Chapter 9

Home of love and hatred

Cold.

Intensely cold. Aragorn began to shiver, his fingers and toes had gone numb some time ago but still he griped Legolas' limp body tightly keeping his head above the waterline in the pitch blackness of the tunnel. There was no way of keeping time or judging speed as they cruised along at the waters mercy. The only thought Aragorn had clung to stop his mind from shutting down in the cold waters was knowing where the water would take them. The Anduin would carry them swiftly smoothly southwards – towards Gondor. His kingdom. Soon sunlight would beat down on them as the waters carried them towards salvation and home.

Too tired to fight the currents anymore Aragorn allowed himself to float upon his back, Legolas head held firmly on Aragorn's flat chest. And in the darkness Aragorn's mind began to play tricks imaging the gleaming untouched towers of Minas Tirith would appear round the next bend. He imagined himself arriving at the new sparkling gates riding alongside Boromir and hearing the guard calls exactly as the Son of Gondor had dreamt: "The Lords of Gondor have returned!"

Denethor had taken his sons death hard and had shunted Faramir harder into Boromir's shoes he had heard.

Aragorn sighed shaking his head to clear the vision, the blackness pressing around him once more.

Raising and shaking, numb hand to Legolas' head to move him he gently stroked his bruised pale face. He could not imagine what had happened to him since they parted in Mordor. Frodo spoke briefly, clearly still upset by what he had witnessed. The affect on Legolas would be deep, deeper then it will be on the hobbits. For Legolas has to carry this memory for hundreds of years yet.

'Ironic' Aragorn thought willing his mind to work. 'Elves live for so long and know so much, yet their enthral life can be ended as easily and as quickly as my own'. Legolas was roughly two thousand five hundred years old. Roughly. He had been part of the Battle of The Four Armies seventy six years ago. Seventy six was nothing to Legolas. Yet here he is cool, limp and battered clearly a victim of the most violent activity his kin has seen or been part of for years.

Legolas had come a long way, yet he refused to turn back. His sensitive mind and body has been through much action, emotion and violence. In Lothlórien the elves bowed to him and waited for him. Men of Rohan watched him closely almost fearfully and marvelled his skills in battle. The Men of Gondor too kept their distance, whispering and muttering constantly. All other times he was trekking the countryside a member of the strangest company you ever did see.

Yet after all the whisperings and negative attitude he received from Men it was not a Man that had done the most damage to him – it was an Elf.

One of his own kin.

He could clearly remember Legolas telling him once how uncomfortable Men made him, worrying about their own problems or how he could be a threat to them. But it was an Elf who had done this too him.

Aragorn looked sadly over Legolas' battered and bloody form, his clothes torn and bloodstained. Beneath the skin bruised, wounds probably infected covered with either fresh or dried blood.  

'It is not right for a beautiful being such as he to be so spoilt' he thought thinking of Arwen seeing the Evenstar necklace move on his wet neck.

Her smooth beautiful oval face filled his vision, briefly his heart ached. Was she alright? Her brothers and father too?

 He could find an answer as sunlight blinded him suddenly. The tunnel of darkness stretching behind him and the suns warmth thawed his fingers and toes,

The sun was his hope seeing it reflect off the White Towers n the distance.

Hope. Estel.

 Riding steadily Westerly the City of Minas Tirith stood proudly ahead, dwarfing even the tallest man and horse. Above them somewhere trumpets blew.

"Open the gates!" the guard shouted. 

Frodo gazed round Éomer's shoulder his blue eyes taking in every detail of the huge fortress after hearing all the things Faramir had said about the White City it was truly magnificent, built strong and yet so beautifully as his eyes made out carving in the stonework as they passed through the Guard house into the city.

 People where moving about, smiling, cheering none of them noticing the missing numbers or the horse with no tack being ridden by Elrohir. Though one blonde woman Frodo noted that had gazed upon the faces of the riders, hopefully. It saddened Frodo to see her face fall, as if disappointed not being able to find a loved one.

