Hi!

And chapter 9 - I hope you keep reading.

Share your thoughts with me, please!

Alinah

Darkness conquered

Voices rose in the howling storm as Aragorn trudged on, pulling Legolas with him. The mill reached impossibly high into the black sky behind them, ready to let its bulk crash down on their fragile forms. Cackling laughter preceded each new flash of lightning only to come to a screeching climax that was drowned in deep thunder. Darkness gathered into shapes at the edge of the ranger´s vision. He could feel the wounded elf at his side straighten despite of the convulsing shudders that still shook his frame, preparing for a fight.

The white stone sent broken rays of light out of the pouch Aragorn had stuffed it into on their flight. With a trembling hand he pulled it out now and held it high.

For the fraction of a heartbeat a wave of brightness rolled away from the two friends. It washed over the mill and the huddled houses of the village below them, reflecting off the black body of the brook as it slithered through the grass, before touching the gentle hills and softly fading away. The light around the ranger and the elf did not waver, however, and wrapped them into a pulsing cocoon.

The menacing shadows Aragorn had sensed before seemed to have melted away in the brightness, but he could still feel their presence all around them, angered and regrouping in the whipping rain. Without having ever made a conscious decision to do so, he found his feet leading them down the path to Telanna´s house. He never paused to question his instinct. There was nowhere else to turn.

Legolas made every effort to actually walk at his friend´s side, but he could barely hold himself upright even hanging on to the ranger. Aargorn cast him a worried glance despite the haste he felt. The tension had not left the elf. His blue eyes were wide open and carried an almost eerie glow in the stone´s white light. "See what the light reveals", he whispered, his voice not quite drowned by the storm, "trevedi faerin."//lone souls// Aragorn couldn´t suppress the shudder that ran down his spine at these words, although he was unable to detect whatever had evoked such a comment from the elf. He was not sure whether to regret his human limitations just this once.

"Where, mellon-nin?" he asked, more than anything to keep up the elf´s interest and thus prevent him from passing out. He did not truly want to know, but kept up his pace, eyes fixed once again on the small house that seemed to refuse coming any closer.

He could feel the elf turn his head as his vision swept the storm-whipped night in response to his friend´s question. "Ennas, na ni sir-dur" //There, by the dark river// he answered, "they are calling to you. Lasto! I faerin nallor chen. They seek our help!" //Listen! The souls are calling you!//

Legolas stopped abruptly and with far more energy than he had been walking with, or so it seemed to Aragorn who had been so intent on moving on that the sudden resistance almost made him stumble. He turned to see Legolas staring out towards the brook with an oddly fixed look. Emotion raced across his fair features, pity, anger, pain. Worried now, the ranger gave his friend a gentle shake. "Come, we should move on. Danger still lingers near, I can feel it drawing closer." No response. " Legolas, trevedo!" //Legolas, go!// he insisted, switching to elvish for emphasis, " aphado anim, mellon-nin." //follow me, my friend.//

"You would leave them di duath?" //in darkness// Legolas shook his head, slowly, as if in wonder," look at them, dyr ereb, once firen..." //lost souls...human// He trailed off and then stated, matter-of-factly: " Galad thinta. Its power wanes." //The light fades.//

Aragorn was seriously spooked now, both by Legolas´ behaviour and his announcement. He dreaded the thought of losing their last defence against the dark powers he felt gathering around them. And he feared that Legolas was slipping into a state of incoherence that could have many causes, but whose effects may well cost both of their lives. Never had he heard his friend speak mingled sentences the way he did now, not to mention the invisible objects of his attention. There was not time left for arguments.

Wrapping one of his arms securely around his friend´s waist, he continued walking and effectively dragged Legolas along. "Estel, daro! They need help, hi!" //Estel, stop!... now!// Aragorn paid him little heed. By now, even his inferior senses registered how the white stone lost its strength, their safety melting away with its light. "Aye, as do you, ellon dorn," //stubborn elf// he grumbled, "don´t argue!" Under the circumstances, it was a blessing that the elf´s strength had been so drained, or else Aragorn would have never been able to simply force him along. As it was, he was able to pull his friend towards Telanna´s house at a reasonable pace, though not without paying the price.

