Severity of Silence
Summary: The race of Elves has been wiped out by a group of humans set on Genocide. Arathron, King of Gondor attacked that group and ended their assault on the oldest beings in Middle Earth, but it was too late, only a few survivors remain. Three survivors have taken refuge in the city of Gondor, helping the King and his family. Yet when the destructive group begins to arise again, what will the King do when their leader is within his walls?
Definition of Genocide: The wipe out of a whole race of beings. This is what Hitler was doing when he began the Holocaust.
Rating: PG-13
Author note: As you can tell this is an AU. I'm studying the Holocaust in History and I was thinking about it and now I made it into my own twisted story. No there is no Major Holocaust reference, but there is talk of Genocide. So I hope you enjoy this fic and please review. Please keep in mind this is an AU!!!!
Chapter 1: The end of a race
" And when the second generation fell the first born left this world to return to their home in the Undying lands." Elrond concluded his lecture and looked about the class, watching as the few children who were still awake rubbed their eyes and forced them to remain open. Sighing in defeat Elrond picks up a large leather-bound book and slams it on the desk, startling the group of six students from their mid-day nap.
" Faramir, what was the word for eliminating a whole race?" He asks the Stewards youngest boy, a young child all of twelve with shoulder-length curly hair and eyes a dark blue. The boy gives me a shocked look and squints his eyes shut, face scrunching in concentration.
" I don't know, Sir." He finally gives up and I nod my head.
" You would young one if you were actually paying attention instead of checking you eyelids for holes. Now can anyone answer this simple question?" he looks about the class once more, seeing the stewards older boy, Boromir looking over his notes as he tried to find the word. Aragorn is the first one to raise his hand, the young man of sixteen years with dark hair and bright icy eyes.
" Yes Aragorn?" he indicates for the boy to answer with his hand.
" Genocide?" he says, his voice sounding hopeful. Elrond nods and his face lights up in a beaming smile that seems to light the very courtyard. Looking over at the sundial the teacher sighs, figuring he should allow them out for the day since it was after mid-day meal already.
" Class dismissed. I want to see you all here tomorrow same time." He calls to them as the youths take off from their benches and race away as fast as possible. The Lord Teacher turns around and gathers up his own books and put them into a satchel when his sensitive ears pick up the sound of light shaking of the branches from the tree above him. Looking up Elrond finds a blonde haired youth perched on the branch, looking down at him with an amused smile upon his face.
" Ah, young Legolas. Enjoy the class I take it?" I ask the elfling who is cautiously climbing down from the tree, his blue eyes dancing with laughter as he gazes at the older Elf. The youth nods and grabs the elder's bag, shouldering the heavy books with ease and carrying them back into the castle.
{Elrond}
Legolas brings my books to our chamber and drops them on the desk where he sits in the chair and smiles, his long blonde hair pulled back from his face in a tight braid and bound with leather string. Yet small golden wisps fall into his eyes making him scrunch his nose in annoyance. He shakes his head and finally brings a callused hand to brush the offending hair away. Watching this slightly amused I sit on the bed and take up my own brush and call to the boy
" Come here and I'll do your braids." Legolas gives me a look but slowly gets up from the chair and plops on my bed, his back facing me. Untying the many strands I brush the hair free of snarls and then re-braid it, making sure that it is tight and won't come loose. I am about to tie the braid off when the door to my chamber opens and Glorfindel walks in, his cloak streaming behind him as he stalks to where his bed is and lays down on it, spread eagle and sighs contently. Legolas crawls to the end of my bed and crouches, watching the Elven guard closely and in one fluid movement is sailing through the air right onto the guard's chest, making the Elf basically loose his breath from the youth's weight. The small blonde starts to attack the larger one with assaulting hands searching for ticklish spots, finding them and making the elder squirm.
" Well, he seems in a better mood today." Glorfindel comments as he holds onto the youth's hands and fights to get them to his sides. I smile and nod, allowing myself to gaze at the only survivor of the Mirkwood Elves. When the final wave of hell-bent humans breached Thranduil's barriers he put his youngest son onto a horse and sent the beast of Rivendell where the creature dropped dead from exhaustion. The tiny then, prince clung to the stallion's mane with tight fingers. Watching him now you would never know he saw the things he did, or watched so much destruction. Yet those few years of living in the cages of the humans took their toll on the boy and has caused him to become silent. Legolas hasn't spoken a word in fifteen years, where both Glorfindel and I have become so use to his silence we developed our own way for him to 'talk' with us. Makes it harder on the other staff in the Castle because they don't know him like we do, but there are some that have taken the time to learn.
" Yes he is, I think it was the rain that caused that sour mood." I offer and watch as Glorfindel presents a few charcoal bits from his Jerkin and hands them to the blonde youth who takes them with a large smile and a hug before going to his side of the room and grabbing some parchment.
