A/n.
*Looks very-much shamefaced*
I am SO sorry.... I have just had so much to do... That is really not an excuse I know, but I swear I will try and be more.... Prompt from now on, I haven't written in so long.... I really hope that this chapter isn't too bad....
Either way, here is one ENORMOUS THANKYOU! To all those who reviewed, you are all fantastic! And, well, I felt so guilty after getting all your reviews that I worked extra hard on this.... And have now also nearly finished writing the story...
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Aragorn was pacing his study.
He was restless. It had been three days since his night time walk to the pond. He didn't know whether it was lack of sleep making him twitchy or something else. But there was an ill feeling in the air today.
As he sat, despondently rolling a sealed jar of ink from one hand to the other, there was a knock on the door.
"Enter." Aragorn said, in a bored sounding voice.
"Sire." It was a liveried servant that stood before him. The man bowed. "You have visitor sire, an elf, cla-"
"Legolas!?" Aragorn demanded, jumping to his feet, cutting the startled servant off mid sentence. "Is its Legolas?"
"Nay Highness. Tis not the Prince Legolas." The servant replied. "Tis a she elf, and she claims to have an important message for you."
Aragorn sat down, feeling more than a little crestfallen and ever so slightly foolish, "Ok," He mumbled, sounding precious little like the King he truly was. "Show her in."
(You are being silly.) He admonished himself. (He will have sailed away by now. I wonder why this one hasn't gone also....)
"Your highness." A lilting voice caught his attention and he turned to find himself starring into the face of an obviously young elf maiden, she had bright brown eyes and wavy blonde hair. "I must speak with thee sire."
Aragorn nodded.
"My name is Eylien, I am the daughter of Celithramir, man-servant to the elvish nobility. I bring the most urgent news, tis about the Prince Legolas Your Highness." As she spoke her honest brown eyes reflected her worry.
Aragorn rose quickly to his feet.... Again. "Legolas? What of him? What news have you for me?" He demanded urgently. (Oh please..... he thought. Please do not let my ill feeling concern him.)
Eylien looked into the Gondorian kings face and saw the urgency and worry in his eyes. She decided then that he truly did deserve to know. "He is dieing sire." She said quietly, bowing her head and placing a hand over her heart.
All the colour drained from Aragorns face as he starred at the elf in front of him.
"Dieing?" He asked quietly.
She nodded, her eyes not meeting his. "I was sent by my father to inform you Sire, it has taken me three full days to reach here, I know not how he fares now, but he was failing fast when I left. We thought you would wish to know. Father said he had most likely seven days hence my departure to live, ten at the most, though he said that that was unlikely."
Aragorn nodded, his face still pale. "You were right. What is it that ails him? I thought the elves could never grow ill? Did someone wound him? Does he require a physician?"
"Nay sire, in a way he has been wounded but it is not a wound any physician could heal. Tis true he is not ill, but his heart ails him, grief has claimed it majesty, and it is that that causes him to leave this world."
"Grief!" The shock on Aragorns face turned to absolute horror. "I did this to him...."
Eylien stepped forward and placed a hand on the kings shoulder.
"We do not lay the blame on your highness, I am merely a messenger. But maybe t'would be wise for you to journey to Mirkwood to at least see him, or pay your last respects if we arrive too late. And, if I may be so bold sire. I suggest you make this journey without the presence of your lady wife, for her presence may not help him sire.... No disrespect to the Evenstar..... But it is you alone who can be his salvation."
Aragorn nodded at once. "No disrespect taken fair Lady. Yes. It shall be thus. Do you journey back now? If so I shall join you, if not I go alone."
Eylien nodded. "I am journeying back Sire, I must return to my father. I shall retrieve my horse and await you in the courtyard. T'would be pleasant to have your company on the journey back."
She stepped out of the room with a bow; as a courtesy while wearing trousers would have been strange.
Aragorn flew from the room as if an army of Orcs were on his heels.
