Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story… apart from my overactive imagination, the OC's that appear, the word processor used to type this, my computer, and my ff.net ID. XD Wow. I feel so… important. big cheesy grin
As usual, this is AU and will eventually be mildly slashy… Then again, the slashy bits don't start to show until a few chapters later. So anti-slash people: your eyes won't drop out nor will your brain explode if you read this. XD
Chapter 2: Catalyst20 years later
The market place was alive with shouts and various animal sounds. People jostled each other, trying to get out of the sweltering sun by finding refuge in the numerous inns that lined the narrow road. Despite the heat, a young man strode confidently down the busy street with the hood of his weathered cloak pulled over his head and covering his eyes. Those who passed him clucked their tongues and shook their heads at his idiocy, before they continued on their way to finish their business before the sun set.
"Strider! Strider! Over here!" A young man waved energetically over the heads of the crowd as he sought to catch the Ranger's attention. Strider sighed, and starting squeezing his way through the sea of humans, eventually reaching him.
"No need to cause such a commotion, Tyan," Strider muttered to the young man as he pushed him into the inn behind them. "There's no point in announcing our presence to the whole world."
Tyan blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dimmer lighting inside the inn, then grinned and shrugged. "Couldn't help it, that's just the way I am." Catching sight of the innkeeper, he immediately starting his, as Strider dubbed it, 'wave-and-shout' routine: "Hey! Mister! Got any room for two?"
Strider groaned and did his best to resist the urge to throttle the younger man, who certainly held a strong belief in carrying out as many conversations as possible at the top of his healthy, young lungs.
"Next time his father asks, I'm not taking him out to train him anymore," Strider muttered darkly to himself.
: : : : :
After they had been served and taken a swig out of the large mugs of ale the innkeeper had placed before them, Strider fixed his steely gray eyes on his younger companion and said, "I trust you had no difficulty in getting your supplies for your trip back home?"
Tyan nodded with a proud look on his face, "Hey, small matter, I settled it all in an hour or so. But…"
Strider raised an eyebrow with a sinking feeling in his stomach. "But?"
Tyan set his mug down with a thump and leaned forward with an uncomfortable look on his face. "Well, see, after I finished with my supplies, this boy, couldn't have been more than ten, my brother's age really, looked almost like him, except my brother has brown eyes and is taller - "
"Tyan," Strider interrupted, "Get to the point."
"The point. Right. The point. Where was I… Ah, yes. The boy comes running up to me and asks if I wanted to buy a painting of some sort. I told him that I wasn't interested, but if he wanted money I could give him some, 'cos he was dressed real ragged, like, but he seemed too proud to beg outright. Anyway, he was real stubborn too, said that he wouldn't take without giving and that he only had an old grandfather left, so he asked whether I was interested in buying this painting to help them. He wanted twenty silver pieces for it, but I only had ten so I, uh, was wondering whether I could borrow the money from you."
Tyan was an interesting shade of red now and Strider had a bad feeling that the story was far from over.
"That's not all is it?"
"Err, well, no." Tyan shifted uncomfortably in his seat and started talking very quickly. "I sort of gave him my things to hold as a pledge that I'd come back with the remainder of the money. I'm supposed to go to his house tomorrow and do an exchange, see?"
Strider didn't know whether he wanted to bang his own head on the wall behind him, or bang Tyan's head on said wall, at the young man's stupidity. It was amazing that the same person who showed promise in becoming an outstanding Ranger also possessed the ability to not think.
"Let me get this straight: you gave all your belongings to a stranger?"
"Yes."
"Did you see this painting which you happily bought without a moment's consideration?"
"Err, no."
"Did you go to his house, find out where he lived, whether he was leading you on? Anything?"
"Well… no."
"WHAT?!" Strider felt like having a hyperventilating fit right there and then.
Tyan immediately tried to placate the older man. "Look, it can't hurt to trust people every now and then, right?"
Strider glared at him. "I hope for your sake the boy was telling the truth. I would not want to be you and explain how you lost all your money and possessions to your father when you get back home."
Tyan grinned and slapped Strider on the back, almost sending him face-first into his mug of ale. "Thanks, man! I knew I could count on you. So, could I borrow the money?"
Strider glared at him once more as he counted out the coins and handed them over, thinking, 'By the Valar, what did I do to get stuck with training this… this… Orc-brained fool of a Ranger!'
: : : : :
The next morning…
"Let's see, turn left here to reach the sign… no, I think it was right… but there's no sign, maybe it was the next street? Oh wait, I think it's back there. Sorry, Strider, didn't see you there."
Strider followed behind the muttering Tyan, who had just stepped on his toes for the fifth time, hands itching to wrap around that young man's neck and strangle him. Thanks to him, they had spent the better part of the morning navigating the rundown houses in the slums where the boy (supposedly) lived.
"Here we are," Tyan announced breezily, oblivious to the fact that he had led them down to several dead-ends before stopping so confidently before a particular house that looked no different from the others lining the alley. "I think."
