A/N1: Well, things worked out this week and now that my computer is behaving a little better, I was able to get this chapter out. It is long but I think that it moves forward enough and holds enough interesting things in it to keep you all entertained for a while.

A/N2: The story of Eärendil the Mariner was paraphrased, in parts, by myself from "Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath." This story can be found in the Silmarillion and will be in italics.

A/N3: If you see a similarity in dialogue when Legolas and Halgar are arguing over who will carry Legolas's pack, you are not seeing things - it was done intentionally.

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"Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow."
-- Dorothy Thompson

Chapter 6

Hope

The first thing Tilion did when he got to the Mirkwood Palace was hand the reins of his lathered horse to one of the stable hands and the second thing he did was miss the first step leading to the front doors of the Palace and fall heavily to the ground, bruising his shoulder where it hit the step his foot had just missed. And no, he couldn't be alone when such a thing happened, there just had to be several elves watching when he humiliated himself and who did their best not to laugh outright.

Red-faced, Tilion picked himself up and after dusting himself off and noticing the tear in his leggings, still managed to make his way to the Palace doors without humiliating himself further then went inside to find the King and deliver his message from Legolas. He finally found King Thranduil in his office, working diligently on a stack of correspondence that had been accumulating over the course of the last few days while he had been busy mediating a dispute that had arisen between a delegation of humans from Laketown and some of his own elves over a missing keg of honey.

The keg of honey had allegedly disappeared while the two groups were exchanging other goods with the humans claiming that the elves had taken the keg without paying for it while the elves claimed that the humans had never offered the keg as a sale item. The argument had been a heated one and had lasted three extremely long days until on the afternoon of the third day, a messenger had arrived from Laketown informing the head of the human delegation that the here-to-fore missing keg of honey had been found right where someone had left it - sitting on the loading dock.

With many apologies and much bowing, the head of the human delegation had told Thranduil that he would have the keg of honey sent to Mirkwood, free of charge, to try and make up for the fuss that had been made and in an effort to try and mend any breach in elf-human relationships that might have come about as a result of the mislaid accusations. Thranduil had been every inch the Mirkwood King - fair, dignified and awesome in demeanor and bearing - but when the delegation had finally passed through the gate and was gone out of his life, he truly considered dancing down the hallway - almost.

Now he sat at his desk, trying to catch up on the paperwork when there was a light knock on the door and looking up, Thranduil saw one of his son's Lieutenants standing there waiting for his King to invite him into his office. Thranduil tried to remember the elf's name and couldn't place him at first, but when his eyes traveled down and saw the torn leggings, he knew instantly who the elf was. Tilion was his name and though the young elf was a force of nature on the battlefield, off the battlefield he was the clumsiest elf that Thranduil had ever known and who, he was sure, couldn't walk and talk at the same time without falling, tripping over something or knocking something over.

"Lieutenant Tilion - how nice it is to see you. Do come in please."

Thranduil motioned for the young elf to enter his office and after he was settled comfortably in a chair, the King sat back in his, waiting for the young Lieutenant to tell him what he was there for.

"My Lord, I come bearing a message from your son."

Thranduil sat up straighter in his chair. Legolas never sent a message to him unless the situation was urgent - or had something to do with the Ranger.

"Prince Legolas wanted you to know that he was leaving Mirkwood on urgent business. He asked that you send a message to Imladris by your fastest message bird to Estel in care of his father asking that Estel meet Legolas in the village that lies at the head of the Ninglor River. Estel must be made to understand the urgency of the matter and is also to be alert for the presence of slavers in the area. The Prince also told me to tell you that if in two weeks you do not received a message from either him or Estel that you are to contact Lords Elladan and Elrohir in Imladris and they will know what to do from there. That was all, my Lord."

Thranduil thanked the young elf for delivering the message then tried his best not to look like he was cringing when Tilion almost knocked over an extremely old and valuable vase that was sitting on a table beside the door on his way out. After the young elf was gone, he immediately began composing a message to send to Imladris, for Legolas would not have said it was urgent unless it was. He trusted his son and would send the message to Imladris as quickly as he could even though his stomach was in knots and he got the feeling that this was going to be a bad one.

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Halgar walked back to the cave with a full water flask as well as enough wood to last through the night and as he stepped through the entrance, his eyes immediately went to the wounded elf lying on the blanket by the fire. For the moment he was sleeping quietly and that was a good thing, Halgar told himself, for the Prince needed to gather his strength for their trip. They were only a day's march from Hope, a day and a half if they took their time, and he knew he could care for his friend better in his village where there was a warm bed for him to sleep in instead of having to sleep on the hard, cold floor of the cave.

