Author's Note: Hello again to my wonderful, beautiful, fantastic, special,
great readers! Sorry for the slightly long update, I think it was longer
than usual, but I had to research something and then I got side-tracked by
writing a POTC spoof and yeah, ya'll know how that goes. (And yes, that
was a plug, and yes, I have no shame.) But enough about me, except that I
still am not Tolkien and am extremely poor so suing me over the usage of
his characters will not garner much profit, on with the newness!
Chapter 21
The front door to the small jail building opened and Faramir stepped inside, followed closely by Aragorn. Legolas noticed the lightening of the atmosphere around the men as they came in, morning was almost upon them. Strange, to think that so much had happened in only the course of one night's time.
"Where is Gimli?" Legolas asked almost immediately.
"Resting comfortably in his own chambers in the Halls of the Kings. I took him there and though he was very much against the idea, I told him he had to stay for his own good and rest." Aragorn filled Legolas in on the information.
"I cannot imagine that he would stay all too willingly," Legolas replied.
Aragorn shrugged. "Let us just say that the tea I gave him to relax him had some more potent ingredients. I imagine he will be in quite a temper when he wakes and figures out my ruse, but he really does need his rest." Aragorn glanced over at Bergel for the first time since entering the building. "Vala knows he has been put through more than enough."
Bergel stared back impassively. "I believe his first wound was not of my fault," he replied softly.
Legolas glared at him but said nothing and instead stood back so that Aragorn could come closer. He would let Aragorn conduct the questioning now, Legolas already had much that he had wanted to know.
Faramir remained where he was standing, just inside of the door, and as Legolas moved back behind Aragorn he noted vaguely that the three of them were setting up a triangular position with Aragorn at the apex. It was a common method for hunting, and that seemed appropriate enough for this situation.
"Now Mister Bergel," Aragorn began, "I believe there is much for us all to learn."
Bergel snorted and drew himself up to his full height so that he was on eye level with Aragorn. Aragorn blinked and barely caught himself from taking a step back. Legolas saw the small act of surprise and remembered that out of all of them Aragorn probably knew the least.
"First off," Bergel began, "I would like for you to stop calling me by that hideous name. It was necessary that I undertake an alias that was just as bumbling as my character, but now that you all know you can kindly call me by my rightful name."
Aragorn squinted slightly. "He is an elf," Legolas commented quietly.
Understanding flashed through Aragorn. He had gathered Bergel was not obviously what he appeared to be when Faramir and Legolas had intercepted him on his way back from looking for Bergel. He had seen the tail end of the fight between Gimli and Bergel, but Legolas had ordered them to stay back and in the shadows and let Legolas confront Bergel. As it had happened, he had missed the part about Legolas recognizing Bergel as an elf for the first time.
"Then what would your true name be?" Aragorn questioned.
"Edrahil," the elf said after a slight pause.
Legolas made a sound in the back of his throat and Aragorn turned slightly towards him. "Edrahil was a chief of the elves of Nargothrond, and one who died in the first age. Though you are old I do not feel you are that old."
At which Bergel, or now known as Edrahil, rolled his eyes. "Then it must mean that I am not the first Edrahil, does it not?"
Legolas frowned, but said nothing more. Aragorn turned his attentions back to Edrahil.
"Now that we know what you truly are and who you are, I would much like to know your motives behind our current situation," Aragorn paused as the elf only stared blankly at him. "If you would be so kind."
Edrahil seemed to think about it, "I do not think I shall be so kind," he finally said.
Legolas could not restrain himself any longer. He took a step forward. "Yet you are the killer, you can admit easily enough to that. You killed innocents for whatever type of game you are playing."
Edrahil shifted his eyes over to Legolas, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "And you stood by and watched as I played my game." Edrahil smiled fully when he saw the dismay fill the other elf's face. "Oh yes, I knew you were there that first night. I had thought I would have to kill you as well, but for whatever reason you did not even choose to attack me. That was odd, I will admit, but then thought I could very well use that to my advantage." Edrahil shrugged, "And so I have."
Aragorn took another glance back at Legolas. This was new information to him, and Legolas saw the mild surprise in his face when he looked at him. It was only then did Legolas remember that Aragorn hardly knew anything that had happened, he was mostly running on good faith. Legolas had confessed to Gimli, but Aragorn had never gotten a chance to hear it all for himself.
