YEAH!!!!! Two Towers was wicked!!!!!!!!! Legolas and Aragorn looked soooo
hot. And Gimli was soooo funny. It needed more Merry and Pippin, and
Gollum. Hell, it needed to be longer. It has to never end. Anyway, not
gonna rant. Thanks to everyone for reading, and I hope you enjoy this
chapter. I'm hoping I can finish this ficcy over Christmas break, but that
may be wishful thinking. On with the fic, here is:
The Stone of Malinya.
{Young man indeed.} Legolas thought to himself as he was walked through the woods, flagged by over a dozen guards. At first he had rolled his eyes at the comment, thinking that the man had been taunting him, or had simply forgotten his true age as Gimli sometimes did. But soon he realized that there was no jest in the man's voice, and he truly believed Legolas to be younger than himself. An unlooked for smile came upon his face as he thought of this. These men did not know he was an Elf, or that he had already lived more lifetimes than they could dream of. The Mist of Concealment had yet to wear off, so they most likely thought him to be a man of only twenty-five. Elves did not use appearance as a distinction of age of course, so he couldn't be sure, but he thought twenty-five was a good guess.
As his captors pushed him along, leading him to the traitor Risorine, he reminded himself to keep up the façade of a man. Though these rebels appeared to be against Brelan's ways he had no way of knowing if they would also be against the Brelans' hatred for elves and decided not to risk finding out, for it was obvious that Risorine already held a deep hatred for him.
Speaking of which .
"Where are the others?" Risorine asked sternly. They had finally reached the open field where he had been waiting for them, he had stayed behind to look over the cavern they had retrieved the Stone from. When he saw only one prisoner he did not look pleased.
"They got away; we could only catch this one." The man reported, pushing Legolas forward. Risorine grinned when the elf flinched.
"No need to worry then. Lord Elessar will be back for him. If I know anything about the man I know he will not leave a companion behind. Especially one so trusted as this." Risorine scoffed, clearly showing the offence Legolas did to him simply by being the preferred company of Aragorn.
"But how well do you truly know the king? Perhaps as well as he thought he knew you?" Legolas asked, attempting to place doubt into Risorine's mind, for he knew doubt caused a man to make mistakes.
"I know him well enough. Of course that is no thanks to you, stealing away every opportunity I had to learn more of him and his secrets. You alone are the reason I was never fully in the King's confidence and you nearly ruined everything. I do not know how you always managed to be everywhere, and hear everything but you made yourself quite a nuisance, as you are now." Legolas could see the anger building in Risorine's eyes as he recalled all the occasions he had interfered in Risorine's plans. He clearly blamed Legolas for the failure of so many of his schemes; the elf had kept him from eavesdropping on Aragorn and gaining the king's confidence, and had been mostly responsible for stopping the assassination attempt on Lord Vecery. And now Legolas discovered that simply by talking to Aragorn and keeping him busy he had interfered greatly with Risorine's plot.
"Perhaps it is time you redeemed yourself. You may start by explaining to me how I can gain entrance to this secret cavern you three emerged from."
Legolas had seen Risorine looking over the great stone as they approached and smiled, knowing the man would never be able to open it. It was elvish magic and could only be opened if one had the key, which Risorine would not get. Legolas considered telling him how to open it, knowing it would only anger him when he learned that a man, elf and dwarf were necessary. As far as Risorine knew there were no elves in Brelan and Gimli had just gotten away. But he decided to lie for now, and keep up his young human façade.
"I know not. Aragorn opened the door. It matters little anyway, the Stone will never be yours to hold Risorine." Legolas said.
This angered the man and he once more stepped toward the elf with his knife drawn, "Do you think me a fool? I know you did Elessar's scavenging, finding his clues to the Stone while he was busy with that fool Vecery. Now you will tell me how to open this door or I will cut the words from your tongue."
"I know not the words you wish to hear therefore they cannot be cut away." Legolas replied evenly, not drawing away from the steel.
Risorine's eyes grew darker and then he looked down and saw the round container attached to Legolas's belt. He reached down and took it from him, then quickly opened it, revealing the scroll and map inside.
"It seems that you steal not only Stones but sacred scrolls as well. At least I now know where you found your information. Read to me these words." Risorine commanded Legolas as if he were a dog, holding the scroll open before him. The elf did not even look at the words but instead continued to hold Risorine's gaze.
"I cannot," He replied finally, "It is a form of elvish, a language I do not read. It was Lord Elessar that translated this and led us here, as you know he reads and speaks the elvish words."
Risorine studied Legolas a moment and, after reading only truth in Legolas's words, grunted in frustration and rolled the map up once more. "Yes, I am quite aware of his association with all that is elvish. Horrible race. They should have left these shores long ago." He muttered, mostly to himself.
{That answers one question.} Legolas thought, {It would most definitely not be wise to reveal myself.} Then suddenly the ground began to tip. His head was light and his knees weak as he watched the world shift around him. He had lost more blood than he thought from the arrow, which was still imbedded in his shoulder, and it was beginning to affect him. Removing the point now would only worsen the blood loss greatly so he was thankful for its presence, but it pained him tremendously. His knee could barely be bent and pain shot through him when the slightest pressure was placed on it. Fighting past the fatigue and fog in his mind he dimly realized that Risorine was still speaking and he had not heard what the man had said.
"We should leave swiftly. We must get away from here and cover our tracks before Elessar returns, for he can track across great distances and lead Lord Vecery's men to our location. One of you, secure him on your horse then let's be off." Risorine ordered.
Legolas looked up, concerned that he hadn't noticed the men now entering the field on horseback, leading rider-less steeds behind them. The elf was surprised by how many men Risorine appeared to have under his command, and for the first time wondered if their cause was perhaps just, and if Brelan's laws did need to be changed. If so many men opposed them, how fair could they be?
These brief thoughts were quickly extinguished as his captors pushed him ahead once more, deliberately placing pressure on his injured shoulder. He was suddenly reminded of just what kind of men these were. They were cruel and there was no pity in their eyes. He sensed no quest for freedom here, only a quest for power.
Despite the lightness of the push he suddenly found himself falling to the ground, his leg being unable to support him and his bound arms unable to balance him. He bit back a cry as he hit the ground and his shoulder was assaulted once more. He felt fresh blood trickle from the wound.
"What is wrong with him?" Risorine asked curiously from a distance as he jumped into his saddle.
"He was shot in the shoulder, that's how we got him off the horse." A man replied as he dragged Legolas to his feet.
"Will be he all right?" Risorine continued.
"I doubt it, he's lost a lot of blood." The man said, not knowing it was elvish blood that flowed through his veins and he could therefore survive twice what a man could.
"Just make sure he doesn't die. We shall need him alive before this is done." Risorine noted coldly, and then began to lead the group away from the brightening valley and into the woods.
Legolas was dragged to a horse and forced atop it, and then the largest of his guards, a great burly man with a scruffy beard climbed on as well. The elf leaned forward immediately, trying to keep the man from colliding with his injured shoulder. The guard allowed this as it made it easier for him to ride the horse.
Legolas briefly rested his head on the horse's neck and discovered that it was a kind horse, but had a cruel master. The horse understood Legolas as well and felt he was in pain so kept the ride as steady as possible, which was difficult since the group was moving along at a full gallop.
