A/N: Yay!!! Reviews! ^_^ Thank u all so much! Here is the next chappie,
hopeth you all like.don't neglect this fic, people! It's my love child..*g*
Part 71
Aragorn looked grim as he led the company on. He held one torch while his brother Elladan held the other. The utter blackness that surrounded them and the unearthly cold left the ranger less than comforted. But he was not afraid, for he was Isildur's heir, an heir to the throne of Gondor. The Dead would answer to the king.
But what did leave Aragorn troubled was the thought of his many friends and family. He always had a bad feeling when it came to those he loved putting themselves in dangerous situations. He felt responsible for them all. And when one or more of his loved ones battled something within, something unseen and untouchable, it made him frustrated, to say the least. He went through each of them in his mind slowly.
Elrohir. His brother was deeply grieved by the departure of his love to Valinor. He masked his pain well for a great part of the time. But Aragorn knew it was there. It was a severe wound to Elrohir's heart, and Aragorn was not entirely sure his brother could overcome the grief.
Frodo. The Hobbit that had become so dear to him. The Ring bearer. Essentially, he was the one who held the fate of Middle Earth. If he failed in his quest, than all the fighting anyone else had done was all in vain, for the world would fall to Sauron no matter what. Aragorn was glad Frodo had Sam. To bear that burden alone was surely beyond himself, a king, let alone a little Hobbit.
Arwen. Aragorn felt a melancholy and pain surface at the thought of the lovely Evenstar. So beautiful was she that he could find no words to do her splendor justice. He loved her. More than anything or anyone, he loved her. And he would do anything for her, though he well knew he would never deserve her. He remembered all that had happened before he left Rivendell as a part of the Fellowship. He had lied to her. Let her go. Not because he no longer loved her, but because it was the best thing for her. For everyone. But he could not forget the way her eyes looked at him when he had tried to give back the Evenstar. Aragorn closed his eyes at that memory. And now she was gone.
Aragorn almost chuckled. How ironical life was. He suffered the same loss as Elrohir. The ranger knew of his brother's pain and grief, but no mortal knew grief as it was for an Elf.
Legolas. His best friend. His brother. Save for Arwen, Aragorn knew no purer soul than his. No heart more beautiful. No being more loyal, gentle, or caring than he. No warrior more fearless. No better archer. No better friend. Aragorn sighed in frustration. He did not understand how his best friend could fall to shadow or believe such lies about himself. He understood the Elf's grief for the loss he would one day have to face, but Aragorn knew no one was worth the life of Legolas, let alone himself. The ranger had tried everything to help his friend. He knew not what else to do. But he refused to give up. Aragorn loved Legolas with everything he was, just as he loved Arwen. He believed Arwen was his soul mate, and he also believed that if there was such a thing as a soul mate friend, Legolas was his. And therefore, his brother of heart and soul and spirit.
Aragorn did not like bringing Legolas here. Or any of those who followed him for that matter. Everyone who walked behind him had a place in his heart and no minuscule one either. But he could not convince any of them otherwise, so he did not bother trying. Aragorn thought back to what Eowyn had said before he left. That the only reason anyone went with him was because they loved him.
So if anything happened to them, it was his fault. He was the only reason they had come in the first place.
Legolas rode on in silence. His blue eyes, now very dark, stared ahead of him blankly. He seemed troubled, lost in thought. Gimli said nothing but the Dwarf was worried about the crazy Elf.
" It's so bloody cold in here ", he grunted, just trying to get Legolas to speak.
" Elves do not feel the cold ", he answered numbly.
" Nor do they fear darkness."
But in his mind, a voice, his own voice, told him otherwise.
// I have known nothing but darkness for ages now. And it's always so cold.//
Gimli snorted. " Elves ", he grumbled. But Legolas' empty words worried him further.
Behind the two friends, Elladan frowned. Not because of Legolas, but because of Elrohir. His brother was far ahead of him, but he sensed something was not right with his twin. He moved his horse out of formation and rode silently ahead, past everyone else, taking the light of his torch with him.
" Where is he going? " questioned Gimli.
" Elrohir ", said Legolas flatly. His eyes came into focus and he looked ahead at Elladan's disappearing form. Legolas was certain Elladan was going to the side of his twin. He knew his friend, Elrohir, was not well. But he had not the heart to go to him or, seemingly, the strength to leave formation. So he only kept Arod moving wordlessly.
Elladan rode up to Elrohir's side and kept his steed in harmonious motion with his brother's. He peered at his younger twin with concerned gray eyes.
" Elrohir, how do you fare? " he asked quietly.
Elrohir only stared ahead of him, not looking at Elladan. And Elladan saw a crystal tear slip swiftly down his brother's cheek. He felt his heart being torn as he watched his brother's silent pain. Elrohir turned to look at Elladan.
" I'm cold ", he said, sounding like a little boy who was scared and lost. Elladan's heart broke for his brother, shining through his eyes.
Aragorn stopped, as did the rest of the company. Elrohir's eyes slowly fell to stare at nothing, and Elladan took this time they had to place his arms around his twin and hold him comfortingly.
Legolas raised his head wearily to stare beyond, sensing the surrounding danger, the solace and sorrow shared between the twins, Aragorn's anticipation, and the hunger of the Dead for his own soul.
