I'm so sorry for the delay! Thank you EVERYONE who waited patiently for me.
Also, sorry if formatting is all screwed up! FF.net is messing with my head
again!
Aragorn narrowed his eyes at the knock on the door. They had moved to a different inn- could the traitor have found this out already? Mithfalas exchanged a glance with Nifren before nodding to Aragorn. Drawing his sword from its sheath, he threw the door open and had the weapon at the knocker's throat.
"I come in peace!" The visitor spat quickly. Mithfalas made a startled noise.
"Another bloody elf! I don't think we can trust 'em, Strider!"
Aragorn lowered his weapon, his lips spreading in surprised smile. "Legolas. I don't even know what to ask."
"I followed my hawk here." His eyes swept the room, landing finally on his brother. Mithfalas was expecting shock, maybe even anger, but what he received was a warm smile. "You're the last person I expected to find here."
"Aye, I might say the same. Is Ada. . . I mean, Thranduil, holding the Spring Festival this year?"
"Aye."
"And yet you are here."
"I kind of ran away."
"You ran away?" Mithfalas said.
"Kind of?" Aragorn added.
The ranger moved away from the door, allowing his friend in.
Mithfalas pressed. "Why?"
Legolas did not want to say anything, but he knew he would have to talk about it sooner or later. "Do you remember Aldarion?" Both Mithfalas and Aragorn nodded. Nifren was looking rather irritated about being ignored.
"He is dead."
"What?" The two chorused. Aragorn gathered his bearings faster than Mithfalas. "How?"
"The spider hunt that I told you about. He was killed." He turned his eyes to his brother. "Sera is dying now."
Mithfalas said nothing, but crawled over the bed he was sitting on and took Legolas into a comforting embrace.
Aragorn noticed his partner's agitated look. "I'm sorry, Nifren. This is Legolas, Mithfalas' brother, and my good friend. Legolas, this a fellow ranger."
"Mae govannen, mellon nin."
"It means 'well met, my friend'." Aragorn translated for the other ranger.
Nifren smiled and nodded. "Indeed. From where do you hail?"
Legolas hesitated. "Greenwood the Great," he said at last, not entirely trusting the human.
"Ah, another Mirkwood elf. It seems you all are anywhere but in Mirkwood."
Mithfalas sighed. "I am not a Mirkwood elf. I lived there once. 'Tis all."
Legolas changed the subject quickly. "When do I get to meet this lady of yours?" He regretted the question as soon as he asked it, though he knew not why. The room went still and silent. No one would look him in the eye. "I'm sorry, what did I miss?"
Aragorn swallowed, took a breath, and replied, "You and I have a lot that we should catch up on."
Mithfalas stood. "Nifren, would you join me for a drink downstairs?"
The other ranger remained quiet, eyeing Legolas as he left the room.
"All right, my friend, what happened?"
Aragorn sat on the bed and spilled his story. He still did not shed a tear. Before Legolas could even admit to himself that he had nothing to say, Aragorn asked for the details about Aldarion.
"It seems as though we're both a wreck, does it not?" The young man forced a laugh when Legolas too had finished his story.
Legolas was shaking his head. "My life was perfectly normal before I met you-"
"No it wasn't."
"-and then I finally get rid of you and everything still went wrong."
"I know you did not just blame your problems on me."
"I'm really glad you came, Legolas. The human needs you."
Legolas nodded. "The truth is that I needed him just as much."
Nifren walked towards the two elves. "Strider is still limping."
Legolas looked to Mithfalas for explanation.
"He hurt his ankle during the battle."
Nifren shook his head. "It's not from that. It is from his wound."
"What wound?" The two elfish voices blended.
"He was stabbed in his leg a while ago during the night when we were chasing the traitor."
Legolas creased his brow in memory but said nothing. Mithfalas nudged him, telling him to go and tend to his friend.
Legolas entered Aragorn's room soundlessly, causing the human to jump when he spoke.
"How wounded are you, my friend?"
"I'm not."
"Liar."
Aragorn shrugged. "Her family had a funeral for her today."
"You did not attend?"
"No. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I know she was a traitor, and she didn't have feelings for me, but that doesn't change how I felt."
"You should have gone to the funeral."
"Why?"
"To say your final goodbye."
Aragorn sighed. "I am not ready to say goodbye to her."
"But you have to. You are mortal. You need to get on living; you have such a short time to do so."
