Hola, all! :) Just a quick note, because it was a question asked SEVERAL times in my feedback, for which I apologize for its need; you're not supposed to remember anything about "Aragorn's key". That was from the perspective of Legolas' head, so no, you didn't miss anything, you just don't know about it yet. :D
And onto responses!
Lothlorien Leaf: "studies giant Hamster" uuuh, sure, LothLeaf, you go right ahead and let Snowy join. ;) LOL!! I take it you don't always get along with computers, hm? I know the feeling. "nods vehemently" :P
Deana: Yeah, Garaer's not a great character, but he's not ALL bad either. ;) Oh, and I'm glad you liked the post. "sighs with relief" WHEW! For a minute I thought perhaps I'd have to go back to Iston and start from scratch… :P JK!
AM: Mae Govonen! And thanks for coming back. :D Ah, yes, well, there's a LOT of difference of opinion in Legolas and Aragorn's eye color. In the movie, at least, Legolas' are BLUE and Aragorn's are GRAY-BLUE. But, there ARE points where Aragorn's are VERY blue in the movie, and somehow, I imagined when he was younger, that maybe there'd be less gray and more innocent blue in his eyes. As for Legolas, I tend to give him SILVER a lot, but that's just sort of a color adj, not an eye-color. ;) Anywho, thanks for pointing that out! It's not picky, it's observant. "nod nod" :D
Legolas Lover 2003: LOL!! Well, you're having fun with this conspiracy theory thing… ;) Lemme tell you, it's fun to read too! :D Keep it up, you're doing amazingly well with your guessing about. "realizes that she might just get lucky and land on the right answer" umn- on second though, horrible idea, might as well drop the guessing thing, LL. "nod nod" ;) LOL!
Stridergal: Hey, thanks for coming! LOL! Yeah, cliffies aren't nice, it's true, but they work. ;)
Firniswin: LOL! "gasp" you do know how to make an authoress blush, dontcha? :P I suppose you're shooting for the "Most PLEASE's in a piece of feedback" record, huh? ;) LOL!! "squeezes Firn" can I call you Firn? I'm so glad you're enjoying it! I am too. :D
Maranwe: Aw, "blush" I don't know about murder mysteries being my THING, but I think I'm enjoying it! ;) Now- I can't tell you if anyone's guessed what's coming, can I? It's unethical! :P LOL! Yeahyeahyeah, I bet you write BEAUTIFULLY and are too polite to say so. ;) Hardest thing to write…fight scenes are hard, because I have a lot of people moving around, and it's hard to avoid extremes like "suddenly" and "all the orcs" and that kind of thing. ;) Really, it can all be difficult, depending on my mood, except angst. Angst tends to come natural, although even then, I tend to edit it a couple times to make sure it's exactly how I picture it. :D What's hardest for you, normally?
Cassia: SQUEEE!!! "runs over and squeezes authoress purple- which is okay, cause that color looks good on her anyways ;)" I'm so glad you could COME! Thank you thank you thank you for reading! And as for keeping up the feedback? pfft. "puts a mellow-dramatic hand on Cassia's shoulder" Girl? You are a busy person. I know this. ;) IE: I will not be insulted if you can't review, especially since I know you'll read it eventually anyway. :) "stares at the poor pathetic strangled Wiggly" gosh, I guess my cliffies have a harsher effect than I thought! :P LOL! Oh, thanks so much for coming, and even if you can't review, thanks for reading, in advance! :D "mumbles under breath": oh and just for the record I really can't wait until you start posting cell number eight but that's just FYI so never mind forget I said anything ANYWAY, thanks again! :D
Dark Borg Drone: LOL! Patience is a virtue, my dear DBD. Or- do you prefer Borg or Drone? Hm…I'm just going to stick with Drone, if you don't mind. ;) Cool name! And a great big "Hannon Le" for reading! :D
Well, folks, on with the drama. :P Here 'goes! And just for the record, I'm going to guess it was Garaer, in the king's bedroom, with the elven knife- no! With the Bengwiil…yeah, yeah, that's my guess :P "rolls dice"
Sorry. Caffeine. ;)
Here we go!
