DISCLAIMER: Okay, if ANYONE thinks I own ANY part of The Lord of the Rings…go see a therapist. All rights to J.R.R. Tolkien, well, and whatever parts Peter Jackson is owed. :D
And you're welcome for the early chapter. I've been writing so much, I already have the next chapter done as well. :P But, no, you don't get it now. You'll have to wait. I won't spoil you guys that much. :P :D
The Ranger sank down, back against a thick tree trunk, considering all the things he had done. I have tried to kill my brother, I have just hurt my best friend's feelings, I almost succeeded in getting Roheryn killed…He thought back over the events of the past several days, wondering how he had managed to inflict so much damage in so little time.
Then he remembered the girl he had encountered…was it really just this morning? He glanced down at his boot, the one that held the slim dagger. You are the cause of all this. All my pain. My suffering. What do you want from me? Why must you make me a killer?
He suddenly noticed the deep gashes in his boot and realized that they had been made by the warg. And maybe, just maybe, he would be able to get the shoe off. Carefully, he placed both hands on his boot, ready to yank it off and chuck it as far away as he could. He readied himself mentally for the letdown he knew he would experience. Then he yanked—hard—on the boot.
He tugged maybe a little harder than necessary, and he nearly toppled over when the shoe slid free and he held it in his grasp. An overwhelming happiness began to course violently through his veins as his fingers searched desperately for the dagger he believed to still be in his shoe. But when his searched hands did not find it, confusion dawned on him.
Then he remembered when Enceladus had frozen him in place in front of his bedroom door a week ago. Cold hands of fear clenched around his heart and a tight knot settled in his stomach as he let his left boot drop and reached for his right one.
He reached inside, and, sure enough, his fingers met the solid hilt of the dagger. He shuddered, fear racing through him, as he realized he would never, ever in his life, get away from the haunted weapon. He knew this had all been more of Enceladus' trickery. Moving the dagger from boot to boot, trying to make sure he knew there was no way out of this.
Trust me, Aragorn thought morosely. I know.
More tears fell down his face, but he made no move to wipe them away. He put his face in his hands, his mournful gray eyes peering down in between his fingers at the dry grass. He watched a bright green spider wander by casually, going about its daily business, and began to wonder if he were the only one in the world with problems.
He caught sight of his foot, the one the warg had clawed, and noticed for the first time that it already had big, purple bruises forming on it. He dismissed it as nothing, though, knowing that, even though it would pain him, he would rarely take notice of it.
He didn't move for a long time, just sat there, thinking miserably about his wonderful past with the elves and how it had all changed so quickly.
"Why did I even drink that man's filthy water in the first place?" He muttered to himself quietly, scolding himself inwardly for being so stupid. "Now I can never get away from it. I will always try to kill them." He voice cracked as he remembered just the other day, when he had tried to murder Elladan in cold blood. "How could I have done that?" He wondered aloud, sending more sobs racking through his body. He closed his eyes, letting his imagination take him back to the day, the fight that had ensued, how he had easily knocked out the elven guards, the drunken rage he was in…
He felt a sudden presence beside him and jerked his tear-stained face up, wildly searching for whoever it was that had crept up on him. His tortured gaze registered the menacing figure standing beside him, and he shook his head, fresh tears coursing down his face as he realized who it was.
"No. No, just leave me alone!" He begged, lowering his face back onto his knees and pulling his arms around them.
The low laugh was soft and evil, and the voice was like poisonous honey. "You know that will never happen."
Aragorn continued to brokenly cry.
"That is, until you follow through with the task I gave you."
He slowly looked up, gazing defiantly into Enceladus' eyes. "No! I will never obey you! So you can leave right now, because you will never get me to do as you wish! I will never kill them!" He turned his back on the figure and tried to stifle his sobs.
A quiet sigh reached Aragorn's ears as Enceladus took a step forward. "I have a hard time believing that."
The man looked up at his tormentor once again, this time hastily rubbing the tears from his face. "I don't."
"I brought a present for you." The man's dark, glittering eyes smiled menacingly as he changed the subject tactfully.
Then, as Aragorn watched, Enceladus seemed to reach behind him and produce a beautifully carved re-curve bow with a quiver chock full of twenty-four arrows. Both were jet black, with only a small amount of gold lining tear the tip of the quiver. The man's face crumpled into a miserable expression when he realized what they were for.
"Since you could not complete the task with the dagger, you will have these." Immediately, the quiver was strapped on his back and the bow lying in front of him.
