See Author's Note below.
Encroaching Darkness part 34
By Ecri
Elrohir held his lips tightly together, looked away and back again, and bit his tongue, but in the end, he was unable to keep his laughter to himself. Aragorn and Elrond stared at him as he held up both hands. "I didn't mean"
"What do you find amusing about your brother's condition?" Elrond asked even though he must have known.
"It's not his condition. It's the two of you" He sputtered for a moment unable to find words, but certain that the Elf Lord and the Ranger must have been aware of how they sounded. "It is almost exactly the conversation you had when last Estel was injured."
"Child-rearing often involves the repetition of simple instructions." Elrond insisted.
Aragorn's eyes widened. "I am no child."
"That is true"
Elrond's admission caused Aragorn to smile for a moment before something inside him reminded him reminded the Ranger that his father would not give in so easily. He did not have to wait long for the qualification.
"Among menbut you are now among elves."
"But"
Elrohir stifled another laugh as he realized Aragorn's inability to speak coincided exactly with Elrond's eyebrow raising.
Aragorn turned to look at Elrohir, then turned back to his father. "Perhaps you should fuss over Elrohir, Ada. He was not himself for much longer than I was unconscious."
Elrohir glared at Aragorn. "Estel"
It was too late. Elrond's concerned gaze shifted to his second son. "Have you felt any ill effects recently, Elrohir?"
Elrohir shook his head. "Nay, Ada, I am fine." He searched his mind to find a way to deflect his father's concern, for truthfully, he had not yet had time to consider what had happened to him. It was at that moment that Glorfindel arrived seemingly intent on speaking to Elrond.
"Elrond"
Elrohir interrupted. "Ah! Glorfindel! Ada, surely you should inquire into his health! He was far more severely affected than I"
Glorfindel glared at Elrohir. "I would not say that." He looked at Elrond. "I am well, Lord Elrond, but I wonder if we are not seeing the signs of some far more calamitous end."
"What end might that be?" Elrond was frowning, and Elrohir could feel his father's concern as well as see it in his face.
Glorfindel seemed hesitant to say, but, Elrohir knew, he would say what he felt needed saying. "I have been speaking to Haldir and to others who fought the orcs with us on our travels here. The orcs are more numerous than we would have supposed, and many seemed to fight with a fervor unmatched." He stopped and Elrohir finally understood, from the glimpse of sympathetic concern in Glorfindel's eyes, what gave the Balrog Slayer pause.
Elrohir cleared his throat. "It is well, Lord Glorfindel. Say what you need to say." Elrohir had guessed the elder elf's mind. He hesitated out of concern to speak of orcs and their habits in front of three elves who had lost one dear to them to orcs. For a moment, memories flooded Elrohir's mind of his motherof the look upon her face, the state of her when he and Elladan had found her, and the nightmare induced screams that had long shattered the peaceful nights of Imladris
He swallowed and nodded encouragingly to Glorfindel, refusing to close his eyes against the images in his mind for fear such an action would stifle Glorfindel.
Glorfindel nodded in return and turned to face Elrond. "Lord Elrond, I know, in light of what Estel has done, that it must have crossed your mind by now that the time we have long awaited and feared since the Last Great Alliance could well be upon us. I say the actions of these orcs, their intensity, their persistence in following us, these things can only foreshadow the growing strength of Mordor."
Elrond shook his head. "The Return of the King need not be predicated by the activity of orcs." He glanced at Aragorn and Elrohir almost gasped aloud to see the sorrow in his father's eyes. He knew that thoughts of Isildur, of Celebrian, of losing any one of his sons, or his daughtereven Elrond's own twin, Elros, the pain of whose passing remained with the elf lordadded to his father's pain.
He watched as his father turned to Glorfindel.
"We will prepare as we always have, but there is little we elves can do in the face of this evil. It comes in the twilight of our time in Middle-earth"
Glorfindel nodded, and Elrohir wondered if the Elf Lord truly agreed or if he merely wished to calm a distraught Elrond.
