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: Sorry about the horrible delay in posting! It was a lot easier to put Aragorn in danger than to get him out of danger! Hope I did OK.
Chapter 15 )))))))))
Without warning, Aragorn's horse stumbled to a halt and reared up in fright, almost dislodging its distracted rider. An instant later an arrow scored a path across Aragorn's arm. If not for the agility afforded him from his albeit tempered elven blood, Aragorn would have tumbled from the saddle. As it was, it took him a moment to bring his horse firmly back upon the ground.
Having been diverted from his path of revenge, Aragorn gave himself over to his instincts, which had been clamoring in his head since he had sighted Barion. His sharp eyes quickly pinpointed which direction the arrow had come from that had nearly taken his life. Turning his horse to the right, across the scattered skirmishes he spotted a man setting another arrow in his crossbow. Aragorn cursed as he realized that he would never be able to pull his own bow in time, especially since his hand that held his sword was already trembling in fatigue. In the time that it took Aragorn to go through his options, the man had resighted the crossbow upon him. The man never had the chance to release the second arrow as an elven arrow struck his chest.
Swinging his head around, Aragorn almost smiled as he watched Elladan, wearing one of his fiercest expressions, lower his now empty bow. Sensing movement behind him, Aragorn had no time to thank his brother. Raising his sword, Aragorn expertly spun his horse around only to find himself facing his elven father. Quickly lowering his sword, Aragorn was startled by the fearful expression marring the elf's features.
Elrond inspected his youngest son with his eyes, unbelievably relieved that the man was only sporting one new injury and a minor one at that. Still he choked out, "Are you alright, Estel?!" needing more reassurances of his son's wellbeing than merely his eyesight.
Whatever Aragorn's reply was to be, Elrond would never know for that moment Aragorn yelled, "Ada behind you!" Even as he turned to face the threat, Elrond knew he could not defend himself. He was no longer in procession of his sword nor had he the time to draw his bow and string an arrow.
Aragorn watched in horror as a man slashed his sword toward Elrond's chest, his heart nearly stopping when he realized that the elf was unarmed! Quicker than he thought possible, Aragorn's left hand flew to his knife, drew it from its scabbard and sent it flipping toward the man that threatened his father. The man stumbled back a step as the knife sank into his chest then, like a discarded puppet, the man's body crumbled to the ground.
Aragorn turned blazing eyes unto his father but before he could speak, a whistle rent the air. Stunned, Aragorn watched as all the men disengaged from battle and ran off into the forest in the same direction that Barion had disappeared. A dwarven curse erupted from Aragorn. He would not get his revenge on Barion this day.
Settling his look back upon Elrond, Aragorn brought his horse beside the elf's. Aragorn demanded, sounding more the parent than the child, "Why are you unarmed?! Where's your sword? Why do you not have your bow at the ready?"
Aragorn's lecture caught Elrond by surprise. Opening his mouth to protest the reprimand, he suddenly just smiled instead. How many times had he told his sons that he scolded them for doing something reckless only because he cared!?! A jolt of joy went through him as his son "scolded" him. "Sorry, I was distracted," he offered, the sparkle in his eyes identical to the look his sons gave to him whenever they made excuses for their reckless ways. Urging his horse forward a few paces, Elrond leaned over and pulled his sword from the ground where it was embedded.
Comprehension shot through Aragorn as he watched his father retrieve his sword from the forest floor ...right in front of where his own horse had stopped and reared up. Aragorn stammered, "You...you threw your sword into my path to startle my horse," his eyes raising from the ground where the sword had been and settling unto his father's face. "If I had gone forward one more pace, that arrow would have killed me...and you knew that."
Elrond said nothing. He knew he truly did not have to. His son's level of perception was virtually unparalleled.
The full scope of Elrond's actions fell upon Aragorn. "In the midst of battle, you gave up your weapon...you made yourself vulnerable...for me." Disbelief, gratitude and some other more raw emotion that Elrond did not dare to hope was love, gleamed in Aragorn's eyes.
"Yes and I would do it again," Elrond admitted passionately, the truth of his words indisputable.
Emotions saturated Aragorn's heart, making it hard for him to breath. Why had Elrond nearly sacrificed his life to save him?! All for the sake of duty? Or had the elf truly learned to love his 'burden'?
"Strider!" came an incredulous and joyous cry from the forest to Aragorn's right.
Knowing that their private time was coming to a close, Aragorn's gaze remained fixed upon his elven father. "Thank you," he earnestly said, his voice uncommonly quietly.
Then Aragorn found himself surrounded by a gathering number of rangers. Inconspicuously, Elrond pulled his horse back and was soon joined by Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas. All of whom, to his relief, were unscathed. In silent wonder, the four elves watched the rangers merrily welcome back their chieftain.
One ranger put a hand upon Aragorn's leg and chuckled up at his chieftain, "Renen told us you were alive but, by the Valar, I feel better seeing you with my own two eyes!"
Another ranger joined in, "Especially the way Renen described your health...like you still had a foot in the grave!" scoffing at the very thought.
Aragorn could not help flinching at the ranger's poor choice of words, gruffly he undertoned, "The youth had not exaggerated by much."
A younger ranger pressed in beside Aragorn, his eager eyes meeting his leader's. "Thank the Valar that you are well and have returned to us."
With a smirk, Aragorn ruffled the boy's hair. "Yes, you are stuck with me for a while longer," eliciting relieved laughter and smiles from the gathered group. Soon Aragorn's eyes darkened. "I need to speak to Halbarad."
"He is back at the camp," an older ranger replied.
Aragorn nodded his head in gratitude. The rangers stepped away from him as he urged his horse to begin walking toward the location of the main camp.
Having spent some time with Aragorn and his rangers, Elladan and Elrohir were unfazed by the recent occurrences. The same could not be said of Elrond or Legolas. The twins, having quickly determined that their healing talents were in need, dismounted and began tending to the wounded that lay scattered on the forest floor. Elrond and Legolas, however, remained motionless, their eyes vacantly watching the rangers fall into an evidently familiar pattern of dealing with the aftermath of battle. Too familiar in Elrond's opinion.
Unbidden, Elrond recalled the gut wrenching terror that had seized his very soul when Aragorn had cried, "The rangers are under attack!" and he had watched his son race heedlessly toward danger. Elrond had been a great warrior once upon a time. Battle and danger were no strangers to him. Even death was a familiar companion in a warrior's life. Long ago, he had foolishly believed that he had faced the greatest fears and came out victorious...and then he had become a father. Suddenly he knew a greater fear, a fear that could not be quieted or conquered, the fear of losing a life more precious than his own, of losing the life of one of his children.
When he had watched Elladan and Elrohir first go into battle, he nearly went insane with the terror that wracked his heart. For the first time when facing a battle, his death he did not contemplate. Only one question burned in his heart as his sword dealt out punishment. How could he protect his sons amid such carnage and hatred?! His mind had told him the brutal truth: He could not. But his heart could not accept that, would not accept that. And so he had fought at his sons backs, defying any that dared to try and bring harm to the ones that he loved. Even so, many had dared...and some even had been successful.
Shaking his head to rid himself of those unwanted memories, Elrond watched his now fully grown sons aid the wounded. His sons had survived their many battles, with and without their father at their side. He still remembered the sweet relief that settled over him when it seemed all the battles had been waged, that his sons would no longer face the fate of death. And then Estel had come into his life, bringing both joy and unquenchable worry to the elf lord's heart.
He had hoped never to see another son take up his sword in battle nor did he expect to once again feel that unequaled terror as he watched his son fight for his life. It was that terror that drove him to chase after Aragorn, to try and protect his son from any and all harm. A shiver coursed through Elrond as he remembered seeing the man track Aragorn with his crossbow. A helpless dread had chilled Elrond's heart. With cruel clarity, the elf, only armed at the moment with his sword, knew that he could not stop the man's attack. Vainly he pushed his horse faster, praying that he could intercept the arrow with his own body if need be. But as Aragorn's stead ate up more of the forest floor, Elrond realized his plan would not work. Desperately he did the only thing left for him to try. Slipping his hand to the outside of his sword's handle, he hefted the sword to shoulder level and, with a fervent prayer, threw his sword as if it were a lance, aiming it into the path of Aragorn's charging horse.
Elrond dared not breathe as he saw the arrow spring from the crossbow. Fearing the worst, he felt an anguished cry of "no!' begin to erupt from his throat when Aragorn's horse reared up. Even with the horse's actions, Elrond worried that the arrow would still strike true. It was only after the arrow had nicked Aragorn's arm and become harmlessly embedded in a tree that Elrond's heart's started to beat once again.
Elrond was startled from his reverie by Legolas' gentle touch upon his arm. Looking to the young prince at his side, Elrond smiled, hoping to wipe away the worried expression from Legolas' features. "Sorry, I was distracted. Again." Watching as Legolas merely nodded in understanding and withdrew his touch, Elrond saw that none of the elf's features had lightened with his words. Something greater weighed upon the Mirkwood elf than his concern for Elrond's peace of mind. "Do not let me detain you from finding Aragorn," Elrond gently said even though he knew that the elf's hesitation to seek out Aragorn was intentional.
Legolas averted his gaze from Elrond and softly replied, "He has no need of my presence." The elf watched the rangers around him, still remembering the greeting they had given to Aragorn.
Insightfully recognizing what prompted the pain in the other's voice, Elrond gently insisted, "He always has need of the presence of his best friend."
Shaking his head, Legolas denied Elrond's words. Things were as he feared. He had no place with Aragorn, not here, not in his world, not even after he had reconciled with Aragorn upon the journey. How could one reconcile two diverse lives? The life of an elf with the life of the chieftain of the rangers? For the first time, Legolas felt that their different races had firmly erected a wall between their bond of friendship that could not be breached.
Hooking his fingers under Legolas' chin, Elrond tilted the young elf's head to face him. "The rangers' connection with Aragorn can not rival your own, Legolas. To be a leader among men, even a cherished leader, is not the same thing as claiming those same men as friends. Around most of the rangers, Aragorn only dares to wear the guise of Strider. Many times Elrohir has told me that Estel seems a stranger when he is among his men. Aragorn has been raised to conceal himself." Regret flickered in Elrond's eyes, as he bitterly realized, "Unintentionally, I also taught him to not trust...anyone or to take the risk of allowing someone to get close to him." Elrond's lips softened from their hard line into a smile, "I am so glad you slipped past his barriers, Legolas. He reveals his soul to you without fear. That is a rare and precious gift he bestows upon you. Do not think it cheap and often given."
"I do not!" Legolas forcibly denied, then shame tinged his cheeks. "I should not have let jealousy cause me to doubt Aragorn's steadfast friendship. I..I saw the interaction between he and his men and I...I thought my loyalty would seem pale in comparison to theirs." To Legolas' disbelief, Elrond smirked and then broke into laughter.
Elrond patted Legolas on the shoulder in good humor. "Are you not the one who challenged four elves to a fight because they dared to call Aragorn "the pet human" behind his back? Was it not you who saved Aragorn's life more times than my nerves could ever survive the numbering of? And when Aragorn broke my favorite teapot when he was last ill, it was you who hid the evidence, "he teased.
A mischievous smirk lit up Legolas' face. "There can be no secrets kept from you, my lord."
"Ah but there are many but one thing is no secret and that is your loyalty to my son. Go to him, Legolas. He needs a friend to stand at his side."
Legolas gently countered, "He needs his father as well. I pray you will not be far from his side when he comes to know that truth."
"I will be at his side instantly if he should wish it," Elrond vowed.
Accepting that oath, Legolas urged, "Come, we have a particular ranger to find." Without another word, both elves guided their horses into the woods.
