The Quest

The Quest: Chapter 17

           

Legolas stood outside the main halls in the night sky for a few hours after Tauriel departed to bring the message back to King Thranduil. Still gazing toward the east while the rest of the kingdom slumbered, he could feel the darkness protruding from that direction. Aragorn quietly stepped out of the main hall, lighting his pipe as he came to stand beside Legolas. He watched as his elf friend stared intently beyond, waiting and watching for something to happen.

"The stars have veiled. Something stirs in the East. A sleepless malice." Legolas and Aragorn exchanged glances before turning east once again. "The eye of the enemy is moving."

More than ever, they could feel Sauron's gaze moving across the lands. The silence in the night was unsettling as they stood together, not knowing of the enemies plans or where his next strike would occur. A scuffle could be heard in the room adjoining the main hall where their group had decided to bunk together for the night to sleep off their drunkenness. Merry could be heard screaming for Gandalf, urging Legolas and Aragorn to run inside, horrified at the sight that lay before them.

~

After Legolas and Gandalf left, Alannah fell into an alcohol induced sleep. She tossed and turned as she slipped deeper and deeper into a nightmare she could not wake herself from. Darkness was all she could see, with no rays of light shining forth to direct her paths. What she could sense however, was fear. It nipped at her the way a dog would nip at one's heel, persistent and painful. Her senses were overcome by the emotion as she spiraled downwards, unable to grasp anything to pull herself up. Suddenly, there was screaming. Thousands of indistinct voices ringing out in terror. Amidst the screams, a dark voice boomed through them speaking the dark language banned from being spoken in Middle Earth. The sounds surrounded her, washing over her as if she jumped straight into a pool of terror and shadow. When she finally plunged into the dark abyss, she awoke in her bed at Edoras drenched in a cold sweat. The tormenting dream must have held her hostage several hours as she saw a glimmer of the sunrise threatening to crest over the surrounding mountains outside her window. Below her she could hear Gandalf speaking, as well as other voices joined in what sounded like a very serious conversation.

Jittery and unable to shake the uneasiness from her soul, she made her way out the door and down the stairs to the main hall. She first saw the hobbits seated on some stools nearby, their heads hanging low as if they were a couple of children that had just recently been scolded by their parents. Her sweat soaked nightgown clung to her as she stood in the main hall while Gandalf stood with Theoden, Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli, discussing something that seemed to be of dire importance.

Legolas listened intently as Gandalf spoke on the hobbits behalf, as well as their next course of action. Pippin's curiosity had gotten the best of him through the night as he snatched the Palantir from Gandalf while he slept, seeing Sauron's next target as that of the great city of Minas Tirith. A slight movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and that was when he saw a shaken Alannah standing on the other side of the main hall in her under garments. He quickly made his way over to Alannah, removing his own elven cloak and wrapping it around her shoulders to protect her modesty. Gandalf quickly followed, worried as he noticed the pale complexion of Alannah's face.

"Are you alright?" Legolas asked as he rubbed Alannah's arms to warm her. She managed to nod her head but still felt the fear from her dream nagging at her.

"Speak. What is the matter?" Gandalf pulled her to the side and gently pushed her into a nearby chair. She pulled the cloak tighter around her and began to weep, struggling to shake off the gloom that followed her from her sleep. "Bring her some wine, Legolas." Gandalf ordered.