He could feel fresh blood from Legolas´ torn back on his arm and caught his winces of pain among the mutter he had fallen into. Guilt had his friend´s state flared up shortly, only to be pushed back by their immediate need for safety.

The rain picked up its force, splattering into his face as if sensing his guard failing, but Aragorn would not even lower his head now. "We are almost there!" he shouted into the storm dancing around him, more in defiance than in an attempt to get through to Legolas. "Only a few more steps, blast you, you will not hinder me!" The growl that answered bore no resemblance to thunder. Aragorn could feel the ground vibrate beneath his feet. "What is it, why don´t you swallow us? Here and now!" The challenge had left his mouth before he had realized it even sat on his tongue, and he cursed inwardly. The mud he dragged his feet through began to shudder and slip as if on a steep slope, endangering his balance and making him stumble.

He caught himself with the hand not holding Legolas and would have sworn the wet earth itself heaved in an annoyed breath at his touch. In a surge of strength brought upon by a feeling dangerously close to panic, Aragorn swept the elf into his arms and ran.

He continued to slither and slip on the treacherous ground but was rewarded by the sight of Telanna´s house drawing closer, and in a matter of mere moments he had reached her door. The low roof reaching over the wall offered at least some protection from the rain, and the sturdy little building itself cut off the worst of the storm.

Heaving, Aragorn let Legolas´ legs slide down, holding him with one arm once more, and forcefully knocked on the door.

He stood, waiting for an answer. The dark voices around him resumed their distant laughter. The stone´s light was no more than a glimmer now. Legolas heart hammered against his chest, his breaths fast and unsteady. Each flash of lightning revealed the mill sitting at what seemed an impossibly short distance away. They had surely covered far more ground than what now separated them from the foul building. Aragorn could not shake the feeling of being followed. He knocked again.

The sound seemed to echo hollowly against his fist. It dawned on him then and there that he had never considered not being allowed to enter here. There was no doubt in his mind that should he indeed find no way into this house, they would both parish in front of it.

Just when he began to consider breaking a window to force his way in, a light flickered in the window. The door opened to reveal Telanna´s round face. Telias peeked out from behind her, two pairs of almost identical brown eyes widening at the sight they took in.

The brief look of fear that crossed the woman´s face was gone in a flash, though, and she quickly opened the door wider to let them in. Aragorn gave her a smile of heartfelt gratitude and opened his mouth to offer an explanation, but Telanna silenced him with an urgent wave of her hand. Shielding the candle´s soft light as she went, she inclined her head to make Aragorn follow.

Her secrecy surprised him, even more so because of Telias. The usually lively boy slipped in front of his mother with barely a sound, obviously knowing exactly what was expected of him and doing so without so much as a whisper. The ranger picked up Legolas again and matched the two´s stealth with the easy practice of a hunter.

Telias headed straight for the kitchen and, once there, moved a rug on the floor to reveal a crude-looking wooden trap door. Aragorn couldn´t keep a smile from his face at such an obvious yet well-concealed hiding place. Telanna handed Telias the candle and pulled open the door. "Careful", she whispered to Aragorn, "the steps are steep, don´t slip." She went ahead of him down a narrow wooden staircase and the man followed her slowly, wisely accepting her advice.

Aragorn picked his way carefully, and once he had arrived on safe ground, Telanna had already lit several more candles, bathing the room in a soft light.

He found himself in a cozy room that held several beds, a table with chairs and even a small fire-place. Telanna, however, had turned to a second table in a corner. It was framed by shelves on both sides. Aragorn had no trouble recognising a well-stocked healer´s room. The fragrance of herbs graced the air. Compared to this, the supplies in the kitchen had been a nothing but a pale shadow.

