The Jewel of Mirkwood

Chapter 20

Glorfindel strode over to the bar and leaned casually upon it patiently waiting to be served. Erestor and he had been searching the outlying villages of Mirkwood’s edge for the entire day and both elves were now exhausted. If Legolas had indeed past through these southern villages none of the men were speaking of it. They had decided to bed down for the night at the inn of a small farming village named Sailston. A thunderstorm had rolled in with the dusk rendering any tracks they might find useless. It did not help either that Erestor was not used to this kind of travel and although he did not complain Glorfindel knew his friend was struggling with the hard days ride from village to village. Erestor was standing in the doorway to the inn-soaking wet from the rain, with both his and Glorfindel’s packs slung over his shoulders. His once beautiful shinny locks now hung in knotted tendrils around his face, framing the pale features an elf obviously feeling the cold for the first time. Glorfindel smiled across at his friend who despite his appearance smiled back. The bar tender finally came across to Glorfindel having wiped his hands down the front of his apron.

Sailston had a rough reputation among the villagers of Mirkwood its human inhabitants more than just mere farmers. Rumour had it that the men derived their livings from selling other things than farm produce and livestock but Glorfindel was not deterred. He’d passed through many villages of men, some much more depraved than this little town.

“Can I help you?” It was no kind welcome that the bar tender threw in Glorfindel’s direction, the man taking his time to asses first Glorfindel’s appearance before doing the same to Erestor who still stood by the door.

“We would like a room for the night.” Glorfindel looked down his nose at the bar tender as he stood up from leaning on the bar to his full height. He towered above the old man serving him and he watched the cockiness of the man fall instantly away having faced the sizable difference between the two of them.

”Six silver pieces a night, seven if you want supper and breakfast.” The bar tender pretended to wipe the bar over with a dirty looking cloth as he named the exorbitantly high price. Glorfindel scoffed at the offer knowing full well that the high price was simply made up because they were elves.

“Tell me master does the room you offer us have it’s own bathing chamber, with silk sheets upon the beds and mitheral looking glasses upon every wall? Because at such a price I would expect all that and more, which I severely doubt it has.” Glorfindel looked indignantly around at the décor of the inn noting with disgust the way drunken men clung to cheap whores and spilt beer upon the dirty floor. “We will pay two silver pieces and no more, we will not require supper but ask that a bottle of wine be brought up when we are settled.” The bar tender swallowed hard and stepped back away from Glorfindel as he watched the elf unclip his cloak and remove his leather money pouch from his belt where it swung freely in front of the very visible elvan sword. Glorfindel smiled secretly in success as he pushed the two silverces ces across the bar to the man whose eyes had never left the sword tethered at Glorfindel’s waist.

”Very well.” Glorfindel watched the man quickly snatch up the silver pieces pocketing them in his own pouch before turning from Glorfindel and calling to someone behind the bar. “Rowel, get here.” A timid face of a young boy appeared from below the bar his gaze going from the bar tenders to the elves then hastily back to the man who was calling to him. “Show these elves upstairs to their room, and take that bottle of red up with you, and two goblets from the cabinet.” The young boy nodded obediently and scurried out from under the bar. Glorfindel watched as the scraggly young man-child collected the things he’d been told to before gesturing for Glorfindel to follow him upstairs.

”Erestor come upstairs.” Glorfindel called back over his shoulder to his bedraggled looking friend. Erestor smiled widely and quickly fell into step beside Glorfindel as they ascended the stairs behind the young boy. Erestor had felt uneasy being in such a town as Sailston. He had signed many papers concerning this town and had advised many travellers passing through Rivendell to avoid it at all costs. Slavery was ripe within this little village the men taking pleasure in selling bodies and souls that weren’t theirs to sell. Passing down a short corridor the young boy stopped outside one of the doors and pushed it open. Stepping through the threshold after the youngster Glorfindel screwed up his nose in disgust. As predicted the room had less charm than the dungeons of Moria. To compound things further it contained only one large bed it’s covers having barely been pulled up from the last time it was used. Glorfindel heard Erestor sigh heavily behind him, the poor advisor was not used to living like this.

