Authors Note: Here is the next chapter. Aragorn will be well enough
to travel soon. Would you like to see some interaction between Arwen and
Aragorn before they leave? And after I have them get back to Mirkwood,
should I end this? Tell me what you think…hope you enjoy!
Aragorn's recovery preceded rapidly once he had woken up. He became stronger everyday, and insisted that he remain conscious while Elrond re- sewed his wounds. He seemed anxious not to sleep too much, as if he feared his dreams. Elrond was very relieved at his recovery and Arwen had become her calm self-sufficient self once more. Legolas had helped with everything he could, anxious to stay near the Ranger, though Aragorn was not yet up to talking to him. Elrond promised Legolas that the time would come soon enough. Once Elladan and Elrohir had been assured that their brother would live, they bid him farewell and left to finish their hunting trip.
Finally, Aragorn felt well enough to talk to both Elrond and Legolas. Legolas was eager as was Aragorn, for no one had told the young man how Legolas had come to be trussed on the back of his own horse in the company of nine very evil wraiths.
Legolas once again entered Elrond's room where Aragorn still resided. The young Ranger sat in the bed still, though he was propped up against the ornate headboard. His chest was covered in clean white bandages and much of his natural color had returned. The lacerations on his arms were healing surprisingly quickly. Legolas noted that Aragorn must not have heard him enter, for the Ranger did not turn to look at him. Instead, Aragorn's attention was focused on his sword, which he was lifting into the air and holding it there.
"How is your sword arm Strider? Have you recovered your strength?" Legolas questioned. Aragorn nearly dropped the sword in surprise, clearly startled by the elf's presence. Legolas laughed lightly at Aragorn's incredulous look. "Ahh, my keen Ranger, now we are even. You startled me in the woods and I startled you here. I have finally beat you at your own game."
Aragorn smiled warmly and chuckled, though it seemed to pain him. "Prince Legolas, I thought that you must have returned to you own wooded home."
"Something strange has kept me here, a feeling that you and I are to…adventure together. If it becomes more clear to me, you will be the first to know. Let us not dwell on it now, instead, tell me how you are feeling."
Aragorn stared at Legolas for a brief time, absorbing what he had said. Finally, he spoke. "I am much better than when you found me. Elrond's skill has saved me and I am healing quickly. I long to be up and out of this room, for I regret feeling helpless and listless. I miss the gardens of Rivendell. I rarely have the time to dwell her in my childhood home. However, Elrond insists I am too weak to get up, and although I would like to argue, I have enough trouble lifting my own sword."
"I understand your anxiousness, but you were nearly dead! And even though you are the Heir of Isildur and your blood aids you, you are far from immortal."
"You have learned my secret!" Aragorn smiled warmly again, but his face looked drawn and tired.
"Arwen told me." At the mention of Arwen's name, Aragorn's eyes lit up like strange gray flames and he stirred restlessly and opened his mouth to speak, but closed it, staring past Legolas. Legolas realized that just as he had come upon Aragorn unawares, someone had come upon himself, also unawares. He turned to find Lord Elrond standing behind him.
"Estel, put down that sword," the tone was fatherly and unconsciously, Aragorn did as he was told. "I see you two have formally met now. I am glad to find you here Legolas. Perhaps you can both explain to me the events that brought the Prince of Mirkwood to my borders bearing my wounded foster-son, the Heir of Isildur." Aragorn and Legolas looked at each other, finding it hard not to smile at Elrond's curiosity, mostly because in truth, they too were curious about each other's side of the story.
"We will do our best," Aragorn assured Elrond. "Though I think Legolas should go first and then I can pick up the story."
"Fair enough," Legolas agreed and spun his tale of the search for the disturbances and his stumbling upon the Nazgul. He revealed his capture an ended the story with how he had keenly observed the fight with his ears and had later found Aragorn on death's doorstep and did his best to get the Ranger to Rivendell before he died. "Now my question for you, Aragorn, is what you were doing on the road and what madness possessed you to provoke the Nazgul?"
