III

The sun was falling beyond the horizon, colouring the few clouds pink, and the party trudged on. While the Elves did not feel the strain from the long journey, the same could not be said for the mortals.

"Should we stop for the night?" Legolas said, turning to Yuvinel.

"No. Please don't let me slow you down!"

"Trying to push yourself where you will not go serves no purpose but to bring more trouble upon others later!" Elladan said, throwing a meaningful glance at Legolas.

His comment was ignored, and Legolas instead turned to the West with a frown.

"What is it, Legolas?" Elrohir was quick to spot his discomfit.

"Did you not --" His words trailed off, as Legolas noted how the rest were staring. He shook his head and laughed. "Nothing; just my imagination."

"What was it?" Elrohir said.

"I said it was nothing!" Legolas said, and Elrohir coloured and looked away.

"It would be nice for you not to always shout at him!" Elladan said.

"Leave it, Dan!" Elrohir turned to Elladan, eyes flashing.

"I give up!" Elladan shouted in exasperation and stalked off.

"Do you have to fuss over everything I do?" Legolas said, red-faced.

Elrohir flashed him a furious scowl, before he too stormed away.

"What did I do?" Legolas cried.

"Apart from making yourself a pair of dangerous enemies, I can't think what else!" Yuvinel said.

"This is all quite beyond me!"

"Doesn't take much to see that!"

"Could one not speak in plain language for a change?"

"You have an effect on others, Legolas!"

"It is difficult when I know not of what you speak! Or am I so detestable?"

"Possibly quite the opposite! Anyway, don't concern yourself over them. They'll get over your mistreatment of them soon enough, and might speak to you again in the next week or so!"

"Do you think I mistreat my friends?"

"Not really. Although I must say the past few weeks have been difficult for you --"

Before Legolas could answer, Glorfindel, at the head of the party, came to an abrupt halt just above a rise in the terrain, calling for the rest to do the same

"Legolas!" Esendri said, coming forward from the back of the column, Allanor following behind. "Where is Glorfindel?"

Legolas motioned to the front, while Esendri nodded his thanks and moved forward. Legolas was about to turn back to Yuvinel again when Esendri grasped him by the arm.

"This way!" Esendri said, dragging him after Allanor.

All three stopped dead in heir tracks and gaped once they reached the top, for instead of the usual grassland interspersed with rocks and boulders, the area to the West had been levelled, as if a huge force had taken away everything. Emptiness and dust filled the land, and the devastation spanned off as far as the eye could see, a desolate silence clinging to it. In the distance, the last rays of Anor were disappearing behind the faint mountain peaks, its dying light casting a sombre illumination over the ghastly scene.

Glorfindel whipped around as soon as he had heard them, and came up to them, irritated.

"You forget that I am your leader! I told you to remain where you were."

"Master Glorfindel, I would not have done so if not for that it is urgent that we speak with you!" Esendri said.

Glorfindel took a quick look at the rest of the party coming up upon the view and gave in.

"The lodestone." Allanor brought up a fist-sized stone from a pocket.

"The waves!" Esendri said.

"The other party has reached the fringe of Greenwood, and will begin their journey through the plains tomorrow. They have Orcs with them, and are picking up our trail quickly," Allanor said, as his eyes flickered over the dull, grey stone.

"How do you know this?" Legolas said, unable to contain his curiosity any further.

"This lodestone is one of a pair. Few in the world now can use it, but it is possible to communicate using them. We rely on the sympathies between them, and use the earth to transmit these waves. There is another in Marnor's party who can wield its power, and has been giving us updates on their situation."

"We have a spy amidst the humans?" Legolas said, staring at the stone in disbelief. "I do not understand!"

"The ability to read the lodestone flows within the blood of a scant few, passed down from generations before. It is not something one can learn, and it is read by the pulses it admits. It was given to me by my father, who knew how to wield the power as well."

He handed the stone over to Legolas, who accepted it. Fingering its smooth surface, Legolas found it heavy and cool to the touch.

All of a sudden, the stone seemed to burn in his palm, and he dropped it into Allanor's still out-stretched hand. It was a while before the searing pain subsided.

"What is it?" Esendri said, and Glorfindel too stared at Legolas.

"Curious," Allanor said, moving his right palm over the stone. "I have never before felt such waves coming from it!"

All three turned to Legolas.

"I did nothing to it but hold it my palm!" he said, drawing a small chuckle from Esendri. "It started to burn, and so I let go of it!"

"Curious, indeed," Allanor repeated, and the look he gave Legolas was piercing.

"How have you been holding up, Legolas?" Glorfindel said, figuring it was as bad a time as any to ask so.

Legolas stared back at him, unsure of he was being serious.

"You are fine, I know! If I ever met such a stubborn Elf!"

"Ada will surely have given another opinion on that!" one of the twins broke into their conversation. "The number of times we have heard him complaining about the thick-headedness of a certain seneschal of his!"

"A sound beating is what the pair of you need!" Glorfindel turned and rounded on them. "You two had better start showing some respect lest I tell your father to take a leaf out of Thranduil's book and start choosing wives for you!"

His words had their desired effects, as Legolas flushed a deep shade of red and tried not to laugh as he caught the horrified look Elladan was shooting at him. Elrohir, muttered something unintelligible under his breath while casting his gaze onto the ground.

"What do you think caused all this devastation?" Elrohir said, turning toward Glorfindel when he had regained his composure.