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Chapter 4
"You're killing him!"
Legolas could hear Aragorn's breath, and it was almost as shallow as his own. What could be said? What would happen? So many questions ached inside him, yet the air continued to torment him with silence. At last, at long last, Garaer spoke.
"What am I to do now?" It was the first time Legolas could remember Garaer sounding worried. "What am I to say? What action am I to take? You tell me, Highness, this is your future hanging in the balance." His trembling fingers closed around the poisonous herbs, and thrust them aside onto Legolas' bed stand.
"I could not tell you," Legolas responded softly. "All I can ask is that you believe that I did not intend to hurt my father, and I did not put the Bengwiil in here. I did not steal the key from its hiding place, I had put a…different key in there, and that letter was not about my father."
"But it is by your hand, Legolas. If not for Thranduil, who was it meant for?"
Legolas dropped his eyes to the floor. "I cannot say."
"Then- then what other key? What key was meant to be in here other than your father's?"
"I…someone else's key." Legolas' tone was like a question.
"Who's? Who's key was in here, Legolas, and why?"
Legolas didn't answer.
"Then…you leave me no choice." Garaer paced away from where Legolas knelt, but said nothing more. The prince was quiet as well, waiting for Garaer to speak, every moment of silence hurting like an hour.
His breaking point did not take long surface. Legolas couldn't take the silence anymore, so he snapped it in half with words he was afraid to speak, but had to hear. "What will you do with me?"
Garare paused. "As you have pointed out, I cannot decide until the king has passed his own judgment. But he is dying, and if he dies…then the choice will be left up to me."
"Then, I pray you, Garaer…tint my worries and wonderings. What will you do then?" Legolas didn't want to know, but waiting out his father's life, all the while wondering about his fate…it was too much. Aragorn had been right when he told Legolas: 'Fear is of the unknown'. Nothing more true.
Again, Garaer waited a moment before responding. "Offense is punishable by imprisonment. Murder deserves exile. But murder or attempted murder of the king?" Garaer turned, and knelt down so as to be on-level with the prince, his eyes full of mixed emotions. "It means death." He grabbed Legolas' shoulder in a firm grip, and shook it slightly. "So tell me the truth, Legolas. Please, give me an explanation for why this Bengwiil was here. Were you trying to dull the pain when you thought your human friend dead?"
Legolas shook his head, facing Garaer's gaze uneasily. "No, not-"
"What of this letter? Whom was it written for, if not your father? Who, Legolas?"
Legolas' voice caught in his throat. "Please, Garaer, I cannot-"
"And what of the key? Tell me, Legolas. Tell me why this is here. Tell me what key you meant to have in here. Tell me something I can believe, please!"
"Garaer, I tell you the truth!"
"Explain it, Legolas." Garaer held the silver key up in front of Legolas' face, shaking both key and elf simultaneously. "Explain this!"
"Please!" Legolas shook his head. "I cannot! I do not know!"
"You and your father alone knew where it was, Legolas. Do not play games with yourself, nor me. I know it must have been you, do not lie!"
"I do not lie!"
"He does not, Garaer!" Edren's boots thumped behind where Garaer knelt. "You do not have all your facts. I knew where the key was."
Garaer stood slowly, turning to face Edren. "How?"
Legolas knew exactly how. He had used it to get into his father's room to speak with him, and Edren had stood just over his shoulder while he'd unlocked the door. Edren could tell Garaer, but surely the elven guard would ask why Legolas had gone to see Thranduil, and then what would Edren answer? The truth?
The truth was, Legolas came to inform his father of Mornaeg's death, and came out-as Garaer himself knew from seeing the prince-drenched in wine and blood. He'd been skeptical then, what would he think after all this? And yet, Legoals couldn't hope that Edren would lie for him. Oh hang it then, Edren, just tell him. I won't have you working with shadows for me.
