Weaving a Song

Chapter 39

c. 2810

Almiel and Gandalf rode through the forest in silence at first after a somewhat rather unflattering departure. Legolas had not been informed of anything until Thranduil told him an hour before Almiel and Gandalf were supposed to depart. He had gone into shock before paling first in fear and then reddening in anger.

"How could you let her go?" Legolas had cried at his father. Thranduil, who by now had at least resigned himself to the fact that she was leaving, had remained calm and simply told Legolas it was Almiel's choice to make. Legolas had not been convinced. "Of course she would choose to go! You know how she is, you have to tell her she musn't!"

"I already gave her my leave. She departs within the hour. She is accompanied by Mithrandir, he will take care of her."

"Have you lost your mind?" Legolas asked incredulously.

"Yes," Thranduil admitted. "But I have faith in her, you should as well."

"I have faith that she'll try to cure this dark sorcerer of fear! I would think you would know that."

"She promised me she would return. If nothing else, they will be close to Lórien where they are going, and if she falls ill Mithrandir can take her to Haldir. Trust me."

"You just admitted you lost your mind!"

"Legolas!" Thranduil said sternly, now sounding like the Elvenking he was. "So help me, I will order you to dungeon duty." Legolas shrank back slightly, but he shook his head.

"I will just have to talk her out of it." Legolas had then left his father's side. Thranduil took a deep breath after he walked away and let it out slowly. My own children will be the death of me… I survived a seven year siege, yet cannot survive my own. By the Valar, I must be getting old.

Legolas had indeed tried to talk his sister out of it, but Almiel would hear nothing of it. It did, however, delay their departure by a good hour as Legolas and Almiel had both inherited their father's stubbornness. When their arguing reached a stage where it might have gotten violent, Gandalf had used his rather dark side to first get them to pay attention and shut up, and second to get Legolas to let her go. Thranduil had been watching somewhat amused and somewhat sadly for he knew that the outcome would more than likely decide what would happen to his daughter, but he also found his own stubbornness quite amusing when it was displayed against itself in his children.

Finally, with Gandalf's intervention, Legolas had "allowed" Almiel to leave with Gandalf which made Gandalf almost break into laughter seeing the look in Almiel's eyes after Legolas told her as much. However, she had graciously taken it in stride, hugged her father, and swung up on her horse. Legolas had watched for a second before his eyes turned downcast. Just be safe sister. He had told her. Her eyes had softened and he felt a measure of warmth pass to him.

Do not worry, I shall return.

Thus, Gandalf and Almiel found themselves in the forest alone, and rather happy for the silence. This continued for more than four hours before Gandalf broke the silence. "What do you feel?" He asked.

"Pain…" She answered. "We are nearing several Spider's webs and the trees are poisoned the most there. That is nothing new. There are more now… more than there used to be anyway. If we want to avoid them we shall have to go around. It would be better if we did not stop either."

Gandalf grunted. "I suppose you were going to tell me this before we ran into the webs?"

"Yes," she answered. Gandalf sighed. Child of Mirkwood indeed… "I am surprised you talked my father into this." She said.

"Mmmm…" Gandalf agreed, "As am I. The world is full of surprises. I expected him to put up a fight like your brother did. He did at first, but then something changed in his expression and he went silent for awhile. It was after that that he finally agreed."

"Hmmm, he must have reasons beyond what you said to him. I wonder…" What exactly she wondered she never said. Gandalf found it an unsolvable mystery and gave it up. In all his life there were few things he found himself in quagmire about. One happened to be the Shire-folk who he found capable of great deeds in the battle he helped them in yet who simply loved the bare simplicity of life itself. This Dark Lord and his hold on Dol Gulder were confusing in another manner only because the mystery refused to resolve itself. Lately, however, the household of Thranduil he found just as confusing. He sighed and then resigned himself to simply accepting it for what it was at the moment.

They passed the rest of the day and the next without incident though Almiel felt the fear and pain growing the farther they went. When they reached the mountains, Gandalf leaned heavily on her ability to sense what was around them to avoid detection. They managed quite well except for a small wolf pack that was easily turned away by Almiel's voice. They were both just grateful it was wolves not wargs. They came to the other side of the mountains and then rested knowing the worst was about to come. They spent another day of traveling before they came upon Dol Gulder. They agreed to wait since it was nearing dark, and dark was the enemy's advantage, not theirs. Morning came the next day and they told their horses to wait for them as they went toward the supposedly abandoned fortress.

Gandalf noticed Almiel had grown deeply silent and for the first time questioned his decision. Then Almiel sighed. She looked at him.

Pain and fear grows here, deeper than any I ever encountered before. The trees do not speak, and the forest is silent, waiting for its doom to come. The fortress is spawning evil, and there are some kept prisoner there fearing their own torture and welcoming death.

What of the Necromancer?

(silence) He is here.