BURIED
By: Cheryl W
Disclaimer: I don't own The Lord of the Rings or anything in conjunction with the Lord of the Rings nor am I making a profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: I'm back! And I wrote while I was on vacation! Thanks for everyone's patience...and to reward you here's a long chapter. Hope you like!
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Chapter 9
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The first rays of the dawn penetrated the darkness of The Last Homely House's study and glinted off the wine glass Elrond clutched tightly as he sat at his desk as if he were a statue of old. Through his grim musings he recognized that morning had come, he could no longer conceal his misdeeds in the dark.
Swallowing the last of the wine left in his glass, Elrond sat the empty glass upon his desk and looked down to the letters on his desk still cloaked in shadow. They could not be wished away or hidden, not again. Resolutely he picked up the letters and placed them in his pocket before standing up and walking from the room. His son may not want to see him but he desperately needed to see his son, to be assured that no further harm had come to him in his cowardly absence. Making amends for his part in Estel's pain...this Elrond could not even hope to do...not today...not until his son's righteous anger had tempered with time.
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Legolas, seeing no blood staining Aragorn's wrapped torso, raised his eyes to his friend's face, ready to inquire if the man felt he had pulled any of his stitches only to realize Aragorn was no longer awake. Unable to quiet his worry, Legolas put his fingers to Aragorn's neck and was reassured that all was still well with his friend as he felt the pulse of the man's rushing blood.
Now, without the benefit of Aragorn's healer knowledge, Legolas, with his rudimentary healing skills, knew no sure way to determine quickly if some of the stitches to the man's wounds were broken. Legolas sighed, certain that he could not wait until blood seeped through the pristine white cloth that wound about Aragorn's torso to determine the worst. With reluctance, Legolas accepted his fate: he would have to seek out one of the famed healers that resided in this house and tell them that he had allowed Aragorn to topple from bed and possibly injury himself further. 'May the Valar have mercy upon me,' he thought as he pulled the blanket over Aragorn, rose from the bed and headed for the door. Opening the bedroom door, he was startled to find himself face to face with Elrond.
Knowing from past experience that Legolas did not leave an injured Aragorn's side unless by dire necessity or firm order from either himself, Aragorn or Legolas' own father, Elrond's worry spiked upon seeing Legolas' pending departure from his son's room. Immediately he gripped the younger elf's shoulders, even as his eyes looked beyond the elf to the bed, taking in the motionless form of his son. "What is wrong, Legolas? Does he have a fever?"
Instead of answering the elf lord, Legolas remained silent as indecision warred within him. If Aragorn awoke to find Elrond tending him, Legolas feared his friend would feel as if he had betrayed him, that he had broken his word to the man and called for the man's father against his wishes.
At Legolas' hesitation, Elrond shifted the younger elf to the side, slipped into the room and came to his son's side. Putting his hand upon Aragorn's forehead, Elrond found the skin only slightly warm to the touch. Looking up as Legolas came to his side, Elrond pressed, "There is worry in your eyes, Legolas," hoping his observation would promote the prince to speak aloud his concerns.
Legolas, shooting a look to Aragorn and praying that the man remained asleep a little while longer, faced Elrond and announced, "I fear he might have torn some of his stitches. "
Straight away Elrond uncovered his son and began to lightly probe his son's wounds with his fingers. Without looking up from his work, Elrond asked, "What gives you this fear?"
Steeling himself for the elf lord's reaction, Legolas steadily confessed, "He fell from the bed."
This brought Elrond's eyes flying up to Legolas'. "How? Why?" he fired at Legolas. "Was he reacting to a high fever?"
"No," Legolas answered shaking his head, "he had a nightmare. I sought only to tear him from the dream but he panicked at my touch and fought violently to be freed. I...I should not have released him for he frantically pulled away from me and fell from the bed before I could prevent it," Legolas honestly answered, making no concessions to conceal his own guilt in the tale. To Legolas' surprise, Elrond's offered him no look of blame but instead turned again to his son.
Tenderly, Elrond stroked Estel's face with his fingers. Heartbrokenly, he realized that even unconsciousness could not shelter his son from his troubles. Quietly he asked Legolas, "Did he awaken fully?"
"Yes," Legolas reassured and found himself offering more information than he intended. "Once the dream released it's hold upon him and he knew me, we talked for a little while before sleep claimed him again."
In relief, Elrond closed his eyes, his son's awakening and lucidity meant the man was no longer at great risk. But when Elrond opened his eyes and refocused on his son's pale, still face, a yearning and a dread filled him in equal parts as he pondered if his son had spoken of him, of his letters, of the betrayal he had dealt him, if those thoughts were still forefront in his mind. "Is he in much pain?" he asked, his voice strained, uncertain if he inquired about his son's physical or emotional pain.
"Yes," Legolas honestly answered softly, knowingly replying to both the spoken and unspoken meaning of the elf lord's words.
A new wave of guilt and concern washed over Elrond with Legolas' one word but he forced himself to concentrate on the aspect of his son's pain which he had the means to ease. Once again he sent his skilled hands to his son's wounds before he met Legolas' worried gaze, "I detect no torn stitches," he watched as Legolas barely stopped himself from sagging with relief. Standing to his full height and facing the prince, Elrond said with measured gentleness, "Before I came here, I instructed a healer to prepare a tea to ease Aragorn's pain and to sit with him while we convened in my study. Can you now speak of what transpired yesterday?"
"Yes," Legolas replied, hoping his reluctance was not revealed with the one word. But the knowing look in the elder elf's eyes told him his hope was in vain. "I will tell you all I know," he agreed but could not stop himself from boldly adding, "if you tell me all that you know."
At another time, Elrond would have been affronted by the young prince's audacity, but not today, not when he knew unerringly that Legolas had read the letters, his letters. Elrond knew with clarity that anyone that cared but a little for Aragorn would side against him in this matter. He could not fathom how Legolas would react, one who loved Aragorn as a brother. But even more fearfully, Elrond thought of how his own sons would feel once they read his letters. Would they find it in themselves to forgive him his actions?
Seeing that Legolas still watched him for his reply, Elrond nodded his head, "I will not conceal anything from you, Legolas, nor from my sons."
Tension drained from Legolas at Elrond's agreement. He had feared he had crossed the line with his demand but he had no thought to retract it. His blood may not make him of this family but his love for his friend did. Before he could say more to Elrond, a light knock was heard upon the door. Crossing to the door's threshold he opened the door and a healer walked inside bearing a teapot and a cup. He watched as Elrond gave instructions to the other elf, looked to his son once again and then came to Legolas' side.
With a nod to Legolas, Elrond left the room. Legolas, after bestowing his own worried look upon Aragorn, followed the elf lord and closed the door silently behind him. Leaning against his friend's closed bedroom door, Legolas watched as Elrond walked to Elrohir's room and knocked on the door. It was but a moment before the door was pulled open and Aragorn's brothers stepped into the doorframe, both asking their father if Aragorn's health had worsened to which Elrond gave them reassurances that their brother was improving.
Suddenly, Legolas found nervousness twisting his stomach. He was now faced with the daunting but feasible task of telling Aragorn's family what had befallen the man. A task that just last night had been inconceivable for him to fulfill. Legolas could not help wondering if he would possess the courage to face this family's questions this day if Aragorn had not awakened this morning, if he had not been blessed with the chance to talk to his best friend, to be reassured that Aragorn had come through the events of the prior day, though not unscathed, but with his stubborn strength still intact? Once again Aragorn had not abandoned him in his time of need but instead offered him what hope and strength he could, even when he himself had little to none to spare of either.
Legolas' head snapped up as he realized that Elrond, Elrohir and Elladan stood before him.
"Come, let us make what sense we can from all we collectively know," Elrond quietly said as he led the three elves through the house to his study. For once the young ones followed him in silence and Elrond could sense their fear and tension. Despairingly, he knew his own emotions dwarfed theirs in comparison.
Entering the study, Elrond did not claim the seat behind his desk for he had no right to preside over the younger elves in this matter. Nay, instead they would soon find themselves in a position to judge him and his heartless actions some thirty years prior.
Seeing their father turn a chair around that usually faced his desk and claim it as his own, Elladan and Elrohir exchanged surprised glances. Their father always sat behind his desk in this room and meted out his judgment and to see him seated anywhere else in the room alarmed the twins. But they said nothing as they each claimed a seat and watched as Legolas slowly choose the chair to Elrond's left side allowing a circle to be formed.
"I know I have my own part in this to tell but I would hear what you know first, Legolas," Elrond said quietly, his eyes fixed upon the prince.
The time had come and Legolas hardly knew what words he would use. His gaze swept around the formed circle, taking in the expectant looks each of the elves wore. Finding that his heart did not pound in nervousness as much under Elrond's gaze, Legolas faced Elrond to tell his tale.
"Yesterday I came upon a camp with a fire still smoldering though it was almost mid day. I approached cautiously and thought I spied Aragorn's pack beside the fire. Sensing no presence in the camp, I came to the fire and truly Aragorn's bedroll was still rolled out and his pack was open." For a moment his eyes flickered to the elven twins, wondering how much their father had already told them, before settling his look back upon Elrond. "Your letters were on the ground beside Aragorn's pack." He watched as Elrond's eyes darkened in pain but the other elf did not object to his words so Legolas pressed forward.
"I began to check the area for clues to indicate where Aragorn was. I found two sets of footprints, their patterns clearly telling of a fierce duel between two men. And I found blood," Legolas swallowed as he remembered the sight and his feelings at that time. "At first mere drops stained the ground but then," he hung his head and studied his hands, unwilling to let the others see how effected he still was by the memory, "further away from the camp blood had pooled unto the dirt and I could tell..." he took a deep breath, "that a body had lain on the ground, immobile and bleeding badly."
Had Legolas looked up to his audience he would have seen the paleness in each of the three elven faces, the haunted look in their eyes at the words he spoke. In truth, it was best he was oblivious to his effect on Elrond and his sons for he might not have had the fortitude to say the rest.
Still looking down to his hands, Legolas continued, his time spent with Aragorn this morning giving him the strength to speak what he must. "I...I did not want to believe it was Aragorn who had laid there, who was possibly mortally wounded...but then I saw his sword lying in the forest. And I knew," here he broke off and clamped his eyes shut, "he would not leave his sword behind and in knowing that..." Emotions closed Legolas' throat and he could not speak for a moment.
Finally understanding the horror that Legolas had endured, Elladan put a gentle hand upon the prince's back, "Take your time, Legolas," he soothed, his brotherly instincts kicking in for one he always thought of as a member of his family.