The woods around him were unfamiliar, as was the entire region of Middle- Earth they now rode through but he tried to keep track of their location, noting landmarks he would need to recognize should he escape. His friends were far behind by now, but they were safe and had the Stone of Malinya, and he was sure they would protect it. But Legolas had to admit that his own options seemed very limited and grim.
~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~
"We seem only able to find Legolas's belongings and never the elf himself." Gimli commented drearily as they searched the ground once more. They were now at the base of the hill which held the stairway leading to the Stone of Malinya. Risorine and his men were gone, but the tracks were still quite fresh.
"Let us hope that the next item of his we find is still in his possession." Aragorn replied, studying the ground with one hand and clutching Legolas's bow in the other. Aragorn remembered that the elf had not picked up the weapon during the fight with Risorine's men and they had found it lying forgotten in the grass. "I for one fully intend to return these items to him, as soon as possible."
"I as well, as soon as you tell me which direction we must head in." Gimli said, still sitting on the horse. He wished that he had some skill in tracking, so he could be of some help instead of simply sitting on Hasufel's back while Aragorn did all the work. Of course, once they found Risorine and his men Gimli was fully prepared to begin working. He would start by removing Risorine of his head.
"They had horses after all." Aragorn announced suddenly, finding prints that did not belong to their own steeds. "They must have had more men than we thought. In any case, they all left in that direction. Hopefully they have left clear tracks all along their route. I do not know these lands and if I am forced to guess at which direction they took I fear I will not make the right choices."
"We will find them. We are the great hunters after all, the ones who tracked a band of Uruk-hai over forty leagues and five in search of lost friends. Surely we can find a band of men on horseback, even in their own woods." Gimli said reassuringly, and Aragorn could find little doubt in the dwarf's voice.
"You encourage me greatly Gimli, but only time will tell if our choices are wise. We must be off now though." Aragorn climbed onto Hasufel and sent the horse ahead once more; he smiled as he noted Jarinel still galloping closely beside him. As they rode Aragorn kept his eyes on the ground, watching for signs that any men may have left the group or changed direction. After several minutes he found that they were moving steadily east, away from Miscalanth, but he was pleased that their course seemed continually unchanged. Clearly the company had been moving at great speed but Aragorn was confident that they would be able to catch up with the group fairly swiftly.
"I do not know how long they intend to ride but their tracks are easy to read, we should be able to follow them indefinitely at this rate." Aragorn reported to Gimli, knowing the dwarf knew little in tracking.
"That is good. If they do not go far we may be able to retrieve Legolas even before the mid-day meal. Though I feel I must point out that we will be hard pressed to explain our sudden disappearance to Lord Vecery." Gimli said.
"I have little concern for that at the moment, I wish only to find Legolas, and in doing so perhaps throttle Risorine as well. I was a fool. He was my captain, sworn to protect me and I made no effort to speak or learn of him. If I had I may have seen this coming." Aragorn said, his voice was filled with guilt and clearly he felt responsible for Risorine's treachery.
"Then again you may have done right in not speaking to him, for didn't he say that was what he wished; to earn your trust and learn of Gondor's secret, to undoubtedly use against you. As you said earlier, we should allow time to show us the wisdom of our actions." Gimli replied, proud to be throwing Aragorn's words back at him in an attempt to assuage him of guilt.
After a moment of thought Aragorn smiled, "You are wise beyond your years Gimli, sometimes I wonder if Legolas has rubbed off on you too much."
"Nay, it is simply a gift of all dwarves; we are a very wise folk. So wise in fact that we are clever enough to keep our wisdom a secret, or else men and elves and all other races would be knocking on our doors left and right, wishing for advice in trivial matters. We have no time for this of course, therefore I must swear you to secrecy on the matter. You shall tell no one of our great skills in counsel, except perhaps Legolas if you feel it is necessary." Gimli kept his head high and proud as he said this, but there was a mocking twinkle in his eye.
"Very well son of Gloin, I shall tell none and keep your secret of wisdom safe." Aragorn assured him, a half smile creeping onto his face.
"That is good, for I never should have told you in the first place, it is a guarded secret."
They rode on, Aragorn easily reading the tracks in the brightening morning. Still the men they followed did not change course, and kept on steadily eastward. Aragorn smiled, noting that the tracks were appearing even fresher so he knew they were closing in on their prey. This quickly changed though as he saw the landscape creeping up ahead of them. His smile was wiped away and his heart lurched into his throat as they reached the top of a small uprising in the ground.
"Gimli, I believe we may need that great Dwarf wisdom to aid us now." Aragorn said softly, his voice constricted now with worry.
"What is wrong?" Gimli asked, peaking around Aragorn's back.
"We can track them no further, and I know not which way they have gone."
~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~
Legolas reluctantly admitted to himself that Risorine was clever in his escape. The man knew that Aragorn would be following them, but thought he would first return to Miscalanth to receive aid from Lord Vecery. Legolas knew better and thought his friends were even now in pursuit of them, but now he knew they would most likely not be followed.
The entire company was now making their way north by way of a small stream that was just large enough for three horses to gallop side by side in. The water would leave no tracks to follow or even any scent if Aragorn were to return with hunting dogs to search by. Legolas feared he would be on his own.
There was little he could do now but wait for an opportunity for escape. He silently wished he had some token to drop, much as Pippin had done while captured by orcs, but he had nothing to throw even if his hands weren't tied. His knife was lost to him and he had left his bow on the ground during the first battle. He hoped Aragorn would find it and keep it for him, he was desperate not to lose it for he treasured it greatly as a gift from Galadriel.
His shoulder ached but it was beginning to numb and his knee did not bother him as long as he did not move it too much. In truth this short ride was doing him good; his leg was healing, he could feel it already, and his wound had stopped bleeding. His strength was returning to him, but he knew it would take much more than his returning strength to escape these men. They watched him closely and aside from his guard who rode with him there were three more horsemen in front and behind him, all ensuring he did not escape.
Clearly Risorine was smart enough not to underestimate his captive which annoyed him to no end. He would have to wait until they reached their destination before making an escape attempt.
Legolas tried to remain focussed but they were riding very smoothly, at a steady pace which seemed to be lulling the elf into sleep. His mind began to drift and his thoughts jumbled as they rode. Just as he had reached the brink of sleep he jerked his head up, not allowing himself the pleasure of rest. His body was weary from blood loss but he forced his mind to remain alert. He would not sleep through an opportunity to escape.
Up ahead of them Risorine led the group out of the stream and into the forest once more. Legolas had a feeling they were close to their destination. The sun was up now and Legolas had enjoyed its warm rays while galloping through the stream, but it had not yet risen high enough to extend its warmth into the dark forest.
"Should we bind his eyes?" Legolas's guard called out to Risorine. Clearly the man didn't want him to know the location of their hide-out.
"Not unless you plan on letting him escape so he can lead others here." Risorine replied. He had a distinct confidence about him now; a confidence that Legolas knew he had not had before. It seemed that while in the company of the men who served him Risorine thought himself to be above all others.
His guard grunted, knowing he had just been insulted and not liking it; several of the men snickered around him. Legolas kept his peace and instead concentrated on their route, needing a focus to keep his tired mind alert.