" Well the last of the humans have been hanged today." Glorfindel says sadly and looks down at the sheets on his bed, eyes stormy silver.
" And?" I ask, knowing there is more than to his inner turmoil. Glorfindel looks at me and shakes his head before gazing back at Legolas.
" I know they are responsible for the slaughter of our people Elrond, but I don't see why we had to kill them." He says sadly. I shake my head and stand up to go over to my desk and unpack my books, preparing for the night.
" We may not have killed them all you know. Although they the ones who committed the crimes are dead, the hatred they spawned is still there." I tell him and put my satchel back on the shelf where it can be easily found. A rough knock comes at the door and I cock an eyebrow at Glorfindel who gets up to answer, he speaks softly with the person before closing the door and turning to Legolas.
" Penneth, they are in need to your expertise in the stables with a few Rohan stallions. Jerald says for you to come quickly." He tells the youth and he shakes his head and races out the door, his light step carrying him swiftly to the stable. He smiles and sits back down, allowing the happy mask that usually is in place on his face falls as he saddens.
" Come my friend, don't do this to yourself. Let's go keep an eye on Legolas." I clap the elf on the shoulder and pulling our cloak hoods over our heads we head off for the stables as well.
{Aragorn}
"I wonder why Lord Elrond didn't leave when the rest of his people were killed." I think out-loud and the two boys beside me stop and turn to look at me. Boromir snorts and crosses his arms.
" Maybe he helped kill his people." He offers and I give him a look. I don't know why anyone would want to kill their own Kin and I highly doubt that Elrond killed that many Elven people.
" I don't think so." I smile and shake my head, continuing down the path to the stables where our horses are tied. The paths around my home are not like other ones, they are actually terraces which spiral down ward. The highest level is the castle while the lower ones are the markets and commoners housing. All in all Gondor isn't much different from other kingdoms. It has a King and an heir, which is me. A captain of Guard, which is the only Elf from a place, called 'Lorthlorien', and an advisor that is also Elrond of Rivendell.
" Hey… there goes the Silent Shadow." Faramir says and his older brother gives him a withering glare.
" Why are you here anyway?" He asks his younger sibling and Faramir ducks a punch aimed at his head. I laugh slightly at this exchange, never having any siblings since my mother died so soon after my birth and my father never took another as his queen and wife. My eye catches a glint of gold as it races past and I watch the Elven youth run toward the stables, his lithe body barely touching the ground.
" Let's go have some fun." Boromir says, stalking off in the direction Elrond's adopted son went. Faramir follows never wanting to miss a chance to see his older brother beat someone up. I slowly walk behind them an uneasy feeling coming over my mind as I notice both Glorfindel and Elrond walking up the path behind their son. Deciding I wouldn't do anything but watch for those two I follow after my friends a bit quicker, wanting to warn them about Elrond. Telling the attackers that danger is near isn't actually helping them is it?
{Legolas}
The paths throughout the castle are easy to navigate, but at first I was constantly getting lost on my way to the stables. This place has become like a second home to me, the very smell is inviting and warm while the horses' 'speech' is soothing and entertaining. Elrond says I have a special gift, the gift of 'animal speech' where I can hear the animals in my head and I know what they are feeling. Yet I can speak to them but I can't speak to my own people, the gods have played a cruel trick upon me. The stable is in my line of view, Jerald is struggling to keep three Rohan stallions from breaking the hitching post as I come upon the area. The stable is a large building with about sixty stalls large enough to hold a charger comfortably, with a large loft that is used as storage for both food, horse armor and hay. The center is made of white stone like the castle itself and the stalls made of a deep red wood that has been stained darker by the horse's wastes.
" Ah Legolas! Thank the gods! Help me here." Jerald sighs and I take hold of the reins and begin 'speaking' with the horse, asking it what is wrong only to get a basic 'I hate you all' from the beast. Wrapping my hands more firmly around the leather strap I hold on tightly as the beast thrashes its mighty head in means to get me to let go, but I grit my teeth and dig my heels into the ground. This goes on for about ten minutes when finally the stallion gives up and shakes his lowered head as he submits to his treatment. Nodding to Jerald and another groom I lead the stallion to his box, untacking him and brushing his copper hide. The stallion snorts and stomps his foot but says and does nothing else, I smile contently and continue to brush his hide. Finishing with that task I climb the ladder to the loft, the stallion's feed bucket in hand and open the food bin, frowning at the small amount left. Groaning inwardly I heft the large barrel and dump more food into the bin, filling it to the brim. Once his bucket is filled I mix the grain with some herb oil extract, a calming herb to make the stallion less stressed and at ease. Grabbing a smaller bail of hay I head back down the ladder, tossing the bale of hay down before me. Opening the stallion's door I slip inside and replace the feed bucket, which the stallion takes notice too and shoves my hands aside with his roman nose and begins to crunch on the grain. I smile and scratch behind the beasts' ear before exiting the box and picking up the tack. Going into the Tack box I quickly drop the saddle on the bench and bridal beside it. Each saddle bench has a number, matching the number on the stall. I made this system because the grooms were always messing up which bit belonged to what horse and such, this way there is no problem.