Behind him Éomer dismounted and embraced the blonde women who's face had changed Frodo noted. The blonde women pulled herself free of the embrace and lowered Frodo from the saddle before the horse walked away.

"Welcome Frodo to Minas Tirith, I am Eówyn" she said placing him on the ground. "Where is Lord Aragorn?" she asked him quietly enough that Éomer could not hear her.

Frodo could not hold his gaze with her. "He fell, believed to be drowned, as too is Legolas" he whispered. His voice betraying him as it shook as he spoke.

She nodded, gently patting him. "Thank you Frodo"

The morning sunlight played oddly on the ground next to him. Frodo looked up searching for a mirror of some sort or glass window.

He caught his breath and shouted suddenly: "Gandalf!"

The old man chuckled and embraced his small friend.

"Oh, Gandalf! I've missed you" Frodo muttered in the wizard's robes, tears slipping down his small checks. "It's all my fault" he pulled himself free looking into the face of Gandalf who had squatted down in front of him.

"It's my fault there gone" he sobbed. "None of this was meant to happen"

"None of this is your fault, Frodo. Everything that has happened was meant to" Gandalf said wiping away a tear from Frodo's face: "Do you really believe that a swirling river will be the end of Aragorn and Legolas? Surly you time with them will make you think"

Frodo started at the old wizard. "There alive?" he asked, not really sure if he heard correctly.

"Aragorn is not the type of man to give in easily, surely you knew that" Gandalf smiled his eyes softening. "I will send out a search party to find them, in the mean time I'll have some one to look at your finger and to Sam. I think you have quite a tale to tell"

The waters run faster here then anywhere else. He knew this and had slowly prepared himself of this. This body shivered uncontrollably despite the sun beaming brightly upon them. Legolas had not yet stirred his body cold but he still lived. His breath shallow but it was constant.  Aragorn watched the riverbank narrow – this was his chance.

 He freed a knife from his belt and dug into the river bank, keeping a strong grip he first heaved the soaked form of Legolas out is the water and with a great effort pulled himself out of the water.

Rolling over on to his back he smiled to himself before his eyes closed, utterly exhausted.  

Looking back he still couldn't pinpoint the reason why he awoke. Was the voices? Or was it the movement beneath him?

His sense alerted him first. He was not longer lying by the river bank, the last thing he could remember. He was moving, something supporting him round the waist. The smell of horses woke him suddenly.

Snapping his head up, hitting the rider behind him he gazed around the small band of riders ignoring their words his eyes hunted for Legolas.

"Rest, Lord" the rider behind him cooed.

He would not rest until he was sure Legolas was alright, he was after all the reason why this had happened.

"Legolas is safe. He's over there" the same voice said.

Aragorn continued to look around and only when the formation of horses shifted did he see Legolas being carried similarly to himself. Only then did he relax, Legolas was safe, the riders wearing the White Tree upon their clothing.

It was over; he smiled returning to his slumber.

When he next awoke soft sunshine shone upon his bed. The room where he lay stood empty and quite, the only noise was the singing of birdsong. Aragorn turned his head and took in the room. It was a grand room, its stone floor hidden under dark red rugs, and similar hangings hung on the walls, opposite the bed stood a unlit stone fireplace, wood piled alongside. The glassless windows bought in the soft sunlight and smell of the young gardens beyond. He rose from his bed and stared outside not believing that this was the city that was under attack by the forces of Mordor just under three weeks ago. Already it was unrecognisable.

The people of Gondor had worked hard and skilfully to restore their beautiful White City, its once damaged gates and walls were nearly repaired with Gimli the dwarf watching over them to make sure the work going ahead would be strong. Even from his room Aragorn could hear the dwarf chiding someone: "What do you think you are doing?" He cried, "Even a child could break that!" he pointed dramatically at a section of the wall some men had been working on.

