A/N) This chapter is shorter then the last one but the story is coming to
its end. Not much more to cover. Probably one last chapter after this and
then the story is done!
There is a scene in this chapter involving a mind link and this shows thoughts and dialogue: /blah blah blah/ though it doesn't say what I just put. If you have any questions feel free to ask them and I'll answer them in the next post.
Fear of Men
Chapter 8
Against All Odds
None of their charges had woken when the odd group returned to Rivendell. The collapse of the cave had taken only a few minutes, and Glorfindel rode ahead of Elrond and the twins to ready the healers for their impending arrival. The elf-lord only did this when he had confirmation that Deollyn would travel to Rivendell with Marihel to face Lord Elrond. Knowing the truth about his son's death seemed to have changed him, and Deollyn wanted to make up for what he'd done. For the moment though he had to go to Rivendell.
It was an hour of intense waiting for the twins as they patiently paced waiting for their father to emerge from the healing ward with word on Legolas and Aragorn. Much as they had wanted to help, they could not have done, for their worry would have let them get in the way.
At last the wait was over and Elrond stepped out from the healing wing to confront his sons about the injuries the friends had attained.
"Legolas is fine. He had sustained no wounds; he is just tired. He is resting for now," Elrond explained, "However with Estel it is another matter."
The twins could briefly see the flicker of dread in their father's eyes and realised that what he was about to say would not lighten their moods, only worsen them.
"Estel has sustained many injuries. His body has gone into shock; I'm afraid that he has not woken, and he may never will. He has fallen into a deep sleep, more commonly known among men as a coma. There is no remedy for this. It's up to the victim to make their way back. I've not heard of many surviving but those who have, have recovered from their injury over the years, but never continued with their life before. If Estel wakes, he may walk again. It seems that while he was in captivity his legs were beaten savagely; a few ligaments and one main artery have been broken. How he managed to walk is beyond me. Estel may be paralysed but in order for us to find out we will have to wait till he decides to wake again." Elrond explained his eyes glinting sadly.
The twin's glanced at each other. "We'll help him father." Elladan said.
"Can we see him?"
Elrond nodded. "You may, though he won't respond to you."
The twins looked at each other before stepping into the small room that held their brother and the Prince. The elf slept peacefully and his chest rose and fell silently; he looked at rest. Aragorn laid on the bed the other side and his chest hardly rose; his face was a mask of coldness. To the twins he seemed dead.
Sitting beside the human they gripped one of his hands and sang softly to him in elvish hoping to reach him in his coma-induced state.
The Ranger did not respond to their attempts to wake him.
"Ada's right." Elrohir said. "He will only wake when he decides to do so."
"There must be a way to draw him out." Elladan reasoned. "All the other victims of this sort of thing may never have recovered but a few have. If perhaps we could ask them...."
Elrohir was shaking his head. "We can't. How do we know who these people are? We can't travel round Middle-Earth looking for these people. They may not be alive anymore."
Elladan bit his lip. He knew his brother was right, but didn't want to admit it. There had to be a way to get Estel back. Had to be. Some potion. Something.
"We will get him back." Elrohir said.
*****
A small light began to penetrate his consciousness, and a throbbing pain in the back of his head continued to thump. To Legolas, his head felt like it was going to explode, but as he opened his eyes, the pain died down to a minimal thump every few minutes. He lay wrapped in blankets in a bed. He turned his head to peer round the room. He could not see Aragorn.
"Legolas?"
He moved his head too sharply and groaned loudly as the pain re-ignited. "Ouch."
Elladan smiled sadly as he watched the Prince struggle to wake properly. Beside him Elrohir took hold of the elf's hand and squeezed it, urging him to wake and join them.
After much deliberation Legolas finally woke. He was quickly informed of the situation regarding Aragorn, but he had not heard of this type of injury before. He could not help them. It was only when the twins had left and Elrond had checked up on the Prince, did he consider moving to Estel's side.
The human was hardly breathing. Sitting beside the bed, the Prince laid a hand on Aragorn's forehead and gently spoke to him in elvish, keeping his eyes closed and thinking about all that they had done since knowing each other.
And as he did so, the Prince felt a wash of energy course through him and a voice calling his name.
/Legolas?/
The Prince gasped nearly pulling away from his friend but kept the connection strong. Somehow he had reached Aragorn in his coma-induced state. Then he spoke allowed in elvish, and Aragorn answered in his mind.
