The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)

by J.R.R. Tolkien

Aragorn was searching, bent towards the ground, among the folds and gullies leading up into the western ridge. Legolas was some way ahead. Suddenly the Elf gave a cry and the others came running towards him.

Five dead Orcs lay there. They had been hewn with many cruel strokes, and two had been beheaded. The ground was wet with their dark blood.

‘Here is another riddle!’ said Gimli. ‘But it needs the light of day, and for that we cannot wait.’

‘Enemies of the Orcs are likely to be our friends. Do any folk dwell in these hills?’ ‘No,’ said Aragorn.

It might be that some company of Men were hunting here for reasons that we do not know. Yet I think not.’

‘I think that the enemy brought his own enemy with him,’ answered Aragorn.

‘Gondor! Gondor!’ cried Aragorn. ‘Would that I looked on you again in happier hour! Not yet does my road lie southward to your bright streams.

‘Look!’ cried Legolas, pointing up into the pale sky above them. ‘There is the eagle again! He is very high. He seems to be flying now away, from this land back to the North. He is going with great speed. Look!’ ‘No, not even my eyes can see him, my good Legolas,’ said Aragorn.

But look! I can see something nearer at hand and more urgent; there is something moving over the plain!’ ‘Many things,’ said Legolas. ‘It is a great company on foot; but I cannot say more, nor see what kind of folk they may be.

They followed their enemies now by the clear light of day. It seemed that the Orcs had pressed on with all possible speed. Every now and again the pursuers found things that had been dropped or cast away: food-bags, the rinds and crusts of hard grey bread, a torn black cloak, a heavy iron-nailed shoe broken on the stones.

Here the air was softer and warmer, and faintly scented, as if spring was already stirring and the sap was flowing again in herb and leaf.

Legolas took a deep breath, like one that drinks a great draught after long thirst in barren places.

‘Ah! the green smell!’ he said. ‘It is better than much sleep. Let us run!’ ‘Light feet may run swiftly here,’ said Aragorn. ‘More swiftly, maybe, than iron-shod Orc...

Presently Aragorn gave a cry and turned aside. ‘Stay!’ he shouted. ‘Do not follow me yet!’ He ran quickly to the right, away from the main trail; for he had seen footprints that went that way, branching off from the others, the marks of small unshod feet.

‘We have come at last to a hard choice,’ he said. ‘Shall we rest by night, or shall we go on while our will and strength hold?’ ‘Unless our enemies rest also, they will leave us far behind, if we stay to sleep,’ said Legolas.

‘You are our guide,’ said Gimli, ‘and you are skilled in the chase. You shall choose.’ ‘My heart bids me go on,’ said Legolas. ‘But we must hold together. I will follow your counsel.’ ‘You give the choice to an ill chooser,’ said Aragorn.

‘With him lies the true Quest. Ours is but a small matter in the great deeds of this time. A vain pursuit from its beginning, maybe, which no choice of mine can mar or mend.

Legolas was standing, gazing northwards into the darkness, thoughtful and silent as a young tree in a windless night. ‘They are far far away,’ he said sadly, turning to Aragorn.

‘But it is still dark,’ said Gimli. ‘Even Legolas on a hill-top could not see them till the Sun is up.’ ‘I fear they have passed beyond my sight from hill or plain, under moon or sun,’ said Legolas.

He stretched himself upon the ground with his ear pressed against the turf. He lay there motionless, for so long a time that Gimli wondered if he had swooned or fallen asleep again. Dawn came glimmering, and slowly a grey light grew about them. At last he rose, and now his friends could see his face: it was pale and drawn, and his look was troubled.

But now they are drawing ever further from us, riding northward. I wonder what is happening in this land!’ ‘Let us go!’ said Legolas.

No moving thing could be seen. Often Aragorn wondered that they saw no sign of beast or man.

But now all the land was empty, and there was a silence that did not seem to be the quiet of peace.

‘There is something strange at work in this land. I distrust the silence. I distrust even the pale Moon.

There is some will that lends speed to our foes and sets an unseen barrier before us: a weariness that is in the heart more than in the limb.’ ‘Truly!’ said Legolas.

I fear that your heart spoke truly, Legolas: it is thrice twelve hours, I guess, since the Orcs stood where we now stand.

‘But rest, if you must. Yet do not cast all hope away. Tomorrow is unknown. Rede oft is found at the rising of the Sun.’ ‘Three suns already have risen on our chase and brought no counsel,’ said Gimli.

The night grew ever colder. Aragorn and Gimli slept fitfully, and whenever they awoke they saw Legolas standing beside them, or walking to and fro, singing softly to himself in his own tongue, and as he sang the white stars opened in the hard black vault above.

‘there are one hundred and five. Yellow is their hair, and bright are their spears. Their leader is very tall.’ Aragorn smiled. ‘Keen are the eyes of the Elves,’ he said.

He advanced until the point of his spear was within a foot of Aragorn’s breast. Aragorn did not stir.

But there is something strange about you, Strider.’

‘He stands not alone,’ said Legolas, bending his bow and fitting an arrow with hands that moved quicker than sight. ‘You would die before your stroke fell.’

Aragorn threw back his cloak. The elven-sheath glittered as he grasped it, and the bright blade of Andúril shone like a sudden flame as he swept it out. ‘Elendil!’ he cried.

‘I am Aragorn son of Arathorn, and am called Elessar, the Elfstone, Dúnadan, the heir of Isildur Elendil’s son of Gondor.

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‘The Orcs are destroyed.’ ‘And our friends?’ ‘We found none but Orcs.’ ‘But that is strange indeed,’ said Aragorn.

They spoke of the Halfling. These hobbits are Halflings.’

Gandalf will ride no longer. He fell into darkness in the Mines of Moria and comes not again.’

‘Strider is too poor a name, son of Arathorn,’ he said. ‘Wingfoot I name you.

He walks here and there, they say, as an old man hooded and cloaked, very like to Gandalf, as many now recall.

Yes, and we could find a use for Gimli’s axe and the bow of Legolas, if they will pardon my rash words concerning the Lady of the Wood. I spoke only as do all men in my land, and I would gladly learn better.’

but I cannot desert my friends while hope remains.’ ‘Hope does not remain,’ said Éomer. ‘You will not find your friends on the North-borders.’

There is no malice near us; but there is watchfulness, and anger.’ ‘Well, it has no cause to be angry with me,’ said Gimli. ‘I have done it no harm.’

I could have been happy here, if I had come in days of peace.’ ‘I dare say you could,’ snorted Gimli.

‘You are a Wood-elf, anyway, though Elves of any kind are strange folk. Yet you comfort me. Where you go, I will go. But keep your bow ready to hand, and I will keep my axe loose in my belt.

With that the three hunters plunged into the forest of Fangorn. Legolas and Gimli left the tracking to Aragorn. There was little for him to see. The floor of the forest was dry and covered with a drift of leaves; but guessing that the fugitives would stay near the water, he returned often to the banks of the stream.

Then suddenly he looked up, while they stood motionless looking down. There was no sound.

Gimli’s hand went at once to his axe-haft. Aragorn drew his sword. Legolas picked up his bow.