DISCLAIMER: I own none of the characters or places written about in this
fic. I'm pretty sure everyone knows that, so please do not sue me.
A/N: This takes place after my story Somewhere Between, and mentions issues that happened in that fic. You can probably get the main idea of this one if you haven't read it, but I highly recommend reading Somewhere Between first. Reviews, as always, are treasured!!
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In the Darkness
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The first step was not the hardest, though it well should have been. Instead, the first step was in flight from something Legolas would have much rather faced than this all enveloping darkness the Fellowship walked in now.
Two days they had been trudging over stone and under the earth. Two days of blindness and cold and death all around them. Legolas tried to stay at the front of the line, as close to Gandalf's light as he could get. If any of the others noticed, they said nothing. He did not know when he had lagged behind until he was finally trailing the small band. His breath caught as Gandalf rounded a bend and the light was lost. His steps faltered and he caught himself on the rock wall, breathing heavily for an Elf.
"Legolas!" he heard Aragorn hiss in front of him, but he could not move for the love of Elbereth herself.
He felt rather than saw a sturdy, worn hand on his arm, drawing him forward. "We must go on," Aragorn said, leading him slowly.
"This darkness!" Legolas gasped. "'Tis unnatural, is it not?"
Aragorn nodded, though Legolas could barely see the movement. "Aye. I do not like this, and I have been through Moria before and you have not. I had the benefit of knowing what to expect."
They rounded the corner and Gandalf's light came into view again. Legolas relaxed slightly, but Aragorn kept his hand on his friend's arm as they kept the rear guard together. They moved in silence, Aragorn following Legolas when they had to walk in single file, guiding the Elf forward when he faltered or stopped.
"How did Elladan survive in such darkness?" Legolas asked himself quietly, out of the hearing of the others.
Aragorn heard the Elf's query and his heart sank. He knew well what had happened to his foster brother in the den of the orcs, though it was many many years before his birth. He still remembered when Elrohir told him the tale, after Elladan had taken ill during one harsh winter. Elves did not become ill, he had thought, and it was even more alarming that Legolas had come the distance from Mirkwood to care for Elladan. Elrohir took him aside to the library and explained how his brother had almost died at the hands of the orcs, then of grief after that. Elrohir told him that Elladan had healed well, but the memories still haunted him when winter was too long and cold. Elladan spent the last week of that winter in bed, by order of Lord Elrond, but had been well again by the time the first green leaves unfurled in the spring.
Aragorn was brought out of his reverie by a soft voice calling his name. He turned to answer, thinking it to be Legolas at first, but found Frodo's blue eyes regarding him instead.
"Aragorn?" Frodo was asking. "What ails Legolas so?"
Aragorn cast his eyes to see Legolas lying a short distance away, eyes unfocused in sleep, but uneasy all the same. He looked back at Frodo, who was clambering down to sit beside him on the worn stone.
"There are few things that can ail an Elf in Middle Earth, but one is memory; their lives are long, and their memories are longer still. Legolas remembers when Elladan, my foster brother and the son of Elrond, was taken prisoner by orcs and held for days in their caves," Aragorn said in a low voice to keep from waking the Elf and allowing the others to hear.
Frodo nodded, though his full mouth pressed into a thin line. "I remember what Uncle Bilbo used to tell me about the Wood Elves. He said that they were wilder than other Elves; that they can hear the trees speak as clearly as I hear you speak, and above all love the stars. I cannot imagine what it must be like for Legolas, trapped under the ground as we are."
"It will not be for much longer," Aragorn assured him. "Another day, perhaps one after that, but no more. Legolas can survive for at least that much longer. Silvan Elves are not meant to dwell in the ground, as Hobbits and Dwarves do, but their fire burns bright in dark places." Aragorn could not help but look to the sleeping Elf again. "You should go rest now, Frodo," he said. "Sam is waiting for you, even though he pretends that he is already asleep."
Frodo smiled at his servant's selflessness, but went over and laid down on the bedroll spread out for him. Aragorn waited until Frodo was settled, then rose himself, nodding to Boromir who stood watch with Gandalf's light shining closely. Aragorn fetched his own bedroll and laid it between the Hobbits and the Elf. He was drifting off to sleep when he was once again dragged back into full wakefulness by a voice.
"Aragorn," the voice breathed. He turned his head and saw that Legolas had moved closer to him and was mere inches away, staring at the Ranger intently. Aragorn waited for the comment that was to follow, but none came and Legolas lay back down without another word.
