Hi!

Here´s yet another chapter for you, I hope you will enjoy. Some things are revealed (finally), but I´m afraid even more new question arise...

Please share your thoughts on this with me!!!

Thanks to Morwen for her "beta-ing".

Review responses:

Noriel: Another one hooked - almost feels like fishing :) Seriously, I´m very happy you like it, please keep reading (and reviewing)

Setrinan: Thank you! I really try to keep the characters "on the ground" and do them justice; please keep up your comments!

Red Tigress: So what´s your ROTK count?! :) Glad you stick with me!!

Slea: Thanks - hope you like the next chapter, too!

Silvertoekee: Yes, poor Telanna. I wanted her to reveal more, but as you could see, she ran out on me. Didn´t force her back, she really has a mind of her own... You were very correct about the taste of her drink *grins*

Well, Aragorn starts to remember now, but he doesn´t get all too far in this chapter - hope you like it anyway!

Thanks so much to everybody! I really appreciate that you take your time to comment.

Now, on to the next chapter...

Alinah

Title: Hidden Truths

Rating: PG 13

Disclaimer: Far from mine

Lifting the veil

Telanna turned to work at her table, and Aragorn remained seated, pondering what was to come. The fleeting pictures that had occasionally plagued him over the last few days spoke of nothing to look forward to, and he could feel tension building inside him. Angrily, he tried to subdue the rejection he sensed creeping into his mind. He had promised himself never to turn from things that had to be faced. Failing to look the truth in the eye was ultimately far worse than failing in the battle that might follow.

The sound of Telias racing up the stairs shook him out of his brooding, and he found that Legolas had silently approached him. Gracefully, the elf slid into the chair opposite Aragorn and settled a steady gaze on his friend. His look demanded explanations, but his voice was light when he spoke. "It seems you made our young friend believe some rather outrageous things about elves. I suspect that I am about to face a test that I do not stand a chance of passing."

Aragorn allowed himself a tight smile at the skilful way the elf interwove a simple and true observation with an underlying request, but he chose not to speak his mind just yet. He was not ready and doubted he would be soon.

"I had to do something after you scared the boy half to death, sleeping with your eyes open." He paused for drama before continuing: "I had nightmares about that for months, myself. Growing used to elven ways can take a mere humans years, so I thought giving you some qualities the child might treasure would ease the shock.."

Legolas raised both eyebrows and shook his head gently. "You never ran from challenges, Estel. I clearly remember Lord Elrond telling me that you even crept into your brothers´ bedchambers after your nightmares to observe them in their sleep."

Aragorn chuckled at the memory, even though the fear had been more than oppressing at the time. "That was pure despair, mellon-nin, not courage. I could not shake the dreams of my foster family lying dead in their beds. When awake, I understood the truth well enough, but in sleep I could not shake the terror of what I saw. I resolved to getting used to the sight when I was better able to control my reaction."

"It seems that confronting fears has ever been a talent of yours." Legolas kept a perfectly straight face, but in the depth of his blue eyes the challenge sparkled.

Silence grew between them, only broken minutes later by hasty feet rushing through the kitchen above. The trapdoor opened and slammed shut to admit one beaming boy and one terrified chicken into the room.

Telanna turned from her table with a disapproving look, but Aragorn gestured for her to let things be, expecting and cherishing what was to come. He knew that he could not turn from his own test much longer, but at least he would see Legolas take his first.

Telias thrust out the hands that grasped the chicken, practically holding the animal into Legolas´ face, and asked expectantly: "So?"

The elf scrutinized the bird with a solemn look. "So, Master Telias, this is a very scared chicken." He offered no more, merely watching the child. Telias waited for a few seconds, which obviously took a lot of patience from him, before bursting out: "Well, what does it say? What does it think?!" He seemed to be oblivious to the fact that the poor animal had not even uttered a single sound yet. It struggled frantically in the human grip, though, head shooting left and right in despair.

"What do you think?" Legolas inquired in a soft voice. The boy looked surprised at this, and a little unsure how to react, but then answered: "It does not like to be held. I think it wants back to its friends." When he received a nod at this, his face turned into a pout. "Everybody could have guessed that. I thought you could do more." He shot Aragorn an accusing look. He had promised him miracles from the elf, after all.