Aragorn rode into the ranger camp and pulled his horse to a halt as he let his eyes take in the scope of activity. To his right a healer tent had been designated. He cringed as he saw a bloodied ranger being carried with care into the healers. Across the camp he saw the welcoming sight of a dark haired ranger whose face was handsome though it bore the markings of a life of hardships. He listened as the ranger gave orders to an assembled troop of rangers. Walking his horse further into the camp, Aragorn finally caught the attention of the dark haired ranger. Where, a moment prior, grimness had resided in the man's face now shock and joy existed.
The dark haired ranger began to stalk to Aragorn, his speech to the other rangers forgotten. Almost like a trained movement, all at once the rangers turned to see what had affected the usually unshakable dark haired ranger. Upon seeing their chieftain, alive and back among them, every eye sparkled with joy, though their emotions could not match the intensity of the dark haired ranger's tangible relief and happiness.
Gaining Aragorn's side, the dark haired ranger smiled up at the mounted ranger, his eyes drinking in the other's very real presence. "Strider!" he called in joy. "If you are a ghost, I hope you never cease to haunt me."
Aragorn gave a tired smile, "I am no ghost, Halbarad." Then Aragorn slowly began to dismount, not surprised to find Halbarad's strong hand wrapped supportively around his arm. The ranger was nearly as perceptive as an elf, especially to his chieftain's subtle signs of pain. When both his feet finally found purchase upon the ground, Aragorn steadied himself a moment against his horse, causing his second in command to step closer to him in concern.
As the two rangers' eyes held, an unspoken understanding passed between them. They had fought in too many battles, back to back, to be blind to the other's thoughts.
Quietly, Halbarad said, his concern for his chieftain showing in his grey eyes, "Your letter was too vague in its descriptions. By the look of you, it seems that it was a very near thing that you did not become a ghost."
Feeling that he had not the need to hide how dire his situation had been from his kinsman, Aragorn lowly replied, "Too near a thing."
Suddenly Aragorn was pulled into his kinsman's arms and he returned the man's embrace. When they pulled back, Halbarad's arms gripped Aragorn's shoulders and the light that had been in his eyes faded and his mouth returned to it's grim line. "There is much for us to talk about but Barion and his men escape us even now."
"Let them go," Aragorn ordered bitterly. "Barion probably has an ambush planned for any troop we would send into the darkening forest. I can wait until the morrow to have my revenge," his hatred setting his own features into a grim mask.
Halbarad's eyes flickered to alight on something behind Aragorn. He smiled slightly, "I see you did not travel here unaccompanied."
A snort erupted from Aragorn. "Not of my own free will, I can assure you," his lighthearted tone softening the harshness of the words. Turning to see which of his companions entered the camp, he saw Legolas and Elrond ride to his side and dismount with the grace only blessed to the race of elves.
Releasing his hold upon his chieftain, Halbarad bowed his head slightly to Elrond. "My lord Elrond. I almost did not recognize you in these humble surroundings and in the less than lordly clothing you now wear." A twinkle was in the ranger's eye and a tease in his tone.
Elrond chuckled, "I see that Strider has not yet been able to curb your wicked tongue, Halbarad."
"Curb it, my lord?! He teaches me how to improve it every day..by his own example of course," Halbarad retorted, shooting a conspiring wink to Aragorn, earning him a smirk from the other ranger.
"Halbarad, I present to you Legolas son of .." Aragorn formally began to introduce but Halbarad cut in.
"Ah..so this is Strider's infamous co-conspirator Legolas," Halbarad accused with mirth in all his demeanor. "I have heard many tales about your death defying adventures with this reckless man," his head nodding toward the suddenly sheepish looking Aragorn.
Legolas' mirth filled eyes turned to Aragorn. "And to whose fault does he place our dangers upon? Me, I suppose, since I have not been here to defend myself."
Halbarad opened his mouth but Aragorn interjected, "We all know the tales, there is no need to recall them."
"Guiltiness does not become you, mellon nin," Legolas taunted, relishing the smiles on all four of their faces.
Sobering, Aragorn turned to Halbarad, "Come, you have much to tell me."
Halbarad gave a nod of departure to Legolas and Elrond before he and Aragorn walked across the camp, deep in conversation. Leaving both elves to curse that their elven hearing did not allow them the power to overhear the rangers' words.
Halbarad did not need any prompting to begin his report to his chieftain. He knew what questions Strider would ask, what information he would find of value and he knew unmistakably what pain Strider would feel when his tale was finished.
"Barion rode into our camp two nights ago, bearing your ring and a tale of your grisly demise at the hands of orcs," hatred and self recrimination burned in Halbarad's words but just as swiftly his emotions swung to remembered despair as his pained eyes met Aragorn's. "I should have doubted him and I wanted to with all my heart and soul...but he had your ring, Strider. And I knew you would not have parted with it willingly, not while you had a breath of life in you."
Aragorn put a reassuring hand on Halbarad's shoulder, "I know how easily Barion's lies slide from his tongue directly into one's heart. You could not have known of his deception."
Neither accepting or denying his chieftains' sentiments, Halbarad took a deep breath and plunged forward with his story. "I was foolish enough to welcome Barion to spend the night in our camp though Thangril was opposed to the idea." Here the ranger's voice faded and he looked away from Aragorn as they kept walking.
"What must you tell me that you wish not to?" Aragorn prompted gently.
But Halbarad knew he could not tell the story out of order, not if he was to keep his mind focused on the task. He took up his tale where he had left off, his voice a forcibly controlled steady tone. "Thangril was Barion's shadow in the camp, never did he let the man slip from his sight. Then, when Renen was riding back to camp bearing your letter, he stumbled upon men encircling our camp, Barion's men." Bitterness was again in the ranger's tone and the lines of his face turned harsh and deep. "Renen gave a signal of alarm and all of Mordor seemed to break lose at once. Suddenly we were overrun and Barion..." Halbarad met Aragorn's eyes and Aragorn stiffened at the sadness in the other's gaze, "Barion killed Thangril and joined his men in their battle against us."
Aragorn stopped abruptly, clamped his eyes shut in despair and dropped his head. 'Not Thangril! He was but only a year older than Renen! A mere child!' A reassuring hand came to rest on the nape of his neck.
"When we were attacked Thangril probably knew that his suspicious about Barion were correct. There were signs of a battle..." Halbarad quietly supplied.
Shaking his head marginally, Aragorn raised his head, his sorrowful eyes meeting Halbarad's. Gruffly he said, "But he was no match for Barion...even I was no match for Barion." Clenching his jaw, Aragorn forced his emotions aside. Right now he needed to be the infallible chieftain. "How many others were lost in the previous night's battle?"
Seeing that Aragorn had regrouped behind his nearly impenetrable barrier, Halbarad removed his hand from Aragorn and reported, "Two others, Thar and Cirnen. Seven more received wounds. We pushed Barion's men back last night. I chose not to pursue him today, Instead I thought to wait upon your arrival and your orders. I was wrong! Utterly wrong! How many more dead and wounded now lay at my charge after this day?!"
"None," Aragorn firmly replied, laying a hand upon Halbarad's shoulder. "The fault is not yours...it never was." 'It is my own,' he left unspoken. "Go, see to our men and begin preparations for tomorrow's battle."
"Yes, sir," Halbarad acknowledged but he hesitated to leave his leader's side, sensing the physical pain and roiling emotions in the other man. "Are you well, Strider? Truly?"
Aragorn's dull eyes did not flinch from Halbarad's bold inspection. "I live. That is enough. Now go."
Knowing he could not press his companionship upon Strider, Halbarad did as the man ordered and left the chieftain alone in the deserted edge of the camp. He did not need to turn around to know that Aragorn had already disappeared into the deep foliage of the outskirts of the camp. Lost in troubled thought, Halbarad almost ran into the elf that stood in his path.
"Legolas," Halbarad greeted, in other times he would have been amused by the sight of the elf frantically looking behind him for his absent companion. Amusement seemed unable to touch the elf's soul either, for when he settled his eyes back upon Halbarad, the ranger fought hard not to falter under the intense gaze.
"Where is Strider?" Legolas demanded his tone sharp with worry.
Halbarad jerked his head to his left to indicate Aragorn was to be found behind him in the forest.
Stalking forward, Legolas was surprised when Halbarad's hand shot out and gripped his forearm. The elf's eyes flashed to the ranger's.
"Barion killed a young ranger that Strider liked very well," the ranger confided softly to the elf. For a moment the ranger fell silent as he studied the elf closely. Then he seemed to come to a decision. "Strider will not accept comfort from me...but I think he will not turn you away."
As Halbarad's fingers slipped from his arm, Legolas nodded his head in gratitude and walked into the forest, hoping with each step that Halbarad was right, that he would not be turned away by Aragorn. When he came upon Aragorn, Legolas halted in his tracks so quickly that he nearly did something very unelflike by stumbling. Aragorn's very essence screamed of despair as he as he knelt on the ground, his head bowed and his hands clenched into fists.
Indecision warred within Legolas. His heart begged him to go to his friend and offer whatever comfort he could but his mind warned him to keep his distance, that his presence would be unwelcome to the man and would earn him yet another unbearable exile from his friend. So he stood there, unable to move or make his presence known to the distraught man not ten paces in front of him. Elrond's words came to him again "Go to him, Legolas. He needs a friend to stand at his side." Suddenly Legolas knew where his place was...as it had been from the start...at his best friend's side.
Walking forward, Legolas came to stand at Aragorn's side and tenderly put his hand upon the man's bowed head. "I am sorry for your loss, Aragorn."
Some of Aragorn's pain fled as he was joined by the comforting presence of his best friend. He wasn't even surprised to find Legolas at his side. As for the elf's knowledge of Thangril, that could only be attributed from one source: Halbarad. The ranger did his best to mother him and Aragorn had little doubt he could rival Legolas in that endeavor if he allowed the man to slip any further behind his barriers.
Drawing from the strength he gained from Legolas' presence, Aragorn took a steadying breath and tried to dampen down his grief. With his grief's diminishing hold on him, his every thought became overshadowed with guilt. His voice thick with anguished regret, Aragorn, his head still bowed, choked out, "I had my chance! Sweet Eru, I had my chance to kill Barion and I did not seize it!! My sword rested at his throat, Legolas! It would have taken but one slice of my sword! Instead I chose the way of honor... I chose to battle him...and I lost." Aragorn's words dropped lower, "And with that failure, the blood of his victims stain me as well."
"No!" Legolas cried out in denial as he instantly knelt beside his friend. Gently he gripped Aragorn's chin and raised the man's head until their eyes met. "You are not responsible for Barion's actions! The man alone bares the guilt for his actions!"
"But Legolas, if I had .."
"Murdered him," Legolas cut in softly, his eyes showing his compassion for his friend's position. "You would have sacrificed your soul and that would have been a cost no one who holds you dear would ever ask you to pay...even to save their lives. Would your lost ranger not have thought less of you if he learned that you were a murderer?"
"I have a responsibility to these men, Legolas! Harsh sacrifices have to be made to see that they are safe, that evil is defeated, sacrifices that sometimes only I can make." Aragorn pulled his chin from Legolas' hold and looked into the now dark forest, "Valar, I should have come here directly after climbing from that tomb instead of crawling back to Elrond...begging him to ease my betrayed heart! I could have prevented Thangril's death...all of this," and he waved his right hand out to encompass the surrounding forest where the battle had waged.
Legolas's hand shot out and gripped Aragorn's right wrist, halting it's motion and earning him Aragorn's full attention. "Listen to me, Aragorn," Legolas firmly began, unwilling to see his friend suffer any longer with his misplaced guilt. "If you had tried to come here instead of Rivendell after you escaped the tomb you would have died before you even left Rivendell's forest." Aragorn opened his mouth to protest but Legolas never gave him the chance to utter a sound. "No, I speak the truth. I need not the eyes of a healer to know your wounds were nearly fatal. And even had you been fit to return immediately to the rangers, you knew of no urgency to do so for Barion's plans for the rangers were unknown to you."
Brokenly Aragorn said, "If I had made other choices...who knows what the outcome would have been."