/Aragorn? Aragorn? Where are you?/
/I don't know! I'm stuck somewhere!/ To Legolas the human's voice sounded panicky. He had a right to. Aragorn was trapped in his own mind and couldn't get out. But how?
/What can you remember?/ Legolas asked.
There was a silence and fearing that he'd lost Aragorn called out his name.
/I'm fine, Legolas. I was just thinking./
/Well, what do you remember?/
/Nothing much. Only watching you and Sîrfalas fight. Then...he stabbed me. That's all I remember./
Legolas frowned. /Aragorn, can you push against the barriers holding you? There's something there stopping me from reaching you./
/I'll try./ the human responded. There was a few minutes when there was all but silence. Then at last Aragorn's voice returned. /I can't break the barrier, mellon-nin. It needs something else./
Legolas gritted his teeth. /I'll sing. Push against the barrier when you hear my voice./
Then in a lovely, calm voice, the elf prince began to sing. His voice rang high and all those in Rivendell heard the nature of the song. Hearing the voice, the twins and Elrond came to their side, but the elf-lord stopped them from pulling Legolas away from Aragorn's body.
"He's helping him." He whispered.
Aragorn's body was convulsing, shaking and the unconscious grip Legolas had on his friend was slipping. The elves did not know it but inside there was a battle going on. Darkness was threatening to consume both of them; Aragorn's strength was waning, and Legolas was slipping further back towards the light, away from his friend.
But even as the twins and elven lord watched, Aragorn fought back with the remainder of his strength and broke the barrier keeping him back. In his mind, his consciousness fell through into the light, knocking Legolas away and back out into the world of the living.
Legolas fell from the chair he sat on, blown back from the intense power that had suddenly radiated through him. He looked about wide-eyed as he took in Elladan, Elrohir, Elrond and finally resting his gaze on the silvery-eyes of Aragorn as the human looked at him from the position on the bed.
"Hannon le mellon-nin." Aragorn whispered.
Overcome by sudden emotion the twins bounded towards their brother embracing him tightly.
"You're okay!" Elladan laughed.
Elrohir gently hugged the human and then Elrond approached. He looked at Aragorn before smiling.
"Estel I must ask you. Can you move your legs?"
Aragorn looked confused, but did as he was told to. He moved one leg and then the other, but Elrond caught the flint of pain on his face as he moved his right leg. Pain ran up his side and his world became dizzy.
"It hurts." Aragorn murmured.
"It would do. You were nearly paralysed by that knife wound. It's still a possibility for you to become paralysed. Your wound will heal in time, as long as you don't overdo it, though with you Estel I won't be able to stop you."
Aragorn smiled for the first time. "What happened with Deollyn?"
"He's here in Rivendell. He's rather anxious about you. I think when you are well you two should speak." Elrond explained. "It will do you both good."
Aragorn did not speak. He did not want to speak to that man! And yet he had been manipulated. Didn't that show Aragorn that his kind was weak and easily manipulated? Didn't show that man had no honour? And yet there were some men that he knew to be kind and helpful: Marihel and Doyni were two. In fact he had always wanted to speak to the Dúnedain Rangers and had never had the chance.
It was his hatred of men holding him back. He would have to talk to Deollyn. Perhaps it was the only way.
"I will Ada."
Elrond smiled. "Good. I hoped you would. However there is someone who would like to meet you."
Aragorn looked puzzled and glanced at his brothers, who had helped the Prince back into his own bed, and had somehow forced down a healing potion into him which had knocked the unfortunate Prince to sleep.
Before he could answer, a small boy ran into the room. His face was smiling, his eyes shining, and long dark hair covered his features. Following the boy was his mother. Gilraen held a small smile on her face.
"Estel, do you remember Lathear? My son. Your half-brother?"
He could barely remember this boy but now seeing the child his mind clicked and he nodded. He hadn't liked the fact his mother had married again, but it had made her happy. And if she was happy; he could be happy too.
Gilraen embraced her son, hugging him tight, before sitting down next to him and telling him about her life.
It was good to be with his mother again. It was good to be home.
TBC
Well so everything is slowly going back to normal. Lathear is my own creation. So no using without my permission! The Last chapter features the talk between Deollyn and Aragorn, and we say farewell to Legolas as he prepares to return to Mirkwood!
