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One Year in Mirkwood  by daw the minstrel

5.  "Us"  

(September)

"You see, Captain?" said Siondel.  "It looks as if a Man camped here for more than a day."

Eilian crouched frowning over the marks on the cave floor.  His lieutenant was right. The cave did show signs of having sheltered a Man perhaps as recently as two weeks ago.  "It looks as if he was alone, though," Eilian observed, straightening up.

"Yes," Siondel agreed.  "And there is no indication of who he was or what he was doing here.  He could have been one of the Lake Men who ventured farther than he should have while hunting; he could have been a spy for the enemy.  We just do not know."  He waited patiently for Eilian to comment.

Eilian considered.  For the last three weeks, members of the Home Guard had been searching the scores of small caves along the Forest River, trying to find signs of the stranger whom Deler had been seeking when he died.   This morning, Siondel and a small patrol had finally located the evidence they were now showing to Eilian.  "I suppose any indication of where this stranger went was long ago washed away by the rain," Eilian finally said irritably.  The search for the stranger had been the most exciting thing happening since he took charge of the Home Guard, and even it was poor fare.  The chances were overwhelming that the stranger was simply a lost hunter.

"Yes," agreed Siondel.  "Any sign of him is long gone."

"How did he get by the Border Patrol and Home Guard patrols in the first place?" Eilian wondered with a frown.  "That is the real question."

"One of my warriors did catch a glimpse of him," Siondel said stiffly. "That is how we knew he was here."

Eilian silently noted that Siondel referred to the Home Guard as "my warriors" rather than "our warriors," and understood the message being sent him about his own status as an outsider.  He suspected that Siondel resented his presence; Eilian certainly would have been resentful if their places had been reversed.  If not for Eilian, Siondel would probably be captaining the Home Guard right now rather than educating Eilian about how it operated.  That had to rankle.

Moreover, while he and Siondel had long known one another, their very different temperaments meant that they had never been friends.  The two of them had been novices together and had joined the Home Guard at the same time, but Eilian had left within six months for the Southern Patrol, while Siondel had stayed and learned everything there was to know about guarding the areas close to Thranduil's stronghold.  In recent years, Eilian's only knowledge about Siondel had come through hearing occasional remarks about him from his son, Annael, who was Legolas's best friend.

At the moment, Siondel probably took Eilian's question as a criticism of his and Deler's direction of the Home Guard, Eilian thought.  And he was right; it was a criticism.  No Man should have been able to slip through the Woodland Realm with the Elven warriors who defended it catching only a "glimpse" of him.  The passivity of the Home Guard made Eilian nervous.  In a practice that was the opposite of what he preferred, they waited until danger came to them, often relying on the Border Patrol to tell them of its approach.  The Border Patrol had miles of space to patrol, and a lone spy would be hard for them to detect.  He did not like relying on them even though he believed they did their job well.  At the moment, however, Eilian was at a loss to see how the Home Guard could work differently than it currently did.

"I think that you should finish searching these caves," Eilian finally decided.  "He may have stayed elsewhere too or left something behind that would help identify him."

"Of course," Siondel said.  "I had intended to finish the search."  Eilian nodded, and the two of them started walking toward where the two other Elves from Siondel's patrol were waiting with the horses.

Eilian looked off along the length of the Forest River that was visible unrolling like a wide path through the trees.  "How often do patrols check these caves?" he asked.

"We ride by them daily," Siondel responded, "but we search them only when there is reason to do so.  You can see that there are too many to search on a regular basis. And the ground is often unstable, so many of them are dangerous."  He was obviously remembering Deler.

"I wonder if it would be possible to put something in front of the cave mouths that would show if they have been entered," Eilian mused.  "Then the daily patrols would see when a cave needed to be checked further. We sometimes mark forest paths that way in the Southern Patrol."

Siondel considered. "It might be possible," he said, sounding intrigued.  "We could arrange patterns of pebbles or maybe dead branches.  Setting it up would take time, but once we did, we would have an efficient way to keep track of whether anyone was using the caves.  Doubtless, we would find animals for the most part, but it would still be worth doing.  Shall I see to it, Captain?" he asked. He looked pleased at the idea, Eilian noted and not for the first time approved of the professionalism that enabled Siondel to do things such as accept ideas even from someone he might see as an interloper. 