"If you had made different choices...you would have either sacrificed your soul or your life. Truly you walked the only path you could, Aragorn."
For a moment Aragorn gave no response but then Legolas watched in relief as the man nodded his head in resigned acceptance of the truth of his words. Aragorn fixed his look into the darkness of the forest before him and Legolas was surprised to see a small smile turn up the man's lips.
"I remember the first time I met Thangril. He was arrogant and disrespectful and I immediately took a dislike to him." Aragorn chuckled with the fond memories, "I still remember when he strode into our camp, walked right up to me and said, 'I am ready to be a ranger.' If Halbarad had not begged me all that first night to give the boy a chance to prove himself, I would have escorted him from our camp at morning's first light." The smile vanished and Aragorn's jaw clenched to hold back a sob. Legolas let the silence go unchallenged until Aragorn broke it moments later. Aragorn's words were so soft even Legolas had to lean closer to the ranger to hear them. "I came to love that boy. He was going to be one of the best rangers, Legolas, without even possessing any Dunedain blood."
In heartbreak, Legolas watched a tear track down Aragorn's cheek. Wishing he knew what words to say to ease his friend's pain, Legolas put his hand upon Aragorn's back but said nothing.
Brushing away the tear, Aragorn took in a steadying breath. There would be time to mourn later but not now, not when Thangril's murderer still lived. But still he could not force himself back to the camp, to face the rangers that looked to him for assurances that things would be righted, that their leader knew no weakness and did not doubt his victory tomorrow. Legolas removed his hand from his back but to Aragorn's relief the elf did not leave but instead claimed a seat on the ground beside him, willing to simply be there for his friend.
Aragorn's remembrances of the boy ranger ran through Legolas' head. He could not imagine Aragorn taking a dislike to a boy, even an "arrogant and disrespectful" boy. It proved to Legolas that no one made right judgments about people all the time. Suddenly, he knew what words he could utter to aid his friend. Conversationally he began, "Thank the Valar you did not let your first impression of Thangril harden your heart from accepting him into the rangers. You would have been denied the blessing of being a part of that boy's life ...and Thangril would have lost the chance to be loved by you."
"I would have lost something precious indeed," Aragorn agreed, unseeing the path Legolas was leading him upon.
"Lord Elrond feels the same way about you," Legolas quietly said.
Aragorn's eyes flew to Legolas's as understanding grew in him. Legolas continued, "He almost missed his opportunity to be a part of your life, to love you like a son, all because of his initial decision. I know he thanks the Valar everyday that he was blessed with the chance to unmake that decision. If Thangril was here and I asked him if he resented you for your initial dislike, for almost denying him into the rangers, would he say he still held that against you?"
"No," Aragorn choked out, Legolas' words piercing his heart. "He never once gave me anything but his utmost loyalty. He did not let the past corrupt his future...or his heart. He was always smarter than I was."
Seeing his friend's receptiveness to his words, Legolas gently admitted. "I read your father's letters, Aragorn. They are the past, they speak of past decisions long regretted. We have talked about victories and defeats but long ago you won something more precious than a battle of strength or survival, you won Elrond's heart. Will you throw something so very precious away...just because it was not freely given but earned and therefore made more dear?"
Tears gathered in Aragorn's eyes as the darkness that had been smothering his heart began to lift. Was Legolas right? Did he have Elrond's love all this time? Did he earn the elf's love just as Thangril had earned his? Did Elrond regret his refusal to accept him just like he regretted his own thoughts to refuse Thangril's acceptance into the rangers? Closing his eyes, Aragorn pushed all the questions aside. His men needed him now, he would not let his own emotions again cause him to fail them. "I need to get back to camp," he gruffly said as he began to rise to his feet.
Legolas did not protest but immediately wrapped his arm around Aragorn's waist and aided the man to stand. He was surprised and concern by the amount of Aragorn's weight he was bearing and by the fact that the man did not pull from his support now that he was standing. Bending forward, Legolas looked into his best friend's face, "You pushed yourself too far today," he gently scolded, his fingers lightly touched his friend's wounds.
Aragorn gave a small cry of pain as his aggravated wounds spiked with more pain even at the elf's gentlest of touches. Through gritted teeth he sarcastically responded to Legolas's statement, "Pushed myself too far by doing which action? Getting out of bed, riding on a horse, traveling all day, battling a horde of men?"
"All of them, you reckless human!" Legolas answered back with his usual dose of exasperated humor but worry overshadowed the light in his eyes as he gave more support to his friend. They began to walk slowly back to camp.
"Legolas...before we enter camp.." Aragorn began but he had no need to finish his sentence. Legolas knew what his words would be.
"Do not worry. I will release you and let you stumble into your camp on your own," the prince agreed to the unspoken request.
"Thank you," Aragorn breathed, relieved at his friend's easy capitulation.
"As long as you promise to let Elrond see to your wounds directly," Legolas qualified, earning him an exasperated look from his friend.
"Why does it always come down to blackmail with you, mellon nin?" Aragorn flippantly questioned. "Do you not think I can accept your good advice willingly?"
Legolas pondered this for a moment, a short moment before firmly replying, "Absolutely not, especially when it comes to your health. So what is your answer, Strider, chieftain of the rangers?"
"I do not like the way you say my title," Aragorn grumbled but Legolas only raised an eyebrow in expectancy. "Fine. I will have my father look at my wounds..but I tell you there is no need."
Legolas smiled, overjoyed that Aragorn, maybe even unknowingly, had called Elrond father. Maybe his talk with his friend had done some good after all. "No need, you say?" he mockingly taunted and then he raised his hand before the ranger, the hand he had inspected his friend's wounds with.
Silently Aragorn cursed as he saw the blood on his friend's hand, his blood. He knew he had been in agony but he had not thought he had done that much harm to his wounds. "Fine, I might have torn a stitch or two."
"Or twenty," Legolas added, his concern again seizing his heart especially when he thought of what danger tomorrow would bring for his best friend.
They were almost in the light of the camp fires, when Aragorn stopped their progress and unhooked Legolas' arm from his waist. In the darkness, Aragorn faced Legolas, "You said I was not a murderer, that I could not become a murderer without sacrificing my soul. You are no murderer either, Legolas, nor will I let you become one for me. You will not decide Barion's fate tomorrow, I will." Aragorn steadily walked toward camp as if blood did not soak his shirt.
"At what cost, Aragorn?" Legolas called quietly to the man's back. "Your soul or your life?"
Aragorn stopped but did not turn around. "Neither, if I have my way." Then he walked into the camp, leaving Legolas standing in the dark.
Legolas stood there unmoving as he watched Aragorn step into the firelight, turn to his right and disappear from his sight. Even as he sent up a pray pleading to the Valar to protect Aragorn tomorrow, Legolas made his own oath. He would protect his friend any way he could, no matter the cost. But Aragorn was right, Legolas had never committed murder...of course he had never had reason to before. Now he had two reasons: to ensure that Barion did not take his best friend's life and to shield Aragorn from Sauron's detection. In truth, one reason would have been sufficient for Legolas.
TBC
Replies to Reviews:
A huge "Sorry" to Claudette, Singing Wolf, Lindahoyland, Black Penther, Aebbook, and Joslin for not replying back to any of you last chapter but I got back from vacation and posted the chapter before I looked at my emails! I really loved hearing from each of you! So I'm playing catch up and my replied to your reviews are below. Thanks!
Singing Wolf: I was very flattered that my story hooked you enough to keep you reading until 2am! You sound so like me! Thank you so much for appreciating the way I am letting Aragorn work through his feeling!! I really needed to hear that! Thanks so very for your wonderful review and I appreaciate that you shared your thoughts with me! Hope to hear from you again!
Lindahoyland: That's a wonderful compliment that you read my story until you had to call it a day! I seem to do that a lot...read until I'm practically asleep at the keyboard! That is so cool that you think my tomb scene was "one of the scariest things I've ever read"!! And I don't even watch horror movies to get inspired for that type of writing...but I did watch the X-Files...that has to count for some training in scaring people. I was very pleased that you loved the tenderness the characters express and thought I correctly displayed Aragorn's hurt feelings! Thank you so much for saying my story is "beautifully written with all the conflicting emotions," that's a great big wonderful compliment! And yes, Aragorn deserves that shake you want to give him! I'm really honored that you are adding this to your favorites list...even before it's finished. I hope I don't disappoint you when the stories all over. As for Elrond, I had a strong dislike for him in the movies but in the books you know he truly loves his mortal son so I focus on that ...heavily. Hope to hear from you again!
Black Penther: Thanks for your compliment! As for Aragorn making up with the elves...there's no worries there...I'm a dedicated happy ending kinda gal. Hope to hear from you again.
Aebbook: No need to apologize for any delays you may have in reviewing, I'm just glad you're still enjoying the story! Thanks for your wonderful compliments! And I'm hoping to have time to drop you an email in a day or two! So we'll be talking soon! I really appreciated both of your wonderful reviews and can't wait to hear if you liked this chapter!
Joslin: I love your loyalty!!!! I know chapter 13 was late and now this chapter's horribly late!! What are you going to do with such a lazy author?!?! (Forgive her, I hope!?!) Yes, Aragorn and Legolas are back on track...thank goodness! Those two would never survive their harrowing adventures on their own! Thanks for your well wishing on my trip...I had an awesome time. Also I really appreciate all your encouragement to keep posting!
Claudette: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! And I still owe you another six thank yous for all your wonderful reviews!!!! That was so utterly kind of you to review the chapters as you read them!!!! I noticed you're a very knowledgeable Rings fan..that's great because I always need some guidance on some technical details...like the Halls of Mandos goof. Well, I personally don't like the thought of mankind simply ceasing to exist after death..that's too dismal... so I felt the Halls seemed a nice place for them to end up. (I am addicted to happy endings after all!) That was great that you thought Elrohir would assume Legolas was somehow responsible for Aragorn's condition!! You were so right!And I freely admit that I am sick because I "Love" to put my favorite characters through pain...but I refuse to search for a cure!!! You see very clearly that Aragorn must seek justice, not vengeance...but does Aragorn see that?! Ah..but you also understand that death must be Barion's fate. Tricky situation this! Glad you liked the reconcilaitaton scene between Legolas and Aragorn...it was kinda tricky to write. Well, I think I'm all caught up with you! I really loved each and every review you gave me and your wonderful compliments! Hope to hear from you again!
Bill the Pony2: Thanks for the review! However, I don't really know what O.O means?! Can you help a terribly computer/internet illiterate ?!?
Tailspin: You really caught me off guard when you said you liked reading my review responses!! That's practically saying you like me...my craziness and all because these reviews are the closest thing you get to seeing the real me. I didn't even write anything in my bio section because I was scared to let someone know me. In short, or long as the case may be, I totally loved that you enjoy my responses to the reviews! Replying back to you is the least I can do for you in a way of a thank you for your wonderful support of my writing..and of me. Ah...so you are like me and need a "hurt/comfort fix" I'll take a "hit" everyday if I could find a steady supplier! So glad my writing was done well enough to satisfy that need in you! Thanks for your wonderful review and can't wait to hear what you thought of this chapter...there is that emotion hurt/comfort scene in here...how was it?
Korieana: Well Aragorn had four elves that would have gladly taken an arrow for him but they were too far away!?!? But Elrond did make himself awfully vulnerable when he saved Aragorn! Yes, forgiveness is springing up everywhere...hope it doesn't seem to be coming too easily. Love to hear your thoughts on this chapter!
Deana: Thanks for your wonderful review! Hope you liked this chapter as well!
Moonfire1: It's great to have Aragorn and Legolas back on track...they seem able to bring a happiness to every situation and everyone around them. And yes, Aragorn's walls are slowly being disintegrated and he is letting Elrond get closer to him...I think that knowing he could die in his upcoming confrontation with Barion does a lot to soften his attitude. I was deviously pleased that you thought I leave the "most evil cliffhangers"! Thanks! Can't wait to hear what you thought of this chapter!!
