(-)Chapter 3(-)

Aragorn lay completely still, staring at the ceiling. He hated this. Everything right now seemed so messed up. It was terribly confusing and he was still very mad at himself for snapping at Denethor the way that he had.

He had seen the look in his father's and friend's eyes. They were worried, terribly so, but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to confide in them.

He sighed and shook his head, he'd tell them everything in the morning, he knew he needed to tell someone. He sighed again, turned over on the large couch and fell asleep.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

He was startled awake by a weight being dropped on his chest and automatically rolled off the couch and slid a knife that had been hidden under his pillow out and nearly threw it at his friend.

Legolas had been shocked by the reaction and had dropped behind the couch and slowly peaked out from behind it warily, "Strider?"

Aragorn groaned slightly and dropped the blade.

The orange tabby that had been dropped on his chest sat on the floor, staring at him.

Legolas smiled weakly when he realised his friend was fully awake again, "Sorry Strider... where'd the cat come from?"

Aragorn blinked tiredly and shook his head, "Dunno... was here when I moved here an' refused to leave..." he muttered blearily.

"Oh..."

Aragorn blinked suddenly, "Should you be up?"

Legolas smiled, "I feel much better now that I'm out of that cave."

"It was not a cave Legolas and it was no different than your father's dungeon's."

"There is a big difference," the elf stated, refusing to allow the human to tell him that any part of his home was like a cave, he grinned.

"Whatever," Aragorn pulled himself to his feet.

Elrond frowned at him as he came out of the room he'd been forced once again to take, "Estel... please," he was near begging now, "tell us what's wrong."

Aragorn sighed and he sat on the couch again, "Too much to tell ada," he glanced up and met with two sets of very worried eyes.

Elrond sat down next to his son and stared at him silently for a moment, "Estel you know you can tell me anything."

Aragorn shifted and glanced at him, "It is very difficult... here..." he shook his head, "I just can not do this. I can't stand being trapped here for so long. I can't... stand being so far away from my friend's and family."

Elrond and Legolas both stared at him sadly.

"Estel..." Elrond paused to catch his attention, "maybe you should leave here ion-nin. It is not doing you any good."

Aragorn sighed, "I can not just leave. I can't leave..."

"I understand how you feel Strider," Legolas spoke up quietly, "it's difficult to leave, well... I don't really know what to call it for you, but Gondor is in perfectly capable hands, you know this, and it is not your time yet."

Aragorn looked up at him sharply, the emotion he'd shown suddenly hidden again to show only his anger, "I know it is not my time Legolas. I am not a ruler! I am not going to take the throne, I can't."

He stood up then and left the two, deep down he was not arguing with his friend but himself, after the many times he'd caught himself thinking on how to improve things he'd been panicking. He did not want this and yet he seemed to accept it. It was so confusing.

Legolas flinched when he heard the door slam and his shoulder's slumped as he glanced over at the elven lord, "Why did I have to speak?"

Elrond shook his head, "Nay Legolas, do not blame yourself, if you hadn't said it I probably would have. He is not angry at you, you need not worry."

Legolas just sighed.

Aragorn winced as he leant against the door-Why can't I keep my anger under control-

He quickly changed and was out again in no time. He came up behind the two elves and pulled himself up to sit on the back of the couch.

"Legolas?" he spoke uncertainly, "I'm sorry I spoke to you that way mellon-nin, I seem to be doing that a lot lately... forgive a confused human for his bad temper," he managed a slight smile.

Legolas shook his head, "There is naught to forgive mellon-nin, I shouldn't have said anything."

"Nay! No Legolas," Aragorn shook his head vigorously, "I'd rather have you speak your mind my friend, what you had said was... well... it was right."

Elrond glanced up in shock.

"It is not my time, admittedly I wish it would never be my time but... I have caught myself thinking about it more and more often. My mind has accepted the fact while my heart still can't."

He blinked in surprise as he was pulled off the back of the couch and hugged tightly by the two.

He smiled, though a very small one, it was the first genuine one in years. It simply felt good to have someone there that he could speak to again.

"Hannon lle, yúyo lle," he muttered. ((Thank you, both (of) you))

"Im valimo na ea sinome ion-nin." ((I (am) happy to be here))

"Os im mellon-nin." ((As (am) I))

Aragorn sighed as he suddenly remembered something and stood swiftly, "Im edrein tirith si aur, lle garo na teli na nin, lle ná al na us-nin hen." ((I (am) border guard today, you have to come with me, you are not to leave my sight))

"Tana mae, e-lhoeb gwelw tath na maer anim ar Legolas," Elrond nodded. ((That (is) well, the fresh air will be good for me and...))

"Im harthad ilya mae sina lü," Aragorn grumbled and sighed again. ((I hope all is well this time))

"Im estel ha osto-mae," Legolas muttered, watching his friend get ready to gather the men. ((I hope it as well))

"Teli san, umin iest na telwa," he sighed, but managed a slight smile as he turned, just speaking the elvish language helped calm him, "Im na omenta o Ecthelion thegra. Lle tath baur lya sigyl." ((Come then, I do not wish to (be) late, I (am) to meet with ... first. You will need your daggers))

The other two elves just nodded.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Ecthelion nodded slowly at the request, he knew it had to be given so he turned to the nearest guard, "Go find the elves sword and the two knives," he turned back, "these I will give you."

Aragorn nodded, "I thank you sire, and I must apologise for any inconvenience I have caused during this."

