Chapter Twenty Two: Concerning Certain Cloaked Figures
Vexing as it was to be unable to determine what lay ahead of us, I felt somewhat confident. Mallor treaded slowly down the steep pathway towards the shadowed figures. I was a bit worried about what was going to happen when we reached the bottom. I had already had enough of the mysterious adventure crap to last me until the end of my days. Though, I must say, horses did seem to be at ease in the care of these unidentified beings, which was a bit on the reassuring side.
I don�t think it was so much that there were other people in the pass at the same time as us. It wasn�t an impossible thing; it was just highly improbably that two shadowy, cloaked figures would catch our fleeing horses on an abandoned pass through the mountains in the middle of a thunderstorm. But ruling out that obscenely odd coincidence entirely, the part that bothered me was that feeling I was left with that told me they had been waiting for us.
Regardless, Mallor and I approached slowly and carefully. I kept trying to peek out from behind my tall companion, but he kept shoving be back to the safety of his shadow with a swat of his arm. Eventually we got to the bottom of the slope where the strange figures stood with our horses.
�Hail, strangers!� called Mallor. The hooded heads of the cloaked figures turned from our horses to us. I could still not see their faces.
�Greetings to you,� sounded a voice, deep and melodious, from behind me. I whirled around, eyes wide. Standing behind me a ways back was a third cloaked figure. I dug my heel into the dirt of the path in annoyance. I was not in the mood to play these games with randomly appearing strangers.
I thought that I knew who these strange beings were, or at least what they were. It would explain the random appearance, the silent footsteps, and the ease in dealing with our crazed horses. It all added up and I can say I didn�t much care for this odd occurrence. I was now peeved and soggy, and I wasn�t in the mood to fool around with these guys.
�We thank you for catching our horses. We would have quite the terrible time getting to Bree without them,� I said, going up to the one of the cloaked figures and snatching Firefoot�s reins from his hands.
�We were only glad to be of assistance,� said the one.
�Such haste is not wise,� said the other. �The storm will not let up for many more hours.�
Now Mallor came up behind me and grabbed Leira�s reins from the aforementioned cloaked figure. �If we ever want to make it to Bree we had best not tarry. The storm has not hindered us too terribly thus far, and it would not be wise to spend any more time in these mountains than necessary.
�Certainly there must be somewhere that you can rest for the night, so that you do not need to travel further in this weather?� said the other again.
�Unless you suggest we make camp in yonder,� Mallor pointed away from where we were standing, �goblin infested caves, then no, we have not a place to rest for the night.� I could tell by the way Mallor said it that he was beginning to lose patience with these people, as was I, but at least I had a vague idea of what they were here for.
I grabbed Mallor�s arm. �I do not think that is what they had in mind,� I said softly. I then turned back two the two cloaked figures. �I have no desire to go to your Elven-home. We shall go on our way and you shall go on yours.�
The third figure spoke again, finally. �For a mortal, you are far more perceptive than you seem.�
�It happens,� I said, glaring at the third figure. �We are not going with you. I do not care what Lord Elrond wants.�
Mallor looked at me wide-eyed. �Lord Elrond? Do you know these people?� he asked.
�No, but they are elves, we are very close to Rivendell, and it would make sense that Lord Elrond would send them,� I said, really wishing I was home right now. I wasn�t equipped to deal with this right now. I really didn�t like elves. They had cool ears and some of them were cool, but other than that I had no use for them.
�We were not told why to fetch you. We were only instructed to do so,� said the one cloaked figure standing next to me, removing his hood and revealing himself to be a dark haired elf. The one next to him removed his hood as well. I was amazed at how the two of them looked exactly the same.
�I was suspecting as much. I figure there is at least one in Imladris who would have a bit to hear of my story, only now I do not care to tell it. Does your lord always send you out to hunt down strangers in high mountain passes?� I asked.
�Occasionally,� said the one. �We have not had a formal introduction, though you seem to know vaguely who we are. I am Elladan.�
�And I am Elrohir,� said the other.
�Who is your friend?� asked Mallor, pointing to the still-cloaked figure behind us.
�I am Glorfindel,� he said.
I groaned and shook my head in frustration. All Mallor and I wanted to do was get to Bree. We could not even do that now because we were being detained by elves who wanted us to go to Imladris. I didn�t want to go to Imladris and either did Mallor.
