Lord Of The Rings Fan Fiction ❯ Legolas and the Rangers ❯ The Rangers ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6

 

The Rangers

 

Dawn stole over Middle Earth to find two figures moving swiftly through the foothills on the eastern flank of the Misty Mountains. The air was chill and patches of frost still lingered.

 

Neither figure was deterred however, intent only upon their goal.

 

`How much farther do you think?' asked Elladan. `I don't really know,' responded Elrohir with a sigh. The twins had thought to discover the whereabouts of the rangers yesterday but had found only scarce traces of their quarry.

 

`From what we have seen,' continued Elrohir, `I'd bet that we'll probably find them today.' Elladan nodded, unconsciously pulling his cloak tighter around his shoulders as he was reminded of the urgency of their mission.

 

He and Elrohir had detected no signs of anyone else within their vicinity since they had left Rivendell but that didn't mean that there wasn't a patrol of elves behind them searching for their whereabouts.

 

`All I can say is that I hope we find Legolas alive and well with the rangers,' said Elladan, his face grim. `I know brother,' comforted Elrohir softly.

 

* * *

 

Trelaen sighed deeply and resettled himself next to the small fire. All around him slept his companions. Dawn had just arrived but none had stirred yet. Trelaen didn't mind, the quiet was good and allowed him time to think.

 

His son was still missing and feared dead but in his heart, Trelaen believed he still lived, at least he hoped that he still lived.

 

He sighed and carefully readjusted his broken arm. It had been bothering him for some time now and it frustrated him to no end that he was not as young as he one was and his body no longer healed as quickly as it used to.

 

He was interrupted from his musings by the sound of soft footfalls. Glancing up, he noticed one of his comrades walking quietly across the frosted ground.

 

Trelaen smiled as he recognised it to be one of his former students.

 

Kit was a tall, slender man with a beak-like nose, dark colouring and a handsome smiling mouth.

 

Kit, gracefully for one so big, seated himself beside his old teacher. `All well then?' he asked meaning had there been nothing unusual during Trelaen's watch.

 

Trelaen grunted. `Quiet as a graveyard,' he answered. `Almost wish that something had happened.'

 

Kit chuckled. `I don't know about that. I, for one, enjoy my sleep very much and prefer not to have it interrupted.' `Then what are you doing up so early boy?' asked Trelaen teasingly.

 

Kit smiled. `Couldn't leave to your thoughts you know,' he said gently.

 

Trelaen sighed. `I know but somehow I just can't believe that he's really gone.'

 

Kit nodded sympathetically. In his heart, he too hoped that Blaen still lived but with no sign of the young ranger since that fateful night so long ago; it seemed less and less likely that Blaen still drew breath.

 

`I know but there is still hope my friend.'

 

About to reply, Trelaen paused when he heard the distant sound of horses. It continued for a moment and then there was silence.

 

Trelaen glanced at Kit and nodded. Simultaneously, they picked up their weapons and pulled the hoods of their cloaks low down over their faces then moved in the direction from which the noise of the horses had come.

 

Fifty yards from camp, Trelaen heard voices but they were so soft that he could barely make them out.

 

`Who goes there? Show yourselves,' demanded Trelaen, drawing back his arrow.

 

`Peace friend,' came a soft voice from the gloom of the new day as two beings materialized out of the fog which had settled in the basin in which the rangers were camped.

 

Trelaen registered surprise as he discovered the two were virtually identical but more notable then that, they were of elven kind.

 

Tall like their entire race, they were dressed in dark blues and grays with their long dark hair tied back from their faces and their hands raised to show they meant no harm. Trelaen found it surprisingly unnerving to come under the scrutiny of their identical grey eyed gazes.

 

`You can tell your friend to come out,' said the twin on the right with a large gold brooch clasping his cloak to his shoulders. The other twin wore no cloak but did not seem bothered by the chill air.

 

`How did you know?' asked Kit stepping out of the fog. The first twin smiled grimly, `never under estimate elven hearing. I am Elladan and this is my brother Elrohir, we are looking for a troop of Northern Rangers.'