"You have no idea what I'm going through! You have no idea what it's like to lose someone you love!" He paused, saw the look on his friend's face, and realized his mistake. "Oh, Legolas, I didn't mean that. You know I didn't, I am so sorry."
The prince shook his head. "It's alright, I understand." He smiled. "You don't have to apologize."
"I wish I could just go back in time and do things differently."
Legolas nodded. He would go back so much farther that just a few days, though. Back to when his mother left, when Mithfalas was exiled. . . he would do everything differently.
"I am sorry for what I said, Legolas."
"I know you are. You're forgiven, do not fret over it."
The door to the room burst open. "We have a lead, Strider! He's in the forest!"
The human jumped to his feet with Legolas following.
"Where are you going?"
"With you, Estel."
"No you're not. Stay here."
"Afraid I can't take care of myself, human?"
"No, it's just with your record, I'd rather you didn't come." The wicked smile dropped from his face immediately. "I am so sorry, that was a horrible joke. I didn't mean it!"
"You better let me come after making a joke like that."
Aragorn smiled. "I don't know how you put up with me."
"It takes work. Let's go!"
Legolas, hiding in the dense foliage of the trees with Mithfalas, glanced across the clearing and locked eyes with Aragorn and Nifren. He smiled and nodded, indicating that he heard the man coming. As soon as he saw the cloaked figure, his suspicions rose. The man was walking calmly through the clearing, whistling a merry tune, as if he hadn't a care in the world.
It was a trap.
No, it couldn't be. The man had no reason to suspect that he was being watched. Legolas jumped from the tree, landing steadily on his feet in front of the man.
The man smiled. Legolas gasped. "You!"
Reviewers: Ah, I make you wait a year, then it's short AND a cliffhanger. Sorry! I love you all!
Deana: Yeah, I was just going to post it as chapter 12. Thank you for not deserting me! By the way, keep reading, you'll probably have another note further along.
LegolasGreenleafGil-Estel: Why is it that everyone reads my stories where/when they're not supposed to? Of course, I am supposed to be working on my thesis, so then, I guess I write them when I'm not supposed to, lol.
Dimostiel: Ballet? Didn't know he took that. You should see his moves from Hip-hop class though! Lol. Sorry this took me so long!
Arayelle Lynn: I kind of missed the "soon," huh? So sorry!
Das Blume: Ah, I hope you're still with me at this point! Haha, yeah, good luck to him finding those five minutes though! Believe me, when this is all over, he'll let it all sink in. Since I assume you came back from your little trip, how was it? I went to Texas for a wedding. :-D Yay! You gave me a small review and I gave you a small note back! YES!
F h c: Thanks! China was polluted, huh? I guess it makes sense, but I never thought of it that way.
Nenya: Hm, be careful what you say. Trust me, Leggy should stay on the Zoloft for a little while longer. ::GASP!:: I'm getting horrible at this, throwing my plot away. . . The Legolas/Arwen/Aragorn conflict is. . . huh, next, I think. The next story I mean. If it's not, it's the one right after. There's a ton more angst, don't worry! Thanks for the great review!
Grumpy: Lol, yeah, he'll be confused for a while, but then he'll meet Arwen and things'll get okay!
Angel With No Wings: Lol, are you confused? I dunno, maybe you do already know it. Stop stopping your thoughts! I wanna see what they are!
Silvertoekee: Don't worry, no one noticed the lack of letter, lol!
Wildfire2: Hm. . . remind me to hide from you after the next chapter. Congrats for picking up on the foreshadowing! Lol.
Coolio02: Sorry for taking so long! Yeah, Aragorn hasn't gotten a chance to grieve yet.
Lady Aqawondel: Well, she won't be killed, but that doesn't mean she'll live, either. I'm not sure, we'll see. Isn't Aragorn always stubborn?
Gwyn: Haha, yeah, stop giving me ideas! Lol. No, I'm not even sure that Mithy and Thrandy will ever make up. We'll see. No, we figure out most the stuff this story.
Jazi: Haha! The real story—he broke Thrandy's favorite vase! Oh God, I've turned into one of those authors you hate. . . leaving the story hanging! I couldn't help it though! I'm so sorry!
Deana: Haha, the first and the last! I told you you'd have another note! Uhm, in answer to your question (that no one else should know!) is no. At least, I don't plan on it for now. :-D
The next chapter should be up soon to make up for the wait! Thanks for hanging in there!
