Disclaimer:
I own nothing, once again, nothing.
Rating:
R - to be safe
CHAPTER TWELVE
Pain rocketed through Aragorn's fist as it collided, for the second time, with the stone wall of his chamber. Pacing up and down, blinded with guilt and anger, he barely noticed the visitor when he slipped into the room. Eyes tightly closed as he stalked, Aragorn was unaware of the other presence until a hand clasped his shoulder. Shocked, he struck the arm away viciously.
Elrond's hand hovered, halfway extended toward the fuming Aragorn, who blinked twice ere attempting to gather his composure. Shame lit his eyes for a moment, though Elrond regarded the young man with no anger and merely arched his eyebrows and tilted his head, as if urging his foster son to either strike him or explain.
Immediately Aragorn moved away, shaking his head and muttering an apology that the elf lord knew to be sincere, despite its dither. Glancing around the room, Elrond was not surprised to find most of the personal possessions and belongings strewn across the floor. Finally Aragorn turned to face the elf, his breathing deep as he struggled to quieten his emotions and still his breath.
"You knew..." Aragorn whispered, his voice a dry rasp.
Elrond blinked slowly and sighed, stepping over to the window, avoiding the numerous obstacles in his way.
"I had my suspicions, if that is what you meant to say." The elf lord explained, drawing the drapes back to allow some light into the room.
"Why?…Why did you let him go…when you knew." The trace of blame did not go unnoticed in Aragorn's voice as he raised it.
"What would you have had me do, Estel? Would you have had me lock Legolas in chains until he agreed to speak to you?"
"Of course not. You could have protected him by other means."
"I could have done many things." Elrond replied, turning his eyes toward the man, "I chose not to."
"Why?" Aragorn half growled, taking a step forward, "Why!!?" he roared the word loudly once again.
The question echoed in the chamber, drawing the attention of a passer-by. Elrond did not even flinch.
"You would not understand." The elf murmured calmly, if not sadly.
"Perhaps you should let me decide whether I understand the reasons you allowed Legolas to be attacked a second time!"
"Estel!"
Elrond did not turn his head toward the sound of his eldest child's voice; Aragorn however, sharply snapped his head toward Elladan. The elder twin stared hard at his young human brother, one hand pressed to the door as he stepped into the room. His eyes were wide with shock and he flicked his gaze to his father as if wishing for answers.
"Peace, Elladan." Elrond finally spoke, his voice drawing the attention of Aragorn, who seemed to suddenly realise the disrespect he had shown.
"Father..." A softer voice sounded from behind Elladan.
The elder twin stepped aside to allow Elrohir to enter. Elrond turned his eyes toward the youngest twin and noticed the sadness in those pale eyes.
"Legolas' horse has been brought back from the forest." The words held a quiver.
"Thank you, Elrohir." Elrond managed a smile for his son, though it was grim.
The elf lord then returned his gaze to Aragorn. The man looked ashamed of his outburst, though still, some part of him wished to point the finger, even if it was at Elrond...at anyone...to allow himself the chance to grow angry and vent. Despite this desire, he set the blame upon his own shoulders as he stood there, eyes dropped to the ground.
Elrond was silent for a long while, ere he turned his eyes to Elladan.
"The borders are being searched?" he asked, dark eyes searching his son's face.
"Yes, adar. Elrohir and I will join them, if that is your wish."
"Nay, perhaps you should remain here, with your brother." Elrond glanced at Aragorn, "There is much to be discussed."
"And Legolas?" Aragorn all but whispered.
Elrond blinked slowly before turning away from Aragorn, "I have spoken briefly with our young Prince, though I do not believe he fathomed much of what was said. I shall speak with him more ere this day is over. His father should be informed of-"
"Lord Elrond!"
At the sound of the alarmed voice, the twins stepped aside as Glorfindel burst into the room in a swirl of robes, bright eyes seeking those of his lord. Elrond frowned, concerned at his friend's flustered appearance. The golden-haired elf spared an apologetic glance at the siblings before he shook his fair head.
"The Prince is not in his chambers, I have reason to believe he is no longer in Imladris."
"What?!" Aragorn and twins erupted in unison, identical looks of horror washing over Elladan and Elrohir's faces.
Elrond's eyes widened, though as usual, he kept his reaction guarded. With a glance to his eldest sons, who need not have been told, the twins twirled on their heels and rushed out of the room, brushing past Glorfindel in their flight. Aragorn shot a desperate glare at Elrond ere he too, picked up his feet and followed the elf brothers in harsh pursuit.
Glorfindel stepped aside, back to the open door as he turned his head toward Elrond. The Lord of Rivendell avoided the look and stepped over to the window, where light now poured into the room, back turned to his friend. Gazing out at the world he shook his head wearily.
"And now the young Prince, barely old enough to comprehend..."
