Disclaimer: I know, I know, not mine! No need to remind me I'm not that good :)
Author Notes: So many reviews!! There are so many nice people reading this. I am so happy right now. Please keep reading!! (and reviewing!! ^_^)
To answer di, I can't really say! We'll see the things he'll have to face first, and try to make it realistic, for after all this suffering, no one is really left untouched…ok?.
And now, the lines that keep you reading! (lol) English is my second language so I apologize for any spelling or grammar mistakes. Elvish is the way I believe it to be (because I'm going to try and add some Sindarin in here :)) and most likely mistaken. I love reviews…any idea why I said that again? *g* And any quotes, this time are from the book, because I found a small part of it in English! *happy dance*
Master in Deceiving
By Yours Truly
{Boromir is dead}
Wide blue eyes searched Aragorn's face, even though he knew what had happened. He heard it; he could clearly see Boromir's body with cruel dark arrows sticking out of it. Yet he searched the ranger's face, his friend's face, for some sign of hope.
{So soon, you have killed again?}
There was none, only grief in the mortal's stormy grey eyes. And when grey met blue, Legolas felt his face go pale.
{Can you feel the loss?}
He felt like weeping, like a child, and abandoning this quest that had cost them dearly; had cost them too much, too soon.
{So you are running away? I don't even know why you have gone this far! In Moria you should have turned back, freed your companions in Lothlórien. But here you still stand…in front of the body of the man you have killed just now}
Bowing his head and closing his eyes tight, Legolas suppressed ideas, suppressed images, suppressed emotions, as best as he could. Protecting his face, his actions and his very presence with the illusion of strength, with the mask he had carried for thousands of years.
"Alas!" He said, walking to Aragorn's side. "We have hunted and slain many Orcs in the woods, but we should have been of more use here."
{Maybe Gimli could have stopped the orcs…could have done something to protect this poor human}
{Against you?}
"We came when we heard the horn-but too late, it seems. I fear you have taken deadly hurt." His voice sounded melodic, and steady as ever.
{I have hurt Aragorn…I have killed Boromir…and Mithrandir… by Elbereth I am slaughtering them all!}
"Boromir is dead," said Aragorn. "I am unscathed"
{Are you? I killed your friends…I am still murdering your friends…}
"…For I was not here with him. He fell defending the hobbits, while I was away upon the hill."
{He fell while I knew he was in danger, while I knew he had been tempted …he was alone…}
{You abandoned him, did you not? You were looking for Frodo…but what of Boromir? Of Boromir you thought nothing but betrayal. And he fell because of you}
{Frodo…?}
"The hobbits!" cried Gimli, his voice cutting like his axe through the elf's thoughts "Where are they then? Where is Frodo?"
{Yes, Legolas. Where is Frodo? Did you at least found him? Did you protect him, like you swore you would? Where is he?}
****
Frodo paddled away from the shore, and the River bore him and Sam swiftly away. Down the western arm, and past the frowning cliffs of Tol Brandir.
****
A strange feeling overcame Legolas, as images of the wide river filled his head.
{Now I think of nature? When Boromir has passed? Now I manage to think of the beautiful river? When I murdered another one?}
{Is that what you're thinking of, right now, fair prince? Of nature?}
{No…I'm thinking of blood}
"I do not know," answered Aragorn wearily, interrupting Legolas' thoughts once again. "Before he died Boromir told me that the Orcs had bound them; he did not think that they were dead."
{Nay…}
{The hobbits as well, Legolas of Mirkwood?}
{NAY! AL I LEND AROD PERIANNATH! AL I TITHEN IR!} (Nay! Not the sweet noble hobbits! Not the little ones!)
"I sent him to follow Merry and Pippin; but I did not ask him if Frodo or Sam were with him: not until it was too late."
