The Journey

Chapter 2 – The Six Set Out

A mere two days had passed since Legolas first announced his intentions to his friends and now all six stood gathered in the main square of Bair Edhellen. They had each packed only as much as they felt was absolutely necessary by way of provisions, along with their weapons. Each Elf bore a sword according to personal preference, a bow and a quiver filled with newly fletched arrows. Gimli carried only his axe which had accompanied him for as long as he could recall and he patted a small pouch attached to his belt. He had refused to pack Elven bread and instead had opted for a few small loaves of conventional grain, together with some cheese and a small flask of ale. Legolas had tried to point out that Lembas would be more effective at sustaining stamina on a long walk but Gimli held his ground, saying he found it tasteless and preferred ‘good, honest food’.

Legolas led his old friend Melpomaen of Imladris aside and relayed his final instructions:

‘Do not forget to check the supply of ore for the new weapons, and remember to send updates regularly to Gondor!’

‘Fear not, Legolas, Bair Edhellen will not suffer in your absence nor will it dwindle into non-existence. You have my word I will let nothing pass lest I have double-checked it. Now go, your companions await you.’

Melpomaen smiled graciously at the prince and Legolas knew he was leaving the colony in good hands.

‘A thousand thanks my friend,’ replied Legolas, somewhat embarrassed for his anxiety. Until that time he had not appreciated the weight of responsibility which lay upon any ruler and determined to express his admiration for the way in which his father had carried out his encumbrance for many eons passed.

Finally, Legolas joined his companions and with one last wave to the few who had gathered to make their farewells, they set out to begin their trek. Legolas led his small group with a sense of purpose unseen in the prince for many a long year, Haldir and Rumil followed closely; Rumil enjoying immensely the opportunity to spend time with his brother. They had spent much of their time since their arrival in Bair Edhellen immersed in different ventures and had seldom spent a great deal of time in each other’s company. Amrion and Balewath chatted animatedly behind them, obviously delighted with the opportunity to leave their anvils behind them, if only for a short respite and Gimli brought up the rear. Despite his complaints and disappointment at having others along on their journey, inwardly he accepted Legolas’ reasoning and concentrated on maintaining the pace set by his friend.

As they walked, each gazed at the passing landscape with mixed feeling. The scars still remained and lay testament to the years of cruel despoilment by Sauron but slowly signs were emerging of recovery and growth. Blackened earth was giving way to sparse greenery and small trees and bushes were struggling to establish their hold on areas which once had been abundantly verdant. The Elves were doing all they could to encourage and aid in this growth and the fruits of their labour were now plain for all to see.

The group had been walking for half a day when Gimli finally succumbed to the growling of his stomach.

‘Would it be too much to ask if we might pause for a wee while?’ he muttered, as he thought, inaudibly.

However, even the quietest of words did not pass the acute hearing of Elves, and Legolas stopped, abruptly.

‘Forgive me, dear friend. I was so immersed in my thoughts; I did not think to pause for rest. Let us sit a while and consider our course.’

Haldir turned to regard Gimli, and a slight smirk broke through his, until now, impassive features.

‘It would seem tales of the stamina of Dwarves are greatly exaggerated!’ he said, addressing his comment to his Elven companions, but clearly aiming his barbed comment at Gimli.

Gimli merely growled as he sat upon a fallen log and refused to rise to Haldir’s baiting.

‘I feel comments of that nature do little to add a sense of serenity to our excursion, Haldir,’ rebuffed Legolas, ‘and you would do well to leave any feelings of animosity or rancour here, in this spot.’

Haldir regarded his friend impassively for some moments, the only acknowledgement of his comment being the slight raising of an eyebrow. Slowly, however, a gracious smile formed about his lips and he bowed elegantly:

‘Forgive my impropriety, Legolas,’ he replied slowly. ‘I was merely commenting on the inaccuracy of information I had heard. I give my word, never again will I draw attention to the short-comings of the Dwarven race,’ and he inclined his head toward Gimli in a gesture of mock apology.

Legolas sighed inwardly and took some Lembas from his pack. He felt slightly subdued and began to rue his decision to invite others of his kind on the journey. He had hoped to once again experience the feelings of serenity and joy of his past travels with Gimli, but the first day had not passed and already he was feeling the need to act as mediator between his companions.

