To Rescue An Elf 23

To Rescue An Elf

Part 23

Posted: March 7, 2008
Title: To Rescue an Elf
Author: Inwë Sáralondë

Summary: The elves arrive at the outskirts of Osgiliath.

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“It may be best if we cover ourselves with our cloaks,” Glorfindel commented. “We can not take any chances, especially with the city being in the shadow of Mordor.”

At the mention of that, all the elves turned their gaze to Mordor’s direction, each suppressing a shiver. They knew with a certainty that things were happening there that would eventually make itself felt throughout the whole of Middle-earth; their run-ins with small bands of goblins and orcs on their journey to this point was testament to that, not to mention the dark creatures were becoming bolder and moving further afield.

“Do you really think we will have any luck in finding Lothvaen here?” one of the Galadhel asked.

“*If* he is here,” Elladan responded a little grimly. “As I mentioned previously, there are still many who travel here – merchants and travellers alike. Someone surely must have seen *something*. The fact that we are looking for two men, one carrying a pillion passenger, may have been unusual enough for someone to have noticed. Then there is what Glorfindel’s falcon has been able to ‘report’.”

“He is not my falcon,” Glorfindel said mildly. “He is a wild creature who has agreed to help.”

“But why?” Elrohir asked. “You have never told us how you managed to get the bird to help us, let alone communicate with you.”

“I found him whilst on patrol. His wing had been broken. I have a good rapport with birds, having found at an early age that I could somehow communicate and understand them. So it was no difficulty for me to set his wing and look after him until such time as he had healed and could be returned.”

“He trusted you, then,” Elladan said.

“Aye, he did,” Glorfindel confirmed. “He sensed I would not hurt him, nor that I would seek to try and tame him. Since his release, he has become a messenger of sorts for me, especially on patrol, for he has on many occasions let me know of oncoming danger. In turn, I will kill some fresh meat for him, even though he is quite capable of doing that himself.”

“So the ‘relationship’ you have with the bird is of mutual benefit,” Elrohir said.

Glorfindel nodded.

“So why did you not tell us this when we asked before?” Elrohir wanted to know.

The warrior smiled. “Merely to frustrate you, pen-neth,” he said, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. “The Valar only knows you have frustrated me – and others – over the millennia.” This last remark brought smiles to the faces of all the elves except Elladan and Elrohir, who looked at each other in mild exasperation before smiling ruefully themselves.

“Then the falcon would not lead you astray,” Haldir then said.

“Under normal circumstances, no, though I suspect that whoever has Lothvaen would have used whatever hidden tracks and hideouts they have at their disposal,” Glorfindel confessed.

Haldir gazed at the city before him. “I feel he is close,” he said quietly. “I think we made the right decision to come here.” He turned to the others. “As soon as we arrive in the city, we will make our way down to the taverns down at the waterfront. They would be the most likely place for the likes of those men to go.”

Rúmil quirked an eyebrow. “How do you know what sort of taverns are down at the waterfront?” he teased, trying to lighten the mood a little. “I would not have thought they were the sort of place you would frequent.” The look that Haldir directed at his younger brother, however, wiped the teasing smile of Rúmil’s face.

“This is not the time for jokes, tôren,” Haldir said, his voice hard.

“I do not belittle the seriousness of the situation,” Rúmil said, moving up alongside his brother.

Haldir sighed. “I know,” he said, his voice gentling. “I know.”

Then, as one, the band of elves set off towards the city proper.

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Elvish translations:

pen-neth – young one
tôren – my brother

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