They reached their destination a few minutes later. Legolas saw it before his captors did and came to the conclusion that either these woods were not entered often or this was a place of common knowledge that the people of Miscalanth now thought was abandoned. Their home base was completely out in the open. There were several tightly packed trees all around it but there was no attempt made to hide the building.
Legolas thought it must have been the home of some rich hermit, for he could think of few others who would build such a large estate in the middle of nowhere. The house was large with a roof that just reached the top of the lower trees. It was a plain structure with no frills such as shudders or decorative pillars. There was a defensive aspect to it as well; the entire home was built from solid stone, not wood as would be expected in the forest. There were few windows and the few he saw were small and narrow, and appeared to be set very high in the rooms they were in.
There were a few attributes that Legolas assumed these outlaws had added themselves; such as the beginnings of a stone wall, and a watch tower in one of the higher trees. All in all it was a good, strong structure, perfect for such men.
"Home sweet home." Risorine whispered up ahead, not expecting anyone to hear.
They rode up to the building and dismounted. Legolas was surprised to find that Risorine had even more men here, left to guard or tend to the base. The amount of followers that the elf had seen was nearing fifty; then he lowered that count, remembering they had killed several of them in their initial fight.
Legolas was hauled roughly off the horse by his guard, who was still in a foul mood. He landed on his good leg first and tried to keep weight off his twisted knee but was unable to as he was dragged forward. The pain ignited again, not as bad as before, but Legolas bit it back and walked as normally as he could between the two men guarding him. They took him closer to Risorine and stopped, obviously waiting for the man's instructions.
Risorine smiled at the home he hadn't seen in five or more years, glad to be back and pleased with the progress his men had made in his absence. He turned to the men holding Legolas and his grin widened, becoming crueller.
"Lock him up for now, I'll see to him later. For now I have a letter to write." Risorine announced, then headed towards the front door of the house, "And keep a guard on him. He's rather clever when he chooses to be." Then he entered the house, not looking back.
Legolas looked up to see that two more men had come to guard him after hearing Risorine's words. Whatever way he had done it Risorine had clearly gained the respect and obedience of these men, and still held it after so many years.
His guards hauled him around the house, bringing him in through a side entrance. After passing through a short, stone hallway they came to a firm wooden door, barred with metal boards to fortify it. One of the guards opened it and the others shoved him in, not caring as he crashed to the floor. He heard the sound of metal clanging and knew he was being locked in.
He sat up after a few moments, allowing the pain to die down, and looked around his prison. The walls were hard stone, and there were no windows or furnishings. The stone was cold to the touch and Legolas felt as though he were in an underground cavern. No light could enter, leaving him alone in the dark.
"I suppose I should find a way out of here." Legolas thought to himself. His arms were beginning to ache from being tied so tightly behind him and he needed to free them. Taking a deep breath he painfully bent his legs into his chest, wincing as his injured knee protested. Resolved now he somersaulted backwards, putting most of his weight on his right shoulder, and pulled his arms beneath his legs and then over them. When he landed he was in a great deal of pain but his hands were now in front of him.
He ached all over and feared he had just used what little energy he had left. He wanted to work on loosening the ropes around his wrists but couldn't find the strength. Leaning against the cold stone he let out a long sigh. He needed to rest, even if only for a few minutes. His injuries were robbing him of his strength and he needed to let himself heal. He laid his head back, finally found a position which didn't cause him too much pain and relaxed. Sleep claimed him in moments.
~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~
Hasufel's hoofs pounded on the forest floor as the horse galloped towards Miscalanth at full speed. Aragorn and Gimli were holding on tightly to remain on the speeding horse, whom Aragorn was urging even faster. They had been unable to find Legolas themselves and knew they would need help so were making their way back to the city. Lord Vecery and his men knew the area and may know where the rebels had taken their friend. It had pained them greatly to turn back, for it seemed to them like they were abandoning Legolas, but without proper guidance it would be foolish to go after Risorine alone. They may find themselves becoming lost very easily, and then they would be no good to their friend.
It took nearly two hours to reach Miscalanth's walls, despite Hasufel's best efforts. The ride was emotionally gruelling for both Gimli and Aragorn, and they only hoped they hadn't taken too much time. Both of them had been silent for the trip, each lost in their own thoughts of grief or guilt.
When they reached the Castle of Hileris the guards seemed pleased to see them, and quickly took their horses. It was obvious they wished to say something but Aragorn and Gimli would not give them the chance and ran to the castle doors as soon as they were dismounted. They sped through the castle, not letting anything slow them until they reached the King's hall. The guards moved to stop them but the man and dwarf easily side-stepped their efforts and burst into the great hall.
"Lord Vecery!" Aragorn shouted as they entered. Lord Vecery sat on his throne and shot the two a shocked looked, mingled with relief. Sorinth was with him, his arm in a sling, but he was also pleased to see the two.
"Lord Elessar, how wonderful to see you well. When we could not find you or your companions this morning we worried that the rebels had somehow harmed you." Lord Vecery said and Aragorn sensed genuine concern in his words.
"It is a long and complicated story Lord Vecery, but unfortunately you are not too far from the truth. The rebels did attack us. Gimli and I managed to escape but my companion Salogel has been taken captive." Aragorn said emphatically. He did not usually show strong emotions while in the presence of other lords, or even in public, but at the moment he didn't care. He needed this man's help if he wanted to find his friend.
"The young man who saved my life?" Lord Vecery asked. At Aragorn's nod he cast down his eyes, "Yes, they would not be happy with him for his interference."
"We were able to track them quite a distance, far past Miscalanth's walls." Gimli said, making sure the king understood they at least had a starting point.
"We lost their tracks when they crossed a stream and did not know enough about your lands to guess their course." Aragorn added.
"You did right to come here. We will find your friend. Sorinth, gather your greatest trackers and hunters and have them ready to leave in the hour. They will go with Lord Elessar to track down and stop these rebels once and for all." Vecery ordered.
Sorinth bowed, accepting the order and then started to leave the room to make sure it was seen through. Aragorn admired him for still doing his duty despite his injury.
"Did you by chance recognize any of the men who attacked you? We have reason to believe some of the rebels may still live in Miscalanth and even within these walls." Lord Vecery said, needing all the information the two could offer to help find 'Salogel'.
"There was one we recognized without mistake." Gimli replied, his voice coated with anger and hatred.
"The leader of the rebels is Risorine, my former captain." Aragorn said spitefully.
"What?" Sorinth stopped in his tracks and turned back to the room, forgetting the task appointed to him.
"You're sure?" Lord Vecery asked.
{He's shocked.} Aragorn thought, {More than he should be.}
"There is no doubt in my mind Lord Vecery. He is their leader." Aragorn said, and a great sadness filled the King's eyes.
"But Risorine was .." Sorinth was stopped by a gesture from Lord Vecery.
"I am well aware of what Risorine was Sorinth." Lord Vecery said sadly. There was sadness in his eyes, but also great disappointment.
Realization dawned on Aragorn and a great fury ignited in him, "You knew! You knew Risorine was a man of your country and you said nothing! Why? Why did you not tell me?"
