Title: Black Mountain 

Author: White Wolf 

Genre: Action/Adventure/Angst

 Timeline: 2962 TA

 Rating: PG-13

 Summary: No one in the history of Middle-earth has ever returned from the mysterious Black Mountain. Now the mountain, silent for centuries, appears to be waking up, and Aragorn thinks it’s about time that he and Legolas go there and investigate. Elladan and Elrohir join them for the adventure.

 Disclaimer: The DNA tests say I'm not related to J.R.R. Tolkien, so I guess that means I don't own even a tiny part of his creations. It also means I won't be getting any money for this story. Phooey.

 A/N: The references to a dark elf named Mordraug and what happened with him has to do with events in my story, The Wrong Path. I would love for you to read it, but it isn’t necessary in order to understand, and hopefully enjoy, this one. I try to explain as much as I can, whenever I make references to Mordraug.

 

 

Chapter One

 

"Why?" the blond elf, standing with his hands on his hips and his head cocked slightly to the left, asked his human companion.

 

"Because it's there?" the man answered with a teasing question.

 

The flickering firelight danced in both pairs of eyes.

 

"That is a ridiculous answer, Estel." There was a mixed tone of exasperation and bewilderment in the elf's voice. "Why must you humans feel you have to investigate something just because it exists? Why cannot some things just be left alone?" the elf asked. When the man stared at him without answering, the elf asked again, "Why?"

 

The man shook his head. His friend was not going to give up until his question was answered, yet he couldn't resist saying, "Legolas, has anyone ever told you that you are a decidedly single-minded elf, when you want to be?"

 

"I believe that you have---many times. As well as my father, and my brothers, and....” He paused and shook his head. “Do not attempt to change the subject, Estel. I ask for the third time, why?"

 

Legolas sat down next to the ranger. His eyes sought and were held by the flames of the campfire, as they twisted in the light breeze. Sparks detached themselves and floated upward before winking out, only to be replaced with others. It was mesmerizing, yet the elf's keep hearing and focused mind did not miss a single thing the human said.

 

"The rangers that have come back from the far north say the mountain has come alive. It should be investigated."

 

"And the mountain is there," the elf added with a terse mocking sarcasm.

 

Aragorn made a face at his friend, who was now looking straight at him. "In truth, Legolas, someone does need to find out what dangers lie on that mountain."

 

The seriousness of Aragorn’s words were not missed by the elf. "And it matters not that for millennia not a single person, who has gone to Orod Moru, has ever returned." Legolas was doing his best to be logical, though he feared that logic, at this point, was lost on the stubborn human.

 

"I'm a ranger, Legolas. I'm supposed to investigate and if possible, eliminate anything that may be a danger to anyone, be that one person or all of the free peoples of Middle-earth."

 

The elf laughed heartily. "You are unbelievable. Your goals are noble, Estel, but you act as if you are proposing a simple stroll in the garden. We will go to the mountain, find what is going on there, and either eliminate the problem ourselves or come back with all the answers to save everyone.” He flung his arms wide to emphasize the word ‘everyone‘. “Right?"

 

Aragorn grinned and then shrugged. "Well, yes. Why not?" The man held his hands up in front of him, palms facing outward. "I’m not crazy, so before you say it, I do know it will be difficult, but it can be done."

 

"Oh? When no one else has ever managed to do it?" Legolas wasn’t ashamed to keep returning to that one point. After all, it was true.

 

"None of those people were you and me." The smile that graced the young man's face just made the elf grimace. He had been on the receiving end of such an assertion more times than he cared to count.

 

"Come on, Legolas. Think of the adventure. We would be solving a mystery that has baffled most of the races since the arrival of those races on Arda."

 

Not taken in by the plea, Legolas said, "Estel, I will not fall for that "think of the adventure” lure. You have used it too many times in our history together. Besides, we do not know there is anything there that is a danger to anyone who leaves the mountain alone. Never has anything come down to threaten any of us."

 

"That we know of.” the ranger said, grinning at the logic he had just displayed. “You know yourself that there have been many mysterious happenings all over the north of Middle-earth that have never been solved. We don't know how many of those things had to do with the Black Mountain.”

 

“We also do not know if any of them did.”

 

Aragorn sighed. Convincing Legolas this time was proving to be harder than he had anticipated. Undaunted, he resolutely continued with his argument. “Think about it, Legolas. There has to be something there. As you‘ve pointed out, there are those who have never returned. In all these years, hundreds must have gone to Black Mountain. They can't all have had simple accidents like falling off cliffs or into holes or freezing to death in snow storms to account for their disappearances.”

 

"And the barest suspicion that they may have died unnatural deaths means we should go there rather than simply avoiding the place." It was a flat statement tinged with exasperation.

 

Aragorn didn't answer. He merely picked up a stick and begun drawing circles in the dirt between his feet. He knew his friend hated it when he didn’t answer a question, and he had failed to answer several so far.

 

A few moments of silence ensued. Aragorn’s hopes began to rise.

 

"There is one other thing that needs to be discussed." Legolas pointed out.

 

"And that would be?" Aragorn asked, not looking up from his drawing.

 

"I may be an adult, Estel, but my father will never allow me to go anywhere near Orod Moru. You should realize that. Look at all the pleading you had to do just to get him to let me come camping with you. And that was only if we stayed within Mirkwood’s borders."

 

"We won't tell him, of course."

 

"That would be lying, Estel. You know how I feel about that."

 

It was Aragorn's turn to grimace. His idea of lying was to come right out and say something that wasn't true. It was different with elves, at least this particular elf. To him saying something that was essentially true but that led someone to believe the exact opposite of what the words implied was as much a lie as speaking an untruth was.

 

The man tried another tact. “Do you realize that this is only the third time I’ve seen you these past two years? I miss being on adventures with you, because you've been hanging around Mirkwood much too much all this time. "

 

That was true enough, though the elf frowned at the words ‘hanging around‘. Ever since Legolas’s encounter with Mordraug, the evil elf, who insidiously used him in an attempt to destroy his father and take over Mirkwood, Thranduil had kept his youngest child close to home. He had given him one assignment after another to stem any arguments his son might have had about being confined to the realm for his own safety. He was after all, not only a subject of the king but also a warrior of the kingdom. His presence was both welcome and useful but not absolutely essential. His father had argued the point that the Shadow was growing in the realm and every warrior was needed.