“Thank-you.” Glorfindel smiled despite himself at the young boy who had taken it upon himself to pour the wine into the two glasses. Erestor placed their things down on a small rocking chair by the fire and moved swiftly over to the only window in the entire room, eagerly opening it despite the fact that it was raining outside. Glorfindel knew why his friend had opened the window the stifling stale air of the room smelt of sex and cheap perfume a sure sign of what it’s previous owner had used it for.

“It is a pleasure master elf. It is such a rare sight to see elves in the village yet I have been so fortunate as to have seen three in as many days.” Glorfindel went to lift the goblet of wine to his lips but paused at what the young boy had just spoken of.

”You speak of three elves? Yet my friend and I are only two, who is the other elf you speak of?” Erestor had turned his gaze back from the window to the room also intrigued by what the young boy had just said. Nervously the young boy fiddled with the cuffs of his worn jacket obviously feeling as if he’d said something wrong.

”A blonde elf like yourself sir, was found injured in the fields and was taken to the healer in town. I made my weekly visit to collect my father’s debts and saw him through the window. I did not see anymore of him though when I had taken my leave.” Glorfindel allowed himself to smile a little sure that the elf the young boy was talking about was Legolas.

”And where is this healer? I should like to pay this elf a visit and inquire after his health.” Erestor chose his words carefully sensing that any direct inquiry after Legolas would surely create suspicion about the elf’s identity and that was not good in such a town where royal elvan blood was worth more than gold in trading terms.

”At the end of the lane just to the right of the inn sir, no-one will be up at this time of night but you may visit in the morning I are ore of it.” Erestor nodded and eyed Glorfindel knowingly. It was now certain that Legolas was still alive. The thought of finding the prince dead at the hands of orcs had been a constant fear on both of their minds but now in the face of new information Erestor had seen the weight lift visible from Glorfindel’s shoulders, knowing the prince was still alive, even if injured.

“Thank-you, you have been most helpful.” Glorfindel bestowed a small bronze piece into the small hands of the young boy who then smiled delightedly up at the elf. With a wave of his hand Glorfindel dismissed the young boy and watched as the scrawny youth ran from the room careful to close the door behind him as he left. Erestor snorted his amusement at his friend’s obvious soft spot for youth.

“Thank the valar that I came with you on this mission Glorfindel for if you were alone I would be sure you would bring home all of the poor young souls that crossed your path, not just the prince.” Glorfindel laughed and playfully nudged his friend on the shoulder before pointing towards the chair beside the fire.

“For that remark Erestor you may have the honour of sleeping on the chair tonight as I do not want to share my bed with someone who thinks I am soft.” Erestor vehemently shook his head at Glorfindel’s suggestion and ran hastily over to the bed beating his friend by mere inches as they both jumped for possession of the bed. The old rickety bed groaned at their combined weights and a cloud of dust rose from the having been disturbed by the scuffling elves. Both elves laughed together for sometime before settled back side by side on the uncomfortably lumpy bed. There was no point in undressing the dirt of the bed cloths was worse than the trail grime of their own garments. Instead both elves discarded their weaponry and boots before huddling together under their own travel blankets. It was not the first time the pair had shared a bed for it had been long before the war when they had once been lovers. The affair was brief and had ended amiably so both elves were more than easy when sharing a bed with the other in instances such as this, it was why they were such great friends. The pair lay side by side in the darkness, silent for a long time as they listened to the drunken raucous below them and the sound of the crackling fire.

Erestor was just beginning to drift off into the elvan dreamscape when he felt Glorfindel rise hastily from the bed causing the smaller framed elf to roll ungraciously into the middle in a cloud of dust.

“What is it?” Erestor sat up in the bed slightly grumpy at having been disturbed and watched as Glorfindel unsheathed his sword and snuck quietly over to the closed door of their bedroom.

”Shhhh.” Glorfindel pressed a finger to his lips silencing his friend. He had sensed uneasiness in the air the moment he had heard several pairs of feet ascending the stairs outside their room. Erestor quietly rose from his position on the bed also unsheathing his sword before joining Glorfindel next to the door.

“This room is yours master elves, if you will permit me to show it to you.” Glorfindel slowly cracked open the door to the room only a fraction, just enough to see into the hallway without being noticed by the men outside. The seneschal withheld a gasp as he saw the bar tender from down stairs standing in front of two very familiar elves. Talion and Hale were just being shown into the room opposite Glorfindel and Erestor’s.

