Chapter three

A New Companion

“Legolas!” Gimli yelled, watching Legolas fall and cover his face. One of his knives flew into the throat of one of Legolas’ three opponents, the other flew harmlessly away. The orc standing over the elf raised his blade with an evil laugh. Gimli slew one of his orcs and tried to reach Legolas, but had the remaining seven orcs forcing him away. He watched the Uruk’s blade fall toward his helpless friend.

Suddenly, a golden blade blocked the blow and removed the orcÂ’s head. A slim elven hand pulled Legolas to his feet and lent him a long dagger engraved with a fiery bird and words in an elegant unknown script.

“Take care of that. It is my favorite blade,” a friendly tenor said as the rider joined in the fray. The blood bay reared and struck down one of Gimli’s opponents. Gimli and Legolas each took down another Uruk, and the stranger and his horse slew the remaining five.

Gimli turned to Legolas, swiftly assuring himself the elf was unharmed. He sighed softly, then looked up at Legolas. “So, does the horse get a separate count, or do they count as his?”

Legolas shrugged. “Before we argue count, perhaps we should find out who our helper is.”

The stranger wheeled his horse around and dismounted. “I am Zypher Sethian. Please call me Sethian. Forgive me if my sudden appearance surprised you.”

Legolas and Gimli nodded. “Perhaps a little,” Gimli admitted. “You, uh, have some blood in your hair. Are you hurt?”

Sethian pulled his hair forward, then shook his head. “No, that is completely natural. May I ask your names?”

“Legolas Greenleaf, prince of Eryn Lasgalen, and Gimli son of Gloin,” Legolas introduced, returning Sethian’s blade.

Sethian accepted the blade, nodded, and turned. Gimli noticed something strange about him. The elf had a peculiar feathered cloak that started at his shoulder blades and reached to the ground. It was golden, with blood-red edging to the largest feathers. As Sethian turned, a feather drifted loose and fell to the ground. Gimli picked it up curiously.

“What is that in your hand, elvellon?” Legolas asked, returning with both of his knives and a few arrows he had managed to retrieve.

“A feather that fell from Sethian’s cloak,” Gimli responded, giving the feather to his friend. Sethian heard and turned back from checking his horse for wounds.

“I am not wearing a cloak,” he said. “Before we go into detail about my physical anomalies, perhaps we should do something about these bodies and find a safer place to rest. You two, as well as your horse, look ready to collapse,” Sethian observed. Arod nodded his agreement violently. The two elves smiled. Sethian’s stallion was already nosing the bodies into a pile, looking at the elves and dwarf to help.

“You two just relax. Kilavarough and I can easily handle this,” Sethian said. He rolled up his sleeves to protect the silk. He dragged the bodies into one pile while Legolas and Gimli rested on the granite outcropping. He also leaned wood from the Uruks’ weapons against the pile. Sethian took a small stick with a red tip out of one of his saddle bags and struck it against the box it had come out of. The tip burst into flame. Sethian lit the wood and waited to be sure the fire caught. The stench of burning bodies rose with the smoke. Sethian nodded.

“Alright, let us go. We can find a place to camp for a day or so, and I will answer any questions you have,” Sethian said, putting the box away. “If you wish, we could ease the burden on your horse by having one of you ride double with me.”

“I will. Arod will follow me, even with only Gimli on his back,” Legolas volunteered. The two friends got down from the outcropping and Legolas helped Gimli mount Arod, then mounted Kilavarough. Sethian mounted behind him, and the cloak stretched into wings that rose a foot over Sethian’s head. Gimli’s eyes widened, nearly bugging out. Sethian turned and laughed at his expression. Kilavarough nodded, whickering again.

ooo

The three stopped by a stream a few miles from the battle site. While Legolas and Gimli washed away the effects of battle, Sethian unsaddled and brushed down both horses, whispering softly in a musical language that sounded elvish, but was not a tongue Legolas or Gimli had ever heard. Kilavarough pushed his head into SethianÂ’s chest, then moved off with Arod to graze. Sethian also started a fire, knowing the water was chilly enough to be uncomfortable.

“I can cook some stew or something, if you wish. I do not generally eat meat, but I do have a little with me,” he offered as the weary elf and dwarf pulled themselves out of the water, dried themselves off and dressed in dry, clean clothing.