 

That reason had been only a part of the truth. The king had been terrified that he had forever lost his youngest child to Mordraug’s madness, and he was not willing to risk doing so again. Neither father nor son had been fooled. They both understood, but never spoke of the king's fears.

 

Legolas had finally acquiesced and carried out whatever duties Thranduil gave him without complaint. He certainly enjoyed being with all of his family and friends. However, it was getting harder and harder to stay confined to the realm. As much as he loved his home, Legolas was getting restless.

 

During the majority of his upbringing, the wide world outside of Mirkwood had only existed for the young elf in books and tales he heard from other elves, who had traveled throughout Arda. Learning about other people and other places had given Legolas a burning desire to meet those people and see those places. Thanks mostly to the urging of Legolas’s oldest brother, Crown Prince Balardorn, the youngest child of the king had finally been given assignments outside of Mirkwood. For the most part he accompanied Thranduil or Balardoron on various missions, both diplomatic and occasionally military.

 

The world had proven as fascinating as Legolas had imagined it to be. It also awoke in him a restlessness that did not please his father, though Thranduil had allowed his son his freedom, once he had come of age. However, it wasn’t until the incident with Mordraug that the king felt the need to keep his youngest at home.

 

In the intervening two years, Legolas had seen Estel only twice before this. They had spent time together in Mirkwood, but even its vast borders were becoming too small to contain Legolas’s yearning. The two friends longed to go adventuring much farther afield. It was for that reason that the ranger had come to Mirkwood once again to try and break Legolas free.

 

"My father would want to know, demand in fact, where we were going. The mere mention of Orod Moru would send him into a frenzy. Have you ever seen my father in a frenzy?” He didn’t wait to see if Aragorn was going to answer. “I think not. Whatever lies on the mountain would be nothing compared to that. So, how do you propose we get his permission to go there?"

 

Aragorn had no immediate answer for that. It was now he, who stared into the fire. Leaning forward, he picked up several pieces of wood and put them on the fire, which hissed and crackled. A shower of sparks flew upward, as the burned wood underneath collapsed into the ashes below them. The flames increased, as the new wood began to be consumed.

 

The long silence from the elf told the man that he had won the argument. When Legolas was serious about arguing, he rarely needed to stop and think about it. He either kept up the verbal barrage until the other person changed his mind, or he changed his own mind, a rarer occurrence but not an unheard of one.

 

To Legolas's chagrin, he also knew he was going to give in. He wasn't convinced that going on such an investigation was the wisest thing to do, but he had to admit that it did sound intriguing. And Aragorn was right about one thing: There was no way to know that danger did exist and was not now gathering for some sort of assault on any or all of the peoples of Middle-earth. Even Sauron had had to begin somewhere. The idea that another Dark Lord, even a lesser one than Sauron, may be in the making made the elf shudder.

 

The ranger lifted his head and grinned at the elf. "You're going to go with me, aren't you?"

 

"Well, someone has to keep you out of trouble."

 

Aragorn laughed. "That hasn't happened yet, but I welcome you to try." Of course, the opposite was true, as well. Legolas had certainly had his share of troubles, despite having a ranger of the North at his side. Or maybe that was because of it. To his friend, he said, "Tell me I will not regret this."

 

"Would you believe me, if I did?"

 

"No."

 

"I’m glad you realize that we need to go." Aragorn had adopted a serious tone. "There doesn’t seem to be anyone else to do it. We need to find out what's happening on that mountain, Legolas."

 

"That will be hard, since no one has ever survived Orod Moru," Legolas pointed out yet again. He once more went back to the more immediate problem. "You never answered me about my father. He will not let me go into that kind of danger. If he cannot stop me as my father, he certainly can as my king. I am a subject of the realm, and I owe him my allegiance."

 

Aragorn could not continue to avoid the subject. He knew Legolas was not speaking out of fear for himself. Very little frightened the elf. Concern for family and friends could bring fear to the elf's heart quicker than anything. He believed that Thranduil’s concern for his youngest was overriding his desire to grant his son’s wish to go anywhere outside of Mirkwood‘s borders.

 

“We will work something out,” the ranger said reassuringly.

 

The two friends stood up, and Aragorn clapped Legolas on the shoulder. "We may well end up doing something more important for Middle-earth than we could ever imagine."

 

"Or be added to the long list of people who have disappeared forever on Orod Moru," the elf muttered with a resigned sigh.

 

 

Chapter Two

 

The next morning dawn broke clear and bright. The breeze that began to blow lightly through the trees held the promise of another warm summer day. The sweet melodic sound of birdsong drifted from the foliage, and the small woodland creatures, who hunted and toiled in the light of the sun, were already stirring. It hadn’t taken long for the inky blue of night to fade into the color of a robin‘s egg. A few white clouds floated lazily overhead.

 

At the light touch from Legolas on his shoulder, Aragorn opened his eyes. He nodded at the elf and then spent a moment taking in the glorious azure expanse above him. He was only mildly surprised that the morning had advanced as far as it had while he slept.

 

Unconcerned, the normally early-rising ranger made no attempt to get up from where he lay. He yawned widely and stretched his muscles, legs stiffened, arms reaching upward, and fingers splayed wide apart.

 

The groaning noise the man made amused his elven companion. “You sound like a bear waking up after a long winter’s sleep,” Legolas commented casually, as he dropped down into a crouch beside the banked coals of the campfire. At the elf’s urging, which included the adding of twigs and a few deep exhaled breaths, the fire began to rouse itself, as well.

 

“I feel like one,“ Aragorn remarked, as another big yawn stretched his mouth wide to resemble a small cavern. Still not quite ready to rise, the man just rolled over on his side and watched the elf work the fire. After a moment, he announced, “The sun is up already.”

 

“Well, it is good to see that a long night’s sleep has not dulled your incredible powers of perception,” the elf said, as he added larger pieces of wood and then took a long stick and poked the small flames into a larger version of themselves.

 

Aragorn looked around him, hoping to find something he could throw at the chuckling elf. Nothing came to hand outside of his pack and his weapons. He was using the pack for a pillow, which he wasn’t about to part with it, and he thought that tossing any of his weapons might be considered a bad move by the elf. The man looked both frustrated and slightly amused.

