Sacred Betrayal Chapter 4: The Secret, a lord of the rings fanfic

Author: Mirrordance

Title: Sacred Betrayal

Summary: Elrohir forfeits the life of his brother Elladan for a secret price and Aragorn and Legolas go to unspoken dangers to discover the cause of this most sacred of betrayals…

PART 4: The Secret

* * *

Thunder rumbled overhead, as if the heavens themselves disapproved of the unfolding events. The wind started to whip at them and stir the leaves.

~That can't be,~ whispered Legolas, ~It's a secret, it always was. Aragorn did not even know it was he 'til very recently. How could the orcs know?~

~There have always been rumors,~ said Elladan, ~Rumors and strange prophesies that the servants of Sauron have always kept an ear for, servants whom the orcs follow, like the Nazgul. I suspect, however, that they aren't entirely certain. It is a bluff, one that they could not risk not making when they stumbled upon Elrohir and I.~

~That would not sit well with Estel,~ said Legolas, ~It would not sit well with him at all, that he endangers you.~

~That's why he will never find out,~ Elladan winced, as he shifted his position, ~I made Elrohir promise to just tell everybody I was dead. And in turn I promised that if they set me free as the messenger, I would tell them that he was dead. So ada would never have to choose between his sons. So Estel would never have to feel guilt, or worse, try to solve the ridiculous situation on his own.~

~Which he would,~ Legolas pointed out, ~If he knew.~

~Good thing he never would,~ said Elladan wistfully.

~Would he?~ Elladan asked after a moment.

~I don't know,~ said Legolas wryly, ~Would he?~

~He might,~ Elladan said finally.

Legolas gave it a moment of thought.

~He definitely might,~ agreed Legolas, nodding.

~Not for lacking on Elrohir's part, mind,~ said Elladan, ~He would keep his promise even if it means my death. But Estel can be very... well, he can be very clever.~

~To say the least,~ said Legolas, looking at Elladan worriedly, ~I suppose that means we had better assure them you are safe and sound before they do anything rash. Are you able to move?~

~Of course,~ grinned Elladan reassuringly, just before he looked down, noticing, ~We are up on a tree.~

~I will happily lend you an arm,~ Legolas told him cheerfully, hauling him up to his feet. Elladan's good arm he slung over his shoulder, just as the first drops of rain began to fall.

Carefully navigating through the now-slippery branches, Legolas' grip tightened and he jerked to recover his balance when he nearly slid.

~I think I felt a woodland elf slip, there,~ teased Elladan, ~What a shame, what a shame…~

~Ha!~ Legolas said, preferring to keep his concentration on getting the two of them down to level ground with their necks and bones in the right places, though he said naught else more because he could not really think of anything clever to retort to the truth that Elladan had pointed out.

Actually, he would have preferred traveling from tree to tree; but Elladan's injury made it hard enough for him to travel in fairways, much more through branches, especially with the rain making the clinging mosses into slippery deathtraps.

~It must have been very hard for Elrohir,~ Legolas said suddenly, making quiet conversation, ~To leave, knowing that his silence spells your doom.~

~It was a risk we both took,~ said Elladan, ~I promised to do the same, if it were I who was set free. I saw the anguish in his eyes when he was taken away, and I felt lucky to be left behind. With orcs, can you imagine? Lucky to be with orcs. It's madness, but that is how hard I know it must have been.~

~I don't know if I could have done the same,~ Legolas admitted.

~Think of it this way,~ said Elladan, ~Estel is young yet, but his blood and fate guarantees the great deeds before him. Whoever would have been left behind is just one life, against the generations and races that depend upon and would eventually depend upon Estel. One life to purchase kingdoms. It hardly even deserves thought.~

Legolas winced. ~I suppose. But that price is not just one life. It also entails Elrohir's heart.~

* * *

Rivendell

* * *

Aragorn sauntered straight towards Elrohir's room, finding him with the beautiful Arwen, sitting side by side and looking over Imladris from his bedroom balcony. Brother and sister looked towards his unannounced, purposeful entrance.

"Estel," Arwen said softly, surprised.

His heart beat faster at the sight of her, though he just nodded at her politely, before focusing his burning eyes solely on Elrohir. The elf at first held his gaze, before letting his sight slide down towards the ragged, bloody sack that Aragorn held as if his life depended on it, and in ways he could not have known then, his life really did. Elrohir's eyes turned from steely cold to anguished, as they met Aragorn's solid gaze.

