AN: Me again. Thanks to all who are reviewing. Thanks to Annakas for giving me a much needed grammer lesson. I'll try to remember that. Ok, on to the story. Estel's going home and does anyone recognize his Ranger friend?
Chapter 15
Found
Estel stretched his shoulders, moving them as much as he could without disturbing the bandages. Halbarad was already up and dressed.
" Are you feeling up to leaving?"
Aragorn nodded.
" Aye, I believe my shoulders should sustain a sword or bow."
Halbarad motioned on his bed. Aragorn pulled out a sword. It was not as light as the Elvish ones, but it would make due.
" I do not usually use bows, but I found one in a shop," Halbarad replied.
" It is Elvish made."
Halbarad looked away.
" They said an Elf made it before he died of grief."
Aragorn sighed, looking towards the northwest where Imladris was.
" I hope my family does not," he said softly.
Halbarad stood, motioning for Aragorn to sit and eat.
" Your brothers will not think you dead," Halbarad lifted a message, " I will send it to Lothlorien. They told me to send all messages there."
" Wait," Aragorn stood.
Lothlorien, Arwen. He needed to write her a letter.
" I need to send a message there also."
" To whom?" Halbarad asked.
Aragorn flushed.
" My own business."
" Tell me of her."
" She is their sister, the Evenstar," Aragorn conceded.
" You and the lady Arwen," Halbarad shook his head, " I learn something new everyday. Last I heard, she was deep in grief from the death of her beloved."
" That is why I must send her a note, so she knows I am not dead," Aragorn replied.
Halbarad handed Aragorn some paper and a pen. Aragorn thought for a moment before scribbling furiously. He folded it carefully, and then handed it to Halbarad. Halbarad took it, leaving the room.
The Ranger strode towards the messenger.
" Where are you headed?"
" Minas Tirth, sir," the messenger replied.
" Take a detour to the boundaries of Lothlorien. Deliver these," Halbarad gave him a few gold coins.
The messenger nodded. Halbarad turned to walk off. The messenger grinned at the coins, throwing the letters into a nearby fire as he galloped off. There was no way he was going near that bewitched forest.
~*~
" So where do we go first?" Aragorn asked, trotting the horse beside Halbarad.
" I must go to my captain to report you and your business with me. I am sure that then he will contact Elladan and Elrohir," Halbarad answered.
Aragorn glanced back one last time at the small community. He saw 2 riders coming in, but quickly turned his head back towards Halbarad, pushing his horse into a fast gallop away from there.
~*~
" Hey, Elfie, come to find you friend?" a voice called.
Legolas swung around to see the man that spoke to him.
" You speak to me?" Legolas asked.
" Are there any other Elves here?"
Legolas' eyes flashed at the smart comment.
" What do you mean, other Elf?" Mithrandir asked.
" A dark haired one, found him while we was with a Ranger to kill some orcs. He says he can speak to trees. A bit loony in the head if you ask me," the man chuckled, " I saw him first and he was rightfully mine, but the Ranger spouted off something that if I touched the Elf, I would have the most powerful Elf-lord trying to kill me. I don't rightly know if that's the truth thought. Lost a pretty one."
Legolas' lips curled slightly in disgust at the vulgar man. Mithrandir was having a hard time trying to decide if he should be angry or laugh.
" Well, ain't it true or not?"
Legolas was snapped to attention.
" If his name was Estel, then yes, you would have had Lord Elrond, brother of your first king, Elros, upon your hide," Legolas nodded.
" Don't rightly know about no king," the man spit a long stream of a brown liquid.
Legolas' disgust was quickly becoming apparent. Mithrandir cut off his chuckle.
" Where is the Elf now?"
" Can't rightly say, but for a price-"
Legolas pulled the man up by his shirt, hitting him against the stable wall. He brandished a knife dangerously close to the man's face.
" Where is he? I am not easily angered, but you are the only person standing in my way to find my lord's son," Legolas hissed.
The man was stark scared.
" They went to the inn, but left this morning. Might try the Ranger's camp about 12 miles from here."
Legolas let him drop back into his seat.
" Thank you, I wish you well. Namarië," Legolas sent them a smile, remounting.
The man rubbed his shirt and neck with a sigh watching them leave.
" Dem Elves are a dangerous bunch, they are."
~*~
Aragorn felt at ease instantly among the other Rangers. They welcomed him warmly, hearing he was the foster brother of the twins.
" I am Dornier, the captain of this group. Elladan and Elrohir have taken a long leave. There was a death in the family," the stern man said when Halbarad mentioned the twins.
" Are they in Imladris?"
A Ranger ran in.
