Chapter 2
Even the woods were unusually quiet this day. Despite the serenity of the trees around him, Legolas felt the restlessness growing within him as he prodded Hwesta forward at a brisk pace. With the restlessness was also a mounting frustration, frustration with the apparent lack of trust his elders had in his ability as a warrior and frustration at his own inability to convince them otherwise. Aldeon had promised that he would convince Thranduil to let him join scouting missions, but so far his brother had not been successful, assuming, of course, that he had even made the attempt at all. His brother had asked patience of him, but it was increasingly difficult as day after day passed in inactivity.
Three days now since the troops had left, one group heading for the eastern borders and the second group to join the patrol already stationed in the volatile southern borders. He harboured no illusions that his father would let him go anywhere near the southern borders where the shadow was the deepest, at least not in the foreseeable future. But the eastern borders had posed little threat until the recent attacks on the settlement there. Even those had been minor squirmishes and it was only out of an abundance of caution that his father had decided to send troops there to better monitor the situation. He had had hoped that he would be allowed to join the troops heading east, but apparently even that was considered too dangerous for him in the mind of his father, and Aldeon.
But then, why should he be surprised? According to his family, even leaving the palace gates was a danger for the likes of him. It was as if he was incapable of breathing for himself once he was out of their hovering sight. He unconsciously touched the bow slung over his shoulder. It mattered not that he could shoot a leaf from a tree two hundred yards away, but he was considered totally incapable of defending himself against the slightest danger. Ai! What would his father say now if he knew that his youngest had now ventured so far out into the woods on his own? A slight smile pulled at his lips. And Salque, the elf charged by Thranduil to ensure the well being of his youngest, must be frantic by now in searching for him and having to face the prospect of reporting to his king that he had managed to let Legolas out of his sight. He knew he should feel a little more charitable toward Salque, but the old warrior had been suffocating in carrying out his duty to his king. It was nice to be alone, if even for a short while. He would have to face Salque and Thranduil later for this little escapade, but for now he would enjoy the little freedom that he had managed to snatch from under their watchful eyes.
He paused briefly and allowed his elven senses to absorb and check his surroundings. He had never been to this part of the woods before, but he was not lost. He knew the geography of Mirkwood as intimately as he knew the back of his own hand. He knew the landscape of the woods not as a well-travelled warrior, as he was never allowed to go beyond the small perimeters that Thranduil had set out for him, but he had spent hours and hours poring over the various maps of the Mirkwood realm and he was certain he was a match for even the most skilled of Mirkwood scouts in navigating from one point of the woods to the next. And of course, he had probed Salque endlessly for tales of his long life as a Mirkwood warrior. There was a surprising amount of information that one could glean from the retelling of a battle scene, if one was attentive to details. Little did his family know, but he had been most scrupulous in gathering and retaining any and all information that would aid him on his road to becoming a full warrior. There was little doubt in his mind that he would someday become a warrior. If only he was given the opportunity.
Abruptly he tightened his legs on Hwesta and the horse stopped obediently. Someone was approaching on horseback, rather noisily and with little care to discretion. He drew Hwesta behind a large oak and leapt onto the branches nimbly with his bow in hand. From the vantage point of a high branch of the oak, he sighted a rider in the distance, no, two riders on one horse, the one in front slumped slightly forward. Both were dressed in Mirkwood colours. Legolas moved through the branches swiftly and noiselessly, leaping from tree to tree until he was but a shortly distance from the approaching elves. With a silent jump, he landed onto the ground just as the riders came into view.
"Prince Legolas!" the uninjured elf saluted immediately as he brought the horse to a halt. "What are you doing out here, by yourself?"
Legolas swallowed his annoyance at the greeting. It would seem that every elf in the Mirkwood kingdom knew that he was not trusted to be out on his own. "Never mind that, but where are you coming from and what happened? He is wounded!"
The said injured elf straightened painfully from his slouch over the mount and managed to salute, "Prince Legolas."
"No, stay on the horse. Do not strain yourself," Legolas said quickly and then turned to the other elf. "Tell me what happened."
"We were attacked by orcs but managed to escape."
"Orcs, near here?" Legolas asked incredulously.
"We must get a message to the King. There is a group of them marching toward the palace, hundreds of them. We must prepare --" the elf continued breathlessly.
"But the scouts came back four days ago and reported that a large army of orcs were gathering to the south. Adar has sent troops there to confront them. The scouts also reported of attacks on the eastern settlement, but there were no reports of orcs heading for the palace. Are you certain?" Legolas found himself gripping the shoulder of the uninjured elf.
"Yes, I am certain. An army of orcs is heading in this direction. They intend to attack the palace. The scouts were tricked into bringing false reports. The orcs are not gathering in the south. It was a trick to draw the troops away from the palace, as were the attacks on the eastern settlement. It was all done so that the palace is left unguarded. I must get this information to the king. The troops will have to be recalled to defend the palace, but it may be too late already. Come, we must ride to the palace as quickly as we can."
Legolas thought quickly. "No, you two ride back to the palace. I will get try to catch up with the troops heading south. We must get them back to the palace as quickly as possible. There is a woeful shortage of warriors at the palace to put up any meaningful defence against such a large army of orcs. Nevertheless, what warriors there are at the palace must prepare. Go quickly and warn them and I will ride south to bring back our troops."
"But you cannot ride alone. It is far too dangerous. You must come back to the palace with us. The King will send the needed messengers to the south."
"No, there is no time to waste. I know the shortest route to catch up with the troops. I will be in no danger. They rode out only three days ago. How far away is the army of orcs?"
"No more than five days from here, depending on how quickly they move."
"Go then. Fly back to the palace and tell my Adar of the news." Legolas turned and whistled for Hwesta.
"Prince Legolas ---"
"Speak no further for you are wasting precious time," Legolas cut him off and leapt onto Hwesta . "Tell my adar that I will catch up with the troops and not to worry. We will get back in time to defend the palace." And he was off on a breakneck gallop even before the last word left his lips.
The remaining elf had little choice but to jump onto the horse behind his wounded companion and prodded the mount into a quick cantor. "May the Valar help us! I do not know what is worse, being under an imminent attack by an army of orcs or to face the King with the news that his youngest is out there on his own."

TBC