A few hours later Aragorn finally arrived at Thranduil's palace and paused outside of the stone gates and gazed up at the palace walls. Ivy grew on all stone columns and trees would be everywhere in the courtyard to express how closely the Elves were to the forests around them. Urging his horse forward he moved past the gates as the guards bowed to him and he moved into the courtyard where several Elves waited. They had seen him coming long before he saw the palace and had already informed the royal family. Just as Aragorn dismounted and handed off his horse he turned and saw the royal family coming down the steps with Legolas in the lead. Legolas stopped in front of him and bowed deeply with a straight face.
"Heruamin (My lord), King Aragorn of Gondor."
With a bright smile Aragorn pulled Legolas into a tight hug and patted him on the back. Releasing hi, he stepped back and looked at Legolas. Something always threw Aragorn whenever he visited Legolas at Thranduil's palace and that was Legolas rarely had his weapons with him. He only picked up his bows, arrows, and blades when he ventured out of the palace walls. But the smile and eyes were forever the same; the smile revealed his easy going ness and close relationship to the Ranger. The eyes however revealed his intelligence, coyness, and strength as a warrior that was aware of everything around him.
"Nae saiaan luume' nin mellon (It has been too long my friend)," Aragorn said before turning to King Thranduil and the Queen.
"We welcome you Estel. It has been a long time since you last visited us," Thranduil said as Aragorn nodded.
"That is has been. Gondor is a length travel to your home."
"And you come alone; I see no guards for the king."
"I was a Ranger before a King. And feel more at home alone in the woods without guards surrounding me. So I travel alone as I once did," he said as the royal family and he walked up the steps to the palace.
"I know that you and Legolas wish to talk; so we shall see you at evening meal Lord Aragorn," the Queen said and soon the King and she departed.
"How was your journey?" Legolas asked as they started to walk down one of the open air corridors.
"Very long, but nice. You know I enjoy journeys like that Legolas. You went on many of them with me at one time," she said looking to his friend before looking out towards Mirkwood Forest.
"If what you say is true, then what is troubling you?" Legolas asked not needing his acute Elfish senses to notice his friend's troubled look.
"I should have known my attempts to conceal it would be in vain," he said with a faint smile.
"Especially from me my friend. I have known you longer than most and can tell when something troubles you," he said as both stopped and moved to the side.
Legolas swung his leg over the banister and leaned against the column waiting for Aragorn's reply. Instead of following his companion's action Aragorn pushed himself up to sit on the banister and stared at the wall in front of him.
He dearly missed this. Speaking with a close friend who considered his just that. A close friend; not king or lord but a close friend. The way the both sat proved it. They had seen each other at their worst times and good times and were comfortable around each other. Comfortable enough to almost know what the other was thinking before it was even thought of. A gently nudge at Aragorn's elbow brought him out of his reverie and turned to look at the nudger. Legolas was still awaiting a response from Aragorn when his friend seemed to daze out and his mind went to another location. After nudging him with his foot he watched as his friend came back to the present moment.
"What troubles me is someone I met on my way here," he said looking to Legolas.
"You have met many people on your trips. Why does this one bother you so?"
"Because this one was a Ranger, Elf, and a woman and she wished to be killed," Aragorn said and caught the look of shock that danced across his friend's face.
Before his friend could ask, Aragorn told him how Assyrian and he met in the forest. He spoke of the talk around the fire and finally of the battle that occurred the day after and what she had said. Legolas's concentration grew upon hearing the name Assyrian and strove to remember any history or Elven lore containing the name.
"That name sounds very familiar to me my friend but I can no recall why. My father may know if you question him but I don't know myself," Legolas said as the dinner bell was heard.
"I will be sure to question him when the chance arises," he said as they both started to walk towards the dining hall.
The chance did not present itself until a few days later when Aragon met Thranduil in the halls of the palace on his way to meet Legolas. Both had decided to go for a ride in the forest and maybe do some hunting if the opportunity presented itself. Upon seeing the King in the hall he decided to ask if Thranduil knew of anyone named Assyrian.
"King…may I have a moment of your time?" he asked moving to walk next to Thranduil.
"Of course Aragorn. What is on your mind?"
"Have you ever heard of a she-elf by the name of Assyrian?" he asked and saw the recognition on the King's face.
"Assyrian…that name holds many memories with it," he said as they both slowly walked side-by-side down the hall.
"So you do know her."
"Oh yes…many other Elf lords and I know of her and her abilities. She was the best Ranger of Middle-Earth before you came around. One day she disappeared and no one knows what became of her," he said and glanced out of one of the many windows and looked to the stables. "Wasn't Legolas speaking of you and him going riding this morning?"
"Oh Elbereth, I am late," Aragorn said realizing how long he had been speaking with the King.
"We can continue with this later Aragorn," he replied with a smile as Aragorn bowed swiftly and hurried away towards the stables.
Reaching the stables finally, he found Legolas already mounted and holding the reins to Aragorn's horse. Legolas didn't say a word about his friend's lateness but watched him with his piercing gray eyes making Aragorn uncomfortable.
