"Foreshadows in the Wood"
by Elfytype
Chapter Two: No-So-Many Meetings
"Welcome
back, brother!" Came the somewhat deeper voice of Adrolas, Legolas’ younger
twin brother. He stood near the gates of their father’s halls, smiling
pleasantly at his brother’s return. As the small company approached, Adrolas’
eyes narrowed. Noticing something was amiss; he pressed the subject as
Legolas neared. "You seem to be missing something, dear brother." He said,
looking down at his slightly shorter older brother.
Legolas,
looking burdened by the fight with the Orcs and the prospect of reporting
such a loss to his father, he replied without stopping. "We were attacked
by Orcs, Adrolas." He said as he crossed the threshold into the dimly lit
halls of their sylvan palace.
Adrolas
turned and began to walk beside him, as Legolas past. "Legolas," Adrolas
said, more fervently than before. "What are you hiding from me?" He looked
into his brother’s storm-grey eyes.
Legolas
sighed and looked forward. "I hide nothing, brother." He said with a note
of finality in his quiet voice. "I simply do not speak that which will
only be repeating to our father. You shall know then." At that, Legolas
sped along his way to their father’s private chambers.
"Come
in, my sons," Came the steady voice of their father, Lord Thranduil, from
behind his study door. Legolas breathed a steadying sigh and pushed the
door before him open, where it had only been ajar before, and entered,
followed closely by his brother. Thranduil looked up upon their entrance
and smiled welcomingly to his sons, then he directed his attention to his
Elirium, noticing the regret etched in his ageless face’ a face which was
now marred by a small cut across his right cheekbone. Thranduil sat more
erect. "You have something to report, Legolas?" He asked, sounding more
Lordly than fatherly.
Legolas
bowed at the shoulders along with his brother. "I do, my Lord." Legolas
replied as officially as 750 years of procedures could muster forth from
him. He truly despised reporting to his father anything, let alone bad
news. He sighed. "The company sent to guard the prisoner," the prisoner,
as they refereed to Smeagol, "Was attacked by Orcs, my Lord."
Thranduil
nodded. "But that is not all, it would seem." Thranduil knew his son. As
he gazed into Legolas’ eyes, he noticed their storm-grey depths were averted.
He was hiding something.
A look
of reproachfulness at the subject flashed across Legolas sharp eyes, but
was gone in an instant. He stood taller. "Yes, my Lord. There is more."
Adrolas
looked over at his brother, suddenly interested. Legolas continued.
"The
attack by the Orcs, my Lord, would seem to have been a diversion. They
attacked quickly and did not stay long."
Thranduil’s
brow furrowed in thought. The Orcs had never before done anything such
as what his son was explaining now, and he was doubtful. He would not believe
so without proof. "What makes you believe it was a diversion, Legolas?"
Legolas
sighed once again. "Before the attack, Father, we were accompanying the
prisoner as per our orders. I allowed him to climb trees and such, as was
suggested by friend Aragorn. In one rather large tree, the Oak in the western
woods that stands apart from the others, he emplored to climb and I consented.
He stayed aloft for more than an hour and Jeriel had become nervous at
his absence, and it would seem that his worries were well merited, as they
often are. It was then that I noticed I could no longer hear the sounds
of Smeagol playing the trees above me. I did not have long to ponder this,
however, for the Orcs were upon us. When the battle was ended, Smeagol
was gone, my Lord."
Thranduil
looked contemplative for a moment before replying. When he finally did,
it was evident that his words were very controlled. "Legolas," he said,
not wanting to waste anymore time than had already been wasted. "You should
be reprimanded for your lack of attentiveness, but now is not the time.
Every moment that we speak, the prisoner is farther and farther from our
grasp, and we must find him. He was put in our care for safekeeping, and
in loosing him, you will disgrace the name of our kingdom. Jeriel, Adrolas,
and you are my finest and fastest scouts. Go, my son, and seek out the
prisoner, and do not return until you have found some sign of him at least."
Legolas
and Adrolas bowed at the shoulders once again, and left the room. Adrolas
looked to his brother and smiled. "You have gotten yourself into quite
a mess this time, brother. Losing the prisoner?" Adrolas chuckled and shook
his head. "Father should have sent me. I would not have let him from my
sight."