Elladan's touch and words gave Legolas strength as did his knowledge that Aragorn was upstairs alive though not so well and any words he said now could not work to undo that. "I believed Aragorn dead," he stated, trying to keep his voice steady though the others detected a timbre in the Mirkwood elf's voice that they had rarely heard. Then Legolas raised his eyes and focused them once again upon Elrond. "Vowing to avenge Aragorn's death, I sought to track the other man. The tracks told me that he had put Aragorn's body..." he stammered, "had put Aragorn upon a horse and I began to follow those trails."
"And where did they lead?" Elrond questioned darkly, his anger at the man who had dared to harm his son unchecked.
"Toward Rivendell," Legolas softly announced, earning startled looks from all but Elrohir. Turning to Elrohir, Legolas noted a grey hue to the youngest twin's coloring. "Are you well, Elrohir?" he asked, wondering if the twin somehow knew the next part of his tale. Elrond and Elladan both swung their looks to Elrohir, surprised to also see what had prompted Legolas' concern.
"Tell me what I guess is wrong?" Elrohir implored of Legolas. "Tell me that no soul is evil enough to do that to Estel?"
"Do what?" Elladan demanded of his twin. "What do you speak of?"
But Elrohir's eyes did not break from Legolas's and in that look, they both knew the truth. Elrohir cursed and hung his head in his hands.
Elrond put a hand upon Elrohir's shoulder, "What have you kept to yourself, my son?" his voice gentle and filled with support.
Shaking his head Elrohir said, "I can not speak of it."
Legolas quietly took up the tale again, "The man brought Aragorn to the tomb of Amarth."
"No!" erupted from Elrond as his look swung to Legolas in horror while Elladan drew in a sharp breath and also fixedly watched the prince.
Hatred brimmed Legolas' eyes as he lowly recounted, "He put Aragorn in the tomb and sealed it, knowing, I believe, that Aragorn lived yet."
In fury, Elrond's hands formed into fists. How could this have been done to his son!! Between clenched teeth he surmised, "But the man did not have the patience to wait for death to claim Aragorn."
"He was gone when I came upon the tomb," Legolas snarled, the revenge he wished to have upon the man blazing in his eyes.
"And Aragorn?" Elladan asked.
For the first time, a small smile turned up the corners of Legolas's mouth, "That stubborn fool tunneled out through the ceiling of the tomb. I thought to rescue him but apparently he has yet to learn patience for he rescued himself."
Small smiles broke the anguish cast of each elf's face for a moment before they settled back into their former grimness.
"How did you know, Elrohir? Did Aragorn tell you?" Legolas quietly asked as his eyes met the other elf's.
Elrohir shook his head, "No...it was in the words he said. I...I said he looked as if he had just crawled out of the Halls of Mandos and, in a tone not meant for my ears, he said "I have." Then when I saw the dirt that covered him, his bloody nails...." Turning to Elladan he stammered in apology, "I'm sorry I did not tell you but I could not bear to say it aloud fearing that that would have somehow made it truth. Forgive me, brother?"
"I do, Elrohir, I forgive you," Elladan quickly reassured and put a hand upon his brother's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I do not know if I could have spoken of it either." Then turning to Legolas, Elladan said, "I am grateful for your courage to tell us what has befallen our brother. I know I do not deserve it but I ask your forgiveness for the blame I foolishly tried to lay upon you. To think one moment that you would harm Aragorn.." self-disgust saturated Elladan's tone.
Legolas cut off Elladan's guilty flow of words, "You would protect Aragorn against all that would harm him. There is no shame in that. I tend to protect him as well," and a twinkle entered Legolas' eyes, "even when it is only his brothers's pranks that seek to ensnare him."
Elladan and Elrohir both snorted in laughter at that.
Through all this Elrond had remained quiet, fearing his own time to speak was near. The other elves were reveling in Aragorn's escape from death and healing from his wounds but Elrond felt the heavy burden of being the cause for Aragorn's emotional agony.
When the room fell silent once again, Legolas quietly asked, "Do you know who hated Aragorn enough to wish him that fate?" his eyes settling upon Elrond.
"No," Elrond bitterly replied, "but the man had my letters in his possession and his attack upon Aragorn was well planned. He knew all the ways to hurt Aragorn the deepest."
Elladan and Elrohir's eyes rested upon their father, both wanting, nay, needing to read the letters but afraid to make that request of Elrond.
Sensing his sons's gazes upon him, Elrond pulled the letters from his pocket and looked at them as he clenched them tightly in his hands. Knowing that his elven sons deserved to know the betrayal he had dealt their human brother, he lifted his eyes to Elladan and Elrohir and offered them the letters. "I wish I could claim these letters false...but, to my eternal shame, I can not."
Hesitantly Elladan reached for the proffered letters and took them into his possession. The paper felt fragile in his grasp and he opened the first letter with care and held the letter so both he and Elrohir could read it.
Elrond watched the faces of his sons' for their reaction to the letter. He saw Elladan's jaw clench in anger while Elrohir's face paled in sympathy for all parties affected by the letter. But when Elladan opened the second letter, even Elrohir's good nature dissolved under that letter's harsh language and anger flushed his features.
Upon finishing the second letter, Elladan's eyes shot to his father's with reproach. "How could you speak so bitterly about your own kin?! About a child!" Elladan tossed the letter into Elrohir's lap, surged to his feet and began to pace within the confines of the circle of chairs. "I do not blame Estel his anger now. I understand his belief that you have masqueraded as a father to him for duty's sake. Reading those letters, how could he think anything different!"
Elrond paled at his son's words but did not dispute them.
"Why?" Elrohir quietly demanded. "Why did you refuse to shelter Aragorn?"
Swallowing hard, Elrond replied, forcing himself to meet the eyes of each of his sons as he spoke the horrible truth, "I was disenchanted by mortals, by their vulnerability, their corruptibility, their failings,....their easy capitulation to death. I had lost hope in Elros's bloodline."
"So you turned your back upon Arathorn and his wife and son," Elladan angrily judged. "You 'knew' Arathorn, 'we'" and he pointed to himself and Elrohir, "knew Arathorn. He was a great man, a man 'worthy' of your respect and aid!"
"I know," Elrond quietly agreed, shame sharply etched in the two words.
"Yet you refused Arathorn's request, twice," Elrohir stated with disbelief instead of rancor. "And the harshness in your letters..." Elrohir looked down at the letters he now held clenched in his left hand. When Elrohir raised his eyes again to his father's, Elrond's breath caught at the sight of his son's anguished look. "Estel read these, ada!" Elrohir exclaimed, waving the letters in the air. "Every hateful word is inscribed in Estel's heart! How can you undo this harm?!"
It was not Elrond who voiced the answer but Elladan. Coldly he snarled, "He can not," his eyes piercing his father's for the first time ever with shame. "No words you say will heal the wound you have inflicted upon Estel. In his eyes, any kindness you bestowed upon him, starting with the day you allowed him to stay here, was all done for duty sake. A "duty" you under took as a "burden" only because Aragorn bore the mantle of saving Middle Earth."
Legolas said nothing but his eyes watched the three other elves with sorrow. He could not offer them any balm for their wounds, just as he had not been able to ease Aragorn's pain at his perceived betrayal by his father. Some hurts went too deep to be healed and Legolas had begun to feel with despair that the letters had dealt that kind of wound to his friend. Now he saw that Aragorn was not the only one broken by the letters.
All of Elrond's breath had whooshed from him at Elladan's perceptive yet pain inflicting words. Elladan's words matched the accusations Estel had flung at him the prior night, searing into his soul. "I love Estel because he is my son," Elrond fervently declared as a tear slipped down his cheek.
"We do not doubt your love for Estel, Ada," Elrohir gently repeated his prior statement, but his next words were sharp as a blade, "but I don't know if it is enough to absolve you from this cruelty."
Panic shot through Elrond at his son's bleak prediction. "Those letters are the past! They can not undo my love for Aragorn, his love for me, the family we have become, all of us! Aragorn will see reason."
"Reason?" Elladan repeated with disdain. "He doesn't trust you, ada! He doesn't trust Elrohir or me! In his eyes, there is no "reason" to ever trust us again! He believes we lied to him when we made him feel as if he had a place with us because we loved him for himself not because of his future destiny as the hope of middle earth. Your actions have made us all liars, though for our part, Elrohir and I welcomed him into this house, into our hearts without expectation for his future nor as a burden we had to endure."
Elrond stood to his feet to face his son's accusations. "I wrote those letters before ever laying eyes upon Aragorn!"
Elrohir came to his feet and stepped between Elladan and his father. Boldly his look lanced into his father, "But the truth is you did not want him! You did not want Estel! Not here in this house, not in your life and certainly not in your heart!"
"No, no, I did not," Elrond somberly admitted, not able to even offer a white lie to his sons any more than he could Aragorn the prior night. But the consequences of truth seemed to be the same this night as he watched the love which his sons's eyes always reflected for him fade.
"It was a lie," Elladan breathed with heartbroken disbelief as his eyes searched his father's. "Estel was right. How long did you despise his presence here? A month? A year? His entire childhood?!"
The question caught Elrond off guard and he opened his mouth but nothing would come forth.
"Oh Valar," Elrohir exclaimed as he saw the uncertainty in his father's eyes. "You don't know, do you? You don't know when your "task" turned into joy, when your "burden" to bear became the son you love with all your heart."
"I do not," Elrond confessed and intended to try to defend himself but Elladan gave him no such opportunity.
"That knowledge will certainly make Estel feel better," Elladan sarcastically bit out.
Alarmed by the escalating tension, Legolas stood up intent on stopping the flow of hurtful words but before he could say a word, a knock came upon the study door. Fear shot through Legolas. Was a servant coming to tell them Aragorn had worsened?! That same fear seemed to be felt by the others for they all quickly made their way to the door.
Elrohir, having made it to the door first, flung the door open and demanded immediately of the servant that stood in the doorway. "Is Estel worse?"
The servant, a young boy Legolas had seen the twins teach how to fish, shook his head, "No, I was instructed to notify Lord Elrond that a ranger is waiting to speak to him."
This news was unexpected by all. Elrond stepped before the boy, "Where is the ranger?"
"The great hall. He was shaking and pale when he came into the house and I thought the fire would warm him," the boy hesitantly said, fearing he had done something wrong.
Elrond, sensing the boy's worry, forced a smile he did not feel and playfully ruffled the boy's hair. "You did well. Now go help your mother in the kitchen." The boy smiled before running down the hallway.