"I found it."
Edren no, Legolas mouthed the words as loudly as he could, but Edren was not looking at him, though the prince had a feeling his friend knew what he'd been trying to say.
"How?" Garaer repeated, looking doubtful.
"Well, that is my business, but I can show you the hiding place to prove it, if you really want proof."
The elven guard considered that a moment. "I suppose if the king's life is already in peril, we need a new hiding place for his key anyway…very well, Edren." He turned to the elves on either side of Legolas. "Keep the prince here until I return." He motioned to a few of the elves over his shoulder. "Come with me." Turning to Edren he shook his head with a sigh. "Well, lead on, Edren."
Edren nodded, and without looking at Legolas, left the room, the others in-toe.
Aragorn pushed the elf who was still trying to hold him in place away. Upon Garaer's harsh interrogation of Legolas, the human had automatically rushed forward, but as per Garaer's instructions, the first elf to see the movement immediately pounced on him, holding him in place by his shoulders.
But Aragorn had had enough, and after shedding the elf, he went to Legolas kneeling down in front of him. Apparently, the elves had had enough as well, or were too caught up in the mystery to care much.
"What can I do?" he asked quietly. "There must be something-"
"Aragorn." Legolas caught his friend's eyes and held them tight in his own. "Edren cannot be blamed for this, I can't let him. Please, go with him, help him if you can?"
Aragorn nodded simply. "I will be right back," he promised, and rising off his knees, ran out the door.
- - - - - - - - - -
It did not take Aragorn long to run the length of the hall, up the stairs, and down the next hall to the foot of its lines of doors. Thranduil's room was the last of these doors, the one at the very end. Edren, Garaer and three other elves were standing just out front.
A dull crack echoed across the hall as Edren kicked in the small, rectangular piece that covered the key's hiding place. Garaer knelt down in front of the opening the piece of wood had left, and stood with a silver key in his hand.
"But- there is a key here!" he exclaimed in confusion.
"Aye, but not the correct one. Fit to the lock, if you wish, it will not work."
Garaer did so. And like Edren had said, it didn't work. "Then- what does it go to?"
Edren sighed sadly, looking for the first time unsure of how to proceed. "Legolas' room," he said at last. "And if that is not enough proof to save him, I don't know what is."
Garaer shook his head. "Save him? I don't see how this relieves him of all incrimination."
"What fool would put his own room's key in the place of a stolen one? Legolas is not so simple-minded."
"Unless he knew that this is the conclusion we would draw, and therefore left evidence against him to make it clear he was innocent!" Garaer shot back. "Edren, I just don't understand. If you know something about how this key came to be here, tell me!"
"I put it there!" Edren's voice rose to impatience, a strange tone in his voice. "So there is some more circumstantial evidence for you." Edren pressed his wrists together and held them out to Garaer. "Arrest me then. You based enough of this sort of evidence on his arrest, and he is your prince. Arresting me should be easy."
Garaer shook his head. "Legolas was found poised over his father with a knife, Edren. It is different."
"And yet here I am with a confession deserving great suspicion and you hesitate?"
"You are merely trying to make a point, and thank you, you've made it!" Garaer shouted. "But until I have something solid, some word I can trust, I have nothing to go on and Legolas will remain under lock and key! And yes, Edren, so will you." Garaer pulled a length of rope from his belt and twisted it expertly around Edren's wrists securing them together seamlessly. Edren didn't blink.
"Edren no, no wait-" Aragorn ran to the elf's side, and tried to distract the gray gaze towards his own. "Edren? Edren listen to me, think of Legolas. You can help him, don't do this! You will only get yourself in trouble and-"
"And secure him a chance to be freed," Edren interrupted quietly, finally turning to meet the deep, blue gaze that fixed on him. "Do not fear, Estel. If I must do this for Legolas, then I shall."
"Do what? Take blame for something you did not do?" Aragorn shook his head and grabbed Edren by the shoulder. "To lie?"
