Author's Note:
Sorry updating has become a bit slack but my life caught up with me. I'll try and update as regularly as possible from now on.
droolingkitty: Thank you kindly for your review, it has helped to further motivate me. Poor Aragorn, no I don't hate him. Far from it in fact, I find him a very likeable character. Him and Aquila, well the Rocs in general, don't get along very well.
(From now on I'll put the disclaimer at the bottom of the page so if you still wish to read it, again, it's there for you to do so)
Seven
The Past Can Hurt
Elrond finished telling everyone present of all that had happened since he first sent the small party of Elves to the sea to investigate the disturbance sensed there. He added in all that Aquila had told him, including the death of her brother's family. Despite trying to keep the news as short as possible it still took many hours to tell but there was still time before sunrise and the sky remained dark. All the Hobbits except for Frodo had curled up on the floor by the fire. Aragorn had begun to pace back and fourth across the room. Mithrandir hung on the Lords every word with intense concentration, while Aquila tried not to make too much noise as she shifted in the uncomfortable shackles. It was Aragorn who finally broke the silence.
"So you're telling me I should just except her as an ally, thank her for bringing us this horrible news and welcome her into my kingdom when you have no idea whether or not she is involved in this invasion!?"
Aquila was about to protest when Elrond spoke, calmly and evenly.
"I can't tell you to do anything Aragorn. You are no longer a child; you are King of Gondor, capable of making your own decisions. I only hope that you will heed my wisdom before making any rash ones."
Aragorn prepared to protest but was cut off by Gandalf.
"This is going to get us nowhere. I suggest we all get some sleep and resume these talks in the morning."
"Fine" Aragorn hissed through clenched teeth. He then called to three of his guards. "Chain her that column," he pointed to the large marble column closest to the fire. "She will remain there until we return in the morning."
"What!?!" Aquila screamed.
"Aragorn?" Gandalf gave the king a worried look, which he chose to ignore.
The three guards proceeded to chain Aquila to the column with her back up against it. She fought at the bonds for a few moments before giving up and slumping to sit on the stone floor, fire burning in her eyes.
Even the Hobbits looked mortified at this action but the look on Aragorn's face left no room for argument.
"The rest of you, follow me to the sleeping quarters I have had prepared for you. As you arrived so unexpectedly they will not be up to the usual standard but for this I hope you will forgive me."
They proceeded to follow him, Elrond and Legolas once again bringing up the rear. Each stole a worried glance back at Aquila who looked like a broken animal, beaten one too many times by its master, and was ready to rebel.
Once he had shown each of his friends to their rooms and seen Mithrandir to his, Aragorn returned to his own quarters and slid back into bed next to Arwen. She stirred and touched his shoulder, about to ask him what he had been called up for. She stopped though as she felt the muscles in his back tense up. Clearly this was a topic that was not open for discussion at this time. She sighed and proceeded to fall back into sleep. Aragorn took awhile longer to close his eyes but when sleep did claim him his dreams tortured him.
Hundreds of Rocs were being beaten and slain by Men. The skies were red over Minas Tirith as ones who were once welcome within the walls were chased from the city and if they did not leave they were killed. Blood flowed in the streets and the Men cheered.
Aragorn tossed and this image melted into another.
A powerful looking Roc, much bigger than the others, was hunched over the form of a dead female Roc and he was weeping. His sorrow quickly turned to rage and he hollered into the dark, still night.
Now this same Roc was talking with an Elf Aragorn recognized as Legolas' father, King Thranduil. Both seemed sad and after a discussion that Aragorn could not hear they embraced and then the large Roc faded away.
His dreams now took him to a stream deep within a lush forest. An Elfling boy, no older than 11 by human standards, stood on the edge of the stream. As he looked about, seemingly searching for something, Aragorn quickly recognized the golden blond hair and striking blue eyes of Legolas. The small Elfling smiled as a small girl came running down the path on which he stood. As the girl grew closer Aragorn realized she was in fact a Roc child, not much younger than Legolas, her unusual yellow-green eyes gave her away as Aquila and Aragorn remembered that Rocs, like Elves, are immortal. As she drew closer the King of Gondor could see she was crying and the small Legolas seemed to have also picked up on this. As she reached him she flung her self into his arms and wept into his shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
"It's not fair Legolas!"
"What's not fair? Please tell me what's the matter."
She pulled her head off the Elfling's shoulder and looked him in the eyes.
"Father's making us leave."
"Who?"
"Me! Us! All of the Rocs!" She continued to weep and Legolas' face slowly dropped as the news sunk in.
"You mean you're going? All of you? Forever?"
