Disclaimer: all characters, settings, and elvish language are strictly from the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien or inspired by him.
Setting: It is 20 years after the War of the Ring. Legolas and Gimli have both come to Ithilien with other elves and dwarves to help Prince Faramir and Princess Eowyn re-build the war stricken country. But they find that with Sauron's death not all evil has left Middle-Earth.
Chapter I
An Unexpected Incident
The dead elf's body lay in the middle of the road bent in a very unnatural way. Bloodstains were found everywhere on the victim's clothing, and the ground underneath him was saturated with it. At the neck was nothing where the head should have been. In fact, the head was to be found a few yards away, gruesomely impaled on the branch of a nearby tree. The eyes had been removed.
Legolas bent over the figure looking for hints as to who or what had committed this atrocity. He noticed a glint of silver next to the body, and picked up a mithril chain with an Elven betrothal charm on it. He held it in his hand a moment then slowly stood to face his best friend, Gimli. "I do not understand this."
Gimli watched the elf with tremendous sympathy. Legolas had only been lord of the elf colony in Ithilien for 18 years, a very short time for an elf, but he felt responsible for all who were in his care. The death of an elf was a rare thing, except in times of war, and one so horrible as this must have greatly disturbed him. Gimli smiled to himself. Not that the stubborn elf would ever show it!
The dead elf's name was Luvien, and up until today he had been one of the best warriors in Legolas's service. Gimli and Legolas had gone searching for him when his captain had reported him missing. The elf who was to relieve him from watch duty had found no one at the appointed meeting place and time.
As it happened Legolas and Gimli had stumbled upon Luvien's body almost a full league from where he was to have been keeping his watch. They were at the southeastern edge of the dale, which was home to the village of the elves in Ithilien, and far from any roads or paths. Whoever had committed the crime had known where to go to avoid being seen.
"I would think he had been mauled by a wild animal if not for the head." Gimli picked up a piece of bloodied cloak at his feet. The last human, elf or dwarf to die in Ithilien from anything other than an accident or natural causes was in the last of the orc raids some 18 years ago. Once those foul creatures had been taken care of Ithilien had become quiet and peaceful once again. Gimli threw the piece of cloak on the ground in disgust.
Legolas had removed his cloak and laid it on the ground next to Luvien' s body. Slowly he rose and went to the head mounted on the tree branch and gingerly removed it. Gimli saw him shudder slightly as the head came suddenly loose. The dwarf himself felt slightly sick as he watched his friend. Legolas wrapped the body and head tightly in the cloak then hoisted the heavy burden onto the back of his horse.
Sadness hung over the elf like a rain cloud. "It is obvious that he was murdered Gimli, but I do not know who or how or why. Alas that I do not have Aragorn's talent for tracking and reading clues left on the earth. Then, perhaps, I could begin to explain this." Legolas looked again at Luvien's mithril chain, "For I do not know how I can tell Luvien's wife this grave news if I cannot tell her why." The elf suddenly looked much older, as if the weight of his actual years had suddenly come upon him. It angered Gimli to see his friend like this.
"Legolas, I cannot abide this! We must search out this enemy and bring him or them to swift justice! I will go and bring ten of my hardiest dwarves, and you bring ten of your fiercest warriors! Together we will find this murderer and repay him in kind for this accursed deed!" Gimli pulled out his axe and tested the blade, "If they are so fond of beheading perhaps they will enjoy the feel of my axe upon their neck! Come let us go quickly!" Placing his axe back in the leather thong at his waist the dwarf marched determinedly to his pony and mounted it (much to Gimli's dislike he had been forced to learn to ride since coming to Ithilien). He turned and expected to see Legolas right behind him, but the elf had not moved.
"Whoever did this, Gimli, is long gone. It will prove useless to begin such a search now. We must ride to Amon Galen and tell Prince Faramir what has happened." Legolas looked down again at the mithril necklace, his face seemed unusually grim to Gimli, "I do not know why, but I fear that there is graver peril at hand than you or I guess."
