Title: And the sky full of stars Rated: PG-13 Feedback: legolasstory@yahoo.com Note: Takes place several years after the end of Lord of the Rings. ********************************** Chapter 2 The next day they started out towards the mountains. The road was easy for a time. Days passed and the mountains slowly grew in size before them. Caradhras. Moria. Lands they hadn't traveled since the years of the fellowship. To be so close to them again brought up memories from long ago. "We will not pass through Moria." Legolas said. "Indeed." Gimli said. "One trip through those mines was enough for me." "I never thought the day would come when you would pass up a chance to explore the nearest cave." Legolas said. "The cave does not worry me. What may be inside does." Gimli said. "Gandalf said it had been destroyed." Legolas said. "Yes, and if Gandalf were here now, he alone would be the only person to convince me to pass through those gates again. Though the thought of climbing Caradhras isn't much better a choice." Gimli said. Legolas got off his horse. "Then let us stay here tonight." Legolas said. "The smell of the orc is getting stronger, we will pick up the trail tomorrow or the next day. Perhaps they will lead us to neither Caradhras or to Moria." "If so, remind me to thank the orc as I slay them, for so easy a trip." Gimli said. Legolas laughed. The next day, Legolas had no trouble picking up the trail of the orcs. And to Gimli's delight they headed neither towards Moria nor to Caradhras. But followed along the eastern rim of the mountains. Only one hard days journey was required of them. They followed the trail over the rim into the fertile valley between the mountains. After that, the trail grew easier to follow. Trampled ground made an obvious path through the grasses. And the air was cool and clean. But the land, which was once inhabited by farmers lay abandoned. Once thriving farms along the valleys of the mountain lay deserted. It's owners moving into the nearest villages many leagues away. Some farms lay in ruins, victims of orc attacks. Others were intact, but boarded up and left for better days. "Aragorn will not be happy when he hears of this." Legolas said, as they checked each abandoned home. Occasionally finding dead bodies they had to stop and bury them. "He will not. And if I find these orcs I shall not need to wait for an army, I will take them all on myself." Gimli said. A day passed, a week, they followed the trail of destruction towards the end of the valley. On the northern end of the valley lay a small forest. Not near in size to Fangorn, or Mirkwood. This was only a mile wide. Protected on three sides by the rising mountains, which narrowed as it came near the small forest. It was a perfect stronghold. Legolas and Gimli scouted out the lands. Legolas looked long into the distance. "The gates I see guarding the forest are those made by men, not orc. The trail of the orcs leads off to the west up the mountains away from the forest." "Men from the abandoned farms, no doubt." Gimli said. "Let us go and have a real meal before we chase our orc." Legolas nodded, but said nothing. As they approached the gates, Gimli talked nonstop. "What do you see with those elvish eyes of yours? Can you see any houses? With fires buring in the chimneys, and the smokes of a fine feast pouring out of them?" Gimli asked. "Thinking with your stomach again?" Legolas remarked. A half mile from the gates he dismounted the horse and said, "Stay here. I will investigate. The land. It is too still." Legolas walked slowly towards the gates. His light- footsteps making little impression along the narrow trail that lead towards to forest. Every step he took was slow and deliberate, all of his senses were on alert. Along the edge of the trail were stones. Placed by men, a footfall apart. Legolas stopped for a moment, considering the situation. But hearing nothing, he took another step. It was nearly his last. Legolas cried out as pain ripped through his ankle. Gimli drew his axe and began to rush forward. Legolas cried, "No, do not. It is laid with traps!! Use the stones!!" Gimli quickly made his way up the stone path, hopping from one stone to another, until he came to Legolas. His foot was caught in a hunting trap. "No wonder the orcs avoid this place." Gimli said. Gimli leaned over and using his axe, pryed the teeth of the trap apart. And slowly Legolas pulled his foot from the steel trap. "We must get you to the village." Gimli said. As he helped Legolas to his feet a loud horn sounded. They looked toward the gates and a party of 10 were approaching. Some with bows and arrows others with swords approached warily. The first thing Gimli noticed was their age. These weren't hard war-toughened men. They were young boys barely into their teens. "We come on a quest for King Aragorn. Following the orcs to their base. We would appreciate some assistance." Gimli said in his most formal voice. The boys said nothing. They were expecting orc, not an injured elf and a dwarf. None of them made a move to do anything. "I am Gimli son of Gloin, and this is Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thuranduil King of Mirkwood Forest. We request refuge in your village and an audience with you mayor." Gimli said. Still the boys did not move. They whispered amongst themselves and one rushed back to the gates. A few minutes later he returned, with a girl. She was somewhat older than the boys, perhaps mid-twenties and seemed to be in charge. She looked at Gimli and Legolas and back at the boys and said, "Don't just stand there help them." The boys lifted Legolas from the ground and swiftly carried him back towards the gates. She turned to Gimli, "Please follow me along this path." He nodded and followed her along the stone trail up the gates and into the village. ***************************************** Chapter 3 Ch "Take him to my house." She yelled as they entered the gates. The boys carried him through the small but dense forest, past many tiny thatched roof houses. Women, children, and the old lined the dirt path staring wide-eyed at the elf and dwarf as they passed by. The boys carried Legolas into a small thatch roofed house. It was near the furthest wall of the forest valley where the mountain rose steeply behind them. Gimli followed her into the house. She lit a lantern. "I am Elesia, I guess you'd call me the mayor." She said with a slight laugh. Legolas said from the couch on which he lay, "I am Legolas Greenleaf." Gimli said, "I am Gimli son of Gloin." He bowed. "You are safe here. As safe as anyone can be with orcs around." She said. "I am sorry for your