DILEMMA
CHAPTER TWO
Peace and Message of Doom
When Aragorn arrived at his house, Elrond was waiting for him in the entrance, with the twins pacing behind them. Before anyone could say something, Aragorn said, "I'm sorry Adar. I should not have acted like that, I understand now. No matter whom my parents were, my heart will always be here with all of you." Without another word, he flung himself in his father's open arm, and the twins were next in line although they got a different speech.
"You knew my father, didn't you?"
"Yes, we had known him since he was your age. We had hunted often with him." Elladan said and Elrohir added.
"We were there when he died, we promised to take care of you and we did. We were also the ones who brought you to Rivendell."
Both twins looked at their brother with expectation. They wanted to know how he would take this news. Aragorn, who had never heard of this, became momentarily speechless.
"Well, I'm very blessed to have both of you; my father couldn't have placed me in better hands. There is one thing that I ask of you though," When Elladan and Elrohir nodded, Aragorn asked. "I want to know everything you know about my parents."
"We will gladly tell you all we know brother." The twins said smiling warmly at him.
"Where is Legolas?" he asked.
"He did not come back with you?" Elrond asked a little worried.
"No, Why? Was he supposed to?" Estel demanded.
"When you ran away, I asked him to follow you." Aragorn did not completely agree with this but said nothing.
"Is it possible that Legolas didn't found you?" Elrohir asked.
"It's impossible. You can never hide from him in a forest", Aragorn said remembering all the times he had tried without succeeding because the trees always told Legolas were he was. "Besides, Legolas would have known where I was going, so he must be there. Something has surely happened", Aragorn added worriedly.
Elrond and the twins agreed with him and they set out to find the prince. They departed with a few warriors and a stretcher, just in case, although all of them prayed that they wouldn't need it.
*********
"LEGOLAS" Aragorn yelled when he saw his friend sprawled on the forest floor, lying in a pool of his own blood.
The twins too had seen their friend and they held their younger brother who was thrashing madly and cursing in dwarfish. They did that to give space to their father, because only he could bring back Legolas if he yet drew breath.
They couldn't move him, so Elrond had to treat him where he was but they had placed him on the stretcher. Elrond was helped by the warriors since the twins had their hands full with trying to calm a distressed Aragorn. Each time Legolas moaned in pain, Aragorn could be heard whimpering. Elrohir was comforting his brother with soothing words while Elladan could only hold his brother close. The older twin was too enraged to form coherent words.
Elrond was worried; he had treated the wound and given the antidote to the poison that was on the arrow tip to Legolas. While the poison had been removed from his system, the prince continued to suffer and his fever was worse then ever. The Lord couldn't do anything more until they were back in Rivendell so they all set out. Before leaving, Elrond gave a sleeping draught to Legolas; it would be easier to move him that way.
*********
It had been one hour since their return to Rivendell, and Elrond had tried half a dozen different antidotes and still nothing changed. Elrond was beginning to consider the fact that Legolas might be dying, so he sent one of his fastest riders to Mirkwood to bring Thranduil here. He also sent Glorfindel for a much more difficult task, finding Mithrandir. If the wizard didn't know what ailed the young Thranduilion, nobody else would.
*********
Aragorn was sitting beside his friend, murmuring something that the twins couldn't hear from their point behind the door.
"I'm so sorry; whoever did this to you will pay. I will make you better, even if I have to pay the ultimate price, you will get better", he said over and over.
*********
It had been two days now. Legolas' condition had not changed; high fever, excruciating pain, delirium and his cries of pain kept everybody on edge. He was rarely aware of his surrounding, but when he was, he would always see Aragorn who had not left his side since he came back. Elrond and the twins had all had a long talk with Aragorn about his guilt, but he would have none of it.
*********
Elrond was sitting in his study, looking for the poison that could have been injected into Legolas when a large black crow appeared in his window. The crow had a letter attach to his leg, so Elrond took it and read it. All color drained from his face and he ran to Legolas' room.
Fortunately, the twins were also there, so he could tell them all at once. The first thing he did though was hand the letter to Aragorn. As soon as Aragorn read it, his mind was set. He left the room without a word and went to his room, dropping the letter to the ground. Elladan picked it up and read it to his twin.
Dear Elrond
The poison that is slowly killing the prince needs a special antidote that only I possess. If you want it, you must send your foster son to get it. If he is followed, you will loose him and the prince too. Nobody will be able to know where I am except him, for I will leave signs that only him will see.
Before the twins could say something, Elrond said, "We must let him go, for it may be our only chance to save Legolas and Estel won't have it any other way."
"But Ada, Estel may be walking right into a trap!" Elladan and Elrohir exclaimed.
"I know my sons, but it's the only way."
They all watched as Aragorn left without a word, because none could have expressed what they were feeling. Helplessness, guilt, sadness, worry, these were only a few of them.
*********
After reading the letter, Aragorn had left immediately, without even giving it a second thought. He could be walking straight to his doom but he didn't care. All he cared about was his friend's welfare and nothing else.
*********
When Elrond and the twins turned around, Legolas' bed was empty! After searching the entire house, they still couldn't find him.
"Surely he couldn't have move by himself, so where could he be???" Elrond thought.
TBC
A/N: Thanks to Eleni and Trin for the beta reading of this chapter.