Deciding that he would finally hear the entire story from Legolas after they were through with questioning Edrahil, Aragorn turned back to face the front, wanting to take over the line of questioning again. Edrahil was still smiling at Legolas and Aragorn waited until he had his full attention again to continue.
"So you have used Legolas," Aragorn started, "attempted to frame him. You admit you are the killer, that you did so for your own purposes. All that is left to know is what those purposes are. It cannot hurt you anymore, you are already to be tried for multiple murders, the only thing it can do is help you, if any such help can be rendered."
Edrahil snorted, easing back off from the bars and looking amused. "And what if I were to say that I desire no such help? The damage has been done, I care not what else happens to me. You can kill me and that will only be a blessing for myself."
Aragorn tried another angle. "Why did you want Legolas to take all the blame if you care nothing for your own well fare? Surely a wise elf such as yourself has no need for such false pretenses."
"True, in the fact that I do not care, though must admit that I still wished to see if it would truly work out as I hoped. All I wanted was to see it through to the end, that was all." Edrahil was not going to be so easily tricked into revealing his motives.
"And did you reach your goal?" Aragorn asked simply.
Edrahil seemed to consider Aragorn's question seriously. Finally he said, "Almost. Though I suspect the ends will meet after my execution or whatever you should have so planned for me. The people are wary enough of Legolas and elves as it is. He will not live in comfort in Gondor after this."
Legolas spoke up again. "Why does my own lifestyle affect you so?"
"Because elves and men do not belong together," Edrahil finally said, fighting to hold back the emotion that tried to break through in his voice. After a short inner struggle Edrahil sighed, "You want to know my motives, that is why. No good can come out of elves and men working together. And in all my years it had never happened again, until I heard rumors of the Fellowship."
Edrahil sighed again, realizing that he was telling them exactly what they wanted to know, but then deciding that it did not matter anyway. He continued. "I had hoped that after the quest was over, whether you failed or were victorious I did not care either way, that all would go back to normal. Men and elves would remain separated and suspicious of one another and the elves would all eventually leave this forsaken place. But then I hear about a new colony of elves being set up in Ithilien, right next to Gondor so that they may be able to help each other. That I could not allow to happen."
"But why," Faramir spoke up for the first time. "What is so wrong with elves and men living together and providing aide for each other?"
Edrahil glanced at Faramir with distaste and snorted. "Because the last time such a thing happened the elves suffered heavy grievances for a land they would then be forced to leave so that the lesser of the two would be able to reign supreme."
"The Last Alliance," Aragorn said softly. Edrahil swung his eyes back towards him and only glowered as Aragorn confirmed, "You were there."
Edrahil sneered at Aragorn. "Yes, I was there. I was there from beginning to end, the whole seven years of it. I watched our two kinds fight together against a common enemy, only I noticed something wrong. It was always my kind that gave and suffered the most. It was the elves who pushed on and cut the way for the humans to blindly follow and think that they were contributing by giving up their own pathetic lives.
"I fought right under my leader, the great Gil-galad, and I watched as he was slain. And as he died I made my way to his side and tried to fend the orcs off from his body before receiving my own grievous wounds. But as I fell next to his body, I hoped that I would die too, that my quest could end with his."
Faramir chose to interrupt. "But how can you hold such disdain for man? If you were there, you must know that it was Isildur who cut the ring from Sauron's hand after Gil-galad and Elendil fell."
Edrahil looked askance at him. "I know that, but that was only after Sauron was wounded from his last fight that cost Gil-galad's life. Had he been at full strength Isildur would never have had a chance to defeat his foe. Yet even after all that bloodshed, even after Isildur stood and saw the carnage laying amongst the fields of Dagorlad, he chose to disgrace the efforts of every soul that had fought and died by keeping the ring. A foolish decision made by a man who forefronted the wasting of Middle- earth."
"And you chose to waste your life being consumed by your own hatred," Aragorn commented softly.
Edrahil let out a short laugh. "That was not a choice of mine, noble heir of Isildur. My choice would have been death, I even hoped for it as I lay broken on the field. But the Vala had a crueler fate awaiting me. I had to live with my disfigurements and scars and watch my own people leave the very place they had given everything to protect."
Edrahil paused and glanced over at Legolas. "I will tell you that I was very much surprised to hear about you. You voluntarily befriended and chose to serve a man, an heir of the most foolish man to ever live nonetheless. And while your own home fell and your own people left, you chose to help improve this place and its people. People who I have proved will turn on you with the slightest hints of provocation. Tell me, when the men came to attack you last night did they even bother to learn what you had to say? Did they choose to believe anything except their own foolish thoughts?"
