Disclaimer: Don't own anything
Author's note: Sorry for not updating for so long. I've been really busy with other things.
Please, please review. I do take time to read them and take them into account =)
Response to some criticism: It's not my intention to make Aragorn an old pervert... after all, Legolas and Haldir both are OLDER than him. Anyway, it makes sense for his character to use every 'weapon' he possessed to achieve his goals; in other words, it is reasonable that he should be trying to be seducing the Elves physically. But, I do apologize if people find the high degree of sexual content in this fiction offensive. This story is a solid R rating, precisely for this reason. I believe the 'adult content' is one of major warnings at the beginning. That said, Aragorn's character is changing; so there won't be anything half as steamy as what is in the last chapter. =P
Enough said, on with the story.
**************************************************************************** **
Chapter Eight
In the darkness of the forest, a lone Man wandered, the sound of his footsteps breaking the eerie stillness of the night. The tranquility of the woods offered Aragorn no reprieve; he was at war with himself, drowning in a swirl of long-buried emotions. For too long he had denied his own heart; but now the floodgate was opened, there was no way of holding back the tide. This was all the fault of a single Elf, a stoic assassin who had in the span of one night effortlessly turned his entire life upside down.
The Man did not understand how an enemy's words could have such a power over him. It should be easy to dismiss them as a trick to manipulate his mind; yet, the more he dwelt on them, the more they resonated with the remains of his heart. His doubts started as an insignificant speck in his mind; but as he reminisced on his past, the blotch grew; it was now a looming shadow that threatened to engulf the principles that he had lived by his entire life.
Aragorn feared that he would go mad if one of the warring factions of his psyche did not relinquish its hold soon. He wanted to return home where the comfort of familiarity would banish his doubts. He needed his people's assurance that his life had not been wasted in pursuit of some hopeless dream. He would return to Dol Guldur, or die trying.
**************************************************************************** **
It was near dawn when Aragorn arrived at the camp. The first thing he noticed upon his return was that his unconscious lover and the Wizard were missing. His soldiers sat huddled by the fire as they glanced in the direction of their 'destination'. It was clear that the Orcs were ill at ease, but they stayed, awaiting his arrival. "Where is Haldir?"
"He woke earlier in the night. The Wizard told him of a nearby Elven scouting party; they went to join them. Their group will arrive soon, my Lord," replied Garekk quietly. It took every ounce of the Orc's self- control to refrain from suggesting a retreat. They had followed Aragorn for many years; and never once had their Lord led them astray. He would have faith in his leader's decision, even if the price could be his life.
"Gather your things. We are returning to Dol Guldur," commanded the Man urgently, knowing time was of the essence if they were to make a successful escape.
Minutes later, the Man and his Orcs were on the move. But they all knew that haste alone would not save them; the deciding factor was whether the assassin would let them go. If Legolas were against them, Aragorn would be brought to Mirkwood as a prisoner and the soldiers would not live to see another dawn.
As the group hurried away from the Elven scouts, the Man felt a wave of shame assaulting his senses, something he had not felt in years. He regretted his overconfidence, wishing he had not risked his followers' lives so recklessly. He knew all along that the assassin had the emotional capability of a block of ice.
The Man's musing, however, was cut short when a lilting voice commented, "Going somewhere?"
The assassin was standing on a low-hanging branch of an ancient tree, a dark silhouette in golden light of the rising sun. Squinting into the light to face the Elf, the Man answered, "Yes, home."
With the grace of a panther, Legolas jumped down from his perch so he could look Aragorn squarely in the eye. As the two locked gaze, the tension in the air was palpable; even the forest, which had been buzzing with life fell into an uneasy silence. It was the Man who broke the hush; hands on the hilt of his sword, he challenged, "Get out of my way, Elf, or suffer the consequences."
Aragorn was ready to fight if need be, but he was unprepared for the fleeting look of sadness on Legolas' face. For a split second, the Man could imagine that his harsh words had hurt the imperturbable Prince of Ice; that the Elf had actually hoped he would decide to stay. This ghost of an expression stirred the conflict within Aragorn anew, battering at his resolve to return to his former life. But the Man knew this was not the time to be weak; his followers' lives hung in the balance. "My place is with my people," he said firmly, hoping he sounded more convinced than he felt.
