Title: Mornie Alantië
Author: Yukito
Rating: PG-13 (just to be safe, a little violent).
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters except Luincrist and Megilian, who are mine. All names of places, rivers, forests, races, elves (royalty or no), men, psycho wizards (I may have the Necromacer show up later)etc belong to Mr. J.R.R. Tolkien and I make no claim to them (I could have made it easier and said 'All Middle Earth belongs to Mr. Tolkien, but I didn't). Nor do I make money off of these wonderful characters. Oh and also, all lyrics in this song belong to the gorgeous and talented enya, whom I love more than life itself. I don't claim to own any of her songs either, nor do I make profit off of them. (I will site the song and album it's from after the lyrics).
Summary: About 20-30 years before Fellowship, Aragorn must get Legolas and his man servant Megilian to Lothórien before they die from … wait I can't tell you what they're dying from yet, it's in the first chapter. Silly me. They run into some orcs on the way there. WAHOO!
Spoilers: (shrug) all of 'em I guess. But if you didn't know Aragorn is really a king you're just silly.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE: 1. Estel is the elven word for 'hope', it really is what he was called by Elrond when he lived in Rivendell in his youth. 2. Yes there are characters in Lord of the Rings named Elladan and Elhrohir who are the sons of Elrond. They show up somewhere in Return of the King I think. They are also twins, well they were born in the same year anyway, go check the appendix, it's there I swear. 3. I realize Elrond probably wouldn't leave Rivendell for even Legolas. But hey, it makes it interesting. 4. I'm assuming in this story that Legolas and Aragorn have know each other all Aragorn's life, which isn't necessarily true, and I don't even know if I like the idea, but again, it makes it more interesting. 5. Sorry for all you guys who like such things, THIS IS NOT A SLASH! Nothing against slash fics It's just not my cup of tea. 6. I made Saintsbane up. 7. No I don't think Legolas has a sister, but I like Luincrist anyway. 8. I don't know why I decided Luincrist should have black hair, I guess I just like it better that way. 9. I don't know what Megilian or Luincrist mean. I used the Elven name generator at www.barrowdowns.com to get them. I used Qui-Gon Jinn's name for Luincrist and my own for Megilian. Why their sexes got switched I couldn't tell you. 10. Thranduil is Legolas' father's name. Okay I think you're set now.
Chapter one: Rain
It was a fairly decent day to be alive. The Sun shone high in her domain, but was covered often by large, rain laden clouds. Aragorn son of Arathorn did not mind rain as much as he had when he had been younger. Walking in the rain was agreeable, especially in the hot summer days that this especially scorching season had seen fit to bring. The Ranger did not really have anywhere in particular to go, but his feet seemed to be steering him home. To the only real home he had ever had. Rivendell.
He had been off in the little-traveled lands, far beyond the Iron Mountains, in the country of Rhûn and he was certainly glad that Imladris awaited him at the end of his road. 'Not the end of my road, the beginning maybe. Minas Tirith will probably be the end of my road. If I do not befall some evil end before that,' he thought.
He had just crossed the Redwater, that the Elves call Carnen, when he got a most alarming, or in any case alarmed, messenger. It was an Elf on a white steed, and he brought behind him another horse. Aragorn did not recognize him.
"Estel!" the elf cried in a clear voice, "I have ill tidings, which your father, Lord Elrond, said for me to bear to you."
Aragorn did not respond at once, for though the elf spoke in the Grey Tongue, he could not recognize him as any in Legolas' kingdom. The Ranger looked hard upon him. He was tall and willowy, after the fashion of his people and he bore a bow and a quiver of many green feathered arrows. His eyes, which were quite dark, were of a purple-like tint and his hair was long and black, though wholly disheveled from his hard ride.
"Who are you?" he was finally forced to ask.
"I am Megilian Nurquernaalqua," said the elf, dismounting.
