Color of Distress (Finally updated in honor of the release of the trailer of Return of the King.)

Disclaimer – Everything belongs to Tolkien. If I had it my way, well…we'll leave it at that.

A/N: I'm so so so so so so so sorry. Another note to come after the chapter.

Chapter 20  - "…believe in everything "

                They continued to ride through the night. A bitter chill began to whip through the lands, chilling them and making their hands cold and stiff. Gandalf finally allowed them to stop and rest when Gimli nearly fell off of his horse in exhaustion.

                Aragorn climbed stiffly off his horse, weary, and immediately lay down on the ground a short distance away, falling asleep quickly. Gimli followed and curled up in the grass, tucking his cloak about him to ward off the cold air.

                Legolas did not rest, for the chilling wind exhilarated him, and although his legs were sore from the long and hard ride, he felt awake and alert. He went to stand with Gandalf and Shadowfax.

                "You should be resting." Gandalf said as he approached.

                Legolas shook his head. "I am not tired." He said, and they stood in companionable silence for a time, Gandalf looking out across the plains, while Legolas turned his eyes heavenward.

                Legolas had a feeling of calm and peace descend upon him, and for the first time since he left Mirkwood for the council, he felt settled and contented. He savored it, for he realized it would not last with looming war. The wind blew again, causing their cloaks to swirl around them, and Legolas shivered suddenly. It ceased to invigorate him, and he now felt empty and cold. He felt a chill creep into him slowly, and it began to seep into his very being, as if it was trying to capture him.

                 Gandalf turned to look at Legolas sharply when he began to shiver in the cold. "Legolas?" he called softly, mindful of Aragorn and Gimli.

                The elf's face was still turned up to the sky, and he didn't appear to have heard.

                "Legolas." Gandalf said, louder, reaching out to nudge him with a hand.

                A ripple of consciousness went through him, who turned his head to look at the wizard. Gandalf was thoroughly chilled by his expression. Legolas was gone, and out through the same ice blue eyes stared something dark.

                Gandalf gripped his staff tightly, suddenly wary of this being that stood before him. "Who are you?" he demanded with all the authority he could muster.

                He spoke with the voice of Legolas, yet it was not the same as Legolas'. It was rough, and the lilting tones Gandalf was used to hearing was starkly absent. "I do not reveal that."

                "And you are the one causing my friend all this suffering?" Gandalf asked severely.

                "He would not suffer if he did not fight."

                Gandalf chuckled humorlessly. "You would expect Legolas to simply give in?" It felt strange to Gandalf, speaking to Legolas when he was referring to him, but he reminded himself that it was not his friend who was talking.

                "His character was gentle enough for me to believe that."

                "You chose wrongly. He is gentle, I quite agree, but he also has valor and strength." Gandalf said, feeling his first triumph over it. "And when did you decide to hold power over Legolas?" he asked, suddenly disconcerted by the malevolent look in Legolas' face.

                "In Mirkwood."

                "I see." Gandalf narrowed his eyes, tiring of this roundabout interrogation. "If you will not tell me who you are, tell me what you are."

                Legolas' lips turned up into a mocking smile. "I am of your kind."

                Gandalf breathed in sharply. "Saruman." He hissed.

                Again he smiled, and turned up his shoulders in an insolent shrug. "You go to Rohan to aid Théoden. That venture is utterly foolish, and I tell you now, you will fail."

                Gandalf lost his temper now, which he had held tightly in check, and held his staff before him threateningly. "Leave him be." He growled. "Be gone!" To his surprise, it did not fight, and did as it was told, leaving quickly with a departing shadow from the eyes of Legolas.

                Color returned almost violently back to Legolas' face, making his pale cheeks pink. His eyes once again saw, and he blinked several times in a lost fashion. He was shaking hard, and fell suddenly to the ground.

                Gandalf knelt by Legolas and took his hand. "You are fine." He said immediately, reassuring himself as well.

                The color that had rushed into his pale face vanished as quickly as it came, making his skin appear translucent. And more terrible than his strained face was the look of defeat and acceptance in his eyes.

"Mithrandir, ha ped hein-na o agar nothrim." Legolas whispered, his eyes fixed to the sky, unable to look at Gandalf. (It said it is of your kindred.) Just as he was about to faint, his lips moved again, and Gandalf leaned down to hear it.

"Nan ha no pedo pan thenid a perya thenid." (But it always speaks of untruths and half-truths.)

                This sorely troubled Gandalf. He had wanted to prolong Legolas' time of recovery, and the mystery of the voice now affected him as well. It knew they were headed for Theoden's hall, and if it was indeed Saruman…

                Gandalf sighed heavily and decided to cast a simple spell on Legolas, to make him forget the cursed night. Then again, another spell, one more complex, but one that Gandalf felt necessary.  He knew there was no sense in it, but Gandalf felt like he had betrayed Legolas' full trust in him. He prayed that it would not return to plague him again until he had an appropriate time to speak with Legolas about it.