Strider gave him a death glare as he stepped forward and knocked on the door, which looked like a sneeze would send it flying off its hinges and back to the woods where it came from.
A boy answered the (already open) door, his face lighting up when he saw Tyan. "You came! Please, come in." He stepped aside and ushered them in. "Grandpa! The man who wants to buy the painting is here!"
Strider snorted and said under his breath, "More like tricked into buying…"
The first thing they saw was a large object leaning against the wall, a dirty cloth that looked like it had once been a rich velvet brocade draped over its rectangular bulk. Sitting at its foot was a no less disreputable old man who sounded as though he was trying to cough his lungs out as he waved at the Rangers to take a seat.
Tyan pulled out the purse that held the ten coins he had borrowed from Strider and gave it to the boy. "Here you go. The money I promised you."
The boy poured them onto his palm and looked questioningly at his grandfather, who nodded. Immediately, the boy produced Tyan's belongings from somewhere and handed them to him.
"Well, lad, since you paid for the painting, it's yours. Take it and be gone now," the old man rasped, before he went into another coughing fit.
"It's not stolen, is it?" Strider asked suspiciously, as the healer in him assessed the old man's condition.
"No, no! Of course not. We may be poor but we would never do such a thing!" The boy exclaimed. "It's ours, really, from the days when we had a better life, before my parents were killed and we were thrown out of our house. That painting is all we have left, but we couldn't sell it even though we really needed the money because, well, no one wanted to buy it. It's not one of those scenery things that people like, see. Lift the cover and you'll get what I mean."
Strider pulled the crumbling cover off the painting, expecting to find a sorry excuse for a painting comprising of a few uninspired blobs of paint on a largely empty canvas. Instead he saw himself staring eye-to-eye with the most realistic, full-sized portrait he had ever seen.
A blonde Elf dressed in a hunting tunic stood against a dark background of tree trunks, an arrow notched in his lowered bow, as though he had just deemed the viewer harmless the instant before his image was captured on canvas. Around him, the forest floor had been painted in such minute detail that one could almost smell the scent of the leaf litter on the forest floor and hear the rustling of the decaying leaves underfoot. The brilliant blue eyes staring back at the human were so real, that for a moment, Strider thought that he was facing an actual Elf as a strange thrill ran down his spine.
"See what I mean?" the boy stepped forward and reclaimed the cloth from Strider, throwing it back over the portrait and snapping him out of his trance-like state. "No one would buy a portrait of someone they didn't know. I'm sorry to have lied to you." He glanced at Tyan, guilt written over his features.
Tyan smiled and waved it away. "Small matter, young one."
Strider looked thoughtfully at the young boy, then at the old man in the corner, still coughing hoarsely. He sighed and shook his head. "Let us be going, Tyan. Your brother will be here soon." He picked up the portrait, marveling at how light it was despite its bulky size, then gestured for Tyan to leave before him. As the boy closed the door behind him, Strider laid a hand gently on it and said softly, "Child, your grandfather…"
The boy replied quickly with eyes that were too bright, "Yes, I know. That's why I wanted to sell the portrait and get some money, see? I also wanted him to know that it was in good hands before he… and the money will come in handy too."
Strider smiled sadly. "You're a brave lad. I'm sorry there isn't anything we can do to help. It's too late for that now."
The boy nodded, then scrubbed his face with a filthy hand. "Well, guess I better go see to him now. Safe journey, kind sirs. And, thank you."
: : : : :
The return journey to the inn was mostly in silence. Finally, as they neared their destination, Strider, still carrying the painting, asked Tyan, "So, may I know exactly what you are going to do with this painting of yours?"
Tyan laughed sheepishly. "Well, actually, I hadn't thought about that. If you want, you can have it. I don't think my father would be very happy to have that in our house… it's cramped enough as it is without me bringing home more rubbish, as he would probably call it."
Strider rolled his eyes as he counted out ten pieces of silver and gave them to the young man. "Take it, it'll make me feel better and you won't have to go home with an empty purse." 'And empty head,' he added mentally, 'although the last can't be helped.'
Tyan grinned. "Thanks, Strider. You really are something you know? I hope I get to go out on these training things with you again. Oh look! There's my brother!"
Strider turned pale at the thought of having to spend another month or two at the mercy of his companion, then shook his head ruefully as Tyan started his usual routine as he dashed towards his elder brother. He finally understood why Tyan's father had insisted on sending his oldest son to pick Tyan up and save Strider the trouble of seeing his charge home, then doubling back to Rivendell…
He had probably been gifted with foresight and deduced that his younger son would not make it back home alive in the hands of the esteemed Ranger, Strider, whose greatest wish was to free the world from his charge's un-intelligence.
: : : : :
After seeing the pair off, Strider, also known to his family as Estel, set about the task of packing his bags and making preparations for his own departure. Somehow, he couldn't help wondering in his turn what his father would say when he saw the portrait of the blonde stranger his Human son had brought home.