Suddenly, he was pulled from his thoughts by movement amidst a rocky outcrop, some distance from where he stood. As he watched, he once again saw what appeared to be a shadowy form moving stealthily between the large boulders. He quickly turned and retraced his steps back to the group and informed them of his discovery. They swiftly formed a plan and split up. Legolas, Gimli and Rumil would approach the rocks directly, whilst Haldir, Amrion and Balewath would skirt around and approach from the rear.

As Legolas and his group neared, however, whatever had been hiding moved quickly and disappeared, seemingly into the rocks. They quickened their pace and reached the outcrop just as Haldir and his group appeared above them. As they approached the place the form had last been seen, they saw a small cave entrance hidden low between some boulders.

‘I believe our mysterious watcher has taken refuge inside!’ stated Rumil.

Legolas frowned but before he could reply, Gimli had already made for the entrance, and axe in hand, was making his way into the cave.

‘Hold, Gimli!’ called Legolas. ‘We must not follow blindly without due consideration of what may lie beyond. We know neither the depth nor safety of this cave.’

‘Ah, laddie, then it must be the stories I’ve heard about Elves are true also,’ replied Gimli, smiling broadly ‘though after our adventure with Aragorn in the Paths of the Dead, I didn’t think a little cave like this would bother you!’

He glared pointedly at the Marchwarden as he spoke causing Haldir to frown.

‘You’ll never find a Dwarf hanging back, especially when there’s a mystery waiting to be solved and a good cave in which to solve it!’

Legolas considered Gimli’s word carefully. He was certain he wanted to know the identity of the creature who had been watching them. It was also true that they had undertaken their trek in search of adventure. Was he then to falter at the first temptation of discovery, merely because the path led them underground?

Setting his shoulders assertively, he turned to the rest of the group:

‘Gimli is right. We will not rest lest we have answers to our questions. I will enter with him. The rest of you remain here. If anything untoward occurs or others arrive, do not call out but hide amongst the rocks and await our return.’

‘And if you do not return?’ queried Haldir.

‘Ah, that’s right!’ stated Gimli ‘always look on the bright side,’ and he promptly slipped into the cave before Haldir even had chance to consider his reply.

‘Fear not. We will not do anything which will put us in untoward danger.’ said Legolas and he placed a reassuring hand on Haldir’s shoulder.

The Elves watched as Legolas disappeared into the cave after his friend, and then settled themselves to wait.

Inside the cave, Legolas was amazed to find the small entrance was the gateway to a cavernous interior. Stalactites hung majestically from the ceiling and the only sound was that of tiny droplets of water dripping from their tips into the large pools beneath them. Slowly the pair advanced deeper into the cave and soon, a dim orange glow began to appear some way ahead. As the glow increased to lend more light to their surroundings, so the faint sounds of what seemed like chanting, began to reach their ears.

Legolas cautioned his companion silently and they redoubled their stealth lest they should give warning of their presence to whoever lay within. As they moved closer, the words of the chant became clearer, but they were in a tongue neither Gimli nor Legolas had heard before:

‘Cruor est vita!
Imbibo cruor!
Nex est vita!’

The words repeated over and over, with increasing volume and fervour and as both strained to see those who gave rise to the sound, frenzied shadows danced across the roof of the cave.

Suddenly the sound of the chant stopped and in its place came the plaintive cries of undoubtedly human origin. Legolas stiffened as words spoken in the Common Tongue interspersed with sobs reached his ears;

‘That sounds like a child!’ hissed Gimli.

Legolas agreed and motioned to Gimli that he was going to attempt to move closer still. Gimli opened his eyes in amazement as Legolas suddenly leapt from his hiding place and moved into the glowing area. Panicked voices accompanied his unexpected arrival and Gimli fought with himself to prevent following his friend. He knew if anything happened to Legolas, he would have to hasten back to the others to fetch aid.

Legolas moved slowly into clear view and the sight which met his eyes both amazed and horrified him. Standing in a large circle were at least twenty heavily robed human-like forms, their faces hidden inside the hoods of their voluminous black cloaks. Behind them, sconces flared against the cold rock-face. In the centre of the circle lay a large alter-like rock and on it, restrained by ropes, lay a small human boy. Legolas supposed him to be no more than nine or ten years old. Beside the alter stood another of the cloaked beings, but unlike the others, this one did not wear a hood and his features were clearly visible. He was tall by human standards. His face was twisted and cruel and a large scar ran the length of his face. Long, greasy tendrils of hair fell about his shoulders and he loomed menacingly over the child. In his hand he held aloft a dagger; the jewel encrusted handle glimmering in the torchlight. As he caught sight of Legolas he raised his other hand and pointed menacingly at the Elf. Several of his followers ran forward in an attempt to capture the intruder. Legolas drew his twin blades and for a short time was able to keep them at bay, but as others joined the mêlée the sheer number of adversaries proved too great and they quickly over-powered him, wrenched his knives from his hands and threw him forcefully at the feet of their leader.