 

Legolas was fully aware of what his friend was wanting to do but decided to ignore him. However, he couldn’t suppress a grin, when it became clear that no object was going to come flying his way.

 

Soon satisfied that the fire was blazing strong enough to sustain itself, Legolas set a small pot of water over the flames to heat up. When the water was hot enough to earn his satisfaction, he slipped several pieces of dried fruit into the hot water. He wasn’t planning on actually cooking the fruit, only reconstituting it.

 

After several moments, Legolas glanced over at Aragorn, who had been so quiet, the elf thought maybe he had gone back to sleep.

 

“I’m awake,” the ranger, whose eyes were closed, said, when he felt the elf‘s gaze on him. “Is our food ready?”

 

“Mine is,” Legolas replied.

 

Aragorn knew that his friend was just trying to goad him into squawking his dismay. The ranger had been through it too many times in the past to fall for it now. However, he decided to go along with the jest, as he always did. “Oh great. Now I suppose I’ll have to get out of bed, come over there and prepare my own,” he grumped sourly, though he had to work hard to keep the fact he was grinning out of his voice.

 

“You will, if you want to eat,” came Legolas’s casual reply, not fooled in the least by his friend’s grumbling.

 

With his grin still firmly in place, Aragorn threw the blanket off of himself and got to his feet. When he walked the short distance to the fire, he looked down to see a plate of plump, juicy fruit and warm crusty bread smeared with honey and a dollop of butter waiting for him. “I knew you would feed me.” the ranger said, as if he had won some kind of victory.

 

“You are too sure of yourself, human,” Legolas remarked. He had poured the hot water, which was now infused with juice from the fruit, into two cups, and he handed one of them to Aragorn.

 

“Perhaps. But don’t forget that I know you very well.”

 

“I may surprise you one day,” Legolas said. Then, in a more somber tone, he said, “I fear this is the last of the honey and butter.”

 

Aragorn simply nodded. He knew how much Legolas loved his honey and butter on any kind of bread. To tell the truth, the man loved the combination, too. Briefly his mind went back to all the times in Rivendell and Mirkwood he had enjoyed such a treat.

 

After a few moments of eating in silence, Legolas looked sideways at the ranger. “I suppose you have not changed your mind about going to Orod Moru.” His voice held a note of resignation. He knew better than to hope.

 

“Not at all. I still think it will be an exciting adventure, possibly resulting in great good for everyone.” The man was smiling. It was an infuriating expression of triumph. Legolas had seen it resting on his friend’s face more times than he cared to count.

 

“Right. Well, I suppose we will find out,” was the only comment Legolas made, as he put the last piece of buttered, honey-laden bread into his mouth. Knowing he would not be getting any more for a long time, he chewed slowly and savored the sweet taste, which lingered teasingly after he had swallowed the last morsel.

 

Just before Aragorn popped the last piece of his own bread onto his tongue, he said, “I imagine we will.”

 

The two friends finished eating their fruit. By then the sun was beginning to rise above the treetops. The gently swaying leaves sent the slanting rays of dappled sunshine dancing around their campsite.

 

“This has been a lazy morning,” Aragorn commented, as he eyed his forlorn bedroll, obviously having thoughts about returning to it.

 

“I have enjoyed it very much, Estel. Thank you for coming all the way from Rivendell to spend time with me.” It wasn’t hard to detect the sincere gratitude in the archer’s voice.

 

Aragorn put his hand on the elf’s shoulder. He didn’t want to dredge up old pain by mentioning the horrific events of two years ago, so instead he just smiled and said, “I am always happy to be in your company, mellon nin.” He couldn’t resist adding, “Even if you don’t feed me.”

 

The elf suddenly stiffened, though certainly not because of his friend’s teasing words.

 

The archer stood up and turned his head so that his right ear was aimed in the direction from which he had sensed and then heard something. After a few seconds, he said, “Riders.”

 

“Should I arm myself?” Aragorn asked, knowing that fair wind or foul, Legolas’s instincts were to be trusted. Whatever the elf said do, he would do without a second thought.

 

“I do not sense danger.”

 

“It’s probably some of your friends. Or perhaps your father has sent another patrol of warriors to check up on you.”

 

The bad part about that statement was that the king had done just that three days ago, which had been the second night the two friends had spent in the forest. The encounter with the warriors, who patrolled the northern border of Mirkwood, seemed like an accidental meeting, but Legolas knew better. It was a sore point with him that the king had seen fit to send warriors to make sure his son, himself a skilled warrior, was safe out in the forest of his own home, so Aragorn had not teased the elf about it then. Now, however, the subject appeared to be fair game.

 

All the ranger got in return was a look that would have caused the man to instantly combust had the elf possessed the power to accomplish it. Aragorn merely shrugged and then looked off into the trees, where he now heard the sound of hooves on bare earth.

 

Just before two horses broke free of the surrounding trees, Legolas relaxed. It was instantly apparent why he did not fear the two riders that now headed straight for the campers.

 

“Elladan! Elrohir!” Aragorn cried, as he ran forward to greet his elven brothers. He hugged each in turn, as they dismounted and returned their younger brother’s embraces.

 

They were soon wrapping their arms around Legolas, as well. “We ran into one of your patrols nearby, and they told us where to find you two,” Elladan said innocently, not having any idea of the emotional storm he was stirring up in the woodland elf. Elladan frowned when he saw Legolas frowning.

 

Legolas’s next words were sharp. “Nearby, you say? Just where did you encounter them?”

 

“Just over the ridge on the other side of the stream,” Elrohir informed his friend, inclining his head due west. He could not imagine why that knowledge was clearly upsetting Legolas. Elladan turned a questioning look toward Aragorn.

 

It was Legolas, though, that spoke first. “They have probably been there the whole time we have been here,” he complained to Aragorn before turning and stalking away, jerking his head down sharply several times. The ranger could only imagine the oath that must have come out of the elf’s mouth.

 

“Did we come in on something we should not have interrupted?” Elladan asked almost tentatively.

 

“Sort of. I mean, you two did nothing wrong. It’s just that there’s a bit of a battle of wills going on between Legolas and Thranduil.”

 

The twins looked at each other, understanding that part of it but still in the dark as to the reason such a battle should exist. And their faces showed it.

 

“Come over to the fire and sit down,” Aragorn told them, as he turned and stood between his brothers. With an arm around each of their shoulders, the man pushed them gently toward the blazing campfire.