"I do not know. However, we do not have time to tarry here for long. Marnor's party has reached the northwest fringe of Eryn Galen --"

"So it is true that the brute is hot on our trial!" Elrohir said.

"How could he have found out about the gem?" Elladan said.

"The Dyrian is with him. He has forged an alliance with the Dyrian and the Orcs," a new voice said, and the party turned to see Eilwar scowling down at them.

"Why would he join forces with Marnor?" Esendri said. "What business would he have with a mere human?"

"Do not speak if you were only to waste my time with childish questions!" Eilwar said, breaking the uneasy truce.

"Do you have anything --" Esendri said, before being silenced by both Glorfindel and Legolas shooting him warning looks.

"It is a wonder to me what children are doing on this dangerous journey! However, I did not come to waste my time on inane talk, so if you will, Lord Glorfindel, I wish to confer with you about the nature of this devastation -- in private."

Esendri had to be dragged away from the scene, although his indignation was shared in no less magnitude by the twins. A colourful string of Nandorin curses escaped his mouth, much to the amusement of his friends.

"Did you hear him?" he spluttered. "Who does he think he is?"

"Peace, Esendri, there was a reason why Lord Elrond chose him for the journey. It will not do to pick a fight with him now" Allanor said.

"He speaks the truth. The Dyrian Lord has formed an alliance with Marnor!" Legolas said once he too had calmed down.

"How would you know?" Esendri said. "Allanor himself has not heard of this!"

"Ask your spy then, Allanor, and see that my words ring true!" Legolas said.

"He seems to have finished with Glorfindel!" Elladan said, and they all turned to see Eilwar walking away, an unreadable expression in his eyes.

"What could he have said to make Glorfindel so worried?" said Elrohir.

"And what could he have said that we were not fit to hear?" Esendri said.

"Well, we are going down there to find out tonight," Legolas answered.

"What?" Elrohir turned to Legolas.

"We will camp here tonight, giving us the opportunity to investigate further. That will wipe the smirk off his face, if he thinks he knows what caused this, because he does not have a clue!"

"Legolas, I am not sure this will be wise --" Elladan said.

"Why?"

"You promised Ada not to seek trouble and to obey Glorfindel's orders!"

"Glorfindel did not tell us not to --"

"We set up camp here tonight, and I do not wish for you to go wandering about. Danger abounds, and we move off at first light!" Glorfindel said, before he walked off to speak to the other members of the party, face still knitted tightly.

"We will not be wandering!" Legolas said to Elladan's victorious grin. "And neither is this seeking trouble! The answer to it lies down there, and I just want to take a look!"

"When you have finished playing prophet and start seeing sense, Legolas --"

"Very well, Dan and I will go, only if you promise to listen to us!" Elrohir said.

"Sure!" Legolas said. "Lithroleah is keeping watch tonight; it would not be difficult to leave the camp undetected!"

Allanor seemed to be thinking long and hard all this while, fingering the lodestone. "Legolas is right. Marnor has formed an alliance with the Dyrian. I shall not join you tonight, for I do not possess the grace of your kind, and will rouse the others with my clumsiness," he said, before leaving without a second glance back.

"What?" Esendri said.

"He is worried for his people."

Elrohir realised Legolas was talking about himself, and said, "Glorfindel is throwing us suspicious looks, so I suggest we pretend to set up camp ere his wrath come down upon us!"

His remarks were greeted with hearty chuckles as the four started to pretend to lay their weapons and light pouches onto the ground at the perimeter of their camp.

"Do you think Glorfindel is still unconvinced?" Esendri said as he sank to the ground after throwing some food and a flask at Legolas, who was sprawled on the ground in a rather un-princely manner.

"His has his hands full with the great Elflord at any rate!" Elrohir said.

The other three tried not to laugh at the sight of Eilwar bearing down upon Glorfindel again.

"What was Ada thinking when he chose him for the journey?" Elrohir said.

"Same as what he was thinking when he chose you!" Elladan said, earning a good-natured kick in the ribs.

"I must say a fair bit of mischief was on his mind when he decided to send us!" Esendri said.

"Speak for yourself! How dare you sully our good names?" Elrohir said. "It is well-known to all that the twin sons of Elrond are epitomes of sensibility and reason!"

"Might I point out again what you are planning on doing tonight?" Esendri said, taking a bite into a pear.

"We were forced into that! The Silvan Prince himself commanded our services, and his wish is our command!"

Legolas managed to flash a grin at the rest of them, but excused himself. Much to his consternation, Esendri chose to get up and tail him as he walked away from the group.

"Esendri, might I point out that whilst you may be my self-appointed bodyguard, it is hardly necessary for you to follow me everywhere I go!" he remarked peevishly.

"Good evening to you too!" Esendri said, pretending to be hurt.

"What is the matter?"

"You have not been yourself since we left."

"My father needs me with him, he cannot stand against this all alone. My duty lies with him, to defend my people back home. We might have beat the foul creatures back for the time being, but they will return!"

"Legolas, you are partaking on a quest that seeks to thwart an evil force from covering the lands with a darkness beyond anything imaginable. If this is not fighting for your people, nothing is."

"Sen?"

"Yes?" "Thank you."

"But I am your friend."

*****

A/N: Sorry for the massive delay, and I hope this satisfies everyone for the time-being. In the meantime, I've got another story up, so check out my profile on FF.net for the link.