Aragorn rung out the cloth and folded it before gently dabbing Legolas' forehead. The Ranger was the only one still awake in the large hall and he wasn't intending to fall asleep any time soon. Elrohir and he spoke for several hours before Aragorn sent the elf to bed. The human sighed and set aside the cloth before gently pulling open the elf's eyelids. He noted the dilation and sat back on his heels. His hands covered his face as he sighed. Legolas should have woken up by now, he thought worriedly.
"I should stay unconscious; you have that mothering hen guilt look about you."
Aragorn's hands dropped from his face in shock as he looked at the elf. Legolas weakly grinned at his startled friend's face and slowly blinked.
"How do you feel Legolas?" he asked, worried more about the physical wounds before worrying about anything else.
"Better," the elf replied and shifted slightly before groaning softly.
Aragorn raised an eyebrow at the elf in doubt before pulling down the blanket to look at his wound. No blood dotted the bandage as he gently tugged on it to ensure him of the tightness. He would wait till tomorrow to check on Legolas' back. The movement would aggravated the ribs too much and cause the elf too much pain for the night. Aragorn didn't want to drug the elf so soon after he woke up from the last sedation.
"What happened to your lip and jaw?" Legolas asked and reached up to gently brush his fingertips against the dark bruise on the human's jaw.
Aragorn chuckled and touched his split lip. "Elrohir happened."
"Elrohir struck you?"
"He did and I deserved it," Aragorn said simply and stood to grab a water bottle.
He helped Legolas sit up to prop against him to help the elf drink.
"Why did you deserve it?" he questioned as he felt Aragorn's heartbeat against his back.
"For many reasons but mainly because I was being an idiot."
Aragorn gently laid Legolas down and checked his bandages one more time. He didn't want to tell his friend the specific reasons. It thrilled him to hear Legolas speak but knew that it was the first time in five years. Legolas watched him quietly as he stoked the fire and placed a few logs on for the remainder of the night.
"You are keeping something from me."
Aragorn started at that simple comment and cringed knowing the elf had seen it. Few things escaped the elf's watchful eyes and there was no doubt he saw the flinch. His back tensed slightly as he picked up the pack and rummaged through it, refusing to look at the elf.
"I am not keeping anything from you Legolas."
"You never could lie to your friends Aragorn."
"I am not lying to you Legolas."
"Look me in the eye, my friend, and tell me you are not lying to me."
Aragorn paused before turning to look at the blonde archer. He held his friend's gaze before speaking.
"I am not-" he stopped and cleared his throat. "I am not ly-"
He jerked his head to the side and clenched his eyes shut to keep the tears in check. He refused to lose it like this in front of his friend. A touch on his knee brought him back to the present. He looked at the pale hand resting on his knee and slowly followed it up to a bare shoulder and finally a concerned face.
"What are you doing to yourself Aragorn?" Legolas asked concerned.
Aragorn sighed and his posture slumped. He was no longer the proud captain that demanded respect but a broken man that was bending under an unseen weight. He had been putting up the façade for too long and lost himself. His old life seemed hundreds of years gone and he missed it. Seeing Elladan and Elrohir had reminded him of the bitter homesickness he felt every few days.
"I do not know anymore. I thought I use to know but I do not. I do not know who I am anymore and it scares me," Aragorn said and dropped his gaze.
"You are still the same Aragorn to me."
"You do not know how wrong you are. I have done things that I am not proud of, and people have died because of it. I am not the hope of men; how can I be after what I have done? How can you still call me your friend after what I did to you and to others?"
Legolas struggled to sit up and bite back a groan before batting away Aragorn's hands. He hated being flat on his back while trying to talk to someone. Finally getting to a semi comfortable position, he reached up and held Aragorn's chin.
"I am your friend because I know the real you. And more than that, I am your brother. I have done things that I am not proud of. My decision and orders caused deaths, I know this and I grieved for it. But I do not allow it to rule my future and I learned from it. You will overcome this Aragorn," Legolas said sternly as his gaze bore into the man's silver eyes.
"Will I?" Aragorn asked softly.
Legolas suddenly saw Aragorn as not a grown man but a little boy. He looked unsure of himself, lost amid the adults, lost amid the world that seemed to engulf him. If the elf could he would have hugged the human but he didn't think his body would allow that. He released Aragorn's jaw and gently brushed aside some hair from the human's forehead.