Throughout the fracas, the child struggled and squirmed as hope of being saved gave way to terror once more. The leader of the group bent down and snatched at Legolas’ hair, wrenching his face to within inches of his own.

‘So, the report from my minion of Elves close by was correct!’ he growled through yellowed teeth. ‘Do not suppose I do not know of the others, Elf!’ he spat.

Legolas braced himself against the searing pain and snarled through clenched teeth:

‘Who are you, and what is your business with this child?’

His antagonist grinned chillingly:

‘I am Glythvyr, of the order of Ysberin. Long have we dwelt here. We take what we need from the villagers and give only to our gods.’

He pointed then to the child and continued:

‘He is to appease our gods. They have a great thirst for human blood and we are the means by which it is quenched.’

The boy struggled even harder and Legolas watched helplessly as Glythvyr reached across to poke his arm cruelly with the blade. A thin trickle of blood ran from the wound and the child screamed.

Glythvyr ignored him and called to his followers:

‘Find the others and bring them here. If they resist……kill them!’

Without delay, all but a handful of the followers streamed from the inner chamber as they rushed to do their leader’s bidding, each snatching a short sword from a jumbled pile as they fled. Legolas fervently hoped Gimli would be able to keep knowledge of his presence from them and held his breath as they rushed past the place he knew his friend to be hiding.

………………………………………………………………………………….

Outside the cave, the Elves were becoming restless.

‘How long must we wait?’ queried Rumil, irritably, pacing up and down.

Haldir knew patience had never been his brother’s strongest attribute and he smiled as he replied:

‘Until they return, little brother! You heard Legolas’ orders as well as the rest of us.’

Rumil kicked at some small stones at his feet and sat down heavily upon a rock. A fractious reply to his brother’s remark balanced precariously on his tongue but before he could utter it, Balewath gave a cry of surprise as two arms suddenly encircled him and pulled him from his resting place. Amrion jumped up to aid his friend but he too was quickly set upon and struggled against two heavily garbed forms. Quicker than human eyes could follow, Haldir drew his bow, knocked an arrow and aimed at the sea of adversaries which now flooded from the cave entrance. His brother joined him and the two released volley after volley, but so sudden was the attack and the range so close, it was difficult to maintain accuracy.

Balewath managed to throw off his opponent, drew his blade and deftly slit his assailant’s throat before running to help Amrion. With singular purpose he advanced on the nearest and brought his sword around in a sweeping arc. The odds were now balanced in Amrion’s favour and he lost no time in grasping the remaining foe and breaking his neck; bones offered little resistance to one who had worked at forge and anvil for centuries.

The small battle raged for some time and the Lorien brothers, realising their arrows were being mostly wasted, resorted to swords. Fighting back to back, and joined by their friends, the Elves slowly but systematically despatched their attackers. After a while the ground about them lay strewn with broken, blood-soaked bodies.

“It would seem I was right to be impatient!’ stated Rumil gravely.

Haldir merely nodded his agreement and made his way to the cave entrance.

‘Come, we must not delay…. I fear our friends are in grave danger!’

Without further word the Elves hastened through the cave entrance and into the murky interior.

……………………………………………………………………………………..

Gimli waited until the last of the minions had passed by before slowly and carefully extricating himself from his hiding place. He halted behind a large rock and pondered his next move. Five remained of the original throng and they had wasted no time in binding Legolas hand and foot to restrain him. Gimli felt confident they would pose no real obstacle to him, but he also knew in the time it would take to despatch them, their leader would most likely kill Legolas and the boy and make his escape. Thoughts of how to proceed whirled in his mind but suddenly became redundant as he caught sight of Haldir and his party dashing along the passageway headlong into the chamber.

Quickly, Gimli ran from his hiding place, axe at the ready and, leaving the confused minions to meet their fate at the hands of the Elves, headed straight toward his friend.

Distracted by the sudden attack, Glythvyr did not see him until it was too late. The dagger flew from his hand as Gimli’s axe embedded itself in his neck and he fell to the ground, the suddenness of his demise frozen forever on his face.

Looking over his shoulder, Gimli watched as the last minion fell, then set about releasing first Legolas and then the child.

