Hullo, everybody! :D Thanks so much for stickin' around, despite the FanFiction complications. And onto the responses! "blushes at all the undeserved praise, and starts typing"
Deana: Yes, well, my elvish is unprofessional at best, and unbearable at worst. ;) I've studied it through websites, the books, and the movies especially. So I apologize if it makes little sense. Yes, Qenya is a dead language, but if I remember correctly, a lot of Sindarin is derived from that language, which is what I meant. At least- I think that's what I meant. "smack smack" I'm just a bit confused. ;) LOL! But yes, I hope you don't mind too horribly if I continue to use "adda" instead of "ada"…part of the problem is, Ada is a girl's name, and I have a hard time getting past that. LOL! Call me picky, cause well- I am. ;) Thanks for your help, though Deana!
LOTRFaith: LOL! Yeah, it's a wonder Legolas is still alive sometimes. Either it's because he's an elf, or because he's fanfic-fotter. I can't decide which. ;) But thank heavens he hasn't dropped yet, huh? ;) Thanks for reviewing!
Sielge: Thanks, Si! Can I call you Si? I could call you El or Siel if you prefer- or how about Ge? :D LOL! Sorry. I'm a little nuts right now. Thanks for reviewing!!
Elvin girl: LOL! Alas! Poor twins are made to wait. ;) And yes, poor dear Elrond. I'm glad you liked that scene!!
Firn: LOL! "blush" aw, I'm so glad you're enjoying them!! Kill 'Gorny? Wha- who's 'Gorny? :P LOL! God Bless you too!
Thief Kuronue: LOL! Oh goody, you're still hear! "watches Thief Gnat roar" that's- very interesting… ;) LOL!! And don't worry if you take a bit to catch up. It does get confusing if you don't have the previous stories fresh in your mind, I agree. Welcome back!
LegolasLover: Keep up the guessing, LL! It's really cool!! "nod nod" And sorry if I make you think too hard. I know how that is- thinking is painful for me too. ;) LOL!
Sr: Thanks for the tip! As I told Deana, "Ada" is a girl's name as well, so I've kind of had a hard time using that. Plus, I'm so used to using "Adda" it'd be odd to change it mid-series. Sorry if that's frustrating to you, to have me "mangling", shall we say, the Elvish language, but I learned it through websites, the books and the movies; all of which differ. ;) So it's been rough for me to learn it, and I never DID get my hands on a 100% reliable source for it, so maybe I've set some bad habits. Anyway, thanks SO MUCH for clearing that up for me, sr, and I do hope the Elvish in my fics improve sooner or later. :)
Dark Borg Drone: "salutes" You got it, Borg! ;)
Stridergal: LOL! Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it!! "bounces in excitement"
Helluin: LOL, Helluin! :D Legolas' secret. Ah, yes, well, you WILL find out about that- eventually. "cheesy smile" promise! ;) And you make perfect sense. A. you like the fic "blush" B. you're every bit as pippy and bouncy as me. ;) LOL!! Thanks for the review!
Lothlorien leaf: "gasp" I have a trademark? WOW! "starts to feel like M. Night Shyamalan and gets all blushy" LOL! AWESOME lyrics, LothLeaf! I've heard a few songs of the Calling, "Arms Wide Open" being one of my favs. ;) Thanks for posting those- they work so WELL! Gosh, Legolas IS confused, isn't he? "reads lyrics again" yup. Sure is. ;) LOL! Hannon le, mellon-nin!
Arayelle Lynn: Yeah, I know, I hate Bengwiil too. And I WROTE the whole thing! Did you know I was going to call it "Instonal" originally? It sounded too much like "Iston" though. :D LOL! Pointless trivia. Anyways, thanks for reviewing, Lynn!
Celebdil-Galad, Tinlaure and Roth: Yeah, I think "Vilya" is really what made me think about Aragorn's ring much in the first place. :D "glares at Roth" Grimi climbs treas. LOADS of trees, don't you, Grimi? "Grimi shakes head vehemently" umn- he said yes. That means yes in Dwarvish. "smiles plastically while Grimi glares ice-picks" LOL! Thanks for reviewing, guys!And without any extra chit-chat, pointless notations, or soda commercials, here goes chapter 8! Have fun, guys! :)
(oh, and don't forget, if there is elvish, then the words 'written like this' are the translation for that Elvish :)
Chapter 8
The "Precaution"
Elrond rose quickly from his seat on the bed, and went to the door, pulling it open with a smile all ready on his face.