"Peace, Lord Elessar, please." Lord Vecery pleaded, and the great look of regret in his eyes was all that calmed Aragorn down, "We did know he was of our country for it was us that sent him to Gondor. Before we risk an alliance with a country we must first know if it is a strong, proud and noble nation. Risorine was sent some years ago to investigate the potential of Gondor. We allowed him all the time he wished but when he did not return after several years we thought him dead, for we had heard of the Great War, despite its distance from our lands."
"When he came back with you," Sorinth continued, "We intended to question him on his absence but never found the opportunity. As you know it has been somewhat chaotic in this country for some time. Risorine was a trusted servant to Brelan, we thought he must have good reason not to return."
"That still does not explain why you kept this information from us." Gimli pointed out.
"I am sorry Master Dwarf, but we thought it best to keep silent until we spoke with Risorine." Lord Vecery replied.
"I am still grieved by this deception but I will let it pass for it seems that Risorine does well in fooling those around him. He has been the captain of my guards for several years now, and still I did not see this treachery coming." Aragorn said, his voice relaying the guilt he felt in the matter.
"Lord Elessar I cannot express enough my apologies in this matter. Risorine was a trusted member of my staff for years as well. I thought him loyal." Vecery admitted softly.
"That appears to be what he is best at, instilling loyalty, for the men under his command are very loyal to him as well. But these are things to be discussed at later times. For now we must find them." Aragorn said once more.
"Yes, we must. Sorinth, fetch the men, quickly." Vecery ordered once more. Sorinth bowed again and raced from the room to fetch the men he would need to track the rebels.
"If it pleases you Lord Vecery, my companion and I must retire to our rooms to prepare before we ride out again." Aragorn said as casually as he could. They both needed to leave before Vecery began to ask questions regarding how, where, or when they were captured, for he had not yet thought of a believable excuse.
"Of course, and please accept my apologies once more."
"I do. We shall return and I will bring you the traitor to be judged as both of us see fit." Aragorn promised, and then he and Gimli left the hall.
"That was easier than I expected." Gimli commented as they made their way to their rooms.
"Yes, thankfully their shock kept them from asking too many difficult questions. They will ask eventually, I know, but if we can keep from answering their questions until after we have found Risorine and Legolas, then I care not if Vecery knows the truth." Aragorn said. His prime concern now was getting Legolas back. In the bag at his side he held one of the greatest treasures of Middle-Earth, the Stone of Malinya, but he could think of nothing that he wanted more than the safe return of his friend. He hated having to ask for help, but this was not his land or his people, so he had no choice.
Gimli was worried as well. Legolas had been injured when he left him, and who knew how the outlaws were treating him? Probably not well if Risorine's earlier actions had been any indication.
When they reached their rooms Aragorn said, "We will not be leaving again for nearly an hour; we should rest for a time until then. It has been a hard and long few days, and we should rest before the long ride and battle ahead of us."
"Very well, but only for an hour's half." Gimli agreed, and then retired to his room.
Aragorn entered his room as well and fell onto the large bed inside. Sleep would not come to him, he knew this, but he could rest his weary body and try to clearly think over all that had happened. He laid and tried to think but his mind kept drifting back to the fact that he had left a friend behind in a time of battle. He had simply continued riding as his friend lay hurt and fighting for his life.
His mind drifted and the guilt built up, but his body did earn some rest which would sustain him for many hours.
When a half hour passed Gimli knocked on his door and came into his room. He found Aragorn sitting on the edge of his bed, his mind focussed entirely on the Elven knife he twirled between his fingers.
"He'll be back, Aragorn. He won't leave us knowing how many arguments I've won." Gimli said and was graced with a shadowed smile from Aragorn.
"The Mist of Concealment has worn off by now. Risorine once told me he did not understand elves or why they remained in Middle-Earth. I think it was his way of showing his hatred." Aragorn admitted, still twirling the knife.
"Well if Legolas is anything he's resourceful. They will not easily discover his true identity." Gimli said.
Aragorn was about to reply when an envelope suddenly appeared from beneath his door. He moved to pick it up, then stopped. "Lord Elessar" was clearly written on the envelope, in Risorine's handwriting. Aragorn flung open the door and chased after the guard walking away down the hall. He caught up to him easily, grabbed his shoulder and twirled him around to face him.
"Who sent this? Where did it come from?" He asked fiercely, holding up the envelope.
The guard was young and surprised by the aggression in such a noble lord's voice, "It arrived a few minutes ago. A man came to the gates and asked that this letter be delivered to you. I do not know who it was."
"Send word that he is to be followed, immediately." Aragorn ordered.
"He took off swiftly on horseback after he delivered it. He is undoubtedly far from here by now." The guard replied, still scared.
Aragorn sighed in defeat and the anger seemed to drain from him as he released the firm grip he had on the guard's shoulder.
"Damn." He whispered, knowing it would be futile to take chase of someone with such a head start. With a nod of his head he sent the guard away once more.
"What does it say Aragorn?" Gimli asked, not sure if he truly wished to know.
Aragorn ran his hand through his hair then marched back into his room with Gimli, shutting the door behind him. "We shall find out."
He tore open the seal and pulled free the paper inside. As he shook it open a single lock of golden hair fell to the floor.
Aragorn picked it up, his eyes showing a deep and powerful fury burning within him, then he closed his fist around it tightly. It was clear he wished to release his anger but for now he held himself in check and forced his mind to concentrate on the words before him:
My Dear Lord Elessar,
It seems I am not the only man who lives by deception. Congratulations on finding the Stone of Malinya, it was a very fantastic feat, but do not get too attached. It seems you left something behind in your haste to leave, but don't worry, I shall take good care of it for you. I have found that 'Salogel' is simply full of surprises and information.
If you wish to see him alive again you will bring me the Stone, and you will come alone. You will go into the woods once more, the field where the Stone was found, at nightfall of this evening. If you try any tricks he will die. You will give me the Stone in exchange for his life. If you do not follow these instructions I will send you worse than a lock of hair.
See you at nightfall.
From Risorine and his new elf friend.
"He knows." Aragorn said, and then allowed the letter to sail to the floor.
TBC
Whew, long chapter. Hope you all liked, and I hope you have all seen TTT. I saw it twice already. Wasn't it awesome?
"Shall I fetch you a box" - greatest line ever written. I could go on for a long time, so I'll stop and just saw Leggy and Aragorn looked great. Anyway, to my great reviewers:
Kimberly - Thank you for the fantabulously long review, and email, that was very nice. Glad you're enjoying it, and noticing little details. And I highly recommend anything by Thundera Tiger.
Kenji Ohgami - I'm typing. See? Little fingers going faster and faster. *runs from arrows* Eep!
Aireroswen - Oh, thank you so much for that lovely review. I'm trying to get the chapters out faster. I appreciate your patience.
Bill-the-pony - I'm glad you liked the horses. They were fun to write about, I may try to give them larger parts in the upcoming chapters. And your instincts are right on, I must say.
Camlost - Your review was very inspiring, and nice. Thank you, it helped to get the chapter done sooner.
Leap of fate - Thank you for taking the time to read it all at once, I know it's quite long.
Serenia-dreamer of the woods - thank you for reviewing, and thank your friend too. I'm glad you like it, and hearing any mistakes would be fine, I always like to improve.
Shadie - I won't throw bricks at you, I love elf-torture too.
Miranda-crystal-bearer - thanks again for the help with the horse stuff. I'll be changing those little things sometime, I promise. And I'm glad I have plot, I also miss that in a lot of fics.
