Color of Distress
Disclaimer: Still not mine. Why do I even bother dreaming?
A/N: *Looks at the calendar, terrified* Eeeeep… I have 3 upcoming tests next week… I am doomed to die! Well, in other news, less than a week until the Two Towers!! (Excitement, anyone?) Anways, enjoy the chapter! (Sorry about the shortness of this chapter, I've been busy as heck with Christmas shopping and stuff)
Chapter 4 - " I remain immortal yet!"
Aragorn was breathing heavily as Legolas leapt at them yet again. Even in the throes of darkness, the elf was still nimbler than him, and seemed even more powerful in his desperation. He and Gimli were hard pressed to avoid his vicious attacks. It looked as if Legolas was striking out blindly, Aragorn could see that he was merely following the noise they made. He doubted that Legolas could see them at all through his inner hell.
"By Elbereth, we want to save you!" He yelled in frustration as he was nearly hit. Aragorn moved to Gimli as quietly as possible, raising a finger to his lips. "He cannot see us," he whispered. "Legolas is attacking by sound alone. I want you to grab his legs from behind while I get that knife away from him. Do you understand?"
Gimli nodded silently, watching Legolas' movements intently.
"Then let me kill my tormentor!" Legolas cried, laughing irreverently.
Gimli circled the elf and paused for Aragorn's signal. The man dashed in front of Legolas, searching for the opportune moment to seize his weapon.
He was not prepared when Legolas swiftly flew forward, almost faster than he could catch, and thrust the knife into Aragorn's upper arm, smiling in a twisted, satisfied sort of way.
Aragorn took a sharp breath inwards, and grimaced as he clenched his other hand. "Legolas, I am sorry, but you leave me no choice!" He nodded to Gimli, who took hold of Legolas' legs. Aragon darted up and grabbed his injured arms through gritted teeth.
Legolas was shivering wildly. "I am free! I have killed it!" he exclaimed repeatedly, seeming not to feel or care that Aragorn was firmly holding his bloodstained arms. "I remain immortal yet!" he cried. The white knife clattered to the ground.
The three of them toppled over onto the ground. Gimli crawled out from underneath them, looking at Legolas with an aggrieved expression. Legolas was quiet now, though still trembling.
Aragorn bent over Legolas, checking him over for any other injuries. He sadly touched the side of his face.
"He slumbers!" Gimli said in amazement, leaning over the other side of Legolas.
"His eyes remain closed." Aragorn remarked lowly. "This is not a peaceful sleep for him…" he shook his head. "Let us bring him to Haldir. He will help us with Legolas." He gently lifted his friend into his arms, astounded that the thin frame he was holding was so light. Like he is empty…
Gimli led them back up the path; glancing back once at the blood covered trees mournfully. When he saw the rest of his friends still sleeping under the canopy of trees, he felt as if everything that had happened was surreal. He ran to get a blanket for Legolas, but Aragorn kept moving once Legolas was covered.
"Can we not leave him here, then go fetch Haldir?" Gimli asked, following.
"There are several reasons why I would not leave him here," Aragorn replied grimly. "The first being that the rest of the fellowship should not see him like this."
"But, why?"
Aragorn looked over at Gimli as they climbed a flight of stairs. "Legolas would not tell even I what was wrong him. Galadriel could not make him say, either, until she looked into his thoughts. Everyone has his own pride, and his was that he was never weak. So when this began troubling him, he did not want to say. He is already humiliated that we know, let alone the rest of them."
Gimli was dumbstruck. "That was why he pretended to be well." He said finally.
"And I would not have Legolas wake up among them while we are not there. Although we have taken his knife, I know not where he has kept his arrows, and in his state of mind…" Aragorn did not finish his sentence, nor did he need to.
They found Haldir sitting by an elaborate table by a window in his room.
"Haldir," Aragorn called from the doorway. "We need help. May we enter?"
Haldir rose and looked over. "Of course," he replied, eyes widening. "Is that Legolas you carry?"
"It is," Gimli answered, overlooking Haldir's mild irritation at his presence. "He is injured."
"Bring him in, and lay him on the bed."
Aragorn placed him on the bed as gently as he knew how, and stepped back, grasping his own bleeding arm. There was a brief silence, as Haldir looked Legolas over in growing trepidation.
"What has happened?" Haldir said in a low voice, turning to Aragorn. His eyes pierced the man's. "Are you hurt as well?"
"Yes, but it doesn't matter." Aragorn said, brushing the question off. "It is Legolas that I am worried about."
"Who was he attacked by?" Haldir asked, leaning over to check Legolas' breathing. He frowned. It was shallow and erratic.
"He attacked himself." Aragorn said grimly. "Gimli saw it."
Haldir was lightly removing Legolas' shirt to tend to the wounds, but he stopped, stunned. "He cut himself… what was he trying to do?"
"I do not know." Gimli said curtly, looking down at Legolas. "But he was talking to himself, and he was clearly terrified of something."
Haldir resumed washing Legolas' cuts, looking pensive. He finally shook his head. "We will have to ask Galadriel. I spoke to Legolas before, and he said he was merely mourning for Gandalf, but there was something else that was not right. He seemed angry and scared at the same time."
