Hullo everyone!…hm…okay, as best as I can figure it, this is the common outlook of late:
Mornaeg: BAD GUY! Strange guy? Bad guy…nice guy…snoopy guy? BAD GUY BAD GUY!!!! ;)
Thranduil: IDIOT! Straight and simple. :D
Grimi: Short, strange, pathetic, and apparently has a 'pick on me, because I'm a grasshopper of a bodygaurd' sign on his back…
Aragorn: Way-to-go!!! He knows he's gonna die! Yes!…I mean, no…I mean… ;)
Legolas: Yeah, you'd BETTER not go to Rivendell alone! Leaving Aragorn by himself? DOPE! :P
Bengwiil: *snort* What was Thranduil THINKING?!?! Why the heck did he get it back?!?! What does he WANT it for?!?!?!?! I hate the stuff… :)
Chloe: ACHK! *smacks, whacks, clobbers, and slams* CLIFFIES and TOURCHER and BENGWIIL!!! OOH MY!!!!!!!! Kill Chloe! (don't kill Chloe) Smack her for the cliffies! (nice post, by the way…) ACHK! Not AGAIN! (Oooh, angst, goody!) Chloe, I'm going to kill you…(post soon!) etc, etc, etc…
About right? Well, I hope you guys are enjoying this as immensely as I am!! ;)
Okay, well onto the responses, and let's hope that I can get through them before 6:00. ;)
*giggles* Having split-personality issues, e? ;) As for the idiot main characters, well we must consider this: Thranduil is obviously hot-tempered (just by looking at the Hobbit we know this), Legolas, though perhaps wiser than some in Mirkwood, is still a Sindarin elf. And elves of Sindar are, by Tolkien's definition, rather on-the-edge, shall we say. I mean, their idea of a good Saturday night is an argument, and a barrel of ale. I can see how Legolas would be a little less than perfect. As for Aragorn, well, he's only human. And besides, he IS younger than he is in FOTR and TTT, so he hasn't necessarily reached a good state of maturity. Anyway, that's my excuse for them, thought you may not believe a word. ;) One never knows…
Hey, gwyn, did you know you're probably one of the first to actually SAY 'poor Thranduil' ;) I'm glad someone's standing up for the guy! And I agree that the blow-up of Aragorn's was at least partially his fault. It's going to take reaching FOTR for Aragorn to fully mature out of his hot-headedness, as I see it. I don't get the impression he was always as calm and collected as he is in FOTR and TTT. Just my opinion, though.
Oh, I'm sorry you can' t be around for awhile, Larus. :( But, I'll hold up for you, and wait eagerly for your return. :) And I think you'll survive this sleep-deprivation just fine, else I shall worry greatly over your mental-health, and priorities. ;) Yeah, I thought I'd heard that quote before. And you're right, 'tis VERY fitting! ;) Unfortunately, really. :D Well, Larus, I can't wait to see you again! Namarie my friend!
Yeah, I was surprised too, Settiai! Ff.net isn't the most 'on-top-of-things' site in the world, is it? I think the delay was mostly due to the site-split, for ff.net and the original fiction site. FUN to threaten me? Well, that explains why so many are intent on doing so. Well, that's just too bad for you, Lynn, because I'm staying RIGHT here behind Grimi. ;)
JULIA!!! I KNEW it was a J-name. Sorry, that I forgot. Thanks for filling me in!…again. ;) No, things don't often get better for these guys, it's true. And as for 'what was Thranduil THINKING?!'…hm…sorry, that's one I've been often asked, and never answer. Sorry! :D And about Raustal…*sniff* I know, I went and got attached to him, and then I realized…you know, it makes no sense that it's always Aragorn and Legolas that everything happens to…and I have to bring up the whole Thranduil and how he got Bengwiil thing…OH MAN!!! I nearly broke down in tears. Doncha' just HATE having make sacrifices for the sake of plot-movement? Ah well. ;)
Hey Lirenel! I'm so glad you're enjoying it!!! I hope you like the rest as well. :)
