Muted protection

Chapter 9

Linwaethiel's POV
We rode up to the fiery pile of smouldering carcasses. The smell hit me like a brick in the face and I leapt from the horse, stumbling slightly as I retched up bile. I quickly realised my stomach was empty as I hadn't eaten in days. The other three had continued onto the pile and my father screamed in frustration, falling to his knees. I tried standing up but my leg failed me and I remained down as they believed the hobbits to be dead. They must have escaped. I swear they escaped into the woods. I watched as my father suddenly noticed tracks and I sighed in relief, glad that he was such a great tracker.
"They crawled." Aragorn starts to follow the tracks, with Legolas and Gimli behind him.
"Their hands were bound. Their bonds were cut."
Aragorn holds up a broken rope. "They ran over here... and were followed. The tracks lead away from the battle! Into... Fangorn Forest."
The three look up into a very dense forest. "Fangorn! What madness drove them in there?"
Gimli sounded panicked as he looked at the giant looming forest. I struggled to standing and stumbled over to them.
They are alive... I gasped as I reached my father, leaning heavily on his arm. My stomach cramp inwards and I gasped out loud. The other two glanced at me worried before Legolas' eyes brightened. Reaching behind his back he brought out a package of Lambas bread, offering it to me with a wide smirk. Being too hungry to be annoyed I took it gratefully and broke off a corner, giving the package back while nibbling the elvish bread.
After finishing my father turned to me. "You ok to travel now?"
I nodded and we set off into the dark woods. I couldn't help but grip my knives strapped to my hips.
The darkness swirled around us as we traveled and I kept half stumbling over tree roots I swore were not there before. With every stumble came a smirk from the elf prince as he helped me upright, his eyes holding nothing but amusement in them. After tripping for the umpteenth time I growled and shrugged off Legolas' hand and stomped closer to my father.
If he smirks at me one more time, I will not be held responsible for what I do. Seeing his smirk I frowned. Is smirking a secret sign men do or something? Because it's really irritating.
Patience, Linwaethiel. Smirking is not a sign, it is a mere form of showing emotion. I huffed in response looking into the distance. Turning I watch as Gimli tastes some liquid on a leaf, then spits it out.
"Orc blood!" I sneer in disgust before signalling with my hands.
Then why did you put it in your mouth? He looked at me in confusion before Aragorn's translates as he kneels to the ground.
"These are strange tracks." I look down and see a giant track in the ground looking as if a tree had walked by, my eyebrow furrowed as I looked at it. Maybe... my thought were interrupted by Gimli.
"The air is so close here."
Legolas looked around before speaking, "This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory... and anger."
Bass voices are heard from the trees and Gimli raises his axe in response.
"The trees are speaking to each other." Legolas says looking around in awe. I shudder thinking of what they might be saying.
"Gimli!" My father says quickly.
"Huh?" Is the dwarfs answer.
Aragorn continues calmer than before. "Lower your axe."
"Oh!" I feel myself smirk and ignore the hypocrisy of it and think back, realising that it is only the Mirkwood's Prince's smirk that agitates me. I frown in confusion wondering why before shrugging it off. It's probably because he's an elf. I decide.
"They have feelings, my friend. The Elves began it: waking up the trees, teaching them to speak." I can hear him talking and turn to watch Gimli answer.
"Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings." I snort loudly causing the other three to look at me.
That was not very ladylike. My father gestures and I laugh silently before glancing at the others, still unused to seeing my face, were staring a little before Legolas broke them out of it.
"Aragorn, nad no ennas!" (Something is out there!)
"Man cenich?" (What do you see?) Legolas' eyes dart to his right.
"The White Wizard approaches." I stiffen and watch as Aragorn's eyes flicker to me in concern.
"Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us!" Aragorn wraps his hand around the hilt of his sword, Gimli tightens his hold on his axe, and Legolas fingers his arrow. I grip hold of some throwing knives at my chest, trying to prevent my hands from shaking in fear.
"We must be quick." Aragorn says before the three turn around to attack, but are blinded by a bright light emanating from the White Wizard. I remain behind, prepared to throw a knife if needed but block my eyes from the bright glare.
"Gimli's axe and Legolas' arrow are deflected and Aragorn drops his sword as it becomes hot in his grasp. Having made no move to attack I am left unharmed and untouched as the light fades.
The wizard speaks, his voice similar to Saruman's voice. "You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits."
"Where are they?" My father answers with a question.
"They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" The wizard tries the light, although faded is still too bright to show any identity.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" My father shout and the light dims, revealing Gandalf, dressed in white. Gasp, a hand reaching up covering my mouth as Legolas bows before Gandalf, Gimli following him.