Legolas said nothing, only stared hard at Edrahil as the other elf gave him a knowing look. "No, they did nothing except follow fears that had been deeply instilled in them. It is in the nature of man to kill what he does not understand. They would have killed you."
Aragorn stepped forward, blocking Edrahil's stare from Legolas. "Once they hear of what has truly been happening they will revere Legolas' name once again."
Edrahil laughed. "Tell him Legolas," he said looking around Aragorn so that he could see the younger elf once again. "Tell him how you have been feeling as of late, how you can always feel their hatred and suspicion. Tell him the true reasons behind why you were so quick to blame yourself for the murders and stood idly by when they died. You wanted them dead just as much as I did."
Legolas knew that Edrahil was merely goading him, that he was trying to plant suggestions in his mind. But even as he knew this and thought over it, he could not bring himself to object all that strongly to it. Perhaps Edrahil was right, perhaps elves and men never could truly live together in peace. There would always be something there between them.
Faramir was watching Legolas as Edrahil talked. He saw the elf cast his eyes down and stare hard at the floor, almost as if he was afraid to face the truth, whatever the truth would prove to be. And this was just what Edrahil wanted, he was still taking advantage of Legolas' unsteady state and planting seeds deep into his psyche so that Legolas might abandon Aragorn and Gondor.
"Legolas," Faramir said quietly. Legolas moved his eyes towards the young man but did not turn towards him completely. "You know from your own experiences that what he says is not true. If nothing else think of me and Aragorn, think of your friends."
Legolas took a breath and Faramir saw his shoulders loosen slightly, but if he was about to say anything he was interrupted by Edrahil.
"I am sure that is more than you need to know," he stated in general, "kindly leave me to my peace now. Even a prisoner is entitled to their privacies."
Aragorn took a few steps back. He nodded. "I will inform you as soon as possible as to when your trial will be. Until then you will be entitled to quarters and rations, but I sincerely hope that you take the time to consider how you wasted your long life in a fool's errand. If you were as loyal to Gil-galad as you claim to be then you would honor and revere what he gave his life for, not destroy it."
With those as his parting words Aragorn turned on his heel and gestured for Faramir and Legolas to follow. Faramir followed immediately, but Legolas gave Edrahil one last look. Edrahil held his gaze with a knowing smile and laughed softly when Legolas finally turned from him and followed the two men out into the now bright light of a new day.
Chapter 21
The front door to the small jail building opened and Faramir stepped inside, followed closely by Aragorn. Legolas noticed the lightening of the atmosphere around the men as they came in, morning was almost upon them. Strange, to think that so much had happened in only the course of one night's time.
"Where is Gimli?" Legolas asked almost immediately.
"Resting comfortably in his own chambers in the Halls of the Kings. I took him there and though he was very much against the idea, I told him he had to stay for his own good and rest." Aragorn filled Legolas in on the information.
"I cannot imagine that he would stay all too willingly," Legolas replied.
Aragorn shrugged. "Let us just say that the tea I gave him to relax him had some more potent ingredients. I imagine he will be in quite a temper when he wakes and figures out my ruse, but he really does need his rest." Aragorn glanced over at Bergel for the first time since entering the building. "Vala knows he has been put through more than enough."
Bergel stared back impassively. "I believe his first wound was not of my fault," he replied softly.
Legolas glared at him but said nothing and instead stood back so that Aragorn could come closer. He would let Aragorn conduct the questioning now, Legolas already had much that he had wanted to know.
Faramir remained where he was standing, just inside of the door, and as Legolas moved back behind Aragorn he noted vaguely that the three of them were setting up a triangular position with Aragorn at the apex. It was a common method for hunting, and that seemed appropriate enough for this situation.
"Now Mister Bergel," Aragorn began, "I believe there is much for us all to learn."
Bergel snorted and drew himself up to his full height so that he was on eye level with Aragorn. Aragorn blinked and barely caught himself from taking a step back. Legolas saw the small act of surprise and remembered that out of all of them Aragorn probably knew the least.
"First off," Bergel began, "I would like for you to stop calling me by that hideous name. It was necessary that I undertake an alias that was just as bumbling as my character, but now that you all know you can kindly call me by my rightful name."
Aragorn squinted slightly. "He is an elf," Legolas commented quietly.