 

“Have you eaten?” Aragorn asked them, as they each took a seat on a fallen log several feet from the heat of the fire.

 

“We ate at the patrol’s camp,” Elrohir said. “We are not hungry.”

 

At the mention, yet again, of the patrol camped not far away, Aragorn looked toward Legolas, who was standing next to a large oak tree with his back to them. His head was still down and the palm of his right hand rested against the rough bark.

 

The eyes of the twins followed their brother‘s gaze toward the woodland prince. They still did not understand what was going on. Elladan just stared, while Elrohir’s impatience was getting the better of him. “What is wrong?”

 

All of a sudden, it came to Elladan. “You are upset, because your father has ordered a patrol to keep an eye on you. Is that not it?” He had directed his words toward Legolas’s back.

 

“That is exactly it,” Legolas said, as he turned around and graced his three friends with a stormy expression. “He is treating me like someone who can no longer take care of himself.”

 

“Legolas, that is not true.” Aragorn found himself defending Thranduil. “He nearly lost you forever, and he is frightened of doing so again.”

 

“I understand that, Estel. But it has been two years since Mordraug. He cannot keep me a virtual prisoner in this forest until the time we sail west to Valinor.” Legolas knew that two years by immortal elven standards was hardly any time at all. However, when those two years were spent in confinement without the ability to go where he chose, when he chose, it seemed a very long time indeed. “I am sure he never would have let his father do this to him.”

 

All present knew the King of Mirkwood well enough to be sure about the accuracy of that statement. Thranduil was as close to a force of nature as any elf they had ever seen or heard tell of.

 

“Well, I think that we may have a solution for you, Legolas,” Elladan informed the irate archer.

 

Legolas turned a hopeful, yet puzzled, look on the two Rivendell elves.

 

With a smile, Elladan said, “We have just come from seeing your father.”

 

“Ada had a message for King Thranduil, and we insisted on bringing it, so we could come here to see you,” Elrohir explained. “We arrived late yesterday and spent the night in the palace.”

 

Elladan took up the explanation again. “After evening meal last night, we asked him if you could come back to Rivendell with us for a visit.”

 

“I imagine that was a lively discussion,” Legolas couldn’t help saying, trying hard not to sound sarcastic.

 

“It was actually,” the oldest twin admitted. “We asked for you to come for three months, and return just before the snows would begin to close the mountain passes, but that was not acceptable to your father. We discussed it some more and after a while, Thranduil gave in.”

 

Legolas’s jaw dropped at those words. “My father gave in? Not possible.”

 

“He did,” Elrohir insisted then had to admit, “Well, part way anyway. He said you could go and be gone with us for six weeks.”

 

The blond elf sat down on the log next to the twins, looking for all the world like someone in deep shock, which was a pretty accurate description right then. “Six weeks?” was all he could manage to get out.

 

No one was sure if the archer was thinking that such a length of time was much longer than he was anticipating or much too short.

 

Elladan said, “The funny part is that we had originally decided on that length of time ourselves, but then we thought that he would probably cut that in half, so we asked for twice as long. He did end up halving it and saying six weeks.”

 

“I guess we kind of tricked him into that,” Elrohir said, smiling in satisfaction at the accomplishment.

 

To everyone’s surprise, Legolas burst out laughing. Aragorn did not think it was joyful laughter.

 

Legolas looked at the twins sympathetically. “You did not trick my father. I am sure he was well aware of what you were doing.”

 

At Elrohir’s doubtful expression, Aragorn nodded. “He is probably right, Elrohir. It is exceedingly hard to put anything over on Thranduil. I’ve learned that, if nothing else, over the years.”

 

Continuing his explanation, Legolas said, “My father said six weeks, not so much as a compromise, but more because that is as long as he will permit me to be gone. It will also ensure that even should an early snow arrive to block the passes, I will be safely back here under his thumb again long before that could happen.”

 

Even though Thranduil and Aragorn had come to an understanding during the incident with Mordraug, and Thranduil had accepted the friendship between his son and the ranger, Aragorn was relieved to know he would not have to face the king to argue Legolas’s case. He would have faced Eru himself, if it meant setting Legolas free from his confinement, but in truth, he hadn’t a clue as to how he would have handled facing Thranduil without lying, which Legolas had strictly forbid him from doing. This way his brothers accomplished the task in all innocent honesty.

 

Now the ranger’s face lit up. “However Thranduil meant it, it doesn’t really matter. You have been given six weeks, Legolas, so we can now go to Black Mountain.”

 

At the mention of going to Black Mountain, both Elladan and Elrohir looked at their human brother with stunned expressions. “What are you talking about, Estel?” Elladan asked. “We are going to Rivendell.”

 

“Yes, of course, it’s just that we are taking a slightly round-about way of getting there.” He grinned mischievously.

 

At Legolas’s sigh, Elladan cringed. “You really intend on going to Orod Moru? Estel, have you gone mad?” The elder twin couldn’t have been more shocked, if Estel had said he was going to cut off his own head.

 

“Yes, he has finally lost his mind completely,” Legolas answered.

 

“You agreed to go, too, you know,” the ranger quickly pointed out, as he stared at the blond elf.

 

“He badgered you until he talked you into it, did he not?” Elladan asked the young wood-elf. He knew his brother’s powers of persuasion. They had been used often enough on he and his twin.

 

Legolas nodded slightly, seemingly ashamed to actually say the simple word ‘yes‘.

 

“He had mentioned it a few times recently, about wanting to go there, I mean,” Elrohir said. “But, thinking our little brother was an intelligent representative of the human race, we did not take him seriously. Our mistake.”

 

“Estel...” the elder twin began but got no farther.

 

“You can save your breath, Elladan. Legolas gave me all the arguments last night that I care to hear. He and I are going and that is that. If you would like to go, then you will be most welcome. Otherwise, I wish to hear no more about it.” The ranger’s words sounded harsh, but his tone was not. He was just very adamant about not going over the same ground he had already covered with the Mirkwood prince.

 

Legolas stood up, turned and moved several paces away from his friends before turning back to face them. He was trying to decide if he should leave and let his father think he was on his way to Rivendell or whether he should go back and have it out with Thranduil once and for all. He thought that the latter was probably the better course, but he was still upset about the whole patrol business.

