Disclaimer: If I owned them, I'd have beachfront property in California and a pretty Porsche! Instead, I'm here, a LONG ways from the ocean. Too bad! No profit is made from these stories; they are merely for the enjoyment of myself and anyone who cares to read them.
I continue to thank all of you that have taken the time to read and review my story! I sincerely hope you enjoy this one as well. I got the idea for it from my last story, "A Walk Out Of Reach". One of my reviewers suggested that I tell what happened to Aragorn's brothers when he had to treat them for more than just bruised knees. And while I do have plans for a sequel and a prequel to my last story, wouldn't you know, this one popped into my head and just wouldn't leave! I will be posting the last Review Comments for "A Walk Out Of Reach" soon. Keep an eye out for it if you are interested. J
I continue to quote Shirebound when I say, "I walk on the shoulders of giants." Thanks for letting me be a part of this wonderful world and for the many wonderful reviews! I never expected to get so many. They have given me inspiration beyond measure.
Thanks to those that have put me on their favorites list as well: Luindae; krisnkriss; Lady Jaina; chescaOtaku; Elenora1; O.B.I.M.; Shauna; Karri; KC-Kick Camel; Astarael5; Jessica332; ClayAikenLover; CartDi; pupulupk; Legilmalith; Sporky Doom; merrylyn; kelly57; szhismine; Lilly Blackstar; Alkvingiel; Lamoo; TrinityTheSheDevil; Lovely Elven Princess; Lady of the Forest; andrea42; White Wolf1; Jenni3; Musicstarlover; enc87b; Elador8; Jamirlyn; Nariel-of-Rivendell; Ravenclaw-Girls; mer5; Spades; Nomad6
Please keep those reviews coming!
And last…
All the spelling and grammar mistakes are mine and mine alone! Hope there is not too many! Please keep in mind I am definitely not an expert on Middle Earth geography! I only envision what Tolkien has written and make my own interpretations. So forgive me if there are errors in my descriptions of it.
Shadows and Light
Chapter One
"You are too slow Estel!" Elladan laughed merrily at the scathing look Aragorn directed at him.
The look was all Aragorn could manage at the moment for he was too busy holding on to the rocks above him to respond. He muttered under his breath and continued to climb vowing to get even somehow.
Elrohir scolded his twin. "Instead of teasing, you should be helping him brother." He gave an exasperated sigh as he reached down to grab his younger brother's hand, pulling him easily over the edge of the cliff.
Elladan shrugged. "He seems to be doing all right brother, for a human." His eyes sparkled with laughter.
Aragorn rested his hands on his knees and leaned over slightly, trying to catch his breath. He looked sideways at Elladan, the twin still wore an amused grin on his face. "If one thing you have taught me well Elladan, it is that revenge is most sweet when it is least expected."
Elladan's grin faded suddenly, replaced instead with a look of wariness but in a moment he brightened again and moved towards the ranger. "Ah, that it is Estel. But I shall deny you satisfaction for I will be ready for any tricks you may have in store." Elladan clapped Aragorn on the back and smiled yet again.
"We shall see." Aragorn smiled slyly but said nothing more.
"That is enough from both of you." Elrohir shook his head. "We shall never get anywhere if you two keep up this endless bantering!"
Elladan protested, "You are one to talk Elrohir. I seem to recall, not too long ago, being late for our visit to Mirkwood by three days because you…"
Elrohir's eyes widened and he interrupted his twin hurriedly. "That is enough Elladan." He shook his head in disgust. "Really, I cannot believe that you would bring up that subject yet again."
Aragorn glanced at his brothers puzzled. "Why? What happened?"
Elladan grinned at his twin wickedly before turning to the young ranger, "It is like this Estel, our brother was…" He never finished his sentence for Elrohir gave his shoulder a playful shove. The movement was unexpected however, and it caused the Elf to fall backwards. He landed on his backside with a yelp of surprise.
Aragorn could not help himself. The look of shock on his brother's face was just too much. He found himself laughing helplessly alongside Elrohir.
The twin looked up at his Elven brother with a frown. "Ai! Why did you do that?"