The Elf responded by drawing one of his knives. The hostile gesture broke Aragorn's heart. Until this moment, he did not realize how much he wanted to trust Legolas, how much he wanted to believe that the Elf would accept him for who he was. But it seemed that his hope had been misplaced; the assassin had lied to him... again. As he readied himself for the Prince's attack, his opponent surprised him by twirling the blade around to offer him the hilt.
When the Man stared at the knife mutely, stupefied by the sudden turn of events, the Elf explained, "The paths of Mirkwood is wrought with danger. I doubt you can make it back to Dol Guldur alive without the protection of my magic."
Aragorn could not believe his ears. The Elf was helping them escape! "Why?"
"It is not much of a choice if your options are coming with me or certain death," replied Legolas in a matter of fact tone. When the Man continued to stare at him agape, he sighed, "You really should be going now, unless you have changed your mind and want to go to Mirkwood."
"Right," the Man whispered as he took the proffered weapon.
There was nothing more to be said, but Aragorn found himself reluctant to leave. He knew he was making the right decision. Even if he were not Sauron's heir, even if he were not a heartless bastard, he could not abandon his Orcs. Yet, the thought of never seeing Haldir and Legolas again was strangely unbearable. The Lòrien Elf loved him enough to die for him; and the Prince awoke his dormant heart. He could not leave them this way, without proper goodbyes.
Without thought, the Man took off his signet ring and offered it to Legolas. "I've had this since I was a babe. I don't know where my path will lead, but I'll come back for it."
Legolas did not realize how much he had hoped Aragorn would promise to return until now. True that he wanted to bring back the Hope of Men for Haldir's sake, but the depth of his feelings exceeded the sense of accomplishment of a mission well done. Stranger still was the fact that he WANTED to smile at the Man for offering him the ring, for giving him a reason to hope. Before he could analyze his strange reaction further, he heard the approach of the scouting party. Turning to face the Elves led by his father, Legolas whispered, "You need to leave now."
"But..." The Man could tell from the reaction of the Orcs that the enemies were close. His soldiers had a more developed survival instinct than he did. He had tarried here too long for an effective escape.
"Let me worry about my father; all you need to think about is which path to take," said Legolas as he reached out to clasp the Man's shoulder. After giving Aragorn a small nod, the Elf pushed him away and added, "Now go."
The Man nodded and began to lead his Orcs away. Turning to glance once more at Legolas, he mouthed a silent 'thank you' before disappearing amidst the protective cover of the trees.
**************************************************************************** **
"Where are they?" demanded Thranduil as he approached his son menacingly. The young Elf-mage had cast a spell upon the trees, prompting them to sway and hide the Hope of Men from even the keenest of Elven eyes.
"Going home," replied Legolas, unmoving. He cared not what his father thought of his actions. After all, it was impossible for the King of Mirkwood to hate his unwanted child any more than he already did. There was only one person he needed to justify his actions to; and that was Haldir, the Elf whom Aragorn loved.
"You traitor!" yelled the older Mirkwood Elf, face livid with anger as he raised his hand to strike his child.
His hand was stilled before the blow landed. "Why, my Prince?" asked the Wizard with a frown. He had known Legolas since the younger Elf was a babe; he knew the Prince would never do something without careful deliberation. Perhaps, there was a good reason why the assassin had let Aragorn go.
"I offered him a choice. This is his decision; I will honor it," replied Legolas, slightly surprised that the Istar had taken the time to understand his motivation. He had expected his allies to condemn him without having a second thought.
"My Prince, Aragorn is the lost Hope of Men. It is of utmost importance that he aligns with us in our fight against evil," reasoned Gandalf quietly.
"Regardless of who he is, Aragorn still has the right to choose how he lives his life. If we take away that freedom, he will be no different from a slave, and we no different from the tyrant we fight against," responded the Prince, eyes scanning the forest to search for the Lòrien Elf. He wanted Haldir to hear this discussion, in case they could not find an opportunity to speak privately. To the assassin's surprise, the Wizard smiled fondly at him and began walking away.
"Mithrandir?" asked the King of Mirkwood in puzzlement as he laid an arm on the Wizard to halt his retreat.
