Thanks for the reviews! Well, things are starting to get more urgent in this chapter, and – hopefully – the plot is racing forward! Aragorn speaks to Morgoth; Frodo has another attack; Gandalf uses his magic to do something for Eldarion and Merry gives Gondor's Prince some advice! Enjoy!

~Chapter 8~

~The Consequences of Choices~

The blinding agony that suddenly swept through his body was enough to send his mind screaming outwards. Aragorn held his head tightly in his hands trying in a vain attempt to block out the pain that seemed to grow and spread to his shoulder wound. He had forgotten about the Orcs and the Knight; all he concentrated on was the immense pain building within him as he curled up.

Then he heard a voice inside his head, and knew without guessing that it was Morgoth.

//You are mine Elessar. Do not think you can escape your fate//

Morgoth's voice was commanding and powerful, ringing in his ears, making him flinch. He could not keep the voice from his head.

//What do you want?// Aragorn asked, though he already knew the purpose of his capture he wanted clarification from Morgoth himself.

The return answer only seemed to frighten the King more. //I want your soul//

Whether or not he had heard him right Aragorn did not understand. What did Morgoth mean by 'want your soul'? Perhaps he meant the power that Aragorn carried.

Though he had not spoken aloud in his mind, Aragorn found that Morgoth replied to his question. It was as if he could read all what the King thought!

//Your soul is what carries my power. It is what makes you who you are. Different from all the others of the pitiful race of men. It is not the elven blood that helps you in your endeavors; it is my power residing within the heart of your soul// Morgoth echoed back.

For a moment the pain died down and Aragorn felt a sense of bliss flying through his body. His peace was broken as a stroke of pain crept through him causing him to arch his back and scream aloud.

Cruel laughter stretched to his mind as he lay trembling as his body and mind was assaulted. //If you cannot take this, heir of Numenor, how will you be able to survive when you are brought before me? This is just a minuet bit of pain. There will be more to come//

Aragorn chose to ignore Morgoth and instead formed a question. //Do I have elven blood? And will I die?// he realised the last question was a stupid one but he had to know.

Silence followed and the King was left to wonder whether Morgoth would reply, but just as he thought that, Morgoth's voice echoed into his mind as well as a stab of pain.

//You have small amounts of elven blood but it is so diluted it is of little use to you now, except to stop you from aging so quickly as other men. As for your death, it will depend on whether your soul can take having a part of it ripped away. If not then you'll die instantly, however if you do, you'll be mine//

Aragorn gulped. He did not wish for that fate; to be Morgoth's slave. //I'd rather die then become your slave!// he retorted.

//You may not have a choice Elessar//

//I'll die before you can snare me as your own! If I could I would turn back time and stop you from making this prophecy!// Even as he thought these words Aragorn realised with an overwhelming dread that what he had said would be likely to anger Morgoth.

//You'll pay for that heir of Numenor!//

Aragorn felt a tingling sensation through his body and then his senses exploded in a world of pain. He curled up so small and tried to prevent a scream but that failed, and his voice echoed out, and all those that heard the sound of his scream, shrank together to hide the horrific sound from their ears.

For many minutes his agony continued and he called out to anyone to aid him.

"Gandalf! Mithrandir! Someone please! Anyone! Frodo! Frodo! Arwen! Arwen! My love Arwen! He…"

His last cry was cut off as his senses dulled and blackness took hold of him.

*****

No more then a few hours after the first 'attack' on Frodo did another one come but this time it was during the night when the hobbit was sleeping. None of the company wished to stop but Gandalf laid down their options: leave or sleep. Gandalf stood on guard when he heard the sound of soft moans from Frodo, and gradually the sounds became louder, and the White Wizard realised that it was another 'attack'. The words the hobbit was muttering he identified mostly as 'Strider', yet because Frodo was not fully awake his pain was not as painful as it should be.

By this time Sam had woken with Faramir.

"What's goin' on?" Sam asked sleepily.

"He's having another attack." Faramir said.

"We should wake him."

Gandalf shook his head. "No. His pain will become less bearable. He knows it's happening yet he's asleep. Frodo is fighting against. If he can control it in his sleep perhaps he can when he is awake. We must watch and learn."

Silently they watched and then all fell silent as the attack passed.

Neither Sam nor Faramir slept for the reminder of the night. Their thoughts focused upon Aragorn and Frodo.

