A/N: Here as promised is the next chapter of the story, not a lot of action
but it is necessary and will lead on to a lot more. Next chapter we'll
return to Legolas I promise.
Chapter 3
Aragorn rose slowly, a strange chill waking him, as if the warmth of slumber had suddenly lifted. His hand shifted on his chest. He noted it strange his lover had not entwined their palms, as was his wont. A swift glance to the right showed him to be alone. Determined not to be alarmed just yet, Aragorn clambered to his feet, withered, tired, his joints complaining like those of an old man. A wry thought swirled through his consciousness confirming that in reality he was an old man. His wayward, timeless lover made him feel young.
Though unusual, it was not unknown for Aragorn to wake alone, the thought did not overly trouble him. A rational part of his mind pointed out there was nowhere really for Legolas to go in this darkness that plagued him, the man hurried his search.
The sight that greeted was one he believed he would remember forever. Young Frodo sat curled up in the centre of the makeshift camp, rocking gently; eyes wide focussed intently on where Aragorn had been sleeping. The little one appeared not to notice the man's movement.
"Frodo?" Even the soft call seemed to shatter the silence, reverberating off the stone walls of their prison. Still no one stirred, not out of sleep, but most likely fear.
The halfling bolted upwards shocked despite the slow approach.
"Gollum," was all the little one was able to say.
At once the camp came to life, Aragorn running to his sword, readying it before questioning the ringbearer.
"Where is he Frodo? Did he hurt you?" Slowly Frodo shook his head.
"Legolas." A soft gasp and murmur accompanied the word from those woken, Aragorn's sword faltered in his hand.
Not wishing to frighten the childlike figure further, Aragorn betrayed his initial reaction and remained silent, trusting the hobbit to continue.
"I thought it would help, I thought it was right." Frodo had dissolved into tears and buried his face in his knees.
After a tangible pause he continued. "I wished to bargain with him. He would show us the way out of this accursed place in return for something of mine, anything but the ring."
Merry had edged closer and gathered his friend into his arms rubbing at his back soothingly. Understanding the urgency he prompted the slighter figure.
"What did he want?"
"I knew I had to be quiet, Legolas would awake and stop me, but I was too clamorous."
In the dingy light Aragorn could be seen shifting from foot to foot, his grip on his weapon tightening.
"I returned to camp with Gollum, Legolas was waiting. He didn't stop me, and Gollum came forward. I didn't realize, please believe me!"
The hobbit had begun to fight Merry's embrace, as he was quickly silenced. The group had no need to attract attention to themselves further.
"Gollum wanted. . . . he wanted something of beauty."
For the most part the phrase created nothing but confusion, but one gruff voice came from the black.
Gimli had understood from the start, he had seen the way others looked at his friend. "Legolas."
Once again the melodic name rang through the halls, though now it held a far more sinister meaning.
Now the sword that had once been held so tightly in Aragorn's grip clattered heedlessly to the ground. No one moved to silence him.
In a frantic attempt at redemption Frodo continued his tale. "I never thought he would agree, or did I ever think Gollum would ask for such a thing. But to my horror, he rose to feet." The hobbit crawled to kneel in front of Aragorn. "Legolas said he would return at dawn, and Gollum would show us the way. He said you would not wake. But the elf is not here, nor is our trail. Gollum betrayed us."
"No he did not." Boromir stepped forward and told the group to turn and face east. The path that once led to darkness now was partially lit by a trail of small crystals, which glinted merrily even in such little light. "That is our exit."
"But where is Legolas?" Aragorn spoke for the first time since the truth had emerged.
No one dared to respond with their own devastating theory. Pippin had been stirring restlessly, "But why would Gollum want Legolas?"
The question everyone feared, most were hasty to chastise the hobbit, but eventually all turned to Frodo.
Frodo could not look Aragorn in the eye, and kept his gaze trained on the stone below.
"He . . . . ." A pause that seemed to last forever. "He desired him."
"Which way did they go?" Following Frodo's answering gaze, Aragorn began to descend the ledge on which the gathering perched.
"Stop, this is madness! You'll never find them!" Boromir rushed to follow.
Aragorn was deaf to all objections and stopped only once the Son of Gondor had caught him. "You will never find them, for all we know Legolas may yet be returning. Gollum has had what he wanted. He will need you Aragorn, if he returns he will need you."
"What is it you suggest?" came the forlorn reply.
"We wait for one candle mark, it may not even be dawn. If he does not return I fear we must leave."
The other man hid his growing fury and proceeded to listen to Boromir continue.
"The quest must go on my friend, if we are not to doom the whole of Middle Earth. Even if we were to search for him, he could be anywhere, in any condition. The darkness defeats us, and we may yet trust him to find his own escape. By remaining longer than necessary we condemn us all -- including him."
Even as his heart screamed, Aragorn could find no reply. Slowly, as if already mourning a death, the two men rejoined the others.
"We wait for one candle mark, our friend shall no doubt return." Aragorn could not manage the accompanying smile. It was over for him, everything good and true had gone. He had already decided when the quest was over he would throw himself under the nearest sword if Legolas did not reclaim his place at his side. Fate be damned. Duty be damned. May it all be damned.
Aragorn waited stoutly at the edge of the platform. Guilt ridden, Frodo joined his vigil.
They waited.