 

`Your reputation precedes you Lord Elladan,' said Trelaen as he replaced his arrow in his quiver, Kit doing likewise. The two rangers pulled back their hoods and bowed their heads in curt acknowledgment of the Noldor brothers. The twins returned Trelaen's nod with nods of their own.

 

`You have found one of the new Northern troops too,' continued Trelaen. `I am Trelaen and this is my comrade, Kit. What may we do for you?'

 

`A companion of ours set out from the other side of the High Pass roughly a month ago. He was in the company of a young ranger we believe belonged to a band of Northern Rangers who are new to the area but our companion was due back a week ago when we left and he had not yet returned. Our farther would not approve of our absence but we felt it was better to be safe then sorry. The young ranger's name is Blaen. Tell me, did he and a golden haired elf reach your troop?' asked Elrohir.

 

Trelaen felt his breath hitch in his throat at the mention of his son's name and yet a dread fear settled on his heart. He had seen no sign of his lost son and he shuddered to think at what may have befallen him. Hope had been returned to his heart at least and he now knew that his son possibly lived but that did not explain his failure to find his father and troop.

 

What puzzled Trelaen the most though, was how Blaen had come into contact with the sons of Lord Elrond. The elven lord was well known and respected amongst the rangers but they no longer knew where the ancient elf resided and it had puzzled them for many years. It was one of the main reasons Trelaen and his troop had come north so that they might have better contact with the Firstborn.

 

`Blaen is my son and no, neither of them reached us,' answered Trelaen gravely.

 

`I am sorry,' said Elrohir softly. `This is severe news indeed and it seems that we may have to return to the High Pass and track them from there.' `Which will be no easy task,' added Elladan. `Considering our companion would have left very little trace of his passing and the tracks will be nearly a month old by the time we return.'

 

`Well what would you have us do?' asked Kit quickly as the twins turned to leave.

 

`Gather your troop and search for traces of orcs in the High Pass. We have passed signs indicating the passing of orcs and also some struggles indicating that an orc ambush may have been what has befallen our missing friends and if that is the case, then we must hasten to find them before it is to late,' answered Elladan. `The reputation of prisoners amongst orcs is not good,' added Elrohir, his face darkening.

 

`Very well,' answered Trelaen. He sighed heavily and watched the two elves disappear into the fog.

 

Kit groaned slightly. `Great, more orcs,' he muttered. Grumbling under his breath, the young ranger stalked back to camp as his prepared to wake everyone.

 

* * *

 

 

A grim shadow had descended on Rivendell. Lord Elrond passed quietly through his gardens, his face lost in thought.

 

A week had passed since the twins had disappeared in pursuit of Legolas and his heart boded ill at what they may find.

 

Elladan and Elrohir were prone to rash action but never like this. Yet Elrond had sent no one to retrieve his children. He respected his sons' judgment in the matter and hoped that all would prove well in the end.

 

Still, another side of him argued that he had been unwise to let his sons go, especially considering how young they were. He refused to give in to that side however and hoped that his sons would return Legolas and themselves to him alive and well.

 

He frowned as he spotted his wife on the balcony above him, her face turned to the east. Celebrian had not taken the news of her sons' departure well and had been rather withdrawn ever since. Even Glorfindel's attempts at cheer had miserably failed and Elrond found her worry almost crushing. He was trying his best but it was hard to deal with her worry as well as his own.

 

He had sought out the garden for solace in his thoughts but now he only found them churning more than ever.

 

He sighed again, irritably realising that the only course of action left to him now was to vent his frustration, worry and fear.

 

`Still,' thought Elrond, an amused smile tugging at his lips, `perhaps Glorfindel would not emerge victorious for once.'

 

He chuckled as he turned in the direction of the armory. Elrond had not long ago given up his days as a warrior but it would not hurt to stay in shape and keep his skill with Hadhafang at a razor edge.

 

`Glorfindel had better look out,' thought Elrond darkly because he was in no mood for the usual friendly bout they had once in a while, this one would be tough and it would be intense. It was the only way for Elrond to release some of his pent up emotion.