Haldir Speaks

I slept wearily the previous night, as if I had not done so in months. I knew something had happened the previous night because I have seldom seen Legolas so calm and happy. Oh how I hope it is not master Aragorn, how I hate that man. He has done nothing good to my kindred and for that reason I loathe him.

But there is little time to think of that now; I had much work to do before the feast tonight. I have noticed a man that has been watching me all morning and making me quite a bit uncomfortable. Why will he not look away?

"...Need a little help there?" He said to me as he leaned against the wall and smiled. I noticed that he had one gold earring on his left ear and dark, stormy eyes.

"No..." I replied, "Thank you." A forceful smile came to my lips. (That was a skill that all of us had to learn)

". .I insist." He said placing a hand on top of mine. I shook it away quickly, my eyes beginning to hint suspicion. I looked to him for a moment, catching a queer look upon his face before backing away.

"Are you afraid?" He questioned me, still grinning. I said nothing and turned to run but he gripped my wrist and pulled me down. I could feel myself being shoved into the closet and pressed against the wall. I reached for the knife that I kept in my tunic and held it to his neck. I had not given myself to anyone, not even Eomer. This poor excuse of a man was not going to change that.

"...Put it away.." He said with a half smile.

"You are in no position to make demands..." I hissed although I could feel my hand trembling with every breath. But he pressed a finger to the knife and looked to me.

"...Is that so? A little secret of yours has been brought to my attention.." He breathed with a hissing sound. I blinked but did not budge.



He smiled broader and went on: "Do you know what they do to traitors, those weak, pathetic, men who help the slaves? .. But it is not nearly as painful a torture as what they do to those who have relationships with them." I lowered my knife and gazed at him in horror, I could feel him pinning my arms against the wall.

"We would not want that to happen to Eomer... would we?" He snapped so angrily that I winced at the voice. I let him bind my wrists above behind me and press a dirty cloth into my mouth. I would not let my secret be known to anyone else... nor will I let Eomer get hurt on my account... no matter what I had to sacrifice.



The cold rough hands slashed at the slender elf's clothing and tore it apart. A tear slipped from the Lorien elf's bright eyes as a muffled sound came from his lips. 'I'm sorry.... Eomer..." He thought desperately, trying to hold on to himself and fight the pain. but he knew that his innocence was forever lost after this.

Aragorn Speaks-

"I must get to work now..." Legolas whispered as he pulled away from my embrace. I could see the color returning to his face. I looked around, it seemed that I had almost gotten used to the shelter of this room.

"... Be careful..." I said softly and he smiled. It was so good to see him trust me again, for it was more than I ever could ask of him after what this 'Lord Aragorn' did to him. I gave him a soft kiss as he pushed open the door. My mind quickly snapped back to reality, I had to figure out a way to get him away from here, and to get things back to the way it was. Or, the way it is supposed to be.

I watched Legolas go up the staircase and I made my way out to the courtyard in search of the King. But what I came across instead was an elf standing in my path. His hair was golden, yet darker than that of my beloved. His shining eyes pierced my thoughts and for a moment, I could have sworn he knew what I was thinking. His face was fearless and he stood tall and he wore not the loose uniforms the slaves were forced into but clothes of a hunter.

"Lord Aragorn." He bowed to me, but it seemed out of quiet respect and not fear, for he did not stumble nor did he falter. I looked to him and nodded in return. That was when I recognized him, the elven lord that I had spoken to only seldom.

"Lord Glorfindel?" I muttered as he smiled at me.

". ..Then it is as had hoped... you know of me." He replied. I stared; he seemed to know more about this than I did.

"...You know who I am?" I gasped as he led me to a more secluded area.

"...I do..." Glorfindel replied, not surprised at all at my question, "It is I who brought you here. I know not a lot about this except I had invoked an ancient magic that was beyond most of my skill. But it was the only way. our kindred shall perish, if some things do not change."

"... I don't understand... what is this place?"

"This is our world... and the reality of your counterpart. ..Lord Aragorn." He said swiftly to me, "I brought you here for one purpose, and one purpose only. to finish the wrath of your father. When the Lord Arathorn had ruled this land, he made a promise that when his only son, you, sit upon the throne, all the servants of our kindred shall be freed. Yet his promise was only an empty shell, for he did not know that he had two sons. One was borne secretly to the lady in waiting of his queen. That child was born first, and being the eldest, he claimed the throne over the son of the queen. The promise was never fulfilled."

"What can I do? I am not the same person, and I cannot stay in this world."

"Slay the king. Your counterpart is a bloody coward and will not do so, for much of the kingdom may collapse without our kin as their slaves." Glorfindel said firmly, his eyes flashing sharply, "Kill him is all that you need to do. But he is well protected, and you cannot let anyone know that it was you. I warn you, he is not an easy target, and very skilled with the sword, perhaps even beyond your skill. If the king is slain, he has no heirs, and Lord Aragorn claims the throne. Our kindred are forever freed."

I nodded, although it was still a little too much to swallow at the moment.