Her voice caught in her throat as she tried to speak so she simply nodded. Neither said anything for a few minutes, too old to ignore the situation but too young to do anything about it. Finally Legolas spoke.
"Here" he carefully pulled a silver ring from one of his fingers. His mother had given it to him and it was intricately patterned with vine leaves and tendrils. "Take this." He pressed the ring into her right hand.
"But this is your Prince ring Legolas" the small girl protested. "Your mum said that. She said that was how others know you're the Prince of Mirkwood."
"Then I will not be Prince of Mirkwood. I want you to have it……to remember me."
"I could never forget you. When I come back I'll return it to you and you can be Prince of Mirkwood again." She attempted a smile and Legolas forced one in return, even as he tried not to cry. Aquila then seemed distracted for a moment before she reached a hand up to the feathers dressing her hair. She plucked the largest and middle one from the setting. She winced slightly at the pain but pushed it aside.
"What are you doing?" Legolas ask, worried, as he knew it hurt the Rocs to pluck feathers.
"For you." She handed him the feather and he held it gently between his thumb and index finger, admiring it. "I will grow another eventually but that one is so you do not forget me."
"Never!" Legolas embraced her and let a tear slip down his cheek.
"Aquila!" A deep voice called out from far away. The two pulled apart and Aquila slipped the silver ring onto her right ring finger, Legolas carefully tucked the feather into his tunic. Years later Aragorn would catch him caressing it or simply twirling it in his fingers when the Elf was lost in thought. Every time he asked his friend of its significance he had told him it was for luck and Aragorn had never doubted him. He supposed it was for luck but it now also had a much deeper meaning. Aquila turned and headed off down the path in the direction of the voice calling her. She stopped after only a few paces, turned back to Legolas and ran to him. She then planted a swift kiss on his cheek before disappearing into the forest. The Elfling was left, hand upon the cheek she had kissed, robbed of his best friend.
Aragorn awoke with a jolt and turned to the window as the first rays of sunlight had yet to begin to shine. As he thought back to the dream he wondered as to whether they had indeed been visions. He had little doubt that they were and believed either Gandalf or Elrond were responsible. He would talk to both of them before the morning's discussions began, for if in fact they were visions he had a lot to contemplate.
Once he was dressed Aragorn made his way down to the throne room they had arranged to meet and where Aquila had spent the night chained to a column. As the sun was only just beginning to make itself visible Aragorn expected to find no one in the throne room except for his guards and the Roc. However when he entered the large room his jaw dropped at the sight he beheld.
Aquila sat upon the stone floor, her knees drawn up, still chained to the column but to her right stood Legolas while on her left stood Elrond and Gandalf. All four were conversing in hushed voices so as not to wake the group of four Hobbits that lay sleeping at Aquila's feet. It was Gandalf who was first to notice the King's presence.
"Good morning to you Elessar. I trust you slept well." He added with a twinkle in his eye.
"I suppose it is you, Mithrandir, that I wish to speak with then?"
"No, that would be Lord Elrond. He, after all, is the seer not I." Gandalf and Elrond smiled while Aquila and Legolas looked on in confusion.
"Elrond it is then. My I have a moment of your time my Lord?"
"You may King of Gondor. I trust you will want to hold this conversation elsewhere?"
"Indeed." The King muttered under his breath before striding out of the throne room with Lord Elrond in tow. As they left the doors were closed behind them. Mithrandir then turned back to Aquila and Legolas and resumed their conversation as if nothing had happened. Both the Roc and the Elf thought it best to leave the issue alone as Gandalf seemed to know what was going on.
Aragorn led the Lord of Imladris to his study in silence and allowed the Elf to enter before closing the door behind them. Before Elrond even had a chance to sit Aragorn turned to him and let a torrent of words loose.
"I hope you had a good reason to tamper with my sleep further! I wont bother with the details of the dreams I experienced last night, as I'm more than sure you know of their nature. I will however inform you that I had very little sleep as a result, not to mention you already woke me rudely with your arrival! Who do you think you are?! I am the King of this realm Elrond! Not you, what right do you have to tell me how to run it!?"
"Feel better?" Elrond raised his eyebrows.
"A little" Aragorn admitted while breathing deeply, left breathless by his outburst. Elrond took the opportunity to sit and motioned that Aragorn should do the same.
"I trust you know that the dreams you experienced last night were not dreams but were, in fact, visions from the past.?"
"I assumed as much when I woke but now that I know you were behind them, yes"
"How did they make you feel Aragorn?"
"What? I brought you here to question your motives not have you question me."
"You wish to know my motives? Then answer my question." A stern look lay upon Elrond's face and his eyes bore into Aragorn's. Aragorn shifted uneasily before sighing softly in defeat.