Well, Astaldocalwen, I'd probably just call you Astal or something, but that's your elf's name, so…speakin' of which, I DID pre-order my bodygaurd. The problem is, by the time I got my order in, the only had Lorien elves left. See, I read in the "BodyGaurd Owner's Guide to Good Guards" that Lorien elves don't make the best guards in the world because they have a tendency to drift off into their own little world, and worry too much about getting dirty. So, I decided that a Dwarf would be better. Unfortunately, they couldn't fit the big behemoth-of-a-dwarf into the box, so they sent me Grimi. But, well, I don't mind it so much. He's kinda cute, if you get to know him. He likes to sing "The Old Walking Song" in his sleep. He may be a short, grasshopper of a hay-bale-shaped bodygurd, *hugs bodyguard, lifting him three feet off the ground* but he's pretty cute for all that. ;)
*grins* Glad you liked my onomonopias, Raven! ;) Yeah, well I've got eight siblings, all of which have fallen down our huge staircase at least three times in their life. Myself, I think I've done it more like seven times. One of which was only a week before I wrote that chapter, so I knew exactly how it sounded…and felt. *groan* ;)
Hm…do you think you could give me some specifics for the spelling errors, Moonrose? After writing the chapter, and right before posting it, I run the whole thing through a thorough spell-check on my computer. As far as I know, there aren't many errors, unless they're names (which the computer would of course not pick up…Mornaeg isn't in the dictionary. ;) or something else I'm not thinking of. Anyways…Yeah, stop hiding behind your little dwarf guard, Chloe! What?! Are you CRAZY?!?!?! He can't protect you forever! Yeah, well he can sure TRY, can't he?! 'sides. I LIKE Grimi, and would personally like to have company whilst responding to all this. He addresses all my e-mails for me, you know. ;)
*giggle* You make me laugh, Angel of the Elves, I hope you know that! ;) I guess you're not one of the 'well, maybe Mornaeg's just a strange elf." people, are you? ;) Ah well, that's okay. To each his/her own. :)
Yeah, szhismine, the answer's all be here eventually. And as for the puddle of water…maybe the Ragiine, the janitor-elf was just being clumsy. Too bad. ;)
AWW! Thanks for the cheerleaders, Auriena! *shakes hands with each cheerleader, and Legolas-plushies for all…except for Auriena who gets an Estel-plushie with a Viggo Mortensen autographed card* :D You're so nice. Lauka mere im nach! (my warm wishes to you ;)
Don't worry, Rivendell's Mistress, no pressure felt. ;) Wow, I'm SO glad you've enjoyed it thus far! And to such an extent! You're really flattering me. TRULY! I'm blushing like you wouldn't believe. :)
Too many cliffies, Ithildin? ME?! OH thank you. ;) This, I don't think, constitutes as a cliffy, though it's open-ended. Hm…my cat's not the greatest either, but well…*grins, and lugs her big, fat, Zoe onto her lap* she helps as an extra bodygaurd when Grimi's feeling particularly chicken-hearted. ;)
*falls over laughing* GOSH, Sarah! You're driving me CRAZY with this feedback of yours!!!…*sits bolt upright, realizing what this sounds like* Oh, but don't STOP! Don't get me wrong!! I LOVE It, but--well, it drives me to a state of my normal level of insanity! ;) S.K. Rowling-Snicket…now THAT would be an interesting ff.net ID. ;) *hugs awards* and I feel so special! So I'm going to give YOU an original reward. *hands Sarah a bright pink sheet of paper, with the letters A-R-A-G-O-R-N written in neon purple at the top* Award Regarding All the Generous and Original Reviews, Naturally! ;) And would I REALLY pull a Romeo and Juliet on you? The similarities between Leonardo and Orlando are BAD enough as it is! ;) Plus- a word that has nothing to do with addition or any other kind of math, because math is boring and a waste of time, but rather means; "Also" or "As well as" or "In addition to"…though, as I've mentioned previously, this is NOT the definition used in long, thick, heavy, and not-to-mention boring math books. What was I saying? Ah yes. Plus, that is probably the #1 thing that I hated about R&J, was that STUPID last scene. *growls* ;) Ah well. Angst Queen? Oooh! *squeezes Sarah too tight, and gives her the Laughing, Entertaining, Giving, Over-Lovable Award for Sarah!*…aka the LEGOLAS award. ;) Okay, so 'for' was pushing it, but you know. *hands over neon yellow paper with bright lime-green letters at the top* AND, it's scented. I think it gives it a little something extra. Don'tcha think? ;)
