There is a warning for this chapter: Get a a box of tissues handy. Just a thought, you know?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Faith Just Seems So Small

Legolas resisted the nearly overwhelming urge to cough as he was shoved along through an intense crowd of people. The room was fogged with smoke, the stench of which inflamed the Elf's pulsing headache. Everything was spinning. Men were talking all at once and they were loud and obnoxious. As he looked at them he saw that they wee miners and ranged from mid thirties to upper sixties and seventies even.

The room was small and the walls were made of stone and wooden boards. It was an old mine shaft no longer in the service of its purpose, but being used as an underground chamber for the fighting arena. Lanterns lit the place, casting flickering reflections on the walls and odd shadows danced and paraded about the room.

As they watched the Elf being shoved through them in chains they could not help but stare at the tall, blond being. The fact that he was shirtless and his back streaked with welts and bruises lead them to believe he had to be fierce and terrible.

He saw men handing each other money as they cast their bets for the one whom they thought was going to be the winner. Legolas felt sick, but he also felt hardened and angry.

He found himself on the edge of a large pit with a straw covered bottom. He jerked away from the edge as he was pushed so his boot toes were already over it. His wide and degenerate blue eyes looked at Calmir, who was pressed up behind him. The man whispered into the Elf's ear, "once you are in that pit you are on your own. To survive you must win, if you loose, though you may survive the fight, I will personally slay you later, or make you wish you were dead. Am I clear?"

Legolas said with a snarl, "I will never fight for you. I do not kill for pleasure."

Calmir's face went expressionless and he asked, "do you kill to live?" Then he shoved Legolas over the edge just as on the other side a large warg was released. The man watched as the Elf took a defensive stance and watched the creature with vehement eyes. Crossing his arms, the man whispered, "I dare you to lose Elf; I dare you!"

Legolas did not wish to kill. No; he did not want to spill innocent blood. He felt like he was going to be ill and his strength wavered for a moment. The warg lunged with its maw gaping open and Legolas dodged, but he was not going to fight it. Yes; it would not be horrible to kill a warg, but where would the killing end? He wanted it to be over before it started.

He knew everybody was watching him and he felt utter loathing for the position he was in. He was not going to compromise himself and surrender his essence to their hands. He would die first. A promise lived within him now like a fierce fire and he was not going to let it burn out.

Legolas crouched as the warg leaped at him. Thinking he was going to be quick enough, The Elf tried to roll clear of the crushing monster he was insufficiently pitted against, but he was weary and the warg's long and thick claws ripped the flesh of his right hip and dragged down his leg to about the knee. He hissed and fell to the floor. But the warg was not finished with him and he watched with narrowed eyes as the beast growled and came at him again like a cat would a mouse. Legolas tried to get out of the way, but he had not the speed he used to have and he felt fear pulse through him in a wave as he realized he was still loosing strength in the crimson torrents of his blood.

Some time later, all was quiet.

The crowds were gone now and a lone figure lay in the straw, his own blood staining the ground around him. Legolas Greenleaf raised his eyes up to see smoke and dust filtering through the air near the lantern. His whole body hurt and his ripped leg was throbbing as well as pulsing rich blood. Hewas too weak to do much of anything, even breath.

He felt dizzy and kept his head against the ground, for fear if he shifted it, he would faint. His blonde hair hung in sweaty, wet clumps and strands over his neck and face which were clammy and cold with sweat that was as wet as water.

Calmir stood outside the pit, scowling darkly as he watched his prisoner. The Elf had not even tried, he did not deserve mercy. This blonde whelp did not deserve to live, but he knew that if he killed the Elf, that the fair being would be too close to a martyr for comfort. So what was he to do? The warg had had her way with him and Calmir was furious. Even that was a severe understatement. Words could not explain the depths of his devote wrath.

The leaped down into the pit and Legolas looked with out moving his head in the direction of the shuffling straw. Calmir just sneered, "so you lost Elf?" he asked in a growl.

As he walked over, he stared with cold and hard eyes at the prince's leg wound. Legolas drew a breath that made his body tremble. Breathing was a torment and Calmir knew it, but he was going to make this Elf's life a Hell for loosing. Going over, he drove his boot as hard as possible in the aching ribs of the blonde Elf.

The blow was stunning and Legolas gave a cry as he felt the agony pulse up and down his side and nearly stop all breathing. Calmir then bent down and gripped Legolas by his hair and yanked the Elf's head up with an unhealthy and dangerous look in his face. "You dared to defy me Elf?" he asked suspiciously.

Legolas said with some difficulty, "I do with all my being." Calmir slammed the Elf's head into the ground and the golden-haired fair-being saw stars before his eyes and for a moment he threatened to slide into black. But as he defied Calmir, he defied the darkness. He looked at the man and saw that Calmir's face was red with wrath.

"Do you enjoy life Legolas?" asked Calmir in a disquietingly calm voice. He snarled his fingers in the prince's hair and pulled the Elf's pale face up near his and said, "well you won't when I am finished with you. Remember this, you are nonessential and right now I am choosing to show you generosity." He then used the golden tresses as a handle to flip the prince onto his back and then he backslapped Legolas across the face.

