Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews; much appreciated, both for the praise and the constructive criticism. Forgive me if I don't follow it, however; I have plied my trade for far too long and had too much success to change it now; with fiction I master my victim's fate....(evil laugh). Um...oh yes: Orlando is happy and has grown fat with your attentions. His ego is nearing the size of mine, and his head is tiny. I fear I may need a bigger tank soon.... Anyway, keep those reviews coming, please. They are the petrol that keeps my literary motor running.

-Spike

Chapter Eight: Namarië

 

" Hush, he sleeps," said Renália softly. "His wound is still grievous, and he must heal and rest. But he has accepted the Gift that Lord Eärendil offered him, hearing the prayers of Galadriel. He will walk beside you again."

" And how can we thank your Lord?" asked Gimli, bowing deeply. " For I had lost a true and precious friend, and He has given him back to me. Surely His Gift was for more than just the Elf."

" You hold many fates upon your hands," replied Renália, "as does the bearer of the Ring. To honour your quest in any way possible is our pleasure in doing, and the pleasure of our Lord as well. He needs no thanks, for seeing you out on your journey again is all the gratification He seeks. The Gift was bestowed upon the Elven prince, but the ties of your friendship have extended it to be a Gift for both of you as well. That was your doing, and you have endured the trials of friendship, and that brings a great light of hope to your quest. "

" Nonetheless, we are grateful, Renália; both to Eärendil and to you," said Aragorn. He looked at the bed, where Legolas, pale as milk, rested. The Elf was clean and as radiant as he had been at the council of Rivendell before the long and tiring journey, and he looked as though he belonged in the purity of the Temple, purity melded with purity as one. " Tell me, when will he be able to travel with us again?"

" Soon," answered Renália, " but he must needs be careful on the journey. Life has been given back to his body, but we cannot fully heal his wound."

" I understand," said Aragorn, " and we shall help him as much as he needs. I only pray that we're not too late in finding our lost friends..."

At this Renália seemed to smile again, his radiance brilliant even in the light of the Temple. " Fate has ways of reconciling for many things lost, including time, my friend. Do not lose hope; not while you three still stand as friends and companions. Having that, no true ill may bode you on your journey."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Legolas awoke hours, perhaps days later, to Aragorn's reckoning. In the Temple it was eternally twilight; the stars shone out like minute pinpricks across the great indigo canvas of the heavens. He and Gimli has taken food and rest, and were allowed to bathe the grime of travel and battle from their bodies in the steaming, crystalline pools of the temple. Aragorn's wound was treated by a light-being called Uónie, who applied a shimmering gel to the wound which fizzed and then turned to liquid and ran down Aragorn's leg, leaving behind it barely a trace of the wound.

Aragorn's brow furrowed in surprise when he beheld this marvel. "This treatment...it leaves naught but a shadow of the wound. Could you not use it to heal the Elf?"

"We have tried," Uónie replied softly, wiping the remnants of the treatment with a soft white cloth. "And some damage was restored. But his wound was deep, and poisoned with the living evil of the Dark One. We are lucky yours was not; the blade that struck you was clean in a sense- merely a steel weapon to all purpose, and untainted with the tangible evil, as most orc blades are. The treatment would have been little use to you had your luck been lesser."

Aragorn understood, but his heart burned with a white-hot fury for Sauron and the orcs, and soon forgot his tending, and became lost in his thoughts.

At present he was roused when Uónie's soft voice broke through his darkness, soothing it somehow; calming the turgid rapids that had become his emotions.

"You shake with anger, son of Arathorn- it burns in your eyes. Such darkness will only be a bane to you and your quest. I advise you to seek council with Renália before you leave this place. He will soothe your mind and put your heart at ease, for I must tell you now: he is the servant of our Lord, to be sure, but he is also the highest of our order apart from the Lord Himself, and speaks unto Him directly. Renália glows with the same light as Eärendil, for it was our Lord Himself that bestowed it upon him, seeing him as a son, and making him our leader." The healer straightened and tucked the phial of the remedy into the long, wide sleeves of his robe. "Go to him, and let your mind and soul be replenished in this place of sanctuary."