Part 71
Aragorn looked grim as he led the company on. He held one torch while his brother Elladan held the other. The utter blackness that surrounded them and the unearthly cold left the ranger less than comforted. But he was not afraid, for he was Isildur's heir, an heir to the throne of Gondor. The Dead would answer to the king.
But what did leave Aragorn troubled was the thought of his many friends and family. He always had a bad feeling when it came to those he loved putting themselves in dangerous situations. He felt responsible for them all. And when one or more of his loved ones battled something within, something unseen and untouchable, it made him frustrated, to say the least. He went through each of them in his mind slowly.
Elrohir. His brother was deeply grieved by the departure of his love to Valinor. He masked his pain well for a great part of the time. But Aragorn knew it was there. It was a severe wound to Elrohir's heart, and Aragorn was not entirely sure his brother could overcome the grief.
Frodo. The Hobbit that had become so dear to him. The Ring bearer. Essentially, he was the one who held the fate of Middle Earth. If he failed in his quest, than all the fighting anyone else had done was all in vain, for the world would fall to Sauron no matter what. Aragorn was glad Frodo had Sam. To bear that burden alone was surely beyond himself, a king, let alone a little Hobbit.
Arwen. Aragorn felt a melancholy and pain surface at the thought of the lovely Evenstar. So beautiful was she that he could find no words to do her splendor justice. He loved her. More than anything or anyone, he loved her. And he would do anything for her, though he well knew he would never deserve her. He remembered all that had happened before he left Rivendell as a part of the Fellowship. He had lied to her. Let her go. Not because he no longer loved her, but because it was the best thing for her. For everyone. But he could not forget the way her eyes looked at him when he had tried to give back the Evenstar. Aragorn closed his eyes at that memory. And now she was gone.
Aragorn almost chuckled. How ironical life was. He suffered the same loss as Elrohir. The ranger knew of his brother's pain and grief, but no mortal knew grief as it was for an Elf.
Legolas. His best friend. His brother. Save for Arwen, Aragorn knew no purer soul than his. No heart more beautiful. No being more loyal, gentle, or caring than he. No warrior more fearless. No better archer. No better friend. Aragorn sighed in frustration. He did not understand how his best friend could fall to shadow or believe such lies about himself. He understood the Elf's grief for the loss he would one day have to face, but Aragorn knew no one was worth the life of Legolas, let alone himself. The ranger had tried everything to help his friend. He knew not what else to do. But he refused to give up. Aragorn loved Legolas with everything he was, just as he loved Arwen. He believed Arwen was his soul mate, and he also believed that if there was such a thing as a soul mate friend, Legolas was his. And therefore, his brother of heart and soul and spirit.
Aragorn did not like bringing Legolas here. Or any of those who followed him for that matter. Everyone who walked behind him had a place in his heart and no minuscule one either. But he could not convince any of them otherwise, so he did not bother trying. Aragorn thought back to what Eowyn had said before he left. That the only reason anyone went with him was because they loved him.
So if anything happened to them, it was his fault. He was the only reason they had come in the first place.
Legolas rode on in silence. His blue eyes, now very dark, stared ahead of him blankly. He seemed troubled, lost in thought. Gimli said nothing but the Dwarf was worried about the crazy Elf.
" It's so bloody cold in here ", he grunted, just trying to get Legolas to speak.
" Elves do not feel the cold ", he answered numbly.
" Nor do they fear darkness."
But in his mind, a voice, his own voice, told him otherwise.
// I have known nothing but darkness for ages now. And it's always so cold.//
Gimli snorted. " Elves ", he grumbled. But Legolas' empty words worried him further.
Behind the two friends, Elladan frowned. Not because of Legolas, but because of Elrohir. His brother was far ahead of him, but he sensed something was not right with his twin. He moved his horse out of formation and rode silently ahead, past everyone else, taking the light of his torch with him.
" Where is he going? " questioned Gimli.
" Elrohir ", said Legolas flatly. His eyes came into focus and he looked ahead at Elladan's disappearing form. Legolas was certain Elladan was going to the side of his twin. He knew his friend, Elrohir, was not well. But he had not the heart to go to him or, seemingly, the strength to leave formation. So he only kept Arod moving wordlessly.
Elladan rode up to Elrohir's side and kept his steed in harmonious motion with his brother's. He peered at his younger twin with concerned gray eyes.
" Elrohir, how do you fare? " he asked quietly.
Elrohir only stared ahead of him, not looking at Elladan. And Elladan saw a crystal tear slip swiftly down his brother's cheek. He felt his heart being torn as he watched his brother's silent pain. Elrohir turned to look at Elladan.
" I'm cold ", he said, sounding like a little boy who was scared and lost. Elladan's heart broke for his brother, shining through his eyes.
Aragorn stopped, as did the rest of the company. Elrohir's eyes slowly fell to stare at nothing, and Elladan took this time they had to place his arms around his twin and hold him comfortingly.
Legolas raised his head wearily to stare beyond, sensing the surrounding danger, the solace and sorrow shared between the twins, Aragorn's anticipation, and the hunger of the Dead for his own soul.