                Gimli was shaken awake by Gandalf, whom he assumed had stayed watchful throughout the night. Aragorn was already awake, drinking water from a flask by the horses. Gandalf moved on to wake Legolas, who remained stubbornly asleep.

                Gimli grinned; it was so unlike the elves. He crawled over to Legolas, and was about to shout in his ear when Gandalf put out a warning hand.

                "Disturb him not."               

Gimli shrugged, though he thought it unfair. He went over to where Aragorn stood and rummaged around for some water, watching Gandalf from the corner of his eye. He was not sure if the wizard was deliberately doing it, but his back was turned to hide Legolas from view. After a moment, he stood up and leaned up on his staff and quietly spoke with Legolas, who yawned delicately and sat up.         

 "Good morning!" Gimli called loudly to Legolas, who stood up and stretched, looking much refreshed.

"And to you." Legolas replied with a smile, and turned back to Gandalf, who looked grim. He noted this but assumed the wizard was just grouchy from his long night.

"How was your sleep?" Gandalf asked, already knowing the answered.

"For the first time in several days, I slept well." Legolas admitted. "No doubt I was comforted by your nearby presence."

Gandalf forced a smile, then turned away to hide the distressed look on his face.

They continued to ride on through the day without stopping, and pushed on throughout the night. Arod once shifted tiredly under Legolas, but continued to follow Shadowfax unfailingly.  Legolas reached out and stroked the horse's mane reassuringly.

"It will be but a while more." Legolas told the horse.

When the sun finally rose, Gandalf stopped and pointed before him. "Look." He said. Stretching before them was a long and wide valley, further along was mountains, and in the distance rose a sharp peak. "Legolas, what do you see?" Gandalf asked, more for the benefit of Aragorn and Gimli.

Legolas shaded his eyes from the rising sun with a hand. "Upon the peak stands a hall of men, and a great fence surrounds it. There also stand many houses, yet the hall itself seems to be thatched with golden straw, for it glows with a golden light."

 "There stands the court of Edoras, the home of Théoden, the king of the Rohan." Gandalf said. "War is upon their land, and we would do well to be wary here. There is no need to rouse their anger unnecessarily."

As they approached the great hill, several men dressed in bright armor motioned them to stop. "We have been watching you as you crossed the plain. Who are you? Your dress is not ours, but you ride our horses. And that one," the guard indicated Shadowfax, "is one of the Mearas, unless we have all gone mad. Tell us, are you spies from Saruman? Speak quickly!"

"They are an impatient lot." Gimli said dryly in an undertone to Legolas, who rolled his eyes in response.

"These are indeed your own horses, " Aragorn replied. "I ride Hasufel, which was lent to us by the third marshal of the mark, Eomer, two days past. And Arod has faithfully carried my friends. We are returning them as we promised Eomer."

"We no longer speak of him," the front guard replied, but their wariness seemed to ease a bit. "But I know believe that your coming was expected, for Wormtongue told us two nights ago not to let anyone pass through these gates.

Gandalf disregarded his own advice and raised his voice at them. "Wormtongue?" he said sharply. "I have no business with him. We come looking for your king, and we are in a great hurry. Let us see your lord."

The guard shrugged. "And what names shall I present to them?"

"I am Gandalf, and you have judged correctly that my horse is of the Mearas. You look upon Shadowfax. Here is Aragron, son of Arathorn, the heir of kings. That is Legolas the elf, and Gimli the dwarf, who are our noble companions." Gandalf said, a little more courteously.

He was startled, but agreed to go in and announce them, telling them to wait there a short while for the reply.

The guard returned soon with another man who looked rather apologetic. "My name is Hama, the door ward of Théoden. You will be admitted in to see the King," he said, "but I must ask to take your weapons while you visit."

Gimli snorted. "I'd rather that nothing would touch my axe besides my own hands and a miserable orc."

"I too, would rather that no one else touch my sword." Aragorn said flatly.

Gandalf looked at them sternly but spoke cheerfully to Hama. "I'm sure we can work this out. Gimli, Aragorn, lay your weapons over there, and I'm sure this gentleman will let no one touch them."

They did as they were told, somewhat reluctantly. Hama turned to Legolas, who slowly unbuckled the strap across his shoulder that kept the bow and arrow. He held it tenderly for a moment.

"Watch over these carefully," Legolas said quietly, adding his white knife to the pile. "The Lady of Lothlorien gifted them to me, and are very dear to me."