" Legolas? Where are you?" I hear someone yell and I grab a brush from the desk and bang it on the wall, alerting the caller to where I am. Jerald and Arwen come in, their faces both angered and saddened. Giving them a questioning look I get the response from Arwen
" Boromir is antagonizing the colts again. We asked him to stop but he wouldn't." he says and I roll my eyes, getting to my feet while grabbing a ridding crop from the hooks. Jerald smiles at this for he already knows what I have done in the past to people who have annoyed my crop of babies. Going out to the south field I quickly spot the older son of the Steward and march across to him. He turns to find me glaring at him angrily.
{Aragorn}
I arrive just in time to see Legolas walk over to Boromir who was holding onto a young colt's halter and pulling on his elegant ears. Faramir yanks me down to where he crouches in the bushes, watching the scene. Legolas is holding a ridding crop and swings it gently as his side in annoyance while Boromir holds tighter to the halter, preventing the young horse from racing away. Boromir says something to the blonde Elf and knowing full well the other won't respond he takes a step closer, almost up in the trainer's face. The Elf doesn't flinch, only raises the crop and brings it hard down on the rail, making a hard, loud smacking sound that the colt jumps at and backs away from, pulling Boromir up and over the fencing, where he falls on the ground in a heap in the mud. I put a hand over my mouth to stop my laughter but there is no point for Faramir bursts out laughing, almost falling over. Boromir picks himself up off the ground and growls something at the silent elf and then launches himself over the fence and tackles the elf to the ground, making him squirm and fight. Jumping from the bushes I meet with Arwen and Jerald, who are now rushing to help their friend.
" Prince Aragorn?!" Arwen yells, startled and surprised by my appearance at this scuffle. I give her an innocent look before going over to where Boromir is punching the grounded elf repeatedly in the ribs. Yanking back on his arms I haul the larger boy off the trainer and stare down at the elf now coughing wetly on the ground. He glares at us before getting slowly to his feet, wincing as his ribs protest. He picks up the broken crop and begins to walk back to the stable as I hold Boromir back.
" You should be ashamed of yourself. After all he's seen and been through the last thing he needs is another human beating up on him." Arwen seeths and hitches up her dress tails and races after the blonde, her dark hair blowing behind her as she races along. Jerald gives me a sad look before following at a light jog. I shake my head and turn the other boy around to face me, his mouth turned up in a smirk.
" How dare you attack him!" I shout in Boromir's face, eyes narrowing dangerously. He only shrugs and roughly breaks my hold.
" It was fun. An Elf should know his place in a society of humans." He seethes and walks off, Faramir following him closely. Looking out into the pasture I notice the colt that Boromir was holding is rearing and jumping about, his lithe black body making him look like a shadow that was given a living form. I look in the direction that Legolas and the others went and gasp when I see Elrond and Glorfindel race over to the now kneeling boy. Jogging over to the place they all are I watch as Legolas lowers his head, blonde hair sweeping the ground and breathes hard before lifting his head up and locking bluish-silver eyes with mine, making a cold shudder pass down my spine.
" Aragorn, leave us now." Elrond orders and I take a step back, still watching the Elf's eyes, so filled with betrayal and pain. Blinking rapidly I sigh when the pale eyes close and can not look at me any longer. Elrond whispers something to Glorfindel and the captain nods then turns to me.
" Come young one, you need not be here." He says and indicates with his hands to begin down the path. With one final look at the trainer I do, the large blonde elf following me closely.
{Arathorn}
" He did what?" I ask the captain of my guard in bewilderment. The Elven warrior only nods and sighs before looking out the window.
" I don't think he was a direct part of the attack, but he was there. Arwen and Jerald both can say he didn't lay a hand on Legolas." He defends my son, who is sitting dejectedly in the cloth chair near the fire. I cast hard eyes upon my sixteen-year-old and vaguely wonder what would have become of him is his mother was alive. He might not be so adventurous and out-going but then again, he might have been.
" Aragorn I am disappointed with you." I scold the child and he lowers his gray eyes in shame. But when I am about to continue his eyes snap up, a fierce defiance within their depths.
" I had no part of that attack father! That was all Boromir's fault." He protests and I groan. The steward's oldest boy was just a bully, always picking on the other people under him.
" How many times did I tell you not to hang around with him?" I ask, my voice becoming more annoyed with this situation. The youth looks back down at the ground and sighs. Reining in my annoyance to a decent level I address my son.
