AN: I wish to thank Lydwina Marie, Tobiramamara, MistressOfImladris, d'elfe, Golshad, Guest, Mclouare, mystarlight, and Charming Ever After for their lovely reviews!

AN2: This chapter was co-written by both Raider-K and myself. It is so much fun to be able to write with her. Thank you, Raider!

Rule #24: Always keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

They awoke early the next morning, traveling on the East-West Road. Even with the gloom of the Trollshaws to the right of their path, the bright rising sun did much to brighten Glorfindel's mood that morning. He had not slept the night before, staying awake long after his night's watch ended. In truth traveling near the Rhudaur made him uneasy. In the light of day, the forest looked harmless enough, even lovely with its tall beech trees and light scattering of wildflowers along the forest floor—but that was only during the day. There was a reason why it was called the Trollshaws, and he would feel much better once they reached the Last Bridge and crossed the River Hoarwell, leaving the gloom of the forest behind them.

Glorfindel was determined to keep his friends safe. He did not worry as much about Elrohir and Elladan—they could fend well enough on their own—but his thoughts kept returning to Calaerneth. Her face the night the orcs attacked was not something he would soon forget. For so long, he had prided himself on his discipline as a warrior, his self-control, but all that seemed to slip away when he was in her presence. She had kissed him last night, and Valar help him, he kissed her back. He loved her, and it was ridiculous how much of his self-control went out the window when she was concerned. More than a little of his treacherous heart whispered that she must love him too, or else she would never have kissed him the way she had. At some point, Glorfindel knew he would have to let her go if what she believed was true—that she was married in her past life to his brother-in-arms, Ecthelion. He knew Cal believed it whole-heartedly, only...it just felt wrong to him. Conversely, being with Cal, kissing her, talking to her, the way her eyes sparkled in the morning sun—Glorfindel knew she was meant for him. Not Ecthelion. It was why he hadn't given a second thought to agreeing to accompany her on this journey. He would take any opportunity to spend one more second in her presence, and if Calaerneth was determined to trek halfway across the map, he wouldn't trust anybody to keep her more safe than he could.

In the distance, the top capstones of the Last Bridge gleamed brightly in the early morning light. Three arches crossed the rushing river at the bottom of a deep valley. The Last Bridge was truly what it was in name—the only bridge to cross the River Hoarwell for a hundred miles.

"Glorfy?" Estel's little voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Yes, Estel?"

"This wood is named Trollshaws, right?"

Glorfindel craned his head to see Estel's earnest expression.

"That is correct."

"Well, what's to keep some of those big nasty trolls from leaving the woods and hiding under the bridge?" Estel's voice rose. "And then once you get toward the middle, they nab you!"

Glorfindel tried to keep his expression serious for Estel's benefit. "Well, little one. The bridge is perfectly safe—"

"Trolls like to hide under bridges!" Estel insisted. "Elladan told me a story about these three little billy goats that tried to cross a bridge, and a big nasty troll gobbled them up."

Elladan looked rather sheepish, and Glorfindel narrowed his eyes at him. "How about this, Estel? When we reach the bridge, I'll ride across first, and you will see that the Last Bridge is perfectly safe."

Estel seemed mollified by the notion. "That could be good, I guess."

"You will see," Glorfindel assured him. "The Last Bridge is perfectly safe—and Troll-free. There is nothing for you to worry about in the slightest."

Suddenly a loud scream reverberated through the Trollshaws, causing all to stop dead in their tracks. "What was that?" Elladan asked, instinctively gripping his little brother tighter.

"I do not know," Glorfindel replied, drawing his sword looking around while at the same time not leaving Cal's side. "But whatever or whoever it is sounds too close for comfort."

"It's the bridge trolls!" yelped Estel.

Just as Elrohir was about to add to the conversation, the shrilling sound ripped through the air once more causing little Estel to draw his tiny sword no bigger than a letter opener, his big gray eyes looking more like a barn owl than a small child. "If you accidentally stab me with that thing, Estel so help me," Elladan growled, although he would never truly do anything to his brother. Truth be told, Elladan thought Estel looked rather adorable in his small warrior mode and could not help but crack the tiniest of smiles.

While the others were busy drawing their weapons, Cal could not help but feel like she had heard that scream before. "I think we should help them. They may be hurt," she said, drawing everyone's attention to her momentarily.

"Are you serious? We do not know if it is even human! It sounds more like a mix between an orc and a dying pig!" Elrohir replied, earning a warning glare from his mentor.

Cal sighed exasperatedly. "Glorfindel, please, can we at least try and see if it is someone who is in need of help?"

Glorfindel could not deny Cal her request even though he silently was in agreement with Elrohir. They did not know if it was a trap, and one wrong move could jeopardize the mission and the very lives of those he swore to protect. "Very well, we will move in quietly, but not a single sound until we know if it is friend or foe." Not bothering to sheath his sword, he motioned for everyone to follow him toward the screams.

When they arrived at the scene, it did not take long for the group to discover the source of the commotion, and the twins could not help but let out a loud laugh. There up in a tree, eyes closed tight as he held on for dear life, was Rodwen. Below him on the ground, attempting to climb up was a large boar.

"Shoo, you horrid beast!" Rodwen screamed once more again drawing more laughs from the bystanders.