Marbienl: I was happy that you liked my cute Legolas and Aragorn scenes! You know I'm just a sap at heart. Yes, Aragorn is opening himself more to Elrond but it goes against his instincts of self preservation. Your "frog in boiling water" theory seems right on the money to me. How many times in life we "stew" on our emotions instead of trying to resolve the issues that prompted them. You certainly are devoted to Aragorn...I mean you would have taken the arrow for him! Good thing Elrond saved Aragorn ...and without injury...well Aragorn got that little itty bitty scratch on his arm but that's nothing for our fearless ranger. Thanks for giving me permission to use your "fading light" scene in another story which is set during FOTR where Legolas has to decide where his loyalties lie- with Frodo and the mission or to Aragorn. Sound interesting? As for how many plot bunnies I have...two decently fleshed out ones but who knows if I'll ever post them. I'm kinda flighty and I might branch off into another story. Well, as always, it was pure pleasure reading your comments so keep them coming!
Someone Reading: Sorry that this post was NOT quick in coming but getting Aragorn into danger was a LOT easier than getting him out of it (just ask Legolas). I love how you tell me your emotions when you read the chapter! That kind of feedback is wonderful! I too love when Aragorn and Legolas are secure in their friendship and do all that bantering. As you noticed Elrond is slowly edging back into Aragorn's heart but it's all hard work. So I surprised you again with my little battle in the camp!! I love that I could do that! Yes, I truly gave you a nasty cliffie and then I had the nerve to make you wait all this time! I think I better lay low for awhile! But you guess who would save Aragorn! Elrond to the rescue! Those protective instincts can't be ignored you know. Thanks so much for your wonderful comments and I anxiously awaiting for review for this chapter!
Lady of the Lake2: I LOVED seeing your name come up on my reviews! I'm touched that you took time out of your hectic life to review!! And your muse and mine are very similar but my Aragorn is wearing leather...sorry I have a leather fetish. I was overjoyed that you thought the chapter was awesome!!!! I agree, Elrond did win a round with Aragorn when his son allowed him to tag along with the travelers and didn't even object too harshly when Elrond told the reasons he would protect him. I had to laugh when you reminisced about your Rick Springfield's fantasy because I was all into Rick too! Boy are we like separate sisters at birth or what!?!?! I really appreciated your insight about the scene where Elrond tends to Aragorn and Aragorn feels that sense of protection. I was hoping I was expressing the emotions well enough to send that message to the reader...the message you just elegantly explained in your review! I think Elrond would have loved to take your advice and drug Aragorn and under other circumstances he probably would have! Ops...I guess the gods weren't being too merciful because it took me a heck of a long time to write this chapter and post it!! I think my muse was punishing me for even thinking about bringing more pain to Aragorn. It was a wonderful treat to get your review and hear your thoughts!!! I'll drop you an email soon, mellon nin!
Sielge: Thank you for your wonderful review! And see, Elrond came to Aragorn's rescue and he only got that tiny scratch...but then there's the torn stitches. Ok I guess I wasn't too kind to him after all but did you truly want me to be? Looking forward to your next review.
Grumpy: I was so glad that I set up two situations that you really liked: Legolas and Aragorn regaining their friendship and Aragorn comforted by his father's touch. If I had to choose...gosh I'm a sap I loved them both! I sadly neglected the twins this chapter but they'll get more "air time" next chapter...when I write it of course. You're right, Elrond's healing supplies are in need, as is his healing skills as well as the twins'. Elrond will put his skills to good use next chapter when he gets to restitch his son's wounds. Thank you for your wonderful review and I'm on pins and needles to see if you like this chapter!
Soul of the Evenstar: I am very flattered that you read and reviewed Mire and then starting to read this story!! However it seems we're off to a bad start because of my dastardly evil cliffie..but see no real cliffie this chapter?! And thank you for not throwing anything...I don't think I write well with a concussion...but then again if Aragorn came to take care of me...go ahead throw something at me! Thank you so much for your wonderful review and I hope to hear from you again!
Elvingirl3737: Whew! I almost called an ambulance for you...glad you saw that if you're dead you can't find out what happens to Aragorn! I earned double bonus for my Legolas and Aragorn reconciliation scene?!?? I love that because I really liked that scene myself and hoped it sounded plausible to everyone else. Sorry that the twins weren't in this chapter very much but hey, Elladan did shoot the man who was about ready to launch another arrow at his little brother. The twins are a riot to write and it's fun to attribute certain characteristics to each of them. Yes, Elrond will go to some lengths to protect Aragorn...what lengths are still to be determined, even by me and I'm writing this story! (scary huh?) Thanks for your wonderful comments and hope you don't send Arnie in the guise of the terminator after me for the long time I made you wait for this chapter!
No Big Deal: I was jumping around rereading your review! Thank you for your wonderful compliments! They got me all sappy! I'm really struggling to make everyone's emotions realistic so it made me very happy when you said you thought my recovery of Aragorn and Legolas' friendship was "dead on"! And it's hard to know which name to throw in to match the emotions of the situation...because I think the names they use really expresses how they feel at the moment in time. I couldn't help myself...I had to put in that "too sweet" scene where Aragorn fails asleep under his father's touch. Did I warn you already that I'm a sap?! Me? More cliffie in mind?! Could be. I liked that you termed my cliffie "the sickly the most heinous thing you've done yet". Thank you! I knew I should not have let it known that I like happy endings..but I still got your attention with the arrow flying toward Aragorn's heart all the same. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter!
Lenneth: You were looking for more angst and I gave it to you in this chapter! Hope you liked it! I too enjoy having Aragorn and Legolas back to being friends...it hurts to see them at odds with each other. I am very flattered that you think the story is getting better and better! But you have me very curious as which chapter is your favorite...do tell! Thanks for letting me get you worked up over this story! I love hearing from you!
Elven Kitten: Thank you for your wonderful compliments...but what, no lick of the dipped Aragorn? Is was the cliffie right? That's what spoiled that treat for me?!?! See, no cliffie this chapter so how about a lick?
Et-Spiritus-sancti: Thanks for your wonderful supportive review! Glad you liked that Aragorn and Legolas's relationship was mending and that you can understand that Elrond and Aragorn's relationship is not that easy to fix but it's getting better. It's truly wonderful to hear that you think I'm keeping Aragorn "realistically and understandably mad at Elrond." Thanks for saying my battle scenes are "wonderfully written"!!! They certainly are hard work but I'm an action junkie so I've watched enough of them on screen to make a half decent attempt. Even still, I don't know technical terms for the sword fighting and trying to track the action while keeping the reader aware of the bigger picture is incredibly tough. So glad all my efforts are not wasted on you!!! Thanks for understanding my delays in post and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter!
LaurelinX: I really appreciated your wonderful review! You gave me a terrific compliment by saying the emotions do not seem artificial or exaggerated! I try to keep the characters reacting like I would...or should. I was touched that you reread parts of the chapter! It really makes me feel like my attention to the little interactions isn't a bore but a pleasure. Me personally, I love seeing the little gestures...they speak louder than the big ones most of the time. As for Elrond's rejection of Aragorn, I think you are right, he's reacting out of a self preservative instinct after all, he knows so much loss in his life why set himself up for more. Good thing our favorite ranger slipped past his barriers! Thanks so much for telling me your thoughts and I would love to hear from you again.
BM originally: I'm very pleased that you feel the story is getting better and better! And yes, Aragorn is finally beginning to get out of the haze he was in and see that the people around him love him dearly, no matter how they all came to be together. You were right! Elrond did protect his mortal son and though he didn't get injured he did make himself awful vulnerable, which has to have impacted Aragorn whether he wants to admit it or not. That is so awesome that you are a Christian!!! At first I wasn't sure if I should even post anything...it felt kind of like I was sending out the wrong message with all the violence but I think the point is, we are all humans and have our fault. Plus, goodness knows there were battles galore in the biblical times so violence is not new to Christians. And sorry to say, that published author is not me. I again have run into a conflict in trying to write a truly Christian story because I feel guilty if any of the characters act in any way unchristian like...it feels like I'm setting a bad example for all the readers. Thank you so much for telling me you are a Christian because that just makes your opinions dearer to me! So keep those opinions coming!
Viggomaniac: You sure know how to flatter me and I'm eating it up! I know about that need for a story to continue...that's why I started writing stories about my favorite tv shows when I was a kid. Of course I didn't think anyone else in the world was doing something as crazy as that and kept that habit hidden from even my family. I'm so glad I met a friend who wrote stories and then I found fanfiction on the internet and I felt I finally wasn't so alone in the world! Glad you liked my sappy scenes last chapter...I can't help myself..they are the reason I take up pen and paper and write these crazy stories. And as promised, I threw in some nice ranger angst in this newest chapter. Did I do well? You were so right on the money when you guessed Elrond was going to save Aragorn. I can't fool you on anything! Sorry that I made you suffer so long for the update but I hope it was worth it! I'm doing my own suffering now...waiting to get your review!
Beling: What an incredible review you gave me! Thank you!! Glad you liked my "chuckles" in last chapter and I agree, it felt good to get some relief from the tension. And you saw everything between Aragorn and Legolas the way I had intended you to..the doubts, the fears, the fun, the stubbornness of both of them and the undying loyalty. Elladan and Elrohir are a pleasure to write so I'm happy that you enjoy them. I do feel sorry for them, they've been caught in the middle of all this and yet they are helpless to get things back on track...for them or for their father. The mending has to come from Aragorn and Elrond and then they can benefit from that reconciliation. Hoping and waiting is never a fun task. So I did use the right words to describe Elrond! It was a struggle to pin him down because he's gone through so much and you are right, he desperately wants to latch unto that slim tie with Aragorn but fears that he could sever it in the process. Lucky for him, he has those healing talents and therefore got the opportunity to tend to his son and slip in some much needed comfort. You were right, all of the four elves would have taken the arrow for Aragorn...lucky for us all that none of them had to. You are very wise yourself for I too believe words wound sometimes too deeply to be forgotten or taken lightly. I just couldn't resist having Legolas lead Aragorn back to his family and I just felt Aragorn was feeling too vulnerable to not clutch to the connection the others offered him..even if he wouldn't qualify that connection as love at the moment. I chuckled when you said you laughed at the three elves trying to pretend they weren't eavesdropping when we all know they were. I'm looking forward to your reaction to his chapter!
Tychen: No need to apologize I'm just thrilled to get your review. Your vacation sounds like it was awesome! I was happy to hear that you liked how I orchestrated Legolas and Aragorn's reconciliation, a little pain always seems to be a good way to bridge the gaps. And yes, Elrond is trying hard, is literally walking on eggshells around Aragorn and willing to sacrifice greatly to get his son back. Boy am I glad you value our friendship or else, I fear. I woulda been a goner! Thanks for your wonderful review and sharing your thoughts!
Nefhiriel: I think Aragorn's come a long way since emerging from that tomb and is starting to be able to work through all the emotions the current events have evoked from him. I'm envious of your relationship with your sister if it matches Aragorn and Legolas's. Sounds like you have a great time together and really care about one another! So happy that you liked the reunion and the friendly arguing that went on between the two friends! You are very perceptive of Elladan and Elrohir's pain in being able to aid their human brother..maybe for the first time. Yes, Elrond does have a hard decision to make ..if it comes to that...save his son's life and lose his son's love. Now that's a choice I would hate to have to make! And I totally understand your wanting anonymity...have you seen my bio page...It's blank. I like a little mystery myself. However, I seem to blow all that security when I write these responses to reviews and reveal my true self. Drat..I'm foiled again by my own chattiness. I'm getting the feeling you didn't appreciate the "ending" of the chapter...I'm perceptive like that. Hope this chapter was long enough to make up for that cruelty and see no cliffie. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with me and giving me such wonderful compliments.
Thanks for your patience with me! This chapter was just a monster to write ! Thanks for reading and a special thanks to all my reviewers!