{Nay…say it's a lie …Aragorn, nay, wake Boromir up…wake him up, make him stand again, and tell the hobbits to stop hiding…you taught them to play, did you not? Like when you were younger and we used to play? Remember? That you hid and I went looking for you in Rivendell? They must have loved that game!}
{Open your eyes, Prince of Mirkwood. Open your eyes and see the blood around Boromir, see Aragorn's tears…}
{Nay…nay…the hobbits are very good playing…I can't hear them! Pippin must be waiting for me to go and find him, now…and Merry must be hiding with him! And Sam must have helped Frodo to find a good hiding place, too…Boromir? Would you help me look for the little ones, please? We don't have a lot of time, so we must find them fast…Aragorn? You can tell Boromir to stand up now…}
"All that I have done today has gone amiss. What is to be done now"
{His voice is so sad…why is that? Estel?}
{Legolas…look around…}
{Nay…he's gone…I killed him?}
{Yes, little prince. You know that}
{And I hurt the little ones too?}
{Yes, Legolas. And you're hurting Aragorn, now. See? He thinks it's his entire fault}
{But it's my fault!}
{That's right. Tell him what to do now, Legolas. Mithrandir fell and you ran. What are you going to do about Boromir? Estel is asking what to do now}
"First we must tend the fallen," said Legolas, answering Aragorn's question gently. "We cannot leave him lying like carrion among these foul Orcs."
{I cannot bear to seem him like this anymore…is he not going to wake up, now? is he gone…for real?}
Gimli said something that he elf barely heard, but Aragorn's grief filled voice managed to cut though the confused haze of thoughts that was now Legolas' mind, and he felt his voice answer, what he said, he didn't even realize.
{I want to cry. Why is that?}
{Hear of what they speak of, little prince}
"…The River of Gondor will take care at least that no evil creature dishonors his bones."
{Bones?}
{Estel wants you to help him, Legolas. He wants to let Boromir sail back to his home, now, all right?}
{All right. What do I do to help?}
{He wants you to take all the weapons from the orcs lying in here; so that, with those, Boromir can defend himself on the boat}
With a nod to himself, Legolas searched the bodies of the Orcs, gathering their swords and cloven helms and shields into a heap. Gimli and Aragorn doing the same.
Suddenly the Ranger's voice rose, and spoke of the little ones.
{The other ones you murdered}
{What?}
{Merry and Pippin. They have been captured, because of you}
{I…I thought they were hiding? Those little ones love to play}
{You know that's not true, Legolas.}
{Yes, it is. They love to play}
{You know of what I speak, little prince}
{I…think…}
{Estel is speaking, now, Legolas, listen to what he's saying}
"…I will take these things, hoping against hope, to give them back."
{No…'tis not true, they are all right!}
{Are they? Why didn't you protect them, Legolas?}
{No…I do not wish to hear this!}
"And I," Legolas said suddenly, "Will take all the arrows that I can find, for my quiver is empty."
{Yes. I'll focus on that. I need arrows to protect them. I am a good archer; I need arrows for my quiver…}
{You can't escape this Legolas…}
{Arrows, many arrows, some of these arrows look a little strange, don't they?}
{You can't escape what you did}
{These do not look as the arrows the orcs use…}
Legolas looked at them closely, and nobody noticed when his eyes unfocused.
****
"Farewell, and may the blessing of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you. May the stars shine upon your faces! "
****
Elrond's departing words rang loud on elven ears, as Legolas looked up to the sky briefly. It was day, there were no stars…and he felt happy about that. He could not bear the thought of them watching his disgrace. Of the star's light covering his wrong deeds.
{What thoughts can you bear at this point, Legolas? You are weak; you are the reason of so much death…}
"I have not seen these tokens before," Aragorn's voice managed to bring him back into the present. "What do they mean?"
"S is for Sauron," said Gimli. "That is easy to read."
{Nothing is easy to read anymore}
"Nay!" he said softly, but his cold tone made his two remaining companions look at him. "Sauron does not use the Elf-runes."
With a small questioning frown at him, Aragorn added something, else, but the elf no longer heard.
{You can't escape any of this! The halflings are gone. Because of you, and only you, they are missing. And Boromir is dead, and Mithrandir has fallen into shadow. Aragorn doubts himself, when nothing is his fault! Grief has settled in his mortal heart, because of you, you know this is all true, and you know you can't escape it}
With almost unnoticeably glazed eyes, Legolas followed Gimli's lead to bring back the boats, and the grief was too much for the dwarf to notice anything. When they found one of the boats missing, Legolas searched around for it, and Gimli didn't thought anything of his silence.
And neither Gimli nor Aragorn noticed that Legolas' voice sounded hollow, when he finally spoke, and that he didn't really seem to be there anymore.
For Legolas was… busy.