Rising up, his dark and haunting glare never left the Elf. Legolas got back onto his stomach and tried to rise but his deep wound prevented it and he fell upon the aching and weaklimb. Calmir took upon the look of one that utterly loathes another and has no pity for that unfortunate being that was placed at his mercy. "You are a worthless Elf!"the man screamed at him.

He walked over to where the Elf was antagonistically trying to rise, and slammed his foot into the prince's side again. Legolas nearly faltered and coughed as he felt a rib crack at the impact. The Elf hit the earth and elevated his eyes to look at the man who wished no less than to see him writhing and screaming in agony. Legolas was never going to give the satisfaction

Calmir laughed and said, "you are weak, but you will not die yet. No, you will not die here. You shall die in the mines, digging and pulling carts until your back breaks and your life's purpose is utterly spent."

Reaching down, he pulled Legolas up by his arm and when the prince's leg gave way he just said, "get up you lazy scum" He slammed his foot into the immortal's chest, finally tearing a cry from the prince. It was soft and low, but in this hollow place it echoed and Legolas felt shame begin to choke him.

Calmir drew back his boot again and struck with another vengeful and skillful impact on the chest of the prince but he missed a cry, for it never came. Legolas bit his tongue hard to suppress it. His eyes remained open, transfixed upon the man who was tormenting him. They were jaded, but strength hidden glittered behind them. "I will see that you dig up every once of money I lost in iron delved from these rocks!"

Legolas just went limp on the ground and Calmir grabbed his throat, "why don't you fight? Are you stupid, or just plain weak?" The man was thoroughly embarrassed. He had been humiliated in front of all the other men when his Elf was defeated by a warg! But that was not all of it. Now this lazy being was defying everything he was being tormented with and it was enough to make a haze of red go before Calmir's eyes.

Legolas spoke not a word, determined not to let this barbarian man get to him and he knew that his words would be twisted. There was no point in talking if one would not listen, so he did nothing but look up at Calmir with an emotionless face. This irked the human, who pressed in tighter on the helpless Elf's throat. He watched as the prince's irises grew and the black of his eyes swelled as well. Yet the face was still dead of emotion and he perceived that he would not ever be able to break this Elf.

Legolas had been through worse at the hands of orcs, but he was not going to give this man a goal to reach by coming forth and stating it. However, the way this man was acting, he was close enough to an orc already...Legolas feared he was resembling one a little too much for his comfort.

A serene yet scornful and nearly musical voice said from above, "you are going to strangle that Elf if you grip any tighter. Do you not want him alive?"

Both in the pit swiveled their eyes upward to see a young woman standing there. She had to be about twenty and she had long auburn hair that came down to her waist. Her eyes were a clear gray color that glittered with an ice like tone to them. She raised her chin and said, "give him time Calmir." She smiled and said, "everybody and everything says they will not fight, that is until they get into the ring once or twice and then they do; they fight with a vengeance." She quirked a slender red brow and said, "you know this. You have seen it before." She laughed with a cold timbre to her voice and said, "you are so inefficient."

"Sister, you do not belong here." His grip on Legolas' throat lessened and the Elf could breathe again. He watched this odd exchange between the two siblings with great interest. Calmir's hands had grown oddly cold and trembled slightly. "What are you doing here?"

"You left me at home to watch over a deserted farm, that of which a more accurate description would be 'chunk of worthless land'. To top that all off it is winter and all the men, including yourself, are here mining in the rocks for more rocks that aren't even worth much of anything anymore!" she seethed, a fire rising in her eyes with a deadly glow as her voice rose to a high and yet calm level. "Do you expect me stay there?" She all but spat at him; "you are a fool!"

Calmir frowned and snapped, "you should not be here! You need to leave!" He pressed Legolas to the ground and set a knee between the prince's shoulder blades. "This is none of your business! I command you to go home!"

The lady laughed again and it was heartless, "I am going no where! Do you think I am stupid?" she asked with an agitated phonation. She then said with a raised chin, "you have no power over me. And had I not promised mother on her death bed I wouldn't abandon you to scratch a living off whatever scheme comes into your mind, I would be gone and married with a family that cares about me." Nearly gliding across the floor with graceful walking, she began to walk away. As she did, she took her heal and kicked a clod of dirt into the pit. Her aim was a bit off and it scarcely missed Calmir's head. He could hear and feel is sail directly by his ear.

Calmir called back to her, "Elméra you come back now!" She did not answer, but opened the door that led to the place where the animals and various prisoners were kept and the stair way lead upwards to the outside world of the small mining town.

Calmir looked down at Legolas and the prince thought for a moment he was about to be strangled. Instead he had no time to move as Calmir's fist slammed into his jaw. Anger that had built up inside the human vented out through an extremely painful blow to the Elf prince's face. Legolas did not cry out but pain was evident on his features and a dark bruise was already forming on his right lower jaw. He snarled back, "that was completely uncalled for!"

Calmir smiled insanely, "glad you noticed Elf!"

Elméra walked along the groups of cages, careful not to get too close. She hated this place; she hated the men. As she walked by, Rothinzil slowly raised his head to look at her and she stopped by him. "Did he catch you too?" she asked with narrowed eyes that glowed beneath her thick lashes.