Hullo Nilad!! Cheysuli's muse, huh? I should get me one of those. I'm my own muse for now. ;) Now, Nilad, what makes you think the water is important? You don't believe the elf-janitor fib I've been feeding to szhismine? ;) As for Thranduil…:D Say, if you could, Nilad, would you mind asking Cheysuli how she got a picture onto her bio? I can't imagine how she did it, and I think it's really cool! If she's rather not say, that's fine. Just curious. :)
*grins* Well, Liliana Greenleaf, I think you can safely leave Grimi alone. But don't stress over another bodyguard, I'm fine with Grimi. :) As for Bengwiil, Thanduil, Aragorn, and your husband, well…things'll all work out eventually. ;)
You're a tall person? *hugs for Kellen* ME TOO! Hm, I wonder how tall I am exactly…I'm not quite sure, truth-to-tell. Ah well. Oh and don't worry about the Rule Book. Perhaps I can make Grimi like 'um…maybe he'll even eat 9,999,999 copies of it…that way we'd have at least lost a third of them! ;) Sorry about your flu, and your computer. :( Maybe this would be a good time to write. You know, feeling awful, sometimes it makes you feel better to make Aragorn and Legolas feel awful instead. ;)
Well, IC…I think I like IC the best. ;)I know how you feel about nick-names. I am the victim of over twelve nick-names, half of which I didn't ask for! My sister calls me "Checker", my best friend call me "Maude" (which is fine, because I call him Clyde ;) and more than half of my 'friends', family, and distant acquaintances, I get called "Lego-lass", "Lego-look-alike", "Chloe Greenleaf", and as one friend had the nerve to come up with, "Legola" ;) They seem to think I resemble him. (Legolas, NOT Orlando Bloom) though I disagree. Ah well, to each his/her own, right? ;)
Yeah, you bring up a good point, Witchmaster. It's half being dazed from the fall, and half Bengwiil. It has nothing to do with a concussion, of course. That's not only unlikely, but inconsistent with the later parts of the story. But I put it down anyway because I figure Legolas isn't exactly Lord Elrond M.D. if you know what I mean. As often as he's had one, he would likely not know what a concussion LOOKS like, and therefore was making a guess. The reason I left this guess in at all was to put across the fact that it was a pretty serious fall, otherwise Legolas wouldn't have even guessed 'concussion' in the first place. ;)
Lol! I must admit, Hiro-tyre, I was laughing SO hard during your post!! ;) I like your Gollum/Smeagol argument. You can put a smile on an author's face like THAT *snaps fingers* congratulations! :D
WOW, legolin!!! I'm glad you're enjoying this…SO much! ;) I'm sorry you've been losing sleep over it, but I can't express how glad I am to see such an avid reader! :) Mae govonen na Erfier! (welcome to Erfier) :)
*grins* Yeah, Kaeera…*gives Grimi a subtle wink* It's definitely about time Aragorn realizes that, isn't it? *sounds very much like she's a living diversion* SO, how are you doing? Happy? I'm glad you're enjoying the story! *Elrohir goes running across ff.net in the unmistakable direction of Rivendell*…heh-heh *Grimi walks up holding closet key* :D Uuuh…*nervous grin* Namarie for a moment! *snatches Grimi, and makes a break for the back of Chapter 8* ;)
Haro dad, Halo. *puts a hand on Halo's shoulder, and moves her aside so the on-coming hoard doesn't run her over* ;) I'm so glad you're willing to protect me! Maybe I'll live to see the end of this thing. :D New house? Cool! Well, hopefully your new internet connection will be through soon. Then we can chat, right? ;) I'm so glad you're enjoying it, mellon nin!!!