"Young Legolas has a point, my old friend. Aragorn will find his way back to us. I think, now I finally see what is meant to be," replied Gandalf enigmatically, offering Thranduil another riddle instead of a straight answer.
As much as the King wanted to pursue the Hope of Men and bring him back to Mirkwood, he could not do so without the help of the Istar; his wayward child's magic was too powerful. It seemed that once again, Aragorn had slipped through their grasp, back into shadow. With a heavy heart, he conceded, "I respect your wise counsel, Mithrandir. We will return to the palace. Bind the traitor, he will be punished for his crimes."
"Wait!" pleaded the Guardian of Lòrien, his heart breaking at the thought of being separated, perhaps forever, from his beloved Man. As quickly as his injuries allowed, Haldir moved in front of the Prince and begged, "Please, Legolas, if you've ever cared about me, stand aside."
"I cannot. I am doing this for you, my friend. He bid me to give this to you before he left," the Prince answered as he retrieved Aragorn's signet ring and placed it into Haldir's hands. He knew the Lòrien Elf was a more suitable safe-keeper of the trinket than himself. After all, it was the silver-haired beauty that the Man truly loved. Yet, the Prince could not help a strange sadness from gripping his heart as the ring disappeared from his sight, concealed by the Lòrien Elf's slender fingers. Not wanting to analyze this irrational sensation, Legolas held his friend's gaze and continued, "He will return, Haldir. Have faith in him. Give him time."
Lowering his eyes, the Lòrien Elf replied, "I understand."
The Golden Elf was about to offer his friend a smile of encouragement when a sudden blow plunged him into the world of darkness. Catching the Prince as he fell, Haldir whispered, "I am sorry, my friend; but I cannot let Aragorn return to his previous life when he has the chance to start anew."
Haldir placed his friend gently upon the forest floor before turning to face his fellow Elves. "I will set forth on a chase to bring back the Hope of Men. Who is with me?"
Encouraged by the turn of the tide, Thranduil took his stand beside the Guardian of Lòrien. The other Elves followed suit and soon began their chase, leaving behind a sighing Wizard and an unconscious Prince.
Author's note: Sorry for not updating for so long. I've been really busy with other things.
Please, please review. I do take time to read them and take them into account =)
Response to some criticism: It's not my intention to make Aragorn an old pervert... after all, Legolas and Haldir both are OLDER than him. Anyway, it makes sense for his character to use every 'weapon' he possessed to achieve his goals; in other words, it is reasonable that he should be trying to be seducing the Elves physically. But, I do apologize if people find the high degree of sexual content in this fiction offensive. This story is a solid R rating, precisely for this reason. I believe the 'adult content' is one of major warnings at the beginning. That said, Aragorn's character is changing; so there won't be anything half as steamy as what is in the last chapter. =P
Enough said, on with the story.
**************************************************************************** **
Chapter Eight
In the darkness of the forest, a lone Man wandered, the sound of his footsteps breaking the eerie stillness of the night. The tranquility of the woods offered Aragorn no reprieve; he was at war with himself, drowning in a swirl of long-buried emotions. For too long he had denied his own heart; but now the floodgate was opened, there was no way of holding back the tide. This was all the fault of a single Elf, a stoic assassin who had in the span of one night effortlessly turned his entire life upside down.
The Man did not understand how an enemy's words could have such a power over him. It should be easy to dismiss them as a trick to manipulate his mind; yet, the more he dwelt on them, the more they resonated with the remains of his heart. His doubts started as an insignificant speck in his mind; but as he reminisced on his past, the blotch grew; it was now a looming shadow that threatened to engulf the principles that he had lived by his entire life.
Aragorn feared that he would go mad if one of the warring factions of his psyche did not relinquish its hold soon. He wanted to return home where the comfort of familiarity would banish his doubts. He needed his people's assurance that his life had not been wasted in pursuit of some hopeless dream. He would return to Dol Guldur, or die trying.
**************************************************************************** **
It was near dawn when Aragorn arrived at the camp. The first thing he noticed upon his return was that his unconscious lover and the Wizard were missing. His soldiers sat huddled by the fire as they glanced in the direction of their 'destination'. It was clear that the Orcs were ill at ease, but they stayed, awaiting his arrival. "Where is Haldir?"
