Author's note: Again I do apologize for not posting more regular. I will
not make a promise again to post sooner, because illness has a tricky way
to sneak up on me.
Thank you again all of you who have been reviewing. I still appreciate it,
and hope you will like the rest of the story.
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"He still has not awoken?"
Legolas looked up, seeing the concerned look of Merry directed to him. The Elf shook his head, his gaze returning to the unconscious form of Aragorn. The others exchanges glances, feeling a little uneasy around the silent Elf. They had reached a bank after following the river a great length of day. Boromir had decided it was best if they made camp, for it was going to get dark soon. They made a small fire, while Legolas tended to the fallen ranger. He had been sitting there ever since, not moving, not eating, not talking. First they had thought the injury was causing the young Elf more pain then he had admitted, but it did not seem to be so. Something else was troubling him, and it wasn't only the injured ranger.
One by one they settled in for sleep, Legolas being stubborn and demanded to have the first watch. Nobody disagreed, for they all were in need of sleep. Borormir glanced one more time in the direction of the Elf, before he closed his eyes. The others did not know it, nor did they sensed it, but the son of Denethor was slowly beginning to change, the call of the Ring stronger in his mind. It promised him sweet things, it promised him leadership, and fortune. All he needed was to take the Ring from the Ring bearer, all he needed was to slip that Ring on his finger, and he had it all. The sane part of him was fighting it, and only that kept him from attacking the Hobbit right there and then. He knew it was wrong, but oh the sweet temptation in his mind. If only he could be such a great man, saving his land from the downfall against the black ruler Sauron. Something else stopped him also, and that something else was sitting close by, not paying attention to him, but on alert. That fair being sensed the darkness in him, but luckily did not know it was Borormir that was causing that feeling. The Elf was preoccupied with Aragorn, and that suited the other human fine. It provided him more freedom, and more time to try to lure the Ring to him. He fell asleep with a smile on his lips.
A soft moan alerted Legolas of a person awakening. He glanced down, and sighed with relief, seeing the ranger stir. Soft grey eyes looked into his direction, but did not seem to notice him just yet. The ranger was alerted, remembering the last coherent thoughts and sat up with a quick motion, sending his head spinning. He groaned again, and stiffened when he felt hands on his shoulders.
"Relax Aragorn, you took quite a fall in the water, it is not good to be moving."
The soft voice in the words of Sindarin soothed him, knowing it was the prince of Mirkwood who had steadied him. He did as he was asked and relaxed, letting the Elf lay him down again. He was confused, noting the darkness around him.
"Legolas, why is it so dark?"
The Elf gasped, looking around to see if his eyes were betraying him. It was not dark, the fire giving him enough light to see his friend's face. He waved a hand before Aragorn's eyes, and became worried when the pupils did not focus. He tried again, to be only rewarded with a mocking grunt from the ranger.
"What are you doing, friend? I feel air on my face, but I do not see the reason for it. Did you put something on my eyes?"
Silence answered him, and hesitantly he moved his hands to his face, to feel the texture of his skin, but not a bandage of some sort. It took a moment to realize, before the horror set in, his whole expression that of a dammed man. Soft hands pulled him up into an embrace, to give him comfort. Hands stroke his back but he did not feel it. He could only think of one thing, he lost his ability to see, he was blind. Never would he see the landscape around him, nor the beautiful face of his betrothed. Legolas whispered soft words, trying to comfort his friend in any way. He too felt shocked, and numb, knowing what his friend was going through. The proud ranger was blind, robbed from his sight by a dark force. He felt angered and promised that he would make that person responsible pay, if it was Sauron or not.
And that is how the rest of the companions found them, locked in an embrace, the Elf fallen asleep in pure exhaustion while the ranger was trying to adapt to his lost sight.
************************************
"He still has not awoken?"
Legolas looked up, seeing the concerned look of Merry directed to him. The Elf shook his head, his gaze returning to the unconscious form of Aragorn. The others exchanges glances, feeling a little uneasy around the silent Elf. They had reached a bank after following the river a great length of day. Boromir had decided it was best if they made camp, for it was going to get dark soon. They made a small fire, while Legolas tended to the fallen ranger. He had been sitting there ever since, not moving, not eating, not talking. First they had thought the injury was causing the young Elf more pain then he had admitted, but it did not seem to be so. Something else was troubling him, and it wasn't only the injured ranger.
One by one they settled in for sleep, Legolas being stubborn and demanded to have the first watch. Nobody disagreed, for they all were in need of sleep. Borormir glanced one more time in the direction of the Elf, before he closed his eyes. The others did not know it, nor did they sensed it, but the son of Denethor was slowly beginning to change, the call of the Ring stronger in his mind. It promised him sweet things, it promised him leadership, and fortune. All he needed was to take the Ring from the Ring bearer, all he needed was to slip that Ring on his finger, and he had it all. The sane part of him was fighting it, and only that kept him from attacking the Hobbit right there and then. He knew it was wrong, but oh the sweet temptation in his mind. If only he could be such a great man, saving his land from the downfall against the black ruler Sauron. Something else stopped him also, and that something else was sitting close by, not paying attention to him, but on alert. That fair being sensed the darkness in him, but luckily did not know it was Borormir that was causing that feeling. The Elf was preoccupied with Aragorn, and that suited the other human fine. It provided him more freedom, and more time to try to lure the Ring to him. He fell asleep with a smile on his lips.
A soft moan alerted Legolas of a person awakening. He glanced down, and sighed with relief, seeing the ranger stir. Soft grey eyes looked into his direction, but did not seem to notice him just yet. The ranger was alerted, remembering the last coherent thoughts and sat up with a quick motion, sending his head spinning. He groaned again, and stiffened when he felt hands on his shoulders.
"Relax Aragorn, you took quite a fall in the water, it is not good to be moving."
The soft voice in the words of Sindarin soothed him, knowing it was the prince of Mirkwood who had steadied him. He did as he was asked and relaxed, letting the Elf lay him down again. He was confused, noting the darkness around him.
"Legolas, why is it so dark?"
The Elf gasped, looking around to see if his eyes were betraying him. It was not dark, the fire giving him enough light to see his friend's face. He waved a hand before Aragorn's eyes, and became worried when the pupils did not focus. He tried again, to be only rewarded with a mocking grunt from the ranger.
"What are you doing, friend? I feel air on my face, but I do not see the reason for it. Did you put something on my eyes?"
Silence answered him, and hesitantly he moved his hands to his face, to feel the texture of his skin, but not a bandage of some sort. It took a moment to realize, before the horror set in, his whole expression that of a dammed man. Soft hands pulled him up into an embrace, to give him comfort. Hands stroke his back but he did not feel it. He could only think of one thing, he lost his ability to see, he was blind. Never would he see the landscape around him, nor the beautiful face of his betrothed. Legolas whispered soft words, trying to comfort his friend in any way. He too felt shocked, and numb, knowing what his friend was going through. The proud ranger was blind, robbed from his sight by a dark force. He felt angered and promised that he would make that person responsible pay, if it was Sauron or not.
And that is how the rest of the companions found them, locked in an embrace, the Elf fallen asleep in pure exhaustion while the ranger was trying to adapt to his lost sight.