Understanding flashed through Aragorn. He had gathered Bergel was not obviously what he appeared to be when Faramir and Legolas had intercepted him on his way back from looking for Bergel. He had seen the tail end of the fight between Gimli and Bergel, but Legolas had ordered them to stay back and in the shadows and let Legolas confront Bergel. As it had happened, he had missed the part about Legolas recognizing Bergel as an elf for the first time.
"Then what would your true name be?" Aragorn questioned.
"Edrahil," the elf said after a slight pause.
Legolas made a sound in the back of his throat and Aragorn turned slightly towards him. "Edrahil was a chief of the elves of Nargothrond, and one who died in the first age. Though you are old I do not feel you are that old."
At which Bergel, or now known as Edrahil, rolled his eyes. "Then it must mean that I am not the first Edrahil, does it not?"
Legolas frowned, but said nothing more. Aragorn turned his attentions back to Edrahil.
"Now that we know what you truly are and who you are, I would much like to know your motives behind our current situation," Aragorn paused as the elf only stared blankly at him. "If you would be so kind."
Edrahil seemed to think about it, "I do not think I shall be so kind," he finally said.
Legolas could not restrain himself any longer. He took a step forward. "Yet you are the killer, you can admit easily enough to that. You killed innocents for whatever type of game you are playing."
Edrahil shifted his eyes over to Legolas, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "And you stood by and watched as I played my game." Edrahil smiled fully when he saw the dismay fill the other elf's face. "Oh yes, I knew you were there that first night. I had thought I would have to kill you as well, but for whatever reason you did not even choose to attack me. That was odd, I will admit, but then thought I could very well use that to my advantage." Edrahil shrugged, "And so I have."
Aragorn took another glance back at Legolas. This was new information to him, and Legolas saw the mild surprise in his face when he looked at him. It was only then did Legolas remember that Aragorn hardly knew anything that had happened, he was mostly running on good faith. Legolas had confessed to Gimli, but Aragorn had never gotten a chance to hear it all for himself.
Deciding that he would finally hear the entire story from Legolas after they were through with questioning Edrahil, Aragorn turned back to face the front, wanting to take over the line of questioning again. Edrahil was still smiling at Legolas and Aragorn waited until he had his full attention again to continue.
"So you have used Legolas," Aragorn started, "attempted to frame him. You admit you are the killer, that you did so for your own purposes. All that is left to know is what those purposes are. It cannot hurt you anymore, you are already to be tried for multiple murders, the only thing it can do is help you, if any such help can be rendered."
Edrahil snorted, easing back off from the bars and looking amused. "And what if I were to say that I desire no such help? The damage has been done, I care not what else happens to me. You can kill me and that will only be a blessing for myself."
Aragorn tried another angle. "Why did you want Legolas to take all the blame if you care nothing for your own well fare? Surely a wise elf such as yourself has no need for such false pretenses."
"True, in the fact that I do not care, though must admit that I still wished to see if it would truly work out as I hoped. All I wanted was to see it through to the end, that was all." Edrahil was not going to be so easily tricked into revealing his motives.
"And did you reach your goal?" Aragorn asked simply.
Edrahil seemed to consider Aragorn's question seriously. Finally he said, "Almost. Though I suspect the ends will meet after my execution or whatever you should have so planned for me. The people are wary enough of Legolas and elves as it is. He will not live in comfort in Gondor after this."
Legolas spoke up again. "Why does my own lifestyle affect you so?"
"Because elves and men do not belong together," Edrahil finally said, fighting to hold back the emotion that tried to break through in his voice. After a short inner struggle Edrahil sighed, "You want to know my motives, that is why. No good can come out of elves and men working together. And in all my years it had never happened again, until I heard rumors of the Fellowship."
Edrahil sighed again, realizing that he was telling them exactly what they wanted to know, but then deciding that it did not matter anyway. He continued. "I had hoped that after the quest was over, whether you failed or were victorious I did not care either way, that all would go back to normal. Men and elves would remain separated and suspicious of one another and the elves would all eventually leave this forsaken place. But then I hear about a new colony of elves being set up in Ithilien, right next to Gondor so that they may be able to help each other. That I could not allow to happen."
"But why," Faramir spoke up for the first time. "What is so wrong with elves and men living together and providing aide for each other?"
Edrahil glanced at Faramir with distaste and snorted. "Because the last time such a thing happened the elves suffered heavy grievances for a land they would then be forced to leave so that the lesser of the two would be able to reign supreme."
