All right, now the surprises I mentioned, I think you'll like them….
Chapter 17--Reunited
"Hello, Gimli," Aragorn said from his chair.
Gimli's eyes widened then narrowed. He was across the room faster then anyone could have believed. He yanked Aragorn from the chair so he was kneeling on the floor. "Hello, Gimli?!! Is that all you can say?! Legolas was executed for your murder and you are alive!! My brother died for nothing!! Damn you, Aragorn, I ought to kill you myself!!" the enraged Dwarf bellowed.
Jaisia finally recovered enough to act. She'd never seen Gimli so angry. "Gimli, please calm down. Legolas is not dead, he is alive, do you hear me? Alive, he is sleeping in the next room. Lilith is with him!" she cried.
Gimli hesitated then released Aragorn. "So you want to explain how you are alive when I saw you buried and how Legolas is alive when I saw them hang him with my own eyes. I saw the executioner and his helpers take his body, I saw his grave!!" he growled.
"I was the executioner, the black robes and hood hid my identity well. The grave contains an empty coffin and my helpers--" he started.
"--Was us!" two voices shouted and Merry and Pippin rushed in from another room. "We were on our way to visit and Aragorn met us halfway. He told us what happened." Sam followed them in at a more discreet pace.
Gimli shook his head. "But how are you both alive?" he asked.
"My sickness was a spell, but Lilith did break it. She said she thought something was wrong so she gave me some herbs. They slowed breathing and heartbeat down so much they were indiscernible to others. I would appear dead. When I put the rope around Legolas' neck there was a potion made of the same herbs smeared on a thorn hidden in the noose. When he was unconscious and the herbs worked. I proclaimed him dead and brought him here," Aragorn said.
Lilith emerged from the back room. "I have given him something to counteract the herbs, someone should stay with him, he will be disoriented when he awakes," she said.
"I will stay with him," Gimli said before anyone could say a word. No one argued and Gimli went to the room. Legolas laid on a cot, eyes open. Gimli could see the Elf's chest rise and fall as he breathed. "Crazy elf, do not ever scare me like that again." He sat down on a stool by the bed and waited.
"Hey, Aragorn, I am hungry, can we cook some food?" Pippin asked.
"Sam can if he wants, I remember your cooking Pippin," Aragorn said.
"I will, come on, you two can help me," Sam said and led them back into the kitchen.
Aragorn let out his breath. "I have never seen Gimli like that I thought he would really kill me. It is a good thing you were able to talk to him, Jaisia," he said.
"When I found him at the grave he called Legolas his brother, Aragorn. I never heard him say that before," Jaisia said.
Aragorn raised an eyebrow. "Neither have I," he said.
"At least we are all together and safe," Jaisia said.
"Together perhaps--" Aragorn corrected. "--But we will not be safe until Darrin is dead. Somehow he is behind this. When Legolas is awake perhaps he can clear a few things up for us."
Supper was soon ready and Merry made sure everyone got a fair share. Sam took a plate into Gimli. When he entered the room Gimli had one of Legolas' hands clasped in both of his.
Gimli looked a bit embarrassed, but he didn't let go of Legolas' hand. "What is it, Sam?" he asked.
"I brought you something to eat before Pippin ate it all," Sam said and offered the plate.
Gimli laid Legolas' hand down gently and took the plate. "Thank you, Sam," he said.
"You are welcome, Gimli," Sam said and left, closing the door behind him. He didn't tell the others what he'd seen out of respect for Gimli's privacy.
Two hours later Legolas blinked as he awoke then he realized Gimli was leaning over him. "Gimli, are you dead too?" he mumbled.
"No, I am not dead, you are not dead and neither is Aragorn," Gimli said. "Thanks to Lilith."
Relief filled Legolas' eyes. "Aragorn is alive?" he asked. Gimli nodded. "Alive and well, Jaisia and Lilith are here along with Sam, Pippin and Merry," he said.
Legolas remembered and tried to sit up. "Darrin--he has taken control of Arwen with a strong binding spell. He has Sandi too, the messenger never reached Xandir, he was killed. Darrin is disguising himself and Sandi with some sort of spell. We have to do something," he said.
Gimli forced him to lay back down. "We will, but you are not ready to move yet. Stay still, I will go get them," he said and left the room.
When everyone was in the room Legolas repeated everything he had told Gimli. After he was finished there was a grim silence. Their task would be more complicated then they had thought…..
So did you all like my surprises, there ended up being three of them. I just hope I wrote the hobbits okay. Let me know!! R/R please!