Return to the North [ Lord of the Rings x Silmarillion ]

Outside the Forest

A/N: Missed last night's update so here's one early today. Sorry about that!

The fellowship rode hard that day. They reckoned it'd be about a week and a half until Edoras, but they were eager to shorten the time if they could. The only member of the great houses that had seen the North was Tinneth, so most were very excited at the prospect of experiencing the vast expanse of Lake Evendim and the past glory of the mostly abandoned settlement of Rivendell. They wanted to see the pine forests that Tinneth would sometimes describe to Aderthon in her occasional letters. None of them had seen, let alone fought, a Moria goblin or a cave troll. All these legends told to them by their parents were now to become reality for they themselves.

That night they stopped in the very edge of a small forest at the base of the White Mountains where cover was easy to find. Fëalas and Círeth were right at home, but Edeva and Elfwine furrowed their brows and looked around skeptically.

"Here it will be harder to escape." Edeva sharpened one of her two small axes on a whetstone as they sat just beneath the bows.

"Besides," Elfwine muttered. "Isn't this the Drúadan Forest?"

Eldarion looked at him in confusion. "Indeed. Why?"

He looked around in concern. "Is it not haunted?"

Aderthon smiled and shook his head. "Nay, Elfwine. It is a protected land beneath Lord Aragon's rule, populated by the Drúadain, the Woses. No spirits here."

Eldarion nodded. "I have never met one, but my father says they are a kindly folk."

"Provided you aren't an orc," Aderthon smirked, pulling out his sword and swinging it at Eldarion.

Eldarion blocked just in time with a chuckle. "I am no orc!"

Fëalas giggled merrily. "Some say you are."

"Who!" Eldarion looked genuinely concerned and confused.

Aderthon cackled at him. "Me!"

Elboron laughed along. "We did used to play Orcs and Hunters, Eldarion. And you were always the orc."

They smiled fondly at the memory. Orcs and Hunters had been the favorite game of the cousins. And whenever Elboron would visit, it was even better.

They settled down after a while and made dinner with the food they had brought. It was a tasty, if small, meal but it was shared with friends so it was wonderful. Soon they were heading to sleep.

The first pair on guard duty were Elboron and Eldarion. The two were both 35 years old, having been born in the same year, Year One of the Fourth Age. Whenever Eowyn and Faramir had visited Minas Tirith, they would bring Elboron and let him play with Eldarion and Aderthon. As such they had grown into their own selves together.

"What more do you know that you're not telling us, Eldarion," Elboron asked quietly as they sat looking out over the plains from the edge of the wood.

Eldarion looked up in surprise. "What?"

Elboron chuckled lightly. "Do not forget, I am known for being able to read people."

"Right." Eldarion sighed. "I know only this: there is something big growing in the North, and it isn't friendly. That's all my father told me."

Elboron nodded. "And you have not told the others because?"

"I do not wish to worry them." Eldarion shrugged. "Aderthon still has strong ties to Tinneth, as does Fëalas. And Edeva would never let Elfwine keep on going if she knew."

"Then is it not your duty to tell them?" Elboron just kept staring out over the plains, letting Eldarion make up his mind.

The half-elven prince sighed to himself. "I suppose. I had hoped to spare them the knowledge that we may be riding into major evil."

Elboron smiled softly. "You are too kind sometimes, Eldarion. Always have been."

Eldarion laughed. "Tell that to Aderthon. He thinks I'm an orc!"

"Oh you are." A mischievous look came upon Elboron. "Just a really wimpy one."

They continued on watch, but nothing of note came up. At midnight, they switched off with Finduilas and Barahir. The two siblings settled themselves comfortably, backs against the foremost trees. Barahir yawned.

"How have the Rangers been treating you, Fin," Barahir asked. "Hopefully they've been rough."

Finduilas rolled her eyes. "I've been fine, thank you very much. How about you, sitting around in Emyn Arnen?"

Her brother smiled. "I've started training with father's guards to become a guard in Ithilien. And I visit the elves for help with my techniques as well."

"Really?" She looked at him in surprise. "Are they helpful?"

Finduilas liked elves well enough. Her queen was an elf after all. Well, a half elf. But she had never really known any other than Arwen and her brothers. Or on the occasion, Lord Legolas.

Barahir nodded. "They say I'm doing well, for someone of my size."

"You need to eat more," she reminded him.

"You sound like Mother," Barahir rolled his eyes.

Finduilas smiled. She took that as nothing but a compliment. She aspired to be like Eowyn as much as she could. Father told her she was a lot like her mother, too.

"It's true though," she poked him in the stomach. "You're so small for someone of your height!"

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "To change the subject, do you think we'll find Tinneth?"

His sister sighed. "I do not know. She has been missing for almost two months, unless word is being sent here that she was found. By the time we reach the North, it'll have been almost four months."

"I hope she is safe," Barahir said. "I know she is not well liked among, well, anyone. But she does not deserve to disappear with no one to comfort her."

"I did not mind her too much." Finduilas smiled a tiny smile. "She used to catch frogs with me in Ithilien when we were children. She was a sore loser and an angry girl, but she wasn't horrible."

"Just tell that to Círeth," her brother shrugged. "You know how she feels about her sister."

Finduilas sighed. "I think Tinneth looked up to Círeth and that was why she did such horrible things to her."

Barahir looked at her like she was crazy. That made no sense to him. Why would someone torment their idol?