XXII

Elladan and Glorfindel stared down at the Orcs seeking shelter under the burnt out skeletons of firs.

"We've walked for days!"

"Yeah, I'm hungry! There's no food!"

"They wouldn't notice if we spear one of 'em Men and eat 'im, would they?"

Elladan fell back, allowing the rocks to hide him. With the Orcs going nowhere till the sun set, it would be good to take a well-earned rest, for they had been waiting for twelve hours for the Dyrian's company to catch up with them.

He was about to speak when Glorfindel clamped a hand over his mouth. And it was not a moment too son, as footsteps could be heard making their way up the slopes. Shrinking back behind the rocks, they waited, listening intently.

The first voice which floated up to them was low and lazy, instantly recognisable as being that of the monster which tracked them. "Your sources are right for once. There are tracks here that speak of the Elves having been here."

An obsequious, fawning tone followed it, and the Elves could almost see the cowed head and the bowing movements of the other speaker. "Yes, Lord Sirieus. They paused here for three days. Look! The remains of their fires still stand! Where do we go from here?"

"I don't know. You are the one with the spy in their camp!" the Dyrian's voice turned colder.

"A spy who has been leading us up the wrong path."

"You try my patience, Marnor. You will tell me where they have gone before the sun sets."

The swishing of a cloak, marking the near-soundless departure of the Dyrian.

Marnor muttered to himself, lit his pipe, and uncorked his flask.

"Ifrit!"

Light footsteps sounded to join him. "Yes, my Lord?"

"I've run out of rum!" Marnor snarled, flinging the flask at the ground.

"You drink too much."

"We've gotten more than we've bargained for on this trip! The Dyrian wants to know where the bloody Elves are headed. The tracks end here!"

"Why ask me? Have we not ascertained time and again that the Dyrian's directions from his own source were always correct?"

Elladan drew in a sharp breath then, taking in the fumes from the pipe, causing him to dive under, attempting to stop himself from choking out loud.

"What's that?" Marnor said, leaping up to his feet with a loud clattering of armour.

"I heard nothing."

"Perhaps you want to tell the Dyrian what you have just told me? Our necks are on the block if you fail to find the whereabouts of the Elves!"

"As I have told you before, my informant finds it difficult to tell me where they are headed, for the Elves are suspicious and keep changing their course! He is also being watched very closely. They suspect a spy in their midst."

"Little do they know that there are two spies in their camp!" Marnor said, his tone gleeful, as Elladan succeeded in stifling his silent coughs and came up for air just in time to hear the startling proclamation. "The Dyrian's is lost to the fire that killed the forest, and he is dependent on us once more!"

"Do you know what caused the fire?"

"Dragons, according to him."

"But they don't exist anymore!"

"Once again, be my guest and tell that to him, Ifrit, and spare me the hassle of having an heir!"

Silence greeted his words.

"Just find me where the dratted Elves are heading!" Marnor said, before stomping down to join his men.

Ifrit lingered behind, and was rewarded by Glorfindel whispering, "North."

"Thank you," Ifrit whispered, and followed quickly after Marnor.

"So it is true then, that there is a spy within our midst," Elladan said, fixing Glorfindel with his steady gaze.

"Was a spy."

Elladan's face paled. "Only five are missing --"

"Yes."

"I find it difficult to believe any of them was the spy."

"Do you, Elladan?"

"Unless it was that Eilwar --"

"Your father and I happen to hold Lord Eilwar in much regard, Elladan. He might have no lost love for Thranduil --"

"Then who is it? Elrohir? Legolas?"

Glorfindel let out a sigh, for the answer was staring them straight in the face.

"Where could they be?" Elladan said, slapping down ground in frustration. "We have searched for them for days, and still not managed to even find any traces of them! Surely I would have known if anything bad had happened to Roh!"

"You know we must move on."

"I was surprised that you waited so long."

"We have learnt much from waiting, and I intend to tail Marnor for a while yet. The rest of our company can wait by the Marshes, and hopefully find our friends."

"It was not Roh's safety that caused you to stay and search," Elladan said, a quiet resentment in his voice.

"I care for Elrohir as a father would for his son!"

Glorfindel's eyes dropped as Elladan continued to stare at him with silent reproach.

"I would have moved on earlier had it only been your brother left behind."

Elladan thought for a long time before saying, "I would have done the same had I been given the choice. I forget that Legolas is the one we should protect at all costs."

"Legolas or Esendri," Glorfindel said.

"What?" Elladan gasped, forgetting to keep his voice low.

"Esendri is no ordinary Silvan Elf. He is descended from the noble line of Feanor himself and begotten on the same day as Legolas."

The remaining colour drained from Elladan's face as the full implication sank in. "What are you saying?"

"Prophecies often refer to the One. That only serves to confound, for there is always a pair, always one of two outcomes."

"No," Elladan could not believe what he was hearing. "When you sent Legolas away with Roh --"

"I took the liberty of making a choice, Elladan. Elrohir was injured, and he had fallen behind. By sending Legolas with him, I chose for you and Esendri to fulfil the prophecy."

"And you had the right to do that?"

"I do not! But Legolas holds within him the anger and hatred he feels for his mother's death. You saw what he did to the trees in Eryn Galen, how he killed everything living within half a mile with his magic! Will you have that danger put to Arda?"

"Glorfindel, Esendri's parents were taken captive by dark forces and tortured till they emerged twisted on the other side. Nobody knew this, save for Esendri and Thranduil. He told Legolas, who told Roh, and there are no secrets between my brother and I --"

The look of sick horror on Glorfindel's face said all that Elladan felt.

"They are more similar than you have given them credit for, Glorfindel, They are both dangerously close to the edge."

"Ai, that they are! I was a fool to think that we could keep ahead of the fates. Instead they are ever a step ahead of us."

"What of the dragons?"

"While their appearance is a mystery, I cannot afford another distraction. We have to find the gem before the Dyrian, and I will do this with or without Legolas or Esendri and then will find a way to destroy it. We have to take the chance that the prophecy is wrong, and Elbereth permit that it is!"

"Yes," Elladan said, letting his head fall back in resignation. "I would that it were too."