One thing I have to ask. Does anyone know the reason why a lot of people love seeing their favourite characters tortured? (me included) Is there some psychological reason that I'm not aware of? I'd really like to know.
The Stone of Malinya.
{Young man indeed.} Legolas thought to himself as he was walked through the woods, flagged by over a dozen guards. At first he had rolled his eyes at the comment, thinking that the man had been taunting him, or had simply forgotten his true age as Gimli sometimes did. But soon he realized that there was no jest in the man's voice, and he truly believed Legolas to be younger than himself. An unlooked for smile came upon his face as he thought of this. These men did not know he was an Elf, or that he had already lived more lifetimes than they could dream of. The Mist of Concealment had yet to wear off, so they most likely thought him to be a man of only twenty-five. Elves did not use appearance as a distinction of age of course, so he couldn't be sure, but he thought twenty-five was a good guess.
As his captors pushed him along, leading him to the traitor Risorine, he reminded himself to keep up the façade of a man. Though these rebels appeared to be against Brelan's ways he had no way of knowing if they would also be against the Brelans' hatred for elves and decided not to risk finding out, for it was obvious that Risorine already held a deep hatred for him.
Speaking of which .
"Where are the others?" Risorine asked sternly. They had finally reached the open field where he had been waiting for them, he had stayed behind to look over the cavern they had retrieved the Stone from. When he saw only one prisoner he did not look pleased.
"They got away; we could only catch this one." The man reported, pushing Legolas forward. Risorine grinned when the elf flinched.
"No need to worry then. Lord Elessar will be back for him. If I know anything about the man I know he will not leave a companion behind. Especially one so trusted as this." Risorine scoffed, clearly showing the offence Legolas did to him simply by being the preferred company of Aragorn.
"But how well do you truly know the king? Perhaps as well as he thought he knew you?" Legolas asked, attempting to place doubt into Risorine's mind, for he knew doubt caused a man to make mistakes.
"I know him well enough. Of course that is no thanks to you, stealing away every opportunity I had to learn more of him and his secrets. You alone are the reason I was never fully in the King's confidence and you nearly ruined everything. I do not know how you always managed to be everywhere, and hear everything but you made yourself quite a nuisance, as you are now." Legolas could see the anger building in Risorine's eyes as he recalled all the occasions he had interfered in Risorine's plans. He clearly blamed Legolas for the failure of so many of his schemes; the elf had kept him from eavesdropping on Aragorn and gaining the king's confidence, and had been mostly responsible for stopping the assassination attempt on Lord Vecery. And now Legolas discovered that simply by talking to Aragorn and keeping him busy he had interfered greatly with Risorine's plot.
"Perhaps it is time you redeemed yourself. You may start by explaining to me how I can gain entrance to this secret cavern you three emerged from."
Legolas had seen Risorine looking over the great stone as they approached and smiled, knowing the man would never be able to open it. It was elvish magic and could only be opened if one had the key, which Risorine would not get. Legolas considered telling him how to open it, knowing it would only anger him when he learned that a man, elf and dwarf were necessary. As far as Risorine knew there were no elves in Brelan and Gimli had just gotten away. But he decided to lie for now, and keep up his young human façade.
"I know not. Aragorn opened the door. It matters little anyway, the Stone will never be yours to hold Risorine." Legolas said.
This angered the man and he once more stepped toward the elf with his knife drawn, "Do you think me a fool? I know you did Elessar's scavenging, finding his clues to the Stone while he was busy with that fool Vecery. Now you will tell me how to open this door or I will cut the words from your tongue."
"I know not the words you wish to hear therefore they cannot be cut away." Legolas replied evenly, not drawing away from the steel.
Risorine's eyes grew darker and then he looked down and saw the round container attached to Legolas's belt. He reached down and took it from him, then quickly opened it, revealing the scroll and map inside.
"It seems that you steal not only Stones but sacred scrolls as well. At least I now know where you found your information. Read to me these words." Risorine commanded Legolas as if he were a dog, holding the scroll open before him. The elf did not even look at the words but instead continued to hold Risorine's gaze.
"I cannot," He replied finally, "It is a form of elvish, a language I do not read. It was Lord Elessar that translated this and led us here, as you know he reads and speaks the elvish words."
Risorine studied Legolas a moment and, after reading only truth in Legolas's words, grunted in frustration and rolled the map up once more. "Yes, I am quite aware of his association with all that is elvish. Horrible race. They should have left these shores long ago." He muttered, mostly to himself.
{That answers one question.} Legolas thought, {It would most definitely not be wise to reveal myself.} Then suddenly the ground began to tip. His head was light and his knees weak as he watched the world shift around him. He had lost more blood than he thought from the arrow, which was still imbedded in his shoulder, and it was beginning to affect him. Removing the point now would only worsen the blood loss greatly so he was thankful for its presence, but it pained him tremendously. His knee could barely be bent and pain shot through him when the slightest pressure was placed on it. Fighting past the fatigue and fog in his mind he dimly realized that Risorine was still speaking and he had not heard what the man had said.
"We should leave swiftly. We must get away from here and cover our tracks before Elessar returns, for he can track across great distances and lead Lord Vecery's men to our location. One of you, secure him on your horse then let's be off." Risorine ordered.
Legolas looked up, concerned that he hadn't noticed the men now entering the field on horseback, leading rider-less steeds behind them. The elf was surprised by how many men Risorine appeared to have under his command, and for the first time wondered if their cause was perhaps just, and if Brelan's laws did need to be changed. If so many men opposed them, how fair could they be?
These brief thoughts were quickly extinguished as his captors pushed him ahead once more, deliberately placing pressure on his injured shoulder. He was suddenly reminded of just what kind of men these were. They were cruel and there was no pity in their eyes. He sensed no quest for freedom here, only a quest for power.
Despite the lightness of the push he suddenly found himself falling to the ground, his leg being unable to support him and his bound arms unable to balance him. He bit back a cry as he hit the ground and his shoulder was assaulted once more. He felt fresh blood trickle from the wound.
"What is wrong with him?" Risorine asked curiously from a distance as he jumped into his saddle.
"He was shot in the shoulder, that's how we got him off the horse." A man replied as he dragged Legolas to his feet.
"Will be he all right?" Risorine continued.
"I doubt it, he's lost a lot of blood." The man said, not knowing it was elvish blood that flowed through his veins and he could therefore survive twice what a man could.
"Just make sure he doesn't die. We shall need him alive before this is done." Risorine noted coldly, and then began to lead the group away from the brightening valley and into the woods.
Legolas was dragged to a horse and forced atop it, and then the largest of his guards, a great burly man with a scruffy beard climbed on as well. The elf leaned forward immediately, trying to keep the man from colliding with his injured shoulder. The guard allowed this as it made it easier for him to ride the horse.
Legolas briefly rested his head on the horse's neck and discovered that it was a kind horse, but had a cruel master. The horse understood Legolas as well and felt he was in pain so kept the ride as steady as possible, which was difficult since the group was moving along at a full gallop.
The woods around him were unfamiliar, as was the entire region of Middle- Earth they now rode through but he tried to keep track of their location, noting landmarks he would need to recognize should he escape. His friends were far behind by now, but they were safe and had the Stone of Malinya, and he was sure they would protect it. But Legolas had to admit that his own options seemed very limited and grim.