" I will take council," promised Aragorn, and stood, bowing deeply. "Thank you, Uónie, for your help."

" Aye,", the healer nodded. "Now I too must go, and see to your Elven friend. The Dwarf has rarely left his side since Oenú brought you both unto him. Perhaps you can persuade him to take sustenance in our Great Hall."

" I shall," said Aragorn, and departed on his errands, walking without pain for the first time in what seemed like many days- in both his leg and his heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Both Aragorn and Gimli were at Legolas' side when the Elf awoke. Earlier the Ranger had convinced his friend to take sustenance, and with some reluctance Gimli had left the room and travelled with his friend to the Great Hall, where food was set before them on platters of crystal.



The meal, to Gimli's initial disappointment, contained the flesh from no living beast, but the Dwarf assumed that the light-beings were loathe to end any creature's existence for the sake of palate and said nothing, though his heart ached for Dwarven food.

There were light, crisp cakes, much like the waybread, lembas, of the Elves, but sweet and somehow smooth in texture. Mushrooms had been gathered for their arrival, and had been cooked in a light white sauce with crisp watercress and garlic, and set atop a bed of woodland vegetables, some of which Aragorn could not identity. There was bread, white and soft and buttery, though there was no dressing upon it. From crystal goblets they drank a clear liquid swirled with a golden colour; it was sweet and tasted very much the spring honeysuckle, and was very good.

They did the sumptuous affair much justice, and when they were finished they went back to the room where Legolas lay, and sat beside him watchfully. Aragorn was not sure how long they had lingered ere Legolas' lips parted in a deep, life-giving breath, and his eyes slowly opened.

Gimli stirred beside Aragorn, and the Dwarf's eyes shone bright with tears, which he made no effort to conceal. Legolas watched them for a moment, finding his bearings, and then he languidly smiled.

" Hello, my friends," he said in a soft voice.

Gimli leaned forward and took the Elf's long and slender hand, holding it firmly as though he feared his friend would leave again. " I have long waited to hear your voice, friend Elf. For what has seemed like ages I thought I would never again hear it."

" I shall not leave you again, Gimli, this I promise. Perhaps you will soon tire of my voice."

Gimli grinned broadly, and patted the hand. Legolas turned his gaze upon Aragorn, and something in his eyes stirred.



" Aragorn..." he said softly.

The Ranger hardly noticed Renália come to Gimli's side and whisper something in his ear; the Dwarf nodded, understanding in his eyes, and departed with him from the room, leaving the Elf and the Man to themselves.

" My dear Legolas," Aragorn returned, unable to speak in more than a whisper. A tear dropped from his shining eyes and the Elf reached out weakly and took his battle-scarred hand, covering it with both of his own.

" I was glad to have you by my side in those last moments," Legolas murmured. "Had I not been given the chance to return I still would have had peace in my heart, for I had such wonderful friends beside me." He paused for a moment, and in a softer voice he whispered, " How dearly I have missed you, Ranger."

Aragorn smiled. " Who knows when I would have felt peace in my heart again, Prince of Mirkwood, had you not returned to me."

" It was fate for us to walk the paths together, Aragorn. For even death could not keep us apart for long."

" And we shall walk those paths again, wherever they may lead us..."

" Yes," the Elf closed his eyes briefly. " And we shall do so very soon...the bow of Galadriel calls to me, and I mean to answer. You must rest, Aragorn, for you are weary and so is Gimli. Tomorrow we will embark again in search of our lost friends. I pray the light of Eärendil will shine upon them as well, and bestow to them such fortune as has come to us."



" I feel more hope for them now," said Aragorn, "since coming to this place. It has greatly soothed my heart."



" And mine," agreed Legolas, "but even the Temple of Light could not bring more hope to me than seeing your face, holding your hand in mine..." Slowly he brought the hand to his lips, and kissed it. "Namarië..."

" Namarië," Aragorn whispered back, and reluctantly left them both to rest.