Without a word to the others, Elrond swept from the room and headed to the great hall. Three elves followed close in his wake.
"Were you expecting such a visitor?" Elladan asked from his position at his father's left shoulder.
"No," Elrond shortly replied, his mind already formulating the possible reasons a ranger would have come to Rivendell.
Legolas could not keep his own fears silent. "If the rangers are requesting Aragorn's prompt return.." but he did not get a change to make his own plea of Elrond.
"They will find themselves disappointed," Elrohir firmly stated as the four elves entered the great hall.
Elrond was surprised at the youth of the ranger that paced before the fireplace in the great hall. Had Aragorn been that young when he had allowed him to join the ranks of the rangers?! Knowing that the young man did not hear the approach even of four elves, Elrond cleared his throat to announce his presence.
Startled, the young ranger spun around and stared wide eyed at the sight of the four elves that neared. He was known to be perceptive but he thought that even a small child would have easily detected the grim, fierce looks upon each of the elves faces. Swallowing hard, the ranger tried to rally his strength for the duty that lay so heavily on his shoulders and his heart.
When the elder elf drew to a stop in front of him, the ranger bowed his head slightly in respect before raising his eyes and meeting the elf lord's gaze.
"Welcome. I am Elrond, lord of Rivendell," Elrond said, slipping into his diplomatic tone without conscious effort.
"I am Renen, a ranger from the north. Thank you for your hospitality," the young ranger graciously replied though his heart thudded painfully in his chest.
In truth the young man was trembling and pale. "You look as if you have traveled a long hard journey. I can have food prepared for you," Elrond offered, partly out of concern for the boy and partly to forestall whatever message the boy carried.
But the boy shook his head firmly, "No. I thank you your kindness but no." He swallowed hard and his eyes swept over the three younger elves that stood behind Elrond, their eyes fixed upon him without welcome. Focusing again on Elrond, Renen's eyes darkened in sorrow as he forced himself to do the task he had been assigned. "I ...I am sorry, Lord Elrond. Your son...our chieftain," here the young man's voice cracked and he clamped his mouth shut a moment before he marshaled his emotions enough to continue, "Your son is dead." Reading the shock and denial in all four elves' faces, Renen reached into his pocket and presented his clenched hand to Elrond. Slowly he opened his fist to reveal a ring with two snakes with emerald eyes.
"Barahir," Elrond breathed and took the ring from the ranger's hand.
The young ranger had no forewarning before Elrohir's hand wrapped around his throat, blocking off his breath. He gasped for air as the elf shook him and harshly spoke in his ear.
"How did you come to have Estel's ring? You are too young to have bested my brother but you will tell me who did?" Elrohir snarled, his hand tightening against the boy's windpipe. "Tell me!" he yelled.
"Release him!" ordered a hoarse voice from the stairs. All eyes flew up to land upon Aragorn who leaned heavily upon the railing of the stairs, sweat dotting his pale face and soaking his hair.
At the sight of Aragorn precariously standing on one of the top most stairs, Legolas's heart froze in fear. Running as fast as his elven speed allowed, he crossed the hall and bound up the stairs, praying that he would reach his friend before he fell down the stairs.
Terrified for his brother, Elrohir released his choke hold on the ranger and spun to fully face Aragorn. "I've released him just don't move, Estel!"
Elladan and Elrond had both taken steps forward instinctively heading for Estel but they halted as they saw Legolas was half way up the stairs already. Father and son stood beside one another, neither breathing.
Finally reaching Aragorn, Legolas wrapped his arms around his friend even as Aragorn's legs crumbled under him, sending him slumping against Legolas's chest. Tightening his hold on his friend, Legolas pulled the man more firmly against him to better support his weight. "You are not to be out of bed," Legolas reprimanded, his worry making his words sharp.
Ignoring his friend's words, Aragorn looked down upon the great hall, "The boy is blameless," he said trying to make his voice once again reach the other elves.
"He has your ring, Estel," Elladan announced, defending Elrohir's actions.
Aragorn's head swam and his body was screaming in agony but he pushed it all aside. He had to make sure no harm came to Renen. Releasing one of his death grips on the railing, Aragorn clutched to Legolas' tunic and pulled himself up to his full height and forced his feet firmly under him. "Regardless, he is blameless. Do no further harm to him," he ordered but his voice was weakening and barely carried to the sensitive ears of the elves in the hall.
Renen was stunned and was struggling to recover not only from the attack of the elf but also the shock of seeing Strider, alive. Looking up to his chieftain, he could not hold back a smile and stammered, "You are not dead. He lied. Barion lied."
The name Barion seemed to echo in the halls with evil, almost as if someone had dared to utter the black speech of Mordor in the halls of the elven haven. Elrond, Elrohir and Elladan all swung around to face Renen, disbelief, horror and fury etched in their features. Renen backed away from the towering elves until his back slammed into the wall, "He said Strider was dead, killed by orcs, he gave us the ring as proof."
Elrond's strides surpassed his sons and he came to halt mere inches from the scared boy. "Where is Barion now?" he lowly demanded, his hatred making his eyes black.
"Camp...back at our camp," Renen stammered.
Legolas felt Aragorn's breathe hitch at that news but he was unprepared when the man released his grip on his tunic and attempted to push free of his hold.
"I must go!" Aragorn exclaimed breathlessly as he tried to elude Legolas' grasp.
Putting his elven speed and strength to good use, Legolas repositioned his supportive hold into a restraining one and pulled the man once more against his chest, easily overriding Aragorn's weak struggles.
Defeated, Aragorn slumped back against his best friend, his forehead coming to rest on the elf's shoulder, his eyes shut in exhaustion and pain. "I must warn my men about Barion. I do not know his exact intentions but they are evil, this I do know."
"I will warn them!" Renen volunteered, steel in his voice as he looked to his chieftain. "Bid me what to tell Halbarad and I will leave this instant, Strider."
"This is no need for a warning. Barion will die by my hands this day," Elladan growled then began to stalk for the stairs on a mission to retrieve his weapons, his brother flanking him in an instant.
Aragorn, having straightened away from Legolas but not making a move to fight off the elf's supportive hold, ordered, "No," his tone that of the chieftain of the rangers, a hard but respected man whose orders were obeyed without question. The tone even had the affect of invoking some long buried inbred obedience from his elven brothers for they halted mid stride and their eyes flew to the man that commanded them. "Renen will warn Halbarad of Barion's deception," Aragorn firmly stated as his eyes met his elven brothers with cold determination. Then Aragorn looked again to Renen, "Come Renen, I will write you a letter to take to Halbarad."
The boy needed no more prompting for in the next instant he had slipped past Elrond, ran by the still immobile Elladan and Elrohir and bound up the stairs. Renen halted on the other side of Legolas, his labored breathing more of fear than exertion as his eyes tracked the three elves below.
"Let's get you back into bed," Legolas gently suggested, pulling the man's arm over his shoulder and tightening his hold around the man's upper torso, praying that he was not putting further pressure on the wounds that marked the man. When Aragorn gave no cry of pain at the placement of his hands, Legolas turned them both toward the top of the stairs and began to slowly maneuver them up the remaining five stairs.
Each step felt like Barion's sword was plunging back into his side but Aragorn clenched his teeth to not let a cry escape him. When he had gotten out of the bed, he had been brought to his knees, harshly jarring his entire being. But he had clutched the nightstand and used it to lever himself off the ground to unsteady feet. Though the doorway was a mere five steps from his bed, Aragorn felt as if he were instead trying to cross the great water to Valinor. His determination alone kept him from collapsing onto the ground. Reaching the doorframe, he had leaned heavily against the wall, and had managed to make his way down the hallway. It was then that he had heard the voices from the great hall.
With only two more steps to go, Legolas leaned closer to Aragorn and whispered into the man's ear, unwilling to be overheard reprimanding his friend in front of one of Aragorn's men, "Why did you leave your bed? If you had need of anything I would have brought it to you."
Aragorn looked to his friend as they finally made it to the upper floor. "I needed to know what you spoke of to my fam...to Elrond and his sons. You told them about the tomb didn't you?"
Legolas stiffened, fearing that Aragorn would take his next words as a betrayal. "Yes, I told them all I knew."
Aragorn grimaced but said nothing as he faced forward and started to work on putting one foot in front of the other. Suddenly Renen was on his other side. Intending to offer his aid, the young ranger wrapped his arm lowly around Aragorn's waist and inadvertently dug his hold into one of Aragorn's wounds.
Aragorn cried out in unexpected pain and wished for nothing more than to curl up on the floor until the sensation died...or else he did.
Startled by Aragorn's cry, Legolas immediately recognized what action had prompted the man's pain. Before Renen knew what had happened, his hand was pried away and his arm dislodged from it's touch of his chieftain. Having freed Aragorn of the painful hold, Legolas slipped his other arm around the man's waist and let the man lean heavily against him as they stood amid the hallway.
"I'm ..I'm sorry," Renen stammered, his face pale as he realized his actions had done harm to the man he respected most in the world.
Aragorn wanted to reassure the youth that all was well but the pain was too great. Gratitude washed over him as he heard Legolas speak in his place.
Gently Legolas said to the boy, "It is alright, Renen. You did not know where Ara..Strider's wounds lie. Certainly you know Strider well enough to know he will not hold you accountable for any harm done when all you wished was to aid him."
Renen nodded his head but his worried eyes looked to his chieftain supported by the elf. "Barion hurt him?" his voice trembled but there was a fire glowing in his eyes.
It was Aragorn who answered as he found the strength to again straighten away from his best friend's support. Looking to Renen he grimly confessed, "Barion and I fought. He won."
Disbelief shattered Renen's features. His hero could not be defeated. "No...he did not fight fairly."
A small smile curved up Aragorn's lips for a fleeting moment. By the Valar, he loved the hope of the youth. Putting a hand on the boy's cheek, Aragorn shook his head, "He fought with all honor and skill. I simply could not best him."
It was Legolas who could not let his friend's words go unchallenged. "Honor and skill?!" he snarled in outrage, earning him Aragorn's full attention. "He blindsided you with those letters, then challenged you, then buried you alive!! The spawn of Mordor will pay for what he did to you with his life!"
"Yes, he will and it will be at "my" hands. No other," Aragorn swore with deadly intent, his eyes blazing into his best friend's.
"You are wrong, little brother," Elladan countered as he and Elrohir and Elrond came to stand behind Legolas and the two rangers, causing that threesome to turn and face him. "Elrohir and I know Barion of old. We know where his hatred is rooted. We will make him beg for the Halls long before he is granted his wish." Then turning his gaze from Aragorn to Renen, he demanded, "Where does your camp lie, Renen?"