accident. But it will be healed. Old Rose is a great healer." No sooner had she finished the sentence than Old Rose barged into the room. "What is this nonsense the boys are talking about? An elf and a dwarf. I think everyone has lost their minds. I haven't seen an dwarf in 40 years and an elf in…." the old woman stopped, seeing Gimli standing proudly by the fire. She saw Legolas and gasped. The room fell into silence. "Rose. He's been injured." She said. Taking action seemed to jar her out of her trance and Old Rose took control of the situation. "One of those damn traps no doubt." She marched over and took a look at the ankle. Her irritating voice being the opposite of her gentle hands as she inspected Legolas's wound. "It will have to be cleaned and stitched." She said. "I need hot water." She barked out the orders to Gimli who bowed low and went to get water. "Elesia, unlace his shoe while I round up my supplies." She said and left the room before Elesia could answer. Elesia pulled up a stool and sat down beside the couch. She took his foot and place it in her lap and began unlacing his tall elvish boot. "What place is this?" Legolas asked. "Entville." She said, as she unlaced his boots. "Are there no men among you?" he asked. "They left 10 years ago when Sauron was in power to defend our homes. They never returned." she said. "But we are not helpless. We have defended ourselves for many years. Many of our women are as good at fighting as men." "There is no love more fierce than a mother defending her children." Legolas said. He winced as she pulled his long boot off, careful not to touch his foot. "Very true." She said. Before Legolas could ask further questions, giggling could be heard coming from the window. A group of children, about 10 years old stood peering in the windows. Elesia smiled, "We have never had an elf in our midst before or a dwarf for that matter." Gimli opened the door carrying a bucket of water, being followed by a group of giggling kids. "Grrr. Pesky little tykes aren't they? If I was their father I'd show them some manners." Gimli said, as he shut the door behind him. Legolas gave him a pointed look and Gimli realized he had said the wrong thing. He said, "I shall boil the water." Old Rose came in shoeing the kids away from the windows. "Did you get the water Littleman?" she asked Gimli. Gimli bristled at the name but said nothing, he simply nodded and carried the hot water over to her. Old Rose began to clean the wound. "What brings you two on such a journey? I haven't seen your kind in years. And I thought elves and dwarves didn't get along." Old Rose asked. "We are hunting orcs for King Aragorn." Legolas said. "Orcs?" Old Rose said, "I have seen more than my share of orcs in this lifetime. I should like the King to get rid of these pests. Running all of us off to this place they did." Old Rose rambling on continuously about orcs as she cleaned and dressed Legolas's wound. "We have had orcs in these parts for over 20 years. About the time Elesia was just big enough to wander. Horrible, nasty beasts. Orcs. They are our curse. Tell this King of yours that I welcome the change. I should love to get out of here and to see the city again. It has been far too long." She finished tending his foot and began packing her bags. "All done. You'll live. Elves don't kill so easily. You'll have to stay off the ankle for at least a week. Take care of him Elesia, I've gotta go see to Little Barillin, he's got a bad cough." And with that Rose grabbed her bags and left the little house. Elesia turned to Legolas and Gimli as if she wasn't quite sure what to do with the both of them. "I will bring you both food. And if you would like, Gimli, I will give you a tour of Entville." She said. "I would be honored." He said. After getting Legolas comfortable and Gimli's stomach filled to his contentment, she walked through the village with Gimli. They wandered through the trees. The houses were built with stones quarried from the nearby mountain, not of the trees. According to Elesia none of their people had ever cut down one tree in Entville. The trees were so dense in places that the houses were built around them. Some had trees poking through their center and used part of them as a support or their branches as part of the ceiling. "Why it's almost elvish." He said. "At least, as close to elvish work with trees as I have ever seen men make." "Thank you. It is an honor you think so. I have never seen anything elvish in my life until this day." She said. "Why is this place called Entville." He asked. They sat down at the base of a tree. The thick trunks grew wide enough at the bottom to sit upon. As if the trees grew a bench for their using. Gimli was surprised at it's comfort as he settled into it's curvature. "It was a children's story about this forest. Long ago these trees were alive. And wandered the earth as Ents." "True Ents are much taller." Gimli commented. "According to legend, these were the children of the Ents. One night when the stars were bright, the Ent children wished to go to the top of the mountain, out of the range of their parents branches so they could see the stars. Their parents forbade them, but that night they snuck away. Once the sun rose and the stars had vanished, they lost their way. Nothing looked familiar. A great storm rose and obscured the clouds for many days. So they could not use the stars as guides. And the Ent children wandered farther and farther away, until the day came when the clouds parted and they saw the sky full of stars. And did not remember the way back." She said. Gimli's eyes grew wide with astonishment. "Entwives. These could be the entwives." Gimli said. The wind blew through the trees and the crackling of the branches seemed to him a reply. "I shall tell them where you are." Gimli whispered and patted the bark gently. Elesia smiled at Gimli, "I thought most dwarves were all caves and rocks." "I am not most dwarves." He said proudly. She smiled and then her face turned serious. "You said you came here because of orcs?" she asked. He nodded seriously. "It seems we would have much to discuss," she said. "Yes. We do." Gimli said. She hear footsteps running and the same group of children that had been peeking in the window at Legolas came dashing up the path. "I think though, that it will have to wait until later," she said. Gimli grimaced as the children surrounded him. Asking him many questions. "You have until, sundown. And then, Master Gimli needs to rest. He has come a long trail." She said. The children agreed and she left them together at the base of the tree. ************************************