"I am sorry Elladan, I did the first thing that came to mind. I did not mean to push you so hard, did I injure you?" Elrohir wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes and reached down to help his twin off the ground. He tried hard to erase the smile off his face but found he could not make it go away.
Elladan gave his twin of look of annoyance. He shrugged off his brother's hand and stood up quickly, brushing off his clothing. "I will get you back for that one brother!"
His twin shook his head. "I think not Elladan." With a mischievous gleam in his eye, Elrohir turned to Aragorn, "I think perhaps, you could use some help in devising a suitable means of revenge for our brother, could you not Estel?"
Aragorn grinned widely, "Aye, your help would be most welcome."
Elladan narrowed his eyes at them then threw his hands up in disgust. "You two do not play fair!" That said, the Elf turned and began walking up the ridge leaving his brothers behind still laughing gleefully.
Aragorn looked at Elrohir and smiled. "I do not think he means to wait for us."
His brother shook his head, "No, he does not."
An exaggerated sigh escaped the ranger. "Well, I suppose we had better catch up before he gets lost."
"Do not let him hear you say that Estel. You shall only aggravate him more!" Elrohir laughed again then laid a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Come. You are right, we better hurry. I can no longer see Elladan and I fear if we leave him out of sight too long he will devise some sort of trap in which to snare us."
The two quickly caught up with Elladan, he was still bristling from the shove. He gave them a cursory glance, but did not speak.
Aragorn quickened his pace to keep up with his brother. "You are not still mad are you Elladan? After all, if I remember correctly, it is you who started it!"
A reluctant smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Elladan found it hard to stay mad at his brothers for long especially the young ranger. Estel held a special place in his heart. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he slowed his stride so that the human could keep up with him easier. "I suppose you are right Estel." He turned to Elrohir with a mock frown. "I did not deserve to be shoved to the ground though."
Elrohir uttered a cry of protest. "Nay, I did not shove you Elladan! I merely tapped your shoulder. It is not my fault if you cannot keep your balance like an Elf should!"
The ranger laughed quietly as he listened to his brothers argue, he did not want to draw attention to himself. If either twin saw him laughing, they would gang up on him and he would not stand a chance against the two mischievous Elves. He continued to listen to their light bantering as they made their way deeper into the forest.
After several moments, the two Elves grew quiet and Aragorn looked at them questioningly. He found Elladan staring at him intensely. "What is wrong?"
Elladan shook his head. "I still cannot believe we are taking you to the Trollshaws Estel! Ada will kill us if he ever finds out!"
"He will not find out brother. He thinks we have gone hunting." The ranger patted Elladan's shoulder comfortingly.
"Remember your promise Estel." Elrohir turned to look at his younger brother sternly, "We are only going to *look*, nothing more. If they detect our presence, we shall be in grave danger. Three of us would be hard pressed to take one down and they rarely travel alone. The last thing we need is to have to fight a whole pack of them."
Aragorn was a bit hurt by the reminder. "I have already given you both my word. What more do you want?"
Elladan laughed, "How about if we tie you up and secure you to a lead on my belt? That way we would be sure you could not wander off!" The Elf wiggled his eyebrows at the young human and Elrohir chuckled softly.
He pushed Elladan away from him. "That is not funny!" And it wasn't, but Aragorn soon found himself laughing alongside his brothers despite his annoyance at the jibe.
****************************************************
As the trio approached the dark woods, they had grown quiet. Even whispering seemed loud and they had resorted to using hand signals to communicate.
Aragorn was tense and nervous though he would never admit it. All the stories he had ever heard while growing up in Imladris came to mind. And there were quite a few. When he was little, he and his friends had often overheard the warriors talking about their battles with the creatures. The stories were often horrid and gruesome and the creatures had become terrible monsters in his mind, often haunting his dreams. He knew he needed to see them for himself. Perhaps if he saw they were only flesh and blood, this irrational fear he felt at the mere mention of their name would disappear.
The woods were darkening as dusk approached and it was getting harder to see. He walked behind the twins, careful of his every step lest he snap a twig or roll a stone. He was so intent on his footing that he ran straight into the back of Elrohir. Startled, Aragorn looked up with wide eyes.
