The Taking of Vanelossë - Part III

Notes and Disclaimer:

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I am going to state the obvious here. I do not stick to canon or adhere to LACE in this story!
I do not own any of JRR Tolkien’s characters, I just borrow them. The following characters
(and the meanings of their names) are mine are:
Vanelossë – beautiful, snow-white Séro- peace
Alasse – joy Illisse – all sweet
Anarion – child of sun Tauro – Wood, forest
Mehtar – Warrior Calime – bright
Raimo – Hunt, hunting Norno – oak tree

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Thanks to GhettoElleth for her wonderful suggestions of making my story better.
You are the best and may you get a Balrog Slayer for your birthday!
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CHAPTER 4
Terrifying Revelations


Legolas and Aragorn were sitting in the dining hall of Minas Tirith, gathering for a feast with their friends. After Frodo and Sam awoke, both Èomer and Legolas made plans to go to their homes the next day. Legolas was excited to be going home to Vanelossë and his children. He had thought of them every day since he had left them and the anticipation of seeing them soon was driving him mad. The one more night of waiting was going to be the longest of his life.

He dreaded the long trip home knowing how difficult it was going to be, as each day brought him closer and yet each night they remained out of reach still. He planned to spend entire days dedicated to simply playing with his children. His plans for his wife involved a different kind of play and would take place once the sun had gone down and the children were sleeping. Thinking of them now, he smiled and Gimli simply looked at him strangely.

Prior to the coronation, Aragorn insisted on having a big feast that evening to celebrate the fall of Mordor and as a farewell to his friends. The hobbits chatted excitedly and everyone was in jovial spirits. They had succeeded in doing what they had set out from Rivendell to do. Knowing that Sauron and Saruman were destroyed, and that Middle Earth could begin to heal from their evil, was a satisfying feeling for them all.

During the feast, a Gondorian soldier came running to Aragorn’s side. He quickly told Aragorn that there was group of rangers and elves to see him. Immediately concerned, Aragorn told the soldiers to send them in. Three of the Dúnedain rangers and two of the elves from Mirkwood, Raimo and Norno, came in looking exhausted and very upset.

“What is it? What has happened?” Aragorn asked standing up.

“I was sent by King Thranduil to find his son.”

Seeing Raimo and Norno, Legolas had already risen and was by Aragorn’s side.

“We have been looking for you for two weeks. We missed you in Dunharrow so we came here as quickly as we could.”

“Tell me the message,” Legolas demanded impatiently.

“Both Lothlórien and Mirkwood were attacked by orcs and Easterlings ten days past. We were able to defend the cities but many lives were lost in both. The king wanted me to assure you that the twins and your sons are unharmed, and are being kept under close watch until you return.”

“What do you mean sons? I only have one son.”

“No, my lord, your son Anarion was born months after you left,” Norno said.

Legolas was shocked and angry with himself for not being there.

“What about my wife?”

Raimo swallowed hard regretting what he must say.

“She and four other women, including Calime, were taken from Mirkwood. They have also take eight women and three men from Lothlórien, including Lord Celeborn’s nieces and Orophin, Haldir's youngest brother. The rangers have been tracking them and Mehtar has taken a group of elves to look for them as well. Tauro is with the rangers as are Lord Elrond’s sons, Elrohir and Elladan of Rivendell. So far they have found two bodies. An elleth and an ellon, both of Lothlórien, were left behind after they had been killed. Lady Galadriel has sent small groups looking for them but their trail has been hard to track as they keep changing directions in their efforts to elude us. We think they are being taken to Minas Morgul.”

The ranger spoke to Aragorn.

“My lord, as soon as we found the body of the elleth, we sought out the messenger from Mirkwood to inform you.”

Turning to Legolas, he continued, “Mehtar told us that the Easterlings knew who your wife is. That is the reason she was taken. Celeborn’s nieces were taken for because of their identities as well. We do not think that they will harm her if they think they can use her as a shield or a bargaining tool as they did when they escaped Mirkwood.”

After hearing all that the soldiers had to tell him, Legolas stalked from the hall, intending to get ready to leave that very night. He would find Vanelossë if he had to hunt for her through all of Middle Earth. Aragorn ran behind him and stopped him before he reached the door.

