Chapter 17: Crossroads
The next day the group of travellers held their own little council. They were only a few hours from the river Isen and Aragorn and Legolas had found tracks of the enemy that were no older then four days. Tulrah's army must have already entered Gondor and that meant that many lives were at stake.
In the last days Aragorn had been seized by a nagging inquietude, thinking constantly about the danger that threatened his people and got closer to them with each passing day. At night he hadn't been able to sleep, at day he was often ill-humored and irritable. His concern was clearly written on his face for anybody to see. He felt that his responsibilities as the king of Gondor were calling to him and I wished nothing more but to fulfill them.
"I suggest that we split up at this point of our journey as we had decided back in Rivendell." Selina suggested. Gandalf nodded in approval. "Yes, we have to get to Minas-Tirith as soon as possible! As Shadowfax is the only horse that is to our free disposal and can't be influence by the enemy, I will have to leave you and Aragorn has to accompany me. He has to lead the forces of Gondor as their king in the battle against Tulrah and his creatures. That leaves you - Selina, Legolas, Gimli and Sulrathi - behind to continue the hunt. We have yet to decide who of you will try to sneak into Tulrah's camp, in order to execute the plan we had agreed on back at Rivendell and I dare not determine anyone without his or her explicit consent for this dangerous task."
"I will go!" Legolas said determinedly. Gandalf's blue eyes fixed on him with a mixture of compassion and admiration. Aragorn looked at his elfish friend sadly, but with the knowledge that this was the only reasonable decision, while Gimli simply nodded grimly. "No, you will not!" Selina hissed at him with indescribable anger ringing in her voice. "Have you gone totally insane? You will get killed within in the blink of an eye! You don't know Tulrah, you don't know what he is capable of.." "There is no other way, melamin." he answered with a sad sigh. "Yes, there is! I'm going with you and don't you dare to convince me otherwise or I swear I will let you know what I meant by biting and scratching back at the 'Spirit of the River'. We are in this together and I will not let you run to your death, when I have just found you." she said in an angry voice.
A depressing silence hovered over the heads of the group of friends, after their destinies had been sealed by their own hands. Finally the wizard decided to speak up. "Then it is settled! Aragorn and I will leave as soon as Shadowfax arrives here. The way we walked together ends here, but our fates will stay joined. May the Valar help us and protect us, my friends!"
~
After the council was dissolved Aragorn approached Legolas and took him aside. "I would like to talk to you." he said in a serious voice. "Walk with me a little while." They left the camp and strolled slowly over the wide grass land that lay in front of them. They had been friends for many years and a comfortable silence surrounded them which bothered neither of the two men. After a while Aragorn decided to speak and ask the question that had occupied his mind for the last days. "Are you happy, mellonamin /my friend/?" he asked simply, knowing very well that Legolas would understand without further ado that he was referring to his blossoming romance with the Selvadage'tok woman.
The elf stopped walking and looked over the plains with a far away look in his eyes, his mind contemplating Aragorn's question. "If those were not times of war, I would answer your question without hesitation with a clear 'yes', but as it is there is a lot to worry about. When I saw that Warg attacking Selina, ready to kill her and I realized I could not continue walking this earth without her in it. She has opened my eyes to a new world, completely different and more beautiful than the old one, due to her presence in it. It is truly incredible how the heart can change within a few weeks, when before decades have left it unaffected by anything." he smiled at his friend with a melancholic expression on his face. "I fear more for her life than I do for my own. Is this not strange?" Legolas said with wonder shining in his eyes. "No, it is not. Trust me I know the feeling. But, please, be careful when you go on this mission! Try not to put your life or hers in any unnecessary danger! Arwen and I wish nothing, but the best for you and we would be incredible horrified should anything bad happen to you. I would very much like to be invited to your wedding one day, my friend. Do not let me hope in vain! " he lay a soothing hand on his friend's shoulder. "Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha. /May the leaves of your life tree never turn brown./" Aragorn said and the friends embraced tightly before the king of Gondor left to save his people. "Namaarie, melonamin. /Farewell, my friend./" said Legolas the wind, carrying away his melodious voice.
~
Selina watched the white spot that was Shadowfax and its two riders slowly disappear from sight. From this moment the sand was running unstoppable through the hourglass, there was no more turning back, no more running away. Her mind had often ponder over those two options, especially in the last few days. She just wanted to grab Legolas and run away from this fight and its uncertain outcome without ever looking back, but her heart and her responsibilities told her otherwise.
They had packed their few belongs within minutes and were now running over the plains towards the River Isen. Their travel was accompanied by the incessant complains of the dwarf who mumbled angrily under his beard and the clanging noise of his armour. She looked ahead an saw the sun set in a blaze of red light, engulfing their surroundings in warm colours. She looked at her Legolas, Gimli and Sulrathi, wondering what the future would hold in store for them. Questions to which she feared to know the answer flashed in her mind and nagging fear whispered to her in her head, while she kept on running.
~
A cruel smile was playing around Tulrah's mouth. The Warg lay slain before him in a pool of his own blood, crimson and smelling deliciously of violence. Its death had been unnecessary, but it had satisfied his ever present urge to kill for the time being. The message it had carried had been highly amusing: his sister thought in her usual arrogance that she could take him, that she could act up as the brave and mighty saviour of Middle-Earth. The mere thought of this scenario was absolutely hilarious and his body shook with vicious laughter. He couldn't wait to see the surprise on her face when she would discover what forces she was fighting against.
