Twelve

Northwestern Eryn Lasgalen
18 Lothron, Year 29 Fourth Age

Legolas had followed Rani for over an hour. No longer childlike, her movements were deliberate and purposeful. She had been leading him somewhere from the beginning, but now she moved quickly, a slip of a girl sliding through the trees with effortless grace. He watched her carefully choose the path, then he followed, placing his feet exactly where she had stepped.

He had waited patiently when Rani had left him in the clearing, sitting in the grass, his fingers running over a braided grass chain. His mother had woven chains exactly the same when he was a boy. Indeed, his father's use of a crown of woodland flowers or leaves had come from his mother and her love of them. She had told him once that it was a skill passed on to her from her mother and grandmother. His sister made them as well, but Legolas had been far more interested in bows, arrows and staffs to learn to make the chains.

While he waited, his mind turned over all that had happened since he had bid his family goodbye. For that was truly when it had started, the events set into motion. Somehow it was all connected. He just could not figure out how.

Rani had appeared before him suddenly. One minute she was not there, and then he looked up and she was standing before him, her eyes wide with fear.

"You must come with me," she pleaded, her voice desperate. "I will take you to where you need to go. We must go quickly, time grows short."

"Time for what, child? What is it that I must do?" Legolas asked her, his eyes searching hers for some clue as to what was happening, what danger they faced. He could sense no danger in the near vicinity.

Rani looked at him with pleading eyes, "Please! We must go! It will be dangerous and you must be very careful not to get caught, but we must go now!"

Her frightened tone troubled him, and Legolas rose to his feet. He moved to follow, but her eyes strayed to his bow, quiver and pack propped against a nearby tree. The message was unmistakable. He buckled on his quiver, and slipped the pack over one shoulder. She nodded, and he followed her through the trees, northwest.

There was no conversation as they traversed, but Legolas did not mind. It had not taken long for his senses to pick up on the danger in the wood. The trees rustled in annoyance at first, echoing their brethren from further away. Something was not right in this part of the wood, and the further north they went, the more agitated the trees became.

Danger… Beware…

Rani stopped, frozen behind a wall of brush, her face paling. He could not yet make out distinct words, but he could hear the sound of men. She looked at him, determination written in her small face. Holding a finger to her lips, she continued on, slowly, silently.

Legolas followed until he began to make out harsh words. There seemed to be several men in the forest, and they were arguing.

Rani paused again, hidden in the tree line as a clearing opened up before them. He followed her lead, inching up to where she stood peering from behind a large oak. With long years of practice, he maneuvered to where he could see without being seen, and what he saw caused his stomach to drop.

In the clearing, six men stood arguing. One of them held the arm of a bound Silvan woman, her hands tied behind her back. She bore signs of a struggle, her clothing torn, her hair mussed and a bruise forming over her left cheekbone. Legolas took a deep breath as he fought his rising anger. Anger could be a useful tool, but this situation called more for stealth.

Glancing at Rani, he found the child looking at him with huge eyes. She swallowed and her lips began to quiver.

Almost silently she whispered, "You must save her. That is your task…for your future depends upon the outcome of this day."

Legolas reached down and drew the trembling child against him. He whispered, "Is she your mother, Rani? Is she why you are here alone?"

To his amazement, she shook her head no and pushed back to look up into his eyes. Once again, some unknown emotion flashed in the depths of her eyes, and Legolas was unsure of just what he held. She was unlike any child he had ever encountered, elf kind included.

Rani closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, Legolas almost gasped. The deep blue eyes of the little girl he held had begun to softly glow, as if reflecting pure starlight.

Then she spoke once more in naught but a whisper. "She is not my mother, or any relation to me, though she is a friend. You are why I am here alone in the woods. Now, go! You must save her, or be lost."

Raised voices in front of them broke the spell between them. Legolas released Rani and stood, peering once more into the clearing as he listened to the men shout at each other. The words of some of them infuriated him and gave him purpose. He would free this woman and see her to safety.

Glancing down again, he was not surprised to find his mysterious child had disappeared once more.