"Please do," Eilian responded.  He nodded at the other two warriors and mounted his horse.  "You did good work in finding this," he told them and then, with a parting salute, he started back to the palace.

In truth, he was not at all surprised that one of the Home Guard patrols had finally found the right cave.  In the month he had been captaining it, he had both marveled at and come to appreciate the patience and thoroughness with which members of the Home Guard completed their vital but often tedious tasks. These were not virtues that Eilian thought of himself as possessing, and they were not the primary qualities he had sought in warriors who rode with him in the south, but he could see their usefulness here.  That did not mean, of course, that he enjoyed the kind of action, or rather lack of action, that this unit saw.

He wondered again for the thousandth time why Thranduil had decided not to allow him to return to the Southern Patrol and why Ithilden had agreed to his decision. His father worried about his safety, of course, but he had always done that.  What had changed that his father could no longer let Eilian's contribution in the south outweigh the risk he ran?  And why had Ithilden agreed to what had to look like special treatment for Eilian?  Ithilden was respectful to Thranduil, but he had always made it clear that, as commander of the Woodland Realm's warriors, he would make his own decisions.

Eilian could only conclude that perhaps Ithilden had been telling the truth when he said that he needed help.  Unlikely as it seemed, even the indomitable Ithilden apparently had his limits.  So Eilian had tamped down his initial fury and decided not to argue for release from the Home Guard until after the baby was born.  He would do what he could to get past his resentment and ease Ithilden's burden now and hope to be rewarded in the spring.  He urged his horse into a gallop, reveling in the breakneck pace and allowing the wind that whirled past him to blow away some of his tension.

***

Legolas ambled happily along on his way home from the training fields, glorying in the crisp weather and the autumn colors that were beginning to blossom in the trees around him.  The day had gone well and, best of all, the next day was a free day for the youngest novices.  Free days were rare and highly treasured, and he and Annael were planning to spend the day in the forest, fishing and idling their time away.

“Legolas!” called a familiar voice behind him, and he turned to see Ithilden catching up with him.  Evidently his brother too was on his way home.  Ithilden smiled at him as he drew near.  “You seem in no hurry,” he said. “Do I recall correctly that you have a free day tomorrow?”

Legolas gave a broad grin.  “Yes, you do,” he said contentedly.  “Annael and I are going fishing.  And what about you?  You are going home early, for you.”  Ithilden usually reached home only shortly before he was due at evening meal.

“Alfirin’s family is coming tonight, remember?” Ithilden said.  “I want them to see what a dutiful son-in-law I am.”

“That is right,” Legolas said in a pleased tone. “I had forgotten that they were sharing evening meal with us tonight.  It will be good to see Tonduil again.” Tonduil was Alfirin’s younger brother. He was close to Legolas in age and, for a time, had been a novice warrior, but he had decided that his true calling lay in being a horse master and had begun his apprenticeship in that trade.  Legolas had not seen him for some time.

They walked along together with Legolas studying Ithilden out of the corner of his eye. There was something he had been wanting to ask Ithilden, and he thought that this might be a good opportunity to do so, if his brother was in the right mood.  Ithilden looked tired, but he always did these days. Thranduil said that the weariness was normal, but also that none of them should burden Ithilden with any unnecessary demands.  Legolas decided to approach indirectly.

“It is nice to have Eilian still at home,” he observed tentatively.  Ithilden merely grunted in reply.  And indeed, Legolas's observation was not altogether true, for, in fact, Eilian had been bad-tempered on enough occasions in the past few weeks that his company was not always a pleasure.  Legolas decided to risk commenting on this. "He does not seem happy about still being here though," he added.

"I did not appoint him to the Home Guard because I thought it would make him happy," Ithilden said with a snort.

"Would you tell me why you did?" Legolas asked.

"That is none of your business, Legolas," said Ithilden rather sharply.

"I beg your pardon," Legolas apologized.  "I was not questioning your decision."  He groped for a way to say what he meant without offending Ithilden. "I am sure it was the right decision," he said hurriedly.  "I am just trying to understand it."  He looked at Ithilden anxiously.  His father and brothers had all been extraordinarily touchy lately.