Aragorn's hand clutched at Elrond's. "Ada" his whisper was soft, but not too soft for Elven ears.
"Estel, you must rest. Do not trouble yourself"
"Ada," Aragorn spoke again, just as softly, but with an insistence that even the Lord of Imladris could not fail to obey.
Elrohir watched in amazement as his father looked into the Estel's eyes, and for a moment, an insane, twisted, topsy-turvy moment, Elrond appeared the younger while in Estel's eyes swam the wisdom of ages. "Ada, even if I am to be Gondor's King, I am not ready to make such a claim. If Mordor's strength is growing, it is infinitesimally. There will be time." Then he spoke more emphatically. "There will be time."
Elrond smiled and squeezed his son's hand, and Elrohir felt Arda shift once more—righting itself—until an older Elrond now appeared to be comforting an Estel suddenly years younger than he'd been a moment before.
Elrohir blinked and shook his head, feeling Elladan's presence at his back and a warm, familiar touch on his shoulder. He reached up, placing his own hand on his brother's and offering it a squeeze before dropping it again to his side.
Elrond, meanwhile, had collected himself and gazed once more at Glorfindel. "Estel is right. There is yet time. We will simply need to be sure that we remain vigilant for any further sign of the Enemy's return."
Elrohir agreed silently with his father.
Thranduil had decided to take Aragorn's return to consciousness as a sign that Legolas would soon return as well. His son was sleeping, or so Gandalf and Elrond insisted. SleepingThranduil gazed at his son's unfocused eyes, relieved beyond measure to see them in the familiar state of elven repose.
Long he had feared his son lost to him. Long he had feared his son would diean elven life cut short through some Darkness a mere King could not fathom. The Darkness of Mirkwood had grown through the centuries, but somehow, Thranduil had told himself that it could not touch Legolas. Legolas, ever laughing, ever smiling, ever singing, his youngest son had managed to find the joy of life even in the darkest corner of Elvendom. He had educated his family—even his father, centuries older than he—in what it meant to be an elfand in what it meant to have faith.
He shook his head slightly willing his tears not to fall. He would not weep. His son would return to him.
Estel had spoken of exhaustion. Thranduil could well believe that Legolas was, as Aragorn had said, spent. The injury alone
Again the King shook his head in an attempt to stop his thoughts from following that thread. He felt a presence by his side and turned to see Galadriel smiling kindly at him. Her smile lit the room as though a second sun had been sent to bring light to those below the canopy of mallyrn.
She reached a hand towards him as she took a seat by his side. "He will return to us."
Thranduil inclined his head slightly. "I do believe that, but I will believe it more completely when I see him awake."
She smiled again, brighter than before, but said nothing more.
Thranduil, still holding her hand, hung his head. "We have not seen eye to eye, you and I, in many years, yetfor what you have done for my son" He looked up now, locking his gaze on hers. "I must thank you. He means the world to me."
"I have long watched this one, King of Mirkwood. Your son has a destiny before him that no one else can fill. He has already fulfilled some small portion of it"
"He has" Thranduil stopped himself. He had not meant to interrupt her. He would not be thought rude in the Lady's own home. Still, her words had surprised him.
She, apparently, took no offence. "We are, all of us, meant to fulfill some purpose. This one has achieved something many would have thought impossible. He has helped you and your family through your grief, for, in your worry for him over his losing mother and sister, you did not give in to a grief that might have taken you otherwise." Again, she smiled. "He has also managed to remind the King of Mirkwood that there is a reason for the battles fought in that dark elven home. He had reminded you of what needs defending and why. He has given you reason not to abandon the task you set for yourself. Mirkwood shall be restored if only so that its King might share it with its youngest prince."
Thranduil did not know how to respond, so he did not. He pondered her wordssurprised by them, yet somehow having suspected such things all along.