Also there is news concerning my new series, which is a work in progress, unlike this which has already been planned.
Namárië for now!
There is a scene in this chapter involving a mind link and this shows thoughts and dialogue: /blah blah blah/ though it doesn't say what I just put. If you have any questions feel free to ask them and I'll answer them in the next post.
Fear of Men
Chapter 8
Against All Odds
None of their charges had woken when the odd group returned to Rivendell. The collapse of the cave had taken only a few minutes, and Glorfindel rode ahead of Elrond and the twins to ready the healers for their impending arrival. The elf-lord only did this when he had confirmation that Deollyn would travel to Rivendell with Marihel to face Lord Elrond. Knowing the truth about his son's death seemed to have changed him, and Deollyn wanted to make up for what he'd done. For the moment though he had to go to Rivendell.
It was an hour of intense waiting for the twins as they patiently paced waiting for their father to emerge from the healing ward with word on Legolas and Aragorn. Much as they had wanted to help, they could not have done, for their worry would have let them get in the way.
At last the wait was over and Elrond stepped out from the healing wing to confront his sons about the injuries the friends had attained.
"Legolas is fine. He had sustained no wounds; he is just tired. He is resting for now," Elrond explained, "However with Estel it is another matter."
The twins could briefly see the flicker of dread in their father's eyes and realised that what he was about to say would not lighten their moods, only worsen them.
"Estel has sustained many injuries. His body has gone into shock; I'm afraid that he has not woken, and he may never will. He has fallen into a deep sleep, more commonly known among men as a coma. There is no remedy for this. It's up to the victim to make their way back. I've not heard of many surviving but those who have, have recovered from their injury over the years, but never continued with their life before. If Estel wakes, he may walk again. It seems that while he was in captivity his legs were beaten savagely; a few ligaments and one main artery have been broken. How he managed to walk is beyond me. Estel may be paralysed but in order for us to find out we will have to wait till he decides to wake again." Elrond explained his eyes glinting sadly.
The twin's glanced at each other. "We'll help him father." Elladan said.
"Can we see him?"
Elrond nodded. "You may, though he won't respond to you."
The twins looked at each other before stepping into the small room that held their brother and the Prince. The elf slept peacefully and his chest rose and fell silently; he looked at rest. Aragorn laid on the bed the other side and his chest hardly rose; his face was a mask of coldness. To the twins he seemed dead.
Sitting beside the human they gripped one of his hands and sang softly to him in elvish hoping to reach him in his coma-induced state.
The Ranger did not respond to their attempts to wake him.
"Ada's right." Elrohir said. "He will only wake when he decides to do so."
"There must be a way to draw him out." Elladan reasoned. "All the other victims of this sort of thing may never have recovered but a few have. If perhaps we could ask them...."
Elrohir was shaking his head. "We can't. How do we know who these people are? We can't travel round Middle-Earth looking for these people. They may not be alive anymore."
Elladan bit his lip. He knew his brother was right, but didn't want to admit it. There had to be a way to get Estel back. Had to be. Some potion. Something.
"We will get him back." Elrohir said.
*****
A small light began to penetrate his consciousness, and a throbbing pain in the back of his head continued to thump. To Legolas, his head felt like it was going to explode, but as he opened his eyes, the pain died down to a minimal thump every few minutes. He lay wrapped in blankets in a bed. He turned his head to peer round the room. He could not see Aragorn.
"Legolas?"
He moved his head too sharply and groaned loudly as the pain re-ignited. "Ouch."
Elladan smiled sadly as he watched the Prince struggle to wake properly. Beside him Elrohir took hold of the elf's hand and squeezed it, urging him to wake and join them.
After much deliberation Legolas finally woke. He was quickly informed of the situation regarding Aragorn, but he had not heard of this type of injury before. He could not help them. It was only when the twins had left and Elrond had checked up on the Prince, did he consider moving to Estel's side.
The human was hardly breathing. Sitting beside the bed, the Prince laid a hand on Aragorn's forehead and gently spoke to him in elvish, keeping his eyes closed and thinking about all that they had done since knowing each other.
And as he did so, the Prince felt a wash of energy course through him and a voice calling his name.
/Legolas?/
The Prince gasped nearly pulling away from his friend but kept the connection strong. Somehow he had reached Aragorn in his coma-induced state. Then he spoke allowed in elvish, and Aragorn answered in his mind.