"Adda!" Elladan's voice came suddenly with relief, and then added exasperatedly, "Thank goodness."
"I'd worried about you two, I thought you would soon seek me out in the king's room," Elrond smiled, raising his eyebrows in mock disapproval.
"You would not believe the time we had, Adda." That was Elrohir. "I mean, the task of stabling the horses sounded easy enough at the time, but-"
The twins had entered into the bedroom now, and Elrohir was still talking as Elrond closed the door behind them.
"It was ridiculous," Elrohir continued. "We came down to the stables, and were happy to do so, so you could go ahead and- what is it, El?"
Elladan was staring blankly ahead, his eyes fixed disbelievingly on Aragorn. As he elbowed his brother in the ribs, Elrohir also looked up. He froze, his mouth slightly ajar, and his face pale. "Est…im- impossible."
Aragorn smiled courteously, but he was trying not to grin. "Mae govannen, my brothers. It is good to see you."
"Estel!" Elrohir dashed past his brother, and pounced onto the human's bed, throwing his arms around him. "Estel- you're not…I thought- Estel, why- you're alive!"
"Yes!" Aragorn laughed, pulling the elf into a tight hug. He looked through his adoptive brother's dark hair to see Elladan still standing by the doorway, pale as the white walls around him.
Aragorn gave Elrohir a last squeeze, and then released him, his eyes still on Elladan. "I'm alive, El. It's okay to believe it." He nodded. "It's good to see you."
Shaking from head to foot, Elladan lurched forward, and suddenly lacking all his elven grace, grabbed the bedpost, and tumbled down beside Aragorn on the bed, pulling his human brother into his embrace. As Aragorn buried his face in the other's dark hair, he could hear Elladan whispering elvish thanks to Ilúvatar in his ear.
Elladan's fingers snaked into Aragorn's hair as he pulled his brother closer. "I love you so much, Estel, I missed you so, so much, I-"
"I know," Aragorn smiled, and squeezed Elladan's shoulder. "I missed you too."
"Don't do it, Estel, don't you ever, EVER make me feel such loss again, tithen gwardor."
'little brother'
"Oh El…" Aragorn shut his eyes and squeezed him even tighter, his knuckles digging into the elf's back, though Elladan was far from noticing.
At long last, Elladan let go, and Aragorn was clobbered by Elrorhir awhile longer. The younger elf couldn't seem to grasp Aragorn's life, so he kept rubbing his shoulder, or pressing his hand to the human's heartbeat, just to be sure.
"I'm alive, Elrohir," Aragorn kept reassuring smilingly. "I'm alive, ea mae im."
'I am well.'
After awhile, Legolas felt it was all right to speak. "I'm glad the two of you are here. I'd begun to worry, though perhaps not as much as I should, when you were not with your father."
Elrohir spun on his knees, and launched across the bed, grasping Legolas' shoulder. "Legolas! You're alive too!"
Legolas laughed. "Why would I not be, Elrohir?" The prince grinned for a second, and then, unable to help himself, grabbed Elrohir into a hug as well. It felt good. "It is so good to see you, both of you."
"And you, Legolas," Ellandan assured, his arm still tight around Aragorn's shoulders.
Elrond smiled fondly, and sat on Leoglas' end of the bed again. "So what ever happened to delay you so?"
Elladan sighed, letting go of Aragorn at last. "It was a unbelievable, Adda. First, after we met the elf called Daurrè in the stables, we stowed the horses, and on his direction, went looking for 'the room Legolas gave Estel' as he said. The trouble was, we kept trying to find assistance in locating this room, and none would assist!"
"'The sons of Elrond, thank the Valar! Where is your father?'" Elrohir bellowed loudly, apparently imitating one such encounter.
