~*~Chapter 8~*~
"What is that supposed to mean?!" Aragorn said indignantly, "you haven't pulled me out of anything!"
"What about being knocked out and nearly drowned in that river?"
"The dragon pulled me out of there."
"Well… I did go after you to get you away from her."
"And you ended up almost killing a new friend. In the end I found you."
Legolas thought, "I got you out of my fathers dungeons!"
Aragorn snorted, "And knocked me out in the process!"
The bickering lightened the hobbits mood and he smirked as he listened to the friends throw comments back and forth.
"What was I supposed to do? Walk right passed the guards with you behind me?!"
"You didn't have to choke me!"
"Well, I helped you when you got yourself shot in the shoulder a couple weeks ago!"
Aragorn winced and unconsciously rubbed the sore spot, "I would have been fine."
"You could barely walk when we got back!"
"Maybe… but with the adrenalin I would have been okay."
"And then what once it wore off?"
"The twins were still there, if I remember correctly, they were the ones that helped me onto Elen."
Legolas opened his mouth to reply but ended up closing his mouth and sighing, "Let's just keep it at we've helped each other plenty… it what friends do right?"
"Exactly."
There was silence for a little while as everyone examined their surroundings.
"Legolas… who won?"
The elf blinked, "Won what?"
"My dwarf rock… or your broccoli tree?"
The elf burst out laughing and the comment even got the wizard chuckling, the hobbit though, was simply confused, though he wisely decided not to ask.
"Let's just call it a draw."
Aragorn nodded and paused, "You still haven't gotten me back for the bugs…"
Legolas snorted, "The hair?"
"Ada fixed it." // Dad //
"Well, yeah, but it lasted longer than your honeyed bugs."
"True…"
"Are these some kinda odd pranks you two play on each otha?"
Aragorn smirked, "Trust me when I say it's not *nearly* as innocent as it sounds."
"You cheat," the elf said with a mock glare.
"There are no rules with pranks as long as you don't kill each other with them."
Legolas nodded slowly.
"I'm still beating you," Aragorn said, "it's too bad Halbarad left… you needed the help."
"How are you still beating me?" he ignored the last comment.
"I got your hair too."
Legolas sighed, "Right."
Terrian cleared his throat and the other two's gazes shot over to him, suddenly remembering they weren't alone.
"Uh… sorry…" Aragorn muttered.
Legolas simply nodded before turning away to look at where they were headed.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"We will stop for tonight, we all need rest."
Legolas went to protest but the wizard interrupted him without even looking.
"You as well Legolas. Though you are an elf it does not mean you can go forever without rest."
The elf grumbled but nodded.
Aragorn snickered, "Sounds like you do need the rest my friend."
The hobbit smiled then yawned.
Aragorn glanced over at the wizard, "Aye Mithrandir… we do need the rest."
He jumped over the side of the cart and pulled out his pack, quickly laying out his bedroll, once he was finished Legolas tapped him on the shoulder.
"Aye Legolas?"
"The hobbit can use my bedroll, I do not need it and he's sick. I'm saying only what Lord Elrond told me, the sick need warmth."
"I know Legolas," Aragorn said with a smirk, "but I thank you."
Legolas smiled and nodded, "I'd rather sleep in the tree's anyway."
"Tree… there's only one here…"
Legolas rolled his eyes.
Aragorn helped the small hobbit into Legolas's bedroll before climbing into his own, falling asleep only just after the hobbit.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Aragorn shot up, only just registering the feeling before all went blank. A bright flash and then darkness. That was all he could see. After a moment the darkness lifted… in a way… more like cleared away slowly before closing in quickly again and slowly clearing again. He realized with a start it was like he was seeing this out of someone else's eyes. Then realized he could feel things. He started when everything clicked; the being was bonded and tied to a tree. When he looked around he saw the odd carts and the slavers. He was glad they seemed to be sleeping. He blinked, counting them, four of them were missing and he guessed they were either guarding him or patrolling the area.
He was quite startled when thoughts he knew weren't his ran through his head, the first being, - I'm losing my mind. –
Aragorn would have blinked had he any control of his… or the other being's eyes.
- I'm thinking things that make almost no sense. -
Aragorn blinked, - A-ada?- // d-dad? //
The elf's eyes widened.