Elrohir grabbed his arms gently and moved him back a step. He motioned for Aragorn to be silent then pointed to the tree next to them indicating they should climb. Aragorn nodded his head silently.
Hurriedly, the ranger cast an anxious look around half expecting one to jump out at him at any moment. They had halted on a steep mountainside overlooking a large, dark valley. Enormous boulders jutted out in several places and many of them would have made ideal lookout points. The entire valley was covered in tall, thick pine, oak and aspen trees. Had this knot of dread and uneasiness not settled in his stomach, the colors that painted it would have been stunning.
Aragorn looked down at the growing shadows in the valley and shuddered. This place may have once been considered beautiful but now, the evil that permeated it was too strong to ignore. He shifted uneasily and glanced towards his brothers.
"Hurry up Estel. The sun has almost set." Elladan whispered so softly the ranger could barely hear him.
Quietly, Aragorn moved to the base of the tree and grasped the hand that Elrohir held down to him allowing the Elf to pull him up into the thick branches. He teetered next to his older brother for several moments until Elrohir slipped his arm around Aragorn's waist to help steady him. Elladan noiselessly swung himself up and stood beside the young ranger as well, resting his hand on the human's back protectively. The three stood there, clutching the thick trunk for several moments.
"Are you ready?" Elladan studied his younger brother carefully, searching for signs of fatigue.
Aragorn nodded his head silently.
Satisfied that his younger brother was fine, the Elf turned and began to climb. Remembering the qualms the young human had about trees, he took the easiest path to the top so Aragorn would have no difficulty scaling the branches.
Aragorn soon found himself seated safely between his brothers on the highest spot in the large tree. From here, the thick foliage concealed them from sight while allowing a clear view of the valley below. Nothing moved. Aragorn could hear the wind whispering through the leaves and the sound sent a chill down his spine. He swallowed hard and pushed his fear to the back of his mind, he would not let his brothers see his anxiety.
He glanced sideways at Elrohir. The Elf's expression was grim and his mouth was set in a tight line as he studied the ground below. Trying to be inconspicuous, Aragorn snuck a quick look at Elladan and was surprised to find his brother watching him, eyebrows raised in question.
He had been caught. The young ranger smiled sheepishly and shook his head. Casting his eyes to the valley below once more, Aragorn studied the area for any movement.
In the dimness, Elladan smiled softly. He knew the troll stories young Elves told each other. And he knew Estel had heard his share. The young human was scared, but trying hard not to let his brothers see his fear. The Elf shifted his weight a little, managing to scoot closer to Aragorn without being obvious.
The moon rose slowly casting a pale, silver light on the thick darkness that had settled in the whole valley. The only movement at all was the twisted shadows of the trees dancing upon the ground as the moon continued to rise.
Aragorn was disappointed. They had not yet seen anything else move. Maybe the creatures had moved out of the area. They may have to go back home without ever seeing one, and he would never be able to rid himself of this irrational fear.
Suddenly, the sound of breaking branches followed by a heavy thud vibrated through the valley. His heart leapt to his throat and he gave Elladan a questioning look. The Elf held a slender finger to his lips and shook his head. He mouthed the word 'watch' then pointed in the direction of the noise.
At first, Aragorn could see nothing but darkness, but soon, the pale moonlight outlined a large shape. There before his eyes, stood the creature that haunted his dreams, a stone-troll.
Surprisingly, the moonlight was bright enough for Aragorn to distinguish the creature's features. It was large, though not quite as large as he had envisioned and its muscles rippled as it waved its arm at some unseen insect flying near its beady, black eyes. It's facial features were remarkably similar to that of man though more crude and grotesque, most noticeable was the abnormally large nose protruding out from it's face. It's mouth was an almost nonexistent line and it's skin was scaly and rough. Aragorn was sure that if he ran his hand over the creature's skin, his own would be rubbed raw.
The troll continued to walk through the brush and at a glance, it seemed incredibly stupid and slow, but he knew better. From all the stories Aragorn had heard in his youth, he knew this was not entirely true. Trolls could move fast enough when they had a mind to and they were known to be quite resourceful when it came to food. They often worked together to ensnare their meals.