Oh MAN! SilvenLegolas went and died again. ;) C'mon, SL…or Elf Brat…or whatever you like to be called. ;) Cat…how about Cat? C'mon Cat! Wake up! *shakes Cat, who doesn't come to* Oh boy oh boy. Well, it's nice to talk to you again Cat!…sorry that I didn't post before noon like I said I'd strive to on the IM, but you know…
Yeah, chrisalin, you're not alone in the whole Mornaeg thing. It doesn't look like ANYone knows what to make of him. But, well, that's okay…yeah, you can cue the ominous music now. ;)
*grins* Having trouble, Aranel? ;) *rubs head* now, now, let's not be thwacking Chloe in the head, shall we? :P
ACHK! Okay, Grimi? Write a memo. "Run away to Hobbiton as soon as Erfier is completed, to avoid the wrath of Golden Days" ;) Hey, GD (which I seem to insist on calling you from time to time ;) If ever it won't load the log-in page, try closing the feedback window and opening it again. Sometimes you'll be logged in even so. It's weird. Anyway, sorry about your stupid computer…but well, I can relate. ;)
Yeah, I do my best not to leave my readers in suspense too long, Firnsarnien. I make it a policy to post ever other day. So there you go! If you want the next post, it'll be up in no later than a day. (and if there's a chance it WON'T be, I'll e-mail everyone to warn them.) :) So there you have it, I've given you my posting schedule, and now I'll have to kill you. :P J/K…doye. ;)
Wow, Melfina, thank you! (and thank your sister too, if you would :) You know how to make someone glow!!…and how to cause a need for Advil. *pulls out a pill or two, then hands the bottle to Thranduil, rubbing head the whole time* ;) Thank you for the feedback!!!
*looks Siti Marie in the eye* You don't like slash? *hugs, kisses, and Legolas-plushies* OH GOODY!!!! ;) I don't like slash either. Yucky. Yeah, and there IS an angry, anti-cliffy mob around here somewhere, so you may want to keep that meat cleaver of yours…and dwarves bodyguards aren't bad either. Elven ones may look prettier, but they're kinda over-possessive of their weapons. ;) I hope you enjoy it! And thank you for your interest in Iston as well!!!
Yeah, Karri, it seems that quite a few people have been having difficulties logging in of late. It doesn't matter, though, so long as you write your name in somewhere. :) And uh…Minaeg? Minaeg…Minaeg…ah yes, that elf that died of Bengwiil. What of him? *grins absently as though she didn't even READ Karri's post* ;)
*giggles* Lina, it's your OWN fault that you ate Bengwiil. You KNEW It was a problem plant, you shouldn't have eaten it…of course Thranduil knew that when he went and shoved it down Aragorn's throat, but that's kinda beside the point. ;) Rodrick-eh hehe…Eomer? You know, you're NEVER going to get to the South. You're poor, poor Rohirrim. ;)
Well, guys, sorry this has taken so long…but hey! I got it done before 6:00, right? ;)
And now, the post!
Chapter 8
Relapse and Remorse
"Come on, Aragorn, drink it *all*." Tirniel's tone was as to a child as Aragorn finished the mud-colored tea, with a grimace.
"You know, Tirniel, I was under the impression that this was supposed to make me *better*. But, no offense meant, you understand, I think I'm feeling a little sicker."
Legolas couldn't help laughing in spite of himself. "It's not funny, Legolas." Aragorn groaned good-naturedly, lying amongst his pillows again. Tirniel set the teacup aside, and smiled over at the human.
"Well, it should help. And, you should be better within a day or two." Smiling again, he began out of the room, but Legolas was quicker and stopped him in the doorway.
"How soon can we ride to Rivendell?"
"As I said, a day or two. Or, whenever Aragorn is better and a day. We cannot risk him getting sick again."
"But- but that could be three days, maybe more!"
"What is your hurry, your highness? He will be well soon enough."
"He will not be well until Lord Elrond has *said* he is well. We must make all haste to Rivendell." Legolas lowered his tone. "We cannot risk the Bengwiil any longer."
"Indeed, your highness, are you still on about that? It has healed him, not-"
"I know this plant more than any other, Tirniel, and I would appreciate it if you wouldn't second-guess my judgment. He is not well, and this is only the beginning of it." Legolas motioned to Aragorn lying in the four-poster behind them.
"He is only sick. Human's *get* sick once and awhile, it is just their way. Trust me, Legolas, this is just a-"
"Even if he is only sick now, I *know* he will be worse later."
Tirniel shook his head and sighed. "Very well, your highness. It is your friend, your decision."
"No, it is *his* decision, and he sides with me." Legolas sighed, and laid a hand on the healer's shoulder. "Thank you for your help, Tirniel. If you would, will you inform my father of what has been on? And then tell him I plan to ride to Rivendell when possible."