"Prove it, master dwarf!" one man cried watching the small form of Gimli redden in the face.

"Alright, I will" the dwarf puffed looking round himself for a child. "Ah! Master Merry, you'll do!" he smiled waving Merry towards him.

"That's not very well, he's not a child he's solider!" the men protested.

Gimli turned to Merry and handed him one of his lighter axes. "I want you to prove how poor their handy work is, my lad" he said. "Hit that wall exactly where I say, it's a weak point"

Merry looked warily at the dwarf, to the axe and then to the wall and back again.

"Are you sure I won't get hurt?" he asked.

"No, no not as long as you strike exactly where I say" Gimli turned his back, eyes fixed on the wall.

"There" he pointed, "just there laddie"

Merry padded over and with a final glance between axe, dwarf and wall he struck.

The blade soared away and instantly Merry dropped the shaft his arms and hands ringing like the blade.

The men laughed loudly. "Are work is much better then you give credit for master dwarf" they scoffed.

Even redder in the face then before Gimli picked up the fallen axe and swung at the wall.

The men stopped laughing suddenly. From his chamber Aragorn could not see the damage but guessed it was great considering it was done my one figure rather then an army.

"If I can make that, what could a hoard of orcs do?" Gimli asked, satisfied with their stunned silence.

 Obvious to the other person in his room he was momentarily stunned when someone wrapped a firm arm around his waist and pecked him on the cheek.

He blushed under her gaze and returned her kiss.

"It is good to see you" Arwen smiled into his kiss.

"I missed you" he said, his head failing onto her shoulder.

"I know"

"How are the hobbits and Legolas?"

"They are well. They have recovered quickly. Legolas has his father's lack of patience and stubbornness"

Aragorn smiled. "I know he does"

"Lord, Aragorn" Eówyn beamed at him as he walked almost straight passed her. "You are looking well" she said, her eyes sweeping over his face.

"Indeed I am, it seems I have you to thank for that"

Eówyn blushed ever so slightly. 

"You have recovered well, too I see"

"By your hand"

Aragorn opened his mouth to say something else but she cut across him.

"Last time I saw them they were in the gardens"

Aragorn walked nimbly round the keen gardens and overshadowed on in particular.

"Why am I not surprised to see you here, Sam?" he asked, smiling at the hobbit as he turned up his mud streaked face.

"Strider!" he chirped. "I hadn't heard you were awake! Oh, bless you, Strider you saved them" he threw down his plant and trowel and hugged Aragorn's knees, not being able to reach any other part of him. Once he had released him, Aragorn knelt beside him.

"How is Frodo?" he asked.

"He's fine he was here a minuet ago but Merry and Pippin pulled him away. He's getting use to only having nine fingers" Sam said returning to his plant.

"And you?"

"Me? I am as well as I always have been. See? I'm with my beloved plants!"

Aragorn chuckled softly "These men could learn much from you Sam"

Sam's cheeks redden. "Oh, no. Not as much as Legolas"

"Where is he?"

"Umm I don't really know he was here" Sam looked round. "He just sort of vanished."

Aragorn smiled and patted Sam upon the shoulder: "That's alright Sam I think I know where he is"

There was only on stable block in the upper part of the city as Gondor did not keep as many horses as the men of Rohan. In this stable one would find the grandest horses of Gondor, the King's own horse and his highest ranking officers. But among them Aragorn knew he would fins at least two greys that would not normal be allowed in this limit stable block.

Shadowfax, Gandalf's grand powerful and beautiful horse which the wizard personally tamed. He could run a fast as the wind could blow, streaming over land and river faster then a bird could fly. He's need of speed had aided them so much there were no words you could use. You could not count the amount of lives that haste has saved over the last two months.

And the other grey, of course was no special horse like Shadowfax but equally as important to the King. Arod, the bearer of his dearest friend a horse that did not need to be weighed down with saddle or bridle and would react to any command without force or sometimes speech.