He threw open the door to his room and ran straight past Arwen who had tried to halt him, and almost dove into the large wooden wardrobe, such was his hurry.
He pulled out his plain Ranger garb, carefully put away, wrapped in a sheet of finest velvet so it would not be disposed of, and changed quickly into it. He was fastening the elven broach into the cloak when he was halted by a hand on his shoulder.
"Aragorn. What is it you are doing my love?"
Aragorn looked down into the eyes of Arwen. They were dark and confused. Not at all like the eyes that he was fleeing to find.....
He sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. She did deserve an explanation, just as Legolas had.....
"I must leave, I must journey to Mirkwood, alone, and at once."
She stepped back from him looking mildly hurt.
"What is it that is of such import that you can not take your wife with you?" she asked, her eyes narrowed slightly. He was behaving very strangely, and she did not like it. "Is it of such great danger to ones health?"
"No.... there is no danger fair Arwen..... Not to my person nor to any who should accompany me at least. I must go though. I go..... to Legolas. He needs me."
Aragorn looked to the side, expecting to be struck for running off to another; instead he felt a gentle push on his shoulder. And looked down to see Arwen facing him, looking downcast, yet determined, so different from the distrusting expression she had worn moments before.
"Then go." She said quietly "For I know that if something awakens this haste in you it must be important."
"Arwen...." He made to step back toward her but she shook her head, stepped forward and fastened the broach at his throat.
"Nay, go to him, he needs you, I can feel as much. You will return if you can, that I know. Fare thee well. Oh. But before you do leave, send the elf maiden who brought the message up to me, I need to request something of her before you depart."
With another slight push she sent Aragorn running from the room. He needed to do this, that she knew, and it would have been wrong for her to stop him.
She knew what had taken place between the human and the elf Prince, and just because he had bound himself to her didn't give her the right to tie him down. Not when she knew his love would be forever bound to another, and that this other had been given that love long before the idea of joining with her had entered Aragorns mind.
He had shared too much with Legolas for their lives to be torn so wholly apart.
Arwen knew that in Aragorns eyes the blonde elven Prince would always out shine her. And in truth it had only been duty that had caused him to be hers at all. Still. She had news that would possibly ease the trouble this turn of events would cause.
Carefully she settled down at her desk and began to write. This at least explained Aragorns despondent night time wanderings.
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Down in the Courtyard, as she had promised, the elf Eylien awaited the King.
As had been requested of him, Aragorn asked that the elf pay a visit to the Queen, which she did willingly.
When she returned she swung elegantly onto the back of her grey horse and trotted out of the gate. There was a grim look on her face, but in her eyes a light burned that for some reason gave Aragorn some hope that the situation could be saved.
When Aragorn finally caught up to her after tacking up his horse the pace increased.
No words were necessary between the pair, even as the first day of the ride drew to a close. Each knew where they were going and company could do nothing to still the worries each held within them. The worry for an elven Prince, who may already lay dead.
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As the second day of the journey dawned the weather turned bad. Large black clouds doused both Aragorn and Eylien with think sheets of heavy rain.
When they stopped in a small damp cave to make camp for the night Eylien unwittingly prevented Aragorn from getting any rest. She starred off into the sky taking in the clouds and in elvish she began to murmur quietly to herself.
"It has always been believed that the skies cry for innocent life lost."
She herself didn't seem to realise the significance of the statement.
As the red sun lit up the horizon the next morning Eylien and Aragorn rode on.
The sun was high in the sky when, still many leagues ahead of them, elf and man were both in sight of the vast expanse of trees that was Mirkwood.
On they rode, as if all the hordes of Moria and the forces from within the very gates of Hell were on their heels.
Half a day more, and their Hell-driven pace would bring them to the edge of the vast wood.
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Well, there was chapter four....
I hope it was okay, I have been so paranoid about it that I spent ages checking and rechecking and changing it....
Well, reviews are hugged and kissed, and are always muchly appreciated, but only if ya want to, hope to see you all soon my dear readers!!
Lora Helen.