" You are not to be anywhere near Boromir anymore, and if you are caught seen with him you will be in a bigger hole than you know. Your punishment for being apart of this attack is…" I break off when I realize that I didn't think of that yet. Looking at my Elven Captain for help I see the slight incline of his head toward the stable eve and I smile knowingly.
" Your punishment is to work with Legolas and Jerald in the stables and do whatever they tell you, until I tell you otherwise. Break this and you will be forced to do much worse. Mark my words boy and mark them well." I scold the boy and then go to the door, pulling the oak opening open before turning back to the child
" Now I need to return to my meeting with the representive from Rohan. I hope you learn from this Aragorn." I nod to Glorfindel who walks out behind me and closes the door. Down the hall I turn to the Elf and smile slyly.
" Good idea."
" I try." He laughs but sobers when we enter the room where the Rohan Heir, Prince Theoden is waiting with two guards. Smiling at the three I nod for Glorfindel to close the chamber doors.
{Elrond}
"It's not your fault." I try and sooth the distraught stable hand now huddled at the base of Legolas' bed, his eyes red and swollen from crying. Arwen is sitting on the bed, holding one of the Elf's hands and saying soothing words in his native language. Although the young maiden isn't Elven kind she has taken the time to learn some of the language, she has earned the respect of both Glorfindel and I and friendship of Legolas. Arwen stops her singing and looks over at me and Jerald, her eyes sad and angry all at the same time.
" Jerald you did what was right. Legolas didn't have to smack the crop on the post and make that colt jump. Besides Boromir deserved to be pulled into the muck." She says and the youth stops his sobbing, ending it with a few shuddering breaths before wiping his eyes and smiling. Slightly confused at this sudden change I look over at the bed and see Legolas now sitting put, rubbing his face with his hands.
" Welcome back young one." I smile and go quickly to his bedside, pressing my hand against the injured rib and earning a wince and glare from the youth. He rolls his pale eyes and I sit back, allowing him room to grab a parchment piece and some charcoal. Quickly he wrote a message to the other two
" I'm fine and Jerald don't be blaming yourself. We need to get back to work with the colts, the King is going to need them for his men before Spring." He wrote and pushed it for us all to see. Once I read the part about the colts I shook my head.
" You're not doing anything with those horses, not for a good two days." Legolas gives me a shocked look and then sighs.
"Okay, well maybe Jerald you can lunge-line them with a saddle on first." He writes and hands the note to Jerald who reads it and nods.
"No problem, rest up were going to need you back in the barn soon." He says and claps the blonde elf on the shoulder before leaving to do his nightly work in the barn. Arwen bits her lip and gets off the bed, her pale green dress making a sweeping sound across the floor.
"I should be off also. I'll see you soon Legolas. Rest well." She gives him a light kiss on the forehead and walks out, her dress swaying. Once the door is closed I turn to look at my charge that is leaning back on the pillows with an unhappy glint in his eye.
" I'm sorry little one, but I can not allow you to re-injure that rib when getting on and off horses. In the morning we shall see how you fare and maybe I'll allow you to go to the barn and groom." Legolas smiles and nods his head happily before wincing.
" Now rest little one and we shall see what the day brings tomorrow." I squeeze his hand and close the curtain he has around his bed and going over to my desk I prepare to correct parchments and get my lessons ready for tomorrows class.
Immortal Sadness: How did everyone like it?
Arwen Slayer: Damn her… I F*cking hate her…
Dhampir: I thought it wasn't bad… and she's NOT a real person you freak! It's just a character! Man your obsessed.
Arwen Slayer: SHE TOOK MY ARAGORN!
Immortal Sadness: Yes sadly these are real people. They helped me write this and get the ball rolling on this fic.
Dhampir: What do you mean 'Sadly'?
Immortal Sadness: Oh nothing… anyway, please tell us how you feel about it. If it sucked, blew, or flat out should be deleted please feel free to tell us.
Dhampir: Yes and Flames shall be used as means to torch people's houses so please beware.
Arwen Slayer: Hey! Where is that sword you bought? Wait never mind I found it!
Immortal Sadness & Dhampir: 0.0 NOT GOOD!
Immortal Sadness: REVIEW PLEASE! Please? REVIEW! Tell us what you think!
Character ages
Aragorn: 16
Boromir: 16
Faramir: 14
Arwen: who is HUMAN in this story: 16
Arathorn: 40
Elrond: (In human years) 39
Glorfindel: (In human years) 35
Legolas: (Human years) 16-17
Jerald: (OC) 13
Horses
Amakusa: Arathorn's charger
Merciner: Glorfindel's stallion
Leesil: Elrond's stallion
Saipan: Legolas' gelding. (A name of an island near Japan. Or something like that.)
Wyne: Aragorn's mare.