It was but moments later, when he was stacking the wood next to the fire that he heard Legolas begin to stir restlessly, mumbling something that Halgar could not understand. Walking to where the elf lay and kneeling beside him, he felt the Prince's forehead with the inside of his wrist and frowned when he felt the heat of fever. Quickly gathering a bowl of cool water and a piece of fresh linen, he dipped the cloth in the water and began sponging the face of the injured elf in an attempt to bring the fever down. He was already becoming delirious and Halgar knew that in his weakened condition, a high fever could quickly become life threatening.

Legolas was becoming more and more agitated and when his eyes came open and began to wander around the cave as if he were looking for someone, the human could see that he did not know where he was and by his mutterings could tell that he did not even remember what had happened to him. Halgar was becoming worried for he knew that if he couldn't calm Legolas down that there was a very real danger that he would tear the stitches in his wound and it would again begin to bleed - and he was much too weak at the moment to be able to bare the added trauma.

Legolas kept calling out for Estel and it was at that moment that Halgar understood that the bond the two shared was there even when sick or injured. They must have always been there for each other and even now, as delirious as the Prince was, he still called out for his best friend, searching for the comfort and reassurance that they would give each other even in their darkest moments.

Though he knew that he could never be Estel for the injured elf, he would still do everything in his power to try to calm and soothe him. Thinking back to his own childhood and the times he would be ill, he remembered something that his mother did for him that always succeeded in putting him more at ease. Carefully lifting the elf's upper body, Halgar scooted in behind him and after pulling the blanket up a little higher, began to rock him, talking softly to Legolas and trying to reassure him, by his presence that everything was going to be all right.

Legolas would lapse into his own language and even though he couldn't understand what he was saying, Halgar could tell that he was pleading with someone. Again, he berated himself for never having learned to speak any of the elvish languages for he knew if he had then his present task would have been easier - and more fruitful. He tried to remember anything he could - something elvish - that he could say to the distressed elf that might feel soothing and would be successful in calming him.

Then he remembered a story that had been passed down from one Legend Keeper to the others and Halgar decided to tell the story to Legolas to see if the telling might reach him in his delirious state. Even if it did not, Halgar mused, the cadence of his voice might suffice in its stead.

"Legolas, I think one of my favorite stories is that of Eärendil the Mariner. He was actually the first Peredhil - the first half-elven, to be born on Middle Earth.


When Eärendil went to petition the aid of the Valar on behalf of the Two Kindreds, elves and men, he wore upon his brow, one of the Silmarils, the stone that carried the light that the Valar themselves had made. It is said that only because he wore the Silmaril was he able to find Valinor.

Together he and his beloved Elwing walked the shores of the Blessed Isle. Leaving Elwing on the outskirts of Calacirya, Eärendil walked alone through that place and called aloud many times but received no answer for all its inhabitants had gone to Valimar, to Manw's Great Hall.

Finally, Eönwë, the herald of Manwë, heard Eärendil calling and greeted him then summoned him to appear before the Powers of Arda. When Eärendil entered Valinor and walked into the halls of Valimar, he was doomed never again to set foot upon the lands of Men.

When all the Valar had been assembled, Eärendil delivered his errand of the Two Kindreds. It was Eärendil who petitioned the Valar to pardon the Noldor for the Kinslaying and it was Eärendil who petitioned the Valar, on behalf of the men and elves, to help them in their fight against Morgoth. His petition was heard by those assembled - and granted.

Then Manwë gave judgement for Eärendil's transgression, and he said: 'In this matter the power of doom is given to me. The peril that he ventured for love of the Two Kindreds shall not fall upon Eärendil, nor shall it fall upon Elwing, his wife, who entered into peril for love of him; but they shall not walk again ever among Elves or Men in the Outer Lands. And this is my decree concerning them: to Eärendil and to Elwing, and to their sons, shall be given leave each to choose freely to which kindred their fates shall be joined, and under which kindred they shall be judged.'

Eärendil and Elwing both chose to be judged among the Firstborn Children of Ilúvatar. And after their choice had been made, the Valar took Eärendil's ship, the Vingilot, and hallowed it, and bore it away through Valinor to the uttermost rim of the world; and there it passed through the door of Night and was lifted up even into the oceans of heaven.

Far it was that Eärendil journeyed in that ship, even into the starless voids; but most often was he seen at morning or at evening, glimmering in sunrise or sunset, as he came back to Valinor from voyages beyond the confines of the world."