Abruptly Aragorn was struck by what Megilian had said. "My father? What is wrong with him? Why does he send ill tidings with one of the Silvan kin?"
"Peace Estel, I bear not ill tidings *of* Lord Elrond, but from him. Alas! The ill tidings are of my Lord Legolas."
This did not comfort Aragorn's fears in the least. "Legolas? What bodes ill for Legolas? And I should like to ask you again, why send you?"
Megilian looked upon him with tears in his violet eyes, "I am not the only one searching for you. Lord Elrond and King Thranduil have sent many scouts out to look for you Estel."
Aragorn got suddenly very nervous, but also angry, "Speak plainly Megilian. What is wrong with your prince?"
The elf bowed his head in sadness, "My prince is dying and he asks only for Aragorn."
Aragorn backpedaled, as if the distance from the bearer could change the news. His legs gave out underneath him and he stumbled painfully to the earth. He sat there and stared at the ground just beyond his feet, not daring to breathe. If he admitted to himself it was true, that would make it so.
"You are lying," he whispered absently.
Soft hands were placed over his, "Denying truth and throwing tantrums will get no one anywhere. A king would not act in such a way."
"I am not a king," said Aragorn testily and not without anger in his tone, "I am a friend, brother, son and Ranger, but I am not a king!" His tirade was stopped when his head snapped to the side, his cheek stinging. Megilian had slapped him, not hard, but it startled Aragorn nonetheless.
There were tears in the elf's eyes, "How dare you? Legolas lies on his death bed, and all you can think about is yourself, your petty insecurities. I was told that you Estel were different from other humans, it burdens my heart to think that Legolas would have lied to me about this."
Aragorn looked at him with a an expression somewhere between tears and anger. He took note though that this supposed servant was not being very polite with Legolas' name. "Do you truly serve Legolas?" he interrupted, "For you say his proper name so frankly one might think you almost meant him disrespect."
Megilian's fair face contorted in pain and rage, "I am his friend," he said quietly but so vehemently that Strider was taken aback, "More than I can say of you." Now his voice became loud, "I am no one's servant! I am not even an elf. I am far wiser and more powerful than any of the elven line. But for the hope you bring to this age, and the love of Legolas, I would see you felled before you could utter a sound for your selfishness!" And with this the poor creature fell to his knees, buried his face in his hands, and burst into tears.
It was apparent to the ranger that this elf felt very distressed about what had happened to Legolas and was only now letting his true frustration show through. Aragorn knew how that felt. Now that Megilian's anger was dispelled, he was shrunken and he shook with horrible sobs. Aragorn felt an enormous pity for him and he crawled to him and placed an arm around his back.
Megilian's shaking became different, and he gasped in pain, clutching at his stomach in anguish. His breath became short, ragged bursts and the tears did not stop. He sat up suddenly and his whole body jerked and twitched. His eyes went up in his head.
"Megilian!" Aragorn took the elf gently in his lap. The fit did not last long and soon Megilian was blinking wearily up at him. "What was that? Are you all right?"
"*That* has killed two of our people as of now. My condition is very mild, for it is new. Legolas is much worse, for he has been ailing long. I will die as well, but it will not be from this disease, I will die when my Prince does. My heart will break, it has all ready begun."
"I am sorry." Aragorn said, sitting Megilian up.
"Save your pity, there is nothing you could do for me. My life has been longer than it should have been anyway. I live on borrowed time."
Aragorn did not know what that meant. He did not have time to ask because Megilian spoke before he could.
"Come Estel, we have to fly, Legolas is dying as we tarry here, and I would see his last wish honored." He gave the reigns of the horse he had not ridden to Aragorn, and before the Ranger could speak a word, Megilian mounted his own steed and eased the horse into a trot.
The human mounted his horse and took off after the elf.
He finally caught up with the fleeing Megilian. The trail was not often used, but it was broad enough for two horses to ride abreast. The rain tore at Aragorn's face as the horse broke into a full run.