Renen opened his mouth to reply but Aragorn put his hand upon the ranger's shoulder and shook his head, ordering the young man to silence. Without protest, Renen closed his mouth and his eyes hardened with resolve as he stood silently before the intimidating elf.
"Speak, ranger," Elladan growled as he took a menacing step toward Renen.
Having not the ability to move forward and block his brother's advance, Aragorn did the next best thing. He snagged onto Renen's arm and yanked the boy behind him, effectively making himself a barrier between the ranger and the angry elf.
Elladan's eyes seared into Aragorn's. "Tell me where your camp is, Estel," his tone low and promising consequences for any denials.
"No. This is a matter for the rangers. "We" will deal with Barion," Aragorn stated, his eyes hard as ice as he allied himself with the rangers and further estranged himself from the family he once claimed.
"The rangers had their chance...you had your chance..you both failed," Elladan sneered.
Fury gathered in Aragorn's eyes but before he could respond to the elf's insult, Elrond stepped between his two sons.
"Enough!" Elrond ordered, his look swinging between Elladan and Estel. "Legolas help Estel to bed. Elladan," and he turned to his eldest son and firmly gripped his arm to draw his son's attention fully upon him. "Barion's fate is not yours to decide."
"Ada!" Elladan began to protest but it faded to nothing as he saw the lowly burning fire of rage in his father's eyes. Suddenly he knew that his father was not relinquishing Barion's fate to Aragorn but instead was claiming it for himself. Elrond alone would decide the fate of the one who had almost stolen his son's life and had most assuredly ripped his son's love from him, maybe forever.
TBC
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Replies to Reviews:
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Tychen: So how are those withdrawal symptoms? I hope this chapter shuts them down cold. Ok, so leaving Aragorn with a "decimated life" did seem a little bit dramatic to label as no big cliffie. Sorry about that. I really appreciated your words about the Legolas and Aragorn scenes. I wanted their emotions to come through really strong and yet still let the character's keep their dignity. Seems like you think I accomplished that! Thanks! And yes, Elrond needs to get his act together and become the strong father all his sons need him to be. Seems like he's trying to be that this chapter! Thanks so much for reviewing and missing me when I was gone!
Aebbook: So happy that you liked last chapter! It wasn't the easiest to write but I hoped it had enough Aragorn and Legolas interaction to be good. It really touched me that you reread this story and some of my others!! That's the best kind of compliment I could get!! Thanks for reviewing!
Spades: Three stories going at once, you're brave!! I get stressed out just posting one! Glad I'm not the only one that loves writing in the middle of the night! Thanks for your review!
MoonFire1: Yes, for Legolas mortality is a bitter pill, more so because in his world, he knows but one who suffers from that gift and it's his best friend. Has to make him question why he himself was granted immortality. You are right, Aragorn is a fortunate man for having a true blue friend like Legolas and visa versa. If I were a much better person I'ld offer that kind of devotion to my friends...but I'm not. Oh well, we all have to have goals to achieve in life and I guess that should be one of mine. Thanks for reviewing!
Tailspin: I was overjoyed by your review! You liked my Legolas and Aragorn scenes!!! Yippee! As for Aragorn waking in the dark, I just couldn't miss an opportunity to heap on more anguish to the poor ranger...especially if his best friend would be there to comfort him!! Glad you still are "all for angst" cause I don't have a quick fix in mind for everyone's emotion turmoil. Thank you so much for loving Mire!!!!!!! That makes my day!! As for which story is better, this one or Mire....since I haven't finished writing this one I'm a little worried it won't be as good but then again, I was all self conscious about posting Mire too. Guess we'll both have to determine which story is better at the end of this story. The endings always make or break I story in my mind. Thanks for reviewing!
Marbiehl: I agree with you, the twins words to Legolas were harsh...but I'm going to follow your lead and offer them a break since they're so worried about Estel. As for Estel's sword, I just thought that would be just the kinda gift his brothers would bestow on him before allowing him to face the world without them. (It even stands up to the swords of the Ring Wraiths!) And as you formulated, the twins DO know Barion and it ain't love they are feeling for him. Very pleased that you liked the Elladan comforting Elrohir scene. I never know whether people want to see more or less of the twins. And as you saw in this chapter, other matters have interceded with the family chat, namely Barion camping it with the rangers! I lol when you said about Legolas' glow "That's also handy for reading in bed I presume"! I admit, I'm being very cruel to the Poor Cute Ranger but does it help to know I only write happy endings? (OK so I realize that the endings a while off but I'm trying to make sure you don't hang me with that hanging scaffolding you built!!!! Which when I read that, I laughed my head off!!!!) And I almost made "you" cry!! Now that's an accomplishment! (I'm still patting myself on the back for writing those Aragorn Legolas scenes!) Well if you don't have me pegged, you and I think a lot of like (aka very deviously). Hope you did go through too much withdrawal and see, I gave you a nice big dose of the story this chapter! Thanks for reviewing and helping me to plot further torture for our favorite ranger!
Beling: I took you "through a gamut of emotions"!! I Love that!! But as you noticed, I kindly held off from dousing you with more Elrond angst. And I felt sorry for Legolas when the twins laid the guilt upon him! Good Samaritans always seem to take a beating! And I too needed some humor and comfort last chapter. So glad you liked my part about the twins. I'm always afraid that people think I'm stealing time from Aragorn or Legolas when I focus on the twins but I find writing the twins is incredibly fun and enjoyable. And even I wasn't cruel enough to not leave you hanging for more than a week without a little bit of sap between Aragorn and Legolas. I mean that's what keeps these characters so deep without our hearts...their friendship and care for each other. Thanks for reviewing!
Someone Reading: You were weeping! (claps hands in glee!...no I mean regret tore at me...yeah right!) Yes, the twins are brought pretty low with this whole situation and I totally believe you are right, losing Estel would be equal to their loss of Celebrian. I think they would do anything to protect Estel, just like any good brothers would. Of course, I don't think Estel appreciates that protectiveness all the time, especially not now. Glad I did the scene well when Aragorn awoke in the darkness. I know it was cruel but I really wanted Legolas to be there and to know the hold the experience welds over Aragorn and offer his comfort to his friend. And I think everyone has a fair shot at the "most guilty" award..at least in their way of thinking. Pleased that you liked Legolas's withdrawal and Aragorn perceiving that as rejection. Yes, Aragorn is grasping unto Legolas like a life raft and I don't blame him. Everyone else seems to have betrayed him. Thanks for reviewing!
Sielge: Thanks for your compliment! Glad you reviewed!
Grumpy: Yes, I fully admit to cruelty when I had Aragorn wake up in the dark and think himself in the tomb yet. But see, that was a wonderful segue into a comforting opportunity between Legolas and Aragorn. (You aren't forgiving me yet are you?) And yes, this family is on the verge of being torn apart...forever. (OK so I like a tiny bit of angst in my stories...I did mention that before didn't I?) Glad you liked Aragorn asking Legolas to stay with him! Thanks for the review!
Daniela: Thanks so much for your email!! And it looks like I"ve done my job well because you are suppose to: A: Hate Barion, B: Wish to slap Elrond around, and C: Be glad Aragorn rescued himself from the tomb and assured himself that he is capable of helping himself. And I agree, the young elves need to see Aragorn for himself, that he is a very capable leader of men bearing the strength both mental and physical to see himself and others through the worst of situations. I think their eyes will be opened when Aragorn regroups with the rangers. Ops ..I think I just gave you a preview for what's to come...oh well, like you didn't already see that coming after this chapter! Thanks again for reviewing!
Elvingirl3737: Thank you so much for your compliments!! I really needed some encouragement to not pack up my laptop and not write another word and you gave them to me. (OK vacation has given me way too much time to have my old insecurities rear their ugly heads). Glad you liked the comfort in last chapter and I too find myself feeling bad for Estel, the twins and yes, even, Elrond. But Legolas' isn't quiet free of angst either (wink wink) I can't have anyone feeling to good about life or next thing all my characters will revolt about having to go through so much angst! Thanks so much for reviewing!
Nietta: Ah...so I'm not the only one who keeps a thesaurus close at hand! But I stand by my word 'decimated' and I think Aragorn would appreciate a great big hug from you! So in this chapter we had that obstacle you were worried about...Legolas telling the family what actually happened to Aragorn. Did I do it right? Thanks so much for reviwing!!
Joslin: thanks so much for reviewing and your well wishes for my vacation! It truly was a great time!
Elven Kitten: I see you made sure you didn't abandon Aragorn for long so no one else moved into your territory. Good thinking! Thanks for reviewing!
No Big Deal: Yeah, I didn't make Aragorn seem weak or needy!!! And I'm really glad you LOVE the use of the twins...especially because they are in the rest of this story. As for their history...I think you can tell by this chapter that they have some "personal" history with Barion. More info to come! I totally appreciated your words about feeling like this story is real, like you could jump into in. That's a wonderful compliment and I'm hoping that I don't let you down as the story processes! Thanks so much for reviewing!
Eternal Rose: So glad you liked how I set up the scenes between Aragorn and Legolas. I wanted to do both characters justice and yet show how much their emotions were tearing them apart. And I agree, I don't think Aragorn is going to "reaccept" the Peredhills any time soon. As for your suggestions about my grammar, I have to be honest and say I am VERY thin skinned and I was hurt at your words. I know you didn't mean them to hurt and I know you gave me some really good advice. I'm going to try and improve my writing style but I'm not going to catch everything you would, nor am I going to change my style so much that it no longer feels like mine. I think one of the reasons I gave up on the dream of writing professionally is because I hate writing by the rules. Please don't be mad at me for not being open to your suggestions...I'm very stubborn but I'm trying hard to change because I know in changing I can become a better writer and a better person. Thanks for taking the time to help me improve my writing and for giving me those wonderful compliments.
Alison H: Thank you so much for your compliments!!! I'm thrilled that you think this is better than 'Mire'!!! I just wasn't sure if this one would match up to that one. I love that you are a fan of mine...I can't believe you like my writing enough to call yourself my fan!?!?!!! That is so cool that you are a twin! I'm relieved that you like how I portray the twins because out of anyone, you should know how they would interact! And Yes, you are lucky that neither you nor your sister are the reckless younger sibling! Makes life much easier for everyone who loves you both! Thanks again for taking the time to review and I hope to hear from you again.
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Thanks for everyone who read this and a special thank you for everyone who takes the time to drop me a review!
Cheryl W.