Even as he continued speaking to his friend, he noticed that his frantic movements were slowing as he relaxed in Halgar's arms. He smiled to himself, almost laughing that for once his story telling skills were entertaining someone other than the children of his village. As he kept bathing Legolas's burning skin with the cool water, trying desperately to break the fever, he kept whispering to him to hold on, that dawn was coming and that he only had to hold on until dawn. Halgar had this feeling that with the dawn would come a new day and a new chance at life. Then, just as the first rays of the new days sun began to peek through the entrance of the cave, Legolas broke out in a sweat and when Halgar once more place the inside of his wrist on his forehead, knew at that moment that his fever had finally broken.

Halgar slid out from behind him then and laid him down carefully, not wanting to disturb the peaceful sleep that Legolas had fallen in to, a sleep that would start him on the road to healing and renewed strength. He decided to let him rest until about noon and even though he wished for nothing more than to get the Prince to the safety of the village, he was loathe to disturb the most peaceful sleep the elf had probably experienced since the battle with the Uruk Hai the day before. The cave was somewhat defensible but for an injured being, the warmth and comfort of a warm bed would be more desirable than the cold stone floor he was presently laying on.

Once more checking for fever, the human was relieved to note that there was still no sign that it had returned and for the first time, he found himself believing that Legolas would survive his injury. Being as careful and as gentle as he could, Halgar then checked his patient's bandages to see how the wound was progressing. There was no sign of new blood on the white linen although when he pulled a small piece of bandage down to expose the wound itself he found that there was great improvement in it since the last time he had checked it, even though it was still a little warm to the touch. Halgar frowned for he knew that this was yet another reason to get the elf back to his village.

He gently dabbed a healing and numbing ointment on and around the wound then pulled the bandages back up then made sure they were still snug. He would completely change the bandages before they continued their journey.

Legolas sighed in his sleep and Halgar smiled for he always felt gratified when he was able to relieve the suffering of another. He was surprised, however, when he saw the Prince's eyes open for he had thought, and indeed had wished, that he would stay asleep until they were ready to leave.

"How are you feeling, my friend?"

Legolas's voice sounded weak and tired.

"Better. I will be up and once more saving you from Uruk's before noon."

Halgar's musical laughter filled the cave as he turned away from the elf and began mixing medicine, straightening up the camp and preparing his pack for their departure. When he saw that Legolas was still awake and was watching him work, he moved across the cave to sit next to his palette.

"Are you hungry?"

Legolas turned pale at the mention of food and his stomach rebelled as well, sending nauseous thoughts to the rest of his body.

"No, I am not and know for a fact, that if I did try and eat that the food would not stay where it was supposed to."

Halgar grabbed a water flask.

"Well I want you to at least drink some water."

When the Prince looked at the water flask suspiciously Halgar told him that it was only water then helped him sit up to drink it.

"If you are feeling strong enough, I thought we would leave for Hope about noon."

Legolas nodded.

"Aye, my friend, I will be strong enough by that time."

Leaving Legolas to rest and gather his strength for the journey, Halgar began to again bustle around the cave, returning it to its original condition. Finally with nothing left to do, he mixed a potion and handed it to Legolas who again eyed it with suspicion.

"I don't want anything that will make me drowsy for I must remain alert for more Uruk Hai or even slavers."

Halgar wrapped the elf's hands around the warm cup.

"Rest assure, Legolas, that this is only a tea to help your body fight infection and strengthen the blood for there is no way that I could, even if I wanted to, carry you during this part of our journey."

Legolas was embarrassed that he had doubted the intentions of the human for the man had been nothing but kind and considerate to him and had given him excellent care when he, himself, could not. He looked at the him and smiled then after he had finished off the tea, handed the cup back to him.

"Thank you, Halgar, for the care you have given me."

The human shrugged his shoulders.

"You did no less for me when you came to my aid when I was being pursued by the enemy. However, even if our meeting had been by chance I would have aided you for your need for medical assistance would have been motive enough to petition my aid."

He lost himself in his memories for a moment before he finally spoke again, his voice quiet and sad.

"My mother used to always say that it was my heart that bid me help others. She said that to me often and believed it wholeheartedly - right up until the time, when I was but a lad, and I brought home a snake that I tried to convince her had sprained its tail. I had never seen that woman scream and run from anything before or since, except for that snake."

They both laughed then until Legolas had to hold his side from the pain the laughter caused him. After some moments had passed, Legolas noticed that Halgar was again lost in his memories - memories that brought tears to his eyes. Without speaking, he laid a comforting hand on the human's forearm.

"Halgar, our memories are what tie us to those we have lost for it is in our memories that our loved ones live on. Memories can never take their place but they will forever be a part of them and that is something that we can hold close to our hearts."

The human nodded but remained silent and Legolas left him to his memories.