"There is more." Aragorn began, but stopped, shutting his eyes at the memory. He sighed deeply and went on. "Legolas was using his blood… and he was writing with it on the trees… he wrote terrible things about himself…"
"All of which are untrue!" Gimli added fiercely.
"This is out of my control… we will inform Galadriel immediately, and then we will see what she has to say about this."
They looked down at Legolas' broken, pale figure.
"I hope she will have something good to say about this," Gimli said finally, turning away. "But why do I doubt that?"
"And you say Legolas has tried to kill himself?" She looked ghostly white.
"I do not know if he meant to kill himself." Aragorn replied, meeting Galadriel's eyes. "He could have done in so many other ways, instead of just his arms."
"Yes… let me see him." Her expression was unreadable as she knelt next to Legolas. She ran her fingers over his arms nimbly, and her lips murmured something soft to him. "I am not sure if he can hear me… he is the grasp of a terrible distress."
"But what is it?" asked Gimli, lowering his eyes as she stood up in front of him.
"His mind speaks to him, and tells him haunting things. It mocks and tries to control him. Where it came from, I do not know. Perhaps it was always there, and emerged with his grief of Mithrandir's death.
I - "
A faint moaning from Legolas cut her off. She immediately knelt by his head again, whispering to him. Ilfirin… That was the only word Aragorn's sharp ears made out. Immortal…
Sighing, she finally stood up, long after Legolas had gone quiet again. "It is no use. I have tried to speak with him from inside his sleep, but he cannot hear me. He will fight against it alone."
"Fiirimo…!" Legolas cried out, with tears running down his cheeks. "Ilfirin!"
Haldir looked discomfited. "Why…"
Galadriel silenced him with a look.
"It has convinced Legolas that he is mortal." Aragorn said slowly, the realization dawning on him. His writings, the conversation with Legolas… it all made sense.
"But he is an elf!" Gimli argued, feeling out of place.
"Elves are not truly immortal, Gimli, until we leave Middle Earth. We still can pass on in other ways… but that is beside the point. We are trying to help Legolas." Galadriel removed something from her robes. It was a small glass vial with a clear liquid, and she handed this to Aragorn.
"Nwalya faire," She said to him. "I fear this is the only way to quell his torment until he can fight it himself."
Gimli repeated what Galadriel said atrociously. "Nealwa fay? What is that?"
"It is a potion," she replied heavily. "It will slow his thoughts, and hopefully his torment as well. He will not like it…but if he cannot fight it and continues to hurt himself, it is the only way."
Gimli eyed it doubtfully. "If it helps…"
"I did not know how bad this was." Haldir said suddenly. "If I knew before, perhaps I would have been able to do something more."
"Do not blame yourself." Galadriel said gently. "We all would have done more if it were possible."
"And he would not let us help him." Aragorn said heavily.
"But why?" Gimli asked, his gruff voice cracking. "Why? If he's afraid of this … thing… that's taking him over, why not ask us for help? "
"It is pointless to discuss this further." Galadriel said finally, her eyes tired. "We will find no answers from ourselves, for the answer dwells only within Legolas. Aragorn, give him two drops of the potion. It will soothe him. But Legolas is strong, and I believe he will soon be able to fight it without the Nwalya faire."
Aragorn did as he was asked, carefully dripping it between Legolas' lips. His friend's brow was furrowed, as if he were lost in thought within his dreams. He bent forward and gently kissed the elf's forehead.
"Sleep in peace, my friend."
To be continued….
Okay, let's get to my chapter 3 reviewers….
Cheysuli: You'd like to see more self-destructive actions??? Oh lord, what is the world coming to?? I'm just joking. I'd kinda like that too… I'm big on Leggy angst. But I can't promise anything yet.
Houki: Er… yeah… I now think you're just a little emotionally high-stung. (Mostly 'cause last chapter was not a tearjerker… but that's besides the point….) ^_^
Syslink: I now apologize to Houki. Since you are the second person that is crying, I would have to say this fic is having a weird effect on people
Thuarvingwen: "Delicious shivery dark tone.." Hey, I like how that sounds. Thanks a lot!
Clara Crixan: Poor Legolas??? I'll say. He's trapped in a veritable hell of my writing devices.^_^
Nevrantwen: I don't know about that… the character and personality and all. Heck, I'm barely through the second book. (Yes, it's shameful, I admit it.) But hey, if you think it's great, it makes me happy. Thanks!
Vana Everyoung: I DID read your story, and I was very moved by it. I loved it. And I need to get off Legolas angst.
PoeticMuse: And I read your fic (The absence of love) as well. And jeez, was it good? *indignantly* I can't believed that they starved our Leggy….
And again, I'm offering to e-mail people who want to be notified of updated chapters if they prefer it over checking back at FF. net. Just leave me your request and e-mail, and I'd be glad to do it!
Oh, and one last thing. I'm NOT into Legolas slash, but Aragorn kissing Legolas at the end of this chapter seemed appropriate to me, as they are friends. So this is not slash, it will not become slash… I just wanted to note that. ^_^