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Disclaimer: I do not own the character or places associated with the Lord of the Rings or Middle Earth. They are the creations of J. R. R. Tolkien and the property of Tolkien Enterprises.
“Ambition is pitiless. Any merit
that it cannot use it finds despicable.”
~Eleanor Roosevelt
*************
Aragorn felt comforting arms wrap around his shoulders and he looked blurrily up into the smiling face of a she elf he didn’t recognize. Recognize her or not she was not Laurelin and that was all the ranger could think of right now. Ever so slowly he felt the elf’s presence melt away the darkness and despair around him and he finally looked at the maid with pain filled eyes. He was still slightly confused and in a lot of pain, but his mind was able to hold rational thoughts again.
“Thank you,” he uttered through parched lips.
The maid smiled warmly down at him and nodded. When she smiled the ranger knew there was something familiar about the smile, but his dulled mind could not think of what it was. Right now Aragorn did not really care. The maid’s presence provided him with just enough strength to push back the hold the poison was trying to gain on his mind and that was enough.
“What is Lord Elrond’s human son doing out here all alone?” she asked him gentle.
It was the kind of question he used to receive when he was a boy, but he brushed it off to the fact that even his brothers thought of him as a child still.
“I must get back home,” the ranger pleaded.
“Of course young one, I will help you” the elf replied matter of fact.
“To whom do I owe my gratitude?”
“My name is Malentuilinn. You may call me Malen if you wish.”
“Then I am grateful Malen for you came upon me in the nick of time. I seem to have gotten turned around.”
Malen smiled down at the young man with a look reserved for children who wonder too far away against the warnings of their parents and get lost. Aragorn did not know why, but he found her presence comforting. She was treating him a bit like a child he knew. Maybe that was the reason, he thought to himself, right now he felt lost and to his luck one of the eldar found him. Legolas had told him to get back to Rivendell and she was an elf and would help him get there.
Malentuilinn had to fight to keep the calm and reassuring smile on her face. This was no thrill for her having to coddle the petty human. At least he seemed genuinely glad to see her and the boy’s mind was fragile right now. He would probably believe anything she told him.
“Come Estel,” she said soothingly as she assisted the ranger up to his feet, “it is time we took you home.”
***************
Elrohir cried out in pain as he felt the arrow embedded in him rip through flesh and sink farther in. A white light filled the elf’s vision and then everything went dark. He felt like he was falling through a black void, sinking down into its silent nothingness. Elrohir’s last conscious thought was a profound regret that his brother would be greatly affected by his death.
***************
Elladan stumbled momentarily as he ran through the dark forest and came to a stop. A flash of pain had swept through him and he looked around fearfully because he already knew the source. He could still hear the clash of steel in the direction he was headed but somehow knew he would not find his twin there.
The dark-haired elf was torn.
Elladan did not know whether to go after the thief or, afraid of what he might find, search for his brother. Unfortunately he would be searching blind for Elrohir where he could very well hear where the fighting was up ahead. Swallowing his fear and praying to the Valar the dark-haired elf continued on his original path.
***************
Glullyn could hear the men ahead of him. By the sound of it there were not many there. Where had the others gone? Surely they were out looking for the escaped prisoners, but he supposed they had split up and silently cursed. This would be a long vexing hunt if all the men were scattered about the vast elven woods. Well, the mercenary thought, no need to drag it out longer than it was already. Glullyn gripped his sword and, not bothering to be quiet, stalked forward.
***************
Vocyn fainted to the left at Legolas and at the last moment cut to the right bringing his dagger in a sweeping arc at the elf’s chest. Legolas saw the move and reacted bringing his weapon up and taking a step back at the same time. He was able to block the attack, but it left him with a stinging cut on his forearm.
The thief halted long enough to smile mischievously at the elf.
“First blood to me,” the procurer sneered.
“Perhaps, but humans tire quickly,” Legolas said lightly.