/Aragorn? Aragorn? Where are you?/
/I don't know! I'm stuck somewhere!/ To Legolas the human's voice sounded panicky. He had a right to. Aragorn was trapped in his own mind and couldn't get out. But how?
/What can you remember?/ Legolas asked.
There was a silence and fearing that he'd lost Aragorn called out his name.
/I'm fine, Legolas. I was just thinking./
/Well, what do you remember?/
/Nothing much. Only watching you and Sîrfalas fight. Then...he stabbed me. That's all I remember./
Legolas frowned. /Aragorn, can you push against the barriers holding you? There's something there stopping me from reaching you./
/I'll try./ the human responded. There was a few minutes when there was all but silence. Then at last Aragorn's voice returned. /I can't break the barrier, mellon-nin. It needs something else./
Legolas gritted his teeth. /I'll sing. Push against the barrier when you hear my voice./
Then in a lovely, calm voice, the elf prince began to sing. His voice rang high and all those in Rivendell heard the nature of the song. Hearing the voice, the twins and Elrond came to their side, but the elf-lord stopped them from pulling Legolas away from Aragorn's body.
"He's helping him." He whispered.
Aragorn's body was convulsing, shaking and the unconscious grip Legolas had on his friend was slipping. The elves did not know it but inside there was a battle going on. Darkness was threatening to consume both of them; Aragorn's strength was waning, and Legolas was slipping further back towards the light, away from his friend.
But even as the twins and elven lord watched, Aragorn fought back with the remainder of his strength and broke the barrier keeping him back. In his mind, his consciousness fell through into the light, knocking Legolas away and back out into the world of the living.
Legolas fell from the chair he sat on, blown back from the intense power that had suddenly radiated through him. He looked about wide-eyed as he took in Elladan, Elrohir, Elrond and finally resting his gaze on the silvery-eyes of Aragorn as the human looked at him from the position on the bed.
"Hannon le mellon-nin." Aragorn whispered.
Overcome by sudden emotion the twins bounded towards their brother embracing him tightly.
"You're okay!" Elladan laughed.
Elrohir gently hugged the human and then Elrond approached. He looked at Aragorn before smiling.
"Estel I must ask you. Can you move your legs?"
Aragorn looked confused, but did as he was told to. He moved one leg and then the other, but Elrond caught the flint of pain on his face as he moved his right leg. Pain ran up his side and his world became dizzy.
"It hurts." Aragorn murmured.
"It would do. You were nearly paralysed by that knife wound. It's still a possibility for you to become paralysed. Your wound will heal in time, as long as you don't overdo it, though with you Estel I won't be able to stop you."
Aragorn smiled for the first time. "What happened with Deollyn?"
"He's here in Rivendell. He's rather anxious about you. I think when you are well you two should speak." Elrond explained. "It will do you both good."
Aragorn did not speak. He did not want to speak to that man! And yet he had been manipulated. Didn't that show Aragorn that his kind was weak and easily manipulated? Didn't show that man had no honour? And yet there were some men that he knew to be kind and helpful: Marihel and Doyni were two. In fact he had always wanted to speak to the Dúnedain Rangers and had never had the chance.
It was his hatred of men holding him back. He would have to talk to Deollyn. Perhaps it was the only way.
"I will Ada."
Elrond smiled. "Good. I hoped you would. However there is someone who would like to meet you."
Aragorn looked puzzled and glanced at his brothers, who had helped the Prince back into his own bed, and had somehow forced down a healing potion into him which had knocked the unfortunate Prince to sleep.
Before he could answer, a small boy ran into the room. His face was smiling, his eyes shining, and long dark hair covered his features. Following the boy was his mother. Gilraen held a small smile on her face.
"Estel, do you remember Lathear? My son. Your half-brother?"
He could barely remember this boy but now seeing the child his mind clicked and he nodded. He hadn't liked the fact his mother had married again, but it had made her happy. And if she was happy; he could be happy too.
Gilraen embraced her son, hugging him tight, before sitting down next to him and telling him about her life.
It was good to be with his mother again. It was good to be home.
TBC
Well so everything is slowly going back to normal. Lathear is my own creation. So no using without my permission! The Last chapter features the talk between Deollyn and Aragorn, and we say farewell to Legolas as he prepares to return to Mirkwood!
Also there is news concerning my new series, which is a work in progress, unlike this which has already been planned.
Namárië for now!