Struggle
Elrond let his horse slow, catching Legolas' head tilt. He waited patiently for teh Prince to turn back. GLorfindel nudged him. "We are going to scare them to Mandos." Elrond chuckled. " So? We may find Estel in the process."~*~ Legolas looked back again. " Something draws near." Arwen turned. " What?" " Something, 2 people to be exact, are nearly upon us, in the brush over there," Legolas turned his head behind them, " They have followed us since Imladris." Arwen shrugged. " They would have done harm earlier while we slept." Legolas turned his horse on. he glanced back one last time before pushing into a canter after teh headstrong Elf.~*~ Aragorn leaned into a tree, watching 2 pitiful men try to fight. He sighed, shaking his head. A child could fight better. " Does something bother you, Thoringil?" Aragorn looked up at Denethor. He sighed silently. * Would someone please get him off my back? " No sir." Denethor stepped closer. " Why do you not come out next?" Aragorn shrugged. " Against me." Aragorn almost chuckled. Those words were most likely supposed to put fear in him. He shrugged slightly, standing a little from teh tree. " As you wish, sir." " Are you scared? You hesitated." Aragorn looked up, trying to conceal the laughter within him. " Take it as you wish." Aragorn unsheathed his sword, hearing the murmers when the recruits noted it was Elvin made. The men formed a large circle around them as Denethor took out his sword also. Aragorn switched to his right hand, his worst. Denethor grinned, able to use his best hand. " Good luck." Aragorn nodded. " Likewise to you, sir." Aragorn stood, his sword out warily, not moving, simply watching. First rule of Elvin swordplay: Let them attack first. They will reveal their weakness in the first stroke. Denethor tested the almost bored man. Aragorn deflected the strong blows easily, seeming not to of even moved. Denethor's brow furrowed. He had not expected the recruit to be so calm. He lashed out. Aragorn moved quickly. While he was slow in Elvish terms, he was lightening wuick to men. Denethor was stronger though, sronger than Elladan. Aragorn fell back over a stick, still fighting from the ground. Denethor bent over him. " Give?" Aragorn shook his head with an impish grin. " Never." He switched hands, causing Denethor to awkwardly try and deflect the blows. The metal moved like lightening in Aragorn's hand. " You are not just a recruit," Denethor hissed between labored breaths. " And what is that to you, sir?" " I wonder why someone like you has not been noticed before." Aragorn's eyes shadowed. He needed to end this quickly, before the memories found him. He flicked his sword sharply. Denethor dropped his sword with a loud curse wringing his pricked hand. The soldiers cheered at teh entertainment. Aragorn handed Denethor his sword. " Well done, sir." Denethor caught arms with Aragorn. " We will speak alone now, Thoringil." Aragorn groaned. What had he gotten himself into? * I should have lost. Maybe then i could have remained in the shadows.~*~ Legolas looked back again. Arwen glanced up from teh fire. " Would you stop that?" Legolas sent her a hard look. " There is something out there and i value my life greatly. They are silently now though. I suspect i shall hear them when they are near." Legolas leaned back slightly. " Are we close enough to hear?" Legolas breathed in, looking at the sword at his neck and not daring to move. Arwen set aside her bow seeing another come from teh shadows with his fixed on her. She looked between their hooded captors. One seemed to be chuckling. " Who are you?" Arwen demanded.~*~ Elrond tried to hold back another chuckle at the young Elves wide eyes. He let down his hood.~*~ Arwen's eyes widened. " Ada? It was Legolas' idea." " Me?" Elrond burst into laughter, before he re-composed himself into his stern lord form. " I heard you leave, Undomiel. Both Legolas and YOU together," Elrond shook his head, " Glorfindel will be taking you to Lorien where you will remain until i send for you." Arwen sighed, knowing there was no negotiating. " Yes, Adar." GLorfindel sheathed his sword, pulling off his hood. " What about you and Legolas, Elrond?" Elrond shrugged. " I am going to pay a visit to Gilraen. I beleive she went to Minas Tirth to see it one-..." Elrond abrutply cut off, " Again, i mean." " What of me?" Legolas's eyes widened, " Oh, please do not send me home. I will go to Mordor, just do not send me back to Mirkwood." Elrond shook his head. " I would do that to you. You are coming with me."~*~ Denethor looked at Aragorn, staring straight ahead, while the steward's son paced before him. Aragorn watched him discreetly. " Who trained you?" " Rangers." Aragorn was glad to finally say something truthful, well, kind of. " Who, THoringil?" Denethor demanded. " Elladan, one of the sons of Elrond." Denethor's brow furrowed. " Why would a son of one of the most powerful Elf-lords wish to help you?" Aragorn looked into his eyes. " I lost my father when i was young. Elladan took pity on me when he found me and then trained me." Denethor nodded. " Come with me to a royal dinner tonight." Aragorn began to shake his head. " I insist." Aragorn looked up. " I am fine where i am, sir." Denethor nodded. " As you wish."~*~ Aragorn's head hit his balled up shirt with a sigh of releif. *Well that went rather well " Thoringil, are you awake?" Aragorn feigned sleep, hearing the men move off. He curled up falling asleep to torment. *Dream* They were all there; everyone he loved. " Help me, please." He cried over and over again as they watched emotionlessly the degragation. Pain shot through him at every move. He looked up to find the one thing he feared most. Disdain. Disdain shone brightly, brighter than any star, in Elrond's eyes. Aragorn reached out, close enough to almost touch Elrond. " Ada, please." Elrond turned his back. End Dream~*~ Elrond awoke with a start, his body covered in a cold sweat. He closed his eyes. How could he have been so cold in a dream? That was not him. He closed his eyes, entering the foggy wasteland between dreams and reality. He found the golden eyed, dark haired likeness of Estel curled in a ball, sobbing. Estel looked up in disbeleif, beginning to move off in pain. Elrond pulled the boy to his chest fiercly, cradling him. " Shh, Estel. Give them to me. Give me your memories." Estel began to resist, shame in his whole body. Elrond's anguish grew as he entered his son's nightmare. He drew in a shaky breath, his mind uttering magic. " Memories no more, nightmares only. Never remember these as your life. Peace shall be your mate." The little boy relaxed. Elrond pulled him closer, signing softly to ease away any remaining thoughts. *My poor boy, my poor little Estel. May Eru keep you from this again. AN: Sorry for teh shortness, but i thought i should update something. Ideas everyone, please. Anything. I have hit a writing slump in this one. Thank you for reviewing and i look forward to reading the new ones. Oh yeah, sometime this week, i should be putting up a brand new story. Look for it please and tell me if it's good. Thanks. I love you all.