"I understand how this must grieve you, Elrond." Glorfindel murmured, taking a step into the room, the sympathy in his tone as deep as the understanding in his eyes.
"Ai, Glorfindel. Wounds such as those Legolas has now endured have never been healable by any of my means."
The words caused the blond to pause and shake his head, "Do not say that, you must do what you do best now my Lord, few can match your skills for healing."
"And even that did not keep her here." Elrond murmured, eyes softening slightly, his deep voice low in the chamber, "And now Legolas has run…would I harm him more by forcing him to stay? As I harmed her."
"Elrond, you –"
"Let us hope that my sons find him."
Turning around suddenly, the Lord of Rivendell's face smoothed into an impassive mask and he smiled faintly, grimly. Immediately Glorfindel dropped his eyes, knowing that this meant that the topic was no longer open for discussion. He knew Elrond well enough to discern this by the detachment in his eyes and he compliantly changed the subject.
"We have the Prince's mare." A grimace contorted the blond's face, "Though it grieves me to say it, I believe that it would be worth your time to see the poor creature," a pause "or what remains of it."
Elrond nodded his agreement, "Then I shall see it. Whatever or whomever has caused this must be found immediately, as must Legolas." The resolve and protectiveness in Elrond's voice echoed powerfully in the room.
"This must end."
Legolas winced as he moved quietly through the forest, his body still aching as the poison kept him sluggish. The injury to his side, though healing, throbbed mercilessly and the sting of the wound to his neck was a constant reminder of the event...The event and the emotion, both of which he locked away in his mind as he approached the site of his previous distress.
The mare's corpse had left bloody disarray upon the earth and the stench of death still lingered. With a dark glare at the crimson leaves, the elf lifted his eyes to the sky ere bowing his head to speak a silent prayer in reverence to his horse.
Turning away from the drying blood, the elf dropped his eyes to the rest of the forest foliage and crouched down, eyes darting over the disturbed earth…it was Aragorn who excelled at such a skill of tracking, yet even so, the elf rose with determination and quietly followed the trail he could discern.
Perchance he shall let me find him...
Aragorn brought the horse to an abrupt halt. Slipping from the saddle, he glared at the forest ahead, eyes searching the trees. His mind was pounding relentlessly, driven by fatigue and emotion.
Elladan and Elrohir had split up and were no doubt searching the forests as he stared almost blindly at the trees. Shaking his head, he focused his mind upon the task at hand and checking the forest earth, slipped back onto the saddle and spurred the horse onwards.
As he rode, the man realised that Legolas had not taken a steed with him.
Strange...
Aragorn reminded himself that such a decision was to be expected, especially after what happened to the mare. He cringed. The memory of that was gruesome…but hope lifted his heart as he drove the horse onwards, knowing he would be able to catch up with the elf, if Legolas was indeed merely on foot. Even so, he reminded himself with a grim smile, the elf was swift.
I will not fail again.
Aragorn growled as he was forced to draw the steed to a halt, having lost focus. He surveyed the forest. The woodland was too dense to enable a horse to ride through it and tapping the steed's flanks as he dismounted, the steed bobbed its head, as if it understood the command and sudden abandonment. It grazed idly as its rider slipped into the forest, hand sliding to the hilt of his sword.
Elrohir rose from the earth, staring with a frown at his hands. His fingertips had found wooden carvings, which had no doubt been left from someone who had whittled arrows. Rubbing his fingers nonchalantly, he stepped over the remnants of wood and continued upon his path. He had parted ways with Elladan a while back and had been surprised with his brother's strange silence. Elladan had usually insisted that they remain together, after what had happened to their mother, it had always been that way…
With the memory of his mother, came the memory of Legolas lying upon the leafy earth, blood oozing from the wound to his neck, scars marring his body in a paste of grime and crimson. Then the mare…how foul a mind would be to do such a thing to an animal, but then, Elrohir reminded himself of what that same man had done to Legolas.
Why did those he cared for the most, suffer so?
His father, his brothers, Legolas…his mother…always those he cared for, always those he would have wished protected.
I sound like Elladan.
Elrohir sighed wearily and stepped into a glade, dotted with sparse vegetation here and there. As the elf took his first step forward, a crackle of tension suddenly filled the air and without thinking he darted left, an arrow whizzing past his head.
The moment Elrohir composed himself; he quickly danced back. A foul sound of metal clinking echoed in the glade as a strange, ugly contraption snapped shut, a scant inch from where his foot had been. Elrohir whirled around only to drop to a crouch as a huge log, attached to rope, swung down from the treetops, crafted to knock him in the chest. The elf's body, by now, was screaming various warnings as he avoided another arrow and leaped back from another trap, then another.
Move your feet, Elrohir! Lest you wish to lose them!
Elladan's voice echoed in the back of his mind, a chiding, playful tone that was used when they sparred.