"Do you understand, that you cannot fail? If you fail, all of our kind will die out and it is in this hell-hole that your soul will forever linger." He said, looking me straight in the eye.

"... I understand." I nodded.

Glorfindel smiled and pulled out a dagger, "Be swift, Estel." And with that, he handed me the sharp and quick edged blade. I sheathed the blade and tucked it away. The elven lord looked to me and bowed again before walking away.



Aragorn felt as if a huge boulder had been lifted from his heart yet another one dropped upon him. He was supposed to slay this man that he hardly even knew. That was, in some way, his half brother. He shook off the ideas and remembered the previous night, the beastly man fingering his beloved, treating the gorgeous elf as if he were an object. Hatred and excited passion entered his veins once more and he was clear of mind.



Aragorn Speaks -

I wandered around aimlessly, trying to come up with a way to do the deed. Perhaps during nighttime, that seems like a perfect opportunity... yes nighttime. But he must be heavily guarded at night.

I walked upstairs toward the corridor where everyone was preparing for the feast. I wanted to find Legolas and tell him everything although I did not know if I wanted to drag him into any of this. Toward the secluded end of the halls I saw a door that was jammed shut with a piece of clothing that stuck through the cracks.

I did not know why but I felt tempted to open the door. I looked around and noticed no one was near and I pressed a hand to the knob. I pulled and pushed but it would not open. In my frustration kicked the door but the reaction surprised me. I soft moan of a gentle voice came. I pulled out my blade and stuck it through the cracks, swiftly breaking the door.

"Haldir?" I gasped as I saw the thin and beaten elf lying upon the ground. His clothes were ripped to pieces and his eyes were filled with tears. There was blood dripping from his limbs and bruises decorated his pale skin. I quickly bent down and wrapped my cloak around him but he only stared at me with bitter eyes.

"What do you want?" He snapped weakly, "Does this not please you enough? Is there some more you have not done to me?" His voice was shaking and soft but full of fear and anger and self-hatred.

"I have only come to help you." I whispered lifting him and making sure that no one watched.

"...Why would you help me? I am only a piece of property that you own." He muttered. I could see the blood trailing from the corner of his mouth and the pain welling in his eyes.

"...I will not try and convince you to trust me..." I whispered brushing a strand of blood soaked hair from his eyes and went on, "But know that I will not let you get hurt anymore." Haldir opened his mouth to argue with me but his pain and grief seemed to consume him just then and he turned away from me as a soft groan escaped him. I swore then that these men shall suffer for these evil deeds. How dare they treat these beautiful creatures so!

"I will bring you to Eomer, he will care for you..." I said softly to him, but his eyes suddenly blazed at this.

"You leave him out of this!" He said to me with all his strength, his expression softened and his eyes turned to pleading, "... Please... lord Aragorn, He has not done anything, I promise. Leave him be."

"... I will not betray him to the king.you need not worry about that." I replied, "But he can help you right now. so it is there that we must turn."

"I..." Haldir whispered, still gasping softly in agony, "I can't let him see me like this." With that the elf passed out into a deep dream.

Eomer Speaks-

"Who did this?" I said through clenched teeth as my eyes fell upon my perfect elf who lay motionless and covered in blood.

". ..I do not know." He replied, "... Yet this is how I found him... let us worry about that later, his life is more important right now." I looked to the Lord Aragorn. He truly has changed. I quickly took Haldir into my arms and laid him upon my bed. I found a washcloth and begin to dab at the blood upon covering his body. This was all my fault... I could not protect him. But I still did not understand, Haldir was so strong and full of life; the beautiful elf was able to protect himself in the past. ..

I took his hand and kissed it gently, and I held it still as Lord Aragorn tended him. There had to be another reason, he could not just fall like this... He has fault so many battles in the past... I did not notice as I involuntarily began to straighten out my beloved elf's hair.

"... How could this have happened?" I whispered, looking up toward Lord Aragorn, "He has always protected himself..."

". I do not know."Aragorn looked to me with sympathy, "... Yet he cannot protect himself against everything on his own..."

"No. you do not understand... there has to be a reason." I said with a panicked sigh. My eyes focused back to the breath taking figure that still lay motionless and his bright eyes lost of thought. Aragorn bit his lip, his eyes filled with worry and pity. He did not get it, he did not know Haldir as I did, he could not understand.

Two figures stand above a balcony, one of them the king and the other, a man whose face stayed hidden under the hood of his cloak.

"My own brother... a traitor..." The shorter figure shook his head and sighed, "An elf lover... you bet I shall take care of him."

". And there is something I would like in return for this." The hooded man smiled at the king, who looked to him curiously.

"What do you desire?"

"Nothing you cannot afford, my lord."

"Well... go on..." The king waited, and the man only pointed to the gardens, where a pretty blond elf was sweeping the leaves. "That is the one your own brethren betrayed you for... let me take that whore off your hands."

"He's a pretty one that I will not let go easily as you think..."

"... Name your price, my lord... you would be surprised at what I can afford." The man laughed.