Setting: It is 20 years after the War of the Ring. Legolas and Gimli have both come to Ithilien with other elves and dwarves to help Prince Faramir and Princess Eowyn re-build the war stricken country. But they find that with Sauron's death not all evil has left Middle-Earth.
Chapter I
An Unexpected Incident
The dead elf's body lay in the middle of the road bent in a very unnatural way. Bloodstains were found everywhere on the victim's clothing, and the ground underneath him was saturated with it. At the neck was nothing where the head should have been. In fact, the head was to be found a few yards away, gruesomely impaled on the branch of a nearby tree. The eyes had been removed.
Legolas bent over the figure looking for hints as to who or what had committed this atrocity. He noticed a glint of silver next to the body, and picked up a mithril chain with an Elven betrothal charm on it. He held it in his hand a moment then slowly stood to face his best friend, Gimli. "I do not understand this."
Gimli watched the elf with tremendous sympathy. Legolas had only been lord of the elf colony in Ithilien for 18 years, a very short time for an elf, but he felt responsible for all who were in his care. The death of an elf was a rare thing, except in times of war, and one so horrible as this must have greatly disturbed him. Gimli smiled to himself. Not that the stubborn elf would ever show it!
The dead elf's name was Luvien, and up until today he had been one of the best warriors in Legolas's service. Gimli and Legolas had gone searching for him when his captain had reported him missing. The elf who was to relieve him from watch duty had found no one at the appointed meeting place and time.
As it happened Legolas and Gimli had stumbled upon Luvien's body almost a full league from where he was to have been keeping his watch. They were at the southeastern edge of the dale, which was home to the village of the elves in Ithilien, and far from any roads or paths. Whoever had committed the crime had known where to go to avoid being seen.
"I would think he had been mauled by a wild animal if not for the head." Gimli picked up a piece of bloodied cloak at his feet. The last human, elf or dwarf to die in Ithilien from anything other than an accident or natural causes was in the last of the orc raids some 18 years ago. Once those foul creatures had been taken care of Ithilien had become quiet and peaceful once again. Gimli threw the piece of cloak on the ground in disgust.
Legolas had removed his cloak and laid it on the ground next to Luvien' s body. Slowly he rose and went to the head mounted on the tree branch and gingerly removed it. Gimli saw him shudder slightly as the head came suddenly loose. The dwarf himself felt slightly sick as he watched his friend. Legolas wrapped the body and head tightly in the cloak then hoisted the heavy burden onto the back of his horse.
Sadness hung over the elf like a rain cloud. "It is obvious that he was murdered Gimli, but I do not know who or how or why. Alas that I do not have Aragorn's talent for tracking and reading clues left on the earth. Then, perhaps, I could begin to explain this." Legolas looked again at Luvien's mithril chain, "For I do not know how I can tell Luvien's wife this grave news if I cannot tell her why." The elf suddenly looked much older, as if the weight of his actual years had suddenly come upon him. It angered Gimli to see his friend like this.
"Legolas, I cannot abide this! We must search out this enemy and bring him or them to swift justice! I will go and bring ten of my hardiest dwarves, and you bring ten of your fiercest warriors! Together we will find this murderer and repay him in kind for this accursed deed!" Gimli pulled out his axe and tested the blade, "If they are so fond of beheading perhaps they will enjoy the feel of my axe upon their neck! Come let us go quickly!" Placing his axe back in the leather thong at his waist the dwarf marched determinedly to his pony and mounted it (much to Gimli's dislike he had been forced to learn to ride since coming to Ithilien). He turned and expected to see Legolas right behind him, but the elf had not moved.
"Whoever did this, Gimli, is long gone. It will prove useless to begin such a search now. We must ride to Amon Galen and tell Prince Faramir what has happened." Legolas looked down again at the mithril necklace, his face seemed unusually grim to Gimli, "I do not know why, but I fear that there is graver peril at hand than you or I guess."