"I wish Elladan was here, too," Aragorn said softly to nothing but the darkness around them.
A/N: This takes place after my story Somewhere Between, and mentions issues that happened in that fic. You can probably get the main idea of this one if you haven't read it, but I highly recommend reading Somewhere Between first. Reviews, as always, are treasured!!
***************
In the Darkness
***************
The first step was not the hardest, though it well should have been. Instead, the first step was in flight from something Legolas would have much rather faced than this all enveloping darkness the Fellowship walked in now.
Two days they had been trudging over stone and under the earth. Two days of blindness and cold and death all around them. Legolas tried to stay at the front of the line, as close to Gandalf's light as he could get. If any of the others noticed, they said nothing. He did not know when he had lagged behind until he was finally trailing the small band. His breath caught as Gandalf rounded a bend and the light was lost. His steps faltered and he caught himself on the rock wall, breathing heavily for an Elf.
"Legolas!" he heard Aragorn hiss in front of him, but he could not move for the love of Elbereth herself.
He felt rather than saw a sturdy, worn hand on his arm, drawing him forward. "We must go on," Aragorn said, leading him slowly.
"This darkness!" Legolas gasped. "'Tis unnatural, is it not?"
Aragorn nodded, though Legolas could barely see the movement. "Aye. I do not like this, and I have been through Moria before and you have not. I had the benefit of knowing what to expect."
They rounded the corner and Gandalf's light came into view again. Legolas relaxed slightly, but Aragorn kept his hand on his friend's arm as they kept the rear guard together. They moved in silence, Aragorn following Legolas when they had to walk in single file, guiding the Elf forward when he faltered or stopped.
"How did Elladan survive in such darkness?" Legolas asked himself quietly, out of the hearing of the others.
Aragorn heard the Elf's query and his heart sank. He knew well what had happened to his foster brother in the den of the orcs, though it was many many years before his birth. He still remembered when Elrohir told him the tale, after Elladan had taken ill during one harsh winter. Elves did not become ill, he had thought, and it was even more alarming that Legolas had come the distance from Mirkwood to care for Elladan. Elrohir took him aside to the library and explained how his brother had almost died at the hands of the orcs, then of grief after that. Elrohir told him that Elladan had healed well, but the memories still haunted him when winter was too long and cold. Elladan spent the last week of that winter in bed, by order of Lord Elrond, but had been well again by the time the first green leaves unfurled in the spring.
Aragorn was brought out of his reverie by a soft voice calling his name. He turned to answer, thinking it to be Legolas at first, but found Frodo's blue eyes regarding him instead.
"Aragorn?" Frodo was asking. "What ails Legolas so?"
Aragorn cast his eyes to see Legolas lying a short distance away, eyes unfocused in sleep, but uneasy all the same. He looked back at Frodo, who was clambering down to sit beside him on the worn stone.
"There are few things that can ail an Elf in Middle Earth, but one is memory; their lives are long, and their memories are longer still. Legolas remembers when Elladan, my foster brother and the son of Elrond, was taken prisoner by orcs and held for days in their caves," Aragorn said in a low voice to keep from waking the Elf and allowing the others to hear.
Frodo nodded, though his full mouth pressed into a thin line. "I remember what Uncle Bilbo used to tell me about the Wood Elves. He said that they were wilder than other Elves; that they can hear the trees speak as clearly as I hear you speak, and above all love the stars. I cannot imagine what it must be like for Legolas, trapped under the ground as we are."
"It will not be for much longer," Aragorn assured him. "Another day, perhaps one after that, but no more. Legolas can survive for at least that much longer. Silvan Elves are not meant to dwell in the ground, as Hobbits and Dwarves do, but their fire burns bright in dark places." Aragorn could not help but look to the sleeping Elf again. "You should go rest now, Frodo," he said. "Sam is waiting for you, even though he pretends that he is already asleep."
Frodo smiled at his servant's selflessness, but went over and laid down on the bedroll spread out for him. Aragorn waited until Frodo was settled, then rose himself, nodding to Boromir who stood watch with Gandalf's light shining closely. Aragorn fetched his own bedroll and laid it between the Hobbits and the Elf. He was drifting off to sleep when he was once again dragged back into full wakefulness by a voice.
"Aragorn," the voice breathed. He turned his head and saw that Legolas had moved closer to him and was mere inches away, staring at the Ranger intently. Aragorn waited for the comment that was to follow, but none came and Legolas lay back down without another word.
"I wish Elladan was here, too," Aragorn said softly to nothing but the darkness around them.