Aragorn narrowed his eyes at the knock on the door. They had moved to a different inn- could the traitor have found this out already? Mithfalas exchanged a glance with Nifren before nodding to Aragorn. Drawing his sword from its sheath, he threw the door open and had the weapon at the knocker's throat.
"I come in peace!" The visitor spat quickly. Mithfalas made a startled noise.
"Another bloody elf! I don't think we can trust 'em, Strider!"
Aragorn lowered his weapon, his lips spreading in surprised smile. "Legolas. I don't even know what to ask."
"I followed my hawk here." His eyes swept the room, landing finally on his brother. Mithfalas was expecting shock, maybe even anger, but what he received was a warm smile. "You're the last person I expected to find here."
"Aye, I might say the same. Is Ada. . . I mean, Thranduil, holding the Spring Festival this year?"
"Aye."
"And yet you are here."
"I kind of ran away."
"You ran away?" Mithfalas said.
"Kind of?" Aragorn added.
The ranger moved away from the door, allowing his friend in.
Mithfalas pressed. "Why?"
Legolas did not want to say anything, but he knew he would have to talk about it sooner or later. "Do you remember Aldarion?" Both Mithfalas and Aragorn nodded. Nifren was looking rather irritated about being ignored.
"He is dead."
"What?" The two chorused. Aragorn gathered his bearings faster than Mithfalas. "How?"
"The spider hunt that I told you about. He was killed." He turned his eyes to his brother. "Sera is dying now."
Mithfalas said nothing, but crawled over the bed he was sitting on and took Legolas into a comforting embrace.
Aragorn noticed his partner's agitated look. "I'm sorry, Nifren. This is Legolas, Mithfalas' brother, and my good friend. Legolas, this a fellow ranger."
"Mae govannen, mellon nin."
"It means 'well met, my friend'." Aragorn translated for the other ranger.
Nifren smiled and nodded. "Indeed. From where do you hail?"
Legolas hesitated. "Greenwood the Great," he said at last, not entirely trusting the human.
"Ah, another Mirkwood elf. It seems you all are anywhere but in Mirkwood."
Mithfalas sighed. "I am not a Mirkwood elf. I lived there once. 'Tis all."
Legolas changed the subject quickly. "When do I get to meet this lady of yours?" He regretted the question as soon as he asked it, though he knew not why. The room went still and silent. No one would look him in the eye. "I'm sorry, what did I miss?"
Aragorn swallowed, took a breath, and replied, "You and I have a lot that we should catch up on."
Mithfalas stood. "Nifren, would you join me for a drink downstairs?"
The other ranger remained quiet, eyeing Legolas as he left the room.
"All right, my friend, what happened?"
Aragorn sat on the bed and spilled his story. He still did not shed a tear. Before Legolas could even admit to himself that he had nothing to say, Aragorn asked for the details about Aldarion.
"It seems as though we're both a wreck, does it not?" The young man forced a laugh when Legolas too had finished his story.
Legolas was shaking his head. "My life was perfectly normal before I met you-"
"No it wasn't."
"-and then I finally get rid of you and everything still went wrong."
"I know you did not just blame your problems on me."
"I'm really glad you came, Legolas. The human needs you."
Legolas nodded. "The truth is that I needed him just as much."
Nifren walked towards the two elves. "Strider is still limping."
Legolas looked to Mithfalas for explanation.
"He hurt his ankle during the battle."
Nifren shook his head. "It's not from that. It is from his wound."
"What wound?" The two elfish voices blended.
"He was stabbed in his leg a while ago during the night when we were chasing the traitor."
Legolas creased his brow in memory but said nothing. Mithfalas nudged him, telling him to go and tend to his friend.
Legolas entered Aragorn's room soundlessly, causing the human to jump when he spoke.
"How wounded are you, my friend?"
"I'm not."
"Liar."
Aragorn shrugged. "Her family had a funeral for her today."
"You did not attend?"
"No. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I know she was a traitor, and she didn't have feelings for me, but that doesn't change how I felt."
"You should have gone to the funeral."
"Why?"
"To say your final goodbye."
Aragorn sighed. "I am not ready to say goodbye to her."
"But you have to. You are mortal. You need to get on living; you have such a short time to do so."