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: Sorry about the horrible delay in posting! It was a lot easier to put Aragorn in danger than to get him out of danger! Hope I did OK.
Chapter 15 )))))))))
Without warning, Aragorn's horse stumbled to a halt and reared up in fright, almost dislodging its distracted rider. An instant later an arrow scored a path across Aragorn's arm. If not for the agility afforded him from his albeit tempered elven blood, Aragorn would have tumbled from the saddle. As it was, it took him a moment to bring his horse firmly back upon the ground.
Having been diverted from his path of revenge, Aragorn gave himself over to his instincts, which had been clamoring in his head since he had sighted Barion. His sharp eyes quickly pinpointed which direction the arrow had come from that had nearly taken his life. Turning his horse to the right, across the scattered skirmishes he spotted a man setting another arrow in his crossbow. Aragorn cursed as he realized that he would never be able to pull his own bow in time, especially since his hand that held his sword was already trembling in fatigue. In the time that it took Aragorn to go through his options, the man had resighted the crossbow upon him. The man never had the chance to release the second arrow as an elven arrow struck his chest.
Swinging his head around, Aragorn almost smiled as he watched Elladan, wearing one of his fiercest expressions, lower his now empty bow. Sensing movement behind him, Aragorn had no time to thank his brother. Raising his sword, Aragorn expertly spun his horse around only to find himself facing his elven father. Quickly lowering his sword, Aragorn was startled by the fearful expression marring the elf's features.
Elrond inspected his youngest son with his eyes, unbelievably relieved that the man was only sporting one new injury and a minor one at that. Still he choked out, "Are you alright, Estel?!" needing more reassurances of his son's wellbeing than merely his eyesight.
Whatever Aragorn's reply was to be, Elrond would never know for that moment Aragorn yelled, "Ada behind you!" Even as he turned to face the threat, Elrond knew he could not defend himself. He was no longer in procession of his sword nor had he the time to draw his bow and string an arrow.
Aragorn watched in horror as a man slashed his sword toward Elrond's chest, his heart nearly stopping when he realized that the elf was unarmed! Quicker than he thought possible, Aragorn's left hand flew to his knife, drew it from its scabbard and sent it flipping toward the man that threatened his father. The man stumbled back a step as the knife sank into his chest then, like a discarded puppet, the man's body crumbled to the ground.
Aragorn turned blazing eyes unto his father but before he could speak, a whistle rent the air. Stunned, Aragorn watched as all the men disengaged from battle and ran off into the forest in the same direction that Barion had disappeared. A dwarven curse erupted from Aragorn. He would not get his revenge on Barion this day.
Settling his look back upon Elrond, Aragorn brought his horse beside the elf's. Aragorn demanded, sounding more the parent than the child, "Why are you unarmed?! Where's your sword? Why do you not have your bow at the ready?"
Aragorn's lecture caught Elrond by surprise. Opening his mouth to protest the reprimand, he suddenly just smiled instead. How many times had he told his sons that he scolded them for doing something reckless only because he cared!?! A jolt of joy went through him as his son "scolded" him. "Sorry, I was distracted," he offered, the sparkle in his eyes identical to the look his sons gave to him whenever they made excuses for their reckless ways. Urging his horse forward a few paces, Elrond leaned over and pulled his sword from the ground where it was embedded.
Comprehension shot through Aragorn as he watched his father retrieve his sword from the forest floor ...right in front of where his own horse had stopped and reared up. Aragorn stammered, "You...you threw your sword into my path to startle my horse," his eyes raising from the ground where the sword had been and settling unto his father's face. "If I had gone forward one more pace, that arrow would have killed me...and you knew that."
Elrond said nothing. He knew he truly did not have to. His son's level of perception was virtually unparalleled.
The full scope of Elrond's actions fell upon Aragorn. "In the midst of battle, you gave up your weapon...you made yourself vulnerable...for me." Disbelief, gratitude and some other more raw emotion that Elrond did not dare to hope was love, gleamed in Aragorn's eyes.
"Yes and I would do it again," Elrond admitted passionately, the truth of his words indisputable.
Emotions saturated Aragorn's heart, making it hard for him to breath. Why had Elrond nearly sacrificed his life to save him?! All for the sake of duty? Or had the elf truly learned to love his 'burden'?
"Strider!" came an incredulous and joyous cry from the forest to Aragorn's right.
Knowing that their private time was coming to a close, Aragorn's gaze remained fixed upon his elven father. "Thank you," he earnestly said, his voice uncommonly quietly.
Then Aragorn found himself surrounded by a gathering number of rangers. Inconspicuously, Elrond pulled his horse back and was soon joined by Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas. All of whom, to his relief, were unscathed. In silent wonder, the four elves watched the rangers merrily welcome back their chieftain.
One ranger put a hand upon Aragorn's leg and chuckled up at his chieftain, "Renen told us you were alive but, by the Valar, I feel better seeing you with my own two eyes!"
Another ranger joined in, "Especially the way Renen described your health...like you still had a foot in the grave!" scoffing at the very thought.
Aragorn could not help flinching at the ranger's poor choice of words, gruffly he undertoned, "The youth had not exaggerated by much."
A younger ranger pressed in beside Aragorn, his eager eyes meeting his leader's. "Thank the Valar that you are well and have returned to us."
With a smirk, Aragorn ruffled the boy's hair. "Yes, you are stuck with me for a while longer," eliciting relieved laughter and smiles from the gathered group. Soon Aragorn's eyes darkened. "I need to speak to Halbarad."
"He is back at the camp," an older ranger replied.
Aragorn nodded his head in gratitude. The rangers stepped away from him as he urged his horse to begin walking toward the location of the main camp.
Having spent some time with Aragorn and his rangers, Elladan and Elrohir were unfazed by the recent occurrences. The same could not be said of Elrond or Legolas. The twins, having quickly determined that their healing talents were in need, dismounted and began tending to the wounded that lay scattered on the forest floor. Elrond and Legolas, however, remained motionless, their eyes vacantly watching the rangers fall into an evidently familiar pattern of dealing with the aftermath of battle. Too familiar in Elrond's opinion.
Unbidden, Elrond recalled the gut wrenching terror that had seized his very soul when Aragorn had cried, "The rangers are under attack!" and he had watched his son race heedlessly toward danger. Elrond had been a great warrior once upon a time. Battle and danger were no strangers to him. Even death was a familiar companion in a warrior's life. Long ago, he had foolishly believed that he had faced the greatest fears and came out victorious...and then he had become a father. Suddenly he knew a greater fear, a fear that could not be quieted or conquered, the fear of losing a life more precious than his own, of losing the life of one of his children.
When he had watched Elladan and Elrohir first go into battle, he nearly went insane with the terror that wracked his heart. For the first time when facing a battle, his death he did not contemplate. Only one question burned in his heart as his sword dealt out punishment. How could he protect his sons amid such carnage and hatred?! His mind had told him the brutal truth: He could not. But his heart could not accept that, would not accept that. And so he had fought at his sons backs, defying any that dared to try and bring harm to the ones that he loved. Even so, many had dared...and some even had been successful.
Shaking his head to rid himself of those unwanted memories, Elrond watched his now fully grown sons aid the wounded. His sons had survived their many battles, with and without their father at their side. He still remembered the sweet relief that settled over him when it seemed all the battles had been waged, that his sons would no longer face the fate of death. And then Estel had come into his life, bringing both joy and unquenchable worry to the elf lord's heart.
He had hoped never to see another son take up his sword in battle nor did he expect to once again feel that unequaled terror as he watched his son fight for his life. It was that terror that drove him to chase after Aragorn, to try and protect his son from any and all harm. A shiver coursed through Elrond as he remembered seeing the man track Aragorn with his crossbow. A helpless dread had chilled Elrond's heart. With cruel clarity, the elf, only armed at the moment with his sword, knew that he could not stop the man's attack. Vainly he pushed his horse faster, praying that he could intercept the arrow with his own body if need be. But as Aragorn's stead ate up more of the forest floor, Elrond realized his plan would not work. Desperately he did the only thing left for him to try. Slipping his hand to the outside of his sword's handle, he hefted the sword to shoulder level and, with a fervent prayer, threw his sword as if it were a lance, aiming it into the path of Aragorn's charging horse.
Elrond dared not breathe as he saw the arrow spring from the crossbow. Fearing the worst, he felt an anguished cry of "no!' begin to erupt from his throat when Aragorn's horse reared up. Even with the horse's actions, Elrond worried that the arrow would still strike true. It was only after the arrow had nicked Aragorn's arm and become harmlessly embedded in a tree that Elrond's heart's started to beat once again.
Elrond was startled from his reverie by Legolas' gentle touch upon his arm. Looking to the young prince at his side, Elrond smiled, hoping to wipe away the worried expression from Legolas' features. "Sorry, I was distracted. Again." Watching as Legolas merely nodded in understanding and withdrew his touch, Elrond saw that none of the elf's features had lightened with his words. Something greater weighed upon the Mirkwood elf than his concern for Elrond's peace of mind. "Do not let me detain you from finding Aragorn," Elrond gently said even though he knew that the elf's hesitation to seek out Aragorn was intentional.
Legolas averted his gaze from Elrond and softly replied, "He has no need of my presence." The elf watched the rangers around him, still remembering the greeting they had given to Aragorn.
Insightfully recognizing what prompted the pain in the other's voice, Elrond gently insisted, "He always has need of the presence of his best friend."
Shaking his head, Legolas denied Elrond's words. Things were as he feared. He had no place with Aragorn, not here, not in his world, not even after he had reconciled with Aragorn upon the journey. How could one reconcile two diverse lives? The life of an elf with the life of the chieftain of the rangers? For the first time, Legolas felt that their different races had firmly erected a wall between their bond of friendship that could not be breached.
Hooking his fingers under Legolas' chin, Elrond tilted the young elf's head to face him. "The rangers' connection with Aragorn can not rival your own, Legolas. To be a leader among men, even a cherished leader, is not the same thing as claiming those same men as friends. Around most of the rangers, Aragorn only dares to wear the guise of Strider. Many times Elrohir has told me that Estel seems a stranger when he is among his men. Aragorn has been raised to conceal himself." Regret flickered in Elrond's eyes, as he bitterly realized, "Unintentionally, I also taught him to not trust...anyone or to take the risk of allowing someone to get close to him." Elrond's lips softened from their hard line into a smile, "I am so glad you slipped past his barriers, Legolas. He reveals his soul to you without fear. That is a rare and precious gift he bestows upon you. Do not think it cheap and often given."
"I do not!" Legolas forcibly denied, then shame tinged his cheeks. "I should not have let jealousy cause me to doubt Aragorn's steadfast friendship. I..I saw the interaction between he and his men and I...I thought my loyalty would seem pale in comparison to theirs." To Legolas' disbelief, Elrond smirked and then broke into laughter.
Elrond patted Legolas on the shoulder in good humor. "Are you not the one who challenged four elves to a fight because they dared to call Aragorn "the pet human" behind his back? Was it not you who saved Aragorn's life more times than my nerves could ever survive the numbering of? And when Aragorn broke my favorite teapot when he was last ill, it was you who hid the evidence, "he teased.
A mischievous smirk lit up Legolas' face. "There can be no secrets kept from you, my lord."
"Ah but there are many but one thing is no secret and that is your loyalty to my son. Go to him, Legolas. He needs a friend to stand at his side."
Legolas gently countered, "He needs his father as well. I pray you will not be far from his side when he comes to know that truth."
"I will be at his side instantly if he should wish it," Elrond vowed.
Accepting that oath, Legolas urged, "Come, we have a particular ranger to find." Without another word, both elves guided their horses into the woods.
Aragorn rode into the ranger camp and pulled his horse to a halt as he let his eyes take in the scope of activity. To his right a healer tent had been designated. He cringed as he saw a bloodied ranger being carried with care into the healers. Across the camp he saw the welcoming sight of a dark haired ranger whose face was handsome though it bore the markings of a life of hardships. He listened as the ranger gave orders to an assembled troop of rangers. Walking his horse further into the camp, Aragorn finally caught the attention of the dark haired ranger. Where, a moment prior, grimness had resided in the man's face now shock and joy existed.
