Whoah! I hadn't expected so many people to show up! Thank you AAALLL for the fantastic reviews! :D

I know, I know, I left you at a HORRID spot, but really, I had to!…*shakes rule book* honest! ;)

And yes, Cheysuli, there IS a book. It's right- umm…oh. Thank you, Kellen. It's right here, see? According to the FanFiction.net Book of Rules, page 1,447, "Must post SOON after cliffie, so as not to cause undue…" wait…Kellen, you ear-marked this page, didn't you? *throws book* well, I'm SORRY! I'll post. I'm posting! *looks down the page* Yup! Right there. *sighs in relief* whew! No one can kill me…yet. ;)

Thanks, Ecri! I like adding in obvious signs of their friendship, and just generally enjoy writing them as 'having moments' as your writing curriculum put it so well. I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

Actually, Blue Jedi Hobbit 009, it looks to me like a lot of people have enjoyed your writing. Your most recent fics have had, on average, 50 60 or 70 reviews on them. And your first fic you ever posted here had 10, and it only had 1 chapter! Looks to me like you have very good writing style (and perhaps sometime I could explore it further? :) )

Na, see me, I want to write like Cassia one day…boy I wish! ;)

Speaken' of which…Hullo, Cassia! Nice to see you! Yeah, Hannah's been threatening me to tell you about my story. ;) It's nice to see you! And, WOW, I got Cassia to read and like my story! :P ;)

Oh, but don't let this deter you from posting on Seventh Stone. No, no, no. If you're here to post, I really won't be hurt if you do THAT instead of read this post! ;) …course, even if you weren't on your way there, you're welcome to go do it now! :D Please?

Tam BreoSaight; Hey! Yes, I'm actually quite aware that most of my Sindarin grammar is…well, off. I apologize for any mistranslations, but I did the best I could from all my elvish sources. Is there a particular way you have learned much about elvish grammar? Well, anyway, the whole point of doing elvish in the first place, was to simply make it more interesting than saying 'spoke in the grey tongue' every single time they spoke elvish, because they do it so much in this story.

Hey! I translated Ah Elbereth Githoniel! Correctly, didn't I?…hoh ya. Well, okay, so that was already in the book. But hey! Can't blame a girl for trying, right? ;)

Also, Cheysuli, yes, I realize that Legolas could go back to his father, and heaven knows Thranduil was a LOT closer, but I think Aragorn understood how extremely dire the situation was, and knew that he couldn't waist time going back through Mirkwood, and made a break for Rivendell. Also, as he said a the campfire,

"If he cannot," Aragorn responded confidently. "No one can. He has healed you before, Legolas, I do believe he can do it again."

I think this shows that he had an awful lot of faith in Elrond, and also knew that he was the only one wise enough to know what's wrong with Legolas. It's also possible that he *didn't* know how dire the situation was, and thought he'd have time to get to his father, since that was the better bet, all thing considered.

Plus, they couldn't go back to Thranduil, at any rate. Like-as-not, he'd be too blinded by his son's injury he'd just fret over it until it was too late, judging from what we know of him. Anyways, long explanation for a simple question. Really, it's up to you to decide which is more likely. :)

WELL, as I said, it's nice to see everybody! I'm thrilled that you're enjoying the story, and hope that this post isn't as bad as the last one! And no, KarateElf, don't worry, I have absolutely NO intention of making this Slash. *shivers* I don't like that stuff.

Anyways, onto the post! :)

**********

For full disclaimers and story info, see Chapter 1.

**********

Chapter 5

Tears in the Dark

Aragorn's head throbbed, but that was to be expected. Thoughts trickled through his mind, like a sluggish current, slowly piecing itself together.

He head hurt…because he'd been hit on the head. Twice- no…three times at least. Yes. They'd been attacked. They…Legolas!

The sudden realization hit him even harder than the blow to his head. He opened his eyes, but there was no difference between that moment, and a moment before when they had been closed. It was black as the ashes of Mount Doom.

Aragorn tried hard to focus his unwilling eyes, but the black remained. He tried to push his aching body up, but found that his hands were bound behind him. After awhile he managed to push himself onto his knees. He was surprised to find the ceiling just a few inches above his head. Where in the world were they?

"Legolas?" Aragorn's voice sounded small and confined in the tiny, low-ceilinged room. "Legolas?" he repeated after hearing no answer.

"Yes, Strider, I am here."

"I cannot see you." Aragorn tried to move towards the sound of his friend's voice.

"Nor I you." Came the soft reply.

"Where are we?"

"I know not." Aragorn continued to crawl towards the sound of the elf's voice. Finally, he hit something. The impact of suddenly hitting a large shape in the dark caused him to stumble, and slump forward.