"Nonsence," the man waved off the apology with a smile, "you a good man Thorongil and you do not ask for much. Besides, after all you had shown me I do not believe it to be these two either, but we are having trouble finding the man who did it, or who we believe to have done it."

Aragorn nodded.

Legolas smiled, "We thank you greatly Lord Ecthelion, for allowing us to leave the dungeon's and stay with my... our friend," he glanced slightly uncertainly at Elrond.

The other elf just nodded.

Aragorn glanced over at Legolas and couldn't help the slight smirk that crossed over his face, "I-sinome Im nauth-lle kil-hana fela!" ((And here I thought you see it (as a) cave))

"Telcontar! Gwilb!" Legolas quieted him nervously. ((Strider! Quiet!))

"Sïdh mellon-nin! Hono ista lau edhellen," he chuckled slightly. ((Peace...! He know(s) no elvish))

Legolas mock glared at him, "Lle ná balk adan, Thorongil." ((You are a cruel man))

Aragorn just smirked, "Lle kwed." (((So) you say))

Legolas rolled his eyes and chuckled quietly, "You are impossible!"

"This you have said as well many times over," he sounded rather amused.

Ecthelion stood in quiet shock, did the Captain seem happy again? He shook his head slowly.

"If you do not mind Thorongil, I would speak to these two a moment."

Aragorn froze and nodded, immediately shutting his emotions off again and slipping outside.

Ecthelion turned to the two elves and sighed, "I am terribly sorry for this, I truly wish to just allow you to leave but it is not my call only, unless we can find who really did this I can not allow you to leave."

Elrond shook his head, "Nay, be not sorry, we understand perfectly Lord Ecthelion, and we do not hold it against you."

The man looked relieved, "There are no grudges between our realms?"

Legolas blinked, wondering how this man knew who they were exactly, they had their names given, yes, perhaps it would be obvious as to who Elrond was but he?

Elrond smiled slightly and shook his head, "There are none."

Legolas shook his head as well, "You are only protecting your people," he lowered his voice in a slightly ironic tone, "Im estel adar lym ha sina bad." ((I hope father sees it this way))

Elrond chuckled slightly, "It will be fine Legolas, now, surely you know it is not polite to speak in unknown languages in front of others?"

Legolas smiled sheepishly, "Sorry."

Ecthelion laughed, "It is no problem, it is a beautiful language and it is nice to listen to."

Legolas bit back a slight snicker-I'm sure he'd think that if he knew what I had said.-

Elrond smiled, "Is there anything you wish of us before we leave with... Thorongil?"

"Nay, there is naught that I wish from you as of now, I thank you for the offer," he smiled, "I wish simply that you look out for Captain Thorongil, that had been the first time I had seen him happy in the last four years... watch him for us, we all worry over him."

A/N

Elven Kitten: Heylo:) How beez you all?

Ranger Side: We hope you enjoyed the chapter, we had meant to post it earlier today but hotmail wasn't working for some reason and we couldn't get into our reviews for replies, luckily it's working again now. :) The replies may be short but we're kinda bored right now and any second now, I swear, we'll all just fall off the chair and start driving the little evil ones insane until they try to kill us again...

Elf Side: ... Sure... anyhow, here are the replies...

IwishChan - I'm glad you're enjoying it:) hope this one turned out well too:P Of course Ecthelion realized his mistake! If he didn't I'd have to kill him... obvious threat (Ecthelion whimpers) Lol, I'm glad you're looking forward to it!

MicroChips - Lol! I'm sure he'd appreciate it though! And good luck finding people willing to basically throw the Valar into The Void... lol, some part of me thinks Denethor would cause more indigestion than Ecthelion would... XP lol. Thankies. :P

Kalayna - Yeah, it could be a problem! Luckily Elrond and Legolas are so understanding... Lol. Thank ya:)

Aranna Undomiel - Lol, poor Estel... never gets a break. :) Attempted innocence XP colds are not fun... they ish ebil... XP

pippin the hobbit elf - Lol, yesh... fear him... XP lol, I'm glad you think I'm doing a good job, 't is highly appreciated:)

Lyn - I'm glad you seemed to have liked it! But everything other than the first word I didn't really understand... Oo... lol Am rather confused

Angel of Imladris - lol, glad you liked it! Hope you liked this one as well! Hope it didn't take too long to get up:)

Strider of the North - I'm glad you're enjoying it! Lol, you're English is good:) lol, and thank you for the compliment:)

marbienl - Hiz:) Yeah really... lol, diplomatic immunity... 't would come in handy for them right about now:P Lol, it's what they do, they're good at worrying... :P Lol, forensic investigator... somehow I'm not sure he'd know exactly what to do with pavement... :P lol. Oh yes, all blame the woodelf! It simplifies things nods lol. There are seriously chickens in your school? Oo... I can't get over that... it's actually kinda creepy... lol, yes... chicken soup... it's so untrustable... Lol, guess what I have to make for dinner tonight! XP lol, don't apologize for rambling! Rambling is fun:)

discombobulatedcheezeNUSH - Lol, I'm glad you liked it:) Hope you enjoyed the chapter:)

grumpy - Lol, you seem so sure he's going to leave after this! Shifty eyes Lol, hope you enjoyed the chapter:)

E.K.: WELL! I wanna get this up right away... so I hope you all enjoyed it:) Namarie!

Elenmeoi