"Aragorn, you are a very proud man and a great brother and friend. The real you may be hidden beneath Valimer but still there. The real you can never be lost or repressed or scattered to the winds. It is forever here," he said and dropped his hand to press against Aragorn's chest over his heart.
Aragorn felt the warmth against his chest from his friend's hand. He reached up and grasped his friend's hand and squeezed it.
"Thank you, mellonin," Aragorn smiled and interlocked his fingers with Legolas'.
"And now, you better help me lay down or I will fall down."
Aragorn grasped his friend's shoulders and carefully laid him down. He pulled the blanket up and pressed the back of his hand to the elf's forehead.
"I am fine, Estel. Just wore myself out," he muttered and brushed aside the human's hands.
"You are always pushing yourself beyond your limits, elf."
"That is because I can, human, and able to and will."
"Stuck-up elf."
"Filthy human."
"You can not be serious, Aragorn!"
Aragorn rubbed his eyes before resuming to collect his few things. His brothers and friend didn't seem to keen on his intention of returning to Tharbad. Gandalf and Sauros were the only ones not protesting, or supporting for that matter.
"Elladan, I have to go back. I still have a job to complete. Jasper must be taken down and I have to do it."
"But why, Estel? The other Rangers can finish it," Elladan said exasperatedly.
"I am the only one that is in any position to do the damage that needs to be done. The Rangers are ready to move into Tharbad and get rid of Jasper but I have to open the door for them. The castle's defenses are too elaborate and well placed for the Rangers to get in easily. I should know, I trained the soldiers and planned the system myself," he muttered and pulled on his overcoat.
"And what are we to do? Stand by and wait while you try to get yourself killed?" Elrohir asked heatedly.
"I will not get myself killed, brother. You and everyone else will camp with the Rangers until I finish this. Then we can all go back to Imladris," he said and turned to Sauros. "Will you carry me back, Sauros?"
"I will be happy to Master Human."
"Tell the Rangers to prepare to move into Tharbad in two days. Sauros will provide a distraction by flying over the town and the Rangers will be able to move in during the confusion."
"Aragorn…be careful," Legolas said and squeezed the human's shoulder.
"I will. Let us leave Sauros."
Aragorn and Sauros moved out of the building into the cold outdoors. Sauros lowered himself to the snow covered ground and allowed Aragorn to climb onto his back. Rising to his clawed feet, Sauros spread his wings and pounded them to lift off the ground. He flew towards Tharbad and scanned the ground for a prime landing area. A few miles out of Tharbad, he landed behind a snow drift and carefully refolded his wings. Aragorn jumped off and glanced around before turning to the waiting dragon.
"The Rangers camp is two miles west of Tharbad. You will help the others reach the camp?"
"I will and you will free the remaining slaves as a Ranger in two days."
"What do you foresee Sauros?"
Sauros lifted his head and looked towards the mountains as he expelled a small puff of smoke from his nostrils. He could only glimpse scenes of the future and even those were not certain. His talent was not reading the signs as other dragons specialized in; he could only guess at what he saw and what it meant.
"I do not see what will happen, only what may happen. A single choice can alter the path laid before a person. It is up to the person to chose the path and walk the path. Fate is not as powerful as people make it. Remember Aragorn, in every situation there is always a choice to make."
Aragorn nodded and Sauros stood back before unfolding his wings. Snow swirled around him as his leathery wings beat the air to lift from the ground. Aragorn watched as the dragon flew away before turning to start walking. The town of Tharbad loomed in the distance as each step took him closer.
"Soldier!"
"Yes, my liege?"
"Has Valimer been found yet?"
"I am not sure, sire. I believe I heard a servant say that he saw him walking down the hall."
"Well find him and tell him to report to me immediately!"
The terrified soldier nodded and scrambled out of the throne room. Jasper grabbed a goblet and hurled it after the soldier in anger. It seemed to the king that everything he had worked so hard for was crumbling before his very eyes. His slave supply was drying up because of the stories that surrounded the town. The soldiers were becoming scared of their own shadows after the dragon invaded the town.
