Title: Forgotten Allies
By: McJen
Rated: PG-13
Feedback: legolasstory@yahoo.com

****************************

"One day in retrospect the 

year of struggle will strike 

you as the most beautiful."

Sigmund Freud 


****************************

Chapter 14

Elrond, Gandalf, and Colin walked in silence along the sidewalks.  They 
had observed the prison until the late morning.  After gathering all the 
information they could from sneaking around the premises of the 
building, they headed back towards the boarding house. 

"I don't understand why you let Kate come to France,"  Colin said, his 
tone held accusations. 

Gandalf sighed.  "How could I keep her from coming?   You think she 
did not worry about you the month you were gone as much you worry 
about her now?"

"I know she was worried but I. . . I tried not to think about it." Colin 
said, inadequately. "I had work I had to do,"

"And so does she,"  Gandalf said.  "She is not the child you seem to 
think she is."  Gandalf glanced at Elrond as he spoke.  His words were 
as much for Elrond's benefit as they were for Colin's.  "She is older 
than you by two years, and she is strong.  If I did not think she had an 
important part to play in this I would not have allowed her to come."

"The General lives an hour from the city.  If they are being taken there 
it will be nearly impossible to get a message in to her before it is too 
late," Colin said.

"If this General already has the works of art that he is seeking and he 
knows they were seen with Resistance members, why does he keep 
them alive?"  Elrond asked.

"Information,"  Gandalf said.  "He most likely believes he can torture 
them and get information about the resistance movements."

"But Kate knows NOTHING,"  Colin said.

"Of course she doesn't,"  Gandalf said.  "But the General does not 
know that."

"I do not like this,"  Elrond said.  "I feel we are being played as pieces 
on a chess board."

"Then we shall have to make sure our next move is check mate,"  
Gandalf said.

*********************************

Kate was surprised at the size of the General's home.  The word home 
seemed inadequate.  It was more than a home.  It was a mansion.  
Sprawling across the large wood covered acres, at the end of a long 
curving driveway, the mansion stood large and imposing.  She could 
easily see why it would appeal to General Bernhardi.  In many ways, it 
was more intimidating than the prison.  At least at the prison the 
dangers were obvious.  Here, they were discretely hidden.  But they 
were still visible.  The guards at the front gates, the men patrolling the 
perimeter of the land with dogs, the stiff and formal smiles of the staff 
as they escorted them down the long hallways to their adjoining 
suites.  

Kate's suite had three rooms.  A bedroom, a sitting room, and a 
bathroom.  She speechlessly wandered the rooms, amazed at the 
contents.  The rooms were decorated more like a museum than an 
actual living space.  Antiquities of all kinds were everywhere.  
Paintings hung from the walls, vases were on the tables, and at closer 
inspection Kate discovered that the tables themselves were antiques.  
Unable to resist having so many antiques at her disposal, she took her 
time examining each and every one.  Kate was on her hands and 
knees examining the underside of a table when Legolas said,  "Am I 
disturbing you?"  

Startled, she jumped, hitting her head on the table.  "Ow.  No.  You 
aren't disturbing me,"  Kate said, getting to her feet.  "Do you know 
how old that table is?  It's worth a small fortune.  My dad would be 
thrilled if he got his hands on one of these."  She saw the open door 
that joined her room to Legolas's room and said, "What's in your 
room?"  

Before Legolas could answer, Kate disappeared into his room.  Legolas 
smiled and followed after her.  He watched as she went through the 
contents of his room.  Some time later, Kate had finished her search 
and approached Legolas. 

"Are you finished?"  Legolas asked.

"Yes"  she said.  "I'm sorry.  I should not have wasted time playing 
museum curator."

"Don't be.  Elves always embrace the opportunity for play.  And under 
these circumstances it shall not come along very often."  Legolas said.  
"It is good to see you enjoying yourself.  I do not think I have seen 
you so at peace since I met you."

Kate smiled.  "I didn't realize that elves ever played."

"Elves do a lot of things you are not aware of,"  Legolas said.  