Roth said nothing at first and then said, "do not play with me!" The Elf shifted to try and turn away and there was the clinking of irons as his shackles hit the floor. He felt so miserable and alone. He felt her cold and slender handslide underhis chin gently and she forced him to look into her eyes.

"I would never tease you like a boy poking at a cat. It is unlady like and very immature for anyone. I acquire no gratification from it." She looked into his eyes that stared unwavering y back at hers and said, "you are proud. But tell me, your companion is the blonde one, yes?" She dropped her hand and crouched by him.

Roth nearly jumped at the mention of Legolas but he contained himself and his fear for his companion. What did it matter to her who he was friends with and who he knew? "Perhaps. What if I say yes?"

"Then I shall hold that in high regard. For it is more than clear he is of distinguished lineage." Her voice had the clear and comforting ring of truth in it and Rothinzil felt that she was one whom he could place his trust in.

"And if I say no?"

She smiled grimly, "I would call you a liar." Her voice had a near laugh to it and was still like ice.

But before they could hold further conversation a voice called out, " Elméra!" And she stood up swiftly and her eyes darted over her shoulder.

"If my brother catches me speaking with you, it will go ill for the both of us. " She looked at him and smiled, "may this not be our last farewell." On that occasion, she pulled up the hood of her vermilion shaded mantle and hastened over to where the stair case was. Thereupon, she climbed swiftly and Roth watched as light poured from the door at the top.

Calmir stormed in with his face tinted with what could easily be called an unwholesome shade of rust-colored purple. He saw Rothinzil and he walked slowly over with his hands clenched at his sides. "Elf," he began thickly, "did you see a woman come in here?"

Roth raised on brow and asked, "why would I tell you if I did?" His face showed no fear, though inside he was terrified. But the fact that his man was looking for her in such a fashion did not comfort him and he was sure that if Calmir found her she would be in much more than 'hot water'.

Calmir snarled, "because I will kill the one nearest you. The blonde Elf lives, for now. But he lost in the arena and I am angry enough to slay him. Elf, if you make me anymore angry, I may want to see some more blood spill from his veins." His voice went calm at the end and his whole deportment changed from wrathful to eerily peaceful and sedated.

Rothinzil said, "I would sooner make known to Morgoth in what direction she went than I would you!" Calmir glared and his eyes lit up again as he watched the immortal before him with malevolence that Roth had scarce seen an orc have.

He grabbed Roth's chin and held it tightly, "you will tell me, or else I will kill your friend and I can promise you I will be as slow and cruel about it as I can be. You will hear his dying screams and then, when that is over, you will be washed in what is left of his scarlet blood." The fell and insane glint in the man's eye made Rothinzil feel ill and he felt his breath longing to accelerate beyond its means.

"You wouldn't dare!' breathed Rothinzil with much difficulty. His eyes remained firm and he worked at making them hard.

"Do you really care to find out?" He asked and soon afterward he yelled, "bring in the blonde one!"

Kushor came in, halfway draggling Legolas with him. The prince was stumbling severely and his face was white. Sweat shimmered on his skin and haggard face. But he still looked rather defiant. His hands were behind his back, bound by thick rope and the bruise on his face made Rothinzil wince.

However, when he saw the ripped limb, he wanted to scream in sympathetic agony. It was still bleeding a little and he could tell from the way that Legolas tried to avoid putting pressure on it that it was a torment for him to walk on it. Legolas' long fair hair hung in his face in insipid strands and his eyes were glazed over in pain. Blood sported up and down his side in sunbursts. He also noticed that Legolas was shivering. It was winter after all and even though he was an Elf, being shirtless was not going to make it an easier for him to endure the cold. Mines are hardly ever heated with fires and are cold enough without sunlight.

Roth also noticed that bruises marred his prince's chest and over the lower right there was some swelling, a result of the fractured rib. Legolas' breathing was strong, but unpredictable because of the suffering he felt.

Calmir looked at Rothinzil and then smiled, "ready to tell me?" He got out his knife and fingered it nonchalantly as he eyed Legolas and then changed his gaze to fall upon Rothinzil. Legolas did not know what was going on, but he gave Rothinzil a stare that more than clearly said, 'do not surrender anything to him'.

Roth shivered and turned his head away. Calmir shrugged and went over to Legolas. He placed the cold metal tip of the knife at the top of the captive's sternum and pressed in slightly, intending to cut a crimson line don until he reached the end of the rib cage. Legolas tried to jerk away, but the blade pressed in more until he saw a bit of sanguine blood spring up from beneath it. He struggled further, but Kushor held him tightly against his chest with one hand around the Elf's waist and another ensnared in his limp hair.

Roth was about to give in when he heard a voice at the top of the stairs say, "Calmir you miserable bastard! Let them alone, for pity's sake!" All looked up to witness the young woman standing at the top of the stairs stony faced. Her eyes looked stormy and Calmir smiled and drew the blade down the prince's chest, slicing into the skin. He had created thus far an inch long cut when she shouted, "if you have a score to settle come up here and lets settle it!"