And waited.
But no one came.
A/N: Please let me know what you think, next chapter up next week.
Chapter 3
Aragorn rose slowly, a strange chill waking him, as if the warmth of slumber had suddenly lifted. His hand shifted on his chest. He noted it strange his lover had not entwined their palms, as was his wont. A swift glance to the right showed him to be alone. Determined not to be alarmed just yet, Aragorn clambered to his feet, withered, tired, his joints complaining like those of an old man. A wry thought swirled through his consciousness confirming that in reality he was an old man. His wayward, timeless lover made him feel young.
Though unusual, it was not unknown for Aragorn to wake alone, the thought did not overly trouble him. A rational part of his mind pointed out there was nowhere really for Legolas to go in this darkness that plagued him, the man hurried his search.
The sight that greeted was one he believed he would remember forever. Young Frodo sat curled up in the centre of the makeshift camp, rocking gently; eyes wide focussed intently on where Aragorn had been sleeping. The little one appeared not to notice the man's movement.
"Frodo?" Even the soft call seemed to shatter the silence, reverberating off the stone walls of their prison. Still no one stirred, not out of sleep, but most likely fear.
The halfling bolted upwards shocked despite the slow approach.
"Gollum," was all the little one was able to say.
At once the camp came to life, Aragorn running to his sword, readying it before questioning the ringbearer.
"Where is he Frodo? Did he hurt you?" Slowly Frodo shook his head.
"Legolas." A soft gasp and murmur accompanied the word from those woken, Aragorn's sword faltered in his hand.
Not wishing to frighten the childlike figure further, Aragorn betrayed his initial reaction and remained silent, trusting the hobbit to continue.
"I thought it would help, I thought it was right." Frodo had dissolved into tears and buried his face in his knees.
After a tangible pause he continued. "I wished to bargain with him. He would show us the way out of this accursed place in return for something of mine, anything but the ring."
Merry had edged closer and gathered his friend into his arms rubbing at his back soothingly. Understanding the urgency he prompted the slighter figure.
"What did he want?"
"I knew I had to be quiet, Legolas would awake and stop me, but I was too clamorous."
In the dingy light Aragorn could be seen shifting from foot to foot, his grip on his weapon tightening.
"I returned to camp with Gollum, Legolas was waiting. He didn't stop me, and Gollum came forward. I didn't realize, please believe me!"
The hobbit had begun to fight Merry's embrace, as he was quickly silenced. The group had no need to attract attention to themselves further.
"Gollum wanted. . . . he wanted something of beauty."
For the most part the phrase created nothing but confusion, but one gruff voice came from the black.
Gimli had understood from the start, he had seen the way others looked at his friend. "Legolas."
Once again the melodic name rang through the halls, though now it held a far more sinister meaning.
Now the sword that had once been held so tightly in Aragorn's grip clattered heedlessly to the ground. No one moved to silence him.
In a frantic attempt at redemption Frodo continued his tale. "I never thought he would agree, or did I ever think Gollum would ask for such a thing. But to my horror, he rose to feet." The hobbit crawled to kneel in front of Aragorn. "Legolas said he would return at dawn, and Gollum would show us the way. He said you would not wake. But the elf is not here, nor is our trail. Gollum betrayed us."
"No he did not." Boromir stepped forward and told the group to turn and face east. The path that once led to darkness now was partially lit by a trail of small crystals, which glinted merrily even in such little light. "That is our exit."
"But where is Legolas?" Aragorn spoke for the first time since the truth had emerged.
No one dared to respond with their own devastating theory. Pippin had been stirring restlessly, "But why would Gollum want Legolas?"
The question everyone feared, most were hasty to chastise the hobbit, but eventually all turned to Frodo.
Frodo could not look Aragorn in the eye, and kept his gaze trained on the stone below.
"He . . . . ." A pause that seemed to last forever. "He desired him."
"Which way did they go?" Following Frodo's answering gaze, Aragorn began to descend the ledge on which the gathering perched.
"Stop, this is madness! You'll never find them!" Boromir rushed to follow.
Aragorn was deaf to all objections and stopped only once the Son of Gondor had caught him. "You will never find them, for all we know Legolas may yet be returning. Gollum has had what he wanted. He will need you Aragorn, if he returns he will need you."
"What is it you suggest?" came the forlorn reply.
"We wait for one candle mark, it may not even be dawn. If he does not return I fear we must leave."
The other man hid his growing fury and proceeded to listen to Boromir continue.
"The quest must go on my friend, if we are not to doom the whole of Middle Earth. Even if we were to search for him, he could be anywhere, in any condition. The darkness defeats us, and we may yet trust him to find his own escape. By remaining longer than necessary we condemn us all -- including him."
Even as his heart screamed, Aragorn could find no reply. Slowly, as if already mourning a death, the two men rejoined the others.
"We wait for one candle mark, our friend shall no doubt return." Aragorn could not manage the accompanying smile. It was over for him, everything good and true had gone. He had already decided when the quest was over he would throw himself under the nearest sword if Legolas did not reclaim his place at his side. Fate be damned. Duty be damned. May it all be damned.
Aragorn waited stoutly at the edge of the platform. Guilt ridden, Frodo joined his vigil.
They waited.
And waited.
But no one came.
A/N: Please let me know what you think, next chapter up next week.