*Spades falls out of chair in shock* Oh bloody wow! I was totally not expecting that kind of reply for the story. I am deeply gladdened that everyone liked the first chapter (well except one person). I fully intend to continue with the story and hope it will amount to everything that I hope it will.
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Elrond rode with his sons and a small contingent of guards through Mirkwood forest towards Thranduil's palace. Thranduil's message to Elrond had begged the elf lord to come and help his son. Elrond did not know what may be wrong but Thranduil said it was bad. He had sent several messengers out in search of Estel with copies of Thranduil's message. The messengers had gone out just as Elrond and the others had set out for Mirkwood. Elrond hoped that Aragorn would get the message and travel quickly.
Halfway to Mirkwood Elrond felt a sudden sense of dread wash over him as they moved down the Mirkwood side of the Misty Mountains. Elrond's senses sharpened as he tuned in closer to his surroundings. The warriors and his sons stopped as Elrond slowly turned his horse around in a circle. A soft breeze swept through the forest and slowly grew in strength. Leaves swirled around the group as the dark clouds above them rumbled threateningly. The wind became fiercer to rip at the elves' cloths and hair. A loud crack of thunder and a bolt of lightening pierced the sky as the horses pranced nervously.
"We must hurry," Elrond yelled over the wind as he pushed his hair out of his face.
Everyone urged their horses on and galloped around the trees. Elrond's sons flanked him and ensured that no foul beasts attacked their father. Silvan warriors peered out from their hiding places in the trees and nodded to the passing Noldor elves. The group pushed their horses harder and moved quickly through the darkening forest. It soon started to rain as the wind ripped at the travelers and trees. The travelers were soon soaking wet from the downpour but they didn't slow. They rode through the gates and into the courtyard as Elrond swung off his horse and ran towards the steps before his horse had even stopped. Elladan and Elrohir ran after him as the elf lord ran towards the healing wing. From down the hallway, Elrond could see a small cluster of people outside a healing room talking softly but quietly. They instantly stopped aside to allow him a path to the closed doors. Elrond motioned for his twin sons to wait outside before he slipped between the doors and closed them behind him.
His eyes quickly adjusted to the light and looked around the quiet but bustling room. Two healers were busy at the bed and three other healers were kneeling on the floor with Thranduil. Assuming that Thranduil was injured, Elrond moved towards the floor group as Thranduil turned towards him. Elrond faltered when he saw who was on the floor. The healers were pressing Aragorn against the ground as he convulsed against the healers' hands. One healer held the human's head while checking the small wooden pole clenched between Aragorn's teeth. Elrond fell to his knees beside his adopted son and looked up at Thranduil.
"What happened?" he asked the King and started to check over his son.
"I do not know, Elrond. I know what happened but not exactly what happened. Legolas died and Aragorn refused to believe it. He placed his hands on Legolas and a bright light engulfed them. I was knocked back to the ground and then everything stopped. When I looked, Aragorn fell to the ground and started convulsing. I yelled for the healers and they have been working with him since. They do not know what is wrong with him," Thranduil said as Elrond gently lifted one of Aragorn's eyelids.
"What did he do to Legolas?"
Thranduil stood and moved to the healers that stood by Legolas. One of the healers spoke quietly to him before pulling back and looking at his shocked king. Thranduil looked down at his son and pulled aside the clothe covering the wound. Amazingly, the wound was halfway healed and Legolas was sleeping deeply with closed eyes.
"His pulse is strong and he is breathing regularly. The wound is hot but not from infection for the rest of his body is cool. I have no explanation, my lord, but your son lives."
Thranduil stared at his son and struggled to grasp what the healer just told him. It was impossible for what he was just told to actually happen. His son had stopped drawing breath, he died. And now he was living. He looked over and down at Elrond as the elf lord tried to sooth his son.
"Elrond, I think you should come up here," Thranduil said and the elf-lord looked up at the elf-king.
Elrond saw the shocked expression on Thranduil's features. He looked back to Aragorn before standing and stepping towards the bed where Thranduil stood. Thranduil motioned towards Legolas and stepped back to let Elrond to the bed. Elrond checked the wound and felt no fever as he looked to Thranduil.
"This wound is not life threatening, Thranduil. Why did you send for Aragorn and myself?"
"It was grievous Elrond. Your son did something and partially healed it. I do not know what or how he healed it but he did."
Elrond racked his brain for reasons and solutions to what may have occurred. Glancing over to his son to hopefully gain some insight, an idea suddenly presented itself. Was it possible? Did Aragorn's healing ability extend that far? Lifting one of Legolas' eyelids, he checked the dilation before dropping it. Resting his hand on the brow of the younger elf, Elrond skimmed across Legolas' mind and searched for any proof of what he expected. He found it almost instantly. Elrond sensed Aragorn's strength in Legolas as well as his healing abilities. Removing his hand, he stepped to Aragorn and did the same to him as he did to Legolas. Dismayed, he could barely sense Aragorn amid the jumble of pain filled thoughts.
"Someone get my sons in now. Every healer leave except the master healer," Elrond ordered as he stood and pulled off his royal robes.