"I am not lying, Estel. I did switch Thranduil's with the one in Legolas' room. This is true."
Aragorn shook his head. "No it can't be true. It can't unless you had a very good reason."
"I did...or I thought I did."
"Then tell it to Garaer! Please, Edren, you must see how important this is."
Edren smiled sadly, and held his bound wrists towards Aragorn who winced slightly at them. "This is my fate and I take it gladly for my prince and friend. And Estel…" He paused a moment, gripping Aragorn's eyes with his own. "Legolas is not the only one I am protecting."
Aragorn grabbed the elven rope binding Edren in a trembling hand. "Edren, I do not understand."
The friend nodded. "I know you don't." And Garaer led him down the hall once more, leaving Aragorn standing alone by Thranduil's door.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Down," Garaer's tone was cold and impatient as he pressed Edren to his knees, facing Legolas. "I want all the truth the two of you can give me. Right here, right now."
Legolas swallowed hard, watching Edren. Oh, why did the ones he cared about have to suffer for such things? He knew as well as Garaer must that Edren was innocent! "I have told you all I know, Garaer."
"You have not explained this." Garaer shook the note written in Legolas' handwriting. "Tell me, Leoglas, why you wrote it and I swear I will believe you. But you have told me nothing."
Legolas swallowed hard. He couldn't do it, he could not! But there was no alternative, was there? He looked around, his throat cold. Aragorn was not there…perhaps…he looked across from him where Edren knelt. He didn't want his friends to know. He didn't want to see Garaer's reaction, afraid it may be pity. He wanted to shrink away, but it could be that his and Edren's, Thranduil's, and perhaps even Estel's lives depended on the truth.
He licked dry lips with a dry tongue. "All right…"
- - - - - - - - - -
"I swear, Tirniel, you open this door or I shall break it down myself!" Aragorn did his best to stay beside the door of Thranduil's room, but the two elves that had been left by Garaer to guard the king's bedroom were stronger than the human they were trying to restrain.
Tirniel's theatrical sigh echoed from the other side of the oak door. "Estel, I have strict orders not to-"
"Orders? Orders from who? Garaer?" Aragorn laughed humorlessly, and did his best to pull the strong hands off his shoulders, his voice straining with the struggle. "Tirniel, is that what Harain said? Did Harain-" There was a quick scuffle, and finally, Aragorn anchored his feet to the wood floor, and latched a strong hand onto the doorpost.
"Did Harain take orders from Garaer despite his better judgment? No, what happened to him, Tirniel? Did he conform to Garaer's orders?"
Silence. Aragorn froze, hoping desperately that he was, in fact, getting through to the Healer. From what he'd seen of Tirniel, it wasn't likely. But he did have to try.
"Did he?"
"No." Tirniel's voice was so quiet, the human ears straining a few inches away could barely hear him.
"Tirniel, please. There is so much at stake here, so much you nor I know about. Harain was banished from the Halls of Thranduil for what purpose? Apposing the king for the sake of Legolas. Do you believe that apposition was in vain, Tirniel, do you?"
The door unlocked, and slid open. Tirniel's eyes were dull with confusion, and physical as well as emotional fatigue. And yet there was a dare to hope shining somewhere deeper than visual confirmation. "Let him go," he ordered the two guards trying to back up with Aragorn.
The first let go immediately, but the second stared hard at Tirniel. "Garaer says-"
"Garaer is not your king, Ruim," Tirniel responded quietly, with an air of surrender.
"Neither are you," Ruim shot back defiantly. Tirniel shook his head and seemed at a loss for a response.
Aragorn set a hand on Ruim's which still rested on the human's shoulder, and stared smartly back at the elf. "That's the beauty of the elves, Ruim. Unlike some other creatures that live deep in Mirkwood…the firstborn have always been capable of making their own conscious decisions. This is the part where you choose, Ruim." Aragorn shrugged. "I can't decide for you, and no one can."