His eyes were abruptly drawn to the woods behind the lumbering troll. A second, larger one stepped out of the trees and walked slowly behind the first. It's head moved from side to side and the nostrils on it's oversized nose flared out madly. Aragorn had the impression that the creature was sniffing for something.
His breath suddenly hitched in his throat. The troll seemed to be staring right at them. Instinctively, Aragorn crouched lower and clutched the branches he was holding tighter until his knuckles turned white. He felt Elladan's arm move around his shoulders protectively, but he was so unnerved, he offered no protest. His brother's touch eased a bit of his tension and when the creature turned and continued walking, Aragorn let out the breath he had been holding. It had not seen them.
Elrohir glanced at Aragorn and immediately frowned. He noticed Elladan's arm around the young human's shoulders and looked at the other Elf worriedly. Elladan shook his head. His frown deepening, Elrohir turned and continued to watch the trolls uneasily.
Elladan knew his twin had reason to be concerned. Aragorn was very pale and although he was trying hard to put up a brave front, he could feel the waves of fear rolling off the young ranger. The Elf grimaced, he had reacted much in the same way as his younger brother the first time he had seen a troll. Even now, having defeated them in battle, his stomach still did a little flip-flop of nervousness whenever they were near. It would take time for Aragorn to overcome his childhood fears. Coming out here to see them was but the first step in defeating that fear.
They watched the trolls silently as they worked their way up the valley, steadily coming closer to their position. Elladan kept his hand on his brother's shoulder, continuing to offer the young human reassurance.
Aragorn swallowed hard and looked at his brothers nervously when the trolls were directly beneath them. Elrohir turned and offered him an encouraging grin while Elladan gave his shoulder a squeeze. The comforting gestures made his racing heart slow down a little. If the Elves were not running away from these creatures, then neither would he. He hardened his resolve and turned back to observe the trolls.
They were poking around the bushes and turning over large boulders obviously searching for dinner. Each time they cast a boulder aside, it crashed through the trees making an incredible amount of noise. Aragorn grimaced, how did these things think they would ever find something to eat with all that racket. Every good creature in Middle Earth must have heard them coming.
With peculiar fascination, the ranger watched the creatures with bright eyes. Now that they were this close, they did not seem as scary as he had first thought. They were horrid looking that was sure, but as he looked at them through older eyes and not a child's, he began to see their weaknesses. As his brothers had so often told him, they could be defeated by wit and speed and now he was beginning to understand what they meant.
Before he realized it, he had a wide grin on his face as he studied the creatures and Elladan looked at him curiously. Aragorn flashed the smile at his brother and for the first time in a long time, he found himself looking forward to going to sleep. He was fairly certain these creatures would not be making their way into his dreams any longer.
Just as he finished that thought, the smile was wiped off his face as suddenly as it had appeared. The troll below had smelled them, man and Elf. It peered up into the high branches puzzled, scratching it's head thoughtfully. It turned and mumbled something to it's companion and before Aragorn realized what was happening, both trolls took hold of the tree and shook it, hard.
Aragorn scrambled to keep his place in the branches. He was so busy trying to hold on, he did not see Elladan flung from his perch, holding only a broken branch in his hands. Fortune was on the twin's side however, and he struck the branch of a neighboring tree. Although it knocked the air out of him, he managed to grab hold of it ere he fell to the forest floor.
Right after Elladan was thrown, Aragorn lost his grip on the branches he held. He was not as lucky as his brother. His head snapped sideways and struck a large branch. Stars danced before the ranger's eyes as he plummeted downwards.
Aragorn landed on a thick limb several feet from the ground. The impact forced the air from his lungs and already stunned, he rolled off immediately unable to grab hold of it. Luckily, when he hit the branch, it slowed his fall considerably.
He hit the ground with a terrible crash and for a few moments he was unable to move or even breathe. Darkness clouded his vision and all he could hear was a buzzing in his ears. As if from very far away, Aragorn heard someone scream his name, but for the life of him, he could not place a name with the voice.
Slowly, the loud buzzing was replaced with a terrible roar. The ranger turned his head towards the sound and immediately regretted the action. Hammers pounded behind his eyes and just before he succumbed to darkness, he saw the vague outline of something enormous coming towards him.
