Hey… I'm not even going to say anything about that one flame that I got telling me that I was sick… I told you what was in the story and that person chose to read it anyhow… oh well, I guess people don't ALWAYS follow directions… haha… but please use correct grammar… I don't own sick so don't say "your sick"… the correct way would be to say "you're sick" as in, you are sick… haha just don't flame me, please!! I own nothing!! PLEASE R&R to tell me how I'm doing… tell me if I'm doing a good job, or you can just be extremely mean and hurt my feelings by telling me that I suck L … oh well… no flames bye!
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Fallen Tears
Chapter 2
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Aragorn's eyes followed the slim figure as it walked across the camp site. He had been eyeing the elf for the past couple of days, watching him for any sudden change in his character, although there were no obvious signs that something was troubling him, Aragorn still had a nagging feeling inside of him telling him to not be so quick to come to a conclusion. Aragorn knew that Legolas had also been taught how to keep his facial expressions neutral. So finding out if the elf had a problem by just observing him from a distance was relatively close to impossible.
He watched Legolas as he angrily stalked over to his bag after having an argument with Boromir over a small blood stain on the sleeve of his tunic. Legolas had calmly replied that it had been there since they left Moria but Boromir had been insistent on having a look at Legolas' arm to make sure that he wasn't hiding anything, which caused Legolas to lose his temper uncalled for. For the past couple of days that's all Legolas had been doing, he was constantly starting small arguments with members of the fellowship about the smallest of things that shouldn't even have been brought up in conversation. But Legolas' stubborn attitude and defiance of thinking he was wrong caused the small arguments to lead into screaming matches, and often resulting in physical outbursts, which Aragorn usually had to brace himself between so the fights didn't turn deadly. Aragorn would also notice that after every fight Legolas had, he would usually excuse himself from the rest of the company and go off on his own. Only to return anywhere from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours and usually clutching his arm or cleaning his dagger. Aragorn noted these small changes.
A low growl was heard from the kneeling elf as he began digging through his pack. "Dammit! Where the hell is it?!" He mumbled to himself as he searched for something. He furiously started throwing his stuff on the ground as he dug deeper. "…never find anything…"
Aragorn cleared his throat, "Need some help?" he offered, only to be quickly stabbed with two blue icicles.
"No, I'm fine." Legolas said after sending a death glare at the ranger for even presuming that he would need any help of any kind. Aragorn shook his head sadly but didn't let the harsh tone of the elf offend him in any way. So he decided to ignore the elf for awhile and just relax until it was time for dinner, which the hobbits were already busy preparing.
"Finally!" Legolas said. He pulled something out of his pack and quickly shoved it into the folds of his tunic. He stood up and walked over to a large tree just outside the borders of the camp, he leaned his back against it and slowly slid to a sitting position. Aragorn observed as Legolas closed his eyes and softly sang to himself, his ears perked up as he strained to recognize the tune of which Legolas was singing. But the elf was singing too softly to determine the song.
"Mister Strider sir? Sir?" Pippin asked, tugging on the black legging of the ranger, trying to get his attention.
Aragorn looked down at the small hobbit and smiled, "Yes, young Pippin?"
"Well… I was just wondering. Actually we were all wondering, when would we be arriving in Lothlòrien? Do you know, sir?" Pippin asked timidly.
"I should imagine that we would be arriving there sometime tomorrow night if we leave on time in the morning. If we had kept at our regular pace we would have arrived there sometime ago, but because we have been resting more to ease our pain of Gandalf our arrival time has been delayed." Aragorn answered.
"Oh, alright… thank you sir. But I also had another question… and you do realize that I speak for the rest of the company also when I ask this. It wasn't only me wondering it!" Pippin said hurridly, sounding somewhat hesitant to voice his question.
Aragorn kneeled down so that he was eye level with the hobbit, "Yes? Go on."
"Do you promise not to get mad at me for asking this?"
He chuckled, "I don't know… I guess I'll try to contain myself."
Pippin gulped and nervously glanced at Legolas, gesturing towards him. Implying to Aragorn what the question was about. "What… what's wrong with Legolas, sir? Why does he act so strangely lately?"
"Well…" Aragorn tried to think of what to say to the hobbit without having to tell him the entire truth but also not to lie to him about it, "Legolas has been going through a difficult time. He's having trouble coping with the death of Gandalf, the pain of losing him is bringing back old memories of his that he thought he'd forgotten."
"Oh… thank you. I was only asking because we were worried, you know that right?" Pippin said, not wanting to ask anymore questions… despite his natural curiosity in his hobbit nature.
"Yes, I understand that. It's only natural for you to be concerned for a member of your company." Aragorn said, he then stood up over the hobbit, "Anymore questions tonight?"
"No, sir. Thank you, sir." Pippin said and walked back to join with the other hobbits.
"Pippin?" Aragorn called after the small hobbit. Pippin turned his head around to give all his attention to the ranger. "Don't call me sir, please?"
"Aye, sorry."
Aragorn smiled and turned his attention to his fingernails. He grimaced when he found layers of dirt caked underneath them. He sighed and unsheathed his knife, but just as he began picking his fingernails, he was distracted by a reflection caught in the knife. The reflection of a certain elf trying to sneak away from the camp site into the dark. "Legolas?" Aragorn called without turning around. He heard an exasperated sigh from behind him where the elf stood.
"Yes, Aragorn?" The elf asked rather snippy through clenched teeth. "Is there something you would like to talk to me about?"
"Yes, come here."
Legolas walked over to the ranger and sat down beside him. Watching as Aragorn picked the crud out from underneath his fingernails. He glanced back up at Aragorn's face and waited for him to say something, then looked back down at the knife in his hand when he didn't speak. Legolas sighed in annoyance and glared at the ranger, who's full attention was still placed on the task of cleaning out his nails. Legolas finally had enough of Aragorn playing his little ignoring game, "Quit acting like an ass Estel!" He spat rudely.