As dawn came the remainder of the Fellowship woke. Frodo didn't remember the past night and was unaware of the attack. He did not notice Sam looking at him with worry in his eyes. Once everyone had eaten a small piece of elvish bread that Legolas had brought along, Gandalf explained the route for the day.

"According to my calculations; if the boats have not left Middle-Earth then we may have a chance of catching the boats today. If we do then we will decide our next course of action. We will have to assess the situation before we attempt anything." He looked accusingly at Eldarion, Faramir, Legolas and Gimli. "I know how much you want to save Aragorn but there may be too many enemies to safely get him away."

"I understand." Eldarion said. "I am not like my uncles."

"Which ones?" Gimli asked. "Us as in your adopted uncles or your true uncles, the twins?"

"The twins."

"Good. I don't want to be accused." Gimli obviously needed to settle that small detail to satisfy himself.

Throughout the day the Fellowship travelled along the river hardly talking to each other, their minds focused on the task ahead: rescuing Aragorn from the Knight and the Orcs. As the sun began to fade, Eldarion glanced upward and saw the beginnings of a sail.

Exhausted and tired the young man pressed himself further along the path. They were so close to their goal! The others noticing the sails also pressed their wearied bodies forward.

Soon the ships came into view. Docked at the side of the riverbank there were three boats. One was more elegant then the others. They could see Orcs patrolling the decks above keeping an eye out for anyone that dared to come near.

Eldarion gritted his teeth and grasped Anduril. "I am ready," he whispered fiercely.

"We cannot hope to overrun them." Faramir warned. "We get to close we will be killed."

"I don't care! That's my father up there! What am I supposed to do? Leave him there?"

"We have to," Frodo replied, "there is too many of them."

The Prince of Gondor turned angrily on the hobbit. "That didn't stop you when you and Sam crossed Mordor!"

"That was different. We were in disguise. We were able to slip through unnoticed. Two lone figures in a big land? That's what we were. My heart tells me that we cannot attempt this!"

"What makes you think it will be easier on Numenor?"

"The elves will distract the Orcs. Morgoth will have no choice but to send most of his forces away to combat the enemy. It will give us a chance to slip in unnoticed!" Frodo explained desperate to make the boy see reason.

"If that is your choice, I will go alone."

Gandalf stepped in front of the boy. "Listen to him. Frodo knows more then you. He is right. We cannot hope to rescue Aragorn now. But we can investigate. I can hide you from the enemy using my magic. As long as you look, I will be able to hide you for as long as you wish. You must promise to not attempt rescue or to even speak. It will alert the enemy to our presence."

"All right. I won't go alone. Yet I'll look. You have my word to not attack anyone." The boy promised.

Gandalf nodded and laid his hands on Eldarion's shoulders. "Take Frodo with you. He can lead you to Aragorn."

Sam would not allow Frodo to go with Eldarion and the Prince suggested both hobbits go. The Fellowship stood apart, with Eldarion, Frodo and Sam holding hands. Gandalf started chanting some words in elvish.

A great mist filled the air and then the three of them disappeared. Gandalf lowered his voice to a whisper and continued chanting. In order for the three of them to remain invisible he had to continue chanting and not be disrupted, meaning that the others could not say words.

In the invisibility world Eldarion could see Frodo and Sam clearly. The others were blurred. "Come on." He murmured fear gripping his heart. Leading the two hobbits the Prince led them towards the tallest boat, which was guard by the most Orcs.

Silently climbing up the ropes at the side the young boy and hobbits climbed aboard. No one saw them. The invisibility spell was working.

Eldarion looked around. He saw a wooden door that was open leading into the bowels of the ship. Signalling to the hobbits Eldarion crept down and through the door. The passage was musty and old. "Is Ada somewhere here?"

Frodo frowned. His shoulder was dimly hurting. Aragorn was near; he could feel it. He nodded. "That way." The hobbit pointed down the passage way and to the left.

Eldarion followed the passage, turned left and came to a door that was bolted. No one was on guard. Smiling to himself the Prince gently pulled back the bolts and stepped inside.

The room was old and smelt of evil. A small inaudible gasp fell from his lips when he saw Aragorn, chained to the wall and unconscious.

"Ada." The Prince felt sorrow flick through his body. "Oh, Ada."

"I can speak to him." Frodo said. "Our minds are connected because of our wounds."

"Go on then Mister Frodo." Sam urged.

"Tell him we are coming for him. Don't let him fall into darkness." Instructed Eldarion.