Gently, Legolas reached out a hand and stroked the chicken´s head. It calmed immediately, black beat-eyes seeking out the elf´s fair face. He took the bird from Telias and put it onto the table in front of him, where it settled comfortably, at ease in his presence.

"Sometimes, all that needs to be heard from an animal can easily be read from it", Legolas said with a smile, "at least by someone so smart as you. What you need to learn is how to speak back." Telias stood with his head to the side, watching the unnaturally calm animal, before reaching out slowly to take the bird back into his arms. He did so gently, and met no resistance. The boy remained still for a moment, deep in thought, before making up his mind. "That was not bad", he said, off-handedly, "but when we get to trees things will turn more complicated for you." With that, he made his way back upstairs, the chicken softly clucking under his arm.

A small laugh could be heard from where Telanna worked with her back to them, and Aragorn gave the elf a generous smile. "That was well done, mellon-nin. You did just enough not to disappoint him, but believe me, you´ll have to be more impressive next time. The tree he´ll take you to better has a story to tell."

"They all have." Although Legolas´ reply was serious enough, there was laughter hidden in it. "Just like a certain tree near Rivendell that had seen an orc attack hundreds of years back and saved a fair elven maiden from their dark claps. Honestly, Estel, it is thanks to you that I have some skill with human children and their curiosity."

Aragorn snorted. "I was far older when we met, and never believed that story in the first place. I was just being polite to you when I pretended I did."

Legolas allowed himself a chuckle. "I wonder how you know what that tree really told me. Have you asked it lately? But it is good to see that you remember this episode fondly, for so do I. It was gracious of Telias to bring it to the surface, it is a light in the dark." The elf´s eyes clouded as quickly as a stormy sky at these words, and Aragorn knew that there was no escape this time.

"I recall no more than images that elude me whenever they seem close enough to grasp." He sighed. "They mainly show you, wounded and unconscious, and a landscape shrouded in grey."

Legolas nodded his affirmative to the last observation, but there was more. Something that made him hesitate, though only for a heartbeat. "We were not alone when we encountered this evil", he said quietly, "your family was there as well. I have seen your father´s troubled face in my dreams, I have heard your brothers´ shouts of warning, both to us and to each other." He was silent for a moment before meeting his friend´s eyes. "I fail to see what became of them, but I fear what you may find. You may suffer more from your reclaimed memories that you will gain from them."

"So it is many times. It is a gamble with the stakes set high." Telanna walked over to them, holding a cup. Its smell reached the elf first and made him wrinkle his nose. Aragorn did not flinch. "Aye, so you said from the beginning. I understand and I am ready to face whatever may be revealed." He turned to Legolas, determination written all over his features. "Whether I know or remain oblivious, the truth will not change with my perception of it. I would rather know and mourn than forever be in doubt. And forever may well be a very short time for us if I do not reclaim some knowledge about Daramus that helps us fight him."

Legolas merely smiled, offering silent support. Aragorn looked up at Telanna. "What will be the effects of your drink?" Her answer was brisk. "You will fall into what will look like sleep, but instead of dreams you will relive what was lost from you. It will seem real to you. Some only see part of their memories, some all. For most events seem chronological, some experience inconsistency. There is one thing you must promise me!"

To Aragorn´s surprise she took his face into her hands and held it, fixing him with a glare that could have melted iron. "When you feel that the waking world is calling, return. Do not stay to watch longer, or try to change what occurs. What has happened already cannot be undone by a dream , not matter how real it may seem." The ranger could sense the unspoken danger beneath her urgent words. He held her gaze without wavering. "I will."

"Well then, here is your drink." She handed him the cup and then busied herself at her table, no longer watching. "I suggest you make yourself comfortable once you´ve drunk. I´ll be upstairs. Call me should anything seem amiss." Her last words were addressed to Legolas, who inclined his head in response. Without a further glance back, Telanna hurried up the stairs.

Aragorn eyed the cup warily. "This smells about as good as any of father´s healing teas." "That bodes well, then. Your father´s teas are most effective." The elf smiled reassuringly, and Aragorn drank the mixture down as quickly as he could. He could feel the effect almost immediately. When he rose to cross to the bed, he wavered and his legs felt weak. Without a word Legolas placed his arm around his friend´s shoulder and firmly led him the few strides, seating himself and pulling Aragorn against his chest.