{Estel? Gimli? Where did you two go? I can't see you…what is that song you are singing Aragorn? Can I sing? It sounds so sad…I'm sad too…}
{Boromir? Where are you going? Can you see Frodo and the little ones from that boat? We have to find them soon! But I can't hear them; they are very good at hiding…}
To be continued
Author Notes: So many reviews!! There are so many nice people reading this. I am so happy right now. Please keep reading!! (and reviewing!! ^_^)
To answer di, I can't really say! We'll see the things he'll have to face first, and try to make it realistic, for after all this suffering, no one is really left untouched…ok?.
And now, the lines that keep you reading! (lol) English is my second language so I apologize for any spelling or grammar mistakes. Elvish is the way I believe it to be (because I'm going to try and add some Sindarin in here :)) and most likely mistaken. I love reviews…any idea why I said that again? *g* And any quotes, this time are from the book, because I found a small part of it in English! *happy dance*
Master in Deceiving
By Yours Truly
{Boromir is dead}
Wide blue eyes searched Aragorn's face, even though he knew what had happened. He heard it; he could clearly see Boromir's body with cruel dark arrows sticking out of it. Yet he searched the ranger's face, his friend's face, for some sign of hope.
{So soon, you have killed again?}
There was none, only grief in the mortal's stormy grey eyes. And when grey met blue, Legolas felt his face go pale.
{Can you feel the loss?}
He felt like weeping, like a child, and abandoning this quest that had cost them dearly; had cost them too much, too soon.
{So you are running away? I don't even know why you have gone this far! In Moria you should have turned back, freed your companions in Lothlórien. But here you still stand…in front of the body of the man you have killed just now}
Bowing his head and closing his eyes tight, Legolas suppressed ideas, suppressed images, suppressed emotions, as best as he could. Protecting his face, his actions and his very presence with the illusion of strength, with the mask he had carried for thousands of years.
"Alas!" He said, walking to Aragorn's side. "We have hunted and slain many Orcs in the woods, but we should have been of more use here."
{Maybe Gimli could have stopped the orcs…could have done something to protect this poor human}
{Against you?}
"We came when we heard the horn-but too late, it seems. I fear you have taken deadly hurt." His voice sounded melodic, and steady as ever.
{I have hurt Aragorn…I have killed Boromir…and Mithrandir… by Elbereth I am slaughtering them all!}
"Boromir is dead," said Aragorn. "I am unscathed"
{Are you? I killed your friends…I am still murdering your friends…}
"…For I was not here with him. He fell defending the hobbits, while I was away upon the hill."
{He fell while I knew he was in danger, while I knew he had been tempted …he was alone…}
{You abandoned him, did you not? You were looking for Frodo…but what of Boromir? Of Boromir you thought nothing but betrayal. And he fell because of you}
{Frodo…?}
"The hobbits!" cried Gimli, his voice cutting like his axe through the elf's thoughts "Where are they then? Where is Frodo?"
{Yes, Legolas. Where is Frodo? Did you at least found him? Did you protect him, like you swore you would? Where is he?}
****
Frodo paddled away from the shore, and the River bore him and Sam swiftly away. Down the western arm, and past the frowning cliffs of Tol Brandir.
****
A strange feeling overcame Legolas, as images of the wide river filled his head.
{Now I think of nature? When Boromir has passed? Now I manage to think of the beautiful river? When I murdered another one?}
{Is that what you're thinking of, right now, fair prince? Of nature?}
{No…I'm thinking of blood}
"I do not know," answered Aragorn wearily, interrupting Legolas' thoughts once again. "Before he died Boromir told me that the Orcs had bound them; he did not think that they were dead."
{Nay…}
{The hobbits as well, Legolas of Mirkwood?}
{NAY! AL I LEND AROD PERIANNATH! AL I TITHEN IR!} (Nay! Not the sweet noble hobbits! Not the little ones!)
"I sent him to follow Merry and Pippin; but I did not ask him if Frodo or Sam were with him: not until it was too late."
