Part Forty-Eight

Saelbeth of Mirkwood could not have been in a more foul mood. He would have given anything to go back to the sweet days before the arrival of Lord Elrond and his people and the Galadhrim of Lórien. First Haldir had destroyed any chance Saelbeth might have had with Legolas, then Glorfindel and Elladan had proceeded to get him in more trouble than he had ever found in five centuries on his own.

In retrospect, he supposed he could not blame Haldir completely. He did not like the big blond elf, but he had been bold enough to go after what he desired. Saelbeth never had, even when Legolas had blatantly offered himself. Saelbeth thought of Silindë, who had cared for Legolas as deeply as he had himself but been afraid to ask Thranduil to let him go. Saelbeth was glad that Silindë had found Erestor and found his courage in his love for the Chief Advisor of Imladris. At least one good thing had come of their visit.

Saelbeth wondered if Legolas would truly have to marry Arwen. It might be better for him than being with Haldir. Haldir might seem to love and care for Legolas, but he was going to leave in the end to return to Lothlórien. Saelbeth had given up his own love for the Prince. It would never, could never be, and watching him with Haldir made him slightly disgusted. Legolas was used goods now. Saelbeth just felt bitter, incredibly bitter with the world around him. He loathed everyone, everything, and especially the two elves he was stuck out here with.

No, that was a lie. He did still care for Legolas. And when Saelbeth looked at Lord Glorfindel, he felt something odd, something fluttering inside him. Glorfindel might be completely insane, but he had committed his strange crimes in Saelbeth's name. As wrong as it might have been, no one had ever made such a gesture for him before. This was why he had agreed so easily to be left out here with the errant lord. That and his incessant fear of disobeying Thranduil.

He had not, however, agreed to be chained to Elladan, and the arrogant son of Elrond was driving him crazy. He lost control and started beating on Elladan, pummeling him with his fists, but the way they were chained together make it difficult to land a solid blow. Then came Glorfindel's chilling, calm tones.

Saelbeth's mouth dropped open when he saw the spider. It was one of the largest he had ever seen, and he had seen many, many, many spiders. It was almost six feet tall, including impossibly long legs, as big as the queen of them all, Shelob, was rumored to be. It chittered excitedly as it saw them, sounding decidedly hungry. Saelbeth was just as glad that it apparently could not speak. He did not want to have to attempt to convince it that it would be better off not eating them.

"If one of you would like to draw my sword and kill it, I would be truly grateful," Glorfindel said in a pleasant tone. How could he remain so calm?

Elladan jumped up, turning towards Glorfindel and twisting Saelbeth's arm in the process.

"Be careful!" Saelbeth hissed, trying to turn them back around. It did not work.

"Elrohir hid some weapons nearby. We should-"

"We should take Glorfindel's sword," Saelbeth hissed. "There's no time to run off looking for other weapons."

Saelbeth dragged Elladan over to the web, but before he could reach it, the spider reached out one long leg and ensnared Glorfindel, pulling him deeper into the web. Glorfindel struggled as it touched him, cursing loudly. He had been hung from the web by his wrists which were bound over his head, his feet dangling above the ground. The spider now pulled him into an upside down position, his long golden hair trailing down, his pointed ears turning red as the blood rushed to his head. The spider spit out a bit of sticky silk and secured Glorfindel's feet to the web.

"Any time, now, boys," Glorfindel said. He stared up at the spider malevolently. "I do not wish to move around too much and excite it, you know."

The spider stuck out one long leg and trailed its foot up and down the length of Glorfindel's body. Saelbeth saw Glorfindel cringe as it stroked him.

"What is it doing?" asked Elladan breathlessly.

"It is probably looking for a good place to sink its teeth," Saelbeth replied.

"I still think we should go for the other weapons. There will be bows. It would be easier to shoot it with arrows-" Elladan said.

"Do not become hysterical, Elladan," Saelbeth snapped.

"I am not."

"You are," said Glorfindel. "Remain calm, and try to take the sword without upsetting this beast."

Saelbeth took a deep breath. The spider lifted its foot up, looking at him curiously with its many eyes. Again it chittered excitedly. Very slowly Saelbeth put his hand out. He saw that his fingers were trembling as he moved slowly towards the hilt of the sword. The spider tilted its head slightly. Saelbeth settled his hand on the hilt and curled his fingers slowly around it.

The spider shot out a jet of sticky silk, instantly binding Saelbeth's hand to the sword. Saelbeth cried out and jerked backwards, trying to pull away. He knocked hard into Elladan, causing him to stumble, but even their combined weight was not enough to tear free of the webbing.

"I am stuck!"

"What?" Elladan was backwards, could not see what was going on. "I told you we should have gone for the other weapons."

"I hate to admit that you were right, but-" Saelbeth's words were cut off as the spider reached for him with several of its long, prickly legs. He gasped, feeling his heart knock against him inside in his terror. "No!"

The spider seized him and hauled him up into the web next to Glorfindel. Saelbeth's arm twisted painfully and he fear it would break, but it settled him in almost comfortably, though he was also upside down. Elladan was dragged up beside him and wound up on his side, his own arm twisted.

"Wonderful," Glorfindel sighed.

Elladan flailed and struggled, kicking and pushing at the spider, but it only spit out more webbing and secured him more firmly to the web.

"Hold still!" said Saelbeth. "The more you fight, the worse you will be stuck."

"Does it matter how badly stuck we are? We will die all the same."

"Do not become hysterical, Elladan," said Glorfindel. "Saelbeth has lived in Mirkwood all of his life and knows the habits of these creatures. Listen to him, and do what he says."

"I do not want to die!"

"None of us wants to die, Elladan," Saelbeth said in as calming a tone as he could muster. He did not frankly hold out a lot of hope, but every minute that they remained alive they at least had a chance.

"Oh, dying is not so bad. A quick trip to the Halls of Mandos and then you will be reborn. I have done it once… long ago," Glorfindel said.

"You are not helping," Saelbeth growled at him.

"That thing is going to eat us!" Elladan cried.

But the spider retreated up into the tree, leaving the three elves captured in the web. Saelbeth breathed a sigh of relief. "It is saving us for later, at least."

"That does not make me feel any better."

"We need a plan," Glorfindel said. "And most of all, we need to remain calm. Do you understand me, Elladan? You want to remain alive, and your father and brother will probably declare war on Mirkwood if you do not."

Saelbeth's blood ran cold as the spider reappeared and he saw what it was doing. "We had better think quickly."

"Is it coming back?" Elladan whispered.

"Worse than that," Saelbeth replied. "It is laying eggs."