A soft sound, like a small gasp, reached his ears. He turned towards it instinctually, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Legolas" His voice was the softest of whispers, but all in the room had heard it. He reached for his son, taking him in his arms even as the others, Aglarelen, Elrond, the sons of Elrondall rushed to his side. "My son" Legolas could barely speak. Parched lips, dry mouth, yet still, the word sounded to Thranduil like the sweetest song to be uttered in praise of Eru.
"Rest, my son." Thranduil, with effort, pulled away allowing him to see his son awake and alive, and quite Elvish. "Rest."
"Ada?" Confusion flitted across the Young Prince's features as his gaze took in his surroundings. His eyes fell then on Galadriel and he moved as though to bow to her, but her hand reached forward to assist Thranduil in restraining him.
"Your father is right, Little Greenleaf. You must rest. We will talk before long." She stood and moved away, giving Aglarelen a chance to reach out to his brother.
Everyone was talking at once, and Legolas was doing his best to understand all the questionseven answer a fewbut he felt disoriented. He did not know how they could have reached Lothlorien without him being aware of it at all. He allowed himself to be hugged and touched and patted on the back. He listened to the happy, relieved laughter that grew in volume around him and tried to recall what had happened.
He remembered a battle, orcsfor a moment fear pounded at his heart, but just for a moment. Lothlorien was safeas safe as Imladris. Where had the orcshe recalled an arrowand seeing it flying straight towards Aragorn. He had taken it himselfhis eyes rested on the bandages on his own body
It all seemed unreal to him, somehow. Like it had happened too long ago to be of concern. There was something else. Something new, yet familiar that reached his ears, but he could not concentrate on it for all the sound of talking and laughter that surrounded him.
Confusion must have shown on his face, for when Elrond leaned closer to offer an embrace of welcome, he frowned. He turned and addressed those around him. "We should leave him with his family. Come, let him rest."
Elrond began to herd the others away, but just as Aragorn was about to move from the elf's side, Legolas shot out a hand to catch his human friend around the wrist. "Estel, I hear it!"
"What do you hear, my friend?"
Legolas smiled. "The trees!"
Thranduil's tear-filled eyes remained on his son as the others stepped away to give the Mirkwood's Royals a chance to celebrate amongst themselves. Legolas weakly raised his arms and his father swept him up once more in a firm embrace.
"Legolas, my son!"
Legolas smiled. "I am well, Ada, if a bit confused."
That stopped Thranduil immediately. "Confused? What is wrong, my son?"
Legolas shook his head. "It is nothing to worry you, Ada. I merely do not recall coming to Lothlorien. It is a journey I am sure I would have savored."
Aglarelen laughed. "If you remembered a journey undertaken while you were asleep I would truly worry for you, brother."
Thranduil nodded, and between the two, they related all the events since the battle to Legolas. Legolas took in his father's words and in those of his brother, but it was the looks upon their faces that moved Legolas to interrupt.
"I am wellI amhealed." He turned excited eyes to his father. "I can hear once more the sweet songs of Arda! I understand the speech of the trees, and I can see as once I did. I am whole again, Ada!"
Thranduil smiled and embraced his youngest son, and Legolas allowed himself the release of laughter, surprising himself with its elvish sound.
He turned then to Aglarelen. "Gwanurnin, all is as it should be! Ilúvatar has blessed me! I am quite myself."
Aglarelen threw his arms around his brother even as Thranduil, as though unable to deny the joy of his heart, threw his own strong arms around both of his sons. Laughter and tears mingled with soft words of comfort as they rejoiced in the gifts of Eru.
Aragorn did not need elven hearing to hear much of the rejoicing that went on nearby. He knew his father and brothers heard more than he, but for once, he did not annoy them with pleas to tell him what they heard. His heart was light and his spirit sang.
Legolas was restored.