"It hurt." He paused to see if that would be significant for the Lord but the stern look remained, so clearly it was not. "It pained me to see people, my people, slaughtering so many."
"Both Men and Elves alike have slaughtered thousands of Orcs and the like in the past." The Lord of Imladris remained passive.
"It's not the same! You know it's not!" Elrond allowed the king to vent his furry, nodding for him to continue. "They didn't fight back. They just stood there and let themselves be slaughtered or fled in an attempt to save their lives. I was told they were the greatest warrior race Middle Earth had ever seen."
"They were."
"Then why didn't they fight back!?! Why did they allow themselves to be slaughtered!?!" The King leapt up from his seat.
"Because they had done no wrong Aragorn." Aragorn turned confused eyes on the Lord of Rivendell. "The race of Men had accused the Rocs of being allied to Mordor, that is what started the slaughtering. Did you know this?"
"Yes, but from the records of Men."
"So Men began to slaughter those who were once their allies for a betrayal they had not committed. The Rocs did not fight back Aragorn because they did not want to harm their friends in anyway. They would not fight against those who were not their enemies; this is what makes a great warrior. The truth was the Rocs who were reported flying over Mordor were spies sent on behalf of the Free Peoples of Middle Earth."
Aragorn sank back down into his chair.
"Then why did the Elves not tell us?"
"They did, but Human and Elf relations were already strained and the Men would not listen. They preferred to hear what their leaders were saying."
"So my ancestors did this? Sent them away?"
"Oh no. That was a decision made by King Audax in order to protect his people. You see your ancestors had vowed to slay every Roc in Middle Earth, so they left."
By now Aragorn held his head in his hands, eyes cast to the floor.
"No wonder they hate us." He murmured. Elrond chose wisely not to respond to this. Finally the King looked up at his foster father. "I can't just accept her as a friend, welcome her into the kingdom with open arms."
"I understand that and wouldn't expect you to. There are, after all, a lot of past doubts to deal with within your kingdom. I expect your people wouldn't think to much of you welcoming in one who they consider an enemy."
"What would you have me do?"
"I believe it was you who said this was your kingdom and I could no longer influence your choices." Elrond added with a touch of friendly smugness. The King gave him a playful glare before the Elven Lord continued. "All I ask is that you see the situation from her point of view."
"That I have done. Courtesy of your dream visions."
Elrond chuckled and even Aragorn broke into a soft smile.
"Well now that you have done so do you think you could treat her with a little more courtesy and respect? She is, after all, the Princess of her people."
The image of Aquila and Legolas embracing on the day they parted floated briefly before his eyes before it began to dissolve into a new one, one he had not seen yet. However Elrond must have mistaken his concentration for confusion.
"I believe Legolas did mention that last night."
Aragorn came slowly out of his daydream.
"Huh? Oh yes. I will try to do so as best I can. The idea will take a little getting used to, even for me."
"Perhaps to treat her as a friend at this moment in time would be pushing things. What if you were to think of her as a representative of a kingdom whose help you might wish to engage. If you need to explain her presence feel free to say that I brought her. It is no secret that the Elves never ended their allegiance with the Rocs. Maybe, if you could learn to trust her and her people you could re-write yours?"
"Let's not push things for today my Lord. To merely have her unshackled in my halls will be quite a task to deal with."
"Oh good, you plan to remove the shackles. That was going to be my next and final question." He smiled at the King and he returned it with warmth.
"Thank you Elrond."
He dismissed the thanks with a wave of his elegant hand.
"Shale we return to discuss the rest of the matter at hand with the others?"
"I believe that is why you risked such a journey is it not?" Aragorn asked with a smirk. The two then rose and left the study to return to the throne room.
"What's this one for?" Merry questioned holding up Aquila's Scimerang, the odd weapon catching the suns light and glittering.
"That is a Scimerang Merry. You hold it by the handle there." She motioned at the leather-bound handle at one end with a nod of her head, seeing as her hands were still chained behind the column. Merry proceeded to grip the weapon as Aquila had instructed. "Then you throw it in the direction of your enemy. If you throw it correctly and aim it well it will spin through the air, slice the head off your enemy and return to where you stand so that you can catch it again."
"Like magic" Merry whispered, looking at the weapon with wonderment.
"Not quite" Gandalf chuckled "It takes a lot of skill and many years of training to be able to wield a weapon like that. Even I, for all my magic, could not throw it the way Aquila has described." Gandalf winked at the Roc Princess and she smiled back. "You best return it to her Merry before you cut yourself."
"I suppose" Merry sighed in disappointment and went to hand the weapon to Aquila, stopping when he realized she could not receive it. He held it awkwardly in front of him until Legolas took it gently from his small hands. The Elf smiled at his Hobbit friend and Merry grinned back.
