This is part two, and I just came back from the movie...I've a much better picture of how things are as far as appearances and whatnot. Only one question: In Rivendell, where are all those waterfalls being fed from? Is it Baranduin? Or is it something else? *scratches head* I can't recall if there ever was anything said about Baraduin going over waterfalls.

HELP ME BOB!!!!!!! *claws at muse's feet* Help me, Bob! Please...pretty please......

The Fallen (Chapter Two) by Amaryllis

Late that night, when the moon hung high overhead, Aragorn's eyes snapped open. Unmoving, he listened for a moment.

"Legolas, wake up," he said. The elf stirred only slightly, so Aragorn gave him a gentle nudge.

"What is it?" Legolas asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Hush...listen."

"Foosteps," he said, after a pause. "I can no longer hear them." He noted that the sound had been accompanied by the occasional soft clink of metal.

"Let's go, then. That's what we're here for: to guard this place."

They crept out of their room into the cold night air, walking along the stone pathways and keeping to the shadows.

For many long moments there was no sound save for the rushing of the many waterfalls and the sweet, lilting song of a nightingale in the distance. They had stopped behind a large, ornate trellis that was covered with creeping vines of ivy, and Legolas gazed outward through the latticework.

"What are you looking at?" Aragorn asked, breaking the silence.

"Elrond's room," came the reply. The lord's quarters were across the way, in the very heart of the village.

Had he been allowed to, Legolas might have said something else, but Aragorn suddenly stiffened and clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Be silent," he whispered, and removed his hand.

They threw themselves against the wall. Legolas followed Aragorn's gaze, and in the moonlight caught a flurry of black robes as it disappeared round the corner. He drew an arrow from his quiver and gave chase, long blond hair flapping behind him.

Aragorn followed without hesitation and prayed that his companion wouldn't get hurt again.

He rounded the corner and winced as an arrow flew past, so close that he could feel the disturbance in the air. Luckily, the arrow had been loosed from Legolas' direction and he heaved a great sigh of relief when he whirled around and saw that the arrow had hit its mark.

"Ah....!" Legolas bent and clutched at his neck as the rider fell to the ground, his armor contacting the cold stone floor with a heavy clunk.

"What is it?" Aragorn asked with urgency in his voice. "Legolas....." He rushed forward, wrapped his arms round the elf's slender waist and held him upright.

"I feel his pain," Legolas choked, "twofold." His hand traveled down to his bandaged thigh. "Do not worry, for it is already beginning to fade."

"What fell curse is this?." Aragorn let go of Legolas slowly and backed away when he saw that the elf was able to stand on his own, albeit rather shakily.

"The black arrow," he said softly. He bent and plucked his own arrow from the body of the rider cautiously, as if he expected to be stung by the poison once more. Nothing more happened, but black blood oozed from the wound, and upon examining the arrow, Legolas discovered that it had been eaten away in some places. He held the flight end of the arrow to the small blotch of blood on the rider's neck and watched in amazement as the feathers caught fire and withered.

"Acid, possibly?" Aragorn asked.

"Hm...."

"Look on the side of his neck. He is branded with a star, just as Luraen said."

Legolas extinguished the flaming arrow and tucked it into his quiver. "Elrond needs to know about this," he said. "We shall alert him in the morning, but let us see to it that he is safe."

They went quickly down the hall without a sound and reached Elrond's room without difficulty. Upon peering into the room, they found the ruler of the valley sleeping peacefully, his chest rising and falling in time with his breathing.

"We shall stay here for the remainder of the night," Aragorn said, and sat down at the foot of the steps leading up to Elrond's room. Legolas joined him without complaint, and Aragorn wrapped his arms round his waist once more, drawing him into his lap. He reclined against the wall and they dropped off to sleep at once.

When Eleslan finally came to, he found himself on the back of a great black horse, being carried through a dense forest. The body of Haldrir had been laid across his lap, and Eleslan held his friend's cloak so that the broken body would not fall from the horse. Wind rushed over his face and the scenery flashed by endlessly. Once more, Eleslan grew weary and nodded off to sleep.

The horse galloped at an exhausting speed for hours after that, until they reached a small sheltered valley around which there was a thick grey stone wall. The remnants of what had once been a flourishing vine clung lifelessly to the wall, and as the wind blew bits of the withered brown leaves were torn off and swept away.

An old, weatherbeaten marble statue of a woman guarded the entrance to the valley, with the withered vines curling round her feet and up her long flowing robe. She stood in a recess in the wall with her arms outstretched, welcoming visitors to the city. Below her was a black cast- iron gate.

The horse slowed to a halt before the gate, and the rider dismounted, taking care to make sure his charges did not fall off. He pushed the gate open slowly and tugged sharply on the horse's reins. The great black steed followed him obediently into the valley, its head low.

=TBC=

Urgh. Not sure I like how this chapter turned out. *shudders* *runs into igloo and hides*

Stupid Bob! Grrr.......