This story is based off of a dark secret that Legolas has. Of course, Aragorn knows, and Legolas is determined to help the Fellowship on its quest. Things get quite interesting to say the least as we follow the fellowship on their quest. But some secrets haunt us more than most.
This story was inspired by weepingangel9578's story Speak No Evil. But only loosely. I really like that story, so I recommend you go check it out! This story is written as a sort of companion story to Speak no Evil, with the idea that some how Legolas lost his sight instead. I'm not as good with the elven language, but I hope the story will be a good read none the less. I am learning. And this will also be a challenging story for me.
Legolas could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on him as he entered late. The dinner at Lord Elrond's house was already full to the breaking point, but there had been a vacant chair for him. Silently he entered the room and nodded to Aragorn. The Ranger sat in the corner, leaning against the wall. He nodded in return but also said nothing. The Prince of Mirkwood crossed the room and sat down in his chair, turning his eyes to Lord Elrond. The half elf leaned closer to the younger elf, looking at him closely a moment, before addressing him.
"Legolas Thranduilion," Elrond said. "It's good for you to finally join us." (Son of Thranduil)
"My apologies," Legolas said, smiling at him. "It has been a long time since I was in your house last. I seem to have gotten lost within the halls." Elrond frowned a little at the words but said nothing. He continued speaking.
"Very well," he said. "You know of course of the twins, Elladan and Elrohir, my daughter Arwen, and of course Estel." he motioned to his sons, then his daughter, then his foster son Aragorn. Legolas turned his head and eyes to each in turn and nodded his head. "We also have a few foreign guests. Gloin, whom you have met before, and his son Gimli. There are others here, though, you must forgive me for not introducing all of you. Then of course there is Boromir of Gondor, and Gandalf. You know him I think? Yes. Then there are halflings here as well, Merry and Pippin as they prefer to be called, Sam, and Frodo son of Drogo. And Bilbo I am sure you are familiar with." The elf smiled, a very bright and cheerful face.
"Yes I remember Bilbo," he said. "It has been many years has it not?"
"Many indeed," the hobbit replied with a smile in return. Gloin and Gimli both however, did not seem amused.
"I remember you elf," Gloin grumbled. "And the dungeons of your father."
"Come now," Elrond said, a little annoyed. "You cannot forgive that? Forget the past, you both fought in the Battle of the Five Armies did you not?"
"Yes," Gimli growled, "But we do not forgive easily. Not when his people were so cruel to ours."
The situation at the table seemed to be growing more and more tensed. It made Legolas wince a little, because he could definitely sense it in the air. He could hear the anger growing even in the slightly shifting breath of both Elrond and the dwarves. The hobbits shifted anxiously in their seats, and Gandalf sighed. The Gondorian Boromir seemed bored by this whole situation. And Legolas heard as Aragorn suddenly stood off of the wall, as if he were ready to leap forward.
In reality he probably was. His eyes were trained on Legolas, who had frozen up suddenly. The twins and Arwen glanced towards their foster brother but said nothing. However, all eyes were on either Elrond or the dwarves. At last, Gandalf sighed.
"This is not the time or place for this," the wizard said. "Come now, all of us must relax and enjoy the time we have before the storm breaks over us. There's no need for this."
There was silence a few moments, then at last the dwarves turned back to their plates. Elrond watched them a moment, then turned to look at Legolas. He froze a moment, seeing how pale the elf was. But the Prince had long been good at hiding his condition. Pale though he was, he attempted a smile, which seemed more like a somewhat pained grimace. Frodo, who was a rather perceptive young hobbit turned and saw this as well and paused.
"Are you alright?" he asked. "You don't look so good."
"I will be fine," he replied, lying smoothly and easily. "I think I am tired."
"Perhaps it would be better if you removed yourself," Elrond said gently but pointedly. The woodland elf nodded and stood.