Ithilden paused and looked at him.  A rueful expression crossed his face.  Then he put one hand on Legolas's shoulder as they resumed walking.  "I am sorry," he said.  "I should not have snapped at you."  He hesitated.  "I need Eilian's help here at home, Legolas," he said. "And it is not a bad thing for him to do something different.  He has things to offer the Home Guard and things he can learn from captaining it."  He gave his little brother an assessing look.  "You are old enough to understand that warriors serve where they are needed," he said.  "Eilian does that now, and it is what you will do too."

Legolas turned this idea over in his head and found that he was drawn to the ideal of service that Ithilden was describing. He nodded.  "I can do that," he said, with youthful optimism, and Ithilden smiled to himself. They continued home together in companionable silence.

***

Legolas entered the family's sitting room to find that only Ithilden had beaten him there.  "Where is Alfirin?" he asked.  "Is she ill?"

"No," Ithilden reassured him. "She has gone to the Great Doors to wait for her family.  She does not like having them shown in by guards." He seemed amused by his wife's dislike of a practice that Thranduil's family usually took for granted.

Legolas smiled, but he understood Alfirin's consideration for her family's discomfort.  He nearly always tried to greet Annael at the palace doors too, and Annael had been coming to the palace since he was an elfling.  A moment later, their father entered the room.  "Good evening, Adar," they chorused and he nodded to them.

"Ithilden," Thranduil said, "I have just received word that a delegation from Esgaroth will be arriving in the morning to talk about their wish to trade for timber.  The master and his son are coming personally, and I wish to demonstrate respect for them by having my son present when they arrive, so I need you or Eilian to be there to receive them."

Legolas saw Ithilden flinch minutely.  "Do not ask Eilian," he said.  "He is still adjusting to his new command. I can do it, but I have a great deal to do in the morning, so I would appreciate it if I did not have to stay for too long."

"Thank you, iôn-nín," Thranduil said.  "You need stay for only a short time."  Ithilden nodded in resignation.

Legolas heard the words coming out of his own mouth before he knew he was going to say them.  "Would I do, Adar?" he asked.

They turned to look at him with raised eyebrows.

Legolas continued, "I have a free day tomorrow, and if you just need someone for ceremonial effect, maybe I could do it."

Ithilden began to speak but Thranduil raised a hand to silence him.  He looked at Legolas gravely.  "Do you not have plans for your day?" he said.

"I was going to spend it with Annael in the woods," Legolas answered, "but I can still do that after we are finished with the Esgaroth people."

Thranduil nodded.  "I accept your very generous offer, Legolas.  You will more than 'do.'"  His grave expression dissolved into a smile, and Legolas saw a similar smile on Ithilden's face.  He had been feeling a momentary twinge of regret for the lost free time, but it was quickly obliterated by the approval he read in the two faces in front of him.

The door opened, and Eilian entered the room.  Everyone in the room immediately tensed.  Eilian's mood had been unpredictable of late, and none of them wanted to start a quarrel with company coming.  "Good evening," he greeted them pleasantly enough, and everyone relaxed.

"I hear that you found the cave where the stranger was sheltering," Ithilden said.

"Siondel and his patrol did," Eilian corrected. Legolas puzzled over the distinction for a moment.  He knew that Annael's father, whom he liked, was now Eilian's lieutenant, and he did not understand the distance that Eilian was implying existed between them.

"Is there any indication of who it was?" Thranduil asked with a frown.  He obviously did not like the idea of anyone, however well-intentioned, entering the Woodland Realm without his permission or even his knowledge. And of course, there was no evidence whether this stranger was well-intentioned or ill.  Until a few years ago, Easterlings known as Balchoth had lived in the area to the southeast of the Woodland Realm.  They had occasionally ventured into the forest, and their fealty to Sauron was well-known.  While the Rohirrim had defeated them and theoretically driven them back beyond the Sea of Rhûn, no one would be surprised if a few still lingered.  Moreover, evil creatures were on the move near Dol Guldur to the south.  Thranduil would be most unhappy if someone from either of these menacing groups had ventured too near his stronghold.