Legolas helped the boy from the alter and rubbed his wrists and ankles to relieve the pain caused by the constricting restraints.

‘Th..thank you, my lord!’ stammered the boy.

The child stared them from Legolas to each of his liberators:

‘You’re Elves!’ he stated, incredulously.

Legolas smiled kindly.

‘We are indeed, young one! Now, tell me, what is your name and where do you hail from?’

The boy drew a deep breath and announced proudly;

‘I am Amren, son of Bedwyr from the village of Rhuthun.’

‘Well, Amren, son of Bedwyr, I am most honoured and pleased to meet you. These are my companions, Haldir, Rumil, Amrion, Balewath and…..’

‘What about me?’ blustered Gimli. Standing behind the Elves he had been hidden from the child and was impatient to announce his presence and lineage. Ignoring Legolas completely, he pushed his way between the Elves:

‘I am Gimli, son of Gloin and as you can plainly see, I am no Elf!’

Amren giggled slightly and bowed.

Legolas placed his hand on Amren’s shoulder:

‘We will return you to the place you belong, and you can tell me along the way about your abductors.’

Taking the child’s hand, he turned to lead him from the cave. The others followed and as they walked they took time to look about the cavern. Suddenly, Rumil ran to a small niche and called out:

‘Come, look at this!’

Everyone rushed to join him and stared with incredulity at what they saw. Amulets, rings, buckles and other objects wrought of precious metals filled the small nook. Amrion picked up an amulet and lovingly traced the delicate tracery upon its surface with his finger. He held it toward his friend in order that he might join in the appraisal of the piece.

‘This is a work of love,’ said Balewath simply. ‘I believe the owner of such an item would not have parted with it willingly.’

‘Glythvyr and his followers have been forcing my people to give them things for many year,’ said Amren. ‘Sometimes though, they demanded food and wine and other times….’ he paused and his eyes filled with tears as he continued in a voice barely above a whisper, ‘they would take one of the children.’

Haldir frowned at this comment and knelt before the child:

‘Have they taken many, my small friend?’

‘Yes,’ replied Amren, ‘and they were never seen again!’

‘Why did you not fight them?’ demanded Gimli.

‘They were many and we are few!’ replied the boy.

Rumil, who had been rifling through the small hoard during the conversation suddenly tapped Legolas on the shoulder and handed him a delicate chain. Attached to one of the links was a small pendant and it was to this that Rumil wanted to draw Legolas’ attention in particular.

‘I believe this bears the crest of your father’s House, Legolas!’

Legolas held the dainty item in his palm and drew a sharp breath. Too well he remembered the last time he had seen it. It was the exact same necklace he recalled seeing about his mother’s neck. He could not recollect a time when she had ever removed it. Delight at seeing it again quickly gave way to bewilderment however, as one question raced through his mind.

How did his mother.s necklace come to be so far from the realm of King Thranduil? His mother had been wearing it when she had disappeared during a journey long years ago. He turned to the child and asked him:

‘Have you ever seen this before?’

To his amazement, for he did not really expect a positive reply, Amren said:

‘It belonged to a beautiful lady. She and her husband passed through our village and used it to buy food from my father. He was very sad when he was forced to hand it over because he had always told me he was only looking after it until the lady returned. She was an Elf and so was her husband.’

‘So that is how you knew we were Elves!’ stated Haldir and he smiled slightly at Amren.

‘Oh no, I knew you were Elves because of your……’

Amren pointed to his ear and circled his finger around the tip.

‘Ah, I see,’ said Haldir and the simple honesty of the child caused his smile to broaden.

‘But the lady,’ continued Legolas, ‘did you see her?’

‘Oh yes,’ replied Amren and he continued dreamily ‘she was the most beautiful lady I’ve ever seen. Long, blonde hair and really blue eyes – just like yours!’

Legolas’ eyes widened in amazement and questions ran wildy through his mind. He knew his mother was dead; his father had told him of her death years before but now he began to question whether perhaps, there could be some slim chance she was still alive. He could not explain why, if she still lived, she had not returned to her home or why she would be in the company of another Elf, but the fact remained that her necklace now lay in his hand and as he gestured to the others to move out, he closed his fingers around it and held it against his heart.

Suddenly he had a quest. Suddenly he had questions to which he had to find answers and without saying a word to his companions, their light-hearted trek assumed, for him at least, a new purpose.

Tbc.


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The following are Latin phrases:

Cruor est vita - Blood is life
Imbibo cruor - Drink the blood
Nex est vita - Death is life