Tirniel studied Legolas a long moment. "And you will not tell him." Legolas only shook his head mutely. "Because of Raustal?" The healer murmured.
"Will you tell him?" Legolas asked shortly, obviously not wanting to get into this conversation.
"I will, my prince."
"Hantach." Legolas smiled faintly, and let Tirniel go.
//thank you//
"Rest well, Aragorn." The healer called softly before leaving. Aragorn only nodded, and shut his eyes at the nausea caused by such a quick movement.
Legolas watched the human toss sickeningly this way and that a moment. Aragorn seemed to finally grip himself, and opened his eyes. He saw Legolas staring sadly at him, and shook his head, slowly this time. "I will be well soon enough, Legolas. I *shall* go with you to Rivendell. I promise."
Legolas only nodded and looked down at the floor. "Aragorn," He said at length "I am afraid that this is only the beginning. If it is indeed the Bengwiil- which the timing is too coincidental to be simply illness -if it is Bengwiil that tortures your body, it can only get worse from here." He sighed, and finally met Aragorn's gaze. "I hate to be pessimistic, but I cannot deny what I know for certain to be true."
Aragorn only watched his friend for awhile. Finally he spoke, and when he did, his voice was free of pain. "I will make it, Legolas. I have no intension of leaving you alone. I will *make* my body heal, if I must. I will not give up. Don't give up either, Legolas. There is hope."
Legolas smiled, looking down at the floor for the second time. "Estel. Estel indeed, and your half-father named you well. Very well, Aragorn." Legolas looked up again, still smiling. "I will not give up as long as you do not give up."
"Sounds reasonable." Aragorn sighed, and leaned against his many pillows. "Now, I believe I should give my body a chance to heal itself, before I force it." Legolas nodded.
"And Tirniel will have my head, if he finds me in here, still talking to you." Legolas smiled once more, and walked to the doorway. "Maer fuin, mellon nin. I will be back in awhile to check on you again."
//good night, my friend.//
And the door shut quietly behind Legolas as Aragorn rolled over, and concentrated on sleeping.
**********
Aragorn's legs hurt. He'd been walking for hours and hours. The dank smell of underground was making him feel ill. But only one thing mattered now; Legolas. Aragorn held his friend tighter, closer to his chest, in a protective gesture. It was all his fault…all his fault…
As he lifted Legolas closer, he saw the cut on his neck; a result of him getting dragged for nearly five miles. Aragorn shook his head. He should not have touched Legolas! This would never have happened, if Aragorn had not grown careless and touched his friend's skin. '…when you touch my skin, I feel you striking me…' How could he have gone touched him anyway?!
Gently, his fingers brushed the horrid cut on the young prince's neck. Legolas suddenly jerked, and as if in a spasm, began to twitch and groan. Aragorn yanked his hand back, and tried to get a better grip on the struggling elf, but Legolas continued to jerk and moan, gasping for breath.
"Now *you're* trying to kill him, eh human?" Cruel laughter shook the walls around Aragorn and the struggling Legolas. Aragorn pulled his friend closer to him.
"I'm sorry." He whispered brokenly, chocked by tears once again. Legolas, of course, did not respond, and continued to moan, and twitch.
"Good job, human. You will follow your ancestors. You will hate the elves as we do." Binwen's voice cut like steel through the miserable human's heart. Aragorn tried to ignore him, but the same words flew through his mind as well.
"You are no better than any other, human! You hate him. You hurt him. You will kill him! You begin to kill him now!"
"No…No…" Aragorn couldn't override the angry words in his head. He'd hurt his best friend…again…
"You will kill him! You are killing him! You are hurting him! You bring him pain! You bring him sorrow! You have stricken him! You have hurt him! You will kill him!"
"No! No! No I didn't mean to! I didn't want to! I didn't try to! He lives! I have not killed him! I will not hurt him!"
"Aragorn! Aragorn, ea na gwiil, mellon nin, larhink!"
//be at peace, my friend, calm down!//
Aragorn felt himself being held in a tight, and comforting embrace. "L-Legolas…"
"Na nefach, mellon nin. Na nefach."
//I am here, my friend. I am here.//
Aragorn was shaking all over, and his sickness made his condition worse. "Legolas. Legolas, I am sorry. I am so sorry. Forgive me, my friend. Forgive me please…I am sorry."