"He woke earlier in the night. The Wizard told him of a nearby Elven scouting party; they went to join them. Their group will arrive soon, my Lord," replied Garekk quietly. It took every ounce of the Orc's self- control to refrain from suggesting a retreat. They had followed Aragorn for many years; and never once had their Lord led them astray. He would have faith in his leader's decision, even if the price could be his life.
"Gather your things. We are returning to Dol Guldur," commanded the Man urgently, knowing time was of the essence if they were to make a successful escape.
Minutes later, the Man and his Orcs were on the move. But they all knew that haste alone would not save them; the deciding factor was whether the assassin would let them go. If Legolas were against them, Aragorn would be brought to Mirkwood as a prisoner and the soldiers would not live to see another dawn.
As the group hurried away from the Elven scouts, the Man felt a wave of shame assaulting his senses, something he had not felt in years. He regretted his overconfidence, wishing he had not risked his followers' lives so recklessly. He knew all along that the assassin had the emotional capability of a block of ice.
The Man's musing, however, was cut short when a lilting voice commented, "Going somewhere?"
The assassin was standing on a low-hanging branch of an ancient tree, a dark silhouette in golden light of the rising sun. Squinting into the light to face the Elf, the Man answered, "Yes, home."
With the grace of a panther, Legolas jumped down from his perch so he could look Aragorn squarely in the eye. As the two locked gaze, the tension in the air was palpable; even the forest, which had been buzzing with life fell into an uneasy silence. It was the Man who broke the hush; hands on the hilt of his sword, he challenged, "Get out of my way, Elf, or suffer the consequences."
Aragorn was ready to fight if need be, but he was unprepared for the fleeting look of sadness on Legolas' face. For a split second, the Man could imagine that his harsh words had hurt the imperturbable Prince of Ice; that the Elf had actually hoped he would decide to stay. This ghost of an expression stirred the conflict within Aragorn anew, battering at his resolve to return to his former life. But the Man knew this was not the time to be weak; his followers' lives hung in the balance. "My place is with my people," he said firmly, hoping he sounded more convinced than he felt.
The Elf responded by drawing one of his knives. The hostile gesture broke Aragorn's heart. Until this moment, he did not realize how much he wanted to trust Legolas, how much he wanted to believe that the Elf would accept him for who he was. But it seemed that his hope had been misplaced; the assassin had lied to him... again. As he readied himself for the Prince's attack, his opponent surprised him by twirling the blade around to offer him the hilt.
When the Man stared at the knife mutely, stupefied by the sudden turn of events, the Elf explained, "The paths of Mirkwood is wrought with danger. I doubt you can make it back to Dol Guldur alive without the protection of my magic."
Aragorn could not believe his ears. The Elf was helping them escape! "Why?"
"It is not much of a choice if your options are coming with me or certain death," replied Legolas in a matter of fact tone. When the Man continued to stare at him agape, he sighed, "You really should be going now, unless you have changed your mind and want to go to Mirkwood."
"Right," the Man whispered as he took the proffered weapon.
There was nothing more to be said, but Aragorn found himself reluctant to leave. He knew he was making the right decision. Even if he were not Sauron's heir, even if he were not a heartless bastard, he could not abandon his Orcs. Yet, the thought of never seeing Haldir and Legolas again was strangely unbearable. The Lòrien Elf loved him enough to die for him; and the Prince awoke his dormant heart. He could not leave them this way, without proper goodbyes.
Without thought, the Man took off his signet ring and offered it to Legolas. "I've had this since I was a babe. I don't know where my path will lead, but I'll come back for it."
Legolas did not realize how much he had hoped Aragorn would promise to return until now. True that he wanted to bring back the Hope of Men for Haldir's sake, but the depth of his feelings exceeded the sense of accomplishment of a mission well done. Stranger still was the fact that he WANTED to smile at the Man for offering him the ring, for giving him a reason to hope. Before he could analyze his strange reaction further, he heard the approach of the scouting party. Turning to face the Elves led by his father, Legolas whispered, "You need to leave now."
"But..." The Man could tell from the reaction of the Orcs that the enemies were close. His soldiers had a more developed survival instinct than he did. He had tarried here too long for an effective escape.