"'We are grieved indeed for the loss, we cannot easily replace a ruler,' and 'Perhaps your father can help the prince at this time!' or 'It is already too late for him, strong though he was…'" Elladan picked up. "It was amazing how many were simply too distraught to help us."
Somehow, that didn't surprise Legolas much at all. Emotions seemed to running frighteningly high in the Halls of late, though Legolas couldn't blame his people. After all, not much had gone right since he and Aragorn first returned from their encounter with Binwen and his dwarven halls. Ever since Bengwiil.
"By the time we found someone who was actually useful," Elrohir continued, "it sounded to us as though not only Estel, but the King, and Legolas, one of the healers, and some fellow called 'Lindo' were all dead!"
Legolas flinched, and sat up quickly, feeling Aragorn's eyes move onto him. "Lindo, Elrohir? Who mentioned that name to you?"
Elrohir shrugged. "I did not know her name, I'm sorry Legolas, does the name 'Lindo' mean something to you?"
Legolas' eyebrows lifted. "Her?" he repeated, and switched glances with Aragorn who responded with the same confusion.
"What exactly did she say, do you remember?" Aragorn asked probingly.
"She was distraught, as were most of the others we came to for help," Elladan answered for his brother. "She said something like: 'I suppose you are here for Lindo, aren't you? The sons of Elrond, are you not?' and with nervousness, she began to speak quietly, as though attempting to convey a secret message, or something. 'I did not know him, you know,' she said, 'but there are those who- miss him greatly. Very greatly.'"
"And then I remember clearly what she said next, and how frightened her voice became," Elrohir added, nodding at his brother. "She said: 'Do you understand?' and her eyes grew wide with pleading. Elladan told her that we were looking for Estel's room, and did not know a 'Lindo'. 'Oh,' she then said and backed away from us. 'Then you do not know after all,' and she looked so greatly disappointed, I wanted to assist her, but she shook her head, and spun away, running down the hall. After her, in fact, we found our help."
"And who was it who assisted you, El?" Aragorn asked.
"A friend of Legolas', I believe, because he didn't call him 'the prince' or 'His Highness', but rather by name. 'You will find Legolas up the hall there, and down for seven doors. That is the room Legolas gave Estel,' he told us, and then said he was sorry, but in a great hurry, so he departed with haste."
"A friend of mine?" Legolas queried, shaking his head. "Did you recognize him, Elrohir?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, Legolas has spoken of him before, I believe. A close friend of his…Eren?"
"Edren," Elladan corrected quietly, "for I remember his name of 'trust' suited him at a glance."
"Indeed it does," Aragorn filled in the silence as Legolas stared fixedly back at him.
"I suppose he figured out that we had all ready found Estel," Elrond answered Legolas' unspoken question, though he sounded as though he didn't believe it.
"Surely he would have come to be sure first, unless there was a much more pressing matter that he went after…which, I suppose there was, seeing he left in a hurry…" Legolas' voice trailed off in thought.
"Where was he when you spoke with him, Elladan?" Aragorn asked.
"He was all ready up towards these rooms, and after answering our question, ran on ahead of us to a different door past this one. Perhaps about five doors down?"
"Well, that would be his own room," Legolas answered slowly. "Perhaps we should go find him?"
Elrond nodded. "I think it would be wise."
"What is it, Adda?" Elladan demanded quietly, "What's wrong? And- I would very much like to know why Estel is not de…why Estel is alive." And Elrohir nodded in agreement.
"I myself would like to get the full story," Elrond admitted, "but there are more pressing things that must be attended to first." The twins nodded in understanding.
"I think we had best not bombard Edren with all of our company," Legolas began hesitantly.
Elladan held up a hand. "Say no more, we will go and be sure the king is well."
Elrond nodded. "I have tended to him, El, but it would be a good idea for and your brother to be sure and keep the confidence of his healer up, at the least. I believe…" Elrond sent a questioning look at Legolas as he paused.
"Tiriniel," the prince answered, nodding.
"I believe Tirniel is running himself raged at this point. I would appreciate your helping him. He is the only experienced Healer left in these Halls, and we cannot afford to lose him. And he needs help."
"Of course, Adda," Elladan nodded, but had to elbow Elrohir to say the same.
