Chapter 8:  conspirators

Sinaht breathed a sigh of relief when his cottage came into sight. He shifted the elfling in his arms. The little prince had fallen asleep on his shoulder. During the day Sinaht had hidden Legolas with the help of friends, because the danger of the child’s being seen was too great. It was already dark when he reached his home. He did not know how far Thoran’s arm was already reaching but he would take no chances. Using every available piece of cover on the way had taken some time to reach the glade.

Crouching behind a cluster of bushes he surveyed his surroundings. On first glance nothing had changed since his departure this morning. Yet he remained a while longer to observe. Only when he was sure that it looked alright did he cross the short distance to the back door of his house.

He raised his fist and knocked in the agreed-upon pattern. The door opened almost instantly. With an audible sigh, Isiwen, his wife, tugged him inside and closed the door behind him.

“Thank the Belain you’re back. Where have you been this long?” she asked, fear and relief colouring her voice. Careful not to wake the boy in his arms he leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on her lips. While leaning against him he could feel her body shiver.

“I will tell you but first we should bring this little one to bed.” Regarding the still sleeping boy in her husband’s arm she nodded. Legolas was like a second son to them. Their son and he were of the same age and the best of friends.

Carefully she lifted the small elfling in her arms and carried him down the corridor. Reaching a door she entered the room behind and placed the elfling on a large bed right beside her son Elion.

She waited a few moments but the fair haired elfling did not rouse. Tugging the blanket around the two sleeping forms she quietly closed the door and left the room.

Walking down the corridor she could hear soft murmur coming from the main room. Her husband had obviously greeted their guests. Many elves had gathered here during the day. Sinaht had used the day to spread the message that representatives of the elves, warrior and workers alike, who still stood loyal to the King should come to his home.

Isiwen’s heart was pounding so loudly that she feared anyone standing near her could hear it. She agreed with Sinaht’s position of standing against Thoran and supporting King Thranduil, but this situation was unnerving. However this ended it would change their lives forever.

Reaching the main room she took a moment to observe. Many good friends and families she knew since the coming to this forest had come. To her relief many warriors under Sinaht´s command had also found their way here. Sadly she looked at the children sleeping in their parents´ arms or resting in quickly provided sleeping places. They did not understand why their known world had changed. Isiwen sighed. The adults had difficulty understanding too.

Tonight they wanted to discuss how to bring the women and children to a safe place. After this was accomplished they would meet with other warriors who had removed themselves from Thoran’s grasp.

The atmosphere in the cottage was tense.  All were plagued by the same question: Were they doing the right thing? Were they going to be counted among the traitors now?

Isiwen shock her head angrily. Of course they were doing the right thing! Thoran was the criminal not they. King Thranduil was their only guarantee to hold the ever encroaching shadow at bay. A Silvan elf herself, she had never doubted that the King had only the well-being of all wood-elves in mind.

Isiwen sighed. They were stuck. The situation at the moment was nothing but confusing. Their lives had turned upside down from one moment to the other. The lack of information, or at least information that could be trusted was the worst.

Admiringly she looked at her husband standing there like a rock. The elves in this room looked to him for guidance and he had silently accepted without complaining, but she knew him better.

His outer calm was only a façade. He was nervous and unsure like the others, yet someone had to take the lead and to him it came naturally. He wasn’t the King’s troop commander for nothing.

Despite his own worries he did his best to answer the many questions fired at him, at least those that he had answers for. “You came from the palace, have you spoken with the King?” one of her husband’s fellow warrior’s asked.

Sinaht shook his head. “No, no one knows where the King is, not even Lord Galadhion. I met with him briefly to take over the care of the young prince. The situation is dangerous. There is no one you can trust.”

“What do you mean; no one knows where the King is? Thoran has surely not….” the warrior trailed off with narrowed eyes leaving the rest of the sentence to everyone’s guess. After a shocked silence all eyes were again directed at the Troop Commander. Isiwen joined her husband and pulled his arm towards her body, lending him her support. He smiled at her in gratitude.

“If you want to know if the King is still alive, then I cannot answer this question. There has been no sign of him. Lord Galadhion is still at the palace to gather more information.”

Sinaht closed his eyes briefly to shut out the incredulous gazes directed at him. They all desperately wanted to know that their King was alive. They must simply cling to hope in that regard.