“I bet they paid more than we did for that kind of service.” Glorfindel couldn’t help but smile as Erestor gently whispered into his ear having seen the scene outside through the crack the other end of the door.

“We leave at once they have obviously followed us here. With luck they have not heard of Legolas’ location as yet and so we have the upper hand.” Erestor sighed inwardly at Glorfindel’s whispered plan. Despite the lack of comfort in the room Erestor had been really looking forward to putting his feet up for the night, after the last two days of none stop searching. Glorfindel was about to close the door again when the bar tender appeared from out of the room opposite Talion close behind him with a scroll in his hands.

“We are looking for an elf, he is the woodland king’s youngest son, Prince Legolas. It would be appreciated if you could find any information for us, a reward is given for his return, unharmed of course.” Glorfindel clenched his fists in rage of the stupidity of Thranduil’s two eldest sons’. They had no idea of what they had just done. If word got out that Legolas was a prince the men of Sailston would surely bargain his life for riches and personal gain from Mirkwood.

“Fools.” Erestor breathed heavily against Glorfindel’s neck having heard what Talion just diverged to the innkeeper. “We must leave now.” Glorfindel nodded in agreement. Quickly the two elves gathered their belongings and once again strapped their weaponry in place. Pulling their coat hoods up to conceal their identities a little both elves snuck quietly out into the now darkened corridor. Erestor paused outside their door listening to the conversation from the other two elves in the room opposite, while Glorfindel scouted ahead. Erestor smiled cheekily as he heard Thranduil’s two son’s boasting proudly to one another about sexual conquests. It was fitting really considering Hale was to be married yet he was still dabbling in whores. Erestor was sure that Thranduil had probably encouraged the frivolity insuring the wild Mirkwood oats were being well and truly sewn. Erestor turned his attention back to his friend who was now gesturing for him to follow him.

With elvan stealth both Imaldris e snu snuck out through the back kitchen of the inn. Most of the occupants of the inn had either passed out on the floor or had gone home leaving the inn deathly quiet in their wake. It was still raining outside and both elves pulled their cloaks tighter around their bodies as protection against the cold as the mounted their steeds and followed the directions given to them by the boy in the inn, towards the healing house. Very few people moved about the streets and Glorfindel was glad, the less attention they had the easier it would be to steal away with Legolas unseen. A small sign written in westron hung outside the door of the little stone cottage at the far end of the lane.

“Healer Warwick.” Erestor read it aloud to Glorfindel who was busily checking the windows of the cottage for signs of its occupants.

“Let us hope this Healer Warwick is at home.” Glorfindel grumbled as he dismounted from his horse and lead it around the side of the cottage to where the horse tether was. “Iest!” Glorfindel smiled as the familiar chocolate brown mare turned from her tether to begin nuzzling Glorfindel’s chest with her nose. It was the positive sign Glorfindel had been waiting for that told him Legolas was in the cottage. Erestor offered the mare a small sugar lump from his pack patting her comfortingly upon the rump before joining Glorfindel back around the front of the cottage. Taking a deep breath Glorfindel raised his hand to the door and knocked firmly three times. After a moment of silence a light was seen in the closest window before a muttering came from the other side of the door.

”Who is it?” The gruff voice of an old man filtered through a small crack from the slightly ajar door.

“I am Glorfindel of Gondolin and I wish to speak with Healer Warwick.” Glorfindel listened to a startled gasp from the other side of the closed door before he heard chains being drawn across the door and a large bolt being slid into place.

”We do not serve elves here go away.” Erestor frowned at his friend who looked to become extremely angry but also very wary. Something was not right if Legolas was still in the cottage this man was doing his best not to let them in for some reason.

“I demand that you let me in or I will force my way in for I believe you hold captive a friend of mine.” Gesturing for Erestor to break the window by the side of the door Glorfindel began pounding on the door itself.

“No there are no elves here!” An agitated reply came from the other side of the door just as Erestor pushed in the glass of the window. The shattering of glass startled the man behind the door who was obviously pushing against it with his own body to keep it closed. With a strong nudge Glorfindel easily broke the chain and wooden bolt of the door sending it flying open and the occupant inside onto the floor. Stepping in out of the rain Glorfindel stared down at the bearded man before him who was now huddling his knees to his chest and staring fearfully up at the elf above him.