Aragorn struggled with his words, trying to get what he wanted to say through but having a hard time doing it.
- Who? -
It seemed that was all the elf could think at the time.
- It's… E-estel…I… am so-sorry… I s-eem to b-e having… tr-trouble… figure-ing this… out, – he sighed, finally.
It seemed to take the elf a while to figure out what was said… though it could have simply been from shock. If it weren't for the situation Aragorn would have laughed.
- When?! Why… I mean… how? -
- V-vision…s…, - He sighed, - th-this is…reall-y a-annoying…-
Elrond had to smile at that.
- N-no… seri-ously… it feels… like I've b-been unconsci-ous for… a week. -
- You have been having visions? -
- Aye… f-first time… at… Weath-ertop… th-then again… at B-bree… this will b-be my… thir-d. -
- This is not normal for a vision… -
- I kn-know that… b-but I p-promise… - he stopped when he felt a jolt, - w-was that… y-you or m-me? -
- What? –
- Obviousl-y… me. –
He sighed, - H-hobbit must have… w-woken up… probab-ly terr-ified… p-poor thing… -
- Hobbit? -
- Met… in Bree… l-long story sh-short, he's travel-ing with us… I-I'll tell you the wh-whole thing wh-en I c-can s-speak proper-ly… -
The elf nodded, unable to be seen by the other men but Aragorn felt it and smiled.
Then he asked worriedly, - A-are you… okay? –
The elf sighed slightly.
- I mean… w-will you… b-be alr-ight until hel-p arrives? -
- Of course I will. –
His vision started fading, - I'm g-going! S-sorry… -
With that he gasped and blinked at the sudden light, "Ai!"
"Oh Strider! Are you okay? You've been out for quite some time!"
"Aye Terr… I am fine," he answered quietly.
"You're sure?"
"Yes," he glanced over at Legolas, "Elrond is doing okay… or so he says…"
"Says?" Legolas asked, "How could he tell you?"
"I don't truly know, except I suddenly found myself… I don't know… 'merged' with him I suppose… odd experience…" he growled, "especially when you can't speak clearly… well, think."
A/N
Elven Kitten: Hey hey!!!!! This chapter was oddly fun to write. ^_^ Hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Elf Side: Let's talk after we get the replies done…
E.K.: Okay!
Kandice- PS2 is cool 2. But… oh my gosh… u have a RotK game and u haven't played it yet?!?!?!?!?! HOW???????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is that possible?????!!!!!?!?! I like the way he spaces out too! …he doesn't though… lol.
SilverKnight7- -.-… yes master…
Aut-of-Mandos- Pranks are torture when you are on the receiving end… ^_^ and I'm glad u like my hobbit! Thanx! ^_^ and yes… though all in different ways… lol.
Tsuki no Lomelinde- dusk singing? Neat name! ^_^ I'm glad u enjoy my story! Lol, glad u like my arguments with myself too. ^_^.
leggylover03- Well if I told u what happened it would ruin the story! No, u gotta wait like everyone else. Lol.
mascara freak- Yes, the evil cheese is gone. Lol. The hobbits? Well, one other hobbit will be. The beard dying would be hilarious but I really don't think angering a wizard is a good thing… lol.
hobbitfan2- So glad u liked my little hobbit! I like him. ^_^ is good question. I'm gonna explain down below cuz a couple people now wanna know and I hate repeating myself… ^_^ Namaarie!
E.K.: Okay, so as I promised, the four hobbits from the books/movies are NOT going to be in this one. Extremely sorry but when I looked it up in my book even Frodo isn't born at this time. They will be in a future book I'm sure but I can't say when. Although I intend to put Bilbo in it! ^_^
E.S.: Ah yes, hobbit number 5, the commonly overlooked one…
Gollum Side: *Snigger*
E.K.: It's not funny it's unfortunate! Though he was kinda wacked in the LotR, he was cool in The Hobbit.
E.S.: Aye.
G.S.: *Shifty eyes* isss the cheesse gone??
E.K.: *Rolls eyes* Yes! The cheese is gone.
E.S.: Well… we'd write longer but somethin' just came up so namaarie.
~Elenmeoi