if he succeeded. He was still in a lot of pain, now centered further down and he wondered if he had broken his leg.

"What happened?" he croaked and Legolas gave him some more of the tea to wet his throat.

"Do you remember the boar charging you?"

Estel closed his eyes so as to better think. He had a vague recollection of fighting and yelling and then something heavy falling on him. He opened his eyes again. "Fell on me."

Legolas nodded. "Yes it did and you ended up with a broken right leg. It was a clean break just below the knee but your hip was dislocated as well and you have some cracked ribs. Luckily the ribs did not puncture your lungs, but you are very bruised and no doubt in much pain."

Legolas did not bother to tell him that his body was black with bruises that were probably more painful than the actual break or the cracked ribs. The leg had been set and the dislocated hip pushed back into place but Estel would need to do many strengthening exercises before he would be able to use the leg again. In fact it would be weeks before Estel would even be able to move on his own. Legolas had already sent Galadhor back to the Stronghold with word as to what had happened. He had no doubt that his adar would provide the necessary means to transport the Dúnadan back to the Stronghold where he could be more properly treated. The villagers had done their best, but Elrond of Imladris was still the greatest healer among them and his skills would be most welcome.

Legolas gave Estel more of the tea which was also laced with some galas Huor hant, a common sedative used by the Wood Elves. In moments the young Man was fast asleep.

****

Estel was still asleep when Thranduil entered the village the next afternoon along with Elrond and Glorfindel. With them was a company of warriors bringing a horse litter. Legolas was not surprised to see either Elrond or Glorfindel and had expected one or the other, if not both, to come but he was rather surprised to see Thranduil ride in. Thranduil smiled wryly at the sight of his son.

"Don’t look so surprised, iôn nîn. As soon as Galadhor arrived we made ready to come. I decided to lead the party myself, for I much desire to speak with Gilgelair and hear and see for myself what is going on in the south."

Elrond was taken immediately to see Estel who never stirred. After a brief but thorough examination, the elf-lord declared himself satisfied with the treatment his foster son had received so far, but he frowned at the terrible purple-black bruises all along Estel’s body.

"He will be in considerable pain for some time with these bruises. And he will need to perform certain exercises for the hip if he is ever to regain full use of it."

"It could have been worse," Glorfindel commented and neither he nor Elrond dared to think just what ‘worse’ would have entailed.

Elrond decided Estel should not be moved for at least two days, though Thranduil and Legolas would need to leave on the morrow if they were to reach the Stronghold in time for the trade conference. In the meantime, the king decided to hold an impromptu court of inquiry to determine exactly what had happened.

Gilgelair and the villagers told him about the lost elflings and Legolas described how Aragorn had used his skills as a tracker to find them. Then Legolas described the battle between the boar and the spiders and how Aragorn had gone to rescue the elflings caught in the spiders’ web and how he had skewered the boar as it charged him.

"I yelled at him to move but he just stood there, his sword out in front of him."

"Did he freeze then?" Thranduil asked, but Legolas shook his head.

"No. He was calm and knew exactly what he was doing, falling to the ground at the very last moment so that his sword ran right into the boar. It was only the fact that the animal had been going at a dead run and could not stop even with Aragorn’s sword in it that forced it to run right over him as it crashed into the web. The web was torn and the two elflings were freed. We were able to remove the wrappings from them. They were poisoned but alive. Gilgelair knew the right plants to make a tea to draw the poison from their bodies. They are still very weak but they are recovering."

Elrond looked grim. "I will examine the elflings myself with their parents’ permission. Spider bites, though rarely deadly, should not be taken lightly. What did you use to purge their bodies of the poison?" he asked Gilgelair.

"I made a tea consisting of nêl-en-raw, galas e-haru and melb rain throvan. Both elflings responded well to it and are awake and aware of their surroundings. I also used some galas e-haru to make a poultice that I placed over the bite wounds to draw out any foreign matter. The wounds are healing nicely."

Elrond nodded. "That is well, but I would like to examine them myself while I am here."

"I do not see any difficulty. Ereglos and Gaelfinnel will welcome your attention. Even here we have heard of the healing skills of the Lord of Imladris."

When Thranduil was satisfied that all had been done that could be done, he relaxed and spent the rest of his time in the village speaking to the villagers informally. Elrond examined the two children and with their parents’ permission put them in healing sleep to help speed their recovery. He would waken them before leaving.

Estel continued to sleep and Elrond was reluctant to wake him, knowing that he would waken to pain inspite of the pain killing teas he’d been given.

"Sleep is the best medicine for him right now," Elrond told Glorfindel as they both settled down to a long night of watching over their hapless chick, as Thranduil had called him when he looked in on the slumbering mortal for a moment.

****

Farad: Hunting; gerund of fara-.

Narwain: January.

Ered-nu-Fuin: The mountains of Mirkwood.

Melb garan: Red berry; in this case the European Red Raspberry (Rubus ideaus) — used by herbalists as a refrigerant to reduce fevers.

Galas Huor hant: Garden Huorswort; Garden Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) — used as a sedative [S. Huor > Q. Huorë (masc. name) > courage; lit. 'heart-vigour'. 'Courage' is one possible translation of thyme from a Greek noun].

Nêl-en-raw: Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) — cleans the system of poisons. The name is from the French dent-de-lion and means 'lion’s tooth'.

Galas e-haru: Woundwort or Kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria) — tea of this is often given to children as a mild purgative.

Melb rain throvan: Wandering berry; Wild Strawberry. The orginal name for this plant was 'strewberry', because the strawberries appeared to be strewn or scattered across the field (Fragaria vesca) — a tonic that is particularly good for children.





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