It was then that he got the Ranger's attention, Aragorn stopped what he was doing and turned his head sharply and glared at Legolas, "Don't you suppose that's exactly what I should be saying to you Legolas?"
Legolas' eyes widened in shock, his face turned to disgust, "What the hell are you talking about? No, that's not what you should be saying to me because I'm not acting like an immature human!"
"No, you're right. You're not," Aragorn said, his tone not softening, "you're actually acting like a stubborn brat prince who's the biggest prick elf there ever was. Hell, you're probably the only elf that's ever been labeled as a prick!"
Legolas didn't lose his shocked expression, his tone growing angry, "What?!" He was about to continue but the ranger interjected.
"You stalk off by yourself, you start numerous amounts of fights with members of the fellowship for no reason whatsoever, you act so distant from the rest of us, you act depressed half the day and mad the rest, then you insist that everyone hates you and you hate yourself because of it! Legolas, what do you want? Do you want to be released from the fellowship? Do you want to leave? Is that what you want?!" Aragorn demanded.
"NO! I just want you to lay off my back and quit asking so many damn questions all the time!" Legolas shouted as he stood, the ranger standing with him. "All you people ever do anymore is nag at me for little things that you shouldn't even care about, question me about the things I do and never leave me any peace?! What do you want from me?!"
Legolas didn't wait for Aragorn to answer, he quickly sprang to a branch 10 feet in the air and disappeared into the treetops. Leaving the company sitting silently, no one daring to say anything, no one knowing what to say.
Boromir glared at Aragorn, "That was low."
"Aragorn," Frodo said silently from his position on the ground, tears beginning to swell up in his eyes. "Bring him back."
Aragorn sighed, he had no idea where to begin looking for the elf…
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He kept running along the branches, jumping on another when one ended. He didn't stop, his nimble Elven feet not making a sound as he ran through the trees, his speed and grace not even daring to disturb the peaceful leaves at rest in the trees.
~ How can you even think about going back there again? You're better off on your own. At least there's no one here to laugh at you, to tell you that everything you do is wrong, to scold you, or… to stop you…~
Legolas froze in place as that thought crossed his mind ~There's no one here to stop you, no one to stop you from killing yourself… no one… no one would care~ He slumped against the tree and sat down on the branch.
~ Hah, this position feels familiar… just doing this last night~ Legolas thought bitterly to himself. He smiled when he remembered his secret. The secret hiding in his tunic. He reached inside his tunic and pulled out a long folded up cloth. He slowly started unrolling his "treasure" only re reveal a long white steel bladed knife.
He held it up and admired it's beauty and it's strength. The power inside this knife was exasperating to the elf, the knife could take the life of any being with only a plunge of his hand. It could take his life with only a slash in the perfect spot on his wrist… he rolled back his sleeve and with the knowledge of that thought in his head, he smiled as he slowly brought the knife down to his exposed arm.
He stopped when the cold steel touched his skin, enjoying just the feeling of the blade. He closed his eyes, which heightened his senses in other areas. The touch of the blade was more intense, more breath taking, more relieving. The tears began flowing as the incident back at the campfire replayed in his mind. The fellowship must think he's crazy, but it's alright… he is. All he needed was to feel the blood, he only needed to feel the blood flowing out of his open wound, pouring all his fears away, pouring all his self-loathing away… pouring away all his pain.
Just then he could hear the sound of Aragorn's voice calling out to him in the darkness… begging him to come back to the fire, to be safe within the borders of their camp. His heart sank when the eyes of Aragorn found his own in the tree.
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"Master Legolas, we were so worried about you," Sam Gamgee said as he saw the ranger walking back to the camp while holding onto the arm of a very sad looking elf.
"Thank you Sam. But I'm alright." Legolas said.
Aragorn let go of Legolas' arm and walked to the center of the camp, next to the fire. He stood tall and spoke clearly, "I am going to take the first watch tonight… who will volunteer to do the other three?"
"I'll do the second," said Legolas absent-mindedly from the edge of the group.
"Merry and I'll do the third!" Pippin spoke up. Receiving angry glares from Merry for volunteering him for taking the third watch.
Gimli raised his axe up in the air slightly, "I've got fourth."
"Alright," Aragorn said as he
looked upon the company, "in the morrow we shall leave immediately for
Lothlòrien and should arrive there within sunset. I suggest that you all get
some rest tonight. You'll need it once you enter the city. Good night."
Everyone politely murmured their good night's to each other and settled down in their own makeshift beds. Within thirty minutes Aragorn could tell that all members had successfully fallen asleep. Even the distraught elf… he silently walked over to the sleeping elf, who was propped up against a tree trunk and kneeled down in front of him, looking into his vacant eyes.
"Oh, what ails you my friend? Why has your past come back to haunt you so?" Aragorn asked, partially talking to himself, and also wishing that Legolas was listening to his words also, "Why won't you let me help you? Do you not trust me?" He couldn't have expected the elf to answer, but to only see the eyes stare blankly back at him was nerve wrecking for the human. "Let me help you in the way I've always wanted to help you in…" Aragorn whispered quietly to himself. He sat for a couple of minutes more before slowly standing up and surveying the area then walking off. He was too busy to notice the lone tear falling gently down the prince's face, as two eyes watched him walk away…
To be continued…
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Hey, sorry for any mistakes I may have made in this chapter… but I don't exactly have a beta reader… what the hell is a beta reader anyhow? I don't even know haha… someone please review and tell me, but tell me nicely please, don't yell at me for not knowing! :-D thanks… PLEASE R&R… no flames tho…