Vocyn narrowed his eyes at the elf and charged again. As Legolas parried and blocked he became aware that the human was fast for a mortal and in his injured state he was just managing to keep the thief at bay. His head was throbbing madly from all the movement and the sharp motions where making him a bit nauseous. Were he sure it couldn’t happen the elf felt like his head was going to split into.
In his line of profession attention to detail was paramount and Vocyn read the signs well. He could tell his opponent was in distress and reacting slowly, so the thief kept up the intensity of his attacks. He knew this line of action would wear him out quickly, but he was also aware that the elf’s words were true in that he would tire first anyway. So on he came, nicking at the elf here and there, cautiously aware that one nick from his opponent’s dagger would be enough to end this fight here and now.
Vocyn almost sighed in frustration. No matter how furiously he came on or how sluggish the elf’s movements were getting, he could not break through his defenses. He pushed his anger back down reminding himself that it would not do him any good and waited for an opening.
In the thief’s moment of frustration Legolas ceased the opportunity and grabbed the human’s weapon arm with his free hand and struck with the dagger. The blonde human ducked precariously under the weapon and for a moment disappeared from the elf’s sight. Legolas blinked once and regained his wits quickly. He rolled sharply to the side just in time to avoid the attack from behind. Halfwit, he cursed himself. His pain-dulled mind had barely caught onto the move in time to save him from being stabbed in the back. A move he would usually never had fallen for, but now he was falling for the thief’s tricks. Legolas knew he had to end this fight quickly somehow before one played out that he wouldn’t catch in time.
Legolas went on the attack this time and even though his movements were still dull the elf’s movements pushed the thief back with its ferocity. It dawned on the elf that the thief was giving up ground too easily and seemed to be moving back purposely. Before Legolas had time to wonder about it any more he saw why. As the elf was in mid swing the human fell back over balancing him and unexpectedly rolled right in towards him. The move caught Legolas off guard and to his dismay he knew he could do nothing about it as he fell forwards. The elf expected an attack from behind and knew was never going to be able to block it.
Vocyn sprung nimbly to his feet and was just about to lunch foreword and end this fight when something smacked into the tree right next to his head and a stinging pain shot through his cheek. The thief halted and turned his gaze to the side. An arrow was embedded in the tree barely missing his head and as he brought his hand up to his face he felt warm blood trickle down his cheek where it had grazed him.
With cold gray eyes the thief followed the arrow’s path back to its source. Colder bright blue-gray eyes met the humans.
Legolas hit the ground and instinctively rolled, never expecting to finish the move, and was flooded with relief to see Elladan standing some distance away with a notched arrow. Where he had come from or how he had escaped the blonde elf didn’t know and right know didn’t care.
“Drop the dagger easily or I will pin your hand to the tree,” the dark-haired elf warned.
Out of options at the moment Vocyn did as he was instructed. After all, opportunities sprung up at odd times.
“Are you alright Legolas?” Elladan asked the younger elf never taking his steady gaze off of the human.
“I am fine,” Legolas replied walking over to stand next to the other elf.
“Where is Estel?”
Legolas was hesitant to tell Elladan about Estel being poisoned knowing how much it was going to worry him, but he had to be told.
“Estel was stabbed by the thief right before I was detained with the him. He is on his way back to Rivendell as we speak.”
Elladan nodded at the news and Legolas sighed. He might as well get it over with.
“There is more, mellon nin, the dagger was coated in Rathrae,” the blonde elf said quietly.
If possible Legolas saw the dark-haired elf’s eyes grow colder while looking at the human and he wondered if Elladan would simply shot the human here and now. Besides his eyes the other elf made no outwardly reaction to the disturbing news.
I am sorry, I have failed in my promise, Legolas’ thoughts came into Elladan’s mind.
“No you have not,” Elladan answered out loud, “we all failed when we rode blindly into their clutches.”
Elladan focused on Vocyn who was watching the exchange with a calm air.
“Who is it?” he asked simply.
“Why whomever do you mean?” Vocyn asked innocently.
“I am in no mood for your coyness, I will ask once more, who is the other?”