By: Cheryl W
Disclaimer: I don't own The Lord of the Rings or anything in conjunction with the Lord of the Rings nor am I making a profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: I'm back! And I wrote while I was on vacation! Thanks for everyone's patience...and to reward you here's a long chapter. Hope you like!
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Chapter 9
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The first rays of the dawn penetrated the darkness of The Last Homely House's study and glinted off the wine glass Elrond clutched tightly as he sat at his desk as if he were a statue of old. Through his grim musings he recognized that morning had come, he could no longer conceal his misdeeds in the dark.
Swallowing the last of the wine left in his glass, Elrond sat the empty glass upon his desk and looked down to the letters on his desk still cloaked in shadow. They could not be wished away or hidden, not again. Resolutely he picked up the letters and placed them in his pocket before standing up and walking from the room. His son may not want to see him but he desperately needed to see his son, to be assured that no further harm had come to him in his cowardly absence. Making amends for his part in Estel's pain...this Elrond could not even hope to do...not today...not until his son's righteous anger had tempered with time.
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Legolas, seeing no blood staining Aragorn's wrapped torso, raised his eyes to his friend's face, ready to inquire if the man felt he had pulled any of his stitches only to realize Aragorn was no longer awake. Unable to quiet his worry, Legolas put his fingers to Aragorn's neck and was reassured that all was still well with his friend as he felt the pulse of the man's rushing blood.
Now, without the benefit of Aragorn's healer knowledge, Legolas, with his rudimentary healing skills, knew no sure way to determine quickly if some of the stitches to the man's wounds were broken. Legolas sighed, certain that he could not wait until blood seeped through the pristine white cloth that wound about Aragorn's torso to determine the worst. With reluctance, Legolas accepted his fate: he would have to seek out one of the famed healers that resided in this house and tell them that he had allowed Aragorn to topple from bed and possibly injury himself further. 'May the Valar have mercy upon me,' he thought as he pulled the blanket over Aragorn, rose from the bed and headed for the door. Opening the bedroom door, he was startled to find himself face to face with Elrond.
Knowing from past experience that Legolas did not leave an injured Aragorn's side unless by dire necessity or firm order from either himself, Aragorn or Legolas' own father, Elrond's worry spiked upon seeing Legolas' pending departure from his son's room. Immediately he gripped the younger elf's shoulders, even as his eyes looked beyond the elf to the bed, taking in the motionless form of his son. "What is wrong, Legolas? Does he have a fever?"
Instead of answering the elf lord, Legolas remained silent as indecision warred within him. If Aragorn awoke to find Elrond tending him, Legolas feared his friend would feel as if he had betrayed him, that he had broken his word to the man and called for the man's father against his wishes.
At Legolas' hesitation, Elrond shifted the younger elf to the side, slipped into the room and came to his son's side. Putting his hand upon Aragorn's forehead, Elrond found the skin only slightly warm to the touch. Looking up as Legolas came to his side, Elrond pressed, "There is worry in your eyes, Legolas," hoping his observation would promote the prince to speak aloud his concerns.
Legolas, shooting a look to Aragorn and praying that the man remained asleep a little while longer, faced Elrond and announced, "I fear he might have torn some of his stitches. "
Straight away Elrond uncovered his son and began to lightly probe his son's wounds with his fingers. Without looking up from his work, Elrond asked, "What gives you this fear?"
Steeling himself for the elf lord's reaction, Legolas steadily confessed, "He fell from the bed."
This brought Elrond's eyes flying up to Legolas'. "How? Why?" he fired at Legolas. "Was he reacting to a high fever?"
"No," Legolas answered shaking his head, "he had a nightmare. I sought only to tear him from the dream but he panicked at my touch and fought violently to be freed. I...I should not have released him for he frantically pulled away from me and fell from the bed before I could prevent it," Legolas honestly answered, making no concessions to conceal his own guilt in the tale. To Legolas' surprise, Elrond's offered him no look of blame but instead turned again to his son.
Tenderly, Elrond stroked Estel's face with his fingers. Heartbrokenly, he realized that even unconsciousness could not shelter his son from his troubles. Quietly he asked Legolas, "Did he awaken fully?"
"Yes," Legolas reassured and found himself offering more information than he intended. "Once the dream released it's hold upon him and he knew me, we talked for a little while before sleep claimed him again."
In relief, Elrond closed his eyes, his son's awakening and lucidity meant the man was no longer at great risk. But when Elrond opened his eyes and refocused on his son's pale, still face, a yearning and a dread filled him in equal parts as he pondered if his son had spoken of him, of his letters, of the betrayal he had dealt him, if those thoughts were still forefront in his mind. "Is he in much pain?" he asked, his voice strained, uncertain if he inquired about his son's physical or emotional pain.
"Yes," Legolas honestly answered softly, knowingly replying to both the spoken and unspoken meaning of the elf lord's words.
A new wave of guilt and concern washed over Elrond with Legolas' one word but he forced himself to concentrate on the aspect of his son's pain which he had the means to ease. Once again he sent his skilled hands to his son's wounds before he met Legolas' worried gaze, "I detect no torn stitches," he watched as Legolas barely stopped himself from sagging with relief. Standing to his full height and facing the prince, Elrond said with measured gentleness, "Before I came here, I instructed a healer to prepare a tea to ease Aragorn's pain and to sit with him while we convened in my study. Can you now speak of what transpired yesterday?"
"Yes," Legolas replied, hoping his reluctance was not revealed with the one word. But the knowing look in the elder elf's eyes told him his hope was in vain. "I will tell you all I know," he agreed but could not stop himself from boldly adding, "if you tell me all that you know."
At another time, Elrond would have been affronted by the young prince's audacity, but not today, not when he knew unerringly that Legolas had read the letters, his letters. Elrond knew with clarity that anyone that cared but a little for Aragorn would side against him in this matter. He could not fathom how Legolas would react, one who loved Aragorn as a brother. But even more fearfully, Elrond thought of how his own sons would feel once they read his letters. Would they find it in themselves to forgive him his actions?
Seeing that Legolas still watched him for his reply, Elrond nodded his head, "I will not conceal anything from you, Legolas, nor from my sons."
Tension drained from Legolas at Elrond's agreement. He had feared he had crossed the line with his demand but he had no thought to retract it. His blood may not make him of this family but his love for his friend did. Before he could say more to Elrond, a light knock was heard upon the door. Crossing to the door's threshold he opened the door and a healer walked inside bearing a teapot and a cup. He watched as Elrond gave instructions to the other elf, looked to his son once again and then came to Legolas' side.
With a nod to Legolas, Elrond left the room. Legolas, after bestowing his own worried look upon Aragorn, followed the elf lord and closed the door silently behind him. Leaning against his friend's closed bedroom door, Legolas watched as Elrond walked to Elrohir's room and knocked on the door. It was but a moment before the door was pulled open and Aragorn's brothers stepped into the doorframe, both asking their father if Aragorn's health had worsened to which Elrond gave them reassurances that their brother was improving.
Suddenly, Legolas found nervousness twisting his stomach. He was now faced with the daunting but feasible task of telling Aragorn's family what had befallen the man. A task that just last night had been inconceivable for him to fulfill. Legolas could not help wondering if he would possess the courage to face this family's questions this day if Aragorn had not awakened this morning, if he had not been blessed with the chance to talk to his best friend, to be reassured that Aragorn had come through the events of the prior day, though not unscathed, but with his stubborn strength still intact? Once again Aragorn had not abandoned him in his time of need but instead offered him what hope and strength he could, even when he himself had little to none to spare of either.
Legolas' head snapped up as he realized that Elrond, Elrohir and Elladan stood before him.
"Come, let us make what sense we can from all we collectively know," Elrond quietly said as he led the three elves through the house to his study. For once the young ones followed him in silence and Elrond could sense their fear and tension. Despairingly, he knew his own emotions dwarfed theirs in comparison.
Entering the study, Elrond did not claim the seat behind his desk for he had no right to preside over the younger elves in this matter. Nay, instead they would soon find themselves in a position to judge him and his heartless actions some thirty years prior.
Seeing their father turn a chair around that usually faced his desk and claim it as his own, Elladan and Elrohir exchanged surprised glances. Their father always sat behind his desk in this room and meted out his judgment and to see him seated anywhere else in the room alarmed the twins. But they said nothing as they each claimed a seat and watched as Legolas slowly choose the chair to Elrond's left side allowing a circle to be formed.
"I know I have my own part in this to tell but I would hear what you know first, Legolas," Elrond said quietly, his eyes fixed upon the prince.
The time had come and Legolas hardly knew what words he would use. His gaze swept around the formed circle, taking in the expectant looks each of the elves wore. Finding that his heart did not pound in nervousness as much under Elrond's gaze, Legolas faced Elrond to tell his tale.
"Yesterday I came upon a camp with a fire still smoldering though it was almost mid day. I approached cautiously and thought I spied Aragorn's pack beside the fire. Sensing no presence in the camp, I came to the fire and truly Aragorn's bedroll was still rolled out and his pack was open." For a moment his eyes flickered to the elven twins, wondering how much their father had already told them, before settling his look back upon Elrond. "Your letters were on the ground beside Aragorn's pack." He watched as Elrond's eyes darkened in pain but the other elf did not object to his words so Legolas pressed forward.
"I began to check the area for clues to indicate where Aragorn was. I found two sets of footprints, their patterns clearly telling of a fierce duel between two men. And I found blood," Legolas swallowed as he remembered the sight and his feelings at that time. "At first mere drops stained the ground but then," he hung his head and studied his hands, unwilling to let the others see how effected he still was by the memory, "further away from the camp blood had pooled unto the dirt and I could tell..." he took a deep breath, "that a body had lain on the ground, immobile and bleeding badly."
Had Legolas looked up to his audience he would have seen the paleness in each of the three elven faces, the haunted look in their eyes at the words he spoke. In truth, it was best he was oblivious to his effect on Elrond and his sons for he might not have had the fortitude to say the rest.
Still looking down to his hands, Legolas continued, his time spent with Aragorn this morning giving him the strength to speak what he must. "I...I did not want to believe it was Aragorn who had laid there, who was possibly mortally wounded...but then I saw his sword lying in the forest. And I knew," here he broke off and clamped his eyes shut, "he would not leave his sword behind and in knowing that..." Emotions closed Legolas' throat and he could not speak for a moment.
Finally understanding the horror that Legolas had endured, Elladan put a gentle hand upon the prince's back, "Take your time, Legolas," he soothed, his brotherly instincts kicking in for one he always thought of as a member of his family.