"Don't worry, Elrohir," Aragorn smiled. "I will tell you all in time." And Elrohir nodded and smiled back.
"Now, go on to the king's room, do you know where it is?"
Elrohir nodded. "We gathered that much by accident on our way here."
"Good, and Legolas and Estel will go to Edren's room."
"What- what about you, Adda?" Aragorn asked.
"I will go and see to Tiris, and perhaps Daurrè. I'll only be a moment, but I want to ask him a few things. I'll join you and Legolas shortly."
And each nodding with agreement, they parted ways.
- - - - - - - - - -
Legolas and Aragorn stood silent before Edren's door, the sound of knuckles on wood still resounding emptily in their ears. Still, there was no answer.
"Try again," Aragorn suggested, even as Legolas' knuckles were rapping the hard wood again.
Still silence.
Then, at least, a quiet scuffle from the other side of the door. Looking down at the floor, Aragorn saw the shadow of someone standing just beyond the doorway, close enough to touch the door's handle and open it. But still, there was no reply.
"Edren? Thernäd? It is Legolas. I need to speak with you."
Nothing.
"Hello?" Legolas repeated.
At last, there was a quiet, frightened whisper. "He's not here." It was a high, female voice. Ghostly and without emotion.
"Who is not here? Edren?"
"Yes."
"Well- where is he, Thernäd?"
"He's trying to find something. Some- some secret. He's looking for the Precaution, Legolas." Thernäd's voice wavered in and out quietly. It sounded as though she were crying.
Legolas froze. He remembered that word. It was from when he'd been arrested and locked in Mornaeg's room.
"But what of- the Precaution? Surely the king will be furious if Prince Legolas finds out-"
Legolas took a deep breath. "What's wrong, Thernäd? Why are you so upset? Can I-"
"Go to Mornaeg's room, Legolas. Then you will see why."
Legolas' heart was racing. What was in Mornaeg's room? Had something happened to Edren?
"Will you not come with me, Thernäd?"
"No." Her voice was dull. "No. I don't want to."
Legolas nodded. "All right, I will be back shortly."
No response.
Legolas exchanged nods with Aragorn, and the two set off down the hall towards the tall, stone staircase leading to Mornaeg's room.
As they advanced on the stone staircase, Legolas' mind began to whirl around his many unanswered questions. Was Thernäd the distraught young elf that Elladan and Elrohir had heard speak the name Lindo? It would make sense, for if Edren knew as much about this Lindo business as Legolas was beginning to think he did, likely Thernäd knew as well.
But what of those words the twins had heard from the elf they'd found? Surely Thernäd hadn't thought Legolas was dead…
- - - - -
A shadow tucked beneath the floor,
Wrapped close and stowed away
Slips outside a careless door
And to the open sight of day
A bit of past, no longer you
A memory you will not heed
A few words spoken, proven true
A lie that you no longer need
The tattered shreds of gray, concealing
Dust that settles thick and close
Now the light is white, revealing
That which once you feared the most
"Recollections", SarahK
- - - - -
"No one is here," Aragorn's voice was distant, as though he'd half expected the room to be empty.
The two friends stood silently in Mornaeg's room, looking at its emptiness nervously. The wind blew harshly through the empty window, where the curtains that had given up and let go of their rod, lay crumpled betrayers on the cold floor.
Legolas' eyes danced over the ghostly shadows of ink still lingering on the floor, a sight that brought back several bad memories now that he did not want to recall. He turned instead to Aragorn, who had the same look of fear in his eyes, for quite the same reasons. Neither one wanted to be here. Neither wished to remember.
"If Edren is not here, we should you go find out where he is," Legolas resolved quietly.
Aragorn nodded. "I don't wish to stay here, that is one thing I know certain."
Legolas smiled. "Me neither, mellon nin. Although," he continued, cocking his head slightly as he looked around the room once more. "I would have liked to know what those elves and Garaer had been talking about. The Precaution. I really would like to know what they meant."
"The Precaution." Aragorn repeated. "You mean what Thernäd said Edren was up here looking for?"