Calmir looked at Kushor and said, "take this Elf to the mines towards the back and put him to work pulling those carts. I want him in harness and pulling by the time I get back there!" Then he turned his gaze back up to Elméra and a dangerous look crossed his face. But he erased it quickly. "Sister, this is a dangerous place. People can get hurt down here. If you go back up those stairs and pretend you were never here, then we shall not mention this again."

She looked at her brother with a bitter look on her face and said, "then so it shall be, but I do not do this because you make me. Oh-no, this is my choice and it would do you no harm to remember that brother dear." She finished the last remark with an underlying sneer and subsequently she turned, disappearing back beyond the door to the world of light. After it was closed everything returned to the eerie glow cast by lanterns upon the walls of dirt and stone. The sound of the door closing echoed and Rothinzil closed his eyes. Legolas looked around briefly before being dragged off towards another door.

He did not struggle. First of all, it was not going to get him anywhere. Secondly, no matter how much he was loath to admit it, he was growing weary. He would fight later, when it really mattered, right now he had to concentrate on staying alive.

His eyes connected with Roth's and he said to his friend quietly so only an Elf's explicit hearing could make out the words, "Ulma dela Rothinzil. Lye nuquernuva sen!"

>>>>>>

It was getting near dusk when Glorfindel looked up at the sky and its lovely change of colors from a patchy gray, to a red orange tone. The snow reflected it and for a moment everything was serene and it was as though nothing was wrong. Erestor stood beside the Gondolin Elf, his was scowling. "I wonder if the River Anduin will even be crossable," he stated discouragingly as he watched more clouds gathering to the North. "It is likely to be botched up with ice flows!"

Glorfindel sighed and said, "I think you may be right. But we can at least try. I think if we are lucky, we will be able to turn back." His voice sounded quiet and his blue eyes shimmered as he continued to watch the sun sinking. He said at length, "we are nearing the town of Farlost now. I do desperately want to go there and see if Estel is well and if he has Legolas. But perhaps they already made it to Mirkwood and we cannot afford to get held up."

Erestor raised a brow in a fashion that reminded Glorfindel sharply of Elrond. "Are you we going to travel further then? The weather and your foolish snowball have delayed us long enough I think. It is also my opinion that we should compensate for the lost time." He then narrowed his eyes for substantial emphasis and flicked his head to shake dark strands of hair away from his clear face. They slithered down his shoulder and about his pointy ear in one fluid motion.

Glorfindel said with a near shrug, "I do not know. It is my opinion that we should rest and just travel more quickly tomorrow."

Erestor shook his head in objection and said, "no, let us go a little further tonight. Anyway, this open space is not exactly ideal for camping in. There is a hill over there, or my eyes are misinformed. Let go to the other side and stave off the wind with it," he reasoned. "Footsteps traveled today are ones that need not be tread tomorrow."

Glorfindel smiled wryly, "oft that is true on most occasions Lord Erestor. I am ready to rest now, but if you wish to travel about a half mile distant, then let us get started."

It was not longer than about twenty minutes before the pair were at the base of the hill and on the side opposite the wind. Glorfindel was looking around, for there were many large trees. But that was not his concern. He saw foot prints in the snow. And he saw a crimson trail leading down the hill from the top mixed into the snow as though someone had rolled down the hill with an injury. Wrinkling his smooth forehead, creating an unmistakable and disquieted crease between his brows, he looked at Erestor, who was also looking at the strange sight on the ground. Where they were standing seemed to mark the end of the trail. The blood stain looked as though it had had a chance to pool there for sometime.

Erestor asked Glorfindel in a low voice, "do you think...?"

Glorfindel shook his head and answered morosely, "let us hope not. I am not really in the mood for another escapade just yet, being with you is enough." He stared at the blood for a moment longer before saying, "do you suppose we should see if we can find whom it belongs to?"

His dark-haired companion thought for a moment. "Yes, for if it belongs to Prince Legolas or Estel they could be in dire need of aid." When do they not manage to find trouble?

Glorfindel looked at the counselor and said with a chafed inflection, "yes, that would be the general impression counselor of the obvious!"

Erestor glared at his traveling companion gloomily and said, "must you be so blunt? And anyway, when one travels with a fool, he must remember to always state everything as though the other does not know! That, is the reason why I say what I do."

Glorfindel rolled his eyes, "oh please! You do the same thing at council meetings! I swear by the Valar you act as though we are all ignoramuses and you are the most intelligent being on Middle Earth and the actuality is you are not!"

Erestor tipped his chin up and said, "Lord Glorfindel I most assuredly do not! You exaggerate yet again! But if I am speaking as such a imbecile, why am I the chief counselor and you are not?" he finished with an inquiry that he felt sure would tip the scale in this argument.

The said Lord Glorfindel nearly laughed at the absurdity of the inquisition. "I am a warrior! If I wanted to be a counselor, I would be one!" He had a bit of scorn in his voice and Erestor smiled in a sneer.

"And what makes you so convicted of your answer? Prove it Glorfindel! Oh, that's right...you can't!" he said flowingly as was his nature. His dark eyes had a challenge in them.

Glorfindel felt compelled to answer the challenge and said, "alright! Have it your way! If I am not head counselor (thus replacing you) at some point within the next few months, let us say...seven...I will call you 'master' for a week and serve you your dinner on a silver platter with a bow before leaving!"