The arrangement went without comment, but as the human felt his awareness slip away, he could still sense his friend´s presence and heard his words, even though faintly.

"Im nev, mellon-nin. Huor, le Esstel." //I´m here, my friend. Courage, you are hope.//

"Estel, nu!" //Estel, down!//

Aragorn reacted without considering. He could feel an arrow slice the air just above his head and heard its sickening impact in flesh. There was a grunt and one attacker fell away, giving him some room to breathe and regain his bearings - even though for no more than a second.

He was in the midst of a battle that had come upon them like a mountain storm, hardly predictable and fierce.

His grip on his sword was slippery with blood, both his own and that of his enemies. Another man rushed at him, a hoarse battle cry on his lips, and he brought his sword up just in time to parry the mighty blow. He turned and brought the blade down sharply, easily slicing the simple leather armour and sending the attacker to the ground, the last sound from him a fading gurgle.

A searing pain in his shoulder told him that he had not sensed the next blow coming, and the impact send him to his knees. He tried to twist and roll to the side and managed to avoid the crude, hacking blade that would, however gracelessly, have sent him straight to his elders had he not gotten out of the way. His move left him sprawled on his back, staring up into the wild eyes of a man barely older than himself. He was clad in simple peasant´s gear, and his motions betrayed his poor training.

Sometimes, Aragorn found his mind musing in the heartbeats before the blow had to fall, a mass of ants would bring down a fox. The other man raised his blade, either deliberately slowly or halted by the ranger´s strung-up perception, but just as it had reached its peak, an arrow embedded itself cleanly between his enemy´s eyes, which widened in surprise before disappearing from Aragorn´s sight as the man tumbled backwards.

Strong hands grabbed Aragorn´s shoulders from behind and he jumped up with the momentum they provided, turning, his sword arching up and only at the last moment sliding off to the side as he recognized his alleged target. "Sidh, gwador-nin" //Peace, my brother.//, the dark-haired elf panted, " im alcoth." //I´m no enemy.// He grinned through blood streaking down his face from a gash to he temple, eyes shining with battle-heat, signalling that he held no harsh feelings against Aragorn for his blow - which, the ranger reminded himself before guilt could set in, he would surely have dodged anyway.

Their paths parted again as new opponents rushed at them, their sheer number far from anything that could have been expected on this rarely travelled path. Aragorn could see the ground littered with bodies already, the little skilled attackers falling to the blades and arrows of four experienced warriors, three of whom had honed their skills over centuries. Even as he swung an arc down another man´s unprotected side, Aragorn found himself cursing the waste of life around him.

The battle began to fade slowly, and the last men finally turned to run. Neither Aragorn nor the elves followed. The fight had left them all marked, and darkness would set in quickly. Panting, the ranger made his way over to Lord Elrond´s side, who stood eyeing his twin sons, judging their injuries. "We are well for the moment, father", Elladan said quietly, the heat of battle gone from his face, the blood still running freely from the gash on his temple. "Aye, we should leave now", his younger twin Elrohir agreed, clasping a cloth against his side, his sad eyes on the dead, "though I loathe to leave them like this."

"We have no choice." Legolas walked over to them suspiciously slowly, but with his usual ease. His voice was drenched in sadness as he looked at the faces of the men he passed. "Whatever made them attack us? They were not fit for it, many even used mere farming tools." He raised his eyes to Elrond, but the older elf held no answers to their questions.

"I feel as you do", he said, a stern core to his sorrow, "but we cannot help the dead and pay for it with more lives. We must seek shelter and answers before we can attempt to solve this riddle." He turned from the path that now was a battlefield and whistled for the horses.

It took them awhile to retrieve the animals that had scattered and fled at their command when the attack began, and the were relieved to find them unharmed. As dusk slowly spread its ever darkening blanket over them, the small group trudged on in search of shelter. Wolves howled in the distance, and Aragorn couldn´t help but shudder. This outing had turned out quite differently from what they had expected, and he had the sickening feeling that their troubles had only just begun.

TBC