{Nay…say it's a lie …Aragorn, nay, wake Boromir up…wake him up, make him stand again, and tell the hobbits to stop hiding…you taught them to play, did you not? Like when you were younger and we used to play? Remember? That you hid and I went looking for you in Rivendell? They must have loved that game!}
{Open your eyes, Prince of Mirkwood. Open your eyes and see the blood around Boromir, see Aragorn's tears…}
{Nay…nay…the hobbits are very good playing…I can't hear them! Pippin must be waiting for me to go and find him, now…and Merry must be hiding with him! And Sam must have helped Frodo to find a good hiding place, too…Boromir? Would you help me look for the little ones, please? We don't have a lot of time, so we must find them fast…Aragorn? You can tell Boromir to stand up now…}
"All that I have done today has gone amiss. What is to be done now"
{His voice is so sad…why is that? Estel?}
{Legolas…look around…}
{Nay…he's gone…I killed him?}
{Yes, little prince. You know that}
{And I hurt the little ones too?}
{Yes, Legolas. And you're hurting Aragorn, now. See? He thinks it's his entire fault}
{But it's my fault!}
{That's right. Tell him what to do now, Legolas. Mithrandir fell and you ran. What are you going to do about Boromir? Estel is asking what to do now}
"First we must tend the fallen," said Legolas, answering Aragorn's question gently. "We cannot leave him lying like carrion among these foul Orcs."
{I cannot bear to seem him like this anymore…is he not going to wake up, now? is he gone…for real?}
Gimli said something that he elf barely heard, but Aragorn's grief filled voice managed to cut though the confused haze of thoughts that was now Legolas' mind, and he felt his voice answer, what he said, he didn't even realize.
{I want to cry. Why is that?}
{Hear of what they speak of, little prince}
"…The River of Gondor will take care at least that no evil creature dishonors his bones."
{Bones?}
{Estel wants you to help him, Legolas. He wants to let Boromir sail back to his home, now, all right?}
{All right. What do I do to help?}
{He wants you to take all the weapons from the orcs lying in here; so that, with those, Boromir can defend himself on the boat}
With a nod to himself, Legolas searched the bodies of the Orcs, gathering their swords and cloven helms and shields into a heap. Gimli and Aragorn doing the same.
Suddenly the Ranger's voice rose, and spoke of the little ones.
{The other ones you murdered}
{What?}
{Merry and Pippin. They have been captured, because of you}
{I…I thought they were hiding? Those little ones love to play}
{You know that's not true, Legolas.}
{Yes, it is. They love to play}
{You know of what I speak, little prince}
{I…think…}
{Estel is speaking, now, Legolas, listen to what he's saying}
"…I will take these things, hoping against hope, to give them back."
{No…'tis not true, they are all right!}
{Are they? Why didn't you protect them, Legolas?}
{No…I do not wish to hear this!}
"And I," Legolas said suddenly, "Will take all the arrows that I can find, for my quiver is empty."
{Yes. I'll focus on that. I need arrows to protect them. I am a good archer; I need arrows for my quiver…}
{You can't escape this Legolas…}
{Arrows, many arrows, some of these arrows look a little strange, don't they?}
{You can't escape what you did}
{These do not look as the arrows the orcs use…}
Legolas looked at them closely, and nobody noticed when his eyes unfocused.
****
"Farewell, and may the blessing of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you. May the stars shine upon your faces! "
****
Elrond's departing words rang loud on elven ears, as Legolas looked up to the sky briefly. It was day, there were no stars…and he felt happy about that. He could not bear the thought of them watching his disgrace. Of the star's light covering his wrong deeds.
{What thoughts can you bear at this point, Legolas? You are weak; you are the reason of so much death…}
"I have not seen these tokens before," Aragorn's voice managed to bring him back into the present. "What do they mean?"
"S is for Sauron," said Gimli. "That is easy to read."
{Nothing is easy to read anymore}
"Nay!" he said softly, but his cold tone made his two remaining companions look at him. "Sauron does not use the Elf-runes."
With a small questioning frown at him, Aragorn added something, else, but the elf no longer heard.
{You can't escape any of this! The halflings are gone. Because of you, and only you, they are missing. And Boromir is dead, and Mithrandir has fallen into shadow. Aragorn doubts himself, when nothing is his fault! Grief has settled in his mortal heart, because of you, you know this is all true, and you know you can't escape it}
With almost unnoticeably glazed eyes, Legolas followed Gimli's lead to bring back the boats, and the grief was too much for the dwarf to notice anything. When they found one of the boats missing, Legolas searched around for it, and Gimli didn't thought anything of his silence.
And neither Gimli nor Aragorn noticed that Legolas' voice sounded hollow, when he finally spoke, and that he didn't really seem to be there anymore.
For Legolas was… busy.
{Estel? Gimli? Where did you two go? I can't see you…what is that song you are singing Aragorn? Can I sing? It sounds so sad…I'm sad too…}
{Boromir? Where are you going? Can you see Frodo and the little ones from that boat? We have to find them soon! But I can't hear them; they are very good at hiding…}
To be continued