The dragon, now there was something that held his utmost attention. He never would have believed that a dragon still existed if he had not seen it with his own eyes. When he did see it, the mere presence and size of the creature overwhelmed him. The dragon was a creature born of pride and power. Jasper had seen those traits in the blood red dragon as it defeated scores of soldiers before taking to flight. The dragon must have been more than hundreds of years old, possibly thousands of years. Jasper's skin just tingled when he thought of what a dragon that old would know.
His thoughts were interrupted by a slight cough intended to catch his attention. Turning towards the sound, he looked at his advisor that stood in the doorway.
"Where have you been Valimer?"
"Sir?"
"It is not a hard question. You went missing during the dragon attack and not seen since and yet here you are now. I would simply like to know where my advisor disappeared to during this town's time of need," Jasper spat at the calm captain.
"I was simply following my liege's previous orders. I learned of the possible leak and followed the man as he fled the town. I was not able to return till early today," Aragorn answered smoothly with the lie.
"Who was the leak?"
"A stable hand. I am still looking into it though; I believe he had an accomplice."
Jasper nodded and waved his hand to dismiss the captain. The king sat in the silent throne room before calling to a soldier in the hall.
"Fetch the best Master Hunter and bring him here at once. He has a new quarry to prepare to hunt for."
"I am scared, Danny."
Elladan knelt next to the little girl as she stared at Sauros with wide eyes. Sauros was about to carry all of them to the Ranger camp but after Lina got over her small fear of dragons. Alright, it wasn't a small fear; it was a rather large one but it had to be breeched over all.
"Lina, I promise on our friendship that Sauros will not harm you. He is a good friend of ours," Elladan coaxed and glanced over at the said dragon.
"Are you sure?"
"Trust me, little one. If you wish, you may speak with him and ask him whatever you so wish to ask him of."
He took hold of her hand and walked towards Sauros. The little girl hid behind the elf as Sauros lowered himself to the ground and rested his head on his front feet.
"Hello, little Lina," he said to the shy girl.
"Are you a real dragon?"
"I should hope so, or else I would have a bad smoking problem," he smiled, causing Lina to giggle. "If I am not a dragon, then what am I?"
"A grumpy lizard?" Gandalf suggested as Sauros rolled his eyes.
"Very mature, Gandalf. Always picking on the defenseless dragon."
"Defenseless?" Elrohir questioned and gently kicked Sauros' talons.
"You are looking a little cold Elrohir. Would you like to be warmed up a bit?" Sauros said and leveled his gaze at the elf.
"You would not burn me Sauros."
"Burn you, no. Maybe a little crisp around the edges though."
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I am extremely sorry if this chapter was a little shorter than the others but I wanted to get something posted as quickly as possible and this was the best stopping point that I reached. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and sorry if it did not have a lot of action in it but some chapters have to be a little slow and dull. School is freaking me out, classes coming out of my ears. Over the weekend, I almost had to spend a night at the hospital for observation after a small incident at fencing team practice. I was fencing with a guy and he got a really nice hit in on me but the hit was directly at that little indent on your neck/throat. He hit it so hard that I could not breathe for a few moments and they said that I started to turn a nice blue color. After I while I could breathe easier but the EMTs were already on their way and had to check me over. Freaked the guy out when I collapsed on my knees and gasped for air. But Spades is fine and dandy now and still writing.
I am rushing to get this chapter posted before I go to my next class in…*glances at watch* sixteen minutes. My bloody fingers can not type quick enough.
ThE iNsAnE oNe-*sighs* I am just so damn happy that this chapter finally got out. Poor Elrohir with TiO chasing after him. Heehee, poor, poor Elrohir.
Grumpy-I like my dragon, he is very cool. The accusation of abandoning Legolas stemmed more from Estel not trying to write Legolas or trying to go through Elrond. Just totally breaking off all contact without even trying.
Star-Stallion-YES! My favorite reviewer! I feel so honored *blushing*, really I do. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the others.
Dha-Gal-Thank you so much for the compliment. I did read your story and I did review so I hope you got it.
Snow_Glory-DOWN WITH THRANDUIL! DOWN WITH THRANDUIL! Okay, I am better now. Had a little rebellious march going there. Did not get off the ground that well, kind of went splat and exploded into flames. *shrugs shoulders*
Roz-Oh please review for me! I love reading reviews. That line did come from 'DragonHeart'. I recorded it a few weeks prior to starting this story and thought it would fit in nicely with Sauros. Very good movie.