 It did not surprise him to find two living beings inside one stable.

Silently he watched them over the door.

The grey coat of Arod shone dimly in the sunshine that crept into the building as the tall, but gentle horse nuzzled his master's shoulder.

 Legolas ran his long fingers over the animal's faces, rubbing rhythmically over the horse's dark grey velvety nose. The horse happily licked Legolas hands in reply.

From where he stood Aragorn could see the red scares on his friends wrists from his bonds, through his thin shirt bandages wrapped securely round his torso and he could see between the strands of long hair the healing scab on his scalp where he had connected with a rock in the rushing river.

"They are not as server as you think" Legolas said without looking at him, instead of watching the horse as he rubbed against his hip.

"He was invaluable helpful to use" Aragorn nodded watching the grey horse nibbled affectingly at Legolas' clothing.

"I know, he told me"

Aragorn smiled: "How?" he asked.

Legolas looked up and smiled secretively.

"Thank you for trusting him, I'm glad you didn't think this horse was mad. You saved our lives"

"I couldn't leave you behind or leave you to drown"

"You could have"

"But I didn't"
"And I thank you for it"

Hurried footsteps cut the conversation short.

"My Lord?" the messenger said including his head at Aragorn: "What is to be done with the prisoner?"
"Which prisoner?" Aragorn frowned.

Arod rose his head and snorted loudly, stamping his front feet.

"Kunai" Legolas stated.

Legolas turned away from maddened creature that was once an elf.

"This is not over yet Legolas, you will pay for your father's judgement" Kunai shrieked.

The guard closed the door behind him, drowning out most of Kunai's insults and threats.

"We can not keep him here" Legolas said turning to Aragorn "He is too dangerous. He would not hesitate to kill someone. Nor can he be released"

Aragorn nodded, falling into Legolas' strides as they left the dark and dreary cells below the City.

"He should be punished by the only means you punish a murderer"

"You wish to execute him!" Legolas stopped in his stride.

"For the crimes he has committed and for all he has done to you. Yes"

"What he did was out of revenge"
"Revenge for what your father did, rather then what he should have done"

Legolas glared hard at Aragorn, his range powerful. "That is why humans are like animals" he said, "They punish one another with death and destruction. The elves of Mirkwood are not that crude"

"But look what could have happened! Look what he had become; he wanted to undo all that we have fought for, all that we have strived for, all those people who had died to free Middle-Earth! All of that would have been in vain."

"I will not have my own kinsman executed"

"How then does your father deal with criminals?" Aragorn asked sharply.

"They are punished, accordingly. Crimes are rare in Mirkwood, most are afraid to leave the safety of the village to plot anything"

"Punished accordingly? Even ones how had killed as many as Kunai?"

"Because we never had any murders before"

Aragorn paused, slightly shocked.

"They respected my father so much. They all knew what he was like with criminals he would lock them away, forget about them until maybe the smell of their rotting corpse would wake him during the night. No one wanted to see if he would do it or not"

"Except Kunai"

"Many were shocked when my father convicted him; he was such a role model for the children." Legolas said, his eyes slipping out of focus recalling the memory. "Some elves threaten us saying we'd be over thrown, that we were falling apart, not being able to have order in our home anymore. But then he confessed it and told how and why he committed murder. Father was so shocked and sickened by his words he could not think clearly and just wished him to be removed from his sight and therefore banished him".

"I know you don't agree with it but you said so yourself: he cannot be released nor stay a prisoner."

Legolas stood silent for some time, his head bowed, eyes closed. Aragorn watched him closely, never before has be seen his friend like this as if making a very hard decision one which he thought would not be difficult to make.

Slowly Legolas raised his head and said: "I will not make the same decisions as my father, and yet I will not sign any death warrants. You are the King of this country, Aragorn. He is on your land and their must obey your rules and laws. Do as you think is fit; I will no longer have any say on this matter. It is a decision of a King, not a friend."

