Part 10
When the Reeve arrived at the farmhouse, with ten heavily-armed
men of the Watch, Legolas and Eowyn were already waiting. They
had said their farewells to the farmer and his wife, giving
them a pouch of golden coins for their trouble, and Eowyn was
still wearing the clothes the old woman had given her, with
her own boots and Legolas cloak.
Who is your best tracker? Legolas asked the Reeve.
The weather was mild, but the scent of rain hung upon the air,
and he was anxious to start the search before the trail was
washed away.
Belecthor was born in the forest, replied the Reeve,
beckoning one of the Watchmen forward. He is young, but
he is a cunning woodsman.
We will have need of your skills, mellon nín,
said Legolas to the young man.
...
Dawn had broken by the time they reached Eryn Hollen and, although
the thin light barely penetrated the forest, Legolas quickly
led Belecthor to the boar trap that had captured Eowyn.
Take care, the young man warned his comrades, there
will be more of these... This way, he called, having picked
up the trail. But stay behind me. Then he raced
away, scurrying through the dead trees like a fox hound, following
the spoor unerringly.
Legolas ran behind him, with Eowyn at his side, aware that
the Reeve and his men were falling further and further behind,
but anxious to find Arador before the father launched a self-destructive
attack on his sons captors. Several times he felt sure
that they were being watchedfollowedbut,
when he tried to reach out with his Elven senses, the sadness
of the forest overwhelmed him and, when he looked about him,
he saw nothing but dying trees...
Suddenly, Belecthor raised a hand and, signalling that the
others should do likewise, he dropped to his belly.
Legolas and Eowyn crawled up beside him.
Directly ahead, nestling almost invisibly in the shadow of
a rocky outcrop, stood a good-sized building. Its roof had long
since collapsed, its door and shutters had rotted away, but
its thick, slate walls still stood two storeys high.
That is where the tracks lead, whispered the young
man.
What now? asked Eowyn, softly.
I shall go and see what I can see, Melmenya, said
Legolas. You stay here with Belecthor, and when the Reeve
and his men arrive, hold them back.
...
Easy for you to say, Lassui, thought Eowyn, glumly.
...
Keeping low and moving lightly, Legolas circled the clearing,
looking for a way to cross the open ground without being seen.
When he was sure that he had found it, he sprinted across, ducked
beneath one of the open windows, and peered inside...
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