Yay, my first attempt at a Lord Of The Rings fanfic! Tell me what you think! Reviews will make me happy! The story starts in the Twin Towers right after Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli find Pip and Merry at Isengard.
And, erm, believe it are not I do not own any of the Lord of the Rings charactors. For those of you who think i do, know that I am extremely flattered but for your own health you had better lay off the pot.
Silence
Al Starkey
The room quieted for a while as each of the weary travelers took a moment to reflect upon all that they had heard, and to drink in the peace of the moment. Pipe smoke blew about in lazy mists and drifted through the air slowly, twisting and interlacing with fresh puffs that floated from the lips of the men. It seemed as though they were all very far away from the dangers that lay in their past, and the things of the future that they knew they could not avoid. Instead they felt as though they were looking back on a story, over and done a thousand years hence, and contemplating the fates of some other brave party that had dared to face the might of Sauron.
Aragorn was the first to break the silence. His dark eyes gleamed with gentle humor as he spoke, laying aside his pipe. "I had thought the hospitality of Hobbits to be a unfailing feature of your genteel race, and yet now I find that perhaps the journey has worn thin the training of your people. You have yet to introduce this new acquaintance that you have found, and since he does not seek to meet us I will take it upon myself to be the first to offer welcome. Come, my friends, and add to your story that which you have not yet spoken."
Merry and Pippin exchanged a rather anxious glance at each other, communicating silently as only such dear friends can do. Finally Merry nodded, "I suppose it's the best thing to do, Pip, but I do think you aught to be the one to go and talk to him. He likes you better, and there's no denying it. Though I am not sure but that this crowd wont alarm him."
The curiosity of the three was now quite aroused. Gimli and Legolas turned to gaze into the shadows directly behind Merry and Pippin and, to their surprise, were able to make out a form resting in a crevice between two large rocks. It was imposable to distinguish any features, or to tell weather it be Man, Elf, or even Hobbit. They wondered how Aragorn had even noticed it in the dark. For it made no sound and sat still as any stone, camouflaged in a dark gray cloak.
Pippin did not answer, but slowly, almost reluctantly, he hopped down from his seat and padded lightly over to the shadows, his bare feed making soft slapping noises when they hit flat stones. He knelt close by the mysterious creature and spoke quietly to him for some time. Even Legolas' sharp ears could not make out what he was saying, but it was obvious that the other was loathe to leave the dark corner, though he spoke not, only shook his head and made many gestures with his long, slim fingers. Finally Pippin stood and, taking the man by his hand, lead him slowly out into the light.
As he stood it quickly became obvious that he was no halfling or dwarf. He was tall and thin, though his pointed shoulders slumped greatly and seemed to pull into himself. His steps were awkward and seemed to fall heavy, though he looked as though he weighed little more then the small companion at his side. Blond hair, long and disheveled, fell about his shoulders and face in unchecked tangles. High cheekbones pulled attention to his eyes which seemed to be a sort of crystal blue, though a smoky haze seemed cloud them. The blue eyes rested under a pair a full eyebrows, just slightly darker then the color of his hair. His nose was rather large, and his lips were thin and drawn, though he possessed a strong chin that came to a lightly rounded point. As they approached he gazed warily at the travelers, seeming tense and nervous while he clutched tight to the hand of Pip as though seeking protection.
Before anyone could speak, however, Legolas sprang from his chair and gave a startled cry so un-elf-like that both Gimli and Aragorn leapt to their feet, drawing out their weapons in confused alarm. The stranger jumped back, nearly tripping over a fallen branch, his eyes a mixture of panic and betrayal as he looked down at Pippin who was standing in startled silence. In seconds the peace erupted into chaos. Legolas was spurting out wild sentences in Elfish at such speed not even Aragorn could understand them. Gimli, feeling very out of control of the situation commenced shouting at the top of his lungs for order while Merry and Pippin tried desperately to calm their guest who had crumpled to the floor with his hands held tightly over his ears. Aragorn seemed to only one who kept hold of his head and was trying to get Legolas to compose himself long enough to make them understand what the trouble was. He laid a hand on each of the Elf's shoulders, who was making wild gestures in the air as he spoke as though trying desperately to make some sort of point, and spoke gently in elvish. It didn't take long before the circle was split into two separate groups, the Hobbits on one side with the stranger, while Aragorn and Gimli moved Legolas to the other side of the ruins.
"Legolas! Stop it, your frightening him!" shouted Merry, who looked quite upset at this unexpected turn of events.
This, of course, was all that Gimli needed to come to the emendate defense of his friend and thus creating an outlet for his confusion. "Him stop it? Why, I do not know what the problem here is, but I can tell you that Gimli, son of Gloin, will never allow a mere human child such as this to threaten one of his friends!"
Before Merry could point out that no such threats had been made to anyone, Legolas cried out with such force that, as quickly as it began, all noise came to an abrupt halt. "He is no human!"
Slowly Aragorn spoke, his eyes looking steadily into the strained face before him. "Legolas, control yourself! Tell us what it is that strikes your heart so bitterly and what the cause of such resentment is, for never have I seen you in such excitement as this."
For the first time since their meeting Legolas tore his gaze from the trembling stranger and stared up at Aragorn, his blue eyes dazed with an emotion too strong to be truly expressed. "Resentment? No... Truly you interpret my response wrong, for never in the great years of my life have I felt resentment toward the man before us. And yet... to be so suddenly given that which I have longed for so long brings a chaos to my heart that I have never before endured. Pain that I have held inside of my soul for so long is brought forward with such force that I cannot control it. Hopes that have long been pushed aside force their way to the surface again in unabashed triumph so that all that I have known to be is held in question."
Gimli leapt up onto what seemed to be the remains of an old pillar. He did not understand any of what was just said and felt his impatience growing at each word for something that was not said in riddles. "Would you stop speaking in such a confounded Elfish manner and explain what it is that is going on?! Who is this person? And while we're addressing the subject, what is he?"
All eyes were on Legolas. He turned and smiled at his dwarf friend, as though surprised that he had not already assumed the answer. "What is he? Why, he is an Elf! A wood Elf just as I am!" With that he looked past his companions and, with a joy in his face so great that only an Elf could portray it at it's full scale. "Lianrei!" he cried to the man, an obvious invitation for him to explain the situation for himself.