"In front of everyone?"

"Of course!"

"Make it two weeks and you will wear something pink of color each day and you have yourself a deal," answered Erestor with a grin shining across his face that Glorfindel longed to wipe off. "I wait in great anticipation of your utter failure!"

"Erestor, you can dream. But If I win, you have to do something for me," said Glorfindel with a sly look in his deep blue eyes. He gave a wry smile that Erestor found to be anything but pleasant.

"Very well...I will shine your swords and replace the string on your bow..." he began.

"No...it has to be more humiliating that that! I am threatened with wearing pink! Though I wouldn't really call it a threat since it is a single chance in one-hundred that it will ever happen," wined Glorfindel.

"Well...how about I serve you your dinner dressed in bright green and call you 'your majesty' every night for three months!" answered Erestor serenely. He had no chances of loosing. Besides, Glorfindel had not put this into writing and anyway, he doubted that Elrond would allow it. The Lord of Rivendell would probably like to protet the reputaion of his refuge.

Glorfindel smiled and said, "I like that idea. But you must really expect to win if you say three months!"

"Glad you caught that, because I most assuredly do!" snorted Erestor with a smirk. He then pulled his hood back up around his face and said, "I can't explain it, but I feel as though we are being watched. You don't suppose the twins followed us, or even Ancu?" he asked with a scowl at the winter sky that was turning from the magnificent sunset, to a bleak night.

Glorfindel just sighed and said, "no; if they had followed us, that wargthat we fell earlier would have been dead much more quickly by one of their arrows a nd not only that, they can't stop themselves from laughing sooner or later. I also find it hard to believe that Ancu would disobey Elrond like that again. I mean, he is on probation after all," reasoned the yellow-haired Elf-lord concisely.

"But do you not feel eyes upon you every time you move?" asked Erestor, pressing the matter. He was really beginning to feel rather uncomfortable and unnerved. He never felt this way unless he and Glorfindel were forced to sit by each other during a council meeting and that was seldom.

Glorfindel shook his head and rich golden hair fell and swished about his shoulders, "it may be the trees." He looked at them as though they were suddenly going to reach out there cracking branches to grab him or with any luck strangle Erestor.

Erestor was not impressed and he said with a roll of his dark eyes, "I am not an Elfling anymore Glorfindel! Trees cannot watch, or stalk me! They do not scheme and they are most certainly not organized!"

The addressed Elf said, "just don't let Prince Legolas hear you say that! He would massacre both of us and not only that, he would do it slowly!" Glorfindel shuddered, imagining the young prince's reaction to the ill advised statement.

Erestor gave him a pitying look and said, "you exaggerate again. I really think that if I were to keep a record of all the times you over state something and got a gold coin for every incident I would be wealthier than the kings of old!"

Glorfindel raised a single brow and tilted his head to the side, looking at Erestor for a moment before saying with a smirk, "now who exaggerates, my friend?"

Erestor was about to make a sharp remark back but instead it looked as though he had ran head on into a brick wall. "What did you call me? Friend, was it?"

"I most certainly did not!" seethed Glorfindel. He could feel himself beginning to blush just a little and pulled his hood closer about his features. Erestor just smirked.

"What ever you say, friend." He then began to walk a little further when he saw a figure lying in the snow. He watched it for a moment until he felt Glorfindel's presence behind him. He then turned his head around and asked in a faint whisper, "what or who do you think it is?"

Glorfindel looked intensely with narrowed eyes at the still dark form on the ground and then he whispered in complete horror, "Estel!" Was this how Aragorn's journey had ended? That he never reached the town? Were Legolas and Rothinzil dead? Was everything that they had counted on to be well or mending lost? It was not true! Further more, it was not allowed to happen!

Erestor gulped and said, "I hope not. Elrond would kill us and he was actually the nicer one out of all you 'friends'!" The cou nselor moved as though to take a step forward and then halted and glanced back at Glorfindel asking, "are you going to look at him then?"

Glorfindel hesitated. He had sowed this horrible chance that his lord's foster son would die and now he had to reap the harvest of his actions. But it was such a burden and the said Elf was not sure he really wanted to know if that was in fact Aragorn. It was growing darker and soon they would not have a chance. Stepping lightly out further into the blackness; he strode up and stayed his buoyant steps beside the form.

It was Estel. He was lying face down in the snow, with his cloak half covering his body. The wind whipped the young Dúnadan's dark hair around in a way that resembled a bird's nest. To all appearances, Elrond's foster child seemed to be dead.

Blood was still fresh and shockingly bright red on his shoulder as well as down his arm and spilled onto his side. Glorfindel immediately recognized the signs of an arrow wound. But who would have shot Aragorn? What kind of men were they dealing with: were they even men? Neither of the Elf-lords could be confident and it disquieted them to their core. Erestor wrinkled his forehead and a concerned crinkle came between his dark and elegant brows.

Seeing something of this nature was not even distantly a part of his customary habitual. He felt a shiver going up his spine, starting at the base and making a sinking feeling gather in his stomach that felt as though it was made of ice. Pressing the urge to retch down, the raven-haired counselor asked with a clearing of his throat, "is he...dead...then?" It was so very difficult to get the words out.