He wanted to speak to his friend of their experiences for he was by no means certain what Legolas would remember of their time together as they pierced through the bonds the strange curse had clapped tightly onto the elf's soul. He could not be certain if they would recall things identically, or if the things he saw were but metaphor or merely substitution. It was, after all, quite possible, that his human mind had conjured images it would understand and that the reality of his friend's mind was something quite different to what he could recall. He wanted to speak to Legolas of these and other things, but he would be patient.
He could afford patience now. After all, Legolas was well and whole and they were safe in Lothlorien. Even should this fragile peace not last, certainly it was a welcome respite.
Aragorn turned to look at his father and the two shared a smile.
"You have done well, my son." Elrond whispered.
Aragorn cherished the praise from his father. Not that it was rare, for it was not, but because this was a matter that was truly within his father's expertise and which had a strong impact on his future. He knew Elrond would gladly deny his skills as a healer for fear of the fulfillment of the words that would proclaim him King of Gondor.
He understood this as few understood their own destiny. He had often cursed that destiny, wishing fervently that he could be an average man, but now, for the first time in his life, he found himself embracing it.
His eyes found Legolas once more. Cradled in his father's arms, laughing softly, and once more full of life and joy, it was Legolas who had brought Aragorn to this. Legolas had believed in him when he himself could not. Legolas had trusted Eru's design while he had wallowed in doubt. Legolas had brought him to himself.
He smiled and, unable to hold himself back, rose and walked to his friend. Legolas looked up at him expectantly, eyes bright.
"Hannon le, mellonin," Aragorn whispered
Legolas only smiled.
"I should be thanking you."
Aragorn shook his head, but before he could speak, Thranduil did.
"It is my family who should thank you, Estel. You have saved us all by saving Legolas. WeI am in your debt." Thranduil had eased his youngest son into his eldest son's arms as he had spoken, and he got easily to his feet. Stepping closer to Aragorn, he embraced the man. "You have returned my son to me. You shall always have my gratitude and be welcome in Mirkwood."
Aragorn stepped back in surprise at King Thranduil's words, but Thranduil smiled at the man.
"Come," Thranduil said to Aglarelen. "We should thank Lord Elrond, Lord Celeborn, and Lady Galadriel for their help."
Aglarelen rose to follow his father, but not before kissing his brother's head and squeezing Aragorn's shoulder as he passed.
Aragorn watched the two go before returning his attention to Legolas. "You look well."
Legolas laughed and Aragorn allowed himself to enjoy the sound.
"I feel well enough, my friend, but I know how I must look!" His eyes danced with unrestrained merriment. "Thank you, Estel. I am quite myself again."
"You did it yourself."
"I could not have done anything had you not shown me the way."
"We must share the accolades."
Legolas acquiesced with a twinkle in his eyes.
Aragorn laughed. "Truly, I have rarely seen you smile so persistently!"
Legolas joined in his friend's laughter. "I am restored, Estel! I heareverything! The song! The Trees! The sound of Arda itself is clearer to my ears than ever it was! I feelagain."
Aragorn sat beside Legolas. Truth be told, he felt more himself than he had ever felt in his life. It was as though, in restoring Legolas, he had found a secret piece of his own soul. The piece that accepted his fate, that would face any future doubts—for he was not fool enough to believe his certainty could not falter—with determination. He sighed in contentment and placed a companionable hand on his friend's shoulder. "As do I, my friend."
Gandalf had watched from a discreet distance as Legolas Thranduilion slowly regained his strength. He felt certain that being in Lothlorien had greatly speeded the young one's recovery, but he could not suppress a nagging suspicion that events in Middle-earth had somehow veered from the path Eru had intended.
approached Legolas cautiously. He had much to discuss with the young prince, but he knew not how to begin. Best to begin at the beginning, he counseled himself as he watched Legolas stare up into the night sky.
Taking a deep breath, he addressed his words to the fair elf who had only recently been restored to themto himself. "Ever do you gaze at the stars, Legolas. One might think you had never seen them before." The Grey Wizard seated himself beside the young elf.