"But while I was busy amusing myself, you wasted your own 
opportunity to play."  Kate pointed out. 

"I did not.  I was watching you," Legolas said.

"Watching me?  You find that entertaining?"  Kate asked.

"Quite,"  Legolas said.  

"I'm not sure I should take that as a compliment or not,"  Kate said.  
She grinned.  "So now that we've got recess out of the way, what's the 
big plan?"

"I think we should take a walk.  Get a feel for the land and the air of 
this place,"  Legolas said.  

"That sounds like a lovely idea,"  Kate said.  

The land that surrounded the house was full of well tended gardens.  
They walked among the plants and enjoyed the fresh air.  Kate pulled 
her sweater tightly around her shoulders.  It was the end of October 
and already the cold winds of autumn were blowing.  Legolas took a 
deep breath. 

"You like it here,"  Kate said, watching him.

Legolas nodded.  "I always miss the smells of the trees when I am 
away from them for long.  The city has trees, but their presence is all 
but obscured by the structures of man.  Even the dirt upon the ground 
is covered and hidden from sight.  I do not understand why men seek 
to intrude on that which is beautiful upon the earth.  It is a pity and a 
great loss to see how much has changed."

"But you lived within the caves in Mirkwood,"  Kate said.  "You should 
be used to cities of stone."  

"Mirkwood may have had caves, but my heart was always among the 
trees,"  Legolas said.  "Many of my father's people lived within the 
trees of Mirkwood.  On many an occasion, I offended him by preferring 
to sleep beneath the trees than beneath the ground."  

They followed the paths of the garden and sat down upon a bench.  
The sun was high overhead, it was nearly noon.  The day would have 
been perfect, if not for the men patrolling the outer edges of the yard.

"What became of your father?  Does he still live?"  Kate asked.

"Indeed he does.  He lives with my mother within the Blessed Realm,"  
Legolas said.  "I had been there for many years when he finally 
heeded the call of the sea.  It is one of my happiest memories."

"Why didn't he accompany you when you left Middle-Earth?"  

Legolas looked up into the tree branches and sighed.  "He did not 
approve of my taking Gimli with me.  He did not believe we would be 
allowed entrance.  It was not a happy parting."

"You fought?"  Kate asked.  She could not imagine Legolas arguing 
with anyone much less his father an Elven King.

"Yes, words were spoken.  That we both regretted.  But that has long 
since been reconciled."  Legolas said.  "I just pity that he didn't make 
it back in time to see Gimli walking with Galadriel beneath the great 
mallorn trees.  To see that would have rendered my father speechless.  
Something which does not happen but once every age."

Kate smiled.  The housekeeper approached them.  She nodded at 
them slightly but did not meet their gazes.  In heavily accented 
English she said, "Lunch is waiting for you on the terrace."

"Merci,"  Kate said.

"Monsieur Bernhardi expects you both to attend a dinner party this 
evening."

"Dinner party?"  Kate asked.

The housekeeper nodded.  "Oui mademoiselle.  Proper clothing will be 
provided to you both."  After delivering her message the housekeeper 
quickly rushed back up the sidewalk as if to put as much distance 
between herself and them as possible. 

"Dinner party?"  Legolas asked, raising his eyebrows in fascination.  "I 
have not had the pleasure off attending a dinner party before.  You will 
have to instruct me on the proper traditions."

"Recess is definitely over,"  Kate said with a groan.  "This will take all 
day.  We'll use lunch as practice.  Come on."    Kate got up and walked 
back towards the house.

"What type of clothing will we be wearing?"  Legolas asked.

"Knowing how the General is, probably formal wear,"  Kate said.  "A 
tuxedo."

"Tuxedo?"

Kate sighed.  "Great, I get to teach you how to eat.  Now I get to 
dress you.  For someone so old, you really are a lot of trouble."

*********************************

"Are you certain this will work?"  Colin asked.  As they spent the 
afternoon back at the boarding house planning their next move.

