Authors notes: - Thank you so much for all the reviews. I am truly sorry
for the delay but exams are taking up a lot of my time. This is the chapter
I promised in the authors note. There may be a delay in the next one.
Please review and give a stressed person a bit of sunshine. Enjoy!
** Suspicious thoughts flooded through Aragorn's mind as Urguth smiled a truly predatory smile.
"What can I do for you Urguth?" Aragorn asked.
The man continued to walk towards him and Aragorn held his ground, determined not to show any signs of intimidation.
"I was wondering how you have managed to retain the interest of Legolas?"
"What?" Aragorn questioned, confused at what was being asked.
Urguth's expression changed into one that Aragorn could not identify.
"He is an elf, a creature of light. Why do you think that he remains here?"
"He is a friend, what business is this of yours?"
"Really? I think he finds you amusing, something to speed the passing of his immortal years."
Aragorn frowned. His dislike of the man had increased immensely in the past few seconds.
"You are out of line Urguth. Cease this unless you have an important point to make, which I severely doubt." Aragorn snapped impatiently.
"Of course." Urguth answered simply.
"What is it?"
Aragorn suddenly felt a presence behind him and realised that Urguth had been trying and succeeding in keeping his attention. A blow to his head forced him to his knees. Urguth smiled and leant forward.
"I will take him from you and you will watch him suffer as your city crumbles."
Aragorn opened his mouth to speak but another blow sent him crashing into darkness.
* The pain was slowly increasing, it was getting harder and harder to concentrate on anything other than the pain. He was sat on the balcony of his room, his eyes closed as he tried to control his breathing. A deep breath in and then out. In and out. But still it lingered. Legolas slowly opened his eyes as he heard Gimli's footsteps approaching. The door to his own room banged open and the dwarf marched in, talking loudly.
"Come Master elf. I have to show you the gates that have been completed. You will marvel at the wonders of the dwarfs." Gimli stopped and looked at Legolas expectantly. Legolas rose to his feet and smiled.
"You mean they were still standing when you left. Wonders never cease." He replied and hurried out of the room to avoid the angry retort.
It was getting dark and Legolas wondered what Gimli expected him to see. Gimli in his excitement had not commented on his remark apart from a mumbled curse or two about Legolas's parentage.
"There. Tell me that was not worth it." Gimli announced pointing at a set of gates. Legolas looked up expecting to see a pair of ordinary wooden gates and plastered a look of interest on his features. The polite interest quickly turned into awe, which slowly spread across his face as he looked upon them. Scripts of both elvish and dwarf runes were carved and illuminated in a silver glow across the gates.
Both scripts read: Welcome to all races of Middle Earth. May all who enter find peace and protection.
"Its beautiful Gimli." He whispered. Gimli puffed out his chest in pride.
"I knew you would like it." Gimli announced.
"Another person who claims to know the mind of an elf." Legolas said as they turned away to head back to the citadel for the evening feast.
"Not much to know Master Elf. Elves are flighty creatures, I imagine nothing much goes on between those pointed ears of yours."
"As if you can talk, it is hard to imagine any activity going on within your head, let alone an actual thought!" Legolas exclaimed.
"I have you know dwarfs are great thinkers."
"Another myth created by dwarfs to justify their presence in Middle - Earth"
"And yours is justified?"
"Yes, we are creatures of the light. We are part of the Valor."
"You love trees. I am sure that the trees would not fall down if you were no longer there."
"They would be saddened."
"That it didn't happen earlier."
Legolas opened his mouth to retort when he was bumped into by a shadowed figure. Whirling around he looked after the figure expecting an apology. His arm burned and he pushed up the sleeve of his shirt to see the skin redden. The cloaked figure turned and the red face of some one similar to Urguth appeared. With a hiss the creature faded into the darkness. With a start he realised that there was now more than one.
"Legolas?" Gimli questioned. "What is wrong?"
"Did you see him?" Legolas asked turning back to Gimli.
"Who?" the dwarf asked and regarded the elf strangely.
"The man who bumped into us."
"No one knocked into us. Legolas are you well?" Gimli asked placing a hand on Legolas's arm. The elf hissed and pulled back as Gimli came into contact with the burn.
"Nothing, nothing is wrong. I will see you at the feast." Legolas said and walked away quickly. Gimli frowned deeply. Something was upsetting his friend. He could tell that whatever it was bothering the elf had been affecting him for a few days. He was going to find out what it was and do all in his power to stop it.
