Comes Around Again (Gigolas & Bagginshield)

The Darkness Gathers

Legolas moved through the ruins of Dale like a whisper on the wind, his feet leaving no mark in the new-fallen snow. Around him, the men huddled together beneath whatever blankets they could find, in feeble shelters against the wind. In Legolas's mind, he walked rain-soaked ramparts, the impression of Gimli at his side and the smell of horse in his nose.

He came to a small square and the jumbled remains of a child's ride: four fantastical animals set as seats on a round swing, the chains long rusted, the tower long since fallen. He stared at the miniature Oliphant for a long time.

Someone touched his shoulder, and Legolas spun, bringing his bow to bear, arrow notched.

Tauriel stood before him. "Legolas?" she asked, and Legolas blinked, dropping his bow.

"Tauriel," he said. "I'm—" he cleared his throat. "I came to find you. We must leave, immediately. My father's armies are on the march, and we should not be here when he arrives." He began to walk away, meaning to pass through the city, and Tauriel followed.

"Where will we go?" she asked.

"We seek Mithrandir," he said. "We may need a Wizard in the days ahead. I just hope we can find him before it is too late."

~~

Bard watched two elven figures disappear into the darkness beyond the moonlight, and sat in thought for a long time, his children sleeping by his side.

~~

Gimli walked long though the night, once again deeply thankful of the boots the Lady Dis had gifted him. They had worn well, and now fit him like a second skin. It was just as well, for new boots do not bend, and do not travel well over snow nor ice, and Gimli found himself doing both as he climbed out of the valley.

The land fell away past the ridge, and in the darkness, Gimli could see for miles, nearly as far as Legolas at a clear noon. There, in the far distance, just at the line of the horizon, something glinted in the moonlight. What it was, Gimli could not tell, but he would find out; his path took him straight to it.

So Gimli walked, and walked, and walked. Midnight gave way to early morning, and the sky began to grey at the edges. Soon, blue began to creep in as the rising sun returned color to the world. By the time the sun had risen and Gimli's eyes lost some of their crystal clarity, he had realized two things.

The shining thing was farther away than he recognized and was even larger than he had previously believed, shining even more in the sunlight.

It was headed straight for him.

By his calculations, he would meet this thing by early afternoon, if he kept his pace. As long as the thing did not slow down as well.

By eleven of the clock, Gimli started to feel it, a rumbling like the stomping of many feet, intercut by the rolling of wheels and clomping of hooves. When Gimli realized what it was he was feeling, he nearly cried with relief. He knew what he was facing.

The armies of King Dain had come!

Gimli kept up, running when he could. It was easier, now, unencumbered by heavy armor, even if he had proved that he could run with it at speed for days. He paused only when the ground grew too rocky for his footing. He could stop for food, he had Bombur's cram, but he had no water to wash it down, and cram without water was no fun thing.

There would be potable water when he reached the army, or mayhaps even good, malt beer or a strong dwarven ale!

He ran through luncheon, and was was halfway to tea when the scouts first caught sight of him.