They rode in silence all day and far into the night. "Are we going to stop?" Aragorn yelled against the storm.
"We are almost there. We do not stop until we reach Mirkwood. Legolas is going to die soon, we have no time."
Aragorn nodded his understanding.
"I am sorry I yelled at you My Lord." Megilian said in his smooth tenor voice, "The last couple of months have been terribly painful, I did not mean to take out my pain on you."
Aragorn smiled, "That's quite all right Megilian. My destiny is hard to bear at times and I meant no disrespect to Legolas. I love Legolas as I love my own elven brothers. You acted out of that same love."
The dark haired being shook his head, "That does not excuse my behavior."
Aragorn shook his head in response, "You elves are so strange. I said it's fine. Take my apology while I still offer it to you. I may recall it later."
Megilian laughed despite himself, "Legolas was right about you, and Lord Elrond was right to name you 'hope'. You bring light to the most dire of straits. I judged you wrong Estel, I see now why you and Legolas are friends. You have the same sense of humor."
"I will take that as the complement it was no doubt intended to be," Aragorn said with a twinkle in his eye.
Megilian laughed again.
"Hey," said Aragorn with a grin, "Your laugh is a lot more pleasant than your growl."
"You are a crazy one human."
Aragorn laughed, "Yeah, that's what Legolas would have you believe. Though his sanity is far from a sure thing."
The elf laughed and urged his horse faster, because his laughter hid what effect Aragorn's words had on him. Memories came into his heart of he and his master's many cheerfully jesting conversations, of the life Legolas contained. Pain twisted in his heart and he just about fell off his horse.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, I am fine," he looked up from his steed, "Oh good, we are here."
The gates opened before them, and they dismounted. A very distressed, dark-haired, fair-skinned elf maiden ran out in the rain to meet them. She had the flawless features of all elven kind, but the spark in her blue eyes reminded him of…who? He could not quite remember, it was on the edge of his recollection.
"Well met Estel," She bowed to Aragorn, "I am Luincrist. You have come just in time Megilian, he cries almost constantly." Aragorn felt his heart turn in his chest. Luincrist continued, "The King is beside himself and will not eat, I tried Megil, I really did."
The purple-eyed elf hugged her to him, "It is all right Luincrist, the King can be very stubborn, it is not your fault, thank you for filling in for me."
She nodded, tears in her clear eyes apparent, even in the driving rain. Aragorn found his mind wandering to her layered baby blue dress which was very beautiful and he found himself, for some reason, wishing she'd go inside so the mud didn't ruin it.
Luincrist's next words snapped him out of it, "Legolas is close to death Megilian, he is fading quickly."
He took her by the hand, "Come Luincrist. Aragorn. Legolas is waiting." The wet Ranger followed them down the dark halls of the palace. The atmosphere in the stone corridors was very dank and sad. Luincrist's slim shoulders shook as she leaned against Megilian, clutching his arm desperately.
"Luincrist, go ahead," said Megilian, "I have to talk to Estel for a moment, we will meet you there."
Luincrist nodded, her perfect lips pressed together and she fled down the hall, her pale blue dress flying behind her.
"Who is she Megilian? She reminds me of someone."
Megilian smiled sadly, "That is Legolas' sister Luincrist. I love her, but I cannot let her know because I do not want her to die."
"Legolas' sister? He has a sister?"
The elf nodded, "She is very young, and has lived with the Noldor in Lórien for a long time, I do not even know if Legolas knew of her, but when she heard of her brother's illness she appeared one day, on a white steed, as beautiful as a elfish lady could be," he looked deep into Aragorn's eyes, "You know what it is like do you not? To love one exceedingly fair and to know your life is so short that you will never get enough of her."
Aragorn nodded, "Arwen Undomiël is my love. I cannot have her until I come into my destiny."
"I feel for you my friend, we are more alike than I would have ever thought."
They fell into an amiable silence as they made their way down the hall. They came upon a tall, withered looking elf sitting against on wall, his knees pulled up to his chest, and his fair haired head resting in folded arms.
