Okay, everyone--my muse is raring to go so I will-------here's another chapter….
Chapter 11--Pain Of The Soul
Aragorn had done little as of late, but brood. Arwen still grieved and spent a lot of time in the garden alone. Aragorn rose and walked slowly up to the nursery. It was just as it was when Sandi had disappeared. His attention was draw to a portrait on the wall, Legolas and Sandi; it had been done when Sandi was a year and a half. Suddenly Aragorn hated that accursed portrait. His hands clenched in rage. He stormed from the room and saw two servants. "You two! I have a task for you!" he called.
The servants came over and bowed. "What is your wish, my liege?" one asked.
"Remove the portrait of my daughter and--Legolas--from the nursery and destroy it. I do not wish to see it again," Aragorn ordered and walked off. The servants hurried to obey, shaking their head in sympathy for the king's pain.
Aragorn walked slowly to the room Legolas had used. He searched the entire room and found nothing. He really didn't know what he was searching for. Finally he sat down on the bed and didn't move for three hours.
Arwen walked through the gardens slowly and thought. Neither she nor Aragorn had been there since Sandi's abduction. The guards had been the last ones there. The garden, no matter how lovely, gave her scant comfort. Her heart ached for her lost children and she longed for answers.
The servants removed the portrait, but didn't destroy it. Instead, they wrapped it in cloth then took it up to one of the many storerooms and hid it. The servants had liked the Elven prince who had always been respectful to them. Some believed that he was innocent. They would wait and see if the Elf was cleared the king might be glad the portrait was still whole if that was true.
***Meanwhile***
Jaisia and Legolas had stopped for the night and set up camp for the night. After supper Jaisia insisted Legolas get some sleep and she'd take first watch. Legolas nodded and soon fell asleep.
Only two hours passed when Legolas suddenly sat up, eyes wide. "I remember something, that man when I brought Sandi, he said something about returning to Xandir," he said.
"That's great, do you think that's where he took Sandi?!" Jaisia asked.
"I am not sure, but it's a place to start, but I don't know where it is. I've never heard of it," Legolas said.
"Neither have I--but we can ask around, surely somebody will know something about it!!" Jaisia exclaimed. The thought of having a clue no matter how small gave new hope to them both. They would start searching for clues in the morning!!
But they didn't know unfriendly eyes were watching them. "I feared you might be trouble, prince of elves. I may have to dispose of you and your centaur friend. I will not be stopped!!!" the robed man muttered, staring into his scrying crystal. His cruel laughter echoed in the empty chamber.
Whose the robed man? I'm not telling you!!! So you still intrigued? Hope so!! R/R please? It feeds my muse!!!