The next day the group of travellers held their own little council. They were only a few hours from the river Isen and Aragorn and Legolas had found tracks of the enemy that were no older then four days. Tulrah's army must have already entered Gondor and that meant that many lives were at stake.
In the last days Aragorn had been seized by a nagging inquietude, thinking constantly about the danger that threatened his people and got closer to them with each passing day. At night he hadn't been able to sleep, at day he was often ill-humored and irritable. His concern was clearly written on his face for anybody to see. He felt that his responsibilities as the king of Gondor were calling to him and I wished nothing more but to fulfill them.
"I suggest that we split up at this point of our journey as we had decided back in Rivendell." Selina suggested. Gandalf nodded in approval. "Yes, we have to get to Minas-Tirith as soon as possible! As Shadowfax is the only horse that is to our free disposal and can't be influence by the enemy, I will have to leave you and Aragorn has to accompany me. He has to lead the forces of Gondor as their king in the battle against Tulrah and his creatures. That leaves you - Selina, Legolas, Gimli and Sulrathi - behind to continue the hunt. We have yet to decide who of you will try to sneak into Tulrah's camp, in order to execute the plan we had agreed on back at Rivendell and I dare not determine anyone without his or her explicit consent for this dangerous task."
"I will go!" Legolas said determinedly. Gandalf's blue eyes fixed on him with a mixture of compassion and admiration. Aragorn looked at his elfish friend sadly, but with the knowledge that this was the only reasonable decision, while Gimli simply nodded grimly. "No, you will not!" Selina hissed at him with indescribable anger ringing in her voice. "Have you gone totally insane? You will get killed within in the blink of an eye! You don't know Tulrah, you don't know what he is capable of.." "There is no other way, melamin." he answered with a sad sigh. "Yes, there is! I'm going with you and don't you dare to convince me otherwise or I swear I will let you know what I meant by biting and scratching back at the 'Spirit of the River'. We are in this together and I will not let you run to your death, when I have just found you." she said in an angry voice.
A depressing silence hovered over the heads of the group of friends, after their destinies had been sealed by their own hands. Finally the wizard decided to speak up. "Then it is settled! Aragorn and I will leave as soon as Shadowfax arrives here. The way we walked together ends here, but our fates will stay joined. May the Valar help us and protect us, my friends!"
~
After the council was dissolved Aragorn approached Legolas and took him aside. "I would like to talk to you." he said in a serious voice. "Walk with me a little while." They left the camp and strolled slowly over the wide grass land that lay in front of them. They had been friends for many years and a comfortable silence surrounded them which bothered neither of the two men. After a while Aragorn decided to speak and ask the question that had occupied his mind for the last days. "Are you happy, mellonamin /my friend/?" he asked simply, knowing very well that Legolas would understand without further ado that he was referring to his blossoming romance with the Selvadage'tok woman.
The elf stopped walking and looked over the plains with a far away look in his eyes, his mind contemplating Aragorn's question. "If those were not times of war, I would answer your question without hesitation with a clear 'yes', but as it is there is a lot to worry about. When I saw that Warg attacking Selina, ready to kill her and I realized I could not continue walking this earth without her in it. She has opened my eyes to a new world, completely different and more beautiful than the old one, due to her presence in it. It is truly incredible how the heart can change within a few weeks, when before decades have left it unaffected by anything." he smiled at his friend with a melancholic expression on his face. "I fear more for her life than I do for my own. Is this not strange?" Legolas said with wonder shining in his eyes. "No, it is not. Trust me I know the feeling. But, please, be careful when you go on this mission! Try not to put your life or hers in any unnecessary danger! Arwen and I wish nothing, but the best for you and we would be incredible horrified should anything bad happen to you. I would very much like to be invited to your wedding one day, my friend. Do not let me hope in vain! " he lay a soothing hand on his friend's shoulder. "Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha. /May the leaves of your life tree never turn brown./" Aragorn said and the friends embraced tightly before the king of Gondor left to save his people. "Namaarie, melonamin. /Farewell, my friend./" said Legolas the wind, carrying away his melodious voice.
~
Selina watched the white spot that was Shadowfax and its two riders slowly disappear from sight. From this moment the sand was running unstoppable through the hourglass, there was no more turning back, no more running away. Her mind had often ponder over those two options, especially in the last few days. She just wanted to grab Legolas and run away from this fight and its uncertain outcome without ever looking back, but her heart and her responsibilities told her otherwise.
They had packed their few belongs within minutes and were now running over the plains towards the River Isen. Their travel was accompanied by the incessant complains of the dwarf who mumbled angrily under his beard and the clanging noise of his armour. She looked ahead an saw the sun set in a blaze of red light, engulfing their surroundings in warm colours. She looked at her Legolas, Gimli and Sulrathi, wondering what the future would hold in store for them. Questions to which she feared to know the answer flashed in her mind and nagging fear whispered to her in her head, while she kept on running.
~
A cruel smile was playing around Tulrah's mouth. The Warg lay slain before him in a pool of his own blood, crimson and smelling deliciously of violence. Its death had been unnecessary, but it had satisfied his ever present urge to kill for the time being. The message it had carried had been highly amusing: his sister thought in her usual arrogance that she could take him, that she could act up as the brave and mighty saviour of Middle-Earth. The mere thought of this scenario was absolutely hilarious and his body shook with vicious laughter. He couldn't wait to see the surprise on her face when she would discover what forces she was fighting against.