TBC…
***********************************************************************************
I continue to thank all of you that have taken the time to read and review my story! I sincerely hope you enjoy this one as well. I got the idea for it from my last story, "A Walk Out Of Reach". One of my reviewers suggested that I tell what happened to Aragorn's brothers when he had to treat them for more than just bruised knees. And while I do have plans for a sequel and a prequel to my last story, wouldn't you know, this one popped into my head and just wouldn't leave! I will be posting the last Review Comments for "A Walk Out Of Reach" soon. Keep an eye out for it if you are interested. J
I continue to quote Shirebound when I say, "I walk on the shoulders of giants." Thanks for letting me be a part of this wonderful world and for the many wonderful reviews! I never expected to get so many. They have given me inspiration beyond measure.
Thanks to those that have put me on their favorites list as well: Luindae; krisnkriss; Lady Jaina; chescaOtaku; Elenora1; O.B.I.M.; Shauna; Karri; KC-Kick Camel; Astarael5; Jessica332; ClayAikenLover; CartDi; pupulupk; Legilmalith; Sporky Doom; merrylyn; kelly57; szhismine; Lilly Blackstar; Alkvingiel; Lamoo; TrinityTheSheDevil; Lovely Elven Princess; Lady of the Forest; andrea42; White Wolf1; Jenni3; Musicstarlover; enc87b; Elador8; Jamirlyn; Nariel-of-Rivendell; Ravenclaw-Girls; mer5; Spades; Nomad6
Please keep those reviews coming!
And last…
All the spelling and grammar mistakes are mine and mine alone! Hope there is not too many! Please keep in mind I am definitely not an expert on Middle Earth geography! I only envision what Tolkien has written and make my own interpretations. So forgive me if there are errors in my descriptions of it.
Shadows and Light
Chapter One
"You are too slow Estel!" Elladan laughed merrily at the scathing look Aragorn directed at him.
The look was all Aragorn could manage at the moment for he was too busy holding on to the rocks above him to respond. He muttered under his breath and continued to climb vowing to get even somehow.
Elrohir scolded his twin. "Instead of teasing, you should be helping him brother." He gave an exasperated sigh as he reached down to grab his younger brother's hand, pulling him easily over the edge of the cliff.
Elladan shrugged. "He seems to be doing all right brother, for a human." His eyes sparkled with laughter.
Aragorn rested his hands on his knees and leaned over slightly, trying to catch his breath. He looked sideways at Elladan, the twin still wore an amused grin on his face. "If one thing you have taught me well Elladan, it is that revenge is most sweet when it is least expected."
Elladan's grin faded suddenly, replaced instead with a look of wariness but in a moment he brightened again and moved towards the ranger. "Ah, that it is Estel. But I shall deny you satisfaction for I will be ready for any tricks you may have in store." Elladan clapped Aragorn on the back and smiled yet again.
"We shall see." Aragorn smiled slyly but said nothing more.
"That is enough from both of you." Elrohir shook his head. "We shall never get anywhere if you two keep up this endless bantering!"
Elladan protested, "You are one to talk Elrohir. I seem to recall, not too long ago, being late for our visit to Mirkwood by three days because you…"
Elrohir's eyes widened and he interrupted his twin hurriedly. "That is enough Elladan." He shook his head in disgust. "Really, I cannot believe that you would bring up that subject yet again."
Aragorn glanced at his brothers puzzled. "Why? What happened?"
Elladan grinned at his twin wickedly before turning to the young ranger, "It is like this Estel, our brother was…" He never finished his sentence for Elrohir gave his shoulder a playful shove. The movement was unexpected however, and it caused the Elf to fall backwards. He landed on his backside with a yelp of surprise.
Aragorn could not help himself. The look of shock on his brother's face was just too much. He found himself laughing helplessly alongside Elrohir.
The twin looked up at his Elven brother with a frown. "Ai! Why did you do that?"
"I am sorry Elladan, I did the first thing that came to mind. I did not mean to push you so hard, did I injure you?" Elrohir wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes and reached down to help his twin off the ground. He tried hard to erase the smile off his face but found he could not make it go away.
