Here's the second part of chapter one and most of chapter 2,
BTW, Elladan is the oldest and Elrohir is the youngest of the twins, so says I.
He eventually found the violet eyed elf in a kiosk outside in the driving rain. He was sitting on a bench, looking forlornly at the sky. The ranger studied him a moment. He was the most cheerless elf that Aragorn had ever met. He thought back to the comment Megilian had made in his anger, 'I am not even and elf!'. What did that mean? Aragorn sat next to him, he hesitated to disturb Megilian's peace. The elf spared him the trouble.
"I was not born here Estel," he said quietly, "This is not my home, though I have lived here for two ages. I have served the two elf lords who have ruled here and I serve Legolas now. I love this place deeply, but it is not my home."
"Where is your home?" Aragorn asked.
The elf glanced at him quickly out of the corner of his eye, a small smile on his face, then he went back to looking at the cloudy sky.
"Fangorn Wood."
Aragorn's eyebrows rose, "Fangorn Wood?"
If Megilian had been Legolas, he would have made fun of the fact that Aragorn had to repeat what the elf had just said, but as it was, Megilian just nodded absently.
"Have you ever marveled at it Aragorn? The complexity of Life in Her pure simplicity? If Legolas or I or any of us were to leave this earth it would still be here and it would be much the same as before."
Aragorn frowned at him, "Not for those of us left behind. Not for Luincrist or King Thranduil, their worlds would end. Even if they survived, they would never be the same. I lost my mother not a year ago, and I still ache deep inside. Never underestimate the value of a honorable life, no matter how short."
Megilian looked at him out of the corner of his eye, his chin tipped up, purple eyes burning into grey. His gaze then flitted to the sky, then to a spot on the floor just left of his own foot. They sat that way for nigh on a hour until Megilian suddenly shifted his head and met Aragorn's eyes full on, a tiny smile on his sad face. "You will make a great king indeed," the smile vanished from his lips, but danced in his eyes, "But you did not come to find me to hear such words, what do you require?"
Aragorn told him of their plan to save Legolas and Megilian agreed wholeheartedly.
Their horses were packed and ready long ere two hours had past. They were all elven horses, tall, white and strong.
It had also stopped raining, which seemed a good omen for now Ëlbereth shone bright and unhindered in the inky blackness of Her sky.
Aragorn noted that Luincrist had changed from her elegant gown in favor of a far more subdued green and brown dress. In fact it reminded Aragorn of a feminine version of Legolas' travel clothes. She wore her hair in a simple ponytail at the base of her skull. The black locks of her dark hair that spilled down her back glimmered in the emerged moonlight and stood in sharp contrast to the frosty coloring of the horses coat. Arwen was there to see them off and was chatting with the elf girl. Both of them looked worried, despite their smiles. The Twins and Megilian mounted and waiting quietly to one side with Aragorn. They were lacking but one of their company, but they did not have to wait long.
Legolas had been given a potent sleeping potion by Lord Elrond, that was to tide him over on the long trip to Lothlórien. Thranduil carried his son, who was wrapped in a fur and the Elvenking was humming an old elfish lullaby. With some help from Elrond, he placed his only son in front of his daughter. Luincrist had asked Aragorn if she could bear her brother first and Aragorn had seen no reason to argue.
"Be careful my beautiful child, may you both come home safely, and the stars shine upon your road," said Thranduil then he began to sing softly the words of the lullaby he had been humming, "I have been given one moment from heaven…" his voice broke and he lay his head on his daughter's leg.
She finished for him and her fair voice gave them all new hope.
as I am walking
surrounded by night,
Stars high above me
make a wish under moonlight.
On my way home
I remember
Only good days.
On my way home
I remember all the best days.
I'm on my way home
I can remember
every new day.
I move in silence
with each step taken,
snow falling round me
like angels in flight,
Far in the distance
is my wish under moonlight.
[-On My Way Home, from the album The Memory of Trees.]
We will save him father."
Thranduil looked up at her, "You remind me so much of your mother," he whispered.
She smiled, "Thank you father."
"Let us go!" said Elladan.
"One moment," Thranduil looked long in the face of his son, memorizing everything about him, knowing he may never see him again. He nodded, "Ride on in haste. Norolim, asfoloth!" he cried. Their horses began away.