CHAPTER TWO
Peace and Message of Doom
When Aragorn arrived at his house, Elrond was waiting for him in the entrance, with the twins pacing behind them. Before anyone could say something, Aragorn said, "I'm sorry Adar. I should not have acted like that, I understand now. No matter whom my parents were, my heart will always be here with all of you." Without another word, he flung himself in his father's open arm, and the twins were next in line although they got a different speech.
"You knew my father, didn't you?"
"Yes, we had known him since he was your age. We had hunted often with him." Elladan said and Elrohir added.
"We were there when he died, we promised to take care of you and we did. We were also the ones who brought you to Rivendell."
Both twins looked at their brother with expectation. They wanted to know how he would take this news. Aragorn, who had never heard of this, became momentarily speechless.
"Well, I'm very blessed to have both of you; my father couldn't have placed me in better hands. There is one thing that I ask of you though," When Elladan and Elrohir nodded, Aragorn asked. "I want to know everything you know about my parents."
"We will gladly tell you all we know brother." The twins said smiling warmly at him.
"Where is Legolas?" he asked.
"He did not come back with you?" Elrond asked a little worried.
"No, Why? Was he supposed to?" Estel demanded.
"When you ran away, I asked him to follow you." Aragorn did not completely agree with this but said nothing.
"Is it possible that Legolas didn't found you?" Elrohir asked.
"It's impossible. You can never hide from him in a forest", Aragorn said remembering all the times he had tried without succeeding because the trees always told Legolas were he was. "Besides, Legolas would have known where I was going, so he must be there. Something has surely happened", Aragorn added worriedly.
Elrond and the twins agreed with him and they set out to find the prince. They departed with a few warriors and a stretcher, just in case, although all of them prayed that they wouldn't need it.
*********
"LEGOLAS" Aragorn yelled when he saw his friend sprawled on the forest floor, lying in a pool of his own blood.
The twins too had seen their friend and they held their younger brother who was thrashing madly and cursing in dwarfish. They did that to give space to their father, because only he could bring back Legolas if he yet drew breath.
They couldn't move him, so Elrond had to treat him where he was but they had placed him on the stretcher. Elrond was helped by the warriors since the twins had their hands full with trying to calm a distressed Aragorn. Each time Legolas moaned in pain, Aragorn could be heard whimpering. Elrohir was comforting his brother with soothing words while Elladan could only hold his brother close. The older twin was too enraged to form coherent words.
Elrond was worried; he had treated the wound and given the antidote to the poison that was on the arrow tip to Legolas. While the poison had been removed from his system, the prince continued to suffer and his fever was worse then ever. The Lord couldn't do anything more until they were back in Rivendell so they all set out. Before leaving, Elrond gave a sleeping draught to Legolas; it would be easier to move him that way.
*********
It had been one hour since their return to Rivendell, and Elrond had tried half a dozen different antidotes and still nothing changed. Elrond was beginning to consider the fact that Legolas might be dying, so he sent one of his fastest riders to Mirkwood to bring Thranduil here. He also sent Glorfindel for a much more difficult task, finding Mithrandir. If the wizard didn't know what ailed the young Thranduilion, nobody else would.
*********
Aragorn was sitting beside his friend, murmuring something that the twins couldn't hear from their point behind the door.
"I'm so sorry; whoever did this to you will pay. I will make you better, even if I have to pay the ultimate price, you will get better", he said over and over.
*********
It had been two days now. Legolas' condition had not changed; high fever, excruciating pain, delirium and his cries of pain kept everybody on edge. He was rarely aware of his surrounding, but when he was, he would always see Aragorn who had not left his side since he came back. Elrond and the twins had all had a long talk with Aragorn about his guilt, but he would have none of it.
*********
Elrond was sitting in his study, looking for the poison that could have been injected into Legolas when a large black crow appeared in his window. The crow had a letter attach to his leg, so Elrond took it and read it. All color drained from his face and he ran to Legolas' room.
Fortunately, the twins were also there, so he could tell them all at once. The first thing he did though was hand the letter to Aragorn. As soon as Aragorn read it, his mind was set. He left the room without a word and went to his room, dropping the letter to the ground. Elladan picked it up and read it to his twin.
Dear Elrond
The poison that is slowly killing the prince needs a special antidote that only I possess. If you want it, you must send your foster son to get it. If he is followed, you will loose him and the prince too. Nobody will be able to know where I am except him, for I will leave signs that only him will see.
Before the twins could say something, Elrond said, "We must let him go, for it may be our only chance to save Legolas and Estel won't have it any other way."
"But Ada, Estel may be walking right into a trap!" Elladan and Elrohir exclaimed.
"I know my sons, but it's the only way."
They all watched as Aragorn left without a word, because none could have expressed what they were feeling. Helplessness, guilt, sadness, worry, these were only a few of them.
*********
After reading the letter, Aragorn had left immediately, without even giving it a second thought. He could be walking straight to his doom but he didn't care. All he cared about was his friend's welfare and nothing else.
*********
When Elrond and the twins turned around, Legolas' bed was empty! After searching the entire house, they still couldn't find him.
"Surely he couldn't have move by himself, so where could he be???" Elrond thought.
TBC
A/N: Thanks to Eleni and Trin for the beta reading of this chapter.