" Mithrandir's here sir. He's asking bout Estel."
Aragorn ran out.
~*~
Legolas dismounted, feeling out of place among the men. A figure pushed away a tent flap and ran towards the horses.
" Legolas?"
Legolas just stared, unable to move.
" Estel?" he whispered.
Estel slid to a stop in front of them, a boyish grin on his face.
" Look at you, the last time I saw you, you were almost dead," Aragorn said.
" You lived? Aragorn, it has been months and you never sent word," Legolas replied.
A ranger had joined them. His brow furrowed at that.
" That, my friend, is a lie. I gave the letters to a messenger personally to ensure they would be delivered to Lothlorien," he shook his head.
" No such letters were received," Legolas shook his head.
" Tis strange," the ranger shook his head, " I am Halbarad. I was in the party that your friend stumbled into."
" May Varda smile upon you," Legolas replied, " We must get you to Imladris as soon as possible. We have been trying to find the Ranger's and searching Edain settlements for the last 2 months."
" What is the hurry?" Halbarad asked.
Legolas paused.
" Elrond is dying."
~*~
Arwen entered the gates and looked around with a sigh. Her grandmother caressed her shoulder comfortingly.
" Arwen?" Elrohir ran out, " Grandmother, you must see to Elladan. He…"
Galadriel pulled her grandson close, tipping up his chin.
" They will be fine."
" You do not understand," Elrohir replied, " The fading has begun."
Galadriel's face turned serious.
Glorfindel sat on the bed in Estel's room, emotionless he carefully watched the lord. Glorfindel looked at the iron clutch on the animal, the old floppy wolf that had seen Estel through so many nightmares.
" Elrond," he called softly, trying to wake the lord.
No response came. Glorfindel checked for a pulse and then backed away.
" Êlenrana, Êlenrana," Glorfindel ran into the hallway, yelling as loudly as he could.
He looked over the Elvin heads, trying to find his wife and then gave up, running back inside.
" Why in all of bloody Arda does this always happen to me? I am no healer. Elrond, come on now. Wake up for me," Glorfindel coaxed.
No response came. Glorfindel ran back into the hallway.
" Êlenrana," the sorrowful yell turned all heads.
Glorfindel smiled sheepishly.
" Sorry, just go on with your business. Trying to find my wife. Ignore me."
~*~
Galadriel bent beside the unconscious Elladan. She looked up gravely.
" I can only sustain his life for another day."
Elrohir breathed in quickly. Arwen wrapped her arms around him. Feet came clamoring down the hallway.
" Êlenrana," Glorfindel peeked his head in, " Not Elladan too."
" What do you mean?" Galadriel stood.
" Elrond, he will not wake up and if I could find that wife of mine, I am sure she could do something," Glorfindel's head disappeared, " By the Valar, Êlenrana, where in all of Arda are you?"
" What is it, Herven? Even my mother could hear your yells. You probably have deafened her," Êlenrana's irritated voice came, " I was happily napping, if you do not mind."
Êlenrana had become sleepy a lot as of late. Everyone there suspected her to be pregnant again, but the sleepiness was more so caused by the loss of it.
" It is Elrond. He is passing," Glorfindel grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him.
Galadriel sprinted off behind them, proving the stories of her real name Nerwen to be true with the quickness she ran with.
" Well, sis, I believe I need to go find Mithrandir."
~*~
" Oh sure, take a short cut through Caradhas. Good idea, Legolas," Aragorn yelled.
" It is the quickest route," Legolas shouted back, not missing a beat with his swords.
" To where, Mandos?" Aragorn screamed back, his sword angrily slicing orcs.
" I have been trapped in here before. You need not worry," Legolas shouted back, " Mithrandir, can you not do something? A shadow is falling over my mind."
Gandalf merely smiled sadly.
" I am sorry, but I cannot," he fought himself, wielding his sword and staff.
Aragorn muttered a few curses when a sword snaked across his back. It was still tender from the whipping.
The orcs began to thin out. Whether that was due to their fighting or just the orcs realizing there was not a decent meal there. Legolas bent beside Aragorn, quickly removing his shirt. Legolas' quick intake made Aragorn remember the bandage still there.
" What happened?" Legolas softly removed the bandage, trying to stop the bleeding also.
" Orcs, they whipped me," Aragorn whispered.
Legolas' heart clenched at the ripped flesh that had not been cut off. Mithrandir caught the Elf's paleness with a tint of green adding to his skin. The wizard took over for Legolas, quickly treating the place.
" Come. We have lost a day's time."
AN: Will they get there in time? Will Elrond live? Elladan?