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Halgar was packing his healing kit when he noticed Legolas watching him intently.

"I always keep a good assortment of healing herbs and other medical supplies in my kit that I might be able to use in any situation. My knowledge of herbs is extensive, thanks to my Keeper training, and what I don't carry with me, I know where to get it in the wild. My kit was always fully prepared and sitting by my door and any time that I would leave my house, I would always carry it with me for we must be prepared to run to protect our secret at any given time and maybe without any notice."

He leaned a little closer to Legolas and his eyes twinkled just a bit.

"Even when I go to bed at night, my kit is within reach just in case I have to go out my window in the middle of the night although it has always been one of my biggest fears that I will be on my out and get stuck halfway through the window."

Both beings enjoyed a bit of laughter at the thought of someone entering his house and seeing Halgar's backside framed by the window casing. Finally, when they had both settled down a bit, Legolas decided to speak to Halgar about his teas.

"I wanted to compliment you on your teas, Halgar. They were not all that unpleasant tasting. Would you mind sharing with me why this is so? What do you put in them?"

"Well," he thought a moment before he continued, "there are many things that you can use in the medicinal teas to make them more pleasant tasting. You can use honey, vanilla, and lemon grass among other things. The point is that you don't have to limit yourself and so can be as inventive as you want. I just can't imagine drinking a medicinal tea with nothing in it."

He shuddered at the thought and Legolas chuckled.

"When you finally get to meet him, do not tell Estel your secret or he will forever be demanding that his father sweeten his teas the next time he is injured or ill."

This time it was Halgar's turn to laugh.

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The time finally came to continue on their journey and after helping Legolas from the floor, Halgar helped the elf to strap on his weapons. It was when both beings reached for Legolas's pack at the same time that they had their first argument. The two, both with hands on the pack, looked into each other's eyes, both stubborn and unyielding.

"I thank you for your offer of assistance to carry my pack, Halgar, but I am able to carry it for myself." Legolas said as he tried to tug the pack away from the human.

"It would truly be no burden to carry it for you." He replied as he gently tried to tug the pack from the elf's grasp.

"Again, thank you Halgar, but I truly am able to carry it by myself." He replied as he gently tried to tug the pack from the human's grasp.

"Legolas, you are just being stubborn - now let me carry your pack!" He said as he once again tried to tug the pack from the elf's grasp.

Losing his patience, Legolas raised his voice.

"No!"

"Yes! Now give it to me!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"You are a stubborn elf Legolas Greenleaf. You are not even fully recovered from a major wound, you shouldn't even be out of bed much less hiking through the wilderness, you are trying to act as if nothing at all is the matter with you and you are refusing my simple offer to carry your stupid pack for you. You are aggravating!"

Halgar finally let go of the pack then crossed his arms and turned his back on the elf. Legolas was silent for a moment as well until he realized that he must have indeed sounded like a petulant child to this man who had been nothing but kind to him. He knew he needed to make peace with him while also vowing that he would carry his own stupid pack, he took a step forward and laid a hand apologetically on Halgar's shoulder.

"I am sorry, Halgar, for arguing with you. I have noticed, however, that you are beginning to sound more and more like Estel to me the longer that we are together."

Halgar turned around and faced the elf.

"I apologize as well, Legolas, for sounding cranky. It is just that I am worried about you tiring yourself unnecessarily on our journey."

"I will be well Halgar and rest assured that that if I do become excessively tired that I will let you know."

"Then you will let me carry your pack for you?"

Halgar raised his hands in submission when he saw the fiery and withering glance the Prince shot in his direction.

"I was just asking. Please promise me that you will let me know if you grow weary and wish for me to carry it."

Legolas sighed.

"I promise Halgar."

Halgar smiled to himself and shook his head, for he knew his traveling companion would pass out and fall face first onto the mound of a million red fire ants before he would allow Halgar to carry his pack - but at least he had offered.

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The two made their way towards Hope, with a goal of reaching it by about noon of the next day - barring further attacks from orcs, Uruk Hai, slavers or a myriad of other unsavory characters. Halgar shivered at the possibilities and Legolas, who was leaning on Halgar's shoulder for a bit, felt him shiver and looked at him with concern. When the human didn't give any further indication of what was troubling him, Legolas just decided to let it be, knowing that if something was amiss, the human would tell him in his own good time.

He noticed that Legolas was beginning to fall behind more and more often as the day progressed. He knew better than to make an outright issue of his friend's obviously decreasing energy level and so slowed up a bit for him and put his shoulder within reach if the elf should find a need to have something to hold on to that would prevent him from passing out and falling face first onto the mound of a million red fire