Eilian shook his head. "There is no indication," he said.  "The Home Guard will continue looking though. They are nothing if not thorough," he added somewhat dryly.  Thranduil frowned slightly at his tone, but anything he might have intended to say was interrupted by the arrival of Alfirin with her parents and younger brother.

Alfirin's mother, a healer, and her father, a forester, were both gentle people and had raised equally gentle children.  They would probably not have chosen Thranduil's family of warriors to be their daughter's in-laws, but Ithilden and Alfirin's love for one another was obvious and her parents were as thrilled about the baby as Thranduil was.  Thus by and large, the two families got along well.

"My lord," they all greeted Thranduil with deference, but he eased them into a more informal tone, and they sat to have wine before the evening meal.  Legolas and Tonduil relaxed together on a bench to one side of the room.

"How are things at the novice fields?" asked Tonduil.  "I miss my friends there sometimes," he said.  "But I definitely do not miss Maldor."

Legolas laughed.  "He is still the same," he said.  "But I am happy to say that we have a free day tomorrow."

"I do too!" exclaimed Tonduil.

"Why do you not join Annael and me in the woods?" Legolas invited.  "I will be a little late, but Annael will be there at first light."

"I will if you will have me," Tonduil promised, and they agreed to the meeting.

Thranduil was now pouring the wine that a servant had just brought.  "I had intended to serve you some of the Dorwinian we received in the spring," he was saying, "but my butler tells me that we had less of it than he had thought, and the barrel was empty.   I hope we can obtain more so that you can try it next time. It was quite extraordinary."

Legolas and Tonduil had both stiffened at the mention of the Dorwinian, for they both knew exactly where the missing wine had gone: down the less than exacting gullets of some of their fellow novices, and, of course, their own.  Thranduil gestured for Legolas to come and get their cups.  Legolas kept his face averted as he did so, for Thranduil sometimes exhibited an alarming ability to read any guilt that might be there.  He returned to the bench and raised his eyes to find Eilian watching him quizzically.  Actually, now that Legolas thought of it, every member of his family seemed to be able to tell when he felt guilty.  He frowned and took a deep drink of the wine.  It was good, but not as good as the Dorwinian had been.

"Eilian," Alfirin's father drew his brother's attention away, "you must be glad to be home still and away from the danger in the south."

For a moment, Thranduil's family froze.  Then Alfirin spoke, her voice as mild as always.  "Surely no one welcomes danger, Adar," she said, "but I, for one, am thankful that warriors like Eilian willingly subject themselves to it so that we can live in safety."  She smiled sweetly.

Legolas was grateful for her comment.  He knew from things she had said that Alfirin did not always find it easy to accept the fact that warriors, including her husband, were trained to kill not just wolves and spiders, but people.  That she should defend Eilian's willingness for battle against the even mild doubt that her father had expressed struck him as an extraordinary sign of her affection for his brother.  He saw Ithilden blink and then reach for her hand.

Legolas glanced over at Eilian, who had withdrawn into the shadows away from the fireplace.  Alfirin had relieved him of the need to answer her father's claim that he must be glad to be home, but judging by the look on his face, she had certainly not stopped him thinking about it.

***

Legolas strolled along through the woods, listening to the autumn leaves rustle against one another in gently murmured song.  The greeting of the Esgaroth delegation had gone well, and his father had sent him on his way with words of praise that still lingered pleasantly in his ears. Now he was on his way to meet Annael and Tonduil.

As Legolas had grown older, he had gradually become aware that he was more isolated than other Elves his age were.  This was partly a matter of living in the palace with guards in front of his doors.  Other elflings had not been able to wander into the palace nursery as they did into one another's cottages, and even now, Elves his age hesitated to visit him.  But he had come to realize that the isolation was also partly due to his role as Thranduil's son.  Other Elves were cautious around him, fearing to offend, and he was cautious around outsiders, fearing that he might inadvertently do something that would embarrass his father.  Now he found himself completely at ease only with his family, which had come to include Tonduil; with Annael, whom he had known since before either of them could remember; and with Miriwen, whom he found soothingly easy to talk to.  He would see Miriwen tonight, and he happily drew in sight of Annael and Tonduil now.