The dark haired ranger began to stalk to Aragorn, his speech to the other rangers forgotten. Almost like a trained movement, all at once the rangers turned to see what had affected the usually unshakable dark haired ranger. Upon seeing their chieftain, alive and back among them, every eye sparkled with joy, though their emotions could not match the intensity of the dark haired ranger's tangible relief and happiness.
Gaining Aragorn's side, the dark haired ranger smiled up at the mounted ranger, his eyes drinking in the other's very real presence. "Strider!" he called in joy. "If you are a ghost, I hope you never cease to haunt me."
Aragorn gave a tired smile, "I am no ghost, Halbarad." Then Aragorn slowly began to dismount, not surprised to find Halbarad's strong hand wrapped supportively around his arm. The ranger was nearly as perceptive as an elf, especially to his chieftain's subtle signs of pain. When both his feet finally found purchase upon the ground, Aragorn steadied himself a moment against his horse, causing his second in command to step closer to him in concern.
As the two rangers' eyes held, an unspoken understanding passed between them. They had fought in too many battles, back to back, to be blind to the other's thoughts.
Quietly, Halbarad said, his concern for his chieftain showing in his grey eyes, "Your letter was too vague in its descriptions. By the look of you, it seems that it was a very near thing that you did not become a ghost."
Feeling that he had not the need to hide how dire his situation had been from his kinsman, Aragorn lowly replied, "Too near a thing."
Suddenly Aragorn was pulled into his kinsman's arms and he returned the man's embrace. When they pulled back, Halbarad's arms gripped Aragorn's shoulders and the light that had been in his eyes faded and his mouth returned to it's grim line. "There is much for us to talk about but Barion and his men escape us even now."
"Let them go," Aragorn ordered bitterly. "Barion probably has an ambush planned for any troop we would send into the darkening forest. I can wait until the morrow to have my revenge," his hatred setting his own features into a grim mask.
Halbarad's eyes flickered to alight on something behind Aragorn. He smiled slightly, "I see you did not travel here unaccompanied."
A snort erupted from Aragorn. "Not of my own free will, I can assure you," his lighthearted tone softening the harshness of the words. Turning to see which of his companions entered the camp, he saw Legolas and Elrond ride to his side and dismount with the grace only blessed to the race of elves.
Releasing his hold upon his chieftain, Halbarad bowed his head slightly to Elrond. "My lord Elrond. I almost did not recognize you in these humble surroundings and in the less than lordly clothing you now wear." A twinkle was in the ranger's eye and a tease in his tone.
Elrond chuckled, "I see that Strider has not yet been able to curb your wicked tongue, Halbarad."
"Curb it, my lord?! He teaches me how to improve it every day..by his own example of course," Halbarad retorted, shooting a conspiring wink to Aragorn, earning him a smirk from the other ranger.
"Halbarad, I present to you Legolas son of .." Aragorn formally began to introduce but Halbarad cut in.
"Ah..so this is Strider's infamous co-conspirator Legolas," Halbarad accused with mirth in all his demeanor. "I have heard many tales about your death defying adventures with this reckless man," his head nodding toward the suddenly sheepish looking Aragorn.
Legolas' mirth filled eyes turned to Aragorn. "And to whose fault does he place our dangers upon? Me, I suppose, since I have not been here to defend myself."
Halbarad opened his mouth but Aragorn interjected, "We all know the tales, there is no need to recall them."
"Guiltiness does not become you, mellon nin," Legolas taunted, relishing the smiles on all four of their faces.
Sobering, Aragorn turned to Halbarad, "Come, you have much to tell me."
Halbarad gave a nod of departure to Legolas and Elrond before he and Aragorn walked across the camp, deep in conversation. Leaving both elves to curse that their elven hearing did not allow them the power to overhear the rangers' words.
Halbarad did not need any prompting to begin his report to his chieftain. He knew what questions Strider would ask, what information he would find of value and he knew unmistakably what pain Strider would feel when his tale was finished.
"Barion rode into our camp two nights ago, bearing your ring and a tale of your grisly demise at the hands of orcs," hatred and self recrimination burned in Halbarad's words but just as swiftly his emotions swung to remembered despair as his pained eyes met Aragorn's. "I should have doubted him and I wanted to with all my heart and soul...but he had your ring, Strider. And I knew you would not have parted with it willingly, not while you had a breath of life in you."
Aragorn put a reassuring hand on Halbarad's shoulder, "I know how easily Barion's lies slide from his tongue directly into one's heart. You could not have known of his deception."
Neither accepting or denying his chieftains' sentiments, Halbarad took a deep breath and plunged forward with his story. "I was foolish enough to welcome Barion to spend the night in our camp though Thangril was opposed to the idea." Here the ranger's voice faded and he looked away from Aragorn as they kept walking.
"What must you tell me that you wish not to?" Aragorn prompted gently.
But Halbarad knew he could not tell the story out of order, not if he was to keep his mind focused on the task. He took up his tale where he had left off, his voice a forcibly controlled steady tone. "Thangril was Barion's shadow in the camp, never did he let the man slip from his sight. Then, when Renen was riding back to camp bearing your letter, he stumbled upon men encircling our camp, Barion's men." Bitterness was again in the ranger's tone and the lines of his face turned harsh and deep. "Renen gave a signal of alarm and all of Mordor seemed to break lose at once. Suddenly we were overrun and Barion..." Halbarad met Aragorn's eyes and Aragorn stiffened at the sadness in the other's gaze, "Barion killed Thangril and joined his men in their battle against us."
Aragorn stopped abruptly, clamped his eyes shut in despair and dropped his head. 'Not Thangril! He was but only a year older than Renen! A mere child!' A reassuring hand came to rest on the nape of his neck.
"When we were attacked Thangril probably knew that his suspicious about Barion were correct. There were signs of a battle..." Halbarad quietly supplied.
Shaking his head marginally, Aragorn raised his head, his sorrowful eyes meeting Halbarad's. Gruffly he said, "But he was no match for Barion...even I was no match for Barion." Clenching his jaw, Aragorn forced his emotions aside. Right now he needed to be the infallible chieftain. "How many others were lost in the previous night's battle?"
Seeing that Aragorn had regrouped behind his nearly impenetrable barrier, Halbarad removed his hand from Aragorn and reported, "Two others, Thar and Cirnen. Seven more received wounds. We pushed Barion's men back last night. I chose not to pursue him today, Instead I thought to wait upon your arrival and your orders. I was wrong! Utterly wrong! How many more dead and wounded now lay at my charge after this day?!"
"None," Aragorn firmly replied, laying a hand upon Halbarad's shoulder. "The fault is not yours...it never was." 'It is my own,' he left unspoken. "Go, see to our men and begin preparations for tomorrow's battle."
"Yes, sir," Halbarad acknowledged but he hesitated to leave his leader's side, sensing the physical pain and roiling emotions in the other man. "Are you well, Strider? Truly?"
Aragorn's dull eyes did not flinch from Halbarad's bold inspection. "I live. That is enough. Now go."
Knowing he could not press his companionship upon Strider, Halbarad did as the man ordered and left the chieftain alone in the deserted edge of the camp. He did not need to turn around to know that Aragorn had already disappeared into the deep foliage of the outskirts of the camp. Lost in troubled thought, Halbarad almost ran into the elf that stood in his path.
"Legolas," Halbarad greeted, in other times he would have been amused by the sight of the elf frantically looking behind him for his absent companion. Amusement seemed unable to touch the elf's soul either, for when he settled his eyes back upon Halbarad, the ranger fought hard not to falter under the intense gaze.
"Where is Strider?" Legolas demanded his tone sharp with worry.
Halbarad jerked his head to his left to indicate Aragorn was to be found behind him in the forest.
Stalking forward, Legolas was surprised when Halbarad's hand shot out and gripped his forearm. The elf's eyes flashed to the ranger's.
"Barion killed a young ranger that Strider liked very well," the ranger confided softly to the elf. For a moment the ranger fell silent as he studied the elf closely. Then he seemed to come to a decision. "Strider will not accept comfort from me...but I think he will not turn you away."
As Halbarad's fingers slipped from his arm, Legolas nodded his head in gratitude and walked into the forest, hoping with each step that Halbarad was right, that he would not be turned away by Aragorn. When he came upon Aragorn, Legolas halted in his tracks so quickly that he nearly did something very unelflike by stumbling. Aragorn's very essence screamed of despair as he as he knelt on the ground, his head bowed and his hands clenched into fists.
Indecision warred within Legolas. His heart begged him to go to his friend and offer whatever comfort he could but his mind warned him to keep his distance, that his presence would be unwelcome to the man and would earn him yet another unbearable exile from his friend. So he stood there, unable to move or make his presence known to the distraught man not ten paces in front of him. Elrond's words came to him again "Go to him, Legolas. He needs a friend to stand at his side." Suddenly Legolas knew where his place was...as it had been from the start...at his best friend's side.
Walking forward, Legolas came to stand at Aragorn's side and tenderly put his hand upon the man's bowed head. "I am sorry for your loss, Aragorn."
Some of Aragorn's pain fled as he was joined by the comforting presence of his best friend. He wasn't even surprised to find Legolas at his side. As for the elf's knowledge of Thangril, that could only be attributed from one source: Halbarad. The ranger did his best to mother him and Aragorn had little doubt he could rival Legolas in that endeavor if he allowed the man to slip any further behind his barriers.
Drawing from the strength he gained from Legolas' presence, Aragorn took a steadying breath and tried to dampen down his grief. With his grief's diminishing hold on him, his every thought became overshadowed with guilt. His voice thick with anguished regret, Aragorn, his head still bowed, choked out, "I had my chance! Sweet Eru, I had my chance to kill Barion and I did not seize it!! My sword rested at his throat, Legolas! It would have taken but one slice of my sword! Instead I chose the way of honor... I chose to battle him...and I lost." Aragorn's words dropped lower, "And with that failure, the blood of his victims stain me as well."
"No!" Legolas cried out in denial as he instantly knelt beside his friend. Gently he gripped Aragorn's chin and raised the man's head until their eyes met. "You are not responsible for Barion's actions! The man alone bares the guilt for his actions!"
"But Legolas, if I had .."
"Murdered him," Legolas cut in softly, his eyes showing his compassion for his friend's position. "You would have sacrificed your soul and that would have been a cost no one who holds you dear would ever ask you to pay...even to save their lives. Would your lost ranger not have thought less of you if he learned that you were a murderer?"
"I have a responsibility to these men, Legolas! Harsh sacrifices have to be made to see that they are safe, that evil is defeated, sacrifices that sometimes only I can make." Aragorn pulled his chin from Legolas' hold and looked into the now dark forest, "Valar, I should have come here directly after climbing from that tomb instead of crawling back to Elrond...begging him to ease my betrayed heart! I could have prevented Thangril's death...all of this," and he waved his right hand out to encompass the surrounding forest where the battle had waged.
Legolas's hand shot out and gripped Aragorn's right wrist, halting it's motion and earning him Aragorn's full attention. "Listen to me, Aragorn," Legolas firmly began, unwilling to see his friend suffer any longer with his misplaced guilt. "If you had tried to come here instead of Rivendell after you escaped the tomb you would have died before you even left Rivendell's forest." Aragorn opened his mouth to protest but Legolas never gave him the chance to utter a sound. "No, I speak the truth. I need not the eyes of a healer to know your wounds were nearly fatal. And even had you been fit to return immediately to the rangers, you knew of no urgency to do so for Barion's plans for the rangers were unknown to you."
Brokenly Aragorn said, "If I had made other choices...who knows what the outcome would have been."
"If you had made different choices...you would have either sacrificed your soul or your life. Truly you walked the only path you could, Aragorn."