“Erestor go search the cottage.” Erestor nodded at his friend quickly grabbing the candle from the floor and making his way from room to room in the cottage. Glorfindel continued to stand over the fearful human on the floor below him as he listened to Erestor moving through the rooms.

“He is not here I tell you, he has gone.” The old man slowly rose to his knees in front of Glorfindel his hands clasped together in front of his face pleading with the elf to spare his life and believe his story. Glorfindel however was unmoved until Erestor emerged from one of the rooms carrying a familiar set of elvan long knives and a pile of woodland clothes.

”They were in the ward over there. The bed is empty but I smell an elvish scent on the bed clothes, he was here but he is not now.” Glorfindel cursed in elfish before drawing his sword and holding it up to the old man’s throat, tilting it so the man was forced to look into Glorfindel’s eyes.

”Where is he, the elf you treated? What have you done with him, tell me now!” Glorfindel demanded an answer from the old man who was now shaking on his hands and knees on the floor. Erestor swallowed hard as he saw a flash of something in Glorfindel’s eyes, something which he had never seen before. An internal rage and anger reflected in his eyes ofch Ech Erestor had never seen in his friend’s behaviour before.

“He said he had no family, confessed he did not want a message sent about his location. I assumed he was a runaway or escapee from Mirkwood’s dungeons.” Glorfindel pushed his sword a little further into the old man’s throat drawing a little blood as he pressed firmer.

“Where is he now, what have you done with him?” Glorfindel demanded his answer just as before his tone darkening as the man before him shifted his gaze nervously from Erestor and back to him.

“I sold him.” Erestor gasped in utter horror, the very notion of someone selling the young prince Legolas was abhorrent and made his skin tingle with rage. To Glorfindel however it was no unexpected the moment he’d seen the old man he knew what had happened. Men were not to be trusted; a pretty elf like Legolas would have been too much temptation for a poor man of the village not to take advantage of.

“Who did you sell him to?” Getting angry Glorfindel pushed the man back with his foot sickened by having to stare upon the face of Legolas’ captor.

“To a visiting lord from Rohan. I do not know his name but he left yesterday morning for his home with the elf Filgree.” The old man took the opportunity to scutter away from Glorfindel and back himself up against the wall of the room, his legs tucked under him in protection his arms wrapped around his chest.

“Filgree?” At the mention he nhe name Erestor moved forward from the entrance to the room to question the old man confused by the name.

“Aye, that was what the elf told me was his name.” Glorfindel smiled secretly at the prince’s resourcefulness. It was hardly surprising that an elf brought up in Mirkwood would not be wary of men after the war and all would attempt to hide their identity if faced with the enemy. Erestor nodded quietly before turning to Glorfindel in question. Where they would go from here was obvious but whether they left now or later was only Glorfindel’s decision.

“Put those things on the horses, untether Iest and tell her to return to her home. I will join you in a minute.” Erestor nodded at Glorfindel’s instructions and moved hastily from the cottage back out into the rain. The old man was still shivering against the wall of the room and became even more nervous as Glorfindel slowly approached him. Reaching down Glorfindel ripped the small ler por pouch from the man’s belt having seen the glitter of gold within itself contents. It was obvious the man had made his money from the sale of Legolas and Glorfindel was not going to allow him to profit from it.

“Your kind sicken me with your ways, a life that is not your own should not be sold freely in trade. You will suffer for this injustice to my race.” Pocketing the leather pouch of gold into his cloak Glorfindel sheathed his sword again before drawing back his hand and hitting the old man stiffly across the face sending his body jarring into the floor. Glorfindel took little satisfaction in the pain he had caused the man. An anger now burned slowly inside of him, the greed and corruption that had become of the men of Middle Earth was atrocious and sickening to the stomach. Turning Glorfindel strode from the cottage and easily mounted his horse where Erestor was waiting for him outside. Erestor could tell that Glorfindel was angry but could not decipher if the anger was born from the loss of Legolas or the injustice done by the healer. “It will take three weeks to reach Edoras if we ride none stop, we might even catch up with this party of men if we hurry.” Glorfindel didn’t spare is friend a glance as he spurred his horse in the side and took off back up the lane. Erestor sighed heavily as he spurred his horse in order to follow his friend. He had not known when this mission had spiralled out of control for his friend but he was certain that it had started the moment Glorfindel had laid eyes upon the mysteries of Legolas Greenleaf.

TBC....................