The two of them were lounging on a bank of a small stream in which Legolas and Annael had frequently fished.  They had poles in the water but were not paying much attention to them, as the lay in the grass and chatted.  "Have you caught anything?" Legolas asked, joining them. "Or have you been too lazy even to do that?"

"Lazy!" Annael protested.  "Look at this."  He scrambled to the edge of the stream and pulled a string of several fish out of the cold water. "We were waiting for you to gut them," he added, teasingly, "since you have done none of the work of catching them."

Legolas laughed and settled down beside them, dropping his own line into the water. "I have been wanting to hear about your trip, Tonduil," he said. "I hope you have not already told Annael all about it."  Tonduil had been gone much of the last month on a horse buying trip to Rhovanion.

"No, I have not," Tonduil answered and launched into an account of the trip.  Legolas and Annael both listened with interest and Legolas found himself wondering if he could convince Thranduil that a similar trip was an essential part of his education as the king's son. Probably not, he regretfully concluded and wondered if he would ever be able to travel to the exotic reaches of Middle Earth that he had only heard about so far.

"Are you going to visit Miriwen tonight?" Annael asked him, drawing his mind back to more immediate concerns.

"Yes, I am," he said.  He made a face. "Her family has been sitting outside in the evenings lately, and Falad nearly always joins us.  I told you that he lives next door."

"I still cannot believe that he told Eilian where you were that night of the star showers," said Annael in disgust.

Tonduil looked interested.  "I know Falad," he said.  Legolas recalled that Tonduil's family's cottage was near Miriwen's and Falad's.  "What did he tell Eilian?"

Legolas and Annael looked at one another.  Finally, Annael answered, "Eilian was looking for Legolas, and Legolas did not want to be found.  Falad told him where Legolas was."

Tonduil looked startled.  "Did he?  He has always been very serious, rather boring in fact, but I am surprised that he would do that.  That was not very nice of him."

"What was not very nice of whom?" asked a familiar and not particularly welcome voice.  The three of them turned to see Galelas approaching with Isendir in tow.

"Falad told Eilian where Legolas was when Legolas did not want him to," answered Tonduil, oblivious to the sudden silence into which both Legolas and Annael had retreated.

"Falad who is training to be a healer?" asked Galelas.  "What a little snitch!"  Legolas blinked at the unexpected support.  "Who does he think he is telling tales on a warrior?" Galelas went on indignantly.

Legolas found that he could not suppress a smile. "Thank you for your concern," he said dryly.

Galelas abruptly seemed to recall just whose cause he was supporting.  He snorted.  "If you do not care, I am sure I do not," he said. "Come on, Isendir." And the two of them walked off further into the forest.

The other three looked at one another and burst out laughing.  "Galelas is completely unpredictable sometimes," said Annael.

"And too completely predictable at others," added Legolas.  They began gathering wood to build a fire so they could cook the fish for their mid-day meal.  Legolas supposed he really would have to be the one to gut and clean them.  At the moment, neither Annael nor Tonduil appeared to be unduly impressed by his being Thranduil's son.

***

Legolas sat with Miriwen on the bench outside her family's cottage.  Her mother had gone inside to put the baby to bed, and her father was in the family's small sitting room reading a long-desired and newly acquired book. Legolas reveled in the rare private time with Miriwen.

"Are you still worried about Eilian?" she asked him.

"Yes," he said, "he is still so angry about not being allowed to return to the Southern Patrol.  Ithilden says he can learn something by working with the Home Guard, but I only hope that Eilian comes to the same conclusion soon.  He is very unhappy and is driving the rest of us to distraction."  Miriwen was the only person Legolas could talk to openly about his concern for Eilian, given that Thranduil and Ithilden avoided the subject and Annael, his usual confidante, was off limits because his father was now under Eilian's command.

She placed a reassuring hand on his arm.  "Eilian is both sensible and clever," said Miriwen.  "He will calm down soon."  She glanced up.  "Here comes Falad," she said cheerfully.  Legolas grimaced.

"Good evening," said Falad rather stiffly.

"Good evening," said Miriwen.  "Sit down."  She scooted over and made room for him on the bench, an action Legolas only forgave because it brought her close up against him.