Merry moved back to sit with the other Hobbits while Legolas knelt beside Aquila. He delicately pulled the silken scarf away from her right hip and slid the Scimerang carefully through a loop made of the same fabric. The loop was attached to the scarf on the side that lay against her body and was made to be a perfect fit for the weapon. Once in place Legolas released the scarf and it sprung back against her body, trapping his hand between it and her. He gently slipped his hand up and out from under the silk, as he did so the back of his hand brushed lightly against her hip. Aquila gasped softly and raised her gaze only to be met by sparkling blue eyes.
Gandalf who had been conversing lightly with the Hobbits turned his attention subtly to the other two at the gasp uttered by Aquila. He then watched as their eyes met and a faint blush crept its way up Legolas' cheeks. Gandalf raised his brows at this and allowed a small smile to tug at the corners of his mouth. Aquila pulled her gaze from Legolas' in an attempt to suppress the blush she felt rising in her own cheeks.
Suddenly flustered Legolas stood quickly and smoothed out invisible wrinkles in his tunic. He then coughed quietly as his throat had just now become very dry. His eyes darted about the room before deciding that the door was probably the best place to rest them on. Aquila fixed her gaze on the floor to her left and shifted in her chains.
Gandalf did well to suppress any emotions as he pretended the conversation the Hobbits were having was more interesting then the display he had witnessed. Just when the Wizard was going to strike up a conversation with the Elven Prince to put the poor thing out of his misery the double doors opened and Aragorn and Elrond strode into the room. Gandalf didn't think he'd ever seen Legolas look more relieved, not even when Frodo destroyed the ring and they knew Sauron was defeated forever.
The two made their way over to the small group swiftly. It was Aragorn who got the first word in.
"I believe I said we would continue discussions once dawn had broken and it has long since done so. However before we delve further into the matter at hand there is something I wish to do." With that he strode over to where Aquila sat, chained to the column. Her face held no expression as the King approached her and she would show him none. Legolas looked worried but a swift glance at Elrond and a nod from the Elven Lord calmed his fears.
Aragorn moved behind the column and the click of a lock could be heard. Chains rattled and clinked together has he removed the shackles from her hands. She drew her arms back in front of her and proceeded to rub at her slightly bruised wrists. Aragorn then walked round to her front and knelt before her. He unlocked and removed the shackles round her ankles before raising his soft gaze to meet her fiery one.
"I believe I owe you an apology, Princess of the Rocs. It would appear I have been a terrible host and forgotten many of the important lessons taught to me as a child." He glanced over at Elrond who smiled back at him. "I hope that you can forgive my ignorance but you must understand I learnt the past from the wrong people." Aquila looked shocked to say the least and the King helped her to her feet. "I am not asking for your friendship, nor do I expect it or even want it at this point. I do hope that we can start on a clean slate. One not tainted by the past, re-write the history of Rocs and Men and perhaps my people can one day learn to trust your people and hopefully the same can be said in reverse."
Silence hung in the air as Aquila tried to comprehend such a drastic change in the Kings mood. She had no idea what Elrond had done or said to him but she was glad for it and made a mental note to thank the Lord later.
"I accept your apology King of Gondor. Please accept mine as I behaved ill as well. I do wish to start the relations between Rocs and Men anew but if you seek to re-write treaties it is my father with whom you must speak with."
"I feel that is a little farfetched at this point don't you?" He hissed, suppressing the urge to explode. He then marched towards the doors. "I thought we might continue in my study where we can sit." He did not pause in his stride as he walked past the others. He did however notice a slight red colour to Legolas' cheeks as he walked past but decided the Elf was probably still angry with him, something he would have to resolve later. The rest turned to follow when Frodo called out.
"We might go for a wander about the city."
"I think that sounds like a good idea," Gandalf said with a quick wink. Frodo smiled and himself and the other Hobbits picked themselves up off the ground. They stretched quickly before they headed outside, Pippin chattering excitedly about visiting some old friends.
By now Aquila had joined Gandalf, Elrond and Legolas. Aragorn had already left the room and Elrond suspected he was waiting in the study, attempting to cool down before they got there.
Without so much as another word the group of four set off out the double doors and down the hall to Aragorn's study. Elrond only hoped they could get through this without Aquila and Aragorn trying to kill each other.
To be continued…
Disclaimer:
I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of the places, characters, items, etc associated with it. I am not making any money from this piece of fiction and am merely borrowing these places and characters to place in a new situation for your and my amassment.
However, the Rocs, the City of Cirus, Aquila, Pandion, Audax and any other characters, weapons, places, etc associated with the Rocs are my own creation and I lay full claim to them.