*Looks very-much shamefaced*
I am SO sorry.... I have just had so much to do... That is really not an excuse I know, but I swear I will try and be more.... Prompt from now on, I haven't written in so long.... I really hope that this chapter isn't too bad....
Either way, here is one ENORMOUS THANKYOU! To all those who reviewed, you are all fantastic! And, well, I felt so guilty after getting all your reviews that I worked extra hard on this.... And have now also nearly finished writing the story...
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Aragorn was pacing his study.
He was restless. It had been three days since his night time walk to the pond. He didn't know whether it was lack of sleep making him twitchy or something else. But there was an ill feeling in the air today.
As he sat, despondently rolling a sealed jar of ink from one hand to the other, there was a knock on the door.
"Enter." Aragorn said, in a bored sounding voice.
"Sire." It was a liveried servant that stood before him. The man bowed. "You have visitor sire, an elf, cla-"
"Legolas!?" Aragorn demanded, jumping to his feet, cutting the startled servant off mid sentence. "Is its Legolas?"
"Nay Highness. Tis not the Prince Legolas." The servant replied. "Tis a she elf, and she claims to have an important message for you."
Aragorn sat down, feeling more than a little crestfallen and ever so slightly foolish, "Ok," He mumbled, sounding precious little like the King he truly was. "Show her in."
(You are being silly.) He admonished himself. (He will have sailed away by now. I wonder why this one hasn't gone also....)
"Your highness." A lilting voice caught his attention and he turned to find himself starring into the face of an obviously young elf maiden, she had bright brown eyes and wavy blonde hair. "I must speak with thee sire."
Aragorn nodded.
"My name is Eylien, I am the daughter of Celithramir, man-servant to the elvish nobility. I bring the most urgent news, tis about the Prince Legolas Your Highness." As she spoke her honest brown eyes reflected her worry.
Aragorn rose quickly to his feet.... Again. "Legolas? What of him? What news have you for me?" He demanded urgently. (Oh please..... he thought. Please do not let my ill feeling concern him.)
Eylien looked into the Gondorian kings face and saw the urgency and worry in his eyes. She decided then that he truly did deserve to know. "He is dieing sire." She said quietly, bowing her head and placing a hand over her heart.
All the colour drained from Aragorns face as he starred at the elf in front of him.
"Dieing?" He asked quietly.
She nodded, her eyes not meeting his. "I was sent by my father to inform you Sire, it has taken me three full days to reach here, I know not how he fares now, but he was failing fast when I left. We thought you would wish to know. Father said he had most likely seven days hence my departure to live, ten at the most, though he said that that was unlikely."
Aragorn nodded, his face still pale. "You were right. What is it that ails him? I thought the elves could never grow ill? Did someone wound him? Does he require a physician?"
"Nay sire, in a way he has been wounded but it is not a wound any physician could heal. Tis true he is not ill, but his heart ails him, grief has claimed it majesty, and it is that that causes him to leave this world."
"Grief!" The shock on Aragorns face turned to absolute horror. "I did this to him...."
Eylien stepped forward and placed a hand on the kings shoulder.
"We do not lay the blame on your highness, I am merely a messenger. But maybe t'would be wise for you to journey to Mirkwood to at least see him, or pay your last respects if we arrive too late. And, if I may be so bold sire. I suggest you make this journey without the presence of your lady wife, for her presence may not help him sire.... No disrespect to the Evenstar..... But it is you alone who can be his salvation."
Aragorn nodded at once. "No disrespect taken fair Lady. Yes. It shall be thus. Do you journey back now? If so I shall join you, if not I go alone."
Eylien nodded. "I am journeying back Sire, I must return to my father. I shall retrieve my horse and await you in the courtyard. T'would be pleasant to have your company on the journey back."
She stepped out of the room with a bow; as a courtesy while wearing trousers would have been strange.
Aragorn flew from the room as if an army of Orcs were on his heels.