After gasps of outrage and desperation the unnatural silence settled again over the little home. Isiwen looked from one face to the other and saw the fear written there while they pondered the consequences.

Their once safe existence had turned within hours into something threatening and frightening. The little ones in the room sensed the tension and began to wail. Quickly their mothers hushed them fearing someone outside could hear them.

“But if Thoran is holding the King captive, we have to do something Sinaht!” one captain cried. “How long will we sit here and wait? How long will we let this upstart act as he pleases? We should gather all the weapons we can and throw this disturber out of the King’s halls.”

Alarmed, Sinaht held up his hands as the fiery speech got more and more approval from the others. As incredulous as this situation was for him, they had to let caution rule.

“It’s not that easy. We know nothing about their numbers, their strength and their plans. We do not even know how many warriors will follow our lead. If there is but one who betrays us, all can end very badly. Therefore we must act and plan carefully…….which does not mean, that we will do nothing,” Sinaht added quickly when he saw the upcoming protest.

“Thoran is smart. We cannot overrun him by force alone. We must beat him with his own weapons. We will never let him know how many we are and what we will do next. We must let him feel safe and when he is unheeding, we must strike.”

“But first we must bring our families to safety and then arrange a gathering with all the warriors still loyal to the King. I will wait for whatever information Galadhion might gather. I only hope he can leave the palace undiscovered.”

The elves gathered pondered the troop commander’s words. They all knew that he was right, albeit many wanted to act instantly.

Sinaht swallowed when he thought about the mission his friend had assigned to himself. What had happened in the meantime? Had the crown prince managed to stay hidden and gather information or had they discovered him and dragged him off like his father?

With a desperate and angry sigh he sank into a nearby chair. He felt so helpless. This situation felt so unreal. Day by day he and his warriors fought the known enemy of orcs and spiders but now….now the enemy was unknown, diffuse, and shapeless.

He looked up as he felt a hand on his shoulder and smiled at his wife. His family was the very reason to go on. When they heard a commotion from the little room at the back of their cottage, Isiwen squeezed her husband’s shoulder lightly and hurried into the back room.

Quietly she opened the door to her son’s bedroom with the faint hope that the boys were still asleep, but no such luck. Two pairs of sleepy eyes were directed at her.

“Nana, I’m hungry!” Elion pronounced while Legolas hopped to the floor. “I want to go home”, he announced while he padded toward her. Sighing Isiwen strode over to the large bed.

Sitting on the edge she padded the mattress left and right of her and waited until the elflings had seated themselves next to her. “Elion, Legolas, I will make you something to eat but you have to be very quiet. Please dress yourself in the meantime. The night is chill.”

While Elion’s eyes lit up and he instantly scampered up to fetch his tunic, Legolas did not move. Seeing what was to come, Isiwen quickly gathered the little boy in her arms.

“I’m sorry, little one, but you cannot go home right now. You must stay here for a while.” Freeing himself from her loving arms, Legolas stared wide eyed and unbelieving at the mother of his friend.

“Why?” he asked with wide eyes. “Why can’t I just go home?”

Isiwen closed her eyes briefly. How could she explain the complex situation to a child so small? How was he supposed to understand that a revolution had taken place and that his father was missing? How could he understand anything at all?

As the under lip began to tremble and the tears rolled down the pale cheeks Isiwen’s heart nearly broke. Legolas was a very smart elfling and should not be underestimated. Yet he had also a very tender heart and any bad news concerning his beloved father would do great damage to his soul. Quickly she gathered the lithe form again in her arms.

“That’s not easy to explain little one. But for now you are safer here.” Helpless at her hollow words Isiwen rocked the crying child gently. Sobbing now violently the little prince murmured barely audible: “But it is safest by my Adar, he can make all things right. Please, I want go home to my Adar!”

‘Not right now’, Isiwen thought, steeling her heart for the cruel moments that would follow. Still rocking the little boy, Isiwen looked up as her husband entered the room.

“Make them ready,” he whispered, “we have to depart immediately.”

Shocked, Isiwen looked at her husband. What had happened to warrant such a hasty departure? Sinaht only shook his head and quickly left the room.

To be continued………………………………