Legolas felt that his time at Lothlorien was eons ago, so long it made him ache with longing. He felt a sudden foreboding that it was not for him to visit there again, and it caused him to feel old, older than Gandalf looked. He looked at Aragorn, as if it would make he feel better, but felt another wave of uneasiness. Legolas never thought of Aragorn as old, but now, he saw the human weakness. Weariness lined Aragorn eyes as never before, and he looked so tired. Legolas shivered, and wished this feeling of oldness and death would leave him be.

"Here my sword will keep theirs company." Gandalf announced, laying his sword next to Gimli's axe. Now he turned expectantly to Hama. "Now, let us see your king."

The man looked more embarrassed, if anything. "I'm terribly sorry, but I must beg you to leave your staff."

"Nonsense!" the wizard exclaimed, suddenly grabbing Legolas' arm as if he needed support to stand up. "It is one thing to request our weapons, but an old man's walking stick is foolishness. Surely you will not make me part with it."

Hama studied the staff and Gandalf's face and nodded. "I feel that you are people of honor, and would not betray my trust in you. You may enter, then."

Guards swung open the doors, and they walked in slowly, Legolas still at Gandalf's arm. It was dim inside the hall, but after his eyes adjusted, Legolas saw the tapestries and admired them in amazement.           

In the middle was a great gilded dais, and on it sat an old wizened man, while a woman with golden hair stood behind him. Near his feet sat a pale man with greasy looking hair.

Legolas forgot the glory of the wall hanging immediately and wanted to gag. He distrusted the pale man already, but the king looked like death himself. He gripped Gandalf's arm tightly, thankful that it was there for support.

Théoden stood up slowly and began speaking to Gandalf, hobbling a bit closer to them, and Legolas could not bear to listen. Instead, he just stared at him, horrified that such an ancient creature could exist. Would it not be better to be dead, than dragging on in life? He looked again at Aragorn, trying to see him at such an age. Ultimately, Legolas' eyes were drawn back to Théoden, to his mottled skin and strangely bright eyes.

The voice was silent, but Legolas' could feel its will. It wanted him to be repulsed. It wanted him to be afraid of this old man. Legolas pressed his lips together and clutched Gandalf harder, willing himself not to faint.

Legolas felt Gandalf shake his arm slightly in his grasp. The next thing he knew, voices grew louder, especially Gandalf's, who tore himself away from Legolas.

 Legolas soon saw why. Gandalf had thrown aside his tattered cloak, and raised his staff. There was a rumble of thunder, and said something threatening to the pale man, who hissed something to the King.

He now saw clearly what was happened. There was a spell on the king, a terrible one, and the pale man was controlling Théoden, whispering poisonous things to him, telling him lies. Legolas was ashamed. He felt revolted by Théoden, but he himself was in the same position. Legolas wondered distantly if he appeared the same way Théoden looked to his friends.

Gandalf seemed to have realized too, and spoke to Théoden directly, words that hit Legolas deeply. "Not all is dark, Lord of the Mark. Take heart, for no better help would you find in me. I bring counsel, and that in itself is good, for I would not counsel those who have no hope left."

Théoden rose from his seat wonderingly, walking towards the door.

"You will find there is much light beyond this room." Gandalf said encouragingly, and turned to the woman, who had hurried to Théoden's side. "Do not worry, Eoywn, leave your uncle in my care for a moment."

She stepped back obediently. A detached part of Legolas noticed the strange looked she gave Aragorn, one that was returned.

Guards swung open the doors, as Gandalf and Théoden walked towards the entrance. Théoden stood in the sunlight, throwing aside the walking stick he was using, and straightened his back, appearing to be much younger.

Legolas stepped beside Gimli, who looked up at him, smiling quietly to himself. "I have seen Gandalf do everything now," Legolas said confidentially to his dear friend. "And now I can believe in everything."

To be continued?

As for the question mark, it is meant to be there. I felt a sort of finality as I finished this chapter, even though things were left hanging. Unless you really think I must continue, I may leave it here to move on to a new fic I'm thinking about. Still about Legolas, only in childhood.

I want your opinion in this. If you feel I should continue, I will. If not, I'll start the next one.

I'd also like to explain why I've been away for literally months. I've explained some in my user look-up, but then again, not everyone will read that. I've been going through some bad times at home, as my parents, married for 25 years, decided to get a divorce. I won't go into details, but it's not good. After that, I've kind of lost interest in everything for a period of time. It was only with the start of school I felt that I should being doing things again, so here I am. So again, I'm really sorry, I tried to let everyone know the best I knew how.

I also want to thank everyone, anyone, who has said a kind word about my writing. I've always appreciated it, and I'm actually thinking of getting into writing instead of veterinary medicine because your support. (No more science for me… wheee!)

By the way, isn't the new trailer amazing??

Love,

Tiff.

Ps. After I get reviews in with opinions as to what to do with my fics, I'll post an announcement on my lookup letting you guys know what'll be going on.