 

Watching the emotions playing across the archer’s face, Aragorn had a pretty good idea what the elf was thinking, so he finally asked, “Are you going to talk to your father?”

 

Making his decision, Legolas shook his head. “It would do no good. I could argue with him until Middle-earth fades, and he would never agree to let me get anywhere near that mountain. We have this one chance right now, so if we are going, we will have to go directly to Orod Moru from here.”

 

 

Chapter Three

 

Aragorn frowned slightly. It was now his turn to be reluctant. “Legolas, Are you sure you do not wish to talk to your father first? He will be furious at you, not ot mention worried, when he finds out we have not gone straight to Rivendell.”

 

“I do not wish to cause my father needless worry, nor do I like deception, Estel. You know that, but I am not a child, and I refuse to be treated like one. Two years is long enough for my father to spend deciding where I can and cannot go. Even Balardorn has argued with him about letting me leave Mirkwood. My father refused to change his mind. I will deal with him when I return,” the elf said with a no-nonsense tone that made it clear he was not going to change his mind, either.

 

The ranger, despite all his arguing for them to go to Black Mountain to begin with, was now experiencing a bit of doubt that Legolas should let his feelings of being pinned in and watched, cloud his judgment. He wanted to go, but he didn’t want Legolas to feel guilty afterward that he had tricked his father, something Legolas had just told the twins was almost impossible to do.

 

The man had visions of the nearby patrol being sent after them to Black Mountain and then dragging Legolas back to Mirkwood. He didn’t even want to think about what his friend’s reaction to that humiliation would be. So it was with a sigh and a glance at the wood-elf’s familiar expression of determination that he said, “All right then, we leave for Black Mountain.”

 

Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other. It was abundantly clear that both Estel and Legolas were definitely going to Orod Moru. It remained to be revealed to them just why, but for now, they had to make up their minds if they were going to accompany their brother and their long-time friend.

 

“We cannot let them go alone,” Elrohir whispered to his older twin.

 

“You are right, of course,” Elladan agreed. He turned to look at Estel and Legolas. “We will accompany you, but you must tell us why you would even want to go to that dreadful place.”

 

As the four of them began to break camp in preparation for the coming journey, the ranger began to explain.

 

Elladan and Elrohir just looked at each other, when Aragorn finished his story. They each had both a feeling of dread and a thrill of excitement at the prospect of going to the infamous mountain and possibly accomplishing what their brother had suggested: solving a long-held mystery. The trick was going to be surviving long enough to get that information to the ‘outside‘ world.

 

Turning his mind to a more immediate issue, Elrohir asked, “What about the patrol?”

 

“I will deal with them,” Legolas said resolutely. He mounted his gray stallion, Elenblaith <Starspirit>, and headed for the ridge and the patrol camp beyond.

 

He returned in less than twenty minutes. “Luck is with us,” he said. “My father sent them a message that I was going to be leaving Mirkwood, and they were to resume their normal duties. They were just mounting up to continue their patrol, when I arrived.”

 

Legolas did not mention that he had felt close to embarrassment, knowing that those warriors, all of whom he had either served with at one time or another or captained, had known exactly why they had been camped where they were. He shrugged the feeling off. There was nothing he could do about it now anyway. Being a prince of the realm as well as a patrol captain would likely protect him from being teased by all but the closest of his elven friends. He shook his head. That, at least, was in the future.

 

He sighed, forcing himself not to think about the nagging feeling of guilt that pricked at the edge of his mind at the idea of letting his father think he was doing one thing while not only doing something completely different but doing something that he knew his father would not have allowed. The feeling he had had nothing to do with getting revenge for Thranduil’s over-protectiveness. ‘I love you, Ada, but i have to do this for myself. I hope you will understand.’

 

Soon the four companions were on their way north to Black Mountain and to whatever was awaiting them there.

 

*~*~*~*

 

For five days the three elves and one human had been making their way steadily northward. leaving the great forest of Mirkwood far in their wake. The anticipation of what might await them on Black Mountain was held in check, even by Aragorn, as the four companions hunted and camped along the way. They did not tarry, knowing their time was limited, but neither did they rush along in a tear to reach their goal.

 

By the fourth day, they had reached a point beyond which even Aragorn’s travels as a ranger had not led him. The elves, likewise, had never been to the region that now surrounded them.

 

All four were soon lost in a world that offered much in the way of game and opportunities to briefly explore seemingly virgin forest and stream. It was not strictly so, of course, since many had been this way before, but few called it home.

 

During the journey, the four friends stayed in one place only long enough to hunt and sleep. Their noon meals were spent on the move, usually consisting of dried meat and/or lembas.

 

The air cooled slightly as they moved away from the warmer weather to the south, yet the only real chill came with the winds that blew through their camp every night, typically after midnight. The days, however, remained comfortably warm and flooded with sunlight. In every direction, the landscape, whether deep forest or open meadow, grew profusely in various shades of green.

 

Being a wood-elf, Legolas, even more than the twins, embraced the world of living things that he found wherever he looked. The Song of Life stirred deep within his soul and brought him a peace that nothing else could quite match. The small forests that they traversed sang their greetings to the young silvan prince, happy to have him in their midst. He happily returned the joy they expressed.

 

More than once, Legolas had to restrain himself from leaping off of Elenblaith’s back into whatever tree happened to be above him.

 

Finally, when Aragorn had caught Legolas, a wistful look on his face, staring up into the branches of a tree, he had said, “Go ahead, Legolas. Climb up there and commune. It’s getting late anyway. We’ll camp here and call you, when the meal is ready.”

 

The elf had vanished into the foliage so fast it brought laughter from the three Rivendell brothers. Aragorn, in particular, had chuckled heartily, as he slipped off of his horse and began to unload his packs. “Give him a new tree to talk to...” He didn’t need to finish the sentence.

 

When called later, Legolas had come down to eat and then had gone back up among the happy tree’s branches. It filled his heart with joy to commune with a tree in a forest he had never seen before. There was always something new to learn, and the young wood-elf was always eager to learn it.

 

It wasn’t long after the night had spread its cloak of darkness over the land that Legolas’s sweet, clear voice was lifted in song. It continued far into the night, sending his companions gently onto the path of dreams.