Aragorn rose stiffly two mornings from that decision, today it would be made. Kunai would be hung this morning at dawn for his treachery to his kin and the murders of twelve innocent elves, plus the attempted murder on countless others including his step brothers. Legolas was not pleased with the decision but had accepted it as the King's command. 

 Aragorn dressed silently in twilight before the sun rose and left his chambers, not disturbing Arwen who had chosen to sleep beside him.

 Little in the City stirred at this early hour, save the night watchers whose watch would be coming to an end. He slipped past them, nodding in turn to each face as he made his way to the cells. He shivered slightly, not knowing if it was because he felt coldness or because of the occupant in one of this cells sent shivers down his spine. Never the less it would be ended today.

 He stopped dead outside the cell which contained Kunai. Men were crowding outside, talking amongst themselves. They fell silent when Aragorn arrived. He started into the empty cell, not sighs of force, no blood a clean escape as if some one freed him…

"He escaped during the night" someone said. "The gatehouse keeper could not catch him, mainly because he scaled the gates nimbly and silently."

Aragorn started at the speaker finally identifying the man.

"Send out riders, Éomer! Find him I will not allow him to return and commit more crimes" Aragorn said not realizing his voice was even working, he was still numbed by the discovery.

"No there is no need" Aragorn spun and looked upon the new speaker, actually sitting in the cell he thought was empty.

 Legolas looked at him sternly and continued to talk: "Kunai will not return here, not to Mirkwood or any settlement where living dwell. He is a Wraith, neither living nor dead. Forever ordered to lead the armies of Sauron to do evil, but there is none left who will follow him. All those who followed him are dead or have fled."
"How do you know this?"

"He told me."

"Told you? After he tried to kill you!" Aragorn couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Though he may have tried to kill me, Estel I know that he would not have. He is still bound by ancient elven laws; though he desired it he would have killed me or a member of Royal blood." Legolas said, "He knew this all along and though he talk and threaten he could not physically play that card. Everything he said was just a threat, he wished to fulfil Sauron's commands by gathering the remaining Nine Walkers together and have us cast into the flames where the Ring had been undone to bring back his master. Sauron promised that he would then lift the ancient laws from him so that he could cause as much harm to any folk he chose. Secretly he knew this would not come true that Sauron would have him killed rather then rewarded, yet the dream of being free drove him."

"You helped him escape!?" Aragorn thundered never before being so anger with his elf friend.

"Yes, Aragorn and he fled out of fear for his life."

"You let him go? After what he has done?"

 "You cannot blame a man or elf for fighting for his freedom, Estel. Or we would be arresting one another. We have fought for our freedom, the freedom of Middle-Earth and here you stand wiling to kill on elf for fighting for his freedom. I do not doubt you would be a great King, my friend but you still need to learn a lesson in mercy."  He rose and brushed past the men in the doorway. Aragorn could not react he stood stunned by his friends words and actions.

The moon hung above, the stars glittering all around. Laid upon the long, wild grass outside the city Legolas stared up the sky above him, finding peace and tranquillity. He knew he had been hard on his friend but Aragorn was wrong. Though they had exchanged harsh words before then their youth it made no difference to their friendship.

 Now he wasn't so sure. Since morning Aragorn had not spoken to him, nor met his gaze. The man was in a terrible mood Legolas was not really sure if he was reacting in such a way because he had been denied demonstrating his power to his people, or because he had been publicly embarrassed by one of his companions. The events in the past were fall more embarrassing to Aragorn then this, but Legolas realised how much pride and power was at stake now.

"I do not regret what I have said and done" he said out loud to the tall grass blowing across his view and to the stars and moon over head.

"I was right and he was wrong"

"I am glad you do not regret what you have said my friend" Aragorn said, his footsteps approaching.  "For you stopped me from making a grave mistake"

Legolas said nothing but watched through the grass Aragorn searching for him and failing sceptically.

