Chapter 24
Mirkwood
To find out where the wind's die And where the stories goAragorn awoke with a gnawing headache. He glanced around groaning when he saw he was alone. He lifted a hand to his head, grimacing at the blood and then wiping it away. He stood unsteadily and then banged on the door.
" Hey, hey, Estan Estel, ion ned Elrond (My name is Estel, son of Elrond)."
That got someone's attention. An Elf came from the shadows. Aragorn breathed in slightly at the anger.
" Le tofn adan. Le u-ion ned Elrond (You low man. You are not Elrond's son)."
The Elf opened the door, pulling Aragorn up.
" Do you speak the common tongue?" Aragorn asked.
The Elf did not answer, pulling Aragorn after him.
* Great. I am somewhere and I have no idea where. Time to revert to the Elf side of me.
~*~
Aragorn quickly caught himself as they flung him to the floor.
" Who are you?" an Elf sat, cleaning his nails.
Aragorn stood.
" Why should I tell you?"
The Elf looked up, not fazed by the rebellion.
" Your friend was a bit more easy. He is Halbarad, a ranger. He is only a mortal man, so I know he could not have been involved in your plot."
" My plot?" Aragorn crossed his arms, " Do tell."
" You, my friend, are a kidnapper, as I have already told the King. You are found guilty of abducting the youngest child of the king."
" Why was this concluded or did you murder him yourself?"
The Elf put down the knife looking up calmly.
" That child is my brother. Now, who are you?"
" I told your guard, but he did not like my answer. I am Estel, son of Elrond."
The Elf laughed. Aragorn grimaced in pain as they twisted his already sprained wrist.
" Ok, I am Strider, a ranger."
" An odd name for a ranger."
" Thorongil," Aragorn finally gasped.
The Elf smiled evilly.
" I am Airóma. Now, tell me how my brother's things found their way into your pack."
" I had only my own things."
" This is not yours," Airóma pushed a small dagger in his face.
" Twas a present from a friend," Aragorn was on his knees in pain when his bone cracked.
Airóma made a motion and the pain desisted. He tipped up Aragorn's chin.
" I will be honest with you. Nothing could make me happier than to know that he is dead, but I must seek justice, as is my father's wish. What you have felt is only a tiny bit of the misery I can deal. We will meet again, Thorongil."
~*~
Aragorn curled up into a tiny ball, cursing his weak right wrist. He tore his tunic to try and brace it. It was no doubt broken. A healer entered.
" Im toln an nestan le (I come to heal you)," he said softly.
Aragorn extended his wrist.
" Why do they hate me?"
The healer looked up sharply, glancing at the guard. The healer said something in Elvish that Aragorn could not focus on, probably because of the pain. The guard disappeared.
" They understand Westron, even if some do not speak it," the healer said softly, " You are the only breech in their trade business."
" They are selling mortal slaves," Aragorn replied.
" If only…" the healer trailed off, " Did you really kidnap-"
Aragorn shook his head.
" I do not even know the Prince's name or where I am."
The healer shook his head.
" This is the hospitable dungeon of Mirkwood."
" They think I, a mortal, ensnared Legolas?"
The healer nodded.
" If they would communicate with Imladris, I can bet we would find the Prince is safe there."
Aragorn saw the guard.
" That hurts."
The healer shrugged.
" They broke it. It will hurt for a while. I can tell this is not the first time."
" Stop the idle chatter," the guard snarled.
The healer glanced up at Aragorn, looking him in the eyes.
*Your only hope is that your friend saves you. He was set free.
Aragorn nodded, watching the Elf leave. He sighed.
*Why did I leave Imladris? What was wrong with me? I need to have Ada examine my mental capabilities when I get home.
Aragorn paused.
*Make that if I get home alive.
~*~
Airóma watched his father's face fill with anger and smiled slightly.
*Stupid mortals. At least this will keep Adar from noticing anything suspicious.
~*~
Aragorn was suddenly pulled up.
" He wishes to see you," Airóma's smug smile made Aragorn wish he had a sword.
" If you try to kill me or do, you will find yourself no peace for Elrond will not take kindly to this."
Airóma just chuckled.
" I really do not care. You mean nothing to me. You are mortal."
Aragorn's eyes narrowed.
" Toronlya ná sinomë Imladris (Your brother is in Imladris-Q)."