 

*~*~*~*

 

The four rode steadily northward, and on the fifth day, they rounded a large pair of dark gray boulders set on the edge of a small forest. Sitting directly ahead of them, and rising upward to contrast starkly against the azure sky, was the infamous Black Mountain. It was a breathtakingly beautiful sight.

 

Though the dark mystery that surrounded the mountain made its name quite appropriate, it had originally received its name from the black granite that made up its mass. Even the warmth of summer could not melt the crystalline snow that packed the higher elevations and sparkled like sugar in the sunshine. Black jagged ridges jutted from the bulk of the mountain, making the white snow in between look even more pristine.

 

On this day, there were no clouds and no mist, making it easy to see all the way to the twelve thousand foot summit.

 

Aragorn let out a soft whistle, as he gazed at the imposing mountain before him. He couldn’t suppress a thrill at the idea that he would soon be setting foot this mystery-shrouded legend.

 

By contrast, Legolas felt a shiver go through him. The sensation was fleeting, but he knew he had not imagined it. He had expected to feel evil rolling off of the mountain in waves. He had grown up with evil and knew well the feel of it. Yet strangely enough, looking at the mountain now, he had only an echo of danger, not dissimilar to what he felt when encountering any common peril.

 

Even the valley forest where Mordraug had lived had radiated evil. The foreboding he had felt then was absent now. Still, the elf was not foolish enough to discount this present danger just because it did not spring from the kind of malevolence that made up the Shadow of the Dark Lord. It would be prudent to remember that even common danger could be just as deadly.

 

Legolas glanced at Elladan and Elrohir and wondered what they were thinking. When a smile broke out on Elrohir’s face, Legolas had his answer. “This is going to be some adventure,” the younger twin said.

 

“My argument exactly,” Aragorn said, looking pointedly at Legolas. The Mirkwood-elf was not looking his way and didn‘t react to his words, though he knew, of course, that they were aimed directly at him.

 

Legolas shook off any feelings of doubt that may have been trying to get his attention and now looked at the mountain with undisguised admiring eyes. “It is beautiful,” he had to admit in genuine appreciation of its majesty.

 

Aragorn swept his right arm in an arc toward the mountain. “Shall we?” Without waiting for a response from anyone, he started forward.

 

*~*~*~*

 

It took most the rest of the day to reach the small foothills that surrounded the base of the mountain. It was clear to all that they would have to make camp for the night and begin their ascent early the next morning.

 

After half an hour of looking, they finally found a somewhat sheltered spot to set up their camp. The trees here were small and windblown, but enough of them were found on a level spot near the bottom of one of the hills to serve as a suitable place to spend the night.

 

After the horses were tended to, the fire built and the meal cooked and eaten, the four sat around the fire and began discussing their plans for the next day.

 

“We will have to decide where to leave the horses,” Aragorn pointed out.

 

Legolas nodded. “I know they cannot be left on the mountain should we try to take them up as far as we can ride them, but I hate allowing them to stay too close to its base, either. We do not know what lurks here, and I would not leave them in danger.”

 

“Nor would I,” Aragorn agreed.

 

It had taken them five days to reach here by horseback. Coming here on foot had never even been considered an option. Legolas was right. However, they could not leave the horses to try to fend off who knew what kind of danger that may be awaiting the chance to strike them up on the slopes. The extra time they would save them by riding farther up the mountain was not worth the risk.

 

“I saw a small valley off to our right, as we topped this hill,” Elrohir said. “It looked like a stream was close by. I could take the horses there in the morning and leave them. I think they would be safe enough until we return.”

 

Elven horses were famous for obeying to the letter whatever instructions were given them, so after a few moments discussion, Elrohir’s idea was agreed upon. He would take them to the valley in the morning, tell them to stay there unless danger threatened and then they were to flee to safety until sought out and called by their masters.

 

The next discussion involved food and supplies. None of them wanted to lug all of their packs with them, yet they would need a supply of food and water, since they couldn’t be sure whether or not there was anything worth hunting on the mountain itself. They would also need blankets, because their cloaks alone would not be enough protection against the biting winds and the snow. The pack containing Aragorn’s healing supplies wasn’t even mentioned, as it was a must to take.

 

They all spent the next hour arranging and rearranging everything they had decided to take with them and everything they would be leaving behind. Each one of them would carry parts of everything, so if a pack was lost, they wouldn’t lose all of any one thing. Even the healing herbs were split up to a degree, although Aragorn kept most of them.

 

Once all was in readiness, they set the watches and then settled down to get as much sleep as they could.

 

Legolas. taking the second watch that began at midnight, had his back against one of the trees on the outer edge of the camp. his right leg was pulled up so that the bottom of his foot rested against the trunk beside his left knee. His bow was leaning lightly against his left side. Both the camp and the mountain were in front of him. All of his senses were trained on his surroundings.

 

It was close to the end of his watch, when the howls began.

 

The first sound the elf heard was a single, haunting howl that sent a shiver down his spine. To an untrained ear, it might have sounded like an ordinary wolf, baying at the full moon that rode high in the night sky. However, to the sensitive ears of an elf, the timbre of it was slightly different, far more chilling than the cries of an ordinary wolf. It was like nothing the archer had ever heard before.

 

In an instant the elf had straightened and taken up his bow. The second time he heard a howl, this time a deeper-throated sound, it was a bit nearer to his position, so he drew an arrow from his quiver and set it to his bowstring. He did not pull back on it, only kept it ready, because he did not, as yet, feel that whatever had made the sound was near enough to be an immediate danger to him or his sleeping friends.

 

After a third howl drifted down from the mountain side, this time more to the right, Legolas stepped away from the tree, He moved several paces forward, stopping at the edged of the shadow cast by the tree. He did not want to reveal his position to any prying eyes. His own keen eyes searched the silvery moon glow for any sign that the danger was moving any closer. The fourth howl revealed to Legolas that these creatures, were apparently content to stay up on the mountain, for the time being anyway.

 

The elf did not know how long he stood there, utterly silent and unmoving, trying to pick out movement or another sound, when he heard his name spoken softly from several feet away.

 

He recognized Elladan’s voice immediately.

 

The dark-haired elf approached him slowly, not sure if Legolas had heard him or not. “Legolas?” he repeated.

 

“I hear you, Elladan.” It was then that the wood-elf turned his head toward his friend.