"Of course not,"  Gandalf said.  "Nothing is ever certain, my boy.  But 
you can be assured that has a much of a chance of working as 
anything else."

"Great, just great,"  Colin said.

"In order to set up a meeting with General Bernhardi, she was forced 
to give away a painting as a bribe to Klaus Ramelow,"  Gandalf 
explained.  "If we recover this painting.  You could take it to the 
General's house, he would be a fool to turn away someone carrying a 
priceless work of art."

"You cannot easily fool a man in his own home,"  Elrond said.  

"You can't call a place a man has lived for a few months a real home,"  
Gandalf said.  "How long did you live in Imladris before the land 
whispered your name?"

"567 years,"  Elrond said.

"Exactly,"  Gandalf said.  "Which is why I think this is our best chance.  
He will be at ease because he is on his own land.  His guard will be 
down and he will be easier to deceive."

"Um, this is all well and good.  But you're forgetting one little 
problem,"  Colin said.

"What would that be?"  Elrond asked.

"We've got to get the painting back first,"  Colin said.

A genuine smile spread across Elrond's face.  "I would not consider 
that a problem but more of an evening’s amusement.  What do you 
think Gandalf?"

"Sounds like the perfect way to spend an evening to me,"  Gandalf 
said.

"You are both crazy,"  Colin said.

"Ah, but you are following our direction,"  Elrond said.  "What does 
that make you?"  

"Insane.  I'm definitely insane,"  Colin muttered to himself.   And he 
sat down at the table with Gandalf and Elrond to plan the evening’s 
“amusement.”

*****************************

As Kate had expected, formal wear was the style of the night.  Her 
dress was simple but elegant in a shade of ivory.  Taking barely ten 
minutes to get ready, she slipped the dress on brushed her hair and 
put on a touch of make up.  She knocked on the door to Legolas's 
room.  He opened it.  He had his pants and his shirt on.  The rest was 
laying in pieces upon the bed.

"Are you sure this is not some type of weapon?"  Legolas said, 
examining the cumberbun.  "If given the right size stones, I would be 
able to sling them the length of this house."

Kate laughed.  As she reached out to take the cumberbun from him, 
Legolas saw her for the first time.  For a long moment he did nothing 
but stare.

“You remind me of Arwen,”  Legolas said.  

Kate smiled and shook her head at him.  “I thought Elves were 
supposed to have keen eye sight,”  Kate said.  “Let’s get you dressed.”

Legolas stood still while Kate fastened the cumberbun around his waist 
and buttoned it.  She picked the bow tie up off the table and stood in 
front of him.  Even without looking into his eyes, she could feel his 
gaze on her.  A blush crept into her cheeks, as she looped the tie 
around his neck.  Her fingers brushed the soft skin behind his neck 
and she felt his muscles ripple beneath her gentle touch.

She fumbled to tie it correctly, but her fingers wouldn’t cooperate.  
Instead of concentrating on the bow, she was all too aware of her 
close proximity to him.  The steady rise and fall of his chest, the clean 
smell of his skin, what his lips would feel like pressed against hers.  
Somehow she managed to get the bow tied and took a step away from 
him.  He grabbed his jacket from the bed and slipped it over his 
shoulders. 

“Thank you,”  he said.

“You’re welcome.”

Legolas offered her his hand and she took it.  “My father’s prisons 
were no where near as lovely as this one.  Should the dwarves had 
been imprisoned with you, they would never have wanted to leave.”

Kate smiled and they walked downstairs to the dinner party.  

******************************
On the opposite side of Paris, Gandalf and Colin were hiding within the 
bushes that surrounded the estate of Klaus Ramelow.  Elrond had gone 
to investigate, and had been gone for nearly fifteen minutes.  Gandalf 
was content to sit and smoke his pipe, he was in high spirits. 

“What if the painting isn’t there?  What if Kate needs our help 
tonight?”  Colin asked.

Gandalf smiled.  “Patience.”

“How can you be so calm when my sister’s life is in danger?”  Colin 
asked.