Legolas nodded. "When they arrested me, I overheard one of the elven guards and Garaer speak of it, saying that my father would be furious if ever I found out what it was."
"Well then," Aragorn shrugged, "if it does indeed sound that important, Legolas, oughtn't we to look for it or try to find out what it is? I confess, it is mere curiosity on my part, but we must start unveiling this mystery at some point."
Legolas thought a moment, the look on his face betraying the fact the idea was tempting. "No," he said shaking his head. "No, we will look for Edren first."
"All right."
click
In split second it took the friends to spin around and face the door, they had both managed to draw their weapons and aim them at the doorway. But the doorway was blocked by its closed door, and it took only moments to figure out why. Aragorn was first to the door handle, and he shook it hard.
He turned. "Locked."
Legolas sighed and nodded. That wasn't, in fact, very surprising.
"Oh," Aragorn sighed, pressing his thumb and forefinger against his closed eyelids. "This day just gets more and more complicated."
Legolas only laughed, stowing his bow and the arrow that it had been strung with. "Oh come, Aragorn, don't be so down. I'm just glad your father is here. Now we can look for that 'Precaution'."
Aragorn shook his head. "What about Edren?"
"That's why I'm glad Elrond's here. It won't take him long to find us, and then we can find Edren," Legolas said easily, keeping the anxiousness out of his tone. He was worried something had happened to his friend…but it didn't look like he was where Thernäd thought he was, so perhaps there was no cause for worry.
"Nothing for it," Legolas concluded at last. "Let us search."
The human shrugged, and sheathed his sword. "How do we know it's in here?"
"Garaer said he tied me to the bedpost so I wouldn't find it," Legolas responded, "thus it must be here somewhere."
"Well, there's really only one obvious place to check," Aragorn said, approaching Mornaeg's bed.
"Yes," Legolas agreed coming to stand beside Aragorn. Simultaneously, they crouched to their hands and knees, and surveyed the underneath of the bed. It took but a moment to see it. A silver door handle.
Legolas and Aragorn looked at each other. "This is just the same sort of door I found under my father's bed."
Aragorn shook his head. "What?"
The prince was paused a moment, then as realization struck him, he laughed. "Oh, Strider, forgive me. I have left you long in the dark I fear."
"Being arrested by your own people can do that," Aragorn responded easily, patting Legolas on the shoulder. "What door?"
"I found a trapdoor just as this one under my father's bed…" Legolas explained in the shortest fashion he could as the two pushed their way under the bed towards the trap door.
"…Garaer and his men thought I'd attempted to murder my own father, of course, so when they found me there- well, I think you know the rest."
Aragorn nodded, scooting out of the way for Legolas to pull the trap door's handle. "I talked with most of the elves who were there, even Garaer. I think I have a pretty safe account of the rest." He shook his head in wonder as Legolas tugged hard on the handle, but the door would not budge. "I just cannot believe that your father has been growing Bengwiil under his bed for so long."
Legolas nodded, tugging at the door again. "I know, it's hard to picture him thinking it wisdom, but from where I stand, Bengwiil has never been anything but solid evil, so perhaps you could say I'm just close-minded."
Aragorn shook his head, grasping the handle as well in assistance. "Not close-minded, Legolas. Just sensible."
With a silent count of three, the two pulled on the trap door's handle, and with a creeeak it groaned open. Legolas froze as stale air wafted from the unknown black bellow. It was musty and dank…but there was a beautiful scent as well…something clean and wonderful. Something lighter than the heavy dirt-smelling breeze that drifted towards them.
"I know that scent…" Legolas whispered before he could stop himself. "I- remember it…barely. It brings something back to me, though I cannot recall it."
Aragorn leaned his head down to the black opening, and sniffed. "Oh," he smiled and nodded, "it's eucalyptus. Yes, a beautiful scent."
Legolas looked at him. "Eucalyptus?"
"I'm sure you've seen it, Legolas, with it's raindrop-shaped leaves and almost suffocating strong scent. It is a vine plant, and I'm fairly certain you can find it growing here."