Glorfindel shook his head in a shocked manner that stated he was stunned. His wide eyes narrowed as he spoke, "I am not sure." He mentally assessed the situation once more and then he haltingly stooped down and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder.

It trembled much to his dismay. As he felt the shoulder, he realized it was hot, burning hot. Hurriedly, the golden-haired Elf rolled the man onto his back and looked into the pale and yet sweaty face of the ranger that was tipped with a rosy pink on the cheeks and forehead. Aragorn was running a high fever.

Glorfindel jerked his hands away as though the young mortal was painful to the touch, thereupon he called over his shoulder, "Lord Erestor!" But he had no need, Erestor was already there; his now blanched and worried features showing down upon Elrond's third child.

Aragorn looked up deliriously with glazed over gray eyes that were no longer bright but darkened. He moaned and then said, "Legolas? ...Roth?" His head was throbbing and his arm was burning. He felt his throat getting congested and coughed to free the passageway.

Glorfindel shook his head anxiously, letting his dark golden hair slid about his face to bracket it. "No...it is Glorfindel and Erestor. You are safe now. We will take care of you young one," he soothed like a mother, brushing back strands of dark hair from the hot and sticky face.

Aragorn closed his eyes and both of the Elves could hear his chest rattle as he breathed a difficult breath. The world was spinning and night was turning into pitch black. Erestor and Glorfindel's faces were fading and he blinked, trying to hold onto them. But they were going to be lost to the darkness that he felt creeping up on him. As he struggled to hold on he said with much difficulty, "they have them...Legolas...Rothinzil...they have them...they...h-h-have...them..." His voice began to crack and Glorfindel felt his heart beating so fast he feared it would never slow down again.

Aragorn looked at Glorfindel's worried face bending over him and turning an unhealthy pale color. Then he felt suddenly very weak and he blacked out.

Glorfindel watched as the young ranger's glazed silver eyes rolled back into his head and he went completely limp. Thinking the human was dead, he grabbed Aragorn's wrist. Pressing two long fingers against eh large vein that ran the arm's length and counted the pulse,...one...two...three...four...It was erratic and weakening, but so far it was strong enough that he knew the ranger was merely unconscious. However, he did not know how long that would last.

Aragorn's fever flushed features were paling even more and were actually turning a gray that was more than a little disturbing. Glorfindel felt fear for the man's life begin to freeze his heart. If he would have only forbidden Aragorn go after Legolas and Rothinzil the young man might be safe at home...in Rivendell with his brothers. But then again, would that have been the right choice?

Erestor knew what Glorfindel was thinking and he said, "you did no wrong...at least not intentionally. I think you made the wrong choice for the right reason Lord Glorfindel." Erestor then narrowed his eyes so it almost appeared to a random onlooker that they were closed. "I believe the wound is poisoned. If that is the case we have minimal time to bet the antidote and save the prince and Rothinzil."

Glorfindel looked at the laceration with the obvious arrowhead in it and he assessed quickly, "yes, it would appear to be that way. But where would we discover the antidote? If we go into Farlost and they are the people who did this we risk much...too much." He sighed heavily with uncertainty and stated, "we cannot do that..,"

"What other choice do we have Lord Glorfindel?" asked Erestor scrupulously as he stared at the man growing dim before them. "Night is here and we need firelight and warmth to start with. After we warm him we will ponder what we should do next," he took charge unchallenged. Before he began to walk over to a large tree that would shelter them even more from the wind the counselor said, "I think Farlost is out only hope. It is a fools hope, but a hope nonetheless."

Erestor felt a hard lump constituting in his throat and he shoved it hastily down...or at least he tried. But he had never been in this position before and he was frightened. He stood up, the movement causing his hair to slide forward about his face, hiding his slender pointy ears in the transaction along with his now white appearance. As soon as he stood up, however, the wind whipped it behind him and his face looked ghost-like in the dusk. The night was bleaker than they ever could have thought and the raven-haired Elf distinctly recalled no other night that had been more evil in his whole life. His lord's son might die this night.

How could he even try and relate to this? How could he even try and fathom this. Knowledge from all his books and scrolls would never have prepared him for this and he felt so weak and empty.

Erestor watched blankly as Glorfindel gathered Aragorn up in his arms and held him close, wrapping his cloak about the young human, regardless of the blood that rubbed off on his tunic and mantle.

Only moments later, they had a merry fire crackling and popping. However, it did nothing to triumph over their rather depressed and bleak moods, as it shouldn't. Erestor was looking at the flames as though he longed to draw himself into them rather than be where he was unfortunately at. His dark hair bracketed his features contorted by frustration and his eyes were narrowed so near that they appeared to be closed. His head was propped up on his hand and his elbow on one of his knees.

Across the fire from him sat Glorfindel, his face pale as he frantically studied the pale and near lifeless body of his lord's foster son. Aragorn was lying on the snow by the fire (just far enough away he would not catch on fire), wrapped in a blanket and spare cloak. His head was in Glorfindel's lap and it was near white. Glorfindel brushed the dark strands away from the human's sticky face. This was all his fault and there was nothing he could do about it.