For a moment Aragorn gave no response but then Legolas watched in relief as the man nodded his head in resigned acceptance of the truth of his words. Aragorn fixed his look into the darkness of the forest before him and Legolas was surprised to see a small smile turn up the man's lips.
"I remember the first time I met Thangril. He was arrogant and disrespectful and I immediately took a dislike to him." Aragorn chuckled with the fond memories, "I still remember when he strode into our camp, walked right up to me and said, 'I am ready to be a ranger.' If Halbarad had not begged me all that first night to give the boy a chance to prove himself, I would have escorted him from our camp at morning's first light." The smile vanished and Aragorn's jaw clenched to hold back a sob. Legolas let the silence go unchallenged until Aragorn broke it moments later. Aragorn's words were so soft even Legolas had to lean closer to the ranger to hear them. "I came to love that boy. He was going to be one of the best rangers, Legolas, without even possessing any Dunedain blood."
In heartbreak, Legolas watched a tear track down Aragorn's cheek. Wishing he knew what words to say to ease his friend's pain, Legolas put his hand upon Aragorn's back but said nothing.
Brushing away the tear, Aragorn took in a steadying breath. There would be time to mourn later but not now, not when Thangril's murderer still lived. But still he could not force himself back to the camp, to face the rangers that looked to him for assurances that things would be righted, that their leader knew no weakness and did not doubt his victory tomorrow. Legolas removed his hand from his back but to Aragorn's relief the elf did not leave but instead claimed a seat on the ground beside him, willing to simply be there for his friend.
Aragorn's remembrances of the boy ranger ran through Legolas' head. He could not imagine Aragorn taking a dislike to a boy, even an "arrogant and disrespectful" boy. It proved to Legolas that no one made right judgments about people all the time. Suddenly, he knew what words he could utter to aid his friend. Conversationally he began, "Thank the Valar you did not let your first impression of Thangril harden your heart from accepting him into the rangers. You would have been denied the blessing of being a part of that boy's life ...and Thangril would have lost the chance to be loved by you."
"I would have lost something precious indeed," Aragorn agreed, unseeing the path Legolas was leading him upon.
"Lord Elrond feels the same way about you," Legolas quietly said.
Aragorn's eyes flew to Legolas's as understanding grew in him. Legolas continued, "He almost missed his opportunity to be a part of your life, to love you like a son, all because of his initial decision. I know he thanks the Valar everyday that he was blessed with the chance to unmake that decision. If Thangril was here and I asked him if he resented you for your initial dislike, for almost denying him into the rangers, would he say he still held that against you?"
"No," Aragorn choked out, Legolas' words piercing his heart. "He never once gave me anything but his utmost loyalty. He did not let the past corrupt his future...or his heart. He was always smarter than I was."
Seeing his friend's receptiveness to his words, Legolas gently admitted. "I read your father's letters, Aragorn. They are the past, they speak of past decisions long regretted. We have talked about victories and defeats but long ago you won something more precious than a battle of strength or survival, you won Elrond's heart. Will you throw something so very precious away...just because it was not freely given but earned and therefore made more dear?"
Tears gathered in Aragorn's eyes as the darkness that had been smothering his heart began to lift. Was Legolas right? Did he have Elrond's love all this time? Did he earn the elf's love just as Thangril had earned his? Did Elrond regret his refusal to accept him just like he regretted his own thoughts to refuse Thangril's acceptance into the rangers? Closing his eyes, Aragorn pushed all the questions aside. His men needed him now, he would not let his own emotions again cause him to fail them. "I need to get back to camp," he gruffly said as he began to rise to his feet.
Legolas did not protest but immediately wrapped his arm around Aragorn's waist and aided the man to stand. He was surprised and concern by the amount of Aragorn's weight he was bearing and by the fact that the man did not pull from his support now that he was standing. Bending forward, Legolas looked into his best friend's face, "You pushed yourself too far today," he gently scolded, his fingers lightly touched his friend's wounds.
Aragorn gave a small cry of pain as his aggravated wounds spiked with more pain even at the elf's gentlest of touches. Through gritted teeth he sarcastically responded to Legolas's statement, "Pushed myself too far by doing which action? Getting out of bed, riding on a horse, traveling all day, battling a horde of men?"
"All of them, you reckless human!" Legolas answered back with his usual dose of exasperated humor but worry overshadowed the light in his eyes as he gave more support to his friend. They began to walk slowly back to camp.
"Legolas...before we enter camp.." Aragorn began but he had no need to finish his sentence. Legolas knew what his words would be.
"Do not worry. I will release you and let you stumble into your camp on your own," the prince agreed to the unspoken request.
"Thank you," Aragorn breathed, relieved at his friend's easy capitulation.
"As long as you promise to let Elrond see to your wounds directly," Legolas qualified, earning him an exasperated look from his friend.
"Why does it always come down to blackmail with you, mellon nin?" Aragorn flippantly questioned. "Do you not think I can accept your good advice willingly?"
Legolas pondered this for a moment, a short moment before firmly replying, "Absolutely not, especially when it comes to your health. So what is your answer, Strider, chieftain of the rangers?"
"I do not like the way you say my title," Aragorn grumbled but Legolas only raised an eyebrow in expectancy. "Fine. I will have my father look at my wounds..but I tell you there is no need."
Legolas smiled, overjoyed that Aragorn, maybe even unknowingly, had called Elrond father. Maybe his talk with his friend had done some good after all. "No need, you say?" he mockingly taunted and then he raised his hand before the ranger, the hand he had inspected his friend's wounds with.
Silently Aragorn cursed as he saw the blood on his friend's hand, his blood. He knew he had been in agony but he had not thought he had done that much harm to his wounds. "Fine, I might have torn a stitch or two."
"Or twenty," Legolas added, his concern again seizing his heart especially when he thought of what danger tomorrow would bring for his best friend.
They were almost in the light of the camp fires, when Aragorn stopped their progress and unhooked Legolas' arm from his waist. In the darkness, Aragorn faced Legolas, "You said I was not a murderer, that I could not become a murderer without sacrificing my soul. You are no murderer either, Legolas, nor will I let you become one for me. You will not decide Barion's fate tomorrow, I will." Aragorn steadily walked toward camp as if blood did not soak his shirt.
"At what cost, Aragorn?" Legolas called quietly to the man's back. "Your soul or your life?"
Aragorn stopped but did not turn around. "Neither, if I have my way." Then he walked into the camp, leaving Legolas standing in the dark.
Legolas stood there unmoving as he watched Aragorn step into the firelight, turn to his right and disappear from his sight. Even as he sent up a pray pleading to the Valar to protect Aragorn tomorrow, Legolas made his own oath. He would protect his friend any way he could, no matter the cost. But Aragorn was right, Legolas had never committed murder...of course he had never had reason to before. Now he had two reasons: to ensure that Barion did not take his best friend's life and to shield Aragorn from Sauron's detection. In truth, one reason would have been sufficient for Legolas.
TBC
Replies to Reviews:
A huge "Sorry" to Claudette, Singing Wolf, Lindahoyland, Black Penther, Aebbook, and Joslin for not replying back to any of you last chapter but I got back from vacation and posted the chapter before I looked at my emails! I really loved hearing from each of you! So I'm playing catch up and my replied to your reviews are below. Thanks!
Singing Wolf: I was very flattered that my story hooked you enough to keep you reading until 2am! You sound so like me! Thank you so much for appreciating the way I am letting Aragorn work through his feeling!! I really needed to hear that! Thanks so very for your wonderful review and I appreaciate that you shared your thoughts with me! Hope to hear from you again!
Lindahoyland: That's a wonderful compliment that you read my story until you had to call it a day! I seem to do that a lot...read until I'm practically asleep at the keyboard! That is so cool that you think my tomb scene was "one of the scariest things I've ever read"!! And I don't even watch horror movies to get inspired for that type of writing...but I did watch the X-Files...that has to count for some training in scaring people. I was very pleased that you loved the tenderness the characters express and thought I correctly displayed Aragorn's hurt feelings! Thank you so much for saying my story is "beautifully written with all the conflicting emotions," that's a great big wonderful compliment! And yes, Aragorn deserves that shake you want to give him! I'm really honored that you are adding this to your favorites list...even before it's finished. I hope I don't disappoint you when the stories all over. As for Elrond, I had a strong dislike for him in the movies but in the books you know he truly loves his mortal son so I focus on that ...heavily. Hope to hear from you again!
Black Penther: Thanks for your compliment! As for Aragorn making up with the elves...there's no worries there...I'm a dedicated happy ending kinda gal. Hope to hear from you again.
Aebbook: No need to apologize for any delays you may have in reviewing, I'm just glad you're still enjoying the story! Thanks for your wonderful compliments! And I'm hoping to have time to drop you an email in a day or two! So we'll be talking soon! I really appreciated both of your wonderful reviews and can't wait to hear if you liked this chapter!
Joslin: I love your loyalty!!!! I know chapter 13 was late and now this chapter's horribly late!! What are you going to do with such a lazy author?!?! (Forgive her, I hope!?!) Yes, Aragorn and Legolas are back on track...thank goodness! Those two would never survive their harrowing adventures on their own! Thanks for your well wishing on my trip...I had an awesome time. Also I really appreciate all your encouragement to keep posting!
Claudette: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! And I still owe you another six thank yous for all your wonderful reviews!!!! That was so utterly kind of you to review the chapters as you read them!!!! I noticed you're a very knowledgeable Rings fan..that's great because I always need some guidance on some technical details...like the Halls of Mandos goof. Well, I personally don't like the thought of mankind simply ceasing to exist after death..that's too dismal... so I felt the Halls seemed a nice place for them to end up. (I am addicted to happy endings after all!) That was great that you thought Elrohir would assume Legolas was somehow responsible for Aragorn's condition!! You were so right!And I freely admit that I am sick because I "Love" to put my favorite characters through pain...but I refuse to search for a cure!!! You see very clearly that Aragorn must seek justice, not vengeance...but does Aragorn see that?! Ah..but you also understand that death must be Barion's fate. Tricky situation this! Glad you liked the reconcilaitaton scene between Legolas and Aragorn...it was kinda tricky to write. Well, I think I'm all caught up with you! I really loved each and every review you gave me and your wonderful compliments! Hope to hear from you again!
Bill the Pony2: Thanks for the review! However, I don't really know what O.O means?! Can you help a terribly computer/internet illiterate ?!?
Tailspin: You really caught me off guard when you said you liked reading my review responses!! That's practically saying you like me...my craziness and all because these reviews are the closest thing you get to seeing the real me. I didn't even write anything in my bio section because I was scared to let someone know me. In short, or long as the case may be, I totally loved that you enjoy my responses to the reviews! Replying back to you is the least I can do for you in a way of a thank you for your wonderful support of my writing..and of me. Ah...so you are like me and need a "hurt/comfort fix" I'll take a "hit" everyday if I could find a steady supplier! So glad my writing was done well enough to satisfy that need in you! Thanks for your wonderful review and can't wait to hear what you thought of this chapter...there is that emotion hurt/comfort scene in here...how was it?
Korieana: Well Aragorn had four elves that would have gladly taken an arrow for him but they were too far away!?!? But Elrond did make himself awfully vulnerable when he saved Aragorn! Yes, forgiveness is springing up everywhere...hope it doesn't seem to be coming too easily. Love to hear your thoughts on this chapter!
Deana: Thanks for your wonderful review! Hope you liked this chapter as well!
Moonfire1: It's great to have Aragorn and Legolas back on track...they seem able to bring a happiness to every situation and everyone around them. And yes, Aragorn's walls are slowly being disintegrated and he is letting Elrond get closer to him...I think that knowing he could die in his upcoming confrontation with Barion does a lot to soften his attitude. I was deviously pleased that you thought I leave the "most evil cliffhangers"! Thanks! Can't wait to hear what you thought of this chapter!!