Airóma struck him.
" How dare you use our holy language. Take him away."
Aragorn sent him a crafty smile as he passed.
" He stayed there because he could not accompany Elladan and Elrohir to Lorien. Mithrandir asked it of them to leave. Oh, and your sister has a relationship with Elrohir."
Airóma pulled on Aragorn's tunic.
" I do not care to know how you have found out these things, but you best shut your mouth before I lay the deaths of Elladan and Elrohir upon you also."
~*~
Elladan and Elrohir rode up to the Ranger camp with ease. Legolas kept his hood up, feeling out of place among the men. A man rushed up to meet them.
" Elladan and Elrohir, just the two Elves I needed to help me. We are setting up a raid on Mirkwood. Thranduil's acting up again. Halbarad was taken prisoner and is nearly dead."
Legolas' face clouded from under his dark hood. Elladan turned towards a tent to help tend to the wounded. The head ranger glanced at the hooded Elf, uneasy around him.
" Who are you?"
Legolas pushed off his hood.
" Legolas, son of Thranduil."
The man shrugged.
" Your father ain't too friendly to men. Been selling us and other free folk that wander into his wood as slaves. He even kept our best Ranger. They blame Strider saying he kidnapped you. Now, Strider could do such a thing, but not to an Elf they say has the eyes of a hawk."
Legolas nodded absently at the compliment, his thoughts on his ill-behaving father.
" Strider?" Elrohir had never heard of this Ranger.
This was a newly formed band for the northern end of Middle-Earth, so they may have picked up a few new recruits. The man smiled at them.
" Aye, Strider. Could pass as an Elf for he is well learned in their ways and in Elvish. Quite a chap. He always has a story to play when he is captured. This time the story was not good enough though."
" What was the story?" Elrohir asked.
The man chuckled.
" Strider said he was the son of Elrond. Called himself, Lestel, Bestel, aw, confound it. I cannot remember the Elvish word. I guess you Elves think it disgraceful to believe a mortal is related to such a dignified Elf. Thranduil will most likely kill him. Sad it is. He was our best."
Halfway through the story or more correctly, after the man had tried to sound out the Elvish word, Legolas had already turned back towards his horse. Elrohir silently followed. Legolas paused, before grabbing onto his horse's reins and then glancing at Elrohir.
" I cannot believe I am related to him sometimes. He will kill Strider and I hope it is not Estel."
Elrohir shook his head.
" I will send Elladan to round up Ada's forces. If Thranduil touches Estel, Ada will dethrone him."
" And I will permanently cast off my title. I do not wish to be related to that man."
" Come, let us go tell Elladan so he does not think I am just running off again."
The two joined Elladan. Elladan was busily packing a wound. The man's eyes fixed on Legolas.
" You."
Legolas' head turned to glance behind him, as if he thought the man was speaking to another.
" You are the one they seek for. Airóma…"
Legolas shook his head.
" That is it. I am going home and I am taking a arrow and pushing it in his face myself."
Elrohir shrugged, seeing the surprise on the men's faces at an Elf of the family that they were about to raid was actually on their side.
" We are headed to Mirkwood. Go get Ada."
~*~
Aragorn was pushed into a large room. His mouth fell open at how the cave had been carved out in beauty. Jewels lay around everywhere. It was beautiful, if you liked riches. It was incomparable to Imladris or Lorien though, for those two realms were revolved around nature.
" Thorongil, bow before the king of Mirkwood."
The dark haired Elf in front of him, was familiar only in the eyes. So this was the man Legolas tried to stay away from.
" I bow only to real kings."
A blow left him reeling. He turned his eyes up.
" Your son, Airóma speaks only lies. I did not kidnap Legolas. He is in Imladris. You forbid him to go to Lorien," Aragorn said through clenched teeth.
" Liar," Thranduil hissed, turning to his chair.
" How would you know?" Aragorn called after him, " You have not left that chair for years. Do you know what evil rises in the South? Even within your own borders? You let your son tell you, but disregard the reports of Mithrandir and Elrond's sons."
It was dead silent. The rasp of a sword being drawn made Aragorn stand up straighter. Thranduil approached.
" How dare you."
The hilt left him unconscious.
AN: The Calvary's coming…with a small problem of actually getting to Mrikwood without being killed.