Chapter 6 – Unlikely Allies

Legolas soon found out that the cave was not very far from the clearing where they had left Owanry, as he could still pick up the screams coming from the terrified human.  He silently prayed that the young man would quiet down so he would not draw the attention of the wild animals of the forest to him, but knew that it would probably not happen.  He continued his prayer, asking for his mentor’s quick return; not only for himself, but for the human also, Lord Isál would surely release him from his bonds.

Legolas, being so caught up in his thoughts, did not notice at first that they had arrived at their destination.  Addramyr pushed him towards a copse of trees that held no entrance that Legolas could detect.  He raised his hands to protect himself from the branches, and the scratches they would likely inflict, when he finally noticed the opening that he was being ushered into.

‘My eyes must be playing tricks on me,’ Legolas thought.

If he had been given the opportunity, he would have stepped back and looked again from a distance, for he was convinced that his elven eyes should have been able to detect the opening from further back.  He was denied the opportunity as Addramyr hastily shoved Legolas the rest of the way in, making sure that no one was around to see that they had just accomplished what appeared to be impossible.

The young prince found himself in a small, circular clearing with a very large and ancient tree standing in the direct center.  It was black and the bark appeared rough, pocked almost, as if inflicted with some disease.  Legolas sucked in his breath, for the very presence of this tree made his body shudder and his skin crawl.  He could feel the evil that emanated, and could not understand how any elf could bear to in the presence of this tree.  It occurred to him to wonder how this tree could be so close to his home and not be felt.

His train of thought was distracted when Addramyr reached up and touched a knot on the tree, which caused an opening to appear and Legolas’ eyes to widen.  When his captor grabbed him once again and pushed him towards the opening, Legolas was sure he heard the tree laugh as he resisted with all his might.

Having not spoken once since leaving the clearing, Legolas found his voice now.  “I am not going into that tree!” he practically shouted.

Addramyr laughed at the frightened elf, a wickedness gleaming in his eyes.  “You will do what I say,” the human threatened as he pulled out his knife and pointed it towards the young prince.

Observing the knife as the sun flashed off the blade, sending a medley of colors dancing through the clearing, Legolas knew he would gladly plunge that knife through his own heart and walk the Halls of Mandos then willingly cross the threshold to a slow, torturous death.

He had no time to act, as the clearing seemed to shrink, steering Legolas closer and closer to the ‘mouth’ of the tree, forcing him to enter the gaping maw, being swallowed into blackness so tangible he could actually feel it on his skin.  Darkness so impenetrable, the very fabric of his being seemed to unravel, leaving him in despair.

**********

Owanry could not believe Addramyr would do this to him, they had been best friends since childhood, sharing boyhood secrets, first crushes, even stealing their fathers weed and having their first smoke together.  He knew his friend had not been the same since his sister’s death, for Zerraweth had been the light of their family.  But he couldn’t understand why he put his best friends life at risk for the folly of torturing this elf.

Screaming Addramyr’s name over and over, Owanry was hoping this was all a really sick joke and that his friend would come to his senses and return.  Relief washed over him when he heard a noise coming from the direction the human and elf had headed in.

“It’s about time Addramyr, this really wasn’t a very funny joke.  Now untie me so we can get home for dinner,” he called.

Owanry was about to say more when his face drained of all color and he watched in horror as a huge brown bear entered the clearing.  Its large eyes focused in on the human, who could only stare back in mute terror as the large mammal slowly approached.

**********

Isál led the party that departed the gates of Greenwood, followed closely by King Thranduil and his sons, with the warriors keeping watch from the rear.  Knowing it would not take long to reach the clearing where he had left his charge, his blood ran cold when a piercing scream could be heard on the wind.