If Thranduil minded that Elrond was ordering everyone around then he didn't show it. Everyone filed out of the room as Elladan and Elrohir quickly came in. They immediately went to Aragorn where their father was picking up the unconscious human. Elrond carried Aragorn to a bed and carefully laid down his son.
"What is wrong with Estel, Ada?" Elrohir asked softly while Elrond started to pull off Aragorn's traveling clothes.
"Elladan, get some more blankets. Elrohir, fix a warm broth. We need to keep Estel warm."
"Elrond, what happened?" Thranduil asked as Elrond glanced up from Aragorn.
"Aragorn has formed a transfer bond with Legolas. He gave Legolas his strength, health, warmth along with some of his energy to heal Legolas. In turn, Aragorn has taken Legolas' pain to allow him to reserve his strength and concentrate on healing. Once Legolas heals, Aragorn will break the bond between them. It is depleting Aragorn's reserves. I thought that only old and powerful elves could do this but apparently Aragorn's elvish blood is stronger than we all thought. It has probably been passed to him from my brother Elros through the many lines," Elrond answered and wrapped Aragorn in a blanket.
Aragorn had stopped convulsing and was no just unconscious. He was breathing shallowly and he had a chill upon his skin as Elrond worked to warm him. Elrond vowed that he would have a talk to Aragorn once everything was better. He had no real worries about Aragorn's well being; there would be no aftereffects. Other than being exhausted beyond anything he has ever experienced, Aragorn would be just fine. Elrond instructed his sons to feed their little brother the warm broth while he went to Thranduil and Legolas. Sighing to himself, Elrond picked up several herbs and bandages needed to heal Legolas wound. He knew he had to stitch the wound closed but that would cause pain and the pain would transfer to Aragorn. Oh yes, Elrond would have a long talk with his foster son.
"Elladan, you and Elrohir may have to hold down Aragorn," Elrond said before quickly stitching the wound closed.
He saw Elladan and Elrohir hold their human brother down. Aragorn tried to shift away as he moaned softly while Legolas remained still and silent. Elrond quickly finished and rubbed on a healing cream before bandaging the wound. He looked over to his sons and nodded for them to release Estel before he looked up at Thranduil.
"May I speak with you in private?"
Thranduil nodded and glanced down at Legolas. Elrohir moved over and sat next to Legolas as he nodded to Thranduil. Comforted that someone would watch over his son, Thranduil followed Elrond to a side room that was empty and closed the door behind both of them. Thranduil rubbed the back of his neck tiredly and looked out the glass doors at the storm that raged in the forest. His emotions had been through too much in too little time for him to be his normal calm and stoic self. First his son had been grievously wounded, then bearing the knowledge that his son would die, Aragorn's arrival, Legolas' death, and now his apparently resurrection. Elrond was one of a very limited few that Thranduil could drop his guard around.
"Thranduil, concerning what happened earlier. I believe it would be best to refrain from telling the truth to Legolas. We both know how he is with guilt and this knowledge may overwhelm him while he heals," Elrond said quietly as Thranduil slowly nodded his head.
"Will we ever tell him?"
"I intend to leave it up to Aragorn to decide. However, Aragorn may not know what exactly happened. I do not doubt for a second that he actually knew what he was doing or what would happen. I will inform him of it later when he has broken the bond and has rested. But it will be up to Aragorn to decide what he shall tell Legolas."
"I agree, Elrond. I am constantly amazed at how good of friends your son and mine are. I am beginning to be very thankful for Estel," Thranduil chuckled and straightened from his slightly slouched position before smoothing out his robes.
Thranduil walked back into the room and Elrond pulled Elladan and Elrohir to the side to tell them what Thranduil and he decided. The brothers agreed that it was probably the best plan of action until both were fully well. Elladan carefully picked up Aragorn and carried him to a private healing room where he would be out of sight and hearing of Legolas when he awoke.
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I hope everyone enjoyed the second chapter. I know that I had a blast writing it in between classes. So, everyone please review like you did for chapter one (that still amazes me). And I shall continue to write.
got-lotr- New chapter the day after I posted. Hope it was soon enough for you.
Lauren- My dear lurker! I am very glad that you like the first chapter to my new story. I really just started writing it not knowing what I was going to do with it as a story. But, it is starting to take off on its own.
Tychen- Well thank you very much *bows with hand over heart before sweeping it to the side* Hannon lle, mellonin. I am constantly blamed for leaving nasty cliff-hangers; I hope this chapter was not a bad cliff-hanger. And of course Aragorn will try to outdo Legolas. It is in their contracts, Heehee.
leggylover03- Whoa! Easy there, love! Here is the new chapter.please do not hurt me. Heehee, hope you like it.
kikyo- *blushing* Well, I thank you very much friend. I tried my hardest to not make it complete fluff but still have that bit of anxiety there. Those two seem not ones to mince their words with the other. I know that I could have embellished the 'flash' thing a bit better and I really should have but it was late at night (extremely late, about two in the morning) and I was tired and I just wanted to get it posted. If you wish, I could take the first chapter down and embellish the 'flash' thing a bit more. It would be not trouble to me if you wish it so.