“Many years of practice,”  Gandalf said.  “You shouldn’t worry yourself 
with things you cannot change at the moment.  It will only cause you 
to make a mistake. And we cannot afford any mistakes tonight.”


******************************

Legolas and Kate had joined the dinner party.   Kate guessed there 
were over 60 people present.  Several were renowned art dealers but 
most were officers of the Nazi party and their spouses.   

The dinner consisted of small talk, nothing more or less.  For all 
intents and purposes it looked like an innocent gathering of colleagues.  
But Kate was worried.  After dinner had ended, and the guests had 
divided into small groups and were talking amongst themselves.

Legolas and Kate were standing alone in the library.  “How was my 
performance?”  Legolas asked.  “Did I blend in well.”

“Your manners were impeccable,”  Kate said.  “Which is less than I can 
say for some of the others that were at the table.”

“I had an excellent teacher,”  Legolas said.

Kate smiled.  “I don’t understand why he brought us here.”

“Nor do I,”  Legolas said.  

At that moment, General Bernhardi walked into the room.  He smiled 
in their direction and joined them.  “Miss Elessar, Mr. Legolas, I do 
hope you are finding my hospitality to your liking?”

“Yes, everything is wonderful,”  Kate said.

“And you are a vision of loveliness,”  Bernhardi said, taking her hand 
and kissing the back of it.

“I have you to thank for that,”  Kate said.  “I have never worn 
anything of such beauty.”

“That is a pity,”  he said.  “For you look like a Queen.”

Kate smiled, fighting back the urge to wipe the back of her hand off 
where his lips had touched it.

“I would love to nothing more than stand here and talk with you all 
night about frivolities but we have business to discuss,”   Bernhardi 
said.

“That is unfortunate, but I would like to complete our transaction,”  
Kate said.  “I am sure you have other more pressing matters that need 
to be dealt with.”

Bernhardi extended his hand to Kate,  “If you would be so kind as to 
step inside my study.”

Kate hesitated, but only for a moment.  Legolas’s eyes narrowed.  
Bernhardi smiled.  “I will return her momentarily.”

Kate and Bernhardi walked up the stairs and into his study.  The room 
was filled with lined books shelves and a large mahogany desk.  Upon 
the desk were various office supplies and antique nick knacks.  
Bernhardi sat down behind the desk and stared at Kate until it made 
her uncomfortable.

“Do you have the pieces that I requested?  From the East Kennet Long 
Barrow?”  she asked.

“I do,”  Bernhardi said.  He opened a closet and pulled out a long 
sword, a small shield, and a small pendant.  He set them upon the 
desk.  

Not wanting to seem too eager, Kate picked up the sword first.  She 
examined the hilt and the markings upon the blade and knew that it 
was Aragorn’s sword.  Then she picked up the pendent.  It was larger 
than she was expecting, and as she had found out earlier it was well-
worn with age.  Her fingers trembled as she set it back down upon the 
desk.  She reached for the shield but Bernhardi stopped her.

“Before we finish the trade, I was wondering if I could get some 
information from you?”  he said, icily.

“Information?  Of course, I’ll tell you anything you want to know about 
the paintings,”  Kate said.

Bernhardi laughed.  “I am not talking about the paintings.”  He set a 
photograph down in front of her.  It was a picture of Elrond, Gandalf, 
Legolas, and herself, sitting at the café.  “I would like to know about 
these two men.”

Although the photo caught Kate off guard, she tried not to show it.
“Those men were passing acquaintances,”  Kate said.  “They 
discovered we had brought some paintings into the country and were 
interested in buying them from us.  We told them we were not 
interested.”

Bernhardi sat down at the desk and nodded thoughtfully.  “You noticed 
nothing . . . .peculiar about them?”

“Peculiar?”

“Yes, especially about this one.”  Bernhardi pointed at Elrond.    

“Nothing at all,”  Kate said.

Bernhardi pulled another photo from a folder and placed it on the 
desk.  This was a close up of Elrond’s head.  Peeking behind his hair 
was an obviously pointed ear.