Aragorn sighed and told quickly of his visit to Mirkwood on his rounds of the area not too far from the Shire. He had counseled with King Thranduil about the sightings of dangerous and most likely evil creatures on the borders of the forest. Thranduil had been concerned – Sauron was gathering dark things to him, and that could mean only one thing. He would soon be searching for the ring of power. Aragorn had to agree with this theory and had promised to take a message of Thranduil's concern to Elrond, requesting a meeting of the elves in the near future. He had left Mirkwood behind schedule, riding hard to Rivendell, for he was overdue to be back on his vigil watch over the Shire area. The rain had slowed his progress and tired both himself and Evaria and it was then that he had come across the riders.
"And to answer your question Legolas, I did no know they were Nazgul, and truth be told, I know very little about them at all. In my defense, I did not provoke them. Strangely enough, it was as if their horses saw me, though I do not know how. You know the rest, for you found me and brought me safe to Rivendell. Thank you. There ends my story."
Elrond was quiet for sometime, glancing occasionally from the window to where Aragorn rested on the bed. Neither prince, elf nor man, moved.
"Well, fate has brought you both here. This is an ill tiding and you were lucky to escape with your life Estel. We can take comfort in the fact that they did not recognize you, for they surely would have killed you and everything would have ended before it had a chance to start. Legolas, I am grateful for your perseverance in bringing Estel back here. However, your father must be worried and you should return home in the near future."
"Father, let him stay. I have to travel back to my territory and must pass through Mirkwood on that trip and I should like a companion. Legolas can assist me, if you do not mind that is my elf friend, in helping me to recover my strength. Elladan and Elrohir do not have time to train with me, and if I have my way, I will not be here long." Elrond seemed to consider this, obviously unhappy with Aragorn's eagerness to go.
"Very well, but you must not hurry things Estel. You are still weak and hurt and pushing yourself will just slow your recovery."
"Yes father," the tone was sincere, but the impish grin forming at the corners of Aragorn's mouth revealed that Aragorn truly looked at Elrond as his father. Elrond shook his head in worry, but the smirk reminded him of Aragorn as a child, promising Elrond he would never take an unnecessary chance, which both had known was a lie.
"Rest," Elrond's final word was soft and compassionate and he stood slowly and left with deliberation, leaving Legolas and Aragorn to talk of their journey to come.
Aragorn's recovery preceded rapidly once he had woken up. He became stronger everyday, and insisted that he remain conscious while Elrond re- sewed his wounds. He seemed anxious not to sleep too much, as if he feared his dreams. Elrond was very relieved at his recovery and Arwen had become her calm self-sufficient self once more. Legolas had helped with everything he could, anxious to stay near the Ranger, though Aragorn was not yet up to talking to him. Elrond promised Legolas that the time would come soon enough. Once Elladan and Elrohir had been assured that their brother would live, they bid him farewell and left to finish their hunting trip.
Finally, Aragorn felt well enough to talk to both Elrond and Legolas. Legolas was eager as was Aragorn, for no one had told the young man how Legolas had come to be trussed on the back of his own horse in the company of nine very evil wraiths.
Legolas once again entered Elrond's room where Aragorn still resided. The young Ranger sat in the bed still, though he was propped up against the ornate headboard. His chest was covered in clean white bandages and much of his natural color had returned. The lacerations on his arms were healing surprisingly quickly. Legolas noted that Aragorn must not have heard him enter, for the Ranger did not turn to look at him. Instead, Aragorn's attention was focused on his sword, which he was lifting into the air and holding it there.
"How is your sword arm Strider? Have you recovered your strength?" Legolas questioned. Aragorn nearly dropped the sword in surprise, clearly startled by the elf's presence. Legolas laughed lightly at Aragorn's incredulous look. "Ahh, my keen Ranger, now we are even. You startled me in the woods and I startled you here. I have finally beat you at your own game."
Aragorn smiled warmly and chuckled, though it seemed to pain him. "Prince Legolas, I thought that you must have returned to you own wooded home."
"Something strange has kept me here, a feeling that you and I are to…adventure together. If it becomes more clear to me, you will be the first to know. Let us not dwell on it now, instead, tell me how you are feeling."
