Chapter Text
“’Ro,” Elladan said suddenly, “Gil-Estel hasn’t moved in half an hour.”
Elrohir’s first thought was a horrified, What now?—because their mother had disappeared on a routine trip to Lórien ten days ago and all even Father could tell was that she was underground somewhere, and in terrible pain. Every day they remained unable to find her, it felt more like the world was ending. Their small corner of it, at least. Naturally their grandfather’s star-ship would be the next afflicted; the only question was how—
His second thought, born of centuries roaming with the Dúnedain, swung his gaze upward. Elladan was right, the Star was many miles to the north of their current position, but it hadn’t moved in the last half hour of creeping through these damn mountains. Its stillness made the shadows subliminally strange.
“I think it’s above the Jagged Peak,” he said slowly. “There are orc-tunnels under there, right?”
Elladan didn’t say, Probably, there are orc tunnels everywhere these days. He didn’t say, Do you think…?
He took off running north, toward where Eärendil’s Star marked hope, and Elrohir ran with him.