Legolas shook his head, looking down at his friend, confused. "Aragorn what is it? Sorry for what?"
"I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't mean to hurt you. I will never hurt you again, I promise. I promise, Legolas, I promise. Forgive me…"
"Aragorn. Aragorn, larhink. There is nothing to forgive." Legolas pressed his cheek against the human's sleep-tousled hair on the crown of his head, wrapping his arms tighter around Aragorn's shoulders, and slowly rocking from side to side.
Aragorn relaxed, recognizing the way Elrond had comforted him when he was a small boy. And he didn't mind being treated like a little boy now, by his best friend. Legolas' efforts were so earnest and kind, that Aragorn almost felt like he *was* back in Rivendell with his father.
"I am sorry." Aragorn whispered again, so quietly that Legolas would not have been able to hear him, had he not had keen elven ears.
"Do not be sorry, Aragorn. You have *not* hurt me. You have not hurt me, my friend."
"In the tunnel…in the woods…in the pit…I hurt you Legolas, I touched you and hurt you."
Legolas was quiet a moment, recalling all the nightmarish moments of those days. The days when he had been infected with Bengwiil. Then, he shook his head, banishing these memories as well. "You did not hurt me, Aragorn. You only helped me."
"I touched you, and it hurt…"
"Aragorn." Legolas pulled the young ranger away from him a little, so he could look him in the eye. "You trust me, do you not?" Aragorn only nodded. "Good. Then hear me, and believe me. You did not hurt me. You have never hurt me. And you never shall hurt me."
Aragorn's chest heaved, and he watched Legolas a long moment. His eyes were incredulous as he spoke next. "What about that time I went hunting, and you were standing *right* behind the stag, and I-"
"Well, *that* was an exception." Legolas couldn't hold back his smile, which Aragorn first equaled, and then surpassed. Then Legolas began to laugh, and Aragorn as well.
The human doubled over, and leaned his head against Legolas' chest again with a groan. "I hate being sick."
Legolas smiled. "I know. You'll be better soon enough."
"And then off to Rivendell, right?"
Legolas nodded. "Off to Rivendell."
"Good." Aragorn sat up, and smiled once more. "Thank you, Legolas. I'm sorry, I overreacted."
"Aragorn." Legolas gripped both his shoulders, and looked directly into his eyes. "You must *stop* apologizing for everything! I hereby forbid you to apologize for *anything* for the rest of your days!"
And the friends shared a few moments of friendly laughter as the sun began to slide over to the West, and prepared to set. And for just a moment, the room was lit by something brighter than sunlight. Something that lasted until Legolas left the room, and Aragorn rolled over, and fell asleep once more.
**********
He couldn't take this stench any longer, but continued to mix the green liquid together. It had been his decision, and he intended to follow through with it. He *would* make it work!
He felt for a heartbeat in the body before him. It was too fast. Much too fast! He soaked a rag in the green water, and began to bathe the struggling elf's head. The patient screamed, and tried to shove his hand away. He heard a gasp. Looking up, he saw a pair of huge, frightened silver eyes. No. No, he mustn't see this!
"Go, and do not allow your eyes to witness this."
"But- what is happening to him? Can I-"
"You cannot help." He tried to be gentle. "He is going to be just-" He ran to the bed when heard another gasp of pain. "It is all right, my friend. You will be fine."
The gasping elf only shook his head slowly. "Namarie, idher mellon nin. I am sorry-I…I leave you alone…" //farewell my dearest friend.//
And the trembling body slackened. No.
"He is dead." He whirled about. "He is dead! Dead! And it is because of you. You do not know what you have done!"
"I- I am sorry…"
"Leave! Now, go!"
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Adda-"
"I said leave me! Go! Go!"
He watched the retreating back, and regretted his words. But his grieve-stricken heart refused to call the elf back, and he turned. He was dead. He killed him! He killed him!
Thranduil's eyes snapped open, and he didn't have to remember why. He would have liked to *think* that it was merely a dream- a nightmare, more like -but the memory was too vivid to be mistaken for anything else. "Oh…" He whispered into the night. "I am sorry…I did not mean to, fion nin…"
//my son.//
:)