"Most likely," he replied. "I seem to have caused some disturbance at your table Lord Elrond, and for that I apologize. I will return later once there is less chance of my presence sparking an argument. If you will all excuse me."
Perfectly polite, the elf stood and with a carefully regal step he turned and left the room once again. For a few moments, those at the table watched the elf go. But then they turned away from the door to return to the conversation at the table, the peculiarities of a single elf seeming insignificant next to the problems at hand, namely the Lord of Mordor. For a moment, Aragorn was silent, and then he turned and followed the elf out, unseen by the eyes within.
He stayed a few paces behind the elf, watching him make his careful way within the halls. For the most part, the elf walked with confidence, but the man could see that every now and then he would falter in his step, or pause and look around uncertainly. He of course knew why, as did the rest of his foster family. But others did not. No one else knew the secret that the Prince of Mirkwood carried. Would Gloin think so badly of him then?
Aragorn's boot scuffed the ground lightly as he was lost in his thoughts a moment. It was a very quiet sound, because he had been raised by elves and his step was also light. It was loud enough though that the elf in front of him froze suddenly. Aragorn didn't move another step, afraid of spooking the elf. He was easily spooked, though he tried to hide it.
"Who's there?" the elf growled. It was a very aggressive sound, but one that Aragorn knew was well warranted.
"It is only me," the man replied. The elf relaxed, though he frowned in his direction.
"Don't sneak up on me like that," he said.
"I did not mean to," Aragorn said, a touch of guilt entering his voice.
The elf turned to face him, studying him for a moment. His eyes also turned towards him, but Aragorn could see that his eyes never quite reached his. He never really looked at him. Though the elf's hearing was bolstered past the levels that was normal, and the man's breathing was enough to give away his position, he could never really aim direct enough to meet the eyes of the person he was addressing. Few people could notice this though. Aragorn knew the reason why though well. The elf before him was blind.
Obviously, he had not always been blind. He had once had his eyes, but he had lost them. It was an accident. Most people were sure of that, because Sauron had yet to realize the creature he had created, and a very strange creature at that. The man became sad a little once he realized that the elf should have died, and it might have been less torture on him to have died then. But as of now, the elf Prince remained a secret from all, though his existence was cursed as well.
"I am here," the man told the elf quietly. "You know me. I am here."
The words seemed to have a great effect on the elf, and he calmed greatly. Aragorn couldn't help but frown a little. He knew that with his new condition of his, many of his friends had feared him. Thruanduil still loved his son greatly though, and couldn't bear to lose him. He tried his best to protect and show love to his son, but there was little he or anyone else could do for him. So, unable to bear seeing his son's fear and despair at what he had seen, he had sent him to Rivendell to speak for Mirkwood. Even letting him go on a perilous quest like this, and most likely die along the way, would be better than to let his son endure the torture any longer.
As it was, Aragorn knew that the thoughts haunted him now. The elf looked down suddenly. He had strength. If he hadn't, then he would never have survived. But the despair would often get the better of him. He was a creature of light, and he was trapped within the darkness. He was lonely and afraid. So Aragorn did not forsake him as the Prince walked back to him. He pulled the golden haired elf into an embrace.
"I am here," he repeated.
"Estel," the elf said, using the elven name that Aragorn had been given when he was taken in by his foster family. "I can hear them*. Their voices. They still call to me, like they did that day. I hear them tell me to run, but there is no where to run. The darkness is all around me. I fear it."
"I know Legolas," Aragorn said as gently and as soothingly as he could, though he knew that it could do little to help the elf. "I know. It has been many years. Can you still not let it go?"
"For a man that span may seem long," Legolas said with a slight whimper in his voice. "But for an elf it was only yesterday."
"I know," Aragorn said with a frown. "It was hard on you wasn't it? There was four of you there that day. One died. Two disappeared. And you..."