— ~ —

Elven King's Halls

Aragorn and Gimli stepped outside into the fading light of the sun. They had searched all of the Halls and found no sign of Legolas or anyone else within them. Standing before the gate, Gimli sighed. He had no clue where to start looking for their friend. Aragorn might have some idea.

"So what now? Can you track him?"

The man ran a hand over his beard and blew out a frustrated breath. "I am not certain, Gimli. There are some places I would look, places I know Legolas holds dear, but even I will be hard put to track Legolas in this wood. He was born here. He leaves no sign, unless he is mounted."

Gimli's spirit lifted. They had found no sign of the elf, but neither had they seen any sign of his mount, Daehul. If Legolas had the horse with him, Aragorn could find him, of that he was certain.

Feeling at least some measure of hope, Gimli turned his attention to his own horse. Móroch had stood patiently, waiting as Gimli had instructed. Gimli was not surprised, but it still rankled that the elf had been right about speaking to the beasts instead of treating them as dumb animals. He patted the dark brown neck, and began removing his packs and tack.

Beside him, Aragorn did the same with Halruin, then they led the horses to the river to drink before turning them loose to graze. Gimli looked up at the sky, judging the sun would be setting in an hour or so.

"When shall we start?" he asked, having a pretty good idea of what the man would say.

Aragorn also looked up, then glanced thoughtfully at a path leading alongside the river. "I will scout the area and see if I can find any sign of him before dark. But it would be unwise to set out with so little light left."

"Perhaps Legolas will return before dawn and we will have no need to search the forest for the dratted elf."

Aragorn grinned at him. "Ever the optimist, my dwarven friend. You know Legolas will never make anything that easy."

"True," he sighed, "but one can always hope."

A strange look crossed the man's face. "Indeed," he agreed, but he seemed far away when he said it.

The sound of a snort caught Gimli's attention, and he looked towards where Móroch had been contentedly grazing a few moments ago. His horse now stood alert, ears pricked towards the lengthening shadows from the sun sinking in the West. Halruin continued to graze, showing none of the signs of worry that Móroch was displaying.

Móroch then gave a high pitched whinny, turning to look at Gimli almost pleadingly. "Stay yourself, Móroch. Whatever is there can come to us." As he spoke, he fingered his axe, waiting. Halruin raised his nose and snorted towards the trees. He took two steps and lowered his head to the grass again, clearly unimpressed by whatever had Móroch so upset.

Móroch fidgeted, dancing in place, tossing his head and making rumbling sounds in his chest.

"What troubles that creature of yours?" Aragorn asked, coming to stand beside Gimli, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"I know not," Gimli replied, watching his horse's antics. "Whatever it is does not seem to give Halruin any cause for concern."

As soon as he had finished saying the words, Halruin suddenly jerked his head up, ears pricked forward. He raised his nose, nostrils fluttering as he sniffed the air. Then he gave a soft whicker, shook himself and resumed grazing, completely unconcerned by whatever he had sensed.

Nearby, Móroch continued to act agitated, pawing the ground and shaking his head, all the while making the same rumbling whickering sounds. Gimli had only heard him make that sound when… Daehul appeared suddenly from the trees, slipping from the growing shadows like he was one of them.

Legolas's silver stallion looked much like his sire, Celedae. And in the same manner Celedae had befriended Gimli's first pony, Daehul had befriended Móroch. The small gelding had moved quickly to the stallion, each horse nuzzling the other, nickering softly as they greeted each other for the first time in a year.

As Gimli watched the horses with amusement, Aragorn stepped away, his eyes fixed on something beyond where Daehul had come through the trees.

"Do you see something?" Gimli asked.

"I thought I saw a flash of something in the trees. It may have been Legolas, but if he is here, then why has he not greeted us?"

"Legolas!" Gimli called out, but only the breeze answered.

"Fear not, Gimli," Aragorn reassured. "If Daehul is here, then surely Legolas is not too far away."

But Gimli had come to another conclusion. "Aragorn, if he is not nearby, and Daehul is here, how can we track the elf?"

Aragorn stared at him, then answered simply, "Most likely we cannot."

To Be Continued…

Daehul - Legolas' large silver stallion, son of Celedae who passed away a few years prior. Daehul is Sindarin for 'Shadow Wind'. Celedae is Sindarin for 'Silver Shadow'.