"Why," Estel asked his adoptive brother, "Tell me why."

~He made me promise not to tell,~ Elrohir whispered brokenly, as Arwen's eyes darted left to right, not comprehending the exchange, ~Ada shouldn't have to choose... choose between his sons. And you... you shouldn't have to choose either.~

~Me for Elladan,~ Aragorn said quietly, looking away, putting things together and silently cursing his fate, ~I see. When and where.~

~Estel...~ said Elrohir tentatively, though he did not quite know how to continue, ~This is Elladan's choice--~

~When and where.~

~Tomorrow night,~ said Elrohir, defeated, ~Dol Guldur. Let it rest, Estel. Either way it is too late. It is as good as done. You cannot get there in time. Let it rest.~

~You know I cannot,~ Aragorn told him vehemently, heading for the door. Elrohir ran after him, and Arwen, looking rightfully stunned, ran after the both of them.

"Where are you going?!" Elrohir demanded.

"They want me, don't they?" snapped Aragorn, "Then they will have me."

"Do you honestly think once they have what they want Elladan will be set free?" said Elrohir, "Is he even still alive? We are talking about orcs and Nazgul here, Estel. Beasts! Heartless, vicious--"

"What would you have me do?" yelled Aragorn, "Sit here? How could you ask me not to act on the barest, barest chance that he lives?"

The human stormed out of the room, down the stairs, past stunned servants. Elrohir followed him and Arwen ran off in search of their father.

"I ask you for Elladan's sake," said Elrohir desperately, "He willingly pays for your life, and your kingdoms, with his own—" it was glaringly apparent that he was being stubbornly ignored-- "Estel!" called Elrohir, as Aragorn strode towards the stables, "Estel! Curse your heart, think about this first. A plan at least..."

"We are out of time," insisted Aragorn, mounting his horse. Elladan stubbornly took Aragorn's reins from him and refused to release it.

"If you go there," he seethed, "Elladan would die for nothing."

"Then he better not die," snapped Aragorn, wresting the reins from Elrohir and flying away with his horse. Elrohir stalked toward his own and followed hastily after him, just as Elrond ran into the stables, commanding the two rapidly vanishing warriors to Stop.

* * *

Southern Mirkwood

* * *

"Elladan."

The elf blinked himself to alertness, and found that his head was hanging and he could see his own feet making sluggish attempts at walking, most of his weight resting against the elf prince who supported him. The rain still battered at them, and the winds still whipped, and they were still walking.

~I'm sorry Legolas,~ he murmured, ~I suppose I fell asleep.~

~I know you are tired,~ the Prince of Mirkwood said softly, ~You have been traveling for days. I hope you have rested some, because I need your help, now. We have been making very poor time, and I sense orcs about. They are almost upon us. Alas, it was too much to count upon my distractions to keep them occupied for too long.~

~I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so lax--~

~It could not be helped,~ said Legolas, and Elladan heard the strained smile there, ~Do not let it trouble you. Do you have any arms with you? Anything at all?~

~Nothing but my own fists, mellon,~ sighed Elladan, ~One of which is sprained and useless for now.~

Legolas winced. ~We cannot face them. My own arrows are spent, and I have but a few shots from a crossbow I had… borrowed. Close contact weapons would not help much either, with their number against ours. We must hide,~ as an afterthought, he lightened his weighty statement with a grin, ~And you had better start smelling like an orc yourself.~

~I think you are being too polite,~ said Elladan wryly, ~I've been traveling with orcs for days. I probably smell like five of them shoved in a barrel on a hot day.~

~You're being unjust,~ Legolas chuckled, ~Maybe just two.~ He pretended to sniff at the air, ~Or three.~

They stopped walking to survey their surroundings and find a good place to hide. Of course there were towering trees about.

~We climb,~ Legolas decided, narrowing his eyes at Elladan, ~We would make better time with you on my shoulder.~

~How embarrassing,~ Elladan said melodramatically, ~But I am not fool enough not to understand. Carry on I say, after all, you had done it before. Alas, my greatest injury is that my pride stings. Tell this to no one.~

Legolas smirked as he lifted Elladan off his feet and carried him like a sack over his shoulder, careful for his injured ribs.

Adroitly, and always cautiously gripping the branches because of the slippery footing, Legolas made his way near to the top, and rested Elladan against a thick branch.

~I'll be back,~ Legolas told him, hurriedly climbing down the tree and distorting their tracks as he had done before, reopening the wound upon his palm and smattering his blood about, then climbing another tree and making his way towards the one he had left Elladan in by jumping from one branch to another.