"Why do you torture me with these games?" Aragorn's voice was quiet and broken.
"Oh, do not blame me for your predicament. I am not the one who refused to follow through with the job when I first gave it to you."
Aragorn made no move to remove the quiver from his back or push the bow away from him, knowing the inevitability of the situation. The Ranger suddenly heard soft footsteps approaching and looked up. He could see the faint figure of Halbarad approaching him in the dim evening light.
"Well, I guess that is my cue to leave, then." But, just before the evil man disappeared again, he added, "And remember, you will do as I tell you." He chuckled softly again. "And I would prefer sooner rather than later." Then Enceladus was gone. And Aragorn hung his head in defeat.
-
The three elves made it back to Rivendell, letting a pair of servants take their horses to the stables and rub them down.
Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas had the same thoughts all coursing through their head, and they all hesitated right before the door, as if waiting for someone else to open it. Finally, Elrohir stepped forward and swung it open, striding confidently into the House. And Elrond was there, waiting for them, asking them where his adopted son was.
Well, I hope everyone liked it! Okay, one thing before Review Replies, the song from the last chapter, 'One More Round', does anybody else agree that it would go REALLY well to Will from Ranger's Apprentice? SPOILER FOR RA BOOK 3: Especially in book three, when he's addicted to the warmweed? It would even go well to Halt's Peril, don't you think?
REVIEW REPLIES
Silenthunder: Yeah, I put the vow up on my profile, too. I'm so sick of seeing those stories that have a million views but only two REviews. And, yeah, Aragorn is the chieftain of the Dunedain of the North. Hehehe…after reading this chapter, you probably REALLY want to seriously harm Enceladus now. :D Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Saphira: I agree. I think Frodo is one of the most though-provoking characters. Cause you start to compare yourself to him, you know? Like, he saved Middle-Earth, but not for himself. I think that's awesome how he made a sacrifice that didn't benefit him in ANY way. It only harmed him. He has a good heart. :D Hmmm…I think I've heard 'Song For the Broken'. One of my favorite BarlowGir songs is probably 'One More Round' or 'Never Alone'. 'Grey' is pretty good, too. BarlowGirl ROCKS! Anyways, thanks for reading and reviewing!
EvenstarWarrior: Well, Gilan, I think you just accomplished leaving the longest review in the history of reviews! Congratulations!* hands you jar of cookies* And, here, give this to Blaze. *hands you TWO apples.* Remember, Gilly, don't give them to him all at once, or he'll get fat. :I Your heart-to-heart talk will be in the next chapter, so…you can wait till then! :P And yes, Halbarad does have that aura, doesn't he? And by the way, when Aragorn was with the Rangers, Halbarad was his best friend, just to clear things up. :D I think both of them are very thought-provoking. Actually, I think all three are. I can tell you really thought through the question, good job! And DON'T BE SORRY FOR THE LONG REVIEW! THAT'S WHAT THE WRITER LIKES BEST! Hehe. You're awesome, Gil. Thanks for reading and reviewing! And don't eat all those cookies at once, or else Blaze AND you will be fat! :P :D
Ranger Turien: Yay! Someone else like me! I'm always hearing Halt's voice inside my head, then Will's voice, then Halt's voice telling Will's voice to shut up. :P Then they start arguing and I get confused. :D :P Yeah, Pooowweeeerrr Raaannnggeerrrsss…sorry about that, I'm really reluctant to say those two words, they're so awful. :D I agree with you, those three are the most thought-provoking, 'cause you get to really relate to them and stuff. Hey, you're right about the flames!
Hey, Aragorn! Let's get a bonfire going! And tell Halt and Will they're invited! Oh, and don't forget about Gilan! Actually, nevermind that, Honey, just send out invitations to all the Rangers, oh, and Horace. He'll get mad if he's not invited. :D And make sure Evanlyn, DOES NOT get one. She's stupid. Woohoo! We're roasting some Tennyson tonight! I harbor a hate for him, since he put Halt through all that pain. He needs to die. Hehehe…by his own poison…well, technically by the Genovesans' poison, but, whatever.
Okay, sorry about that. I also harbor an unquenchable hate for Evanlyn and her dumb little daughter, too. I hate them both.
Change, that, Honey, invite Evanlyn, we'll roast Tennyson tomorrow night. :P :D
Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D
SONG OF THE DAY
Gone
Artist: Switchfoot
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Okay, this is kinda like the last question, but oh well. :D :D :P
Which LoTR or The Hobbit character can you relate to best and why?
Arrow :D