"You have no idea what I'm going through! You have no idea what it's like to lose someone you love!" He paused, saw the look on his friend's face, and realized his mistake. "Oh, Legolas, I didn't mean that. You know I didn't, I am so sorry."
The prince shook his head. "It's alright, I understand." He smiled. "You don't have to apologize."
"I wish I could just go back in time and do things differently."
Legolas nodded. He would go back so much farther that just a few days, though. Back to when his mother left, when Mithfalas was exiled. . . he would do everything differently.
"I am sorry for what I said, Legolas."
"I know you are. You're forgiven, do not fret over it."
The door to the room burst open. "We have a lead, Strider! He's in the forest!"
The human jumped to his feet with Legolas following.
"Where are you going?"
"With you, Estel."
"No you're not. Stay here."
"Afraid I can't take care of myself, human?"
"No, it's just with your record, I'd rather you didn't come." The wicked smile dropped from his face immediately. "I am so sorry, that was a horrible joke. I didn't mean it!"
"You better let me come after making a joke like that."
Aragorn smiled. "I don't know how you put up with me."
"It takes work. Let's go!"
Legolas, hiding in the dense foliage of the trees with Mithfalas, glanced across the clearing and locked eyes with Aragorn and Nifren. He smiled and nodded, indicating that he heard the man coming. As soon as he saw the cloaked figure, his suspicions rose. The man was walking calmly through the clearing, whistling a merry tune, as if he hadn't a care in the world.
It was a trap.
No, it couldn't be. The man had no reason to suspect that he was being watched. Legolas jumped from the tree, landing steadily on his feet in front of the man.
The man smiled. Legolas gasped. "You!"
Reviewers: Ah, I make you wait a year, then it's short AND a cliffhanger. Sorry! I love you all!
Deana: Yeah, I was just going to post it as chapter 12. Thank you for not deserting me! By the way, keep reading, you'll probably have another note further along.
LegolasGreenleafGil-Estel: Why is it that everyone reads my stories where/when they're not supposed to? Of course, I am supposed to be working on my thesis, so then, I guess I write them when I'm not supposed to, lol.
Dimostiel: Ballet? Didn't know he took that. You should see his moves from Hip-hop class though! Lol. Sorry this took me so long!
Arayelle Lynn: I kind of missed the "soon," huh? So sorry!
Das Blume: Ah, I hope you're still with me at this point! Haha, yeah, good luck to him finding those five minutes though! Believe me, when this is all over, he'll let it all sink in. Since I assume you came back from your little trip, how was it? I went to Texas for a wedding. :-D Yay! You gave me a small review and I gave you a small note back! YES!
F h c: Thanks! China was polluted, huh? I guess it makes sense, but I never thought of it that way.
Nenya: Hm, be careful what you say. Trust me, Leggy should stay on the Zoloft for a little while longer. ::GASP!:: I'm getting horrible at this, throwing my plot away. . . The Legolas/Arwen/Aragorn conflict is. . . huh, next, I think. The next story I mean. If it's not, it's the one right after. There's a ton more angst, don't worry! Thanks for the great review!
Grumpy: Lol, yeah, he'll be confused for a while, but then he'll meet Arwen and things'll get okay!
Angel With No Wings: Lol, are you confused? I dunno, maybe you do already know it. Stop stopping your thoughts! I wanna see what they are!
Silvertoekee: Don't worry, no one noticed the lack of letter, lol!
Wildfire2: Hm. . . remind me to hide from you after the next chapter. Congrats for picking up on the foreshadowing! Lol.
Coolio02: Sorry for taking so long! Yeah, Aragorn hasn't gotten a chance to grieve yet.
Lady Aqawondel: Well, she won't be killed, but that doesn't mean she'll live, either. I'm not sure, we'll see. Isn't Aragorn always stubborn?
Gwyn: Haha, yeah, stop giving me ideas! Lol. No, I'm not even sure that Mithy and Thrandy will ever make up. We'll see. No, we figure out most the stuff this story.
Jazi: Haha! The real story—he broke Thrandy's favorite vase! Oh God, I've turned into one of those authors you hate. . . leaving the story hanging! I couldn't help it though! I'm so sorry!
Deana: Haha, the first and the last! I told you you'd have another note! Uhm, in answer to your question (that no one else should know!) is no. At least, I don't plan on it for now. :-D
The next chapter should be up soon to make up for the wait! Thanks for hanging in there!