He didn't complete his sentence. He didn't have to, and he didn't want to distress the elf further with the memories of it. Legolas was on the verge of breaking into tears. The Ranger knew that it was horrible for him. He had lost his light, the one thing that elves held dear above all else. And the toll that it took on him was very visible now that he was no longer trying to hide it. He trembled, deathly pale, and cold to the touch. It was no wonder though. Since the day, he had been hovering somewhere between the realm of the living, and the realm of the wraiths.
"I hear him** too," the elf suddenly continued. "Within my dreams. His black speech is terrible! Always giving orders, claiming lives. He is so full of darkness! I would rather die than endure this any longer. It causes me pain, and I know that if this continues he will claim me!"
"No you must not say that," Aragorn cried, distress obviously in his voice. "You must not give up! We could not stand to lose you."
"And if I go on this quest, what then?" Legolas asked. "He already haunts my dreams Estel."
The Ranger sadly looked at the elf. Legolas had always been strong of heart and of mind. To see him in such a state made his heart ache. And yet he knew that with so much evil in the world now, he had little chance to surviving.
"Your fate is tied to that of the Ring," Aragorn said. "If it is not destroyed then you will be cursed to walk the earth forever, a Wraith. If you were to die, then at least your suffering should end. The darkness tortures you. I can see that it is so. It pains you, because elves are creatures of light. Once you lose that light you will be gone from us. Forever. I could not stand that. You must endure it. Please Legolas."
"And if the Ring is destroyed?" Legolas asked, a tremble in his voice. "Will I be cursed forever to walk as I am? A pitiful and tortured creature?"
"There is a chance, a small chance," Aragorn said. "that this curse may be lifted from you. Isn't a small chance better than none at all?"
The elf only frowned and did not respond. But Aragorn knew him well enough to know that he agreed. A small chance was better than none. But the elf's light was fading alarmingly fast. His courage was failing him. And soon he would be lost. Aragorn could only hope that the elf's determination would come in again, the same determination that saved him from death on that day. Aragorn couldn't deny that there was little hope for the elf. But he couldn't abandon him either.
"No one faults you for this burden of yours," Aragorn said quietly. The elf managed a small smile, a very sad and broken smile, but a smile none the less.
"I wish it were so," Legolas said. "but they do fault me for it. Still, I will think on what you said and continue to walk as I have these past years. One step at a time."
For a moment the man watched the elf, frowning to himself as he looked him over. He was still very pale, and he looked a little shaky.
"What happened at the table?" he asked, though he felt sure he knew the answer.
"Ah, nothing," the elf replied. "I was just...unprepared to have the memories of those times brought back to my attention. I had not forgotten, but I had pushed them out of my mind for the time being."
"You should rest," Aragorn said, sorry to have wounded the elf more.
"Y-yes," Legolas said. "I think I will do that. Though, I would not mind company. The night is long."
Aragorn understood at once what he had meant, and nodded though he knew the elf wouldn't see the motion. Legolas' nightmares had plagued him for many years, and he had suffered them silently and without complaint. He had suffered much without complaint. But the elf often rested easier when someone else was near.
"I will come with you," he replied.
The elf didn't reply, as if he hadn't heard him. Instead, he turned and walked away down the hallway, faltering every now in then in his step as if with a fear of falling. The loss of his eyesight was still hard on him. But without his eyes he was no less dangerous or accurate. For this reason alone was Aragorn willing to let his friend join them on their quest. If the elf died he would miss him terribly, but he would not begrudge him leaving them. He had suffered enough. Slowly the man followed the elf down the hallway to where, hopefully, the elf could relax enough to sleep.
* They are the elves that were with Legolas on the day of the "event"
** He is Sauron
Sorry about this chapter. I didn't really explain much of anything did I? In chapter two I will explain much more of the story line, and how Legolas lost his eyes and now walks somewhere between life and death. I hope you'll stay tuned and continue to read. The story of how he lost his eyes is a little far fetched maybe, but hopefully still believable.