Legolas nodded. "Yes, I think you can…it's just- I knew someone. I- I knew someone who loved eucalyptus and grew it outside their window…it made their whole room smell of it, once. It doesn't smell that way anymore, but it…" His voice was quiet as he probed for memory. "The name just brings back memories."
"What sort of memories?" Aragorn asked curiously, letting the trap door close partway.
"Good ones," Legolas smiled, and nodded. "Yes, good ones. Of my mother."
Aragorn paused and studied his friend. "I'm sorry," he murmured, trying to think of something more meaningful to say. Legolas only shrugged half-heartedly, and stared into the dark below the trapdoor.
"Legolas," Aragorn began hesitantly, "I have never asked you before, and if it is a question you have no wish to answer, say it, and I promise not to ask again."
Legolas half smiled and shook his head. "What is it, Aragorn?"
Aragorn's face was quiet. "Where is your mother?"
Legolas was silent, his eyes locking on Aragorn's. But he was not hurt, not angry…just suddenly silent. He didn't seem to even breathe. He finally broke his eye contact with Aragorn, and looked into the trapdoor again. "She left," he said at last. "Because of complications in Mirkwood, problems within these halls, and…and family problems. It was all too much for her, so she had to go away."
Aragorn shook his head. "To where?"
"Far," Legolas answered vacantly. "So far…I don't know if I shall ever see her again."
"I'm sorry," Aragorn said again. "I should not have asked-"
"No, Aragorn, no." Legolas' eyes met his friend's again with solid assurance. "It's all right. Naneth, she- she promised me I'd never forget her, and I have not. She also promised to watch me forever." He smiled. "One of the last things she told me. I was- very young then." He shook his head, his smile fading, and his features softened to impassive remembrance. "I think her last words of all were to Father…but I do not know what they were. I wish I did. I suppose I miss her."
His eyebrows creased in painful memory, and then at seeing Aragorn beside him again, he sighed, and let his pain dissolve. "But it is in the past, mellon nin, and there it is to stay…and now that I smell eucalyptus again, it seems all the clearer to me. It doesn't hurt, my friend. Memories of Naneth are nothing but good."
Aragorn paused, holding the door open for a moment. "I am glad you could tell me."
"I am glad you could ask…you know me, Aragorn." Legolas laughed lightly. "Not many people really know me, but- well, you do."
The silence only lasted a moment, and Aragorn nodded resolutely, causing Legolas to do the same in a silent, mutual understanding, their hands going back to holding the trapdoor open.
Legolas sighed and shook his head. "I very much don't want to go down there, but I know I have to."
"Don't worry," Aragorn reassured, "I go with you, Legolas."
Legolas nodded, then froze.
"I know."
Echoes of something distant. Something hidden in the present or buried in the past.
"He's dying, Edren. I have to go down, I have to."
"I…I go with you, Legolas."
"I know."
"You first, mellon nin," Aragorn encouraged, he seemed to have missed his friend's momentary confusion, or at least misjudged it to be Legolas gathering his courage to go down. "Go on the count of three."
Legolas nodded, as the Aragorn counted quietly: "Er, atta, nelde!" And Legolas leapt into the dark unknown beneath the trapdoor. Without hesitation, Aragorn let go of the door, and slid into the opening after him.
It was completely dark below as the trapdoor slammed shut behind Aragorn. "Legolas?" he called quietly in the dark.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned quickly in surprise. Almost instantly he was reassured, though, for it was Legolas, his features glowing pale in the darkness.
"Forgive me," Legolas apologized, grinning.
A dull thud came from above that sounded somewhat like footsteps, and Aragorn's eyes snapped to the ceiling. But there was nothing else to be heard.
"You're a bit jumpy, aren't you, Strider?" Legolas' face was amused.
Aragorn shook his head in wonder, and laughed lightly. "I have a good reason."
Legolas nodded, glancing around at the dark. "Indeed. Come, let's see what's down here."
The two made their way easily down the sloping dirt ground, Aragorn following Legolas' pale glow. The human noted with curiosity that Legolas' feet knew this ground. They walked flat and smoothly over the unfamiliar terrain. Perhaps it was simply that Legolas was an elf, and Aragorn a human…perhaps.