Marbienl: I was happy that you liked my cute Legolas and Aragorn scenes! You know I'm just a sap at heart. Yes, Aragorn is opening himself more to Elrond but it goes against his instincts of self preservation. Your "frog in boiling water" theory seems right on the money to me. How many times in life we "stew" on our emotions instead of trying to resolve the issues that prompted them. You certainly are devoted to Aragorn...I mean you would have taken the arrow for him! Good thing Elrond saved Aragorn ...and without injury...well Aragorn got that little itty bitty scratch on his arm but that's nothing for our fearless ranger. Thanks for giving me permission to use your "fading light" scene in another story which is set during FOTR where Legolas has to decide where his loyalties lie- with Frodo and the mission or to Aragorn. Sound interesting? As for how many plot bunnies I have...two decently fleshed out ones but who knows if I'll ever post them. I'm kinda flighty and I might branch off into another story. Well, as always, it was pure pleasure reading your comments so keep them coming!
Someone Reading: Sorry that this post was NOT quick in coming but getting Aragorn into danger was a LOT easier than getting him out of it (just ask Legolas). I love how you tell me your emotions when you read the chapter! That kind of feedback is wonderful! I too love when Aragorn and Legolas are secure in their friendship and do all that bantering. As you noticed Elrond is slowly edging back into Aragorn's heart but it's all hard work. So I surprised you again with my little battle in the camp!! I love that I could do that! Yes, I truly gave you a nasty cliffie and then I had the nerve to make you wait all this time! I think I better lay low for awhile! But you guess who would save Aragorn! Elrond to the rescue! Those protective instincts can't be ignored you know. Thanks so much for your wonderful comments and I anxiously awaiting for review for this chapter!
Lady of the Lake2: I LOVED seeing your name come up on my reviews! I'm touched that you took time out of your hectic life to review!! And your muse and mine are very similar but my Aragorn is wearing leather...sorry I have a leather fetish. I was overjoyed that you thought the chapter was awesome!!!! I agree, Elrond did win a round with Aragorn when his son allowed him to tag along with the travelers and didn't even object too harshly when Elrond told the reasons he would protect him. I had to laugh when you reminisced about your Rick Springfield's fantasy because I was all into Rick too! Boy are we like separate sisters at birth or what!?!?! I really appreciated your insight about the scene where Elrond tends to Aragorn and Aragorn feels that sense of protection. I was hoping I was expressing the emotions well enough to send that message to the reader...the message you just elegantly explained in your review! I think Elrond would have loved to take your advice and drug Aragorn and under other circumstances he probably would have! Ops...I guess the gods weren't being too merciful because it took me a heck of a long time to write this chapter and post it!! I think my muse was punishing me for even thinking about bringing more pain to Aragorn. It was a wonderful treat to get your review and hear your thoughts!!! I'll drop you an email soon, mellon nin!
Sielge: Thank you for your wonderful review! And see, Elrond came to Aragorn's rescue and he only got that tiny scratch...but then there's the torn stitches. Ok I guess I wasn't too kind to him after all but did you truly want me to be? Looking forward to your next review.
Grumpy: I was so glad that I set up two situations that you really liked: Legolas and Aragorn regaining their friendship and Aragorn comforted by his father's touch. If I had to choose...gosh I'm a sap I loved them both! I sadly neglected the twins this chapter but they'll get more "air time" next chapter...when I write it of course. You're right, Elrond's healing supplies are in need, as is his healing skills as well as the twins'. Elrond will put his skills to good use next chapter when he gets to restitch his son's wounds. Thank you for your wonderful review and I'm on pins and needles to see if you like this chapter!
Soul of the Evenstar: I am very flattered that you read and reviewed Mire and then starting to read this story!! However it seems we're off to a bad start because of my dastardly evil cliffie..but see no real cliffie this chapter?! And thank you for not throwing anything...I don't think I write well with a concussion...but then again if Aragorn came to take care of me...go ahead throw something at me! Thank you so much for your wonderful review and I hope to hear from you again!
Elvingirl3737: Whew! I almost called an ambulance for you...glad you saw that if you're dead you can't find out what happens to Aragorn! I earned double bonus for my Legolas and Aragorn reconciliation scene?!?? I love that because I really liked that scene myself and hoped it sounded plausible to everyone else. Sorry that the twins weren't in this chapter very much but hey, Elladan did shoot the man who was about ready to launch another arrow at his little brother. The twins are a riot to write and it's fun to attribute certain characteristics to each of them. Yes, Elrond will go to some lengths to protect Aragorn...what lengths are still to be determined, even by me and I'm writing this story! (scary huh?) Thanks for your wonderful comments and hope you don't send Arnie in the guise of the terminator after me for the long time I made you wait for this chapter!
No Big Deal: I was jumping around rereading your review! Thank you for your wonderful compliments! They got me all sappy! I'm really struggling to make everyone's emotions realistic so it made me very happy when you said you thought my recovery of Aragorn and Legolas' friendship was "dead on"! And it's hard to know which name to throw in to match the emotions of the situation...because I think the names they use really expresses how they feel at the moment in time. I couldn't help myself...I had to put in that "too sweet" scene where Aragorn fails asleep under his father's touch. Did I warn you already that I'm a sap?! Me? More cliffie in mind?! Could be. I liked that you termed my cliffie "the sickly the most heinous thing you've done yet". Thank you! I knew I should not have let it known that I like happy endings..but I still got your attention with the arrow flying toward Aragorn's heart all the same. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter!
Lenneth: You were looking for more angst and I gave it to you in this chapter! Hope you liked it! I too enjoy having Aragorn and Legolas back to being friends...it hurts to see them at odds with each other. I am very flattered that you think the story is getting better and better! But you have me very curious as which chapter is your favorite...do tell! Thanks for letting me get you worked up over this story! I love hearing from you!
Elven Kitten: Thank you for your wonderful compliments...but what, no lick of the dipped Aragorn? Is was the cliffie right? That's what spoiled that treat for me?!?! See, no cliffie this chapter so how about a lick?
Et-Spiritus-sancti: Thanks for your wonderful supportive review! Glad you liked that Aragorn and Legolas's relationship was mending and that you can understand that Elrond and Aragorn's relationship is not that easy to fix but it's getting better. It's truly wonderful to hear that you think I'm keeping Aragorn "realistically and understandably mad at Elrond." Thanks for saying my battle scenes are "wonderfully written"!!! They certainly are hard work but I'm an action junkie so I've watched enough of them on screen to make a half decent attempt. Even still, I don't know technical terms for the sword fighting and trying to track the action while keeping the reader aware of the bigger picture is incredibly tough. So glad all my efforts are not wasted on you!!! Thanks for understanding my delays in post and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter!
LaurelinX: I really appreciated your wonderful review! You gave me a terrific compliment by saying the emotions do not seem artificial or exaggerated! I try to keep the characters reacting like I would...or should. I was touched that you reread parts of the chapter! It really makes me feel like my attention to the little interactions isn't a bore but a pleasure. Me personally, I love seeing the little gestures...they speak louder than the big ones most of the time. As for Elrond's rejection of Aragorn, I think you are right, he's reacting out of a self preservative instinct after all, he knows so much loss in his life why set himself up for more. Good thing our favorite ranger slipped past his barriers! Thanks so much for telling me your thoughts and I would love to hear from you again.
BM originally: I'm very pleased that you feel the story is getting better and better! And yes, Aragorn is finally beginning to get out of the haze he was in and see that the people around him love him dearly, no matter how they all came to be together. You were right! Elrond did protect his mortal son and though he didn't get injured he did make himself awful vulnerable, which has to have impacted Aragorn whether he wants to admit it or not. That is so awesome that you are a Christian!!! At first I wasn't sure if I should even post anything...it felt kind of like I was sending out the wrong message with all the violence but I think the point is, we are all humans and have our fault. Plus, goodness knows there were battles galore in the biblical times so violence is not new to Christians. And sorry to say, that published author is not me. I again have run into a conflict in trying to write a truly Christian story because I feel guilty if any of the characters act in any way unchristian like...it feels like I'm setting a bad example for all the readers. Thank you so much for telling me you are a Christian because that just makes your opinions dearer to me! So keep those opinions coming!
Viggomaniac: You sure know how to flatter me and I'm eating it up! I know about that need for a story to continue...that's why I started writing stories about my favorite tv shows when I was a kid. Of course I didn't think anyone else in the world was doing something as crazy as that and kept that habit hidden from even my family. I'm so glad I met a friend who wrote stories and then I found fanfiction on the internet and I felt I finally wasn't so alone in the world! Glad you liked my sappy scenes last chapter...I can't help myself..they are the reason I take up pen and paper and write these crazy stories. And as promised, I threw in some nice ranger angst in this newest chapter. Did I do well? You were so right on the money when you guessed Elrond was going to save Aragorn. I can't fool you on anything! Sorry that I made you suffer so long for the update but I hope it was worth it! I'm doing my own suffering now...waiting to get your review!
Beling: What an incredible review you gave me! Thank you!! Glad you liked my "chuckles" in last chapter and I agree, it felt good to get some relief from the tension. And you saw everything between Aragorn and Legolas the way I had intended you to..the doubts, the fears, the fun, the stubbornness of both of them and the undying loyalty. Elladan and Elrohir are a pleasure to write so I'm happy that you enjoy them. I do feel sorry for them, they've been caught in the middle of all this and yet they are helpless to get things back on track...for them or for their father. The mending has to come from Aragorn and Elrond and then they can benefit from that reconciliation. Hoping and waiting is never a fun task. So I did use the right words to describe Elrond! It was a struggle to pin him down because he's gone through so much and you are right, he desperately wants to latch unto that slim tie with Aragorn but fears that he could sever it in the process. Lucky for him, he has those healing talents and therefore got the opportunity to tend to his son and slip in some much needed comfort. You were right, all of the four elves would have taken the arrow for Aragorn...lucky for us all that none of them had to. You are very wise yourself for I too believe words wound sometimes too deeply to be forgotten or taken lightly. I just couldn't resist having Legolas lead Aragorn back to his family and I just felt Aragorn was feeling too vulnerable to not clutch to the connection the others offered him..even if he wouldn't qualify that connection as love at the moment. I chuckled when you said you laughed at the three elves trying to pretend they weren't eavesdropping when we all know they were. I'm looking forward to your reaction to his chapter!
Tychen: No need to apologize I'm just thrilled to get your review. Your vacation sounds like it was awesome! I was happy to hear that you liked how I orchestrated Legolas and Aragorn's reconciliation, a little pain always seems to be a good way to bridge the gaps. And yes, Elrond is trying hard, is literally walking on eggshells around Aragorn and willing to sacrifice greatly to get his son back. Boy am I glad you value our friendship or else, I fear. I woulda been a goner! Thanks for your wonderful review and sharing your thoughts!
Nefhiriel: I think Aragorn's come a long way since emerging from that tomb and is starting to be able to work through all the emotions the current events have evoked from him. I'm envious of your relationship with your sister if it matches Aragorn and Legolas's. Sounds like you have a great time together and really care about one another! So happy that you liked the reunion and the friendly arguing that went on between the two friends! You are very perceptive of Elladan and Elrohir's pain in being able to aid their human brother..maybe for the first time. Yes, Elrond does have a hard decision to make ..if it comes to that...save his son's life and lose his son's love. Now that's a choice I would hate to have to make! And I totally understand your wanting anonymity...have you seen my bio page...It's blank. I like a little mystery myself. However, I seem to blow all that security when I write these responses to reviews and reveal my true self. Drat..I'm foiled again by my own chattiness. I'm getting the feeling you didn't appreciate the "ending" of the chapter...I'm perceptive like that. Hope this chapter was long enough to make up for that cruelty and see no cliffie. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with me and giving me such wonderful compliments.
Thanks for your patience with me! This chapter was just a monster to write ! Thanks for reading and a special thanks to all my reviewers!
Cheryl W.