Elladan gave his twin of look of annoyance. He shrugged off his brother's hand and stood up quickly, brushing off his clothing. "I will get you back for that one brother!"
His twin shook his head. "I think not Elladan." With a mischievous gleam in his eye, Elrohir turned to Aragorn, "I think perhaps, you could use some help in devising a suitable means of revenge for our brother, could you not Estel?"
Aragorn grinned widely, "Aye, your help would be most welcome."
Elladan narrowed his eyes at them then threw his hands up in disgust. "You two do not play fair!" That said, the Elf turned and began walking up the ridge leaving his brothers behind still laughing gleefully.
Aragorn looked at Elrohir and smiled. "I do not think he means to wait for us."
His brother shook his head, "No, he does not."
An exaggerated sigh escaped the ranger. "Well, I suppose we had better catch up before he gets lost."
"Do not let him hear you say that Estel. You shall only aggravate him more!" Elrohir laughed again then laid a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Come. You are right, we better hurry. I can no longer see Elladan and I fear if we leave him out of sight too long he will devise some sort of trap in which to snare us."
The two quickly caught up with Elladan, he was still bristling from the shove. He gave them a cursory glance, but did not speak.
Aragorn quickened his pace to keep up with his brother. "You are not still mad are you Elladan? After all, if I remember correctly, it is you who started it!"
A reluctant smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Elladan found it hard to stay mad at his brothers for long especially the young ranger. Estel held a special place in his heart. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he slowed his stride so that the human could keep up with him easier. "I suppose you are right Estel." He turned to Elrohir with a mock frown. "I did not deserve to be shoved to the ground though."
Elrohir uttered a cry of protest. "Nay, I did not shove you Elladan! I merely tapped your shoulder. It is not my fault if you cannot keep your balance like an Elf should!"
The ranger laughed quietly as he listened to his brothers argue, he did not want to draw attention to himself. If either twin saw him laughing, they would gang up on him and he would not stand a chance against the two mischievous Elves. He continued to listen to their light bantering as they made their way deeper into the forest.
After several moments, the two Elves grew quiet and Aragorn looked at them questioningly. He found Elladan staring at him intensely. "What is wrong?"
Elladan shook his head. "I still cannot believe we are taking you to the Trollshaws Estel! Ada will kill us if he ever finds out!"
"He will not find out brother. He thinks we have gone hunting." The ranger patted Elladan's shoulder comfortingly.
"Remember your promise Estel." Elrohir turned to look at his younger brother sternly, "We are only going to *look*, nothing more. If they detect our presence, we shall be in grave danger. Three of us would be hard pressed to take one down and they rarely travel alone. The last thing we need is to have to fight a whole pack of them."
Aragorn was a bit hurt by the reminder. "I have already given you both my word. What more do you want?"
Elladan laughed, "How about if we tie you up and secure you to a lead on my belt? That way we would be sure you could not wander off!" The Elf wiggled his eyebrows at the young human and Elrohir chuckled softly.
He pushed Elladan away from him. "That is not funny!" And it wasn't, but Aragorn soon found himself laughing alongside his brothers despite his annoyance at the jibe.
****************************************************
As the trio approached the dark woods, they had grown quiet. Even whispering seemed loud and they had resorted to using hand signals to communicate.
Aragorn was tense and nervous though he would never admit it. All the stories he had ever heard while growing up in Imladris came to mind. And there were quite a few. When he was little, he and his friends had often overheard the warriors talking about their battles with the creatures. The stories were often horrid and gruesome and the creatures had become terrible monsters in his mind, often haunting his dreams. He knew he needed to see them for himself. Perhaps if he saw they were only flesh and blood, this irrational fear he felt at the mere mention of their name would disappear.
The woods were darkening as dusk approached and it was getting harder to see. He walked behind the twins, careful of his every step lest he snap a twig or roll a stone. He was so intent on his footing that he ran straight into the back of Elrohir. Startled, Aragorn looked up with wide eyes.
Elrohir grabbed his arms gently and moved him back a step. He motioned for Aragorn to be silent then pointed to the tree next to them indicating they should climb. Aragorn nodded his head silently.