Ruim swallowed. His hand slid away from Aragorn's shoulder.
"Hannon le," Aragorn nodded gratefully, and stepped into Thranduil's room. Tirniel closed the door behind him.
- - - - - - - - - -
The room had fallen so, so quiet. A minute ago, Legolas would have thanked the stars for a bit of quiet, but this silence was so deafening, he was desperate for someone to slice it away with a voice…but still no one spoke.
The wood floor was getting boring to watch, and yet Legolas couldn't seem to make himself look up. He could feel Edren's eyes on him, and the pity he had so feared was burning into him, and breaking through to his emotions.
Don't let it overtake you again, that horrible grief…it's just a memory! he begged himself.Oh yes, it was a memory all right. One of the worst in his whole life, as a matter of fact.
At last, someone spoke. Long, long last. It was Garaer. "Legolas I...Forgive me. I believe you, I do."
Legolas wasn't sure whether to feel worse or better. Finally, the full truth broke through, and he found himself further in relief than worry. Garaer believed him. He finally believed him.
Garaer cleared his throat. "Well, then the note is not to be held against you, Legolas. You are cleared of that, as well as the key which Edren has admitted to. An admission we will investigate shortly. But yes…yes the note you are cleared of." The elf seemed still in shock from Legolas' story, which only made the prince more uncomfortable.
Tired of watching the older elf stumble through this new revelation, Legolas accidentally landed his eyes on Edren. He thought his heart would rip in two. The deep gray eyes did not blink, but only fixed on Legolas' face unbelievingly. The eyes were screaming, it seemed. Crying why? Why…didn't you know I cared? Legolas, didn't you know that? And what if you had not stopped? What if…what if you had…oh Valar.
Legolas met the gaze tremblingly. I'm sorry. He shook his head slowly. Edren, I'm sorry.
Edren turned away, and he may as well slapped Legolas in the face. The prince felt a bolt of guilt wrack his emotions and he desperately wanted to say something…but his mouth would not open, and a tear slipped down his face instead.
I'm sorry, Edren…I'm so so sorry.
"…of that much, but you have yet to explain what you were doing with the a knife pressed to the king, after setting fire in his room, and exiting the Precaution."
Oh, so Garaer had been talking. Legolas hadn't noticed, and frankly, didn't care anymore. So what if Garaer had finally put his mind around the truth? So what if he finally believed Legolas? Edren was broken and would say nothing, Legolas was hurting worse than ever and could not respond to Edren's silence. It seemed as though the truth hadn't changed a thing.
"Legolas?"
The prince looked up reluctantly.
"Please, unless the king himself awakes to tell us how he remembers it, or shows any sign of trusting you still, we cannot free you without your own account of the attack on your father."
"I did not attack him!" Legolas felt angry suddenly, tired of dealing with the circumstantial evidence against him, and positively furious with Garaer for forcing him to admit to such a thing in front of Edren. If Garaer had any idea of how much damage he just may have caused, perhaps he would not still be pushing Legolas for answers.
"I did not mean to hurt him, I was trying to help him. Just let me talk to him! Let me prove it to you, I cannot clear myself if you will not trust me when I say what I do!"
"The king will call you to his presence when he desires and audience with you," Garaer's voice was horizontal once more, and free of all the emotions that had been there moments before.
"Father will not request my presence! He is dying, don't you understand?! He doesn't even know what he's thinking, he needs me, Garaer!" Legolas' voice cracked with emotion. "He'll die if he does not know comfort, and I am the only thing he has found any comfort in! He despairs Naneth's passing, he needs his son!"
"I will not allow you an audience with Thranduil-"
"You're killing him!" Legolas interrupted desperately.
"-until he requests it!" Garaer roared back.
The door slammed open, and to Legolas' surprise and immeasurable relief, there stood Aragorn. The human smiled pleasantly at Garaer.
"His majesty, King Thranduil, requests that his son, Legolas Greenleaf, be brought to him immediately."