Chapter 4
Holding an absolutely furious Gollum over his shoulder, Aragorn trudged on. He longed to throw a punch at both Legolas and Gimli. He couldn't handle their constant disputes and repeated questioning of his authority. They knew that he had been flung into this unwillingly, and yet they still tried to make life as difficult as possible, it seemed.
He knew the hobbits were shaken by the argument between their protectors, but at this point, he cared very little. He was furious at himself about as much as Legolas and Gimli. He had thrown his responsibilities as leader onto Frodo's shoulders, as he had become more and more prone to do. He felt ashamed of himself – Frodo already bore the reason for this journey, he should not have to bear the burden of leadership of it as well. He cringed inwardly as he recalled the confrontation between Legolas and Gimli and how he'd forced Frodo to resolve it.
Snapping Aragorn out of his reverie, Legolas came up behind him.
"It hasn't escaped my notice that you're angry with me," he said calmly.
Aragorn decided not to dignify that comment with an answer.
"What have I done?"
Aragorn cast him a sidelong glare.
"Legolas, I can't have you constantly undermining my authority," he snapped. "When I make an important decision I really need you, of all people, to follow that, not constantly question it."
Legolas' expression was completely unreadable. "Aragorn, I've never once questioned your leadership before now. But before now I've never had any reason to. I may not have agreed with some of your ideas of resting constantly, but I could see why you decided to do so. In case you hadn't noticed, I only started to question your leadership when you decided to drag that creature along with you," he shot a glance of loathing at Gollum, unceremoniously swung over Aragorn's shoulder. "To me, this decision is obvious – kill a murdering piece of scum that will cause the death of us all, or else bring it along with us when it will bring the hordes of Mordor to us like moths to a flame. My choice would be to kill it, but it was your choice to make. And you chose to let it live. You know what this creature is capable of just as well as I do."
Legolas' tone had remained level throughout, whatever anger he was feeling well hidden beneath a cool facade. But it didn't stop Aragorn becoming angry. "Legolas, that is exactly what I'm talking about! You constantly question my judgement, and you just won't accept the fact that we are taking Gollum with us. We might find a way to make him useful. So can you just stop trying to change my mind!"
"Fine," Legolas said coolly, though his eyes flashed with anger. "I'll stop – if this final warning does not convince you. That creature is evil. It will murder us all by night if we don't keep it tied up securely with a constant watch, and it will alert Sauron to whatever way we choose to enter Mordor. It will never stop trying to get the Ring, and if we drop our guards for a second, it will get its deceitful claws into us and won't let go. And when it does, do not come crying to me!"
Legolas stormed ahead, furious. But he suddenly stopped when he was about ten feet ahead of them. None of them needed Legolas' vision to notice that the elf had tensed. A sudden dread fell on the company, as Legolas constantly tried to locate the source of his unease. It was only as he looked to the sky that a shadow fell over them, obliterating the sun.