Hurriedly, the ranger cast an anxious look around half expecting one to jump out at him at any moment. They had halted on a steep mountainside overlooking a large, dark valley. Enormous boulders jutted out in several places and many of them would have made ideal lookout points. The entire valley was covered in tall, thick pine, oak and aspen trees. Had this knot of dread and uneasiness not settled in his stomach, the colors that painted it would have been stunning.
Aragorn looked down at the growing shadows in the valley and shuddered. This place may have once been considered beautiful but now, the evil that permeated it was too strong to ignore. He shifted uneasily and glanced towards his brothers.
"Hurry up Estel. The sun has almost set." Elladan whispered so softly the ranger could barely hear him.
Quietly, Aragorn moved to the base of the tree and grasped the hand that Elrohir held down to him allowing the Elf to pull him up into the thick branches. He teetered next to his older brother for several moments until Elrohir slipped his arm around Aragorn's waist to help steady him. Elladan noiselessly swung himself up and stood beside the young ranger as well, resting his hand on the human's back protectively. The three stood there, clutching the thick trunk for several moments.
"Are you ready?" Elladan studied his younger brother carefully, searching for signs of fatigue.
Aragorn nodded his head silently.
Satisfied that his younger brother was fine, the Elf turned and began to climb. Remembering the qualms the young human had about trees, he took the easiest path to the top so Aragorn would have no difficulty scaling the branches.
Aragorn soon found himself seated safely between his brothers on the highest spot in the large tree. From here, the thick foliage concealed them from sight while allowing a clear view of the valley below. Nothing moved. Aragorn could hear the wind whispering through the leaves and the sound sent a chill down his spine. He swallowed hard and pushed his fear to the back of his mind, he would not let his brothers see his anxiety.
He glanced sideways at Elrohir. The Elf's expression was grim and his mouth was set in a tight line as he studied the ground below. Trying to be inconspicuous, Aragorn snuck a quick look at Elladan and was surprised to find his brother watching him, eyebrows raised in question.
He had been caught. The young ranger smiled sheepishly and shook his head. Casting his eyes to the valley below once more, Aragorn studied the area for any movement.
In the dimness, Elladan smiled softly. He knew the troll stories young Elves told each other. And he knew Estel had heard his share. The young human was scared, but trying hard not to let his brothers see his fear. The Elf shifted his weight a little, managing to scoot closer to Aragorn without being obvious.
The moon rose slowly casting a pale, silver light on the thick darkness that had settled in the whole valley. The only movement at all was the twisted shadows of the trees dancing upon the ground as the moon continued to rise.
Aragorn was disappointed. They had not yet seen anything else move. Maybe the creatures had moved out of the area. They may have to go back home without ever seeing one, and he would never be able to rid himself of this irrational fear.
Suddenly, the sound of breaking branches followed by a heavy thud vibrated through the valley. His heart leapt to his throat and he gave Elladan a questioning look. The Elf held a slender finger to his lips and shook his head. He mouthed the word 'watch' then pointed in the direction of the noise.
At first, Aragorn could see nothing but darkness, but soon, the pale moonlight outlined a large shape. There before his eyes, stood the creature that haunted his dreams, a stone-troll.
Surprisingly, the moonlight was bright enough for Aragorn to distinguish the creature's features. It was large, though not quite as large as he had envisioned and its muscles rippled as it waved its arm at some unseen insect flying near its beady, black eyes. It's facial features were remarkably similar to that of man though more crude and grotesque, most noticeable was the abnormally large nose protruding out from it's face. It's mouth was an almost nonexistent line and it's skin was scaly and rough. Aragorn was sure that if he ran his hand over the creature's skin, his own would be rubbed raw.
The troll continued to walk through the brush and at a glance, it seemed incredibly stupid and slow, but he knew better. From all the stories Aragorn had heard in his youth, he knew this was not entirely true. Trolls could move fast enough when they had a mind to and they were known to be quite resourceful when it came to food. They often worked together to ensnare their meals.