Elrohir made to turn on his heel, but found that his escape route was blocked as a horse burst out ahead of him into the clearing. The alarmed creature reared in panic, causing Elrohir to immediately step back to avoid the boxing hooves. He had no time to react. Pain evaded his senses and a yelp of agony tore from his throat, the moment the loud snap of the snare enclosed around his ankle.
Perhaps you should let me decide whether I understand the reasons you allowed Legolas to be attacked a second time!
Elladan shook his head to clear his mind of the words that still lingered there. Questions had arisen from Estel's outburst.
Had his father known about Legolas's condition, ere he rode away from Rivendell? Had Elrond truly allowed Legolas to be attacked again? Immediately the twin dismissed such thoughts and pressed on through the woodland on foot, his eyes scanning the trees for any sign of Legolas.
Who would have ever believed it would have come to this? Things had been at peace, save for the orc attacks, which had been carefully and effectively dealt with. Even though the young elf sometimes caught glimpses of worry or distant concern in his father's eyes, he believed whatever evil troubled Lord Elrond, was years away.
Years…in all the years he had lived, he could not have prepared himself for Legolas' assault…but then, the attack upon his mother, he had been even less prepared for.
Naneth...
Memories assailed his mind and the twin forgot his purpose as he trailed through the forest, eyes dropped to the earth as he recalled the screams and shrill cries. Always the same horror aching in his soul as those memories were recalled…even so, amidst his thoughts, Elladan suddenly froze, body tensing like an animal preparing for fight or flight. So distant was the sound that he scarcely believed it to be real, but even so, he turned and stared west.
Valar…no…
He almost felt it.
Elrohir!
Legolas' eyes narrowed angrily as he picked out the trail of the man, his sharp eyes searching the earth. If only he had Estel beside him, the man's skills in tracking were sorely missed as the Prince rose to his feet, wincing slightly as his limbs locked and seized in pain.
That was when he noticed it, something Estel had muttered about when tracking, where Legolas would usually just stare at one spot as the human babbled on, still trying to understand how Aragorn could read so much into a mere lump of earth.
Staring down at the disturbed foliage, he raised his eyes and stared straight ahead before slowly, if not painfully, turning around and glaring with wide eyes back the way he had come. A dreaded feeling sank inside of him, pushing his own anger and grief aside as it settled upon his heart.
His path has turned…he is going back…
Run.
He ran.
As always, I ask ! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!! Another heartfelt thanks to all the reviewers!
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Sindarin Elvish Translations
adar – father
Naneth - mother
Dear Reviewers!:
Sophie – Hello Sophie! Thanks for your review! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter!
Tonianne – [grins] I'm so glad that you are enjoying this story! You said in your review that you had been on vacation! You lucky thing! I hope it was a good one! However, you also said that you have not been well :( I certainly hope that you are feeling better! Let me know!
Jade – Mae govannen again, Jade! And how are you? Once again, thanks so much for reviewing! It makes my day! Thanks so much for your high compliments, I was deeply touched by your encouragement, so thank you so very much! [smiles] Writing as a career? I guess that would be an ideal job and I would love to think that it is an achievable goal…but who knows?! To answer your question about how I learnt elvish, I usually visit as many "Sindarin Elvish" sites as possible and construct the sentences together piece by piece! Lol, its long winded, but worth it I suppose lol. I hardly have a grasp on the actual language for languages have never been my strong point! Lol! I'm surprised I actually passed my French! Lol! If you want me to find you some sites, then let me know and I'll happily e-mail them to you .
IMTrinity – Greetings Meldir (friend)! Hannon le sooo much for your kind, encouraging, flattering and deeply touching review! Thank you!!! How is NY? I hope that you're having a good time! I shall catch you next post, my dear!
EyesLikeSilk – Indeed! Poor elf! Thanks for your review ! I hope you liked this chapter!
Kitty – Hello Kitty! Hannon le (thank you) soooo much for your review! I'm glad that you enjoyed the last two chapters and can only hope you liked this one too! [hands you Legolas for a big hug before shoving him back into story LOL]
Deana – Hannon le for your review! Yes, poor Legolas…[cue the dramatic music and evil laughter!]
Gemini969 – [laughs] I apologise that this update is a little late, but I shall definitely try to get it all posted up a.s.a.p – thank you for showing an interest in this story
Irish Anor – [laughs!] Welcome back, meldir! (friend) What an experience you must have had out there in the wilderness! Oh but its strange how we take the simple things for granted, is it not? ;) Cold and hot water and of course, as you said, the internet! LOL! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the chapters! [grins stupidly] and needless to say, I am of course hoping that you enjoyed this one also! Welcome back, meldir and thank you for reviewing for me!
If I have missed anyone out, I apologise! Please let me know who you are so I can thank you!
Hannon le
Silver Thorne
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