"Glorfindel, please do something," Cal said, trying not to laugh herself.

"Do we really have to? This is the most fun we have had in days!" Glorfindel asked, nearly choking on his own laughter.

Cal narrowed her eyes leaving no room for debate.

Glorfindel slumped his shoulders, defeated.

Sheathing his sword, he slid off Asfaloth and in two large strides came up behind the wild boar. Glorfindel slapped it heartily on its haunch, and the startled animal whipped around, its feral eyes wide as it lowered its short thick tusks as if to charge.

"I wouldn't," Glorfindel advised the beast, his hand just above the hilt of his sword.

With a swish of his tail, the boar turned and bolted into the woods. Glorfindel looked up into the branches above. "A fine mess you've gotten yourself into, Rodwen."

Rodwen's face flushed in complete embarrassment when he realized who it was speaking. "I had everything under control!" he exclaimed nearly falling out of the tree.

"That was not what it looked like on our end," Elladan snickered as his two brothers stifled a laugh.

Rodwen glared.

"Where are the rest of your escorts?" Cal asked, looking around expecting to see the rest of the group appear.

Rodwen gulped and tightened his grip on the tree trunk, trying to find some petty excuse to give. "Well, if you must know, we were ambushed by a group of orcs last night. I tried to save my fellows, but they were too many and we were overwhelmed. I barely escaped with my own life only to be savaged by this beast."

"Rodwen fight? He couldn't even handle a sword the last time," Elrohir muttered to his brother.

Elladan nodded in agreement. "I bet they got sick of his snobbish ways and ditched him the first chance they got."

Glorfindel could not help but snort at that. "Funny Rodwen, but we did not see any bodies on the side of the road. What happened to them?"

"I… well that is they…" Rodwen's face flushed. "Probably dragged off the road and devoured by those wretched wild boars."

"That makes perfect sense," Glorfindel told him. "Still, it's dangerous on this road to be travelling alone. You should join us, at least until we reach Bree."

Cal thought Elladan and Elrohir might just fall off their mounts from shock. Elrohir cleared his throat. "Glorfindel, if you would—"

"Join us for just a wee moment?" Elladan finished for his brother.

Glorfindel took one more quizzical glance at Rodwen, still clutching onto his tree branch, and left to join the others.

Everyone began talking at once:

"What were you thinking?"

"I don't trust him for a second!"

"He's a bad man, Glorfy."

"Do you remember what he said to me? What he did?"

Glorfindel waited for them to stop talking and then held up his hands like one might to calm a spooked horse. Then in a low, controlled voice, he addressed their concerns. "Of course I have not forgotten his treatment of you, Calaerneth." He eyed the twins. "And keeping him close where we can be sure of his actions does not in any way signal my endorsement of his behavior." He glanced back where Rodwen had begun to shimmy his way down the tree. "I don't trust him. Not for a second."

Estel looked especially concerned. "What's an endorfment, Elrohir?" he whispered.

"It means that Glorfindel thinks Rodwen is a bad man, just like you said. It's up to us to keep him in check."

Estel nodded like he understood. "How do we do that?"

Elrohir leaned in. "I have a few ideas…" he whispered conspiratorially.

Meanwhile, Glorfindel returned to watch the final moments of Rodwen's clumsy descent, which ended with him half-sliding, half-falling the rest of the way down and landing hard on his backside in a mound of ferns.

Rodwen scrambled to his feet, puffed out his chest, and tried for what he thought was a rugged-looking stance. "I appreciate your offer, Lord Glorfindel, but I can travel much faster on my own."

Glorfindel nodded gravely. "No doubt you have some concerns about traveling with us, after that...unpleasant scene the night you left."

Rodwen brushed some fern fronds from his tunic. "That whole incident was blown completely out of proportion." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Females can be so needlessly hysterical."

Glorfindel fought the urge to punch the smug look off the other elf's face. "Yes, well. May the Valar grant you speed and a quick return home, then!" He turned to the others. "Rodwen's not going to travel with us. He can go faster on his own. Although..." he hesitated for a moment, catching the eye of the twins, "Trolls are less likely to attack a large group."

Rodwen paled for a moment. "T-t-trolls?"

"I wouldn't worry about it," chimed in Elladan.

"Hasn't been a troll attack in these parts for months," Elrohir added. "The last one though—" he shook his head somberly. "They only found one of the legs—" and then he wordlessly mouthed so Estel couldn't see him— "leftover in a big stew pot."

Rodwen frowned, his eyes darting to the cool shade of the woods behind him. "Maybe I should join you after all. Just to ensure the lady and boy's safety, of course."

"Of course," echoed Glorfindel. Rodwen missed the sly smile exchanged between him and the brothers.

"Then it is settled, Rodwen will travel with us until Bree. Until then, he can be put in charge of watching Estel. Afterall, he needs someone to make sure he is kept out of trouble while the sons of Elrond and myself keep the trolls and such at bay." Glorfindel winked at Estel.

Estel grinned his most mischievous grin yet at Rodwen, causing the elf to gulp. Why did he have a feeling he just signed off on his own death?

I will be going in for another major surgery on my back Friday and will be out for at least two to three months. As soon as I am able, I will be back with Raider-K getting the next chapter posted! Until then, happy reading!