Tensions were high among all and nerves were frayed that night.
"I suggest we make camp here," Aragorn said in a tone that clearly conveyed that he'd had enough, in more ways than one.
"We've only just made Hollin, Aragorn," Gandalf said. "There is enough light for us to go a bit further."
Aragorn glared at Gandalf in deafening silence for some while before he unstrapped one of his packs and let it drop to the ground. An unspoken challenge and one slightly atypical of the Ranger.
"Come now, Aragorn, we are all tired, but we've a long way to go to -"
"A long way to go to what?" Aragorn burst out in anger. "Where exactly are we going? This south road is madness and you know it better than…." He trailed off, gathering that the looks being given him were none too assuring. "Forget it, I realize I am only here to make sure no one dies," he said walking off into the woods.
There was silence as the other eight glanced uncomfortably at one another. "Perhaps now would be a good time to rest a bit," Gandalf said, and it was fortunate that Aragorn had been just far enough away not to hear that.
The four Hobbits flopped down immediately, exhausted. Gimli started to collect kindling for a fire, but Gandalf did not think it a good idea to light a fire that night. Boromir found himself a patch of moonlight slightly apart from everyone else and took to cleaning his sword, even though he had not drawn it once all day. Gimli asked if enough fire to light a pipe could be spared, and the elderly wizard agreed to that heartily.
Legolas stood looking over this scene and had a dismal feeling that this adventure was not going to work out very well. Picking up the pack that his friend had let fall in aggravation, he calmly followed the trail of snapped twigs that Aragorn had left in his wake. It wasn't hard to find him, sitting alone on what had once been a tall tree and now served as a place for a weary traveler to take the weight off his aching legs for a few moments.
Aragorn was facing away from him and, naturally, hadn't heard him, so Legolas announced his presence just by gently setting Aragorn's pack beside him. There was quiet for a while and it seemed that Aragorn hadn't even noticed someone setting his back by him, until he turned his head just slightly and said, "Hannon le." Legolas simply sat down beside him, patiently waiting for Aragorn to speak his mind in his own time. "I can not understand why Gandalf is leading us this way. Trying to go over Caradhras will probably get half of us killed and the road through Dunlend and passed Orthanc is no better," Aragorn said at length.
"You would have preferred the road through Goblin-town and through my home," Legolas said.
It wasn't entirely a question, Aragorn knew that, but he nodded slightly. He would have greatly preferred that road. It had been his thought that the company would fare much better striking directly east.
"I know nothing of the South, in truth," Legolas admitted, "but I wonder if the realms of Men are truly worse off than Mirkwood. There has been no true joy under the trees in so very many years."
Aragorn did not respond to that but remained silent and had yet to look at his friend. Something more then, Legolas surmised. The deep, somewhat unsteady breath Aragorn took in said it all: a lot more.
"Adar and I did not part on good terms," Aragorn said quietly.
Legolas knew well what that feeling was. The silence continued on for a bit longer as the Elf watched the Mortal clasp one hand with the other over and over in agitation.
"I am so terrified that I have not the strength for this quest," Aragorn whispered after a long time.
"You cut yourself short, Aragorn," Legolas began reassuringly.
"I do not speak of physical strength," said the Ranger. "You must do me a favor, mellon-nin."
Legolas met the man's grey eyes in question, and yet in certainty that there was no favor that Aragorn couldn't ask of him.
"I need you to keep an eye on me. Watch me, not watch out for me. If I act strangely, tell me. If I refuse to heed you, tell Gandalf."
"What is it that you fear, Estel?" Legolas said seriously.
Aragorn held his gaze for a moment, but then looked away, his stare going back to the leaf he'd been looking at the whole time – an ivy leaf, and still green even in January. Aragorn started to go quiet again, but then realized that he needed to tell Legolas his fear if he was to put his sanity into his friend's hands. "If fear that I shall be the first to fall to the call of the Ring. Already I have been losing my patience, and though I do not feel its pull as such now, it will likely as not reach for me first."
"Aragorn. You wish me to be honest with you, as I always have been, and will continue to be. You have yourself convinced of this, that is all. I know you, I know what wisdom and nobility you have. I knew not the Men of Númenor when the isle floated still, but I needn't have done so to know that even among those Men you would have been called the most noble of your race." Legolas paused to make sure his words had time to sink in, then continued, "I would not have offered my bow to this quest had your sword not been put upon the plan first. I have no doubt as to why Lord Elrond wished for you to be counted among the Nine Walkers."
Given a moment to grasp Legolas's meaning, Aragorn turned andtouched his friend's shoulder with a bow of his head in thanks. "Your confidence means much to me, Legolas," Aragorn said gratefully.
The Elf just smiled serenely and enigmatically. Aragorn had spent most of his 87 years wishing that he himself could be like that. Within moments, though, that Elven aura dissipated as the loud, gruff, and obtrusive voice of a Dwarf could be heard in the distance where the rest of the Fellowship had made a campsite. There was something slightly more than mere annoyance in Legolas's tone and eyes when he said, "I do not remember Númenor, but I remember very, very well Erebor and what – or rather, who – caused the battle there that killed my brother; and I have another candidate for who shall be most likely to be the first of us to fall to the Ring's attractions."
I may extend this and do one on the hidden fears and doubts of each member of the Fellowship... if my muse allows that.