Megilian crouched before him, "Are you all right My Lord?"
King Thranduil looked up and Aragorn's stomach twisted inside of him. The elvenking looked defeated and in an incredible agony.
"Oh good Megilian you found him," said the king quietly, ignoring the elf's question, "Your father and your brothers are here Estel. They are in there." He pointed a shaking finger towards Legolas' bedroom door.
"Why are you not with him?" Megilian asked gently.
Tears made their way down the elvenking's face, "I cannot stand to see him like that. You may go in if you wish."
Aragorn slowly pushed open the door to the antechamber of Legolas' room. The place where Ranger and Elf had spent many nights in heart-to-heart chats, good laughs and friendly wrestling matches, which Legolas usually won. It looked to be the same room, but all the joy was dispelled and it contained only mourning.
Elladan and Elhrohir sat next to each other on a low brown couch and Lord Elrond sat with his face in his hands in a high backed, green chair. Though Elrond did not know it, the chair he was sitting in was Legolas' favorite one, and not only because it was his favorite color. It was, by far, the most comfortable chair in the entire palace. Elrond did not look comfortable though, he looked old and tired when he glanced up to see Aragorn come in. His hair was disheveled and loose, and in his eye was a terrible weariness. He smiled weakly at Aragorn.
"Estel, my son, I am glad you have come." He rose and enveloped Aragorn in a hug, his crimson robes rustling. "I did all I could, I do not know what this evil thing is that has taken Legolas' health. I seemed to have eased his pain a little, but unless I can identify this illness, he will die."
Aragorn pulled gently away from his father's embrace, "It is all right father. You did what you could." He stared at the closed door to Legolas' bedroom with a horrible fascination that he could not shake off. He headed toward the door.
Elladan jumped up, "Estel, do not go in there please. Your heart will be crushed."
Aragorn smiled sadly at his oldest brother, "I am not an elf dear Elladan, and we are far past the times where you needed to protect me. Peace brother, I will be fine." With that he opened the thick wooden door.
The room was darker than he remembered, but he could just make out the forms of two elven ladies. They glowed faintly in the dim light of the dying fire. He assumed the one next to the bed to be Luincrist and the other one; he would recognize her countenance anywhere.
"Lady Undómiel," he said in surprise with a slight bow. If it had been a meeting under any other circumstances Aragorn maybe would have been a little more ashamed of his appearance. Arwen took him into a hug and kissed his cheek, "Estel, I am so glad you have come now, when these people are the most in need of hope."
"Aragorn?" came a weak voice from the bed. Aragorn's eyes had, by now, quite adjusted to the darkness and he could see fine. He pulled out of Arwen's arms and went to the bed.
"Oh, Legolas," he breathed and sat on a chair next to the prince's bed. To say that the elf looked ill would be like saying the sun was bright. He looked terrible. His hair was far from neat and was spread all over his pillows. His face was covered with a sheen of sweat and though he was covered with many blankets, his perfectly formed lips trembled with cold. His face looked grey even in the red light of the fire place. Legolas forced his lips to stop trembling and into a rather painful looking smile. He gripped Aragorn's hand which lay on the bed and took in the Ranger's waterlogged appearance.
"Did you fall in the Forest River again? Or did dear Megilian try to drown you?"
Aragorn's nervous energy funneled into his laugh, which was louder and maybe a little longer than it should have been.
"A little of both," he said.
Legolas tried to laugh, but it was a dreadfully painful thing to watch. Every time he breathed in, he was rewarded with a sharp stab of agony that made him gasp. "Oh, do not make me laugh Strider, ow, oh it hurts."
Legolas' voice was barely above a whisper, but it was as serene and friendly as it ever was.
"Have you met the Lady Luincrist Strider?" he asked.
Strider nodded at the young elfish lady, "Yes, we have met."