“Legolas, stop. You need to think this through for a moment.”

“Every minute I delay, my wife is in the hands of that filth. She may already have been hurt or killed.”

“You cannot go after her by yourself. Let me go with you. We can take soldiers from the city as well. If we join our forces with the rangers, the elves from the search party and soldiers of Gondolin, we should find her within days. If you go alone, it could take weeks or more.”

“I will go as well,” Gimli said coming up behind them.

Gimli had grown fond of Legolas to the point that he would die for him, or his wife if need be. He knew that his wife and children were the reason he continued to fight each day hoping to make Middle Earth a better place for them.

“After all you and the elves have done for the men of Middle Earth, we will assist you any way we can. I will go, and muster as many men as feel you may need from Rohan,” Èomer offered.

The fact that the elves had been attacked while other elves were dying protecting Rohan, weighed heavily on Eomer’s heart. Some of the captive Lothlórien elves may be kin of the elves that died at Helm’s Deep.

“Legolas, give us the night to prepare and at first light we will have a better chance of finding her. With so many riding with us, we will find her soon. You know I care about her. I would not do anything to put her in further danger,” Aragorn pleaded with his friend. He tried not to think of the beautiful Vanelossë possibly being tortured as they spoke.

Legolas nodded curtly. “I will be leaving at dawn, those who ride with me will be ready then.”

As he walked outside, he began breathing heavily, his lungs burning under the weight of all that had just happened. He was raging and full of guilt. He could not believe that his lovely wife was in the hands of a band of madmen that had already killed two people in cold blood. He felt guilty that he had not been there to protect her. He hoped that they were correct in assuming that she had not being killed to in order to keep her as a tool for bartering with, but what she was enduring in the meantime made him almost unable to breath. He was so upset he did not hear Aragorn come up behind him.

“Legolas. We will find her,” Aragorn said softly, his voice full of sorrow.

“I should have been there.”

“There is nothing I can say to take away your guilt. You have no idea what would have happened if you had been there. Maybe things would have changed to the point where they would have taken your children as well as your wife. You cannot allow your guilt to overwhelm you.”

Legolas turned to him, his blue eyes darkened to black, and Aragorn felt the urge to step back from him.

“If it were Arwen, would you feel the same way? Would be calm and rational? How would you feel if Arwen were taken by animals that have already killed two people and are probably torturing her right now? Could you live with the guilt? Would you not have regrets? If that is true, than you are a better man than I. This is killing me,” Legolas said in a dangerously low voice.

“Legolas, the very thought of Vanelossë being in this situation hurts me as well. I cannot even begin to imagine how I would feel if it were Arwen. I am not telling you not to be upset or feel guilty but right now, Vanelossë needs you to be strong so that you can do what it takes to bring her home. You cannot do that if you are letting your guilt and rage overwhelm your heart and cause you to lose your senses. Your friends are beside you in this, Legolas. Let us share this burden with you. Between us and those who are already searching, they will be found soon,” Aragorn said trying desperately to calm him knowing how dangerous he could be if provoked.

“I hope she will still be alive then,” Legolas said hotly as he stormed off.

Legolas knew Aragorn meant well, but he did not feel rational or calm, he wanted to scream with rage. He thought about his new baby who had been without his mother for weeks and had never even seen his father. He thought of his precious little girls and young Séro: Legolas did not want to imagine what they saw that day. Now both of their parents and Calime were gone. He knew his father would not tell them what had happened to Vanelossë, but how would he explain them being gone? His sweet wife was probably being tortured right now. It was enough to make him go mad. Going back to his chambers, he started preparing. He went down to the stables and packed his horse, Arod. He was trying to stay busy pushing the thoughts of what could be happening to her out of his mind before he was unable to bear it. On his way out of the stables, he came upon Èomer talking to some of his men about their departure in the morning.

“How well are you managing, Legolas?” he said sympathetically not knowing what else to say in this horrific situation.

“How well do you think?” Legolas said through clenched teeth as he looked away from him.

“I think if it were me, I would be tearing things apart by now. I am impressed with your restraint,” Èomer said quietly.

“As am I.”