All this time he had heard the pounding of nearing orc feet in his ears, confounding his brain and matching his heart, like a relentless clock pressing him, urging him forward and faster.

Just as he sighted the first orc arrivals beneath him from the gaps in the leaves, he slipped, and felt himself begin to fall…

And jerk to a halt, Elladan leaning precariously forward from his branch, grabbing Legolas' forearm.

The branch shook, and so did the leaves, and so did the water they held, the drops showering upon the orcs below with a rustling sound.

Legolas held his breath and clenched his eyes shut, awaiting the inevitable orc-cry that would yell they have been spotted…

He opened one eye, and then the other. Elladan was looking down at him with wide eyes, shaking his head, indicating that they have not been spotted… yet.

The two elves stayed still, and the orcs below were silent, as if they too were waiting for something. Legolas knew that the thick leafing of the tree kept them well-hidden, but it would not stand up to closer inspection. He peered through the tiny gaps between the leaves at the beasts below, who were glancing up at the tree suspiciously.

Legolas held his breath, and gripped Elladan's forearm tight, feeling the weary elf's hold begin to lax, his muscles tremble with fatigue.

Elladan nodded to him reassuringly, and Legolas nodded back. He didn't try to lift himself up, and stir the leaves and branches some more, indicating their position. The two elves stayed as still as they possibly could, with one of them hanging tens of feet above the ground by his arm, leaves and branches precariously hiding him from his predators.

All was silent and still for awhile, save for the rains and the winds. It was at this time that Legolas felt a familiar, burning sting upon his other forearm, the one that hung loosely. He looked at it in surprise, and found one of Mirkwood's most famous eight-legged trespassers giving him special attention. His fall had disturbed a very busy web it seemed, and the furry beast, blue-black-tinged and the size of his palm, had seen fit that he would pay for it.

He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth as it crawled its way higher up along his arm, up his shoulder. Its tiny hairy legs seemed to be pricking his skin beneath his clothes, or maybe that was his mind conjuring up all sorts of strange detestable images, making him want to shudder even as he knew he had to stay completely still.

Elladan noticed the spider too, and began to reach forward with his other hand to swat it away, only to be met by Legolas' disagreement, which he expressed with a quick jerk of his head.

Elladan's brows furrowed, but he did as he was told. Leaves and branches beneath them, one of the orcs had finally spotted the tracks Legolas had intentionally left them and hurried off to follow it.

Legolas waited two calming breaths before he used his free hand to slap the spider away, before it tangled itself into his hair, towards his neck… He shuddered, and pulled himself up to the branch with Elladan's help, the two elves sitting side by side, sighing in relief.

~You have an incredible tolerance for spiders,~ Elladan commented.

~Nay, I do not,~ argued Legolas, ~I simply did not wish for the orcs to suspect our location anymore than they already did. The venom of spiders have antidotes, you see, and an orc spear to the heart does not.~

~Venom?~ inquired Elladan, glancing at where Legolas had been bitten, ~How bad?~

~Bad enough,~ grimaced Legolas, knowing that the bite of that foul furry thing in particular was lethal if left untreated. He had only been bitten by a lethal Mirkwood spider once before, and that had already been one time too many. The spider from that time was not the same as this latest one, and he never really planned on collecting bites from them all. It was just this ill luck…!

Sighing out his frustration, he drew a dagger from his boot, and looked at the puncture mark on his left forearm. It bled very minutely, and was swelling slightly. He ran his dagger through the wounds to enlarge them, and pressed at his skin, willing the blood to run harder and let the poison out with it, before it spread to the rest of his body. He was about to do the same with his left hand, which was bitten when he had swatted the spider away, when Elladan took the dagger from him and did it instead.

~Thank you,~ Legolas told him, watching impressed as the other elf worked quickly, even with one wrist sprained. Then Elladan ripped at the remnants of his own battered tunic and helped bind the wounds.

~They're much prettier than your handiwork if I must say so myself,~ grinned Elladan, though there was worry in his eyes, ~Is to bleed it out enough? Would you know of any herbs…?~

~If done immediately,~ replied Legolas, ~I think we released the poison in good time. Either way, I'm sure we'll come upon that antidote here somewhere. I will take some when I see them,~ Legolas teased, ~To allay your fears, hen.~

Elladan gave him a wry smile, but his eyes watched the other elf carefully, just in case.

TO BE CONTINUED…