“Even if your stew is the most disgusting thing ever made, we would be grateful,” Gimli sighed. “By the by, Legolas, I remember what I did to the Uruk-hai.”

Legolas arched one brow questioningly, braiding his hair. Gimli was braiding his beard as he waited for Legolas to get impatient.

“Well? What did you do?” he prompted, finishing with his hair. Neither friend noticed the strange shiny packet Sethian pulled out of his packs along with the pot to make the stew in. The strange elf remained silent, curious himself.

“Absolutely nothing! They just began to follow me,” Gimli said forcefully.

Sethian laughed softly, making both friends turn and give him a curious look. He just shrugged and continued to work on the stew he was making for his new companions. Hopefully, they would let him remain for a time, as he was completely bewildered as to what he should do here. He was willing to help any way he could, but was unsure of WHAT he could do. After all, it had been several centuries since heÂ’d been without guards.

ooo

Thirty minutes later, Sethian gave Legolas and Gimli the savory smelling stew. He had a bowl himself, having not eaten yet that day. Gimli and Legolas watched him carefully, wondering if he was trustworthy. He seemed to ignore their barely friendly stares. He laid his empty bowl aside.

“I am sure you two are dying to ask me a large number of questions, so as soon as you are ready, I will answer any you have to the best of my ability.”

“To the best of your ability?” Legolas asked.

“I will make my answers sound as sane as possible, how is that?” Sethian answered, sitting serenely. Kilavarough came and folded himself to the ground next to Sethian, nudging him for attention. Sethian began to scratch his ears distractedly. The horse sighed happily.

“Why don’t you ask the first question, Gimli? I find myself a little tired for querying our new friend,” Legolas said, laying back to watch the clouds with sleepy eyes. Gimli sighed and turned to the winged elf in front of him. Sethian returned Gimli’s steady gaze without hesitation.

“Alright, first question. Where are you from?”

Sethian smiled. “A world called Kirith, that is unreachable from here save by magic. I cast a transportation spell to escape an enemy’s blade and used the wrong destination.”

Gimli sighed heavily. This elf read minds just as surely as Legolas did. It seemed to be an elven trait.

“I am sorry, I did not mean to read your mind, Gimli. I was simply answering the next obvious question. I shall try to remember to keep my shields up so I do not do that again,” Sethian said. Kilavarough snorted, nosing Sethian’s now still fingers.

“I would appreciate it. One mind reader is more than enough,” Gimli said. “Now, how is it that you have wings?”

“A mutation in my family, one that is revealed only once or so a generation. The ability to know what is best for the country seems to be a part of the mutation, and only a winged elf can be king of my home, by long-standing law.” Sethian’s fingers moved to scratch his stallion’s ears again.

Gimli shook his head. This was a strange creature indeed, but he had saved LegolasÂ’ life, and he did not seem to wish them harm. Sethian waited quietly for the next question, but his fingers began to twist KilavaroughÂ’s mane nervously. Kilavarough snorted and pulled away. Sethian still showed no sign of nervousness save for his fingers twisting a tiny corner of his sleeve. Gimli smiled softly, but the expression was hidden from SethianÂ’s view.

“Alright, laddie, where is this ‘Kirith’ of yours? Is it a country?”

Sethian shook his head. “No… well, yes. Kirith is both a single world and a country. I have ruled for a long time, and will rule until my son is married and has a winged child.”

“Why until your son has a child?” Gimli asked.

“Because my wife doesn’t wish to have another child, and our son is normal,” Sethian said. “My son was not meant to be conceived. I had to deal with ten months of a rather upset wife over that.”

“What? How does an elf conceive accidentally?” Gimli exclaimed.

Sethian blushed. “It was not exactly an accident on my side. It was on hers.”

Legolas laughed, having listened to the entire conversation. “I can see why your wife was upset. Gimli, I believe that is enough questions for today. I trust our new friend. He can cook, at least, and has a talent of showing up when he is needed.”

“Could I travel with you, for a time?” Sethian asked hopefully.

“Aye. We could use a new companion anyway,” Legolas said. Gimli nodded, having decided Sethian was not so bad after all, even if he was a little strange.

TBC

AN
Alright, I know there are a large number of lurking readers out there. You had best review, or my muse may desert me! Please, review before my precious pet leaves me forever! BTW, thank you to ElfMaidenofLorien for the only two reviews IÂ’ve gotten!