 

When Elladan reached Legolas’s side, he asked, “Is there something out there that has caught your attention? The way you were standing with your bow ready to be drawn, you were obviously looking at or listening to something. I did not want to distract you.”

 

“I heard howling from several individuals, high up on the mountain. It was a strange sound, similar to a wolf yet not exactly so. I do not feel that the danger, if indeed that sound represent such, is moving toward us. Yet...”

 

“Yet what?” the elder twin asked.

 

“I think they may know we are here.”

 

Now it was a shiver that went down Elladan’s spine. Of all the words Legolas could have said, those were not the ones he wanted to hear.

 

“It is time for my watch. Do you think you will be able to go back to sleep now?”

 

Legolas grinned, as he took the arrow from the bowstring and put it back in his quiver. “If you think you can stand guard without me, I will find sleep again.”

 

Elladan nodded. “I believe I can handle things by myself. However, I will not hesitate to call for your aid should I prove to be mistaken.”

 

Legolas grinned and gave the Rivendell elf a light slap on the shoulder, as he headed to where his blanket lay. Despite his confident words to Elladan, it took Legolas a while to get back to sleep. He wasn’t really worried; he was more curious than anything. What creature could have made such a sound? He had the distinct feeling that before long he and his friends would know all too well what it was.

 ]

 

Chapter Four

 

Just before dawn, Elrohir got up from his bedroll and prepared to take the horses to the little valley he had mentioned the previous evening.

 

Aragorn, having taken the last watch and was thus awake, approached Elrohir, as the elf swung up onto his mare’s back and called softly to the other horses. The ranger reached the mounted elf‘s side and placed his hand on his brother’s leg. “Be careful, Elrohir. I’m sure you know there is danger afoot.”

 

“I will, Estel,” the elf replied with a reassuring grin. “Keep yourselves out of trouble.” He said it as if he wasn’t too sure that was going to happen.

 

Aragorn chuckled. “We will be waiting for your return.”

 

By the time Elrohir was over the hill and out of sight, the eastern sky had begun to fade. One by one the stars winked out, as golden light traveled westward, pushing the inky blue of deep night ahead of it and leaving in its wake a bright blue that heralded a new day.

 

Aragorn retuned to sit by the fire he had re-stoked not long ago. He packed the bowl of his pipe with pipeweed, lit it and sat leisurely smoking. He glanced at his oldest brother and his best friend, both lying on their backs, eyes wide open, completely lost in the realm of elven dreams.

 

All that remained for them to do was eat and hide the packs they were not taking with them. It would probably take Elrohir close to an hour to take the horses to their secluded little valley and return on foot, so there was no reason to wake Legolas and Elladan just yet.

 

The man now occupied his mind thinking, as he had done earlier during his watch, on the howling that Elladan had told him Legolas had heard. The elder twin had not been witness to the sounds himself nor had he detected any other noises coming from the mountain, while he stood watch. Aragorn wanted to question Legolas about exactly what he had heard and his impressions of it, but such inquiries could wait a little while longer.

 

The ranger turned his attention back to Black Mountain, watching as the snow-capped summit glowed a golden white in the rising sunshine. Danger notwithstanding, he could not avoid admiring it beauty as much in the early morning light, as he had the day before.

 

Looking at the majestic mountain now, it was hard to believe that it was labeled evil and fearfully avoided by all but the most hardy of adventurous souls.

 

Even lost in thought as he was, it did not startle him, when he glanced back toward the fire and saw Legolas approaching him. He was used to the stealthy silence of his friend’s movements.

 

When he had awoken, Legolas had immediately looked toward where the horses were being kept near the campsite. “I see that Elrohir has left already. I hope that valley he saw will keep the horses safe.”

 

“He wouldn’t take them there, if he had any doubts.” Aragorn’s tone was not spoken as harshly as the words might indicate.

 

“You are right, of course,” Legolas conceded, wondering why he had even spoken his concern out loud. He didn’t doubt Elrohir. He knew his elven friend would make sure all was secure before he would ever leave the horses on their own. He would bring them straight back, if there was even a hint of danger anywhere near them.

 

Legolas shook his head. Perhaps the howling lingered in his mind more than he realized. He wasn’t afraid. It was just that there were so many unknowns regarding this mountain and whatever lived there. Caution would have to be at the forefront of their minds, when they headed upward.

 

“What do you think caused the howling? Wolves?” Aragorn asked, taking another puff on his pipe and watching as it was grabbed by the early morning breeze and sent twisting away until it dissolved, only to be followed by another.

 

As usual, Legolas was sitting on the other side of the fire, which was upwind of the ranger. He couldn’t handle the foul smoke his friend‘s pipe produced.

 

He had long ago given up trying to talk the ranger out of igniting the noxious weed and then inhaling the resulting smoke. All of his arguments had had about as much effect on the man as arguing against coming here had. So the elf just kept his distance, switching locations whenever the wind shifted and threatened to send the offensive smoke up his sensitive nose.

 

Ignoring his friend’s bad habit, Legolas shrugged. “I do not know. It sounded somewhat similar to wolves, but I do not think that is what it is.”

 

“Any guesses?” Elladan asked, as he joined his human brother and his elven friend. He sat next to Legolas, away from the pipe smoke.

 

“None,” Legolas replied. “This is new territory for us all. There is no telling what lies up on those black slopes. It could be a type of wolf, probably related to those roaming throughout Middle-earth. Or it could be something completely different.”

 

That idea had not occurred to Aragorn. Elladan had mentioned howling and wolves were the first and only thought the ranger had. His curiosity was peaked, however, he knew he would not get any answers until he saw the creatures for himself.

 

Elrohir entered the camp just as Elladan was dishing up warmed-up portions of stew left over from the previous evening’s meal. It was hardly a first choice for something to eat so early in the morning but it wouldn’t keep and they weren’t about to waste it.

 

Elladan looked up and grinned. “Always in time for a meal.”

 

“Of course,” the younger twin replied. He sat down next to Legolas and took the plate of food his brother was offering. “There is nothing like a good run to get the appetite stirring.”

 

After handing out the other two plates of food, Elladan took his own plate and sat down on the other side of Legolas. “How do the horses like their temporary home?”

 

“They seemed quite happy with it, running around and exploring before I even got out of sight.” On a more serious note, he added, “They will stay put and be vigilant for danger.”