: : : : :
TBC
Author's notes:
Yay! Another chapter up!!! streamers and balloons I kinda like this chapter, Tyan is so… hyper and crappy… wait, maybe that's why I like him, he reminds me of myself… O.o Come to think of it, for a story whose secondary genre is 'Drama', it is very… crazy. And I swear I wasn't exactly high on sugar while writing it though… Ah well, enjoy the calm before the storm. I think things will get really dramatic closer to the end. wink
The history behind Tyan's name: how did you guess? I didn't come up with it myself! It's a… err… I think it's a brand name… thinks Yup, it's either a company or fashion brand label. I 'stole' it while working at a tax refund company; I was supposed to print, cut and bind those tax refund forms tourists fill out after helping to boost the economy a.k.a. shopping. My job was pretty mundane, so I amused myself by looking for interesting shop names. Like, there was one called… 'Manly Fashion' or something like that. rofl Ahem. Back to the topic. Tyan's name doth not belong to yours truly, but the character does. XD
Finally, things are starting to move. Leggy darling will be making his appearance soon, so let the slash begin! whoops and jumps around Still trying to up the interaction between them in the later chapters, but… ah, I'll complain about it when those chapters are posted. No point doing it now, cos all you nice readers (note my pathetic attempt at flattery) won't understand what I'm complaining about now. Not when everything is still nice and innocent. ;P
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the next chapter in another 2 weeks! Oh, and remember, R-E-V-I-E-W!! XD
Review replies: (OMG, I got a huge shock when I opened my mailbox the day after posting the previous chapter and found 9 reviews sitting there… I've never ever gotten THAT many at a go before! Needless to say, this is one record breaker number of reviews received… total of 12! I LOOOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!)
Rach: lol Thanks for the concern. Don't worry, I don't think I'll be hit by a writer's block anytime soon. crosses fingers There will be slash, eventually and most definitely. That's a promise. But it's the degree of slash that's bothering me now… so I'm trying to up it. XD
Sielge: Tada! Next chapter is served. Hope it's as interesting as the previous ones. I tend to go on hyper editing sprees sometimes… ;P
Toby7: Update, update, la la la la la!!! Oh dear, shouldn't have eaten those double choc chip cookies before writing this……
(the person with the smiley face… in case the symbols don't show thanks to ff.net.): Thanks! Well, Estel's all grown up now and ready to get into trouble! Err… I mean, get on with the quest. whistles
Blade6: Hee hee, thanks! This is my biggest project ever, so I'm glad that the details aren't too boring/overdone. I tend to get a little too particular about some stuff… and my overactive imagination refuses to be written down properly like a good little plot bunny. XP
IgnorantSkittle: Cute name! XD Ahem. Erm, as to why I don't post all the chapters I've written… well, I guess it's because my ego wants to be petted by getting as many reviews as possible, and not everyone is nice enough to want to review every chapter like you said you'd do. XD Ok, that's partly true, but main reason is because the later chapters aren't very polished yet, and there're some events in them that I prefer to keep hidden, so I can change them at whim before posting, because they tie in with the stuff I'm writing now. Makes my life easier 'cos I'll make less glaring mistakes that way.
Silvertoekee: Hehz, I like your summary of my story… Yup, Estel is the only one who can 'make Legolas whole again' spaces off at the connotation Ahem. The mystery of Danin and Legolas will be disclosed shortly… stay tuned! (did that sound cheesy or what… rofl)
Losing Grip: Thanks! And here's the update! XD btw, are you an Avril Lavigne fan? Or is it just mere coincidence?
Lillybeth1: Haha… no worries, they'll end up together… how could I bear to deprive them of each other? wink it's one of the reasons why I excluded Arwen… cos when she's around I find it rather cumbersome to have to navigate around her (Fat cow! Wahahahaha! Evil me.) to make the story remotely believable.
Snuffles2: bounces Thanks for the ego-inflation!!! XD I think soon I won't be able to fit into my chair to continue writing, but hey, anything that makes me happy!! bounces some more Hope you like this chapter!
Partheon: No kidding! I thought I'd be the only one who manages to drag the plot behind 'The Portrait of Dorian Gray' and turn it into a fic! Glad to know that I'm not alone in my quest to corrupt the world! evil laughter err.. pretend you didn't hear that. Anyway, glad you like the story so far, hope you'll like it all the way to the end, cos it might get a leetle bizarre. wink no more spoilers. zips mouth
Nightshade3: Lol Relax! I'm writing as furiously as possible while stalling for time with my fortnightly updates. Current total chapter count stands at 18 (and rising), while total number written is 14 and a bit. Good enough progress? peace sign Don't worry, even if there's the dreaded writer's block, this should tide me over for at least 3 months. XD
One more thing, to all the American readers (and whom it may concern) out there, Happy 4th of July! (Don't know much about it apart from watching 'Independence Day', cos I live on the other side of the globe.)