“Will you shoot me to find out? That’s really not a very elvish way of handling it.”
“Very well, if you will not tell me now we will all go back to Imladris and Mithrandir and Glorfindel can deal with you. Move,” the dark-haired elf commanded.
The small group headed towards the Last Homely Home with the human in front and the two elves trailing behind.
“By the way, here,” Elladan said handing the bow over to Legolas.
“I though it looked a little familiar,” the blonde-elf replied taking aim at the human again.
Legolas noticed his own daggers were tucked into the sheath near the quiver and slipped it on. It was satisfying to feel his bow in his hands and to have his weapons back.
“Yes, well, I thought you might want them back.”
Legolas gave the other elf an appreciative nod.
“What other did you speak of?” Legolas asked.
“There is someone else in Rivendell besides Laurelin causing trouble and he knows who it is.”
“Keep an eye on him, I will look up ahead for Estel,” Elladan suggested.
Legolas nodded once again as the dark-haired elf ran ahead of them. He tightened his hold on the bow as his eyes came to rest on the blonde man in front of him.
****************
Malentuilinn silently glided through the forest. The human boy was taken care of and she went back to finding her oselle. It was by luck alone that she happened by the lass soon after leaving the ranger. She slowed to a stop and could barely see Emlin’s hair shining above the brush surrounding the area. The girl was kneeling on the ground near something and after moving a little closer she saw that it was not a something, but a someone. Could the girl really have done it?
Malen stepped quietly out in the open and walked towards the girl. Laurelin’s bright green eyes immediately came up to met her own. She looked down into the sad and fearful eyes of the girl and knew the answer to her question.
“I couldn’t do it,” Laurelin whispered.
Malen kneeled down next to the maid and looked at the pale, still face of Elrohir. She clenched her jaw when she noted a tended wound on the male’s chest. She took a deep breath to calm her ire, she already knew what she was going to find after all.
“I tried oselle, I tried. I pushed the arrow in farther intent on killing him, but when he passed out I just could not do it. Amin hiraetha.”
Malen put an arm around the maid’s shoulders and Emlin rested her head on the older elf’s shoulder.
“We must be strong Emlin. Remember what I told you about your parents. You do want retribution do you not?”
Malen paused for the girl’s nod before she went on.
“You were too young to remember, but I do. Have I not always taken care of you? I have watched over you since that day and I always shall. Revenge will be had my child, for both of us, and it will all be over by tomorrow night. I cannot go through with this without your aid, though. I need you to help me.”
“Iston gwanur, iston. I will always stay with you too, but I have known these people for a very long time and I cannot kill them.” //I know kinswoman, I know//
“That is alright child for that is why we hired the humans is it not? Would it ease your mind if we spared him?” Malen indicated the form on the ground oblivious to the two maids above.
Malen saw the sparkle in Emlin’s eyes at the suggestion and nodded.
“So be it. I will take care of it child. Now the others do not yet know my identity and I need you to go and deal with. I have some matters that need looked after dealing with a certain wizard and elf. Can you handle it?” Malen asked gently.
Emlin lifted her head and gave her a confident nod.
“I will follow you to the end my oselle.”
“Good,” Malen smiled at the younger elf and handed her a small object, “here. This will make your dealings much easier.”
Emlin took the small object and studied it. It was a ring, but it took a moment before her mind placed it.
“How did you get this?” Laurelin asked surprised.
“I acquired it a short time ago. Do not worry he is not dead yet. Simply showing the prince that ring should be enough. Now go.”
Laurelin swallowed and nodded numbly before rising to her feet. She glanced once more back down at the still form of Elrohir before she turned and speed off to find the blonde elf.
As soon as the younger elf left Malentuilinn’s eyes hardened as she looked down at the male. This was a complication she did not need and almost considered riding herself of it right now, but she had promised the girl. How well, she thought, all of the younger ones were going to die eventually, but their time could wait, there were more important matters right now. She smirked to herself as a thought came to her. Maybe she might let this one live for oselle after all.