 

After a moment, Elrohir looked up from his plate. “Put that nasty pipe away, Estel, and we will sit with you.” The three elves were all seated together on one side of the fire while the man sat alone on the other side.

 

“I know the real reason,” the ranger said in a very pitiful voice. “You all blame keeping your distance on my pipe smoking, but the truth is that you do not like me.”

 

The elves looked at each other and laughed. “He has found us out!” cried Elrohir.

 

“Indeed he has,” Elladan agreed, his brows furrowing in a deep frown, pretending to be disappointed in that fact.

 

Legolas just feigned innocence, bent his head down over his plate and went back to eating the last portion of his meal.

 

A short time later, the dishes and the small, now-empty pot were cleaned and divided up to be taken with them. Once that was done, Legolas slung the two large packs that they were leaving behind over his shoulder and carried them up to the top of the highest tree in the area. He secured them among its branches and then dropped soundlessly to the ground. There was no reason to believe that anyone would be climbing any of these trees while they were gone.

 

*~*~*~*

 

The mountain was studied with critical eyes in the hopes of finding the easiest way to ascend. By the time the four companions had reached the bottom edge of the granite slopes where they had decided to make their climb, the sun was shining down on them in full force.

 

The trail that soon revealed itself was a natural path that led upward between the great rocks making up one of the vertical ridges. The ground, though uneven and covered with small pebbles, was broad enough to accommodate people side by side.

 

They stepped onto the rocky trail and began their climb. They were a long way from the snowline, but the light wind they were encountering carried a sharp crispness that blew straight down from the heights into their faces.

 

The rocks were starting to rise up taller and many were now closer to the path, forcing the companions to start walking single file.

 

The trail also became steeper, which was to be expected. It zig-zagged only slightly, making most of the going relatively straight up and thus harder on the legs. Even had there been no danger to the horses from whatever lived on the mountain, they probably couldn’t have made it up this trail, at any rate.

 

Legolas had taken up the lead and scanned ahead of them. Aragorn came next and looked to the right. Elrohir walked behind him and was responsible for covering their left side, while Elladan, in the rear, glanced frequently over his shoulder, as he kept his ears focused behind them. It wasn’t until they paused for the mid-day meal that they swapped positions and reversed the order in which they traveled.

 

The sun moved relentlessly across the sky overhead, reaching its zenith and then sinking into the west. The tall rock wall of the vertical ridge to their left soon blocked the rays of the sun and plunged the friends into shadow, though it was still bright enough to maneuver. However, that changed, as the day began to wane even further.

 

The elves’ vision was not only clearer at long distances, able to pick out details of things that mortals couldn’t even see, but elven eyes were also able to pull in more light, and thus they could see better in gloom and shadow. So of them all only Aragorn would have trouble negotiating the pebble-strewn trail once the shadows deepened. The ranger, who had forever tried to compete with his elven brothers while growing up, had never been happy with this part of his mortal limitations but had eventually, though reluctantly, accepted it.

 

“We need to start thinking about a place to spend the night,” Elladan pointed out, from his current position at the front of the line.

 

“Do you see an acceptable place to stop?” Legolas called up to the eldest twin.

 

“Not so far,” Elladan answered. He looked up at the sky, a bit dismayed to see a couple of stars already beginning to make their appearance. Still, it was not fully dark yet. “We can go a little longer, I think. Hopefully, something will soon make itself known.”

 

Aragorn was now having to watch the path in front of his feet. He knew that his brothers ahead of him wouldn’t let him wander off the path, but he worried that he might step on a stone that could slide out from under him or that he might trip over the raised edge of the stone they traveled upon. Even if he escaped injury, he knew he would never live it down. Elves had very long memories, and these elves in particular never passed up an opportunity to tease.

 

Not twenty yards ahead of them, they came upon a group of boulders that formed an overhang deep enough to accommodate all four of the friends and their packs. The shelter sat in the middle of a protruding ledge with a sheer drop off of many hundreds of feet right below it.

 

Aragorn eyed the shelter skeptically. “The whole thing hangs out over nothing. If that ledge decides to give way...”

 

Elrohir shook his head. “Estel, that ledge will not fall. It is too solid.”

 

“Good. Then you sleep in the back. I’ll stay nearest the trail.” When everyone else laughed, the man stared at them. “I’m serious. You saw all those huge boulders we passed on the way up here. Just where do you think they came from?”

 

“Fine,” Elrohir said, not answering the question. “I will sleep in the back, and you can take my turn at watch.”

 

During the journey, the watches had been divided into three parts. Each night one person was allowed to sleep through the night undisturbed. Last night, Elrohir had been the one to skip taking a watch. This night it was Aragorn who was scheduled to get a full night’s sleep.

 

Eyeing the ledge once again, this time taking a closer look and seeing that all the rocks making up the shelter were large and solid-looking, with no cracks visible. “I’m not going to give up my night’s sleep. I’ll take my chances on the rocks staying put.”

 

“That’s what I thought,” Elrohir said smugly.

 

They all settled into the shelter, as the last of the day’s light faded into night. Each of the friends carried some tinder and wood chips to start and maintain a small fire, but not wanting to attract any unwanted attention in this forbidding place, no fire was attempted. Lembas served as the evening meal.

 

*~*~*~*

 

No sooner had Legolas begun the last watch than the howling started. Each howl was answered by another creature in a different location, some farther away than others, some to the right and some to the left. There were more than half a dozen different creatures by Legolas’s reckoning. None of the sounds seemed to be moving. However, the elf knew that could change in a flash.

 

‘Why does this happen only on my watch?’ Legolas questioned to himself. He was tempted to go and investigate but, of course, there was no question of leaving his friends. He would also not wake them---yet.

 

Looking back at the small sleeping group in the shelter, Legolas moved out onto the trail. He checked it in both directions and then raised his eyes to scan the higher elevations. The snow that draped the upper third of Black Mountain glowed bluish silver in the moon light, but there was no movement that the young elf could perceive.

 

Then a slight movement several yards up the trail caught his attention. He had seen it out of the corner of his eye. Jerking his head down, he stared, sure he had seen a shadow darker than the surrounding night move swiftly across the trail.

 

Straining his senses to their fullest, he kept perfectly still and listened. There was no movement now and nothing stirred, not even the air. The only sound he heard was the pounding of his own heart. Taking deep breaths, he forced himself to calm.