His eyes were abruptly drawn to the woods behind the lumbering troll. A second, larger one stepped out of the trees and walked slowly behind the first. It's head moved from side to side and the nostrils on it's oversized nose flared out madly. Aragorn had the impression that the creature was sniffing for something.
His breath suddenly hitched in his throat. The troll seemed to be staring right at them. Instinctively, Aragorn crouched lower and clutched the branches he was holding tighter until his knuckles turned white. He felt Elladan's arm move around his shoulders protectively, but he was so unnerved, he offered no protest. His brother's touch eased a bit of his tension and when the creature turned and continued walking, Aragorn let out the breath he had been holding. It had not seen them.
Elrohir glanced at Aragorn and immediately frowned. He noticed Elladan's arm around the young human's shoulders and looked at the other Elf worriedly. Elladan shook his head. His frown deepening, Elrohir turned and continued to watch the trolls uneasily.
Elladan knew his twin had reason to be concerned. Aragorn was very pale and although he was trying hard to put up a brave front, he could feel the waves of fear rolling off the young ranger. The Elf grimaced, he had reacted much in the same way as his younger brother the first time he had seen a troll. Even now, having defeated them in battle, his stomach still did a little flip-flop of nervousness whenever they were near. It would take time for Aragorn to overcome his childhood fears. Coming out here to see them was but the first step in defeating that fear.
They watched the trolls silently as they worked their way up the valley, steadily coming closer to their position. Elladan kept his hand on his brother's shoulder, continuing to offer the young human reassurance.
Aragorn swallowed hard and looked at his brothers nervously when the trolls were directly beneath them. Elrohir turned and offered him an encouraging grin while Elladan gave his shoulder a squeeze. The comforting gestures made his racing heart slow down a little. If the Elves were not running away from these creatures, then neither would he. He hardened his resolve and turned back to observe the trolls.
They were poking around the bushes and turning over large boulders obviously searching for dinner. Each time they cast a boulder aside, it crashed through the trees making an incredible amount of noise. Aragorn grimaced, how did these things think they would ever find something to eat with all that racket. Every good creature in Middle Earth must have heard them coming.
With peculiar fascination, the ranger watched the creatures with bright eyes. Now that they were this close, they did not seem as scary as he had first thought. They were horrid looking that was sure, but as he looked at them through older eyes and not a child's, he began to see their weaknesses. As his brothers had so often told him, they could be defeated by wit and speed and now he was beginning to understand what they meant.
Before he realized it, he had a wide grin on his face as he studied the creatures and Elladan looked at him curiously. Aragorn flashed the smile at his brother and for the first time in a long time, he found himself looking forward to going to sleep. He was fairly certain these creatures would not be making their way into his dreams any longer.
Just as he finished that thought, the smile was wiped off his face as suddenly as it had appeared. The troll below had smelled them, man and Elf. It peered up into the high branches puzzled, scratching it's head thoughtfully. It turned and mumbled something to it's companion and before Aragorn realized what was happening, both trolls took hold of the tree and shook it, hard.
Aragorn scrambled to keep his place in the branches. He was so busy trying to hold on, he did not see Elladan flung from his perch, holding only a broken branch in his hands. Fortune was on the twin's side however, and he struck the branch of a neighboring tree. Although it knocked the air out of him, he managed to grab hold of it ere he fell to the forest floor.
Right after Elladan was thrown, Aragorn lost his grip on the branches he held. He was not as lucky as his brother. His head snapped sideways and struck a large branch. Stars danced before the ranger's eyes as he plummeted downwards.
Aragorn landed on a thick limb several feet from the ground. The impact forced the air from his lungs and already stunned, he rolled off immediately unable to grab hold of it. Luckily, when he hit the branch, it slowed his fall considerably.
He hit the ground with a terrible crash and for a few moments he was unable to move or even breathe. Darkness clouded his vision and all he could hear was a buzzing in his ears. As if from very far away, Aragorn heard someone scream his name, but for the life of him, he could not place a name with the voice.
Slowly, the loud buzzing was replaced with a terrible roar. The ranger turned his head towards the sound and immediately regretted the action. Hammers pounded behind his eyes and just before he succumbed to darkness, he saw the vague outline of something enormous coming towards him.
TBC…
***********************************************************************************