Aragorn is shocked too as he gasps out. "It cannot be!"
"Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman." Legolas says his head still to the ground.
"I am Saruman. Or rather Saruman as he should have been." Giving me a knowing look. Breaking out of my trance I race up and leap into his awaiting arms happy as my eyes meet his amused ones.
"You fell!" I await Gandalf's answer.
"Through fire. And water. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth."
Gandalf pauses before continuing. "Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead, and every day was as long as the life age of the earth."
I release him as I step back before he continues. "But it was not the end. I felt light in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done."
"Gandalf!" My father exclaims from behind me.
I watch Gandalf furrow his eyebrows. "Gandalf? Oh yes. That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name."
"Gandalf!" Gimli repeats, obviously happy for his friends.
"I am Gandalf the White." He says while smiling. "And I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide."
They walk along the forest and I pause before following.
"One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed."
"Edoras? That is no short distance!" Gimmick states and I nod silently, choosing to remain at the back even as I feel my father glance back.
"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king."
"Yes, and it will not be easily cured." Gandalf answers Aragorn also glancing back at me. Before looking at Gimli who is speaking.
"Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested..." The trees rumble causing him to quickly change his mind, "I mean charming, quite charming forest."
Gandalf doesn't smile as he answers grimly. "It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains."
"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend." Aragorn smiles.
"Hmm?"
"You still speak in riddles." Aragorn and Gandalf laugh and i join in my light laughter cause the other four to look at me. I shock myself and clamp a hand over my mouth as I lower my head and raise the hood over it, sinking back into the comfort of the dark. I glance up to see my father frowning and instantly wonder whether laughing was wrong to do.
Gandalf noticing my discomfort, continues as if nothing happened. "A thing is about to happen here that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong."
"Strong? Oh, that's good." Uncertainty evident in the dwarfs voice.
""So stop your fretting Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be."
"This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one." I smile at his words but bit my tongue to stop my laughter. Reaching the edge of the forest we step out and I lift my head, letting it slide backwards so my face is exposed to the sun. Looking down I pull the hood back to its correct position as Gandalf whistles piercingly. An answering neigh is heard and a white horse appears from the plain.
"That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." The horse stops in front of Gandalf as Legolas continues to stare.
"Shadowfax." Gandalf answers. "He's the lord of all horses, and has been my friend through many dangers." We mount our horses and set off. I wrap my arms around my fathers waist as I hear his voice in my mind.
You know I wish you to talk. Why must you always stop yourself from reaching happiness.
I am happy father.
When he answers I can hear the doubt in his voice. That which you have now surely cannot be your happiness.
Maybe, maybe not. We might never know, I only wish to protect. I answer.
And who does your silence protect? I remain silent, refusing to answer and I hear my father sigh in frustration before I see him glance at Gandalf. I put my head on my fathers back and feel my eyes go heavy. I've been so tired of late, I think before sleep overcomes me.

~~~~~~~~~

Hearing voices I open my eyes to see the dark sky above me and realise I am lying on the ground. I rise quickly, wondering if I fell of the horse before I see a cloak beneath me, one that belongs to my father by the looks of it. Hearing the voices again I turn to see Gandalf and Aragorn speaking.
"The veiling shadow that glowers in the East takes shape. Sauron will suffer no rival. From the summit of Barad-Dûr his Eye watches ceaselessly. But he is not so mighty yet that he is above fear. Doubt ever gnaws at him. The rumor has reached him: the heir of Númenor still lives. Sauron fears you, Aragorn. He fears what you may become. And so he'll strike hard and fast at the world of men." Gandalf says as he turns to Aragorn. "He will use his puppet Saruman to destroy Rohan. War is coming. Rohan must defend itself and therein lies our first challenge, for Rohan is weak and ready to fall. The King's mind is enslaved. It's an old device of Saruman's. His hold over King Théoden is now very strong. Sauron and Saruman are tightening the noose."
Gandalf smirks as he continues. "But for all their cunning, we have one advantage. The Ring remains hidden, and that we should seek to destroy it has not yet entered their darkest dreams. And so the weapon of the enemy is moving towards Mordor in the hands of a hobbit. Each day brings it closer to the fires of Mount Doom. We must trust now in Frodo. Everything depends upon speed and the secrecy of his quest."
Turning once again to Aragorn he smiles sympathetically. "Do not regret your decision to leave him. Frodo must finish this task alone."
"He is not alone. Sam went with him." Father answers.
"Did he? Did he indeed? Good. Yes, very good." I smile along with Gandalf before I lay back down choosing to sleep instead of carrying on eavesdropping. I feel my brain go fuzzy as I enter a dream.