Legolas smiled, though he did not take his eyes from the stars. "It is gratitude to Eru, and infatuation with all the beauty he has created that keeps me gazing skyward, Mithrandir."
Gandalf nodded. "You have done much, Legolas, been through much. Yet, though I believe you are in truth enraptured by all of Arda, I sense something else. What troubles you, Greenleaf?"
Legolas had dropped his gaze as well as his voice, which was a whisper no mortal would have heard. "There is a long road ahead, Mithrandir. I was offered some small glimpse of it"
Gandalf waited for Legolas to continue, and, when he didn't, the Grey Wizard spoke. "Is this road you glimpsed something other than you imagined?"
Legolas seemed to consider the words. "Nay, Mithrandir. I had not truly considered the future in such specific terms. It was enough, or so I thought, to believe that things would be as I knew they would. 'Aragorn will become King of Gondor.' I have believed that for a long time, yet I had not considered how such a thing would be achieved." Now the elf turned to the Wizard. "Was it wrong not to consider such things?"
"Wrong?" The Wizard shook his head. "If you fear being unprepared, do not. Your faith in your friend has been as an anchor to him. Your belief has given faith to others, not least of all to Aragorn and his family. How the reclaiming of Gondor is to be achieved has not been important up to now. It is likely that it will be many decades yet before Aragorn must put forth his claim." He laughed lightly. "It is likely that it has not occurred to you before now to ponder the details of this thing because it would have been a pointless activity."
He put a hand on the Prince's shoulder. "Be alert, certainly, Legolas, but a Prince of Mirkwood hardly needs to be told such a thing. As the time draws near, Eru will position his players. You, who have given faith to others, must have faith that you will be called upon when the time is right, and, in that moment, you will know what needs doing."
Legolas smiled at the Wizard, and Gandalf saw renewed confidence within him, but he could not help but be concerned. Legolas had been shown a glimpse of the future. From what little the elf had said, Gandalf could easily imagine that it had been as enlightening as a peek into Galadriel's mirror. If this glimpse troubled the prince, might it not be wise to learn what he had seen?
Of course, had Ilúvatar intended for him to see it, he would have. He shrugged the thought away. He was here in Middle-earth to help. If Legolas needed his help in dealing with what he had seen, Gandalf would offer it.
"Legolas, does something trouble you?"
Gandalf did not miss the way the elf swallowed and blinked before turning back to him.
"Imuch death. Much destruction will rain down upon all of Arda and the making of a King of Gondor will not be a bloodless affair. There will be a war to rival the Last Great Alliance."
Gandalf nodded. It was a troubling notion to anyone, but such thoughts to this particular Elf, one who lived his life with little thought to death and parting from friends, even the mortal ones, were likely to plague him.
Gandalf reached for Legolas and placed a gentle hand on the Prince's shoulder. "Whatever you have seen, it was shown you for a reason. You will be needed, Legolas. You must prepare yourself for the road ahead, but do not let visions of the future consume you. That way lies madness."
The Grey Wizard watched the Elf Prince carefully for some sign of how his words were to be taken. He saw Legolas nod, then, once more, the Prince cast his eyes heavenward and rested on the stars. The pair, with the patience of immortals, watched the night sky for so long a time that they saw it begin to lighten.
As the darkness faded giving way to the light of dawn, Legolas smiled and clapped an exuberant hand upon Gandalf's shoulder. "We have spoken much of the Shadows and the Darkness, Mithrandir, but behold!" He waved a hand to encompass the dawn. "Light encroaches over Darkness each morn!"
Gandalf smiled. Whatever part the Elf would play in the war he had foreseen and in Aragorn's destiny, he would be ready for it, and he would not be alone.
To Be Continued
The next chapter will set up the rather long sequel, on which I am already working. It will, I warn you now, be AU. Thanks for your reviews and encouragement. Stay tuned for the next and final chapter.