“Legolas, I am sorry this has happened. I know that it does not help but I had to say it. I wish there were something more I could do,” Èomer said watching the elf.

Èomer knew that Legolas was so angry that every fiber of his being was set on two goals, to get his wife back and destroy the ones who did this to her.

“I appreciate what you are doing. I need to go find something to do before I go mad.”

“Why do you not rest? You will need it for the upcoming days.”

“No, I do not think I will be able to rest until I get my wife back,” Legolas laughed bitterly.

As he walked back up the levels of the city, he decided to seek out the rangers and the elves that had come with the message. He instead found Aragorn, Gimli, and Gandalf. Aragorn was leaving Gandalf in charge of Minas Tirith until they returned or until Faramir was well. When Legolas walked in the room, they all looked up and noticed he looked fiercer than he did when they stood before the Black Gates.

“Where are the rangers and the elves that brought the message? I want to find out everything I can about what is going on,” Legolas said shortly.

“They were dead on their feet so I had them taken to rooms to rest for the night. They will be riding with us tomorrow,” Aragorn said watching his friend. He could tell that Legolas was on the verge of losing control and was trying to prevent that from happening.

“One of the Lothlórien groups including Rumil, Orophin and Haldir's brother, showed up after you left. They stopped here for the night and plan to leave with us tomorrow and separate from us, if needed. We have also heard from Rivendell. They were attacked soon after Elrohir and Elladan left, but since they were wary of an attack, the Easterlings and orcs did not manage to cross the Fords. There are three separate groups since it would be impossible to move between the three cities that quickly. Orcs and Easterlings are with each group but from what I am told the orcs attack first while the Easterlings hold back. They wait for the outcome of the first assault by the orcs. In Mirkwood, they came in on the lakeside behind the city while the orcs attacked the caves themselves. In Lothlórien, they only came as close as the watch on the outer fences. The Easterlings waited to leave when they saw the orcs fail to take the city. Lord Celeborn is concerned that they are trying to study the defenses to see where the weaknesses are.”

“So they will be back,” Legolas said coldly. “They will not set foot anywhere near our borders again. We will hunt them down before they get a chance to attack us again. What will they do when they find out that Mordor has been overthrown and demolished? If they get to Minas Morgul before we find them, who knows what will happen then.”

“I do not know Legolas. But we will find them before we have to find out the hard way,” Aragorn said adamantly.

“Now I think we all need to get some sleep while we can. I do not imagine we will be stopping too often over the next few days so we will need some rest. Even you Legolas.”

As Aragorn walked by Legolas, he put his hand under his arm to lead him from the room. Legolas jerked his arm back enraged.

“Do not attempt to suggest I should sleep. That suggestion has been made and disregarded once already tonight. I am one of the Quendi, ages older than you. I am not a child, Aragorn, nor one of your subjects so do not declare what I must do,” Legolas yelled with his eyes narrowed.

Aragorn and Gimli stood silent as Gandalf watched from his position at the table. Aragorn watched as Legolas’ rage dimed. Both man and dwarf waited until Legolas collected himself, watching the elf closely.

“Forgive me Aragorn, I…“

“Legolas, I understand.”

Aragorn and Gimli quietly left Legolas, giving him a reassuring look. Gandalf watched the elf concerned. He was normally very quiet and calm. What he had witnessed was nothing like he had ever seen with Legolas. Even now that he had calmed slightly, he looked angry enough to kill every orc left in Middle Earth with his bare hands. Gandalf did not blame him.

Gandalf sat with Legolas through the night without speaking. He did not want to leave him alone but knew Legolas did not want to talk. As soon as dawn was approaching, Legolas said farewell to him as he strode out of the room. Gandalf rubbed his eyes as he hoped they would find his wife soon. He feared how he would handle the loss of her.

The men rode out that morning, meeting with rangers who had come upon the Easterling’s trail once again. The company rode for the whole day and well into the night before they halted. Legolas did not want to stop, but he knew the horses needed rest as well as the men. He could not rest thinking of his wife’s face, kissing their children goodnight, and the sound of her voice when she laughed. He sat aching from the pain in his heart, waiting until morning came and they rode out again. If he had known what was to happen to Vanelossë that day, he would have lost all control and sense of reason.