The ground sloped easily downward for a little while, and then opened up into a much wider room. Aragorn couldn't see how wide for sure, but he could hear his breath echoing, and feel that the air was no longer so close.
"Aragorn, there is a torch just to your left, and a flint rock underneath it. I'll light the other one by the wall."
Aragorn blinked in the dark, but he could see nothing. Still, he trusted Legolas' eyes more than his own, so he turned to find the torch. Sure enough, there it was, just to his left, and a fair-sized flint rock just beneath it. He struck the rock against the inside of the torch, and in short time held it aloft so the light could reveal the mysterious room.
The ceiling wasn't that high, but high enough to stand straight- just barely. For the most part, it was a normal dirt room. That is…except for a few strange things.
As he had suspected, there was eucalyptus hanging from the ceiling, held up by lengths of thin twine. Just to the corner of the ceiling, though, was something rather odd. Something not belonging in this mysterious room of cold shadow.
Tied to two wooden pegs that appeared to pin all the way through the dirt to the wood floor above, were two lengths of elven rope. Tied to the ends of those ropes was a wooden board which hung about two feet from the ground. Aragorn approached the strange device slowly, the sound of Legolas trying to light his torch echoing around him.
As the human held his torch up to the dirt wall behind the ropes and board, he found, as he thought he might, the marks of bare feet on the loose dirt. Small bare feet that had pounded against the wall to propel the board and ropes back and forth, back and forth, back and forth...
"Finally," Legolas called, as his torch lit, and he turned to find where Aragorn had gone. Aragorn only half noticed when Legolas came to stand beside him.
"Legolas," the human asked quietly, "why is there a swing down here?"
Legolas shrugged. "How should I know?"
"You knew where the torches were, and though perhaps you saw in the dark better than I, you could not have seen the flint rock beneath them. Your feet know this ground. This dirt." Aragorn shook his head. "Legolas, I think you've been here. You know this place."
Legolas seemed to wince. "I know."
"Where is it? Why do you know?"
Again, Legolas seemed to cringe slightly, as he whispered, "I don't remember." He walked slowly towards the small swing, and he smiled faintly as he grabbed the rope, pushed it back, then let it swing forth. His mind seemed to retreat within him as he watched the swing glide forward and backward, and fought to remember.
The Ranger moved a step towards the swing, examining the board that was its seat. He stood up to face Legolas in confusion. "The side of the swing is crusted with blood, Legolas."
Legolas' look became nearly identical to Aragorn's as he leaned forward to find that, sure enough, there was blood crusted to the right-hand corner of the swing. Aragorn's bewilderment increased as he watched his friend carefully.
Legolas had begun to rub the back of his right hand unconsciously.
Then, something caught the corner of the human's eye, and he moved across to the opposite wall to look. Just to the right of where he and Legolas had entered, was a piece of old paper tacked to the wall with an arrow. "Legolas, come look," Aragorn called over his shoulder, and felt his friend instantly respond by coming.
As Legolas came to stand beside Aragorn for the second time, his eyes became wide. "I know this…I know it…" His hand trembled strangely as he pulled the arrow from the wall and let the piece of ancient parchment flutter into his grasp.
On it there was an inscription followed by a strange list, all written in faded red ink. Ink that was dark and crusted, like dried blood. And yet, though it was old and faded, it shone slightly in the torchlight, as though it were still wet- which is was not. Legolas shuddered as he recognized the look of it. Mornaeg's ink, that was certain.
He read the words carefully, and felt Aragorn look at them over his shoulder.
The Worthy Heroes of Greenwood the Great:
The Guardian: Tiro-Lim
The Sparrow: Lindo
The Fawn: Arasen
The Follower: Bioren
This the password, and always the same:
Find the wind and ask him his name
For he, the spirit of forest and tree
E'er keep his vow of secrecy
And then, at the very bottom of the page, a small inscription that was slightly unsteady, and certainly not as fancy and smooth as the writing above. A child's pen wrote the words:
Friends forever, Foes for never
Istón, Isté n, Hä rin
Legolas' mind was whirling with questions, with answers, and yet it somehow seemed completely blank. Not a word he was thinking made sense to him. What was it? No- when? Where had it been? Memory or dream? Dream or memory? Something in this was familiar, something he had to find. Had to cling to. Had to trust with all of his might.