XxgemxX- Interesting name. Well, thank you very much mellonin. I am very glad that you enjoyed the chapter and my writing. Hope you enjoyed the second chapter as much as the first.
fallenhope- Well, thank you very much mellonin. I hope this chapter meets all of your expectations.
g0ldensnidget, a.k.a. Snitch- I know it was a bad cliff-hanger; I am just very bad about those. I wonder if there is a cliff-hanger anonymous group. "Hi, my name is Spades and I write cliff-hangers." "Hi, Spades." Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the first.
Lady Phedre- Upon reading your review, I had to ask myself if this was an actual joke or if you were actually conscious to what you were saying. Several things came to mind of what I would like to say to you but I will not lower myself to that standard so I will continue to respond to your inquiries and comments in a mature fashion.
This is set before Fellowship of the Rings begins in which Legolas and Aragorn are good friends. At the council Legolas does tell the attendants of who this Ranger is; this implies that Legolas knows of who Aragorn is and his lineage so that inclines to me that they are good enough friends for Aragorn to feel comfortable to tell Legolas who he really is. We were never told in the books that Aragorn and Legolas were not good friends before the Fellowship.
Yes, Mirkwood is evil. I believe that everyone that writes LotR fanfiction knows this. Where did you attain the idea that I believed that Mirkwood forest is not evil? The Hobbit consisted of how the dwarves and hobbits viewed Mirkwood Forest and they do find the forest malevolent but I am sure that the inhabitants do not consider the forest entirely malevolent. I will move onto the 'Haven't you ever read The Hobbit?' later on.
Yes, it was written that Thranduil and the royal family, with the help of the dwarves, delved an underground dwelling after the manner of Thranduil's ancient kinsman. It does not specify, however, that they lived entirely underground for the entire time. I believe that they had the underground palace as well as an above ground palace and it my right as a writer to expand on known information.
The 'Legolas had brown hair' comment just served to make me wonder if you actually know what you are talking about or just rambling.
The human body is able to perform many amazing accomplishments that were thought of as physically impossible. I fully believe that this goes the same for elves and possibly even more so. The human will to live is something that one should never doubt. I speak about this from a very personally level. The will and desire to live can over-ride anything that stands in the way.
With regards to: 'Please, go read the books.' And 'Haven't you ever read The Hobbit?' I believe I can safely say that yes I have, and am probably more learned than you are on them. I have had the privilege of hearing a lecture from Christopher Tokien while I was studying abroad and he spoke of his father's books and notes. It was during this time that I started to write fanfiction for the LotR series and have never looked back.
I thank you for taking time to review my story and hope that you will return with more interesting.insights. Until then, have a marvelous day.
jambaby1963- Well, thank you very much for your eagerness for the next chapter. I hope that this chapter will appease you as much as the first.
Deana- WHOA! Down girl, down! *speaking to self: 'Just back away slowly Spades. Just back away slowly.'* Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the first.
Roccovende- *blushing* I hope you have enjoyed the first chapter. I do not think that I could actually kill a main character without having a tear fest. Thank you for your help, wise wisdom and for listen to me about my family's (albeit minor) problems.
MelanyeBaggins- Please enjoy the next chapter.
Aranel of Mirkwood- *offers a box of tissues* Please, do not cry, love. He is not dead, so do not fret.
Bloom-lover2004- Hannon lle mellonin *bows with hand over heart and sweeps it out to the side*. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the first.
Gwyn- I hope that I explained where it came from in this chapter. I have the entire plot (well maybe not entire) but a good majority of what I am going to do with this story and already have an idea for the bad/dark elf.
Silcanwen Uvanimor-dreamingfifi- That is a really long pen name. Wow. Anyway, I am very glad that you enjoyed the first chapter to this story. I thought it was apparent in the first chapter but I will restate it clearly. Legolas is the injured one; Gimli is not in this one (I should write one with Legolas and him). This is before Fellowship, where the majority of all the friendship stories are placed.
Fire Eagle- *offers chapter two*. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the first.
Kyliah- *blushing* Hannon lle, mellonin. I hope you find this chapter as exciting as the first chapter. I love to hear from excited reviewers that are anxious for the next chapter.
CJ*-Cj- I just have to ask where your name came from. It is very unique. Thank you very much for the compliment.
Isadora2- Heehee, I am sorry for jumping right in there but I fully enjoyed it. I am still working hard on 'Order of Glaurung' but at the moment I am facing a major writer's block on that story. But I am working very hard on it and I appreciate everyone being patient with me.
Legalady- Hannon lle, mellonin. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the second.
Ringmarciel- Thank you, friend. I am getting lazy about working on 'Order of Glaurung.' I really should work on it after I post this chapter.
KumQuat1- Have no fear, there will be Aragorn torture later on in the story. I hope it was a good dose for you in this chapter. I will hurry with the next chapter and post it as soon as physically possible.
Laebeth- I made you speechless? *blushing* I did not think that I was that good at writing. Hannon lle, mellonin, for the compliment. You had better limit your compliments, my head is swelling to a great proportion.
Jadesaber- I thank you for the compliment. I hope this was quick enough for you.