Glancing over at Legolas whom still watched him, Aragorn finally threw up his empty hand and sighed. "I know I was late and I apologize. I was delayed by your father."
"Likely excuse," Legolas replied before urging his horse forward into a trot.
Aragorn stared after his friend in shock as his laughter drifted back to him.
"You are going to pay for that Elf!" he called out and only heard more laughter.
The two rode for a few hours and stopped once to eat lunch that had been packed for them. They were eating quietly when Legolas suddenly sat up and looked towards the trees closest to them. Aragorn moved closer knowing that look on his friend's face.
"What is it?" he whispered also watching the trees.
"I'm not sure but I know I heard something," he whispered back and reached for his bow and an arrow.
Aragorn motioned for Legolas to swing wide so both could converge on the disturbance from different sides. Legolas slowly moved through the foliage with the string of his bow pulled tight and the arrow ready to fly. Slowly moving past a massive tree he failed to notice the foot sticking out from behind the tree with the intent of tripping him. Moving forward his foot caught it and sent him flying forwards and his arrow when flying high into the sky harmlessly. Rolling over he saw the cloaked figure reach for him causing him to scurry backwards before jumping to his feet and pulled out his blades. His bow was laying on the ground where he had dropped it during his fall.
In response to his blades his attacker reached behind and pulled out a set of blades similar to hi own. Stepping towards the figure his blades moved in an arc but missed when his attacker stepped to the side. A foot slammed into Legolas's lower back sending him towards one of the many trees. He heard the distinct sound of a bow string being pulled taught and the twang sound of the arrow being released. Spinning to the side he flinched slightly when the arrow zinged by his face nicking his cheek. Jumping, he caught hold of a low hanging branch and swung his body up and around. Getting enough momentum he let go and hit the other person with his feet and knocked the other to the ground. Using his momentum he spring-boarded over the person and grabbed his bow just as he landed. Pulling out an arrow and notching it, he spun around and was faced with the tip of another arrow. Both had an arrow notched and ready to fly towards the other as Legolas looked at his attacker. He was shocked at seeing a she-elf holding the bow in the same style as he. Her violet eyes held a flaming fire of strength of intelligence as they gazed at him with a spark of defiance. Her hair had bits of leaves captured in the strands from her fall from Legolas's hit. He was also a bit disheveled by his encounter with the ground and a bit of blood marred his fair skin from her arrow.
"Assyrian! Legolas! Back down!" a voice called and both saw Aragorn come from the woods.
For a moment neither moved until Assyrian stepped back and eased the tension from the bow string and put her arrow back into the quiver. Resting one end of the bow on her foot she placed her hands on the other end and watched Legolas.
"I will hold you responsible Strider if he shots me with that arrow," she said nodding towards the arrow still aimed towards her heart.
"She is a friend Legolas. Do not harm her," Aragorn said resting his hand on Legolas's shoulder.
"So this is the renowned Prince Legolas of Mirkwood. Funny, I was expecting someone a bit taller," she said with a slight smile.
Legolas made a move towards her but was stopped by Aragorn who moved in front of him to block his way.
"Go and get our horses Legolas," he said trying to diffuse the situation.
Piercing Assyrian with his gray eyes, Legolas turned and disappeared in the direction of their horses. Aragorn watched as he walked away before turning to Assyrian.
"Do you always make friends this easily?" he asked as she smiled before turning and releasing a shrill whistle.
"As a fellow Ranger you should know that it is hard to make friends. I chose to not even try."
Assyrian's horse suddenly came trotting up through the woods and stopped next to her as she reached out and gently stroked the nose.
"I expected to see you later than sooner when we parted," Aragorn said as Legolas reappeared leading the two horses.
"I assumed the same but information has recently come to my knowledge that is of dire importance to Thranduil's family," she said causing Legolas to look sharply at her at the mention of his father's name.
"What is it concerning my father?" he asked as Assyrian turned her violet eyes on him.
"I will only speak of my tale once young prince. And it will be with Thranduil near for his ears to hear not just yours," she said as she pulled herself onto her horse.
Legolas bristled under her casual dismissal of him. She had absolutely no respect for him and his abilities. It was rare that anyone could infuriate him as easily as she did with a few mere sentences but she could.
"Aiya Legolas," (Oh Legolas) she said catching his attention to her.
She was leaning forward on her horse and rested her forearms on the horse's neck as she slowly smiled at him. "Uuma ma' ten' rashwe, ta tuluva a' lle." (Don't look for trouble, it will come to you)
Aragorn turned and tended to his horse to hide his smile. He admitted that what Assyrian had said was a little cruel but the look on Legolas's face was comical. He slowly shook his head as he mounted and waited for Legolas to mount. Aragorn just knew that this was going to be an amusing adventure.
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Okay everyone there is Chapter 2 and I have an announcement. I have finally finished the first book The Fellowship of the Ring! I was so happy and proud that I got it done. I thought I would never finish it at the rate that I was going but I did. So know I get to start on The Two Towers, oh yippie. So anyway everyone please review and tell my how you like the story. Okay so peace.