“You know nothing about the origins of this. . .man?”  Bernhardi said, 
with disgust.

“I do not,”  Kate said.

Bernhardi stood up and paced the room.  “What about Mr. Legolas?  
What is your relationship with him?  Do you know nothing of his 
origins either?”

“He is a business acquaintance nothing more,”  Kate said.

“Hmm, that is good to know,” Berhardi said. “For I am a business 
acquaintance of yours and I am looking forward to this. . .”  Bernhardi 
tossed another photo down upon the desk.  It was one of Legolas and 
Kate kissing.  Before she could get a good look at it, Bernhardi handed 
her another photo.  A close up, of Legolas face.  Kate’s hands were 
running through his hair and she had pulled the hair back from his ear.  
His pointed ears.

“What manner of men are these?”  Bernhardi demanded.  

“I.  . . .  know nothing about it,”  Kate said, her voice shaking.

“If you know nothing about them.  Then I will have to discover their 
origins myself,”  Bernhardi said.  “I have already had the opportunity 
to study two of these. . . .these aberrations.”

“Two of them?”  Kate asked.

“Yes, twins actually, very interesting.  But their use is wearing thin,”  
He picked up a heavy glass paper weight off the desk.  He paced back 
and forth around Kate’s chair.  “Actually, they were of little use, except 
in the decorative sense.”

He placed the paper weight in Kate’s hand.  Her hands began shaking 
as she saw what she held.   Encased within the glass was a pointed 
ear.  

“What do you want from me?”  Kate asked.

“The truth.  Is that so much to ask?”  He sighed.  “Why am I wasting 
my time with you, when I could simply ask your companion downstairs 
if he will join us.”  Bernhardi smiled at her. “I am going to enjoy this.”

Bernhardi walked towards the door of the study.

“No!”  Kate said.  She stood up from the chair abruptly, sending it 
crashing to the ground.  Frantically she grabbed Aragorn’s sword from 
the desk.  She gave not a thought to what she was doing, the moment 
her fingers gripped the sword, Kate began moving on pure instinct.  
With a quick jab, she sunk the sword deep into Bernhardi’s shoulder.  
Before he could cry out, he fell, hitting his head upon the corner of the 
bookcase, rendering him unconscious.  

Kate pulled the sword from him and staggered backwards a few steps, 
letting the sword clatter from to the ground.  She watched as the small 
blood stain on his shoulder spread across his shirt.  With shaking 
hands she picked up the pendant from the desk and slipped it around 
her neck.   She gripped the paper weight in her hand and rushed from 
the room.

*******************************

Legolas could tell something was wrong the moment that he saw Kate.  
Her face was pale as she approached him.  On closer inspection, he 
could see her trembling visibly.  

“What has happened?”  Legolas asked, quietly.

“We must leave, now,”  Kate said.

Without asking another question, Legolas took her hand and nodded.  
They strolled out into the gardens.  It was dark and the trees and 
plants offered some privacy.  

“What has happened?”  Legolas said.  Then he saw the pendant 
hanging from her neck.  “You got it?  He gave it to you?”

“I . . . . I think I killed him.  Bernhardi. . .”  Kate stammered.  “There 
was a lot of blood.”  Finally realizing what she had done, she put her 
hand to her mouth.  “I think I’m going to be sick.”  Kate took a few 
steps off the path into the bushes and threw up.  

Legolas held her hair back from her face and whispered words softly to 
her in elvish.  When she had recovered enough to speak she said.  
“We have to get out of here now,”  Kate said. 

Legolas nodded.  “Follow me.” 

They crept along the gardens until they came to the outer fence of the 
property.  The guards with the dogs were headed in their direction.  
Legolas pursed his lips and made a strange otherworldly sound.  The 
dogs began howling and pulling at their chains and rushed in the 
opposite direction of where Legolas and Kate were hiding.  

Legolas helped Kate climb the fence, which was difficult in her dress 
and they disappeared into the thick woods across the road from 
General Bernhardi’s mansion.

***********************************