Loyalty, Honor, and a Willing Heart

Chapter 22 - A Way Out

Legolas had been assigned to accompany Ellen wherever she wanted to go to; she could be called a guest, and she was not in closed dungeons like her friends, but there was no real freedom. So, she decided to use her time along the blond elf to gather information and weave her nets to turn the tide.

The elves of Mirkwood didn’t all dwell underground. The stone halls were living for Thranduil and some others, a place to keep his hoard, dungeons, pantries, cellars, guardrooms and so on; but most of the elves lived in wood houses in the open, mostly built on the trees. So, Ellen was able to get the amount of sunlight she needed to get over her seasonal depression. Besides their houses, they had watch platforms built very high, so they could see far. To one of them Legolas guided Ellen that afternoon to see the setting sun and chat for a while. They had done so sometimes already, and she thought he was becoming more confident in her, so, it was time for another step forward.

“Why is your father keeping the dwarves in prison?”

“They have not said what they are about. Maybe, if you could tell something...”

“No, I cannot. They only spoke in that ugly language of them when minding their own business. “

“What a pity.”

“But I deem it strange. They were only walking through the forest to reach the other side, why has he to treat them like if they were doing something evil?”

“It looks like you are in their defense. Were you not a prisoner of them?”

“Yes, sure. But if I had to choose someone to arrest me, I’d rather have the dwarves.”

The son of the king felt insulted.

“Why? Are you saying my father is worse than a dwarf?”

“Don’t be angry at me, my friend! I can only talk about what I see, but what I see I cannot deny.”

“What do you mean?”

She numbered in her fingers.

“The dwarves never tied my hands or blindfolded me; they didn’t take my weapons away; they shared their food with me to the very last crumble; when I got an orc arrow stuck in my side their healer treated me with what means she had. They kidnapped me because they have a purpose for me, even if I don’t know what this purpose might be. And what has you father done to the dwarves? They were sent to prison only because they were begging food, out of dire need. It doesn’t seem fair for me.”

The blond one was silent, pondering what she said.

“But they are perilous. Father guesses they might stir the dragon that lies in Erebor and that they kidnapped you because of your sword’s name. To stir Smaug could be dangerous even for us. It is better to leave it to itself.”

She looked at him as if he were completely crazy.

“What? You are telling me there is a living dragon so close that he could reach your home and burn it down to ashes and your king is doing nothing about it?”

“It was the dwarven hoard that attracted Smaug, why should we fight it, put our lives in jeopardy?”

“Hmm, it looks like a pretty stupid way of thinking, in my opinion.”

“What do you mean?”

Legolas was visibly annoyed.

“Tell me, where have those beasty spiders come from? When has Greenwood turned into Mirkwood?”

“Why are you asking this?”

“If someone had done something about the spiders when they started to appear, there would not be as many as they are by now. I am sure they came not out of the blue, there must be some dark power behind this, even if it is far from here. Whoever stirred the spiders can stir de dragon too. If someone addressed this dark power before, the spiders would not come close as they are. But then someone might have thought that spiders were not his problem, and now they are at your door. If you don’t address the dragon because it was not you who brought it close, you can end up with it at your door just the same.” Ellen embraced her knees close to her chest. “Would you not prefer to live in a brighter place?”