"Let me worry about my father; all you need to think about is which path to take," said Legolas as he reached out to clasp the Man's shoulder. After giving Aragorn a small nod, the Elf pushed him away and added, "Now go."
The Man nodded and began to lead his Orcs away. Turning to glance once more at Legolas, he mouthed a silent 'thank you' before disappearing amidst the protective cover of the trees.
**************************************************************************** **
"Where are they?" demanded Thranduil as he approached his son menacingly. The young Elf-mage had cast a spell upon the trees, prompting them to sway and hide the Hope of Men from even the keenest of Elven eyes.
"Going home," replied Legolas, unmoving. He cared not what his father thought of his actions. After all, it was impossible for the King of Mirkwood to hate his unwanted child any more than he already did. There was only one person he needed to justify his actions to; and that was Haldir, the Elf whom Aragorn loved.
"You traitor!" yelled the older Mirkwood Elf, face livid with anger as he raised his hand to strike his child.
His hand was stilled before the blow landed. "Why, my Prince?" asked the Wizard with a frown. He had known Legolas since the younger Elf was a babe; he knew the Prince would never do something without careful deliberation. Perhaps, there was a good reason why the assassin had let Aragorn go.
"I offered him a choice. This is his decision; I will honor it," replied Legolas, slightly surprised that the Istar had taken the time to understand his motivation. He had expected his allies to condemn him without having a second thought.
"My Prince, Aragorn is the lost Hope of Men. It is of utmost importance that he aligns with us in our fight against evil," reasoned Gandalf quietly.
"Regardless of who he is, Aragorn still has the right to choose how he lives his life. If we take away that freedom, he will be no different from a slave, and we no different from the tyrant we fight against," responded the Prince, eyes scanning the forest to search for the Lòrien Elf. He wanted Haldir to hear this discussion, in case they could not find an opportunity to speak privately. To the assassin's surprise, the Wizard smiled fondly at him and began walking away.
"Mithrandir?" asked the King of Mirkwood in puzzlement as he laid an arm on the Wizard to halt his retreat.
"Young Legolas has a point, my old friend. Aragorn will find his way back to us. I think, now I finally see what is meant to be," replied Gandalf enigmatically, offering Thranduil another riddle instead of a straight answer.
As much as the King wanted to pursue the Hope of Men and bring him back to Mirkwood, he could not do so without the help of the Istar; his wayward child's magic was too powerful. It seemed that once again, Aragorn had slipped through their grasp, back into shadow. With a heavy heart, he conceded, "I respect your wise counsel, Mithrandir. We will return to the palace. Bind the traitor, he will be punished for his crimes."
"Wait!" pleaded the Guardian of Lòrien, his heart breaking at the thought of being separated, perhaps forever, from his beloved Man. As quickly as his injuries allowed, Haldir moved in front of the Prince and begged, "Please, Legolas, if you've ever cared about me, stand aside."
"I cannot. I am doing this for you, my friend. He bid me to give this to you before he left," the Prince answered as he retrieved Aragorn's signet ring and placed it into Haldir's hands. He knew the Lòrien Elf was a more suitable safe-keeper of the trinket than himself. After all, it was the silver-haired beauty that the Man truly loved. Yet, the Prince could not help a strange sadness from gripping his heart as the ring disappeared from his sight, concealed by the Lòrien Elf's slender fingers. Not wanting to analyze this irrational sensation, Legolas held his friend's gaze and continued, "He will return, Haldir. Have faith in him. Give him time."
Lowering his eyes, the Lòrien Elf replied, "I understand."
The Golden Elf was about to offer his friend a smile of encouragement when a sudden blow plunged him into the world of darkness. Catching the Prince as he fell, Haldir whispered, "I am sorry, my friend; but I cannot let Aragorn return to his previous life when he has the chance to start anew."
Haldir placed his friend gently upon the forest floor before turning to face his fellow Elves. "I will set forth on a chase to bring back the Hope of Men. Who is with me?"
Encouraged by the turn of the tide, Thranduil took his stand beside the Guardian of Lòrien. The other Elves followed suit and soon began their chase, leaving behind a sighing Wizard and an unconscious Prince.