Starting Anew

Form and Face

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Bounding like deer along the trail, Legolas and the rangers descended down off the ridge as quickly as they could. Keeping their footing on the stony path was difficult in some places, especially for the humans. A recent frost had slicked everything even as it made the forest sparkle along its branches like tiny diamonds. The fog was falling right down into the valley now, shrouding the path and making it hard to see further than a dozen or so feet ahead.

With nimble steps, Legolas led the way through the heavy underbrush of the forest. Beringil, one of Strider's captains, did not have sharp enough eyes to see where the elf had indicated up on the ridge the approach of unknown figures towards Strider and his scouts. The rangers moved with utter confidence in these lands though, and they kept right on Legolas's heels. Setting a course due northeast, Legolas was fairly certain that they were on track to meet up with Strider's group. Whether they would get there before their unexpected company was another matter.

A low-hanging branch appeared abruptly out of the mist, and Legolas dove into a roll beneath it, regaining his feet on the other side without hardly breaking stride. No one spoke; no one could spare the breath for it. All energy was put into crossing as much distance as possible in the shortest space of time.

Even with their familiarity of the terrain and their excellent physical form, the rangers soon fell several paces behind Legolas. He felt a prick of annoyance at the shortcomings of mortals, but had no other choice than to slow his stride just slightly. They did not know just who or what or how many were approaching Strider's position. It would be brash to rush headlong into a fight without back-up; that much Legolas had taken from his fight in Laketown with Azog's brutish spawn Bolg. And so he kept just close enough that the Dunedain could see and follow his swishing cloak in the gloom.

The sound of shouting instantly heightened Legolas's senses. Abandoning the idea of trying to shoot anything with such poor visibility, he bypassed his bow and instead reached for his two white knives. Bringing them out of their sheaths with a ringing hiss that rebounded off the trees, he gripped the cold handles tightly in his palms. Judging by the closeness of the voices, Strider and his scouts must be only just a matter of yards up ahead.

Just faintly through the fog, Legolas caught sight of something. Judging by the form of the man, it was Strider. He was flat on his back on the ground, with a figure straddled on top of him. With a bound and a leap, Legolas sprang forward into the small clearing and tackled the figure looming over Strider. He and the attacker when rolling away into the bracken in a tangle of knives and cloaks.

It was a brief, vicious struggle. Thranduil's son was astounded by how lithe, how damnably hard to hold onto his adversary was. It took all his ability to get a knife around and under the enemy's chin, grabbing a handful of dark hair with his other hand. A small braid passed under his thumb as he scrambled for a firm grip to pinion Strider's attacker, and something sounded off in the back of his mind as being out of place. Orcs did not braid their hair, nor even did the wild men who sometimes prowled human lands. In fact...the hair which Legolas had tangled in his grasp was far too smooth and soft to even belong to a human.

"Daro!"

Hearing the Sindarin command to stop shouted in a voice that was not his own, Legolas froze. His captive lay very still against his heaving chest, the shimmering blade of a white knife pressed firmly against the skin of their throat. Looking down at the stranger brought a shocking revelation; it was an elf whom he had firmly pinned.

"Legolas, let him go." Strider, who was already back up on his feet held up his hands placatingly. "I am not harmed, there is no danger here." Letting out a quick breath, Strider's gaze fell to whoever it was that Legolas was holding. "I do not think that Lord Elrond would thank you for dispatching one of his sons, even if Lord Erestor might for once get some peace and quiet as a result!"

Shocked, Legolas immediately complied and released his hold on the Peredhil. With a shaky breath of relief, Elrond's son rose to his feet. Another elf, also raven-haired and clad in grey travel garb emerged from the fog nearby with Strider's group of scouts at his shoulder. Rushing forward, he grabbed his brother by the hand and drew him close.

"Eru, Elladan!" The second Peredhil gripped his brother's chin and lifted it for a closer look at his neck. "Glorfindel would be completely ashamed if he could see how our golden-headed friend got the jump on you!" Grimacing, Elrohir released Elladan and shook his head. "You're going to bleed on the collar of your tunic."

Elladan for his part seemed to already be recovered from his close encounter with elvish steel. "It wouldn't be the first time either of us had bled on clothing." He quipped, running long fingers through his hair to straighten it. The pair of them turned to face Legolas, confirming what the prince of the Woodland Realm had heard; the twin sons of Lord Elrond were indeed remarkably identical.

Standing up and sheathing his knives, Legolas had the grace to look abashed. "I am sorry...I had thought from a distance that you were..."

Elrohir, whom Legolas had decided to identify by the lack of shallow cut on his neck, arched a dark eyebrow. "You thought my brother was attacking Estel?" A curt nod from Legolas seemed to amuse him. "It was an honest enough mistake to make, mellon. Elladan suffers from the misfortune of orc-like form and face, most tragic indeed!" A cuff upside the head shortly followed that little remark, although Elrohir took it with an entirely straight face.

Throughout this whole exchange, Strider had been standing by with a half-amused look on his face, arms crossed. Beringil and the other rangers also looked on, and Legolas could hear the chuckles already rippling through the assembled Dunedain.

"Legolas of the Woodland Realm..." Strider spoke up in a formal tone. "May I introduce to you Lords Elladan and Elrohir, sons of Lord Elrond of Rivendell."

The twins bowed their heads in unison, placing their hands to their hearts and holding them out in the universal gesture among the Eldar of greeting (or farewell). Legolas likewise mirrored the gesture, recalling briefly how Strider had done the same upon their first meeting.

"I do apologize, my lords." Legolas said slowly, unused to being in a position of having to apologize to anyone except perhaps his father. "I should have checked my target before attacking. Forgive me?"

Elladan smiled at Legolas, his dark eyes completely open and un-judgemental. "There is nothing to forgive, Legolas." Glancing at one another, he and Elrohir half-smiled as though sharing the same thought. "I am only glad to know that Estel has with him friends who would come to his aid so thoroughly!"

'Estel?' Legolas wondered to himself, making a mental note to ask the meaning of the name at a later time. It seemed these two knew Strider well, well enough to greet him by jumping on him in the middle of the forest! If anyone could potentially shed some light on Strider's true name, it would likely be the sons of Lord Elrond. Bowing his head, Legolas just smiled in acknowledgement.

Looking around at everyone, Strider seemed to come to a decision. "Well then, it seems to me that the most dangerous thing in the immediate vicinity of the village is startled elves!" A laugh rose from the rangers, causing Legolas to flush slightly and bite his tongue. "What do you say men, shall we call it a patrol and return to the warm hearth?" A chorus of assent went up immediately, and Strider waved an arm in dismissal.

As they all were making the trek back to the village through the forest, Legolas found Elladan and Elrohir falling into step just in front of him. The two were even more identical from the back, even with Elladan's fatally mussed hair. The prospect of having other elves about pleased Legolas, and he was in a cheerful mood even despite the 'misunderstanding' back in the clearing.

A new thought interrupted the prince's good mood though. With Elladan and Elrohir back in Fornost now, they would be wanting their cabin back...

oOo