"Gimli." A voice called. The dwarf turned and the last thing he saw was an object aimed at his head.
* A loud and insistent banging on the door made his body jump and he narrowly avoided the table as his head fell off the support of his hand. Aragorn slowly blinked his eyes as he became aware of his surroundings. 'I must have drifted off' he mused as he realised that he was alone in the meeting room of his advisors.
It was then that his brain registered that the knocking had not ceased. Raising his tired body he went to the door. Surprised at the fact that it was locked he quickly opened it. A very concerned Faramir appeared.
"Why did you not answer earlier my lord?" the concerned man asked.
"I must have drifted off. I forgot how tiring negotiations could be." Aragorn said with a wry sigh. Faramir nodded but still looked a little concerned.
"The feast is due to start shortly."
"Yes well Arwen must be waiting for me. Let us leave this place."
"What did Urguth wish to speak with you about?" Faramir asked
"Nothing of importance, he just wanted to discuss a few minor details concerning the treaty."
"I do not like him." Faramir stated bluntly and Aragorn smiled. He admired the way his advisor told him exactly what he thought.
"What about him exactly offends you?"
"His lack of proper respect towards persons of a higher rank and Legolas in particular."
"He is a warrior not a diplomat."
"I suppose but it is not only that. I don't know how to describe it." Faramir sighed.
"Let it not weigh on your mind Faramir. I see nothing untoward about him. Anyway what is this I hear about Eowyn and a certain horse?"
Faramir groaned and Aragorn laughed.
* Legolas locked his door and rushed quickly across to the small desk that resided in front of the balcony. He pulled open the first drawer and took out a piece of scrap parchment. Picking up his quill he dipped it in ink and quickly scrawled a message.
Mithrandir Darak's within Gondor. Need assistance. Speak only unto me. Legolas
He sealed the letter and walked onto the balcony. He whistled a bird call and an eagle appeared.
"Take this with all speed to Mithrandir." He requested. The eagle clasped the parchment and with a cry soared into the darkness. Legolas quickly retreated to his room closing the doors. In his haste he missed the shadow that was watching him retreat. Legolas set hastily to readying himself for the upcoming feast unaware that the situation was rapidly disintegrating out of his ability to control.
**
** Suspicious thoughts flooded through Aragorn's mind as Urguth smiled a truly predatory smile.
"What can I do for you Urguth?" Aragorn asked.
The man continued to walk towards him and Aragorn held his ground, determined not to show any signs of intimidation.
"I was wondering how you have managed to retain the interest of Legolas?"
"What?" Aragorn questioned, confused at what was being asked.
Urguth's expression changed into one that Aragorn could not identify.
"He is an elf, a creature of light. Why do you think that he remains here?"
"He is a friend, what business is this of yours?"
"Really? I think he finds you amusing, something to speed the passing of his immortal years."
Aragorn frowned. His dislike of the man had increased immensely in the past few seconds.
"You are out of line Urguth. Cease this unless you have an important point to make, which I severely doubt." Aragorn snapped impatiently.
"Of course." Urguth answered simply.
"What is it?"
Aragorn suddenly felt a presence behind him and realised that Urguth had been trying and succeeding in keeping his attention. A blow to his head forced him to his knees. Urguth smiled and leant forward.
"I will take him from you and you will watch him suffer as your city crumbles."
Aragorn opened his mouth to speak but another blow sent him crashing into darkness.
* The pain was slowly increasing, it was getting harder and harder to concentrate on anything other than the pain. He was sat on the balcony of his room, his eyes closed as he tried to control his breathing. A deep breath in and then out. In and out. But still it lingered. Legolas slowly opened his eyes as he heard Gimli's footsteps approaching. The door to his own room banged open and the dwarf marched in, talking loudly.
"Come Master elf. I have to show you the gates that have been completed. You will marvel at the wonders of the dwarfs." Gimli stopped and looked at Legolas expectantly. Legolas rose to his feet and smiled.
"You mean they were still standing when you left. Wonders never cease." He replied and hurried out of the room to avoid the angry retort.
It was getting dark and Legolas wondered what Gimli expected him to see. Gimli in his excitement had not commented on his remark apart from a mumbled curse or two about Legolas's parentage.