"I know these words…I know them, Estel…" Legolas breathed quietly.
"You know them but don't remember them," Aragorn assessed.
"Exactly," Legolas nodded and almost smiled. Aragorn's voice seemed to bring him back to earth, and his mind stopped swirling at this comforting realization; Aragorn was there. No matter how confused Legolas was, he had a friend who knew him like no one else. Legolas could almost feel his mind anchoring itself in reality again.
"So what do you think it means?"
Legolas shook his head, reading the paper again. "Silivren," he whispered, before he knew why.
"What?"
"S-silivren," he repeated, shaking his head. "The passwords is 'silivren'. I know it."
Aragorn nodded slowly. "All right. But what has that to do with the-" He leaned over Legolas' shoulder to read the paper again. "Find the wind and ask him his name?"
"I don't know." Legolas' voice was in a daze. "But- the passwords is 'silivren'. Someone…once told me…they said: 'the password is silivren this time.' I can still hear it in my head." He shuddered slightly. "I don't recall a face."
"What of the voice, Legolas? Who told you this password?"
Legolas shut his eyes tight, and felt Aragorn's kind fingers rubbing his shoulder to calm his thoughts, and assist his concentration.
"What do you remember?" Aragorn's voice echoed gently in Legolas' head as the elf's mind fought to answer the question. "What do you see, Legolas?"
Legolas' mental eyes searched his memory madly. The password is 'silivren' this time. Tell Bioren it's 'silivren'. Who spoke? What voice was it? He knew it, he remembered it…it struck familiarity in his heart. It struck deep.
"What do you see?" the question now came from nowhere. It came from something close…somewhere right beside him, though it no longer felt like Aragorn. Rather a command from his own mind. A command to remember.
"I see…" he whispered, his eyes shut tight. His memory seemed to be surfacing for the first time, clear as day. He saw an elf with blonde hair and deep, green eyes. The elf was smiling, laughing. Bioren something told him. It's Bioren.
The elf was so small…no…not small, just far away. Legolas realized he was looking through the branches of a tree. Everything was green and alive, yet he was unhappy. He was worried…
"Come down now, Lindo! You cannot stay up there forever, little sparrow." The voice was kind, yet it did not make Legolas feel better.
"I don't want you to go, Bioren. I want you to stay here- if you go hunting, you may never come back!"
"Oh come now, I'll be back. If I don't, who will get you out of trouble?"
"And you'll take care of Tiro-Lim too?"
"Of course I will. I always do. Like I take care of you and of Arasen. Now come down. Don't you want to say goodbye to us?"
Legolas' eyes opened, and he realized he was panting.
"Legolas, are you all right?" Aragorn was asking, afraid to touch the elf, and jerk him from the memories he'd fought so hard for.
Legolas' hands were shaking and he'd dropped his torch to the dirt floor, though his fingers still clutched the old paper determinedly. "I- I'm sorry…" he whispered, his eyebrows creasing with confusion. "What…what did I say?"
Aragorn shook his head. "Nothing, but you started panting and dropped your torch, and- Legolas, you're pale…what's wrong?"
"I don't…I think- I don't know." Legolas shook his head. "I remembered something…but it can't be…I don't…"
"Sh…" Aragorn soothed, setting his torch on the ground as well so he could grip both of Legolas' shoulder. "Sh, calm down. Legolas, look at me." Legolas did. "What did you see?"
Legolas froze for a heartbeat, his eyes widening in disbelief. "I saw…I saw my past. I saw someone…"
"Who, Legolas? Who did you see?"
Legolas' face blanched even more, and his free hand gripped Aragorn's right shoulder. "Aragorn- I saw…I saw Minaeg. I saw Mornaeg's brother Minaeg!"
thudthudthud
Legolas flinched painfully at the sudden sound, and nearly gasped. Aragorn held his friend's shoulders tightly still, and turned his head. "Hello?" he called at the sound of boots on the wood floor.
"Átniir? Are you up here? It's Daurrè, Átniir, where are you?"