Legolas gave a short laugh deep in the back of his throat, it was actually more like a grunt, "She is almost as young as you human, only sixty years to the race of men. But we love her anyway, just as we love you. Well," he amended, "If by 'we' I mean Megilian, 'we' love her more than a little." He smiled lovingly at his blushing sister.
"Then you know of Megilian's love?" Aragorn said.
Legolas beamed at him, "He could not fool a blind Hobbit, and he certainly can not fool me." This made Aragorn laugh.
Legolas groaned in pain, "And do not think that he did not try," he said in a pinched voice.
Then the elf prince cried out and began to tremble. His back arched, and he screamed. When the seizures finally stopped, he began to cough. It was a wet hacking noise and when he took his hand away from his mouth, the pale skin was stained crimson.
Aragorn's eyes widened, but less from shock and more from surprise; he knew what caused these conditions and it was no disease, it was a poison. And he only knew of one who might be able to cure it, Galadriel.
"I will be right back Legolas, I must speak with my father."
Legolas nodded vaguely.
Arwen followed him out, "Estel, what is going on?"
"Father!" he exclaimed, "It is no disease, bless the strong blood of the elves! It is a poison called Saintsbane by men. It is made from an evil weed grown only in the far north. I have only run into it once and I do not know how to cure it, but the Lady of the Wood may."
"Saintsbane! Of course!" Elrond exclaimed, "I know how to make the anti-poison, but I do not keep the ingredients readily at hand. I indeed think your best hope rests with my wife's mother."
"Let us not tarry here, but ride in haste," Aragorn said.
Elrond shook his head, "It is not as simple as you would have it dear Estel. Lady Galadriel's potion will work, but it's potency fades as time passes. If you went all the way to Lórien, got it and brought it back, it would have the effectiveness of water!"
They all pondered this problem. Elrohir got up and began to pace.
"Well then he comes with," he said suddenly.
"All the way to Lórien?" Elladan asked incredulously.
"What choice do we have?" Elrohir said touching his twin's arm and looking deep in to his grey eyes. Aragorn had never seen them so serious before. It was like they were having a conversation that only they could hear.
"Right," said Elladan suddenly, "It is settled. Let us go! Aragorn will bear Legolas in front of him and we will ride as swift as we may."
"Will the Prince make it?" Arwen asked.
Luincrist spoke up from the door, "He will certainly die one way and in the other direction lies only hope. I agree with Lord Elrohir, what choice do we have?"
Elrond sat down on the green chair, his beautiful blue eyes glazed over in thought, "I think … " he said slowly and stopped, his dramatic eyebrows drawn down in a frown. "I think you are all right in this matter and I would say go, but it is not my place to say so. What do you say Thranduil? This choice falls to you."
The King materialized out of the shadows. "I say go. What do we have to lose?"
Elrond looked severely at him, "Everything. The way to Lórien is no longer safe. You may not only lose your son, but mine as well, for I have no doubt they will insist on going."
Estel and Elrohir exchanged mildly amused looks.
"I beg pardon Lord Elrond. I spoke from the heart of a grieving father."
Elrond smiled gently, "Do not grieve yet my friend. Not while there is Hope with your son." He looked pointedly to Aragorn, who smiled.
"Or I," said Luincrist, "I will not leave him nor Megilian."
Thranduil smiled ruefully at his young daughter, "For the little you have known your brother you have certainly learned hardheadedness from him."
"Nay," said Luincrist with a light laugh, "I learned it not from he, but maybe from my dear father."
The twins grinned at this last remark, though they sobered quickly when their father gave them a hard look. Aragorn just rolled his eyes at them.
Thranduil gave his daughter a small smile, "You shall go my daughter. And I would go too, only I think I will have things to do here. Whoever did this must be caught."
They all nodded solemnly in agreement.
"Where is Megilian?" Arwen asked.
"I don't know," said Elladan, "He was just here."
"I'll go search for him," said Aragorn, "You guys have some packing to do."