Without saying a word, Lord Isál urged his horse forward and entered the clearing so quickly, he could barely keep his seat as his horse reared up at the sight of the bear.  Standing to it’s full height, the bear let out an angered roar, letting everyone in the vicinity know he was not happy having his playtime interrupted.  King Thranduil and the others had approached with more caution, and halted their steeds at the edge of the clearing, having heard the ferocious growl.  The bear turned out to be all bark and no bite as he gave one last swipe to the unconscious human and lumbered back into the woods.

Isál quickly dismounted his horse and approached the young human the bear had been toying with.  Checking for injuries, Isál found none and came to the conclusion that this is who they had heard screaming and that the young man had passed out from fear, not injury.

Grabbing his water bag, Lord Isál tossed the liquid into the young man’s face, bringing Owanry back to a waking state.  Owanry took one look at the company of elves and thought that he would rather have the bear back then answer the questions he knew would be asked.

As the Elf Lord bent down to free the young man from his bonds, the sound of more horses could be heard approaching the clearing.  Soon Isál found himself and the young man in the middle of a very bad situation, for a group of humans had entered the clearing, instantly drawing their weapons when they saw an elf bending over one of their own.  This of course brought the elven bows up with arrows being notched as the weapons were raised.

“Your Majesty, please have the warriors lower their weapons,” Isál spoke slowly to the king while helping the young man he had just untied stand up.  “This is all a misunderstanding, let us speak with one another and not have anymore tragedy here today.”

“Father”, Owanry spoke up, “he is correct, he was helping to untie me.  The elf did not cause me any harm, nor did he ever have the intention of doing so.”

Rercyn looked at his son, then looked back up to the elves.  “King Thranduil,” he acknowledged the elven leader with contempt in his voice.

“Rercyn”, Thranduil spoke back, keeping his emotions in check.

The tension in the clearing could have been cut with a fine elven blade as Owanry once again tried to explain.  “Father please, he was not the one who tied me up.”  Owanry’s anger rose as he continued.  “Addramyr did it father, he has gone mad.”

Rercyn turned his attention back to his son, angry.  “Where is Addramyr?  Why would he do that to you my son?”

Owanry sighed deeply, but began to explain all that had transpired that day.  Lord Isál listened carefully and quietly consented that the boy spoke the truth.  When the son finally explained to his father about Addramyr finding Teril’s cave, fear passed through elf and human alike at what could happen to the elven prince.

Letting his son’s words seep in, Rercyn turned back to the Elven King.  “The debt of your eldest was repaid, I will not let this same tragedy happen in reverse.”  Motioning for his son to mount up behind him, Rercyn made sure his son was uninjured before speaking again.  “Which way did they go my son?”

Owanry did not get a chance to answer, for Isál had already studied the tracks, and passing his horse’s reins to one of the warriors, he slowly walked in the direction that Legolas had been led.  Rowyn and Anaran joined him but they were not really needed, for Addramyr had not been interested in covering his tracks.

As soon as the copse of trees came into view, Isál stopped dead in his tracks, Rowyn and Anaran following suit.

“Why did you stop?”  Rercyn questioned.

He was surprised when no answer was forthcoming.  Looking to the elves, he was unprepared to see them all fixated on the very spot the tracks led to.

“King Thranduil, is there some difficulty?”  The irritated human asked.

The king finally spoke, but never once took his eyes off the trees.  “Did any of you other then this Addramyr find where,” Thranduil paused as if what he was about to say would cause him pain.  “Where my son did the things he did.”  It was all he could say, and the closest admission of Teril’s guilt any of the warriors had ever heard escape from their kings lips.

“No,” Rercyn answered.  “Do you think we have found it?”

“Yes,” Thranduil replied.  “I’ve only experienced the kind of evil emanating from that grove of trees once in my entire existence.”  Thranduil sighed when he thought of the evil that lay dormant, biding its time, thanks to the weakness of men.  “I was not aware it had a seed in this forest.”  He paused for a moment, wondering how Teril had come upon this influence, convinced that this could be the only explanation for what his eldest son had done.  “I will not let whatever is concealed behind those trees have another of my sons.”