"All speed to you!" Arwen cried.
"And be safe!" cried Elrond after them. The Twins and Aragorn smiled at each other, remembering many misadventures.
Once they were out of sight the King of Mirkwood turned to the Lord of Rivendell, "What if he does not make it? Will you tell me what you see? For I fear some evil will befall this company."
Elrond sighed, "There are many paths, many ways to go astray and many ways to victory."
Arwen knew what her father meant and said as much, "In plain words, they are in big trouble."
Elrond did not acknowledge it, but he did not contest it either.
The ACTUAL chapter 2: Night
Under the heavens
We journey far
On roads of life
We are the wanders
[-Hope Has a Place, from The Memory of Trees]
The next week passed uneventful as a trek in Middle Earth could be in those days. They skirted Mirkwood instead of trying to go through it. When they were eight days out from the Palace of Thranduil fate dealt them a dire blow. Almost everything that could have gone wrong, did. They were very close to Lorien when it happened.
The road was narrow, to one side there were sandstone cliffs rising far above them and to the other was a steep hill with many dead leaves and half buried boulders. It was Aragorn's turn to bear Legolas. They rode in silence. Aragorn glanced at Megilian, the elf did not look well at all.
Suddenly Legolas gave a small cry and a moan.
"Legolas! Are you awake?" Aragorn pressed the elf closer to him.
"Yes," came the soft reply.
"Stop!" Aragorn called to the elves. This wasn't right, he wasn't supposed to wake unless called. They halted and turned to him. Without warning Legolas began to tremble ferociously, he fell off the horse and Aragorn tried to grab his hand, "LEGOLAS!"
The elf prince rolled down the hill, hit a flat boulder halfway down and lay there, as if dead.
"LEGOLAS!" Luincrist dismounted and slid down the slope, Aragorn right behind her.
When they finally reached him Aragorn put his ear to the elf's chest, a rather weak, but steady heartbeat. "He's alive!" he yelled up to his brothers. Elladan was perched at the top of the incline, ready to come down if needed.
Aragorn turned to the elf girl, "Luincrist, look after him for a moment, I must go speak with my brother."
Luincrist nodded and Aragorn trudged up the hill. He finally reached Elladan.
"How is he?" Elladan asked.
"The fall did little harm to him, thank goodness. Where it not for the poison in his blood, he would be fine."
"Um, my Brothers, we have another problem," said Elrohir, "It would appear that Megilian has fainted, he has just fallen from his horse."
"Oh wonderful," said Aragorn in exasperation, "Just what we needed."
"I will tend to him—"
Elladan sensed the arrow an instant to late. "Elrohir, move!"
The younger twin had been twisted in his saddle and the arrow caught him full in the chest.
"ELROHIR!" screamed Elladan and would have rushed out if Aragorn had not held him back. "NO! ELROHIR!" the elf broke down into terrible sobs.
"Stay where you are Elladan, I will be back," Aragorn slid once more down the slope.
"Luincrist, orcs have attacked. Take your brother and flee. Go that way," he pointed south, "Until you run into the elves who dwell here."
The lovely young elf nodded in grim determination and took her brother up.
"Common Legolas," she whispered, "We have to go."
Legolas' long eyelashes fluttered open, "Luincrist? What is going on?"
The younger elf frowned, "I do not know big brother. Come, this would go much easier if you could help me."
So with a lot of effort on Legolas' part they began to walk. Aragorn looked after them, hoping they would be safe. He looked to the top of the hill and Elladan was not to be seen, and though Megilian had taken his brother's place the violet eyed elf was clearly not in possession of his senses.
"Elladan!" Aragorn cried just as an arrow struck the ground near him. He managed to scramble up to Megilian's position anyway. There was a ferocious, but blessedly short skirmish as the orcs began to fall back and arrows flew from either side of the human. Haldir was there with a band of his kinsfolk and hunters, and they wasted no time in driving off the foul orcs.
Aragorn got up and when he spotted his brothers, his breath caught in his throat. Elrohir lay on his back, Elladan on his stomach, the younger with an arrow in his chest and the older with one in his back. Aragorn stumbled towards them, slipping on the leafs.
"Elladan, Elrohir."
He kneeled and took up the younger of the twins. The elf was breathing, but barely.