"There. Tell me that was not worth it." Gimli announced pointing at a set of gates. Legolas looked up expecting to see a pair of ordinary wooden gates and plastered a look of interest on his features. The polite interest quickly turned into awe, which slowly spread across his face as he looked upon them. Scripts of both elvish and dwarf runes were carved and illuminated in a silver glow across the gates.
Both scripts read: Welcome to all races of Middle Earth. May all who enter find peace and protection.
"Its beautiful Gimli." He whispered. Gimli puffed out his chest in pride.
"I knew you would like it." Gimli announced.
"Another person who claims to know the mind of an elf." Legolas said as they turned away to head back to the citadel for the evening feast.
"Not much to know Master Elf. Elves are flighty creatures, I imagine nothing much goes on between those pointed ears of yours."
"As if you can talk, it is hard to imagine any activity going on within your head, let alone an actual thought!" Legolas exclaimed.
"I have you know dwarfs are great thinkers."
"Another myth created by dwarfs to justify their presence in Middle - Earth"
"And yours is justified?"
"Yes, we are creatures of the light. We are part of the Valor."
"You love trees. I am sure that the trees would not fall down if you were no longer there."
"They would be saddened."
"That it didn't happen earlier."
Legolas opened his mouth to retort when he was bumped into by a shadowed figure. Whirling around he looked after the figure expecting an apology. His arm burned and he pushed up the sleeve of his shirt to see the skin redden. The cloaked figure turned and the red face of some one similar to Urguth appeared. With a hiss the creature faded into the darkness. With a start he realised that there was now more than one.
"Legolas?" Gimli questioned. "What is wrong?"
"Did you see him?" Legolas asked turning back to Gimli.
"Who?" the dwarf asked and regarded the elf strangely.
"The man who bumped into us."
"No one knocked into us. Legolas are you well?" Gimli asked placing a hand on Legolas's arm. The elf hissed and pulled back as Gimli came into contact with the burn.
"Nothing, nothing is wrong. I will see you at the feast." Legolas said and walked away quickly. Gimli frowned deeply. Something was upsetting his friend. He could tell that whatever it was bothering the elf had been affecting him for a few days. He was going to find out what it was and do all in his power to stop it.
"Gimli." A voice called. The dwarf turned and the last thing he saw was an object aimed at his head.
* A loud and insistent banging on the door made his body jump and he narrowly avoided the table as his head fell off the support of his hand. Aragorn slowly blinked his eyes as he became aware of his surroundings. 'I must have drifted off' he mused as he realised that he was alone in the meeting room of his advisors.
It was then that his brain registered that the knocking had not ceased. Raising his tired body he went to the door. Surprised at the fact that it was locked he quickly opened it. A very concerned Faramir appeared.
"Why did you not answer earlier my lord?" the concerned man asked.
"I must have drifted off. I forgot how tiring negotiations could be." Aragorn said with a wry sigh. Faramir nodded but still looked a little concerned.
"The feast is due to start shortly."
"Yes well Arwen must be waiting for me. Let us leave this place."
"What did Urguth wish to speak with you about?" Faramir asked
"Nothing of importance, he just wanted to discuss a few minor details concerning the treaty."
"I do not like him." Faramir stated bluntly and Aragorn smiled. He admired the way his advisor told him exactly what he thought.
"What about him exactly offends you?"
"His lack of proper respect towards persons of a higher rank and Legolas in particular."
"He is a warrior not a diplomat."
"I suppose but it is not only that. I don't know how to describe it." Faramir sighed.
"Let it not weigh on your mind Faramir. I see nothing untoward about him. Anyway what is this I hear about Eowyn and a certain horse?"
Faramir groaned and Aragorn laughed.
* Legolas locked his door and rushed quickly across to the small desk that resided in front of the balcony. He pulled open the first drawer and took out a piece of scrap parchment. Picking up his quill he dipped it in ink and quickly scrawled a message.
Mithrandir Darak's within Gondor. Need assistance. Speak only unto me. Legolas
He sealed the letter and walked onto the balcony. He whistled a bird call and an eagle appeared.
"Take this with all speed to Mithrandir." He requested. The eagle clasped the parchment and with a cry soared into the darkness. Legolas quickly retreated to his room closing the doors. In his haste he missed the shadow that was watching him retreat. Legolas set hastily to readying himself for the upcoming feast unaware that the situation was rapidly disintegrating out of his ability to control.
**