"Easy, now." He felt Legolas shoulder against his, and the elf supported the human back to his knees.

Aragorn suddenly realized that Legolas was shaking.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am well." Legolas sighed, but Aragorn could here he was not. "I was a little roughed up, so to speak, by- by whatever it was that caught us."

"What did they do?"

"Not much. But I think I dislocated my shoulder again. I cannot feel my fingers."

"Though," Aragorn commented dryly, "that could be due to these creatures' knot-tying techniques. I cannot feel my fingers either."

"Here." He felt Legolas move up behind him. "If we sit back-to-back, we might be able to untie each other's hands.

Aragorn nodded, but of course Legolas didn't see it, so he added "Might as well give it a try."

The human knelt a little lower, and felt Legolas do the same. The elf's swift fingers moved around Aragorn's knots, and he tried to force his numb fingers to do the same.

The knots were indeed tight, but as Aragorn worked his fingers slowly grew a little more feeling. Legolas was obviously making more progress than the human.

As the feeling began to come back, Aragorn realized that the knots he worked at were wet and sticky. Whether it was his blood or Legolas', he didn't know, and didn't quite want to.

Finally, he felt the ropes around his wrists relax, and then fall away. "I'm almost done with yours." He assured Legolas, and turned around to face the knots, though he could not see them.

His hands hurt badly as the feeling returned fully to them, but worked doggedly on. He soon realized why it was taking so long. There were three thick ropes tied around the elf's wrists.

"What cause have they to be so frightened of elves?"

Legolas groaned. "I know not. It seems that most have one cause or another; it is almost always some form of superstition, though."

"Well, it will make it a little harder to untie you, I am afraid."

"It is of no matter, Aragorn. Take the time you need. Even were I in a hurry, I would have no where to go."

Aragorn had to agree with that, and gave a half smile despite himself.

At long last, the second rope was untied. Aragorn felt his friend tense every time the human's fingers touched Legolas' hurting hands.

"Does it hurt that much, Legolas?" He inquired worriedly,

"It is not your fault." Legolas sighed. "But when you touch me, well-"

"You feel me striking you." Aragorn quoted from their conversation awhile back.

"I don't suppose that you have checked to see if any of our weapons were *not* confiscated." Legolas queried, in an obvious change of subject.

"Yes," Aragorn clearly accepted it.

"And?"

"Alas, no." The other sighed.

"Hm." Legolas mused. "It is indeed a disappointment, but I must confess, an expected one."

Aragorn smiled in the darkness, and felt the last rope finally give way. "There!" He said, satisfied. "You are free."

Legolas sucked in his breath, and felt the raw wrists. "Indeed." He responded ruefully.

Aragorn stood, and forgetting the low ceiling, made hard contacted with it. Sprinkles of dirt fell down on his face, and he sank to the floor again.

"Strider, are you alright?" Legolas' surprised voice came through the dark.

"Yes, I am well." Aragorn rubbed his head, and looked up at the darkness that was the ceiling. "This is a dirt ceiling." He said thoughtfully.

Legolas reached up and touched the canopy of earth. "You are right." He felt along it, and realized that it was very damp. "Feel along the walls - there must be a door somewhere."

Aragorn crawled until he felt the wall. It too was dirt and he trailed along it, searching for a crack that might be a doorway of some sort. Suddenly, he felt something strange, and it took him a moment to realize what it was.

"Sorry Legolas. Did you find anything?"

"No, and I very much doubt that my sleeve will get us out of here."

Aragorn grinned at the amused voice, and let go of his friends sleeve. "How is it possible that there is no door?"

"I would think there is one somewhere. Unless…" Legolas' voice trailed off.

"Unless they're trying to bury us alive." Aragorn finished grimly. "But why would there be so much room, if they were actually burying us, why would the bother making it more of a room than a hole? I suppose that it is likely they wanted us to live awhile before suffocating or staving. But what kind of creature would attack our camp, simply to bury us alive? Wait…" He turned, suddenly thinking of something. "Legolas, did you not see these creatures when they fought you?"

"No." Legolas was curt, and more than a little troubled as he answered.

"How could you not?" Aragorn didn't want to push his friend again, but he was dieing to help the elf in any way, and the first sound of distress was nagging.

"I *saw* them - their form, their being - but I did not see *them*. I know that."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw what my eyes didn't, or rather I felt it, but the feeling may not be real, as well as the sight I know must not be real. Or maybe it is all untrue. I knew that they were there, but my eyes saw nightmares they were not. But perhaps they were. Perhaps- oh, perhaps nothing is real! Perhaps it all is in vain to believe that I could discern truth!" Legolas broke off angrily, and brokenly.