Frodo closed his eyes tightly and thought what the boy had said and focused his entire energy on his Morgul wound. The other two watched with anticipation running through their bones. Then Aragorn twitched and woke from the darkness of slumber. He looked around him, for he felt another presence in the room with him, but most of all in his head he was hearing Frodo's voice, yet he could not comprehend why.

"Who's there?" he croaked.

Eldarion nearly stepped forward and spoke but Sam stopped him shaking his head and mouthing 'No'. Cursing Gandalf, Eldarion watched hesitantly as Aragorn tried to surmise what was occurring.

"Eldarion? If your there and its not my mind playing tricks on me, please go home. Go back to Minas Tirith. You cannot do anything to save me. Don't try." Aragorn's voice fell silent and he closed his eyes.

Eldarion stood rooted to the spot. His heart was tearing in two! How could he leave his father here? How could he leave and let the King remain? It was not right.

//I will not leave him! I just can't! But how can I?//

The boy stood there for many long moments trying to decide; finally he made his mind up. He would leave. He had made a promise to Gandalf and he intended to keep it. Nodding to Sam and Frodo, Eldarion silently left the boat, all the while his heart was being tore in two as he stepped further and further away from the man that was his father and King.

*****

Gandalf breathed a sigh of relief when he finally stopped his chanting. As he opened his eyes the figures of Eldarion, Frodo and Sam were materialising. He noted the tearful eyes of Eldarion and it occurred to Gandalf that the boy had found it hard to leave his father behind.

"Did you find the Lord Aragorn?" Faramir asked. The others looked up hopeful.

Eldarion nodded. "We did. I…couldn't bring myself to leave him behind. I wanted so badly to stay or at least let him know that we were there."

"You did, through Mister Frodo." Sam said.

"He didn't believe it. The connection Frodo had was not strong enough for Ada to understand who was speaking to him."

"Maybe," Gandalf said, "but he knows something was there." He folded his arms across his chest and stared the boy in the eyes. "What did Aragorn say to you? That has caused you to act so glum?"

Eldarion shrugged. "I suppose…it's the fact that Ada wanted me to go home. That I can't do anything to save him." The boy fell to his knees, grief making his legs buckle.

"Aragorn wouldn't have given up so easily." Legolas said. "He would toy with his captors."

"I'm afraid I see the truth, Legolas. Aragorn is falling into shadow already. He is nearly in the grip of the enemy. We are losing more time then I realised. We must make with much haste to Cirdan. He will have a boat waiting for us. We will rest for a few hours then slip past unnoticed and continue down the river to the sea. That road will take us no more then two days journeying if we hurry." Gandalf said softly.

Nothing more no one had to say, and so they settled down for the night. Gandalf agreed to keep watch for five hours. After that they would leave the area and continue their quest.

Eldarion lay down beside Merry.

Merry had hardly been asleep for a few minutes when he heard the soft sounds of sobbing. Making no noise at all, the hobbit turned over and saw Eldarion crying, small tears were falling down his face. "My Prince?" he whispered so not to disturb the others.

The sobbing of the boy lessened and he looked at Merry. "Yes?"

"You're upset about your choice, aren't you?"

The young man nodded. "I'm just a boy, yet I've been forced to go on this quest! Merry, I couldn't bear it when I saw Ada trapped in that boat surrounding by those foul Orcs. He's been hurt. I would've done anything to get him out of there. But…I had to leave him behind because I was made to. I had to. I didn't want to, but I had to. I would right it all if I could."

"You had to make a choice," Merry advised, feeling important, "We all have to face the consequences of our actions. Such as Frodo did. He took the burden of the Ring and where did it take him? It led him on a perilous journey to a Black Land where it took away his innocence. He left Middle-Earth to heal and that was the consequence of taking the Ring: he left this world because of all the injuries he sustained, and to find healing elsewhere. The choice you made meant that you had to leave Strider behind otherwise you wouldn't get out of there. Eldarion, you have something to do before all this is over. I can sense that. You are important to this world. Life is full of choices and consequences. Sometimes we have to choose the path we least want to tread upon. And yet at the end of them, there may be a light shining saying this is your reward for what you have accomplished by this road. You, my Prince, have barely begun that road, but all the same you are treading it."

A slight smile came to Eldarion's face. "You are very wise Master Hobbit. I thank you for your kindly advice. I feel better now at least a bit."

The rest of the time spent sleeping passed and soon they set out once more on their journey.

TBC

What did you think? Was it good? Exciting? Or utter rubbish? It's one of the chapters that I feel is a bit too far fetched.