"You were right, Legolas and I was wrong. I admit that, and I'm sorry I spoke harshly towards you. You were only trying to help me" Aragorn said turning blindly.

"I am such a fool imaging that you are out here, clinging onto hobbit stories of finding you out here" Aragorn said dropping his voice and raised his head up to the starry sky.

Legolas restrained his laughter they were less then three feet away and still Aragorn had not found him.

"I only wanted to say I'm sorry. Though I'm sure you have heard that enough times from me all the things we use to do in my youth." Aragorn continued, smile played briefly across his face. "None of those events stopped us from our friendship, yet this seems it will" he sighed turning to leave.

"Has your eyesight been affected too?" Legolas laughed, springing up from the ground.

Aragorn jumped slightly, Legolas face suddenly inches from his own.

"Éomer was right about you, you really do spring out of the ground" Aragorn laughed.

The smile faded quickly from Legolas' face. "I'm sorry too my friend, but I had to say something, you were about to make a very big mistake."

"I know I was. Thank you for stopping me, the people think I am not very forgiving"

"You? Forgiving? They need their eyesight checking too!"

They laughed until tears spilled down their checks. They had forgiven each other, their friendship just as strong as it had been for years.

End

Reviewer responses:

Elessar*Lover: I hope this last chapter has satisfied you! Plus I hope I didn't leave any loose ends (that's a horrid habit of mine!)

Mellaithwen-ElvenMaiden: Pure brilliance? Yeah right! Just dramatic! Like Elessar I hope the ending has satisfied you! I don't have any plans of yet to write a sequel though I might one day post the AU ending I thought of for this fic. I tell you now, it didn't end so happily!
 
Grumpy: Glad you liked the story and I hoped you liked the ending to! Ha – would I that cruel and give Aragorn and Legolas a watery grave? I think not, though not all my stories end happily, so I'm not that nice after all…
 
 Deana:  I keep telling you guys – I'm/the fic are not awesome! I just like to make an impression and earn reviewers and authors respect. After all I've read so many better then mine fic on this site! The authors have earned my respect. Anyway enough babble I hope I didn't bash the character up too much Deana!  
 
The-Serious-Padfoot: I know I was slightly mean wasn't I? But you will be surprised by the amount of people that actually like reading about the characters suffering – and I'm not going to mention any names – you know who you are!
 
Leggylover: Thanks for your reviews. Every review means something to me (no joke). I hope this last instalment has answered your questions.
 
MidnightPrincess: Thank you for your review and like many of the other readers I'm glad you enjoyed the story and I hope I will hear from you again!
 
Coolio02: He, he! Fooled you and many more I feel. I mean would I kill them? (Don't answer if you've read Fear Returns!)
 
I LOVE LEGOLAS: Me too! Ur no, seriously… thanks for your review and I hope you found the ending satisfactory/
 
Elfmage: Sorry you lost me there… next time? Anyway thanks for the reviews (I feel like a stuck record…) I know it was a rather soft ending but I didn't have the heart to kill anymore after what I did on Fear Returns… Oh! Do I have to thank for all the lovely reviewers? No matter – I love them! *Grits her teeth* ITS NOT AWESOME WRITING!
 
 
Anyway, I had the luxury of watching Return of the King on release date (17/12) and wow! You simple must watch this film. Its awe-inspiring, thrilling, exciting, dramatic and touching. The combined special affects and superb acting really put you in their characters shoes. You feel their courage and excitement in battle, you feel their determination when things are looking bad and you cry at the heartbreaking story of Frodo and Sam being torn apart and tricked by Gollum.
 You simple have to watch it – I thought it was better then the Fellowship and the Two Towers, and that's saying a lot!
 
  
Also on Monday 22nd December I'm of to the International Show jumping event at Olympia in London. If any of you have been before, remember the Father Christmas sleigh? That's done by my boss!
 
So after all that, and of course Christmas things might start appearing on the net again…
 
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Rosie