Aragorn could hear the distress and anger, but could not hold back his impatience any longer.

"Legolas, you make no sense to me! Do you not think I wish to help you? Do you not believe that I would assist you in any way I could? But you make it impossible! How can I help you when you never truly talk to me? You talk into your dream, but not to my face! Legolas, I want to- let me…"

Aragorn could not force himself to go on. He could feel tears of frustration fill his eyes, and was suddenly glad for the darkness.

But Legolas didn't need to see the tears to know them to be there. He heard the human's breath shake, and could feel him move away a little.

"Aragorn." He murmured softly. "I am so sorry my friend. I do believe you wish to help me, and I do thank you for it. I am- I am sorry that I cannot explain my distress in words you can know, and understand. I do not wish to confuse you."

Aragorn managed to get a hold of himself, and hastily wiped the tears from his dirty face. He was about to respond, but Legolas sighed, and continued, "And I am greatly sorry that I have given you such grief. That I grew angry. It is only I miss reason. My world contains no reason anymore."

Aragorn steadied his shaky breathing, and quietly answered. "It is well that I know of your sorrows, Legolas. I am sorry that I ask for them, and grow angry at their answers." Aragorn allowed his tongue to slip into grey words. "Eressem mavros na buioch."

//I only want to help you.//

"You have, Aragorn, and I thank you for it." the elf's voice became so quiet, it was barely audible to Aragorn's human ears. "I am not used to being vulnerable."

Aragorn sat back on his heals "So how do we get out, if there is no door?"

"Well," Legolas began, accepting the change of subject gratefully. "I supposed the obvious answer is dig."

"True, but it will be difficult to dig upwards, which is likely the only way."

Aragorn heard rather than saw the other shrug. "I do not see that we have much choice."

The two of them, with nothing but their hands as tools, began to dig into the ceiling. They soon found that it was a little too easy to dig through the earth. It was fairly loose, and every time they removed a clump of it, a whole section fell down.

Soon the friends were kneeling in knee-deep dirt all around them. "This is of no use." Aragorn sighed, leaning against the dirt wall. "Perhaps we should-"

"Wait!" Legolas cut him off. "I feel something…it's…wood?" Aragorn crawled towards the sound of the elf's voice. It wasn't easy, for due to the deep dirt on the floor, the ranger had to practically swim to his friend's side.

"Wood?" He repeated, once beside Legolas.

"It is rough, but flat." Legolas reached into the dark for Aragorn's hand. "Feel-" he began, as he touched the hand, and began to direct it to the strange wood. Suddenly, he jerked back, and cringed. As he did, he lost what footing he'd had in the knee-deep earth, and fell back into the opposite wall. His head made hard contact with the dark wall, and he tried to reel away, only to fall over into the veritable pool of dirt.

Aragorn saw not of this, but felt his friend recoil, and heard the dull thud of him hitting the dirt wall. "Legolas?!" He called "Are you alright?"

Silence.

Aragorn waded through the fallen ceiling as fast as he could, and finally felt Legolas' fine hair strewn over the damp earth. "Legolas?" He moved his hands around, and felt the elf's head, pointed ear, neck, shoulders…

"Legolas, can you hear me?" his dirty fingers brushed Legolas' smooth face. As they glided down from his forehead, and down his nose, he felt his eyelids. His eyes were closed, and Elves, Aragorn realized with a shudder, only close their eyes in unconsciousness or…death.

Swallowing panic, his hands went shakily to the elf's chest. It was slow but he could feel a his chest rise and fall, and after awhile, a weak heart beat.

"Thank you, my friend." He sighed, feeling very relieved but also suddenly lonely in the dark by himself. He sat down beside the unconscious prince, and laid his hands on his chest. He relaxed as it rose and fell. Rose and fell. In and out. Up and down. And slowly, he did not feel as lonely.

But the silence was deafening. It rang in his ears, and every grain of dirt that fell from the ceiling sounded as a crack of thunder.

Quietly, and then, slowly louder, Aragorn sang again.

"Uuvam kena kalad morth

//I would see the light in darkness//

Uuvam baur laanad

//I would need not anything//

Eram uuva kena ilman

//If only I will see the stars//

Eram lennathon"

//If only I will sing!//

Suddenly, the ceiling shook, and a loud pounding ensued. Aragorn drew closer to Legolas, putting his body between him and whatever it was hammering above them.

He barely had a moment to think before a trap door opened in the ceiling just a foot away from where he and Legolas sat, and a torch was pointed into the dark hole. A low bellowing voice seemed to almost shake the room.

"You had better not be dead yet!"