Elladan's touch and words gave Legolas strength as did his knowledge that Aragorn was upstairs alive though not so well and any words he said now could not work to undo that. "I believed Aragorn dead," he stated, trying to keep his voice steady though the others detected a timbre in the Mirkwood elf's voice that they had rarely heard. Then Legolas raised his eyes and focused them once again upon Elrond. "Vowing to avenge Aragorn's death, I sought to track the other man. The tracks told me that he had put Aragorn's body..." he stammered, "had put Aragorn upon a horse and I began to follow those trails."
"And where did they lead?" Elrond questioned darkly, his anger at the man who had dared to harm his son unchecked.
"Toward Rivendell," Legolas softly announced, earning startled looks from all but Elrohir. Turning to Elrohir, Legolas noted a grey hue to the youngest twin's coloring. "Are you well, Elrohir?" he asked, wondering if the twin somehow knew the next part of his tale. Elrond and Elladan both swung their looks to Elrohir, surprised to also see what had prompted Legolas' concern.
"Tell me what I guess is wrong?" Elrohir implored of Legolas. "Tell me that no soul is evil enough to do that to Estel?"
"Do what?" Elladan demanded of his twin. "What do you speak of?"
But Elrohir's eyes did not break from Legolas's and in that look, they both knew the truth. Elrohir cursed and hung his head in his hands.
Elrond put a hand upon Elrohir's shoulder, "What have you kept to yourself, my son?" his voice gentle and filled with support.
Shaking his head Elrohir said, "I can not speak of it."
Legolas quietly took up the tale again, "The man brought Aragorn to the tomb of Amarth."
"No!" erupted from Elrond as his look swung to Legolas in horror while Elladan drew in a sharp breath and also fixedly watched the prince.
Hatred brimmed Legolas' eyes as he lowly recounted, "He put Aragorn in the tomb and sealed it, knowing, I believe, that Aragorn lived yet."
In fury, Elrond's hands formed into fists. How could this have been done to his son!! Between clenched teeth he surmised, "But the man did not have the patience to wait for death to claim Aragorn."
"He was gone when I came upon the tomb," Legolas snarled, the revenge he wished to have upon the man blazing in his eyes.
"And Aragorn?" Elladan asked.
For the first time, a small smile turned up the corners of Legolas's mouth, "That stubborn fool tunneled out through the ceiling of the tomb. I thought to rescue him but apparently he has yet to learn patience for he rescued himself."
Small smiles broke the anguish cast of each elf's face for a moment before they settled back into their former grimness.
"How did you know, Elrohir? Did Aragorn tell you?" Legolas quietly asked as his eyes met the other elf's.
Elrohir shook his head, "No...it was in the words he said. I...I said he looked as if he had just crawled out of the Halls of Mandos and, in a tone not meant for my ears, he said "I have." Then when I saw the dirt that covered him, his bloody nails...." Turning to Elladan he stammered in apology, "I'm sorry I did not tell you but I could not bear to say it aloud fearing that that would have somehow made it truth. Forgive me, brother?"
"I do, Elrohir, I forgive you," Elladan quickly reassured and put a hand upon his brother's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I do not know if I could have spoken of it either." Then turning to Legolas, Elladan said, "I am grateful for your courage to tell us what has befallen our brother. I know I do not deserve it but I ask your forgiveness for the blame I foolishly tried to lay upon you. To think one moment that you would harm Aragorn.." self-disgust saturated Elladan's tone.
Legolas cut off Elladan's guilty flow of words, "You would protect Aragorn against all that would harm him. There is no shame in that. I tend to protect him as well," and a twinkle entered Legolas' eyes, "even when it is only his brothers's pranks that seek to ensnare him."
Elladan and Elrohir both snorted in laughter at that.
Through all this Elrond had remained quiet, fearing his own time to speak was near. The other elves were reveling in Aragorn's escape from death and healing from his wounds but Elrond felt the heavy burden of being the cause for Aragorn's emotional agony.
When the room fell silent once again, Legolas quietly asked, "Do you know who hated Aragorn enough to wish him that fate?" his eyes settling upon Elrond.
"No," Elrond bitterly replied, "but the man had my letters in his possession and his attack upon Aragorn was well planned. He knew all the ways to hurt Aragorn the deepest."
Elladan and Elrohir's eyes rested upon their father, both wanting, nay, needing to read the letters but afraid to make that request of Elrond.
Sensing his sons's gazes upon him, Elrond pulled the letters from his pocket and looked at them as he clenched them tightly in his hands. Knowing that his elven sons deserved to know the betrayal he had dealt their human brother, he lifted his eyes to Elladan and Elrohir and offered them the letters. "I wish I could claim these letters false...but, to my eternal shame, I can not."
Hesitantly Elladan reached for the proffered letters and took them into his possession. The paper felt fragile in his grasp and he opened the first letter with care and held the letter so both he and Elrohir could read it.
Elrond watched the faces of his sons' for their reaction to the letter. He saw Elladan's jaw clench in anger while Elrohir's face paled in sympathy for all parties affected by the letter. But when Elladan opened the second letter, even Elrohir's good nature dissolved under that letter's harsh language and anger flushed his features.
Upon finishing the second letter, Elladan's eyes shot to his father's with reproach. "How could you speak so bitterly about your own kin?! About a child!" Elladan tossed the letter into Elrohir's lap, surged to his feet and began to pace within the confines of the circle of chairs. "I do not blame Estel his anger now. I understand his belief that you have masqueraded as a father to him for duty's sake. Reading those letters, how could he think anything different!"
Elrond paled at his son's words but did not dispute them.
"Why?" Elrohir quietly demanded. "Why did you refuse to shelter Aragorn?"
Swallowing hard, Elrond replied, forcing himself to meet the eyes of each of his sons as he spoke the horrible truth, "I was disenchanted by mortals, by their vulnerability, their corruptibility, their failings,....their easy capitulation to death. I had lost hope in Elros's bloodline."
"So you turned your back upon Arathorn and his wife and son," Elladan angrily judged. "You 'knew' Arathorn, 'we'" and he pointed to himself and Elrohir, "knew Arathorn. He was a great man, a man 'worthy' of your respect and aid!"
"I know," Elrond quietly agreed, shame sharply etched in the two words.
"Yet you refused Arathorn's request, twice," Elrohir stated with disbelief instead of rancor. "And the harshness in your letters..." Elrohir looked down at the letters he now held clenched in his left hand. When Elrohir raised his eyes again to his father's, Elrond's breath caught at the sight of his son's anguished look. "Estel read these, ada!" Elrohir exclaimed, waving the letters in the air. "Every hateful word is inscribed in Estel's heart! How can you undo this harm?!"
It was not Elrond who voiced the answer but Elladan. Coldly he snarled, "He can not," his eyes piercing his father's for the first time ever with shame. "No words you say will heal the wound you have inflicted upon Estel. In his eyes, any kindness you bestowed upon him, starting with the day you allowed him to stay here, was all done for duty sake. A "duty" you under took as a "burden" only because Aragorn bore the mantle of saving Middle Earth."
Legolas said nothing but his eyes watched the three other elves with sorrow. He could not offer them any balm for their wounds, just as he had not been able to ease Aragorn's pain at his perceived betrayal by his father. Some hurts went too deep to be healed and Legolas had begun to feel with despair that the letters had dealt that kind of wound to his friend. Now he saw that Aragorn was not the only one broken by the letters.
All of Elrond's breath had whooshed from him at Elladan's perceptive yet pain inflicting words. Elladan's words matched the accusations Estel had flung at him the prior night, searing into his soul. "I love Estel because he is my son," Elrond fervently declared as a tear slipped down his cheek.
"We do not doubt your love for Estel, Ada," Elrohir gently repeated his prior statement, but his next words were sharp as a blade, "but I don't know if it is enough to absolve you from this cruelty."
Panic shot through Elrond at his son's bleak prediction. "Those letters are the past! They can not undo my love for Aragorn, his love for me, the family we have become, all of us! Aragorn will see reason."
"Reason?" Elladan repeated with disdain. "He doesn't trust you, ada! He doesn't trust Elrohir or me! In his eyes, there is no "reason" to ever trust us again! He believes we lied to him when we made him feel as if he had a place with us because we loved him for himself not because of his future destiny as the hope of middle earth. Your actions have made us all liars, though for our part, Elrohir and I welcomed him into this house, into our hearts without expectation for his future nor as a burden we had to endure."
Elrond stood to his feet to face his son's accusations. "I wrote those letters before ever laying eyes upon Aragorn!"
Elrohir came to his feet and stepped between Elladan and his father. Boldly his look lanced into his father, "But the truth is you did not want him! You did not want Estel! Not here in this house, not in your life and certainly not in your heart!"
"No, no, I did not," Elrond somberly admitted, not able to even offer a white lie to his sons any more than he could Aragorn the prior night. But the consequences of truth seemed to be the same this night as he watched the love which his sons's eyes always reflected for him fade.
"It was a lie," Elladan breathed with heartbroken disbelief as his eyes searched his father's. "Estel was right. How long did you despise his presence here? A month? A year? His entire childhood?!"
The question caught Elrond off guard and he opened his mouth but nothing would come forth.
"Oh Valar," Elrohir exclaimed as he saw the uncertainty in his father's eyes. "You don't know, do you? You don't know when your "task" turned into joy, when your "burden" to bear became the son you love with all your heart."
"I do not," Elrond confessed and intended to try to defend himself but Elladan gave him no such opportunity.
"That knowledge will certainly make Estel feel better," Elladan sarcastically bit out.
Alarmed by the escalating tension, Legolas stood up intent on stopping the flow of hurtful words but before he could say a word, a knock came upon the study door. Fear shot through Legolas. Was a servant coming to tell them Aragorn had worsened?! That same fear seemed to be felt by the others for they all quickly made their way to the door.
Elrohir, having made it to the door first, flung the door open and demanded immediately of the servant that stood in the doorway. "Is Estel worse?"
The servant, a young boy Legolas had seen the twins teach how to fish, shook his head, "No, I was instructed to notify Lord Elrond that a ranger is waiting to speak to him."
This news was unexpected by all. Elrond stepped before the boy, "Where is the ranger?"
"The great hall. He was shaking and pale when he came into the house and I thought the fire would warm him," the boy hesitantly said, fearing he had done something wrong.
Elrond, sensing the boy's worry, forced a smile he did not feel and playfully ruffled the boy's hair. "You did well. Now go help your mother in the kitchen." The boy smiled before running down the hallway.