His temper was not improved when Miriwen and Falad immediately began to talk about a lesson they had been learning about the arrangement of bones in the hand.  He allowed both his mind and his gaze to wander.  Suddenly, he sat up a little straighter.  Was that Lómilad approaching?

The novice master came directly to the bench upon which they were sitting, and they all greeted him with somewhat confused politeness.

"I am happy to talk to you about your decision, Falad," Lómilad unexpectedly said.  "Shall we go to your cottage so that your parents can join us?"

Falad looked at him with his mouth agape. He reminded Legolas of the fish that he and his friends had caught earlier in the day.  "Decision?" he asked weakly. "I am sorry, but I do not understand. What decision do you mean?"

Lómilad frowned.  "Your decision to enter warrior training," he said. "The decision that your father wrote to me about earlier today.  He asked me to come and discuss it." Legolas suppressed a snort of surprised laughter.  Miriwen glared at him.

Falad gasped.  "Surely he did not," he said.  "I have made no such decision.  I am in training to become a healer." 

Lómilad paused.  He had been a novice master for a long time and had had much experience with young warriors whose judgment sometimes left a great deal to be desired.  Now he sent a hard look at Legolas, who suddenly found that there was nothing funny about the situation.

"I beg your pardon, Falad," Lómilad said. "It seems that we have both been the victims of someone's misguided sense of humor."  Legolas flinched at the novice master's tone.  No, there was nothing funny here at all.  Lómilad turned to him. "Legolas," he said, "please see me first thing in the morning.  I want to speak to you."  Legolas could do nothing but nod before Lómilad turned and walked away.

Falad's face was flushed.  He did not look at Legolas but rose and spoke to Miriwen.  "I think I will go home, Miri," he said.  "I will come by for you in the morning." He walked off toward his own cottage, entered it, and shut the door firmly behind him.

Miriwen waited only until the door closed before she rounded on Legolas.  "How could you do something so mean?" she asked indignantly.

"But I did not do it," he protested.  "I was as surprised as he was. Do you think I would let the novice master find me here if I had done this?  Believe me, Miri, the talk that Lómilad wants to have with me in the morning is not going to be pleasant."

She hesitated.  "Perhaps," she said, "but you laughed!"  She was righteous in her attack on his behavior.

"I am sorry," he said contritely. "I should not have laughed. Falad really did look rattled. But I was so startled at the idea of him becoming a warrior."

"He does not want to be a warrior," she said emphatically. "He wants to be a healer."

"And I am sure he will be a fine one," Legolas soothed her. She narrowed her eyes at him, evidently suspecting that he was humoring her.  He threw up his hands helplessly, and suddenly, she smiled.

"I am sorry I suspected you," she said. "I should have known you would not do anything that foolish."

And Legolas was deeply grateful that he had not.  Leaving aside the question of Falad's feelings with which Miriwen was so concerned, he was appalled to think of what his father or brothers would have said if he had treated Lómilad so disrespectfully.   No one in his family of officers was likely to be amused at the idea of him playing a practical joke on the novice master. And Lómilad had not looked amused at all.

***

"Are you certain that you were not involved in the so-called joke?" Lómilad asked, eying Legolas closely.

Legolas looked straight at him.  "I had nothing to do with it," he said firmly, "nor do I know who did send you the false letter. My presence there was pure coincidence."

After only a brief pause, the novice master nodded, evidently satisfied.  "Very well," he said. "I believe you.  And I am glad to do so.  I would hate to think that you could exhibit such bad judgment, Legolas. You may go," he added. 

Legolas did not need to be told twice. He left Lómilad's office as speedily as he could and started toward the practice fields where the novices assembled in the mornings.  As he started along the path, Galelas emerged from beneath a tree where he had evidently been waiting for Legolas.

"So what happened last night?" he asked gleefully.

Legolas blinked and suddenly saw the light. "You sent the note to Lómilad," he said flatly.

"Yes, I did," Galelas agreed.  "That will teach that little sneak to treat any of us shabbily."

Legolas was so startled at being included in an "us" with Galelas that he did not have the presence of mind to tell his fellow novice how stupidly he had behaved.  He supposed he should be grateful for the loyalty, no matter how unexpected the place was he found it.

 





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