He felt so helpless and frightened for the first time in his life, other than once. As he stared at the dying face of young Aragorn, he felt his eyes filming over with hot tears that smarted. However, that was hardly worthy of showing the bitter emotion he felt. There were some things that nothing could express, even tears. The worse part of it was, that now he was unsure of what to do next. If this had happened to Aragorn, what had befallen Legolas? It was most likely the prince was dead and dear gentle Rothinzil with him. H could picture the raven-haired Elf falling at his prince's and dear friend's defense with no regret.

No one deserved a fate like what Aragorn was enduring right now and what was most likely the blonde Elf and Rothinzil had received.

Glorfindel just sat in silence, burning Aragorn's face into his memory. He hoped that the man would return to consciousness, otherwise even if he had the antidote the mortal could not accommodate it into his system. Erestor looked at Glorfindel with a look of intense shock. His face seemed old and yet not so and so full of expression and yet so empty.

Glorfindel and Erestor connected eyes and Glorfindel looked hastily away. "This is all my fault; my shortcoming. I failed my lord and his sons. I failed Prince Legolas if he lives." He wanted to weep, but not before Erestor. He had to save that much of his dignity and honor.

Erestor said around the lump that was still sticking in his throat, "but you may still be able to heal what has happened here. I will aid you Lord Glorfindel." He wrinkled his brow and then pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly. "We just need to travel to Farlost. If they use this venom they surely will know the remedial medicine."

Glorfindel shook his head so that his golden hair flipped about his face and covered it like a curtain and said wearily, "we can try. But why would they tell us? Who is to say that they would not kill us on the spot?" he asked the other dejectedly.

Erestor frowned and answered with a sigh, "I will talk to them. Not that I doubt you Lord Glorfindel," you said eyeing the blonde Elf across the shimmering and dancing flames carefully to see his reaction, "but I do have the better negotiation skills and you are the warrior. I will talk to them and perhaps we can work something out."

Glorfindel looked at Erestor with a scowl, he asked, "so you think everything will turn out for the best?" He had a skeptical laugh in his voice and it was scornfully astringent.

Erestor shook rolled his eyes and said, "I never said that! Actually, I think that it is beneath rock bottom and more than hopeless, but the prospect of a better outcome potentially happening is persisting to make me believe that it is well worth a try."

Glorfindel sighed and said, "I suppose that is a valid assertion to make." Aragorn stirred in his arms and his eyes fluttered painfully open. The bright light of the fire reflected in them and he winced in pain as it penetrated his vision and burned with its brightness. Everything throbbed and he felt that a silent and dark room would hurt.

The man muttered through parched and swollen lips, "L-L-Legolas?" His eyes roved across the horrified face of Glorfindel deliriously. They then closed and the man shifted as he drew in a painful breath. Glorfindel could hear the human's ragged air rattling in his chest as it tried to get through his swollen bronchial tubes.

"No," said Glorfindel in a mere apparition of the strong and reassuring voice he longed to use but could not find nor acquire strength (or confidence) to use. He shivered and his voice quavered slightly, "It is I, Lord Glorfindel. Where is Legolas, young one?"

Aragorn smiled grimly and answered, "G-G-Glorfindel? It is well...then..." he croaked out the last part and Glorfidnel wanted to weep bitter tears. It was not well, this was his fault. It hurt him that he could have prevented the ranger's pain and yet encouraged the man to get involved in the rescue that brought him thus far. He had not tried to stop it, he had enflamed it and aided in it. Now Aragorn was dying.

He whispered so quietly that only Aragorn could hear even if Erestor had wished to hear, "I am so sorry Estel. It was all my fault." He pulled Aragorn close and held him tight as though he feared the ranger would slip away, which he honestly did.

Aragorn sighed and then coughed before saying slowly and with much difficulty and implied pain, "No!...You did no wrong Glorfindel...I did what I had...t-t-to. ...Who w-w-would have gone...if not me?" he asked quietly and Glorfindel's face went blank and his eyes seemed dull in thought and yet emptiness.

He did not know. It was most likely that no one would have.

Glorfindel answered with a deep sigh, "I suppose non one. But we do not know that for certain! You cannot say that this was the way it should have been willed by fate!" he argued, still deeply blaming himself and casting a heavy burden upon his own shoulders that felt to him so incapable.

Aragorn shivered and said in a croak that was nearly inaudible, "then w-w-why did it happen t-t-this w-way?" He could not think of any other answer.

His eyes looked to the deep black-blue sky and the swirling dark clouds that washed over head. It was odd, or so he thought in his inner monologue, that just as his eyes connected with the heavens, the vale of clouds parted to show bright stars and brilliant celestial bodies glowing with such a brightness as he had hardly ever seen before.

He then said, "he is n-n-not well..."

Glorfindel looked into the man's silver eyes with the stars reflecting their light in them. He frowned with apprehension and a crease formed between his fine golden eyebrows as he thought over what the dying human had just mumbled. "Who young one?" he asked quietly as he wrapped the blanket tighter about the man's thin frame that was shaking like a leaf.

Aragorn stammered, "Legolas! You have to save him. They captured him and they wanted both he and Rothinzil alive." He could feel his heart beat picking up as fear for his dearest friends set in and he began to recall all that had happened before he was shot, before he knew he was poisoned, before he began to die.