~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~
"We seem only able to find Legolas's belongings and never the elf himself." Gimli commented drearily as they searched the ground once more. They were now at the base of the hill which held the stairway leading to the Stone of Malinya. Risorine and his men were gone, but the tracks were still quite fresh.
"Let us hope that the next item of his we find is still in his possession." Aragorn replied, studying the ground with one hand and clutching Legolas's bow in the other. Aragorn remembered that the elf had not picked up the weapon during the fight with Risorine's men and they had found it lying forgotten in the grass. "I for one fully intend to return these items to him, as soon as possible."
"I as well, as soon as you tell me which direction we must head in." Gimli said, still sitting on the horse. He wished that he had some skill in tracking, so he could be of some help instead of simply sitting on Hasufel's back while Aragorn did all the work. Of course, once they found Risorine and his men Gimli was fully prepared to begin working. He would start by removing Risorine of his head.
"They had horses after all." Aragorn announced suddenly, finding prints that did not belong to their own steeds. "They must have had more men than we thought. In any case, they all left in that direction. Hopefully they have left clear tracks all along their route. I do not know these lands and if I am forced to guess at which direction they took I fear I will not make the right choices."
"We will find them. We are the great hunters after all, the ones who tracked a band of Uruk-hai over forty leagues and five in search of lost friends. Surely we can find a band of men on horseback, even in their own woods." Gimli said reassuringly, and Aragorn could find little doubt in the dwarf's voice.
"You encourage me greatly Gimli, but only time will tell if our choices are wise. We must be off now though." Aragorn climbed onto Hasufel and sent the horse ahead once more; he smiled as he noted Jarinel still galloping closely beside him. As they rode Aragorn kept his eyes on the ground, watching for signs that any men may have left the group or changed direction. After several minutes he found that they were moving steadily east, away from Miscalanth, but he was pleased that their course seemed continually unchanged. Clearly the company had been moving at great speed but Aragorn was confident that they would be able to catch up with the group fairly swiftly.
"I do not know how long they intend to ride but their tracks are easy to read, we should be able to follow them indefinitely at this rate." Aragorn reported to Gimli, knowing the dwarf knew little in tracking.
"That is good. If they do not go far we may be able to retrieve Legolas even before the mid-day meal. Though I feel I must point out that we will be hard pressed to explain our sudden disappearance to Lord Vecery." Gimli said.
"I have little concern for that at the moment, I wish only to find Legolas, and in doing so perhaps throttle Risorine as well. I was a fool. He was my captain, sworn to protect me and I made no effort to speak or learn of him. If I had I may have seen this coming." Aragorn said, his voice was filled with guilt and clearly he felt responsible for Risorine's treachery.
"Then again you may have done right in not speaking to him, for didn't he say that was what he wished; to earn your trust and learn of Gondor's secret, to undoubtedly use against you. As you said earlier, we should allow time to show us the wisdom of our actions." Gimli replied, proud to be throwing Aragorn's words back at him in an attempt to assuage him of guilt.
After a moment of thought Aragorn smiled, "You are wise beyond your years Gimli, sometimes I wonder if Legolas has rubbed off on you too much."
"Nay, it is simply a gift of all dwarves; we are a very wise folk. So wise in fact that we are clever enough to keep our wisdom a secret, or else men and elves and all other races would be knocking on our doors left and right, wishing for advice in trivial matters. We have no time for this of course, therefore I must swear you to secrecy on the matter. You shall tell no one of our great skills in counsel, except perhaps Legolas if you feel it is necessary." Gimli kept his head high and proud as he said this, but there was a mocking twinkle in his eye.
"Very well son of Gloin, I shall tell none and keep your secret of wisdom safe." Aragorn assured him, a half smile creeping onto his face.
"That is good, for I never should have told you in the first place, it is a guarded secret."
They rode on, Aragorn easily reading the tracks in the brightening morning. Still the men they followed did not change course, and kept on steadily eastward. Aragorn smiled, noting that the tracks were appearing even fresher so he knew they were closing in on their prey. This quickly changed though as he saw the landscape creeping up ahead of them. His smile was wiped away and his heart lurched into his throat as they reached the top of a small uprising in the ground.
"Gimli, I believe we may need that great Dwarf wisdom to aid us now." Aragorn said softly, his voice constricted now with worry.
"What is wrong?" Gimli asked, peaking around Aragorn's back.
"We can track them no further, and I know not which way they have gone."
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Legolas reluctantly admitted to himself that Risorine was clever in his escape. The man knew that Aragorn would be following them, but thought he would first return to Miscalanth to receive aid from Lord Vecery. Legolas knew better and thought his friends were even now in pursuit of them, but now he knew they would most likely not be followed.
The entire company was now making their way north by way of a small stream that was just large enough for three horses to gallop side by side in. The water would leave no tracks to follow or even any scent if Aragorn were to return with hunting dogs to search by. Legolas feared he would be on his own.
There was little he could do now but wait for an opportunity for escape. He silently wished he had some token to drop, much as Pippin had done while captured by orcs, but he had nothing to throw even if his hands weren't tied. His knife was lost to him and he had left his bow on the ground during the first battle. He hoped Aragorn would find it and keep it for him, he was desperate not to lose it for he treasured it greatly as a gift from Galadriel.
His shoulder ached but it was beginning to numb and his knee did not bother him as long as he did not move it too much. In truth this short ride was doing him good; his leg was healing, he could feel it already, and his wound had stopped bleeding. His strength was returning to him, but he knew it would take much more than his returning strength to escape these men. They watched him closely and aside from his guard who rode with him there were three more horsemen in front and behind him, all ensuring he did not escape.
Clearly Risorine was smart enough not to underestimate his captive which annoyed him to no end. He would have to wait until they reached their destination before making an escape attempt.
Legolas tried to remain focussed but they were riding very smoothly, at a steady pace which seemed to be lulling the elf into sleep. His mind began to drift and his thoughts jumbled as they rode. Just as he had reached the brink of sleep he jerked his head up, not allowing himself the pleasure of rest. His body was weary from blood loss but he forced his mind to remain alert. He would not sleep through an opportunity to escape.
Up ahead of them Risorine led the group out of the stream and into the forest once more. Legolas had a feeling they were close to their destination. The sun was up now and Legolas had enjoyed its warm rays while galloping through the stream, but it had not yet risen high enough to extend its warmth into the dark forest.
"Should we bind his eyes?" Legolas's guard called out to Risorine. Clearly the man didn't want him to know the location of their hide-out.
"Not unless you plan on letting him escape so he can lead others here." Risorine replied. He had a distinct confidence about him now; a confidence that Legolas knew he had not had before. It seemed that while in the company of the men who served him Risorine thought himself to be above all others.
His guard grunted, knowing he had just been insulted and not liking it; several of the men snickered around him. Legolas kept his peace and instead concentrated on their route, needing a focus to keep his tired mind alert.
They reached their destination a few minutes later. Legolas saw it before his captors did and came to the conclusion that either these woods were not entered often or this was a place of common knowledge that the people of Miscalanth now thought was abandoned. Their home base was completely out in the open. There were several tightly packed trees all around it but there was no attempt made to hide the building.