"Place your friend on the bed over here and tell me what happened to him." Her voice was calm and, or so he thought, oddly used to command, even though she did so with warmth. She glanced over her shoulder when Aragorn gently put Legolas down, first sitting him on the edge of the cot and then easing him down on his stomach in order to get to his cut back. "These look fresh", she noted, "I take it his state has worsened since the morning."

"Aye, or I would never have left him." Aragorn helped himself to some water and bandages and began cleaning the cuts, gingerly removing pieces of glass from the wounds. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Telias stocking the fireplace and putting up water to heat. Telanna was busy preparing some herbs, and Aragorn found himself trusting these to completely.

Together, they worked for over an hour to clean and bandage the cuts. Telanna worked with easy confidence, only questioning Aragorn what may be harmful or especially beneficial for elves. When Legolas´ back was taken care of, the woman leaned closer and suspiciously peered into his eyes, then placed a hand on his forehead and seemed to listen. When she drew back, Aragorn saw her resolve rattled for the first time.

"Black water!" she breathed in surprise, "he seems to have been exposed to much of it, and that some time ago!" Aragorn nodded. "Aye, he was almost drowned when I found him this afternoon. I almost lost him then."

"Drowned! He swallowed it?!" Telanna shook her head in shock. "And yet he lives. This is most amazing. Humans can die by merely being submerged in it for a short time ." Although Aragorn felt questions burning in him, he knew better than to stray from the obvious path now. "Elves are extremely resilient", he explained, "but they can get killed all the same. I still fear for him. He was left weak, and on our way here he saw strange shadows that may have been illusions. Do you have a cure?"

Telanna sighed. "That I do, though I was rarely quick enough for it to work. We may try it on your friend and hope it has some effect on him. I will prepare it." Aragorn remained sitting at his friend´s side, one hand lightly touching his forehead. He was amazed at the lack of fever, and not sure whether to take this as a good sign. Telias gingerly sat down at the other side of the bed, seeking permission with his eyes.

Aragorn smiled at the boy. "You are not only a wonderful messenger, but also a skilled healer, I see. You are full of surprises, Master Telias." The boy beamed at the praise but quickly waved his hand in denial. "Baw, it is nothing, really, Mum´s doing all the healing." "Every healer needs good helpers", Aragorn said seriously, "do not belittle what you do." Seeing how the boy´s eyes were fixed on Legolas, he asked: "You have never seen an elf before?"

"No. He looks different. He´s so pale and his ears are funny." Telias reached out a tentative hand to touch one of Legolas curved ears, tracing their form wonderingly. "Don´t they hurt him when he lays on them?" Aragorn couldn´t help a burst of laughter at this. "You may ask him when he´s better", he chuckled, "I´m sure he´d love to give you an answer to that question!"

"Telias, move away now." Telanna approached with a cup of steaming liquid and took her son´s place on the bed. She looked at Aragorn seriously. "I have made it somewhat stronger than I would for a human. I cannot promise you it will help, though. Black water is treacherous. "

"I know, Telanna. I don´t expect miracles, and neither do I pressure you for promises. I´m most thankful for your help." He looked her into the eyes as he spoke, and she inclined her head at the true understanding she found there.

Together, they managed to raise the elf carefully and feed the steaming liquid into him. Aragorn couldn´t help thinking that Legolas would hate being mothered even more after this was over. His friend loathed being helpless and on his back, and he had had more than a good share of that in the last few days.

Placing him back down on the cot, carefully arranging the blankets around him to make him as comfortable as possible, Aragorn found himself desperately praying to the Valar to spare his friend one more time. The constant worrying was wearing him out.

"You should rest, too. You are ready to drop." Telanna´s observation was not question at all. "I promise to wake you should there be any change."

Aragorn was inclined to disagree, but his body told him otherwise. He would need to be rested to face the next day, no matter how Legolas fared. Very reluctantly, he nodded. With a wordless smiles, Telanna helped him drag one of the other beds next to Legolas´, and Aragorn let himself sink down facing the elf, willing all his instincts to monitor his friend even in sleep. Drifting off himself, he registered every laboured breath he heard and prayed for the sound to continue.

TBC