Erestor had been listening quietly and had thus far not gotten involved in the conversation. He had deliberately tried to avoid it, thinking that he would quite possibly make matters worse and only increase tensions, but now he found Glorfindel oddly speechless and he asked concernedly and with narrowed eyes beneath dark and fine brows, "who has taken him?"

Glorfindel gave Erestor a sharp look, "He is not well enough-"

Aragorn smiled slightly at the Elf-lord's argument that came more from pride than actual need and then frowned thinly, "a man, he was tall and had l-l-light b-b-brown hair. He wants them to fight...I think...Legolas seemed very wary of them."

Erestor frowned and alleged in the midst of a fragment of bitter sarcasm, "that is usually the way that one is towards those that are trying to hurt them asinine human!" The end was said in good humor and meant well. Erestor actually smiled thinly and said, "was Rothinzil with him?"

Aragorn frowned, trying to remember. His head hurt and the sky was spinning and the faces were turning into pale and near lifeless forms as his vision was blurring. It was then he realized it was blurred by tears. He was crying—he was weeping for his lost friend. But Legolas was not lost...not yet. No; if he could hold onto life past this, he would get Legolas back. "Yes..." He answered gradually around the pain both emotional and physical that was burning inside. He knew that Rothinzil would be lucky if he was not dead...he was not a real fighter and Aragorn doubted that anyone could change that.

He watched the flames dancing in the fire and the feral shadows that scampered about near the trees and on his companion's faces. Then everything seemed to fade and he felt very weak.

Glorfindel felt the ranger go limp in his arms and he jolted to reality and then looked at Erestor sadly, "he has lost consciousness. I believe it is the arrow that is in the wound and that if it is removed he may yet live. But I cannot do that here, not with the little amount of supplies that we have."

Erestor looked at Glorfindel and raised one of his brows steadily and then posed the inquiry, "do we make all haste to Farlost then? Surely they did not do this. For he did not say it was the towns people, but something outside. If so, I find it hard to believe anyone would be so heartless as to refuse aid to one who is dying. It is our only chance."

Glorfindel nodded gravely as he pulled Aragorn closer, "it seems we have not other choice. Erestor, you seem so willing to rush head over heels into danger..."

The counselor growled, "what other choice have I? Anyway, I am no coward! One does not have to look for trouble to be brave, though I am not sure that description fits me either," he ended with a sigh. Then he threatened angrily, "if you tell this to anyone. I swear by the Valar and Manwë himself that I will slay you as cruelly as possible and you had better remember that Lord Glorfindel!"

Glorfindel laughed hollowly and answered, "Erestor you aren't as horrible now as you are other times." Then he looked at Aragorn's white face, haggard and bleak. "We must move now then, time is short-lived and a sun will soon rise." He stared at the east, where the sun rose (much to his surprise) and he frowned as he saw the paleness growing on the horizon.

TBC...Review please? Pretty please? We are going crazy waiting to know what you think! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews so far mellyn-nin (did we get it right this time?) LOL.

Well now the bet is on! Actually postponed...kind of difficult if you are battling for your life or the lives of others, huh? Glorfindel in pink or Erestor in green? LOL Neither sound that great! Go ahead, say it! They are insane!

Review responses:)

Linuvial Greenleaf: Yes! Go get hurt ranger! Now! -Pokes him with stick- Or you are fired! We have the power to kill you! -ranger shuffles backwards- "but I can't! You haven't healed me yet so I am supposed to be unconscious!" Silly Estel, it will only get worse. Don't you worry about such a trivial little thing such as that. LOL -ranger pouts-...Glad you think the chapter was well written, though it was nothing compared to the things you write. Yeah, fried brains have become sort of an epidimic where we are. We can easily sympathize. It sucks, doesn't it? 200 page books? Three? Ouch1 Yes 'doomed' is not a bad way to phrase your future. Unless you write really fast when pressed. Thanks for the review, but honestly don't get yourself in trouble reviewing our stuff.

elitenschwein: Hey! -eyes review- short? What are they like when they are long? lol ...Yes, the silly ranger might need that arm later. But you are right, he was dazed by pain and such so he has an excuse "they made me-" -shove ranger into closet- That's better. ...anyway, you didn't rant! He deserves it. LOL That's cool! A laptop? That's what we need! T5hanks for the nice 'short' review! lol

Deana: -snugles up against hurting Elfy- poor thing. He's hurt and...and...hurting! -grabs buckets- Always be prepared for too many tears. Thanks for the review!

Snow Glory: Rothinzil, strong? Hehehehehehehehehehehe...-cough- okay, he might, but well, its hard to say. Yes, he is gentle, he is practically a doll baby! LOL No, they don't know he is a prince, yet...sooner of later, he's gotta talk! Aragorn might be slowed down just a wee bit. But it gives the Elves a chance to play with their best friends some more! Thanks for the review!

Marie Delcore: Hey mellon nin. Well, just wait. Legolas isn't out of the woods yet...not even close. Yes...Hershy chocolate! Yay! Best comfort food in the world we might add. Don't soften that Elf up too much. LOL Thanks for the review!