Legolas thought it must have been the home of some rich hermit, for he could think of few others who would build such a large estate in the middle of nowhere. The house was large with a roof that just reached the top of the lower trees. It was a plain structure with no frills such as shudders or decorative pillars. There was a defensive aspect to it as well; the entire home was built from solid stone, not wood as would be expected in the forest. There were few windows and the few he saw were small and narrow, and appeared to be set very high in the rooms they were in.
There were a few attributes that Legolas assumed these outlaws had added themselves; such as the beginnings of a stone wall, and a watch tower in one of the higher trees. All in all it was a good, strong structure, perfect for such men.
"Home sweet home." Risorine whispered up ahead, not expecting anyone to hear.
They rode up to the building and dismounted. Legolas was surprised to find that Risorine had even more men here, left to guard or tend to the base. The amount of followers that the elf had seen was nearing fifty; then he lowered that count, remembering they had killed several of them in their initial fight.
Legolas was hauled roughly off the horse by his guard, who was still in a foul mood. He landed on his good leg first and tried to keep weight off his twisted knee but was unable to as he was dragged forward. The pain ignited again, not as bad as before, but Legolas bit it back and walked as normally as he could between the two men guarding him. They took him closer to Risorine and stopped, obviously waiting for the man's instructions.
Risorine smiled at the home he hadn't seen in five or more years, glad to be back and pleased with the progress his men had made in his absence. He turned to the men holding Legolas and his grin widened, becoming crueller.
"Lock him up for now, I'll see to him later. For now I have a letter to write." Risorine announced, then headed towards the front door of the house, "And keep a guard on him. He's rather clever when he chooses to be." Then he entered the house, not looking back.
Legolas looked up to see that two more men had come to guard him after hearing Risorine's words. Whatever way he had done it Risorine had clearly gained the respect and obedience of these men, and still held it after so many years.
His guards hauled him around the house, bringing him in through a side entrance. After passing through a short, stone hallway they came to a firm wooden door, barred with metal boards to fortify it. One of the guards opened it and the others shoved him in, not caring as he crashed to the floor. He heard the sound of metal clanging and knew he was being locked in.
He sat up after a few moments, allowing the pain to die down, and looked around his prison. The walls were hard stone, and there were no windows or furnishings. The stone was cold to the touch and Legolas felt as though he were in an underground cavern. No light could enter, leaving him alone in the dark.
"I suppose I should find a way out of here." Legolas thought to himself. His arms were beginning to ache from being tied so tightly behind him and he needed to free them. Taking a deep breath he painfully bent his legs into his chest, wincing as his injured knee protested. Resolved now he somersaulted backwards, putting most of his weight on his right shoulder, and pulled his arms beneath his legs and then over them. When he landed he was in a great deal of pain but his hands were now in front of him.
He ached all over and feared he had just used what little energy he had left. He wanted to work on loosening the ropes around his wrists but couldn't find the strength. Leaning against the cold stone he let out a long sigh. He needed to rest, even if only for a few minutes. His injuries were robbing him of his strength and he needed to let himself heal. He laid his head back, finally found a position which didn't cause him too much pain and relaxed. Sleep claimed him in moments.
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Hasufel's hoofs pounded on the forest floor as the horse galloped towards Miscalanth at full speed. Aragorn and Gimli were holding on tightly to remain on the speeding horse, whom Aragorn was urging even faster. They had been unable to find Legolas themselves and knew they would need help so were making their way back to the city. Lord Vecery and his men knew the area and may know where the rebels had taken their friend. It had pained them greatly to turn back, for it seemed to them like they were abandoning Legolas, but without proper guidance it would be foolish to go after Risorine alone. They may find themselves becoming lost very easily, and then they would be no good to their friend.
It took nearly two hours to reach Miscalanth's walls, despite Hasufel's best efforts. The ride was emotionally gruelling for both Gimli and Aragorn, and they only hoped they hadn't taken too much time. Both of them had been silent for the trip, each lost in their own thoughts of grief or guilt.
When they reached the Castle of Hileris the guards seemed pleased to see them, and quickly took their horses. It was obvious they wished to say something but Aragorn and Gimli would not give them the chance and ran to the castle doors as soon as they were dismounted. They sped through the castle, not letting anything slow them until they reached the King's hall. The guards moved to stop them but the man and dwarf easily side-stepped their efforts and burst into the great hall.
"Lord Vecery!" Aragorn shouted as they entered. Lord Vecery sat on his throne and shot the two a shocked looked, mingled with relief. Sorinth was with him, his arm in a sling, but he was also pleased to see the two.
"Lord Elessar, how wonderful to see you well. When we could not find you or your companions this morning we worried that the rebels had somehow harmed you." Lord Vecery said and Aragorn sensed genuine concern in his words.
"It is a long and complicated story Lord Vecery, but unfortunately you are not too far from the truth. The rebels did attack us. Gimli and I managed to escape but my companion Salogel has been taken captive." Aragorn said emphatically. He did not usually show strong emotions while in the presence of other lords, or even in public, but at the moment he didn't care. He needed this man's help if he wanted to find his friend.
"The young man who saved my life?" Lord Vecery asked. At Aragorn's nod he cast down his eyes, "Yes, they would not be happy with him for his interference."
"We were able to track them quite a distance, far past Miscalanth's walls." Gimli said, making sure the king understood they at least had a starting point.
"We lost their tracks when they crossed a stream and did not know enough about your lands to guess their course." Aragorn added.
"You did right to come here. We will find your friend. Sorinth, gather your greatest trackers and hunters and have them ready to leave in the hour. They will go with Lord Elessar to track down and stop these rebels once and for all." Vecery ordered.
Sorinth bowed, accepting the order and then started to leave the room to make sure it was seen through. Aragorn admired him for still doing his duty despite his injury.
"Did you by chance recognize any of the men who attacked you? We have reason to believe some of the rebels may still live in Miscalanth and even within these walls." Lord Vecery said, needing all the information the two could offer to help find 'Salogel'.
"There was one we recognized without mistake." Gimli replied, his voice coated with anger and hatred.
"The leader of the rebels is Risorine, my former captain." Aragorn said spitefully.
"What?" Sorinth stopped in his tracks and turned back to the room, forgetting the task appointed to him.
"You're sure?" Lord Vecery asked.
{He's shocked.} Aragorn thought, {More than he should be.}
"There is no doubt in my mind Lord Vecery. He is their leader." Aragorn said, and a great sadness filled the King's eyes.
"But Risorine was .." Sorinth was stopped by a gesture from Lord Vecery.
"I am well aware of what Risorine was Sorinth." Lord Vecery said sadly. There was sadness in his eyes, but also great disappointment.
Realization dawned on Aragorn and a great fury ignited in him, "You knew! You knew Risorine was a man of your country and you said nothing! Why? Why did you not tell me?"
"Peace, Lord Elessar, please." Lord Vecery pleaded, and the great look of regret in his eyes was all that calmed Aragorn down, "We did know he was of our country for it was us that sent him to Gondor. Before we risk an alliance with a country we must first know if it is a strong, proud and noble nation. Risorine was sent some years ago to investigate the potential of Gondor. We allowed him all the time he wished but when he did not return after several years we thought him dead, for we had heard of the Great War, despite its distance from our lands."
