DarkHorse says: I'm disclaimin' all stuff that ain't mine. There are two major OCs in this story, but there's no romance. No one falls in love in this story. There's no slash either. Also, I love Legolas, so expect lots of the story to revolve around him for no particular reason. I don't know all that much about the geography of M-E, so I took some artistic liberties with the location. Same thing goes for the languages…actually it goes for most of the story, since I got half way through FOTR before becoming bored out of my mind with it. I scanned through TTT, and glanced at ROTK. My knowledge is based off the movies, but this doesn't necessarily take place in the movie-verse. I guess that makes it sort of AU-ish.
Anyways, onward!
Far north, further than any Man had been in ages, a sleeping darkness finally awoke to the sound of a great tower of stone crashing to the ground.
Aragorn, or as he was now known, King Elessar, paced his chambers.
"This is the fourth time in as many weeks word has come from the north of something that should not be. Even the remaining Dwarves of Erebor are sending messages of strange things lurking beyond the Iron Hills. I do not wish to see Middle Earth shrouded in darkness again, not when we have finally recovered from Sauron's evil."
The Lady Arwen placed a restraining hand on the Man's arm. "Wearing a groove into the rugs will not help you solve this mystery. It may be just the land itself coming back into the Light after the Shadow has so long been upon it."
Aragorn looked at his wife. "Aye, that may be, but my heart tells me otherwise."
Legolas made his way out of the Mirkwood Forest. His companion, the Dwarf Gimli, hmphed in what could only be described as relief.
"Glad to be out of the forest, my short friend?" Legolas chided playfully.
"Not so much the forest, Pointy-ear, but the eyes of your kin. The trees I trust not to stare at me as if I were an abomination," the Dwarf grumbled.
Legolas sobered. "I am sorry, Gimli, if any of my people offended you. They have been isolated in the forest for so long, they no longer trust outsiders. It took many months to get my father to accept Aragorn as a true friend, and I can only hope he finds that same trust in you."
"There was no offense taken, lad."
Legolas grinned at the last word. He was far older than Gimli, but the Dwarf either didn't notice or didn't care. He suspected the latter. "In any case, we should make haste to Edoras and speak with King Eomer. Perhaps he can shed light on the darkness that is creeping in the North."
Unfortunately, King Eomer was unable to give them much more information than they already knew.
"Rumors of strange beasts have reached here. They attack in the night, and stalk the shadows. It seems that these creatures are actively hunting Men. Few live to speak of their encounters, but it is said that they are as big as small horses and resemble the fell beasts of the Nazgul."
"They are winged?" asked Legolas.
"No, not that I am aware of. I fear that King Elessar knows less of this than we do. Will you go to him?"
"Aye, Minas Tirith was our next destination."
Aragorn met Legolas and Gimli with open arms once they reached the White City.
"I would ask that you tell me all you have heard, but I think first I should let you rest and bathe. We shall speak at first light in my chambers."
Both travelers, while anxious to inform the King of what they knew, were weary and gratefully accepted Aragorn's offer.
At dawn, and after explaining to Aragorn what information they had gathered from Mirkwood and Edoras, the King sat quietly for a moment, then asked, "You have been north in Mirkwood for some time, Legolas, do you feel these happenings are of an evil nature?"
Legolas sighed. "I wish that I could tell you for certain, Aragorn. I have felt a steadily growing darkness while in Mirkwood, but there is also something else there that is not entirely malevolent."
"My cousin in Erebor feels the same," Gimli offered. "He believes there is another force beyond the Iron Hills that is preventing this unknown menace from spreading to the South."
Aragorn raised an eyebrow, while Legolas looked to his traveling partner incredulously. "You have never spoken of this before. Did it suddenly occur to you?"
Gimli only shrugged. "I did not wish to repeat myself."
"Dwarves," Legolas muttered.
Aragorn grinned. It was good to be among close friends again. "Well, shall we prepare for a northern hiking trip?"