Aragorn stared at Legolas for a brief time, absorbing what he had said. Finally, he spoke. "I am much better than when you found me. Elrond's skill has saved me and I am healing quickly. I long to be up and out of this room, for I regret feeling helpless and listless. I miss the gardens of Rivendell. I rarely have the time to dwell her in my childhood home. However, Elrond insists I am too weak to get up, and although I would like to argue, I have enough trouble lifting my own sword."
"I understand your anxiousness, but you were nearly dead! And even though you are the Heir of Isildur and your blood aids you, you are far from immortal."
"You have learned my secret!" Aragorn smiled warmly again, but his face looked drawn and tired.
"Arwen told me." At the mention of Arwen's name, Aragorn's eyes lit up like strange gray flames and he stirred restlessly and opened his mouth to speak, but closed it, staring past Legolas. Legolas realized that just as he had come upon Aragorn unawares, someone had come upon himself, also unawares. He turned to find Lord Elrond standing behind him.
"Estel, put down that sword," the tone was fatherly and unconsciously, Aragorn did as he was told. "I see you two have formally met now. I am glad to find you here Legolas. Perhaps you can both explain to me the events that brought the Prince of Mirkwood to my borders bearing my wounded foster-son, the Heir of Isildur." Aragorn and Legolas looked at each other, finding it hard not to smile at Elrond's curiosity, mostly because in truth, they too were curious about each other's side of the story.
"We will do our best," Aragorn assured Elrond. "Though I think Legolas should go first and then I can pick up the story."
"Fair enough," Legolas agreed and spun his tale of the search for the disturbances and his stumbling upon the Nazgul. He revealed his capture an ended the story with how he had keenly observed the fight with his ears and had later found Aragorn on death's doorstep and did his best to get the Ranger to Rivendell before he died. "Now my question for you, Aragorn, is what you were doing on the road and what madness possessed you to provoke the Nazgul?"
Aragorn sighed and told quickly of his visit to Mirkwood on his rounds of the area not too far from the Shire. He had counseled with King Thranduil about the sightings of dangerous and most likely evil creatures on the borders of the forest. Thranduil had been concerned – Sauron was gathering dark things to him, and that could mean only one thing. He would soon be searching for the ring of power. Aragorn had to agree with this theory and had promised to take a message of Thranduil's concern to Elrond, requesting a meeting of the elves in the near future. He had left Mirkwood behind schedule, riding hard to Rivendell, for he was overdue to be back on his vigil watch over the Shire area. The rain had slowed his progress and tired both himself and Evaria and it was then that he had come across the riders.
"And to answer your question Legolas, I did no know they were Nazgul, and truth be told, I know very little about them at all. In my defense, I did not provoke them. Strangely enough, it was as if their horses saw me, though I do not know how. You know the rest, for you found me and brought me safe to Rivendell. Thank you. There ends my story."
Elrond was quiet for sometime, glancing occasionally from the window to where Aragorn rested on the bed. Neither prince, elf nor man, moved.
"Well, fate has brought you both here. This is an ill tiding and you were lucky to escape with your life Estel. We can take comfort in the fact that they did not recognize you, for they surely would have killed you and everything would have ended before it had a chance to start. Legolas, I am grateful for your perseverance in bringing Estel back here. However, your father must be worried and you should return home in the near future."
"Father, let him stay. I have to travel back to my territory and must pass through Mirkwood on that trip and I should like a companion. Legolas can assist me, if you do not mind that is my elf friend, in helping me to recover my strength. Elladan and Elrohir do not have time to train with me, and if I have my way, I will not be here long." Elrond seemed to consider this, obviously unhappy with Aragorn's eagerness to go.
"Very well, but you must not hurry things Estel. You are still weak and hurt and pushing yourself will just slow your recovery."
"Yes father," the tone was sincere, but the impish grin forming at the corners of Aragorn's mouth revealed that Aragorn truly looked at Elrond as his father. Elrond shook his head in worry, but the smirk reminded him of Aragorn as a child, promising Elrond he would never take an unnecessary chance, which both had known was a lie.
"Rest," Elrond's final word was soft and compassionate and he stood slowly and left with deliberation, leaving Legolas and Aragorn to talk of their journey to come.