"When he came back with you," Sorinth continued, "We intended to question him on his absence but never found the opportunity. As you know it has been somewhat chaotic in this country for some time. Risorine was a trusted servant to Brelan, we thought he must have good reason not to return."
"That still does not explain why you kept this information from us." Gimli pointed out.
"I am sorry Master Dwarf, but we thought it best to keep silent until we spoke with Risorine." Lord Vecery replied.
"I am still grieved by this deception but I will let it pass for it seems that Risorine does well in fooling those around him. He has been the captain of my guards for several years now, and still I did not see this treachery coming." Aragorn said, his voice relaying the guilt he felt in the matter.
"Lord Elessar I cannot express enough my apologies in this matter. Risorine was a trusted member of my staff for years as well. I thought him loyal." Vecery admitted softly.
"That appears to be what he is best at, instilling loyalty, for the men under his command are very loyal to him as well. But these are things to be discussed at later times. For now we must find them." Aragorn said once more.
"Yes, we must. Sorinth, fetch the men, quickly." Vecery ordered once more. Sorinth bowed again and raced from the room to fetch the men he would need to track the rebels.
"If it pleases you Lord Vecery, my companion and I must retire to our rooms to prepare before we ride out again." Aragorn said as casually as he could. They both needed to leave before Vecery began to ask questions regarding how, where, or when they were captured, for he had not yet thought of a believable excuse.
"Of course, and please accept my apologies once more."
"I do. We shall return and I will bring you the traitor to be judged as both of us see fit." Aragorn promised, and then he and Gimli left the hall.
"That was easier than I expected." Gimli commented as they made their way to their rooms.
"Yes, thankfully their shock kept them from asking too many difficult questions. They will ask eventually, I know, but if we can keep from answering their questions until after we have found Risorine and Legolas, then I care not if Vecery knows the truth." Aragorn said. His prime concern now was getting Legolas back. In the bag at his side he held one of the greatest treasures of Middle-Earth, the Stone of Malinya, but he could think of nothing that he wanted more than the safe return of his friend. He hated having to ask for help, but this was not his land or his people, so he had no choice.
Gimli was worried as well. Legolas had been injured when he left him, and who knew how the outlaws were treating him? Probably not well if Risorine's earlier actions had been any indication.
When they reached their rooms Aragorn said, "We will not be leaving again for nearly an hour; we should rest for a time until then. It has been a hard and long few days, and we should rest before the long ride and battle ahead of us."
"Very well, but only for an hour's half." Gimli agreed, and then retired to his room.
Aragorn entered his room as well and fell onto the large bed inside. Sleep would not come to him, he knew this, but he could rest his weary body and try to clearly think over all that had happened. He laid and tried to think but his mind kept drifting back to the fact that he had left a friend behind in a time of battle. He had simply continued riding as his friend lay hurt and fighting for his life.
His mind drifted and the guilt built up, but his body did earn some rest which would sustain him for many hours.
When a half hour passed Gimli knocked on his door and came into his room. He found Aragorn sitting on the edge of his bed, his mind focussed entirely on the Elven knife he twirled between his fingers.
"He'll be back, Aragorn. He won't leave us knowing how many arguments I've won." Gimli said and was graced with a shadowed smile from Aragorn.
"The Mist of Concealment has worn off by now. Risorine once told me he did not understand elves or why they remained in Middle-Earth. I think it was his way of showing his hatred." Aragorn admitted, still twirling the knife.
"Well if Legolas is anything he's resourceful. They will not easily discover his true identity." Gimli said.
Aragorn was about to reply when an envelope suddenly appeared from beneath his door. He moved to pick it up, then stopped. "Lord Elessar" was clearly written on the envelope, in Risorine's handwriting. Aragorn flung open the door and chased after the guard walking away down the hall. He caught up to him easily, grabbed his shoulder and twirled him around to face him.
"Who sent this? Where did it come from?" He asked fiercely, holding up the envelope.
The guard was young and surprised by the aggression in such a noble lord's voice, "It arrived a few minutes ago. A man came to the gates and asked that this letter be delivered to you. I do not know who it was."
"Send word that he is to be followed, immediately." Aragorn ordered.
"He took off swiftly on horseback after he delivered it. He is undoubtedly far from here by now." The guard replied, still scared.
Aragorn sighed in defeat and the anger seemed to drain from him as he released the firm grip he had on the guard's shoulder.
"Damn." He whispered, knowing it would be futile to take chase of someone with such a head start. With a nod of his head he sent the guard away once more.
"What does it say Aragorn?" Gimli asked, not sure if he truly wished to know.
Aragorn ran his hand through his hair then marched back into his room with Gimli, shutting the door behind him. "We shall find out."
He tore open the seal and pulled free the paper inside. As he shook it open a single lock of golden hair fell to the floor.
Aragorn picked it up, his eyes showing a deep and powerful fury burning within him, then he closed his fist around it tightly. It was clear he wished to release his anger but for now he held himself in check and forced his mind to concentrate on the words before him:
My Dear Lord Elessar,
It seems I am not the only man who lives by deception. Congratulations on finding the Stone of Malinya, it was a very fantastic feat, but do not get too attached. It seems you left something behind in your haste to leave, but don't worry, I shall take good care of it for you. I have found that 'Salogel' is simply full of surprises and information.
If you wish to see him alive again you will bring me the Stone, and you will come alone. You will go into the woods once more, the field where the Stone was found, at nightfall of this evening. If you try any tricks he will die. You will give me the Stone in exchange for his life. If you do not follow these instructions I will send you worse than a lock of hair.
See you at nightfall.
From Risorine and his new elf friend.
"He knows." Aragorn said, and then allowed the letter to sail to the floor.
TBC
Whew, long chapter. Hope you all liked, and I hope you have all seen TTT. I saw it twice already. Wasn't it awesome?
"Shall I fetch you a box" - greatest line ever written. I could go on for a long time, so I'll stop and just saw Leggy and Aragorn looked great. Anyway, to my great reviewers:
Kimberly - Thank you for the fantabulously long review, and email, that was very nice. Glad you're enjoying it, and noticing little details. And I highly recommend anything by Thundera Tiger.
Kenji Ohgami - I'm typing. See? Little fingers going faster and faster. *runs from arrows* Eep!
Aireroswen - Oh, thank you so much for that lovely review. I'm trying to get the chapters out faster. I appreciate your patience.
Bill-the-pony - I'm glad you liked the horses. They were fun to write about, I may try to give them larger parts in the upcoming chapters. And your instincts are right on, I must say.
Camlost - Your review was very inspiring, and nice. Thank you, it helped to get the chapter done sooner.
Leap of fate - Thank you for taking the time to read it all at once, I know it's quite long.
Serenia-dreamer of the woods - thank you for reviewing, and thank your friend too. I'm glad you like it, and hearing any mistakes would be fine, I always like to improve.
Shadie - I won't throw bricks at you, I love elf-torture too.
Miranda-crystal-bearer - thanks again for the help with the horse stuff. I'll be changing those little things sometime, I promise. And I'm glad I have plot, I also miss that in a lot of fics.
One thing I have to ask. Does anyone know the reason why a lot of people love seeing their favourite characters tortured? (me included) Is there some psychological reason that I'm not aware of? I'd really like to know.