"The Last Alliance," Aragorn said softly. Edrahil swung his eyes back towards him and only glowered as Aragorn confirmed, "You were there."
Edrahil sneered at Aragorn. "Yes, I was there. I was there from beginning to end, the whole seven years of it. I watched our two kinds fight together against a common enemy, only I noticed something wrong. It was always my kind that gave and suffered the most. It was the elves who pushed on and cut the way for the humans to blindly follow and think that they were contributing by giving up their own pathetic lives.
"I fought right under my leader, the great Gil-galad, and I watched as he was slain. And as he died I made my way to his side and tried to fend the orcs off from his body before receiving my own grievous wounds. But as I fell next to his body, I hoped that I would die too, that my quest could end with his."
Faramir chose to interrupt. "But how can you hold such disdain for man? If you were there, you must know that it was Isildur who cut the ring from Sauron's hand after Gil-galad and Elendil fell."
Edrahil looked askance at him. "I know that, but that was only after Sauron was wounded from his last fight that cost Gil-galad's life. Had he been at full strength Isildur would never have had a chance to defeat his foe. Yet even after all that bloodshed, even after Isildur stood and saw the carnage laying amongst the fields of Dagorlad, he chose to disgrace the efforts of every soul that had fought and died by keeping the ring. A foolish decision made by a man who forefronted the wasting of Middle- earth."
"And you chose to waste your life being consumed by your own hatred," Aragorn commented softly.
Edrahil let out a short laugh. "That was not a choice of mine, noble heir of Isildur. My choice would have been death, I even hoped for it as I lay broken on the field. But the Vala had a crueler fate awaiting me. I had to live with my disfigurements and scars and watch my own people leave the very place they had given everything to protect."
Edrahil paused and glanced over at Legolas. "I will tell you that I was very much surprised to hear about you. You voluntarily befriended and chose to serve a man, an heir of the most foolish man to ever live nonetheless. And while your own home fell and your own people left, you chose to help improve this place and its people. People who I have proved will turn on you with the slightest hints of provocation. Tell me, when the men came to attack you last night did they even bother to learn what you had to say? Did they choose to believe anything except their own foolish thoughts?"
Legolas said nothing, only stared hard at Edrahil as the other elf gave him a knowing look. "No, they did nothing except follow fears that had been deeply instilled in them. It is in the nature of man to kill what he does not understand. They would have killed you."
Aragorn stepped forward, blocking Edrahil's stare from Legolas. "Once they hear of what has truly been happening they will revere Legolas' name once again."
Edrahil laughed. "Tell him Legolas," he said looking around Aragorn so that he could see the younger elf once again. "Tell him how you have been feeling as of late, how you can always feel their hatred and suspicion. Tell him the true reasons behind why you were so quick to blame yourself for the murders and stood idly by when they died. You wanted them dead just as much as I did."
Legolas knew that Edrahil was merely goading him, that he was trying to plant suggestions in his mind. But even as he knew this and thought over it, he could not bring himself to object all that strongly to it. Perhaps Edrahil was right, perhaps elves and men never could truly live together in peace. There would always be something there between them.
Faramir was watching Legolas as Edrahil talked. He saw the elf cast his eyes down and stare hard at the floor, almost as if he was afraid to face the truth, whatever the truth would prove to be. And this was just what Edrahil wanted, he was still taking advantage of Legolas' unsteady state and planting seeds deep into his psyche so that Legolas might abandon Aragorn and Gondor.
"Legolas," Faramir said quietly. Legolas moved his eyes towards the young man but did not turn towards him completely. "You know from your own experiences that what he says is not true. If nothing else think of me and Aragorn, think of your friends."
Legolas took a breath and Faramir saw his shoulders loosen slightly, but if he was about to say anything he was interrupted by Edrahil.
"I am sure that is more than you need to know," he stated in general, "kindly leave me to my peace now. Even a prisoner is entitled to their privacies."
Aragorn took a few steps back. He nodded. "I will inform you as soon as possible as to when your trial will be. Until then you will be entitled to quarters and rations, but I sincerely hope that you take the time to consider how you wasted your long life in a fool's errand. If you were as loyal to Gil-galad as you claim to be then you would honor and revere what he gave his life for, not destroy it."
With those as his parting words Aragorn turned on his heel and gestured for Faramir and Legolas to follow. Faramir followed immediately, but Legolas gave Edrahil one last look. Edrahil held his gaze with a knowing smile and laughed softly when Legolas finally turned from him and followed the two men out into the now bright light of a new day.