Without a word to the others, Elrond swept from the room and headed to the great hall. Three elves followed close in his wake.
"Were you expecting such a visitor?" Elladan asked from his position at his father's left shoulder.
"No," Elrond shortly replied, his mind already formulating the possible reasons a ranger would have come to Rivendell.
Legolas could not keep his own fears silent. "If the rangers are requesting Aragorn's prompt return.." but he did not get a change to make his own plea of Elrond.
"They will find themselves disappointed," Elrohir firmly stated as the four elves entered the great hall.
Elrond was surprised at the youth of the ranger that paced before the fireplace in the great hall. Had Aragorn been that young when he had allowed him to join the ranks of the rangers?! Knowing that the young man did not hear the approach even of four elves, Elrond cleared his throat to announce his presence.
Startled, the young ranger spun around and stared wide eyed at the sight of the four elves that neared. He was known to be perceptive but he thought that even a small child would have easily detected the grim, fierce looks upon each of the elves faces. Swallowing hard, the ranger tried to rally his strength for the duty that lay so heavily on his shoulders and his heart.
When the elder elf drew to a stop in front of him, the ranger bowed his head slightly in respect before raising his eyes and meeting the elf lord's gaze.
"Welcome. I am Elrond, lord of Rivendell," Elrond said, slipping into his diplomatic tone without conscious effort.
"I am Renen, a ranger from the north. Thank you for your hospitality," the young ranger graciously replied though his heart thudded painfully in his chest.
In truth the young man was trembling and pale. "You look as if you have traveled a long hard journey. I can have food prepared for you," Elrond offered, partly out of concern for the boy and partly to forestall whatever message the boy carried.
But the boy shook his head firmly, "No. I thank you your kindness but no." He swallowed hard and his eyes swept over the three younger elves that stood behind Elrond, their eyes fixed upon him without welcome. Focusing again on Elrond, Renen's eyes darkened in sorrow as he forced himself to do the task he had been assigned. "I ...I am sorry, Lord Elrond. Your son...our chieftain," here the young man's voice cracked and he clamped his mouth shut a moment before he marshaled his emotions enough to continue, "Your son is dead." Reading the shock and denial in all four elves' faces, Renen reached into his pocket and presented his clenched hand to Elrond. Slowly he opened his fist to reveal a ring with two snakes with emerald eyes.
"Barahir," Elrond breathed and took the ring from the ranger's hand.
The young ranger had no forewarning before Elrohir's hand wrapped around his throat, blocking off his breath. He gasped for air as the elf shook him and harshly spoke in his ear.
"How did you come to have Estel's ring? You are too young to have bested my brother but you will tell me who did?" Elrohir snarled, his hand tightening against the boy's windpipe. "Tell me!" he yelled.
"Release him!" ordered a hoarse voice from the stairs. All eyes flew up to land upon Aragorn who leaned heavily upon the railing of the stairs, sweat dotting his pale face and soaking his hair.
At the sight of Aragorn precariously standing on one of the top most stairs, Legolas's heart froze in fear. Running as fast as his elven speed allowed, he crossed the hall and bound up the stairs, praying that he would reach his friend before he fell down the stairs.
Terrified for his brother, Elrohir released his choke hold on the ranger and spun to fully face Aragorn. "I've released him just don't move, Estel!"
Elladan and Elrond had both taken steps forward instinctively heading for Estel but they halted as they saw Legolas was half way up the stairs already. Father and son stood beside one another, neither breathing.
Finally reaching Aragorn, Legolas wrapped his arms around his friend even as Aragorn's legs crumbled under him, sending him slumping against Legolas's chest. Tightening his hold on his friend, Legolas pulled the man more firmly against him to better support his weight. "You are not to be out of bed," Legolas reprimanded, his worry making his words sharp.
Ignoring his friend's words, Aragorn looked down upon the great hall, "The boy is blameless," he said trying to make his voice once again reach the other elves.
"He has your ring, Estel," Elladan announced, defending Elrohir's actions.
Aragorn's head swam and his body was screaming in agony but he pushed it all aside. He had to make sure no harm came to Renen. Releasing one of his death grips on the railing, Aragorn clutched to Legolas' tunic and pulled himself up to his full height and forced his feet firmly under him. "Regardless, he is blameless. Do no further harm to him," he ordered but his voice was weakening and barely carried to the sensitive ears of the elves in the hall.
Renen was stunned and was struggling to recover not only from the attack of the elf but also the shock of seeing Strider, alive. Looking up to his chieftain, he could not hold back a smile and stammered, "You are not dead. He lied. Barion lied."
The name Barion seemed to echo in the halls with evil, almost as if someone had dared to utter the black speech of Mordor in the halls of the elven haven. Elrond, Elrohir and Elladan all swung around to face Renen, disbelief, horror and fury etched in their features. Renen backed away from the towering elves until his back slammed into the wall, "He said Strider was dead, killed by orcs, he gave us the ring as proof."
Elrond's strides surpassed his sons and he came to halt mere inches from the scared boy. "Where is Barion now?" he lowly demanded, his hatred making his eyes black.
"Camp...back at our camp," Renen stammered.
Legolas felt Aragorn's breathe hitch at that news but he was unprepared when the man released his grip on his tunic and attempted to push free of his hold.
"I must go!" Aragorn exclaimed breathlessly as he tried to elude Legolas' grasp.
Putting his elven speed and strength to good use, Legolas repositioned his supportive hold into a restraining one and pulled the man once more against his chest, easily overriding Aragorn's weak struggles.
Defeated, Aragorn slumped back against his best friend, his forehead coming to rest on the elf's shoulder, his eyes shut in exhaustion and pain. "I must warn my men about Barion. I do not know his exact intentions but they are evil, this I do know."
"I will warn them!" Renen volunteered, steel in his voice as he looked to his chieftain. "Bid me what to tell Halbarad and I will leave this instant, Strider."
"This is no need for a warning. Barion will die by my hands this day," Elladan growled then began to stalk for the stairs on a mission to retrieve his weapons, his brother flanking him in an instant.
Aragorn, having straightened away from Legolas but not making a move to fight off the elf's supportive hold, ordered, "No," his tone that of the chieftain of the rangers, a hard but respected man whose orders were obeyed without question. The tone even had the affect of invoking some long buried inbred obedience from his elven brothers for they halted mid stride and their eyes flew to the man that commanded them. "Renen will warn Halbarad of Barion's deception," Aragorn firmly stated as his eyes met his elven brothers with cold determination. Then Aragorn looked again to Renen, "Come Renen, I will write you a letter to take to Halbarad."
The boy needed no more prompting for in the next instant he had slipped past Elrond, ran by the still immobile Elladan and Elrohir and bound up the stairs. Renen halted on the other side of Legolas, his labored breathing more of fear than exertion as his eyes tracked the three elves below.
"Let's get you back into bed," Legolas gently suggested, pulling the man's arm over his shoulder and tightening his hold around the man's upper torso, praying that he was not putting further pressure on the wounds that marked the man. When Aragorn gave no cry of pain at the placement of his hands, Legolas turned them both toward the top of the stairs and began to slowly maneuver them up the remaining five stairs.
Each step felt like Barion's sword was plunging back into his side but Aragorn clenched his teeth to not let a cry escape him. When he had gotten out of the bed, he had been brought to his knees, harshly jarring his entire being. But he had clutched the nightstand and used it to lever himself off the ground to unsteady feet. Though the doorway was a mere five steps from his bed, Aragorn felt as if he were instead trying to cross the great water to Valinor. His determination alone kept him from collapsing onto the ground. Reaching the doorframe, he had leaned heavily against the wall, and had managed to make his way down the hallway. It was then that he had heard the voices from the great hall.
With only two more steps to go, Legolas leaned closer to Aragorn and whispered into the man's ear, unwilling to be overheard reprimanding his friend in front of one of Aragorn's men, "Why did you leave your bed? If you had need of anything I would have brought it to you."
Aragorn looked to his friend as they finally made it to the upper floor. "I needed to know what you spoke of to my fam...to Elrond and his sons. You told them about the tomb didn't you?"
Legolas stiffened, fearing that Aragorn would take his next words as a betrayal. "Yes, I told them all I knew."
Aragorn grimaced but said nothing as he faced forward and started to work on putting one foot in front of the other. Suddenly Renen was on his other side. Intending to offer his aid, the young ranger wrapped his arm lowly around Aragorn's waist and inadvertently dug his hold into one of Aragorn's wounds.
Aragorn cried out in unexpected pain and wished for nothing more than to curl up on the floor until the sensation died...or else he did.
Startled by Aragorn's cry, Legolas immediately recognized what action had prompted the man's pain. Before Renen knew what had happened, his hand was pried away and his arm dislodged from it's touch of his chieftain. Having freed Aragorn of the painful hold, Legolas slipped his other arm around the man's waist and let the man lean heavily against him as they stood amid the hallway.
"I'm ..I'm sorry," Renen stammered, his face pale as he realized his actions had done harm to the man he respected most in the world.
Aragorn wanted to reassure the youth that all was well but the pain was too great. Gratitude washed over him as he heard Legolas speak in his place.
Gently Legolas said to the boy, "It is alright, Renen. You did not know where Ara..Strider's wounds lie. Certainly you know Strider well enough to know he will not hold you accountable for any harm done when all you wished was to aid him."
Renen nodded his head but his worried eyes looked to his chieftain supported by the elf. "Barion hurt him?" his voice trembled but there was a fire glowing in his eyes.
It was Aragorn who answered as he found the strength to again straighten away from his best friend's support. Looking to Renen he grimly confessed, "Barion and I fought. He won."
Disbelief shattered Renen's features. His hero could not be defeated. "No...he did not fight fairly."
A small smile curved up Aragorn's lips for a fleeting moment. By the Valar, he loved the hope of the youth. Putting a hand on the boy's cheek, Aragorn shook his head, "He fought with all honor and skill. I simply could not best him."
It was Legolas who could not let his friend's words go unchallenged. "Honor and skill?!" he snarled in outrage, earning him Aragorn's full attention. "He blindsided you with those letters, then challenged you, then buried you alive!! The spawn of Mordor will pay for what he did to you with his life!"
"Yes, he will and it will be at "my" hands. No other," Aragorn swore with deadly intent, his eyes blazing into his best friend's.
"You are wrong, little brother," Elladan countered as he and Elrohir and Elrond came to stand behind Legolas and the two rangers, causing that threesome to turn and face him. "Elrohir and I know Barion of old. We know where his hatred is rooted. We will make him beg for the Halls long before he is granted his wish." Then turning his gaze from Aragorn to Renen, he demanded, "Where does your camp lie, Renen?"