He threw open the door to his room and ran straight past Arwen who had tried to halt him, and almost dove into the large wooden wardrobe, such was his hurry.
He pulled out his plain Ranger garb, carefully put away, wrapped in a sheet of finest velvet so it would not be disposed of, and changed quickly into it. He was fastening the elven broach into the cloak when he was halted by a hand on his shoulder.
"Aragorn. What is it you are doing my love?"
Aragorn looked down into the eyes of Arwen. They were dark and confused. Not at all like the eyes that he was fleeing to find.....
He sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. She did deserve an explanation, just as Legolas had.....
"I must leave, I must journey to Mirkwood, alone, and at once."
She stepped back from him looking mildly hurt.
"What is it that is of such import that you can not take your wife with you?" she asked, her eyes narrowed slightly. He was behaving very strangely, and she did not like it. "Is it of such great danger to ones health?"
"No.... there is no danger fair Arwen..... Not to my person nor to any who should accompany me at least. I must go though. I go..... to Legolas. He needs me."
Aragorn looked to the side, expecting to be struck for running off to another; instead he felt a gentle push on his shoulder. And looked down to see Arwen facing him, looking downcast, yet determined, so different from the distrusting expression she had worn moments before.
"Then go." She said quietly "For I know that if something awakens this haste in you it must be important."
"Arwen...." He made to step back toward her but she shook her head, stepped forward and fastened the broach at his throat.
"Nay, go to him, he needs you, I can feel as much. You will return if you can, that I know. Fare thee well. Oh. But before you do leave, send the elf maiden who brought the message up to me, I need to request something of her before you depart."
With another slight push she sent Aragorn running from the room. He needed to do this, that she knew, and it would have been wrong for her to stop him.
She knew what had taken place between the human and the elf Prince, and just because he had bound himself to her didn't give her the right to tie him down. Not when she knew his love would be forever bound to another, and that this other had been given that love long before the idea of joining with her had entered Aragorns mind.
He had shared too much with Legolas for their lives to be torn so wholly apart.
Arwen knew that in Aragorns eyes the blonde elven Prince would always out shine her. And in truth it had only been duty that had caused him to be hers at all. Still. She had news that would possibly ease the trouble this turn of events would cause.
Carefully she settled down at her desk and began to write. This at least explained Aragorns despondent night time wanderings.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Down in the Courtyard, as she had promised, the elf Eylien awaited the King.
As had been requested of him, Aragorn asked that the elf pay a visit to the Queen, which she did willingly.
When she returned she swung elegantly onto the back of her grey horse and trotted out of the gate. There was a grim look on her face, but in her eyes a light burned that for some reason gave Aragorn some hope that the situation could be saved.
When Aragorn finally caught up to her after tacking up his horse the pace increased.
No words were necessary between the pair, even as the first day of the ride drew to a close. Each knew where they were going and company could do nothing to still the worries each held within them. The worry for an elven Prince, who may already lay dead.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As the second day of the journey dawned the weather turned bad. Large black clouds doused both Aragorn and Eylien with think sheets of heavy rain.
When they stopped in a small damp cave to make camp for the night Eylien unwittingly prevented Aragorn from getting any rest. She starred off into the sky taking in the clouds and in elvish she began to murmur quietly to herself.
"It has always been believed that the skies cry for innocent life lost."
She herself didn't seem to realise the significance of the statement.
As the red sun lit up the horizon the next morning Eylien and Aragorn rode on.
The sun was high in the sky when, still many leagues ahead of them, elf and man were both in sight of the vast expanse of trees that was Mirkwood.
On they rode, as if all the hordes of Moria and the forces from within the very gates of Hell were on their heels.
Half a day more, and their Hell-driven pace would bring them to the edge of the vast wood.
~*~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~*~
Well, there was chapter four....
I hope it was okay, I have been so paranoid about it that I spent ages checking and rechecking and changing it....
Well, reviews are hugged and kissed, and are always muchly appreciated, but only if ya want to, hope to see you all soon my dear readers!!
Lora Helen.