Renen opened his mouth to reply but Aragorn put his hand upon the ranger's shoulder and shook his head, ordering the young man to silence. Without protest, Renen closed his mouth and his eyes hardened with resolve as he stood silently before the intimidating elf.
"Speak, ranger," Elladan growled as he took a menacing step toward Renen.
Having not the ability to move forward and block his brother's advance, Aragorn did the next best thing. He snagged onto Renen's arm and yanked the boy behind him, effectively making himself a barrier between the ranger and the angry elf.
Elladan's eyes seared into Aragorn's. "Tell me where your camp is, Estel," his tone low and promising consequences for any denials.
"No. This is a matter for the rangers. "We" will deal with Barion," Aragorn stated, his eyes hard as ice as he allied himself with the rangers and further estranged himself from the family he once claimed.
"The rangers had their chance...you had your chance..you both failed," Elladan sneered.
Fury gathered in Aragorn's eyes but before he could respond to the elf's insult, Elrond stepped between his two sons.
"Enough!" Elrond ordered, his look swinging between Elladan and Estel. "Legolas help Estel to bed. Elladan," and he turned to his eldest son and firmly gripped his arm to draw his son's attention fully upon him. "Barion's fate is not yours to decide."
"Ada!" Elladan began to protest but it faded to nothing as he saw the lowly burning fire of rage in his father's eyes. Suddenly he knew that his father was not relinquishing Barion's fate to Aragorn but instead was claiming it for himself. Elrond alone would decide the fate of the one who had almost stolen his son's life and had most assuredly ripped his son's love from him, maybe forever.
TBC
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Replies to Reviews:
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Tychen: So how are those withdrawal symptoms? I hope this chapter shuts them down cold. Ok, so leaving Aragorn with a "decimated life" did seem a little bit dramatic to label as no big cliffie. Sorry about that. I really appreciated your words about the Legolas and Aragorn scenes. I wanted their emotions to come through really strong and yet still let the character's keep their dignity. Seems like you think I accomplished that! Thanks! And yes, Elrond needs to get his act together and become the strong father all his sons need him to be. Seems like he's trying to be that this chapter! Thanks so much for reviewing and missing me when I was gone!
Aebbook: So happy that you liked last chapter! It wasn't the easiest to write but I hoped it had enough Aragorn and Legolas interaction to be good. It really touched me that you reread this story and some of my others!! That's the best kind of compliment I could get!! Thanks for reviewing!
Spades: Three stories going at once, you're brave!! I get stressed out just posting one! Glad I'm not the only one that loves writing in the middle of the night! Thanks for your review!
MoonFire1: Yes, for Legolas mortality is a bitter pill, more so because in his world, he knows but one who suffers from that gift and it's his best friend. Has to make him question why he himself was granted immortality. You are right, Aragorn is a fortunate man for having a true blue friend like Legolas and visa versa. If I were a much better person I'ld offer that kind of devotion to my friends...but I'm not. Oh well, we all have to have goals to achieve in life and I guess that should be one of mine. Thanks for reviewing!
Tailspin: I was overjoyed by your review! You liked my Legolas and Aragorn scenes!!! Yippee! As for Aragorn waking in the dark, I just couldn't miss an opportunity to heap on more anguish to the poor ranger...especially if his best friend would be there to comfort him!! Glad you still are "all for angst" cause I don't have a quick fix in mind for everyone's emotion turmoil. Thank you so much for loving Mire!!!!!!! That makes my day!! As for which story is better, this one or Mire....since I haven't finished writing this one I'm a little worried it won't be as good but then again, I was all self conscious about posting Mire too. Guess we'll both have to determine which story is better at the end of this story. The endings always make or break I story in my mind. Thanks for reviewing!
Marbiehl: I agree with you, the twins words to Legolas were harsh...but I'm going to follow your lead and offer them a break since they're so worried about Estel. As for Estel's sword, I just thought that would be just the kinda gift his brothers would bestow on him before allowing him to face the world without them. (It even stands up to the swords of the Ring Wraiths!) And as you formulated, the twins DO know Barion and it ain't love they are feeling for him. Very pleased that you liked the Elladan comforting Elrohir scene. I never know whether people want to see more or less of the twins. And as you saw in this chapter, other matters have interceded with the family chat, namely Barion camping it with the rangers! I lol when you said about Legolas' glow "That's also handy for reading in bed I presume"! I admit, I'm being very cruel to the Poor Cute Ranger but does it help to know I only write happy endings? (OK so I realize that the endings a while off but I'm trying to make sure you don't hang me with that hanging scaffolding you built!!!! Which when I read that, I laughed my head off!!!!) And I almost made "you" cry!! Now that's an accomplishment! (I'm still patting myself on the back for writing those Aragorn Legolas scenes!) Well if you don't have me pegged, you and I think a lot of like (aka very deviously). Hope you did go through too much withdrawal and see, I gave you a nice big dose of the story this chapter! Thanks for reviewing and helping me to plot further torture for our favorite ranger!
Beling: I took you "through a gamut of emotions"!! I Love that!! But as you noticed, I kindly held off from dousing you with more Elrond angst. And I felt sorry for Legolas when the twins laid the guilt upon him! Good Samaritans always seem to take a beating! And I too needed some humor and comfort last chapter. So glad you liked my part about the twins. I'm always afraid that people think I'm stealing time from Aragorn or Legolas when I focus on the twins but I find writing the twins is incredibly fun and enjoyable. And even I wasn't cruel enough to not leave you hanging for more than a week without a little bit of sap between Aragorn and Legolas. I mean that's what keeps these characters so deep without our hearts...their friendship and care for each other. Thanks for reviewing!
Someone Reading: You were weeping! (claps hands in glee!...no I mean regret tore at me...yeah right!) Yes, the twins are brought pretty low with this whole situation and I totally believe you are right, losing Estel would be equal to their loss of Celebrian. I think they would do anything to protect Estel, just like any good brothers would. Of course, I don't think Estel appreciates that protectiveness all the time, especially not now. Glad I did the scene well when Aragorn awoke in the darkness. I know it was cruel but I really wanted Legolas to be there and to know the hold the experience welds over Aragorn and offer his comfort to his friend. And I think everyone has a fair shot at the "most guilty" award..at least in their way of thinking. Pleased that you liked Legolas's withdrawal and Aragorn perceiving that as rejection. Yes, Aragorn is grasping unto Legolas like a life raft and I don't blame him. Everyone else seems to have betrayed him. Thanks for reviewing!
Sielge: Thanks for your compliment! Glad you reviewed!
Grumpy: Yes, I fully admit to cruelty when I had Aragorn wake up in the dark and think himself in the tomb yet. But see, that was a wonderful segue into a comforting opportunity between Legolas and Aragorn. (You aren't forgiving me yet are you?) And yes, this family is on the verge of being torn apart...forever. (OK so I like a tiny bit of angst in my stories...I did mention that before didn't I?) Glad you liked Aragorn asking Legolas to stay with him! Thanks for the review!
Daniela: Thanks so much for your email!! And it looks like I"ve done my job well because you are suppose to: A: Hate Barion, B: Wish to slap Elrond around, and C: Be glad Aragorn rescued himself from the tomb and assured himself that he is capable of helping himself. And I agree, the young elves need to see Aragorn for himself, that he is a very capable leader of men bearing the strength both mental and physical to see himself and others through the worst of situations. I think their eyes will be opened when Aragorn regroups with the rangers. Ops ..I think I just gave you a preview for what's to come...oh well, like you didn't already see that coming after this chapter! Thanks again for reviewing!
Elvingirl3737: Thank you so much for your compliments!! I really needed some encouragement to not pack up my laptop and not write another word and you gave them to me. (OK vacation has given me way too much time to have my old insecurities rear their ugly heads). Glad you liked the comfort in last chapter and I too find myself feeling bad for Estel, the twins and yes, even, Elrond. But Legolas' isn't quiet free of angst either (wink wink) I can't have anyone feeling to good about life or next thing all my characters will revolt about having to go through so much angst! Thanks so much for reviewing!
Nietta: Ah...so I'm not the only one who keeps a thesaurus close at hand! But I stand by my word 'decimated' and I think Aragorn would appreciate a great big hug from you! So in this chapter we had that obstacle you were worried about...Legolas telling the family what actually happened to Aragorn. Did I do it right? Thanks so much for reviwing!!
Joslin: thanks so much for reviewing and your well wishes for my vacation! It truly was a great time!
Elven Kitten: I see you made sure you didn't abandon Aragorn for long so no one else moved into your territory. Good thinking! Thanks for reviewing!
No Big Deal: Yeah, I didn't make Aragorn seem weak or needy!!! And I'm really glad you LOVE the use of the twins...especially because they are in the rest of this story. As for their history...I think you can tell by this chapter that they have some "personal" history with Barion. More info to come! I totally appreciated your words about feeling like this story is real, like you could jump into in. That's a wonderful compliment and I'm hoping that I don't let you down as the story processes! Thanks so much for reviewing!
Eternal Rose: So glad you liked how I set up the scenes between Aragorn and Legolas. I wanted to do both characters justice and yet show how much their emotions were tearing them apart. And I agree, I don't think Aragorn is going to "reaccept" the Peredhills any time soon. As for your suggestions about my grammar, I have to be honest and say I am VERY thin skinned and I was hurt at your words. I know you didn't mean them to hurt and I know you gave me some really good advice. I'm going to try and improve my writing style but I'm not going to catch everything you would, nor am I going to change my style so much that it no longer feels like mine. I think one of the reasons I gave up on the dream of writing professionally is because I hate writing by the rules. Please don't be mad at me for not being open to your suggestions...I'm very stubborn but I'm trying hard to change because I know in changing I can become a better writer and a better person. Thanks for taking the time to help me improve my writing and for giving me those wonderful compliments.
Alison H: Thank you so much for your compliments!!! I'm thrilled that you think this is better than 'Mire'!!! I just wasn't sure if this one would match up to that one. I love that you are a fan of mine...I can't believe you like my writing enough to call yourself my fan!?!?!!! That is so cool that you are a twin! I'm relieved that you like how I portray the twins because out of anyone, you should know how they would interact! And Yes, you are lucky that neither you nor your sister are the reckless younger sibling! Makes life much easier for everyone who loves you both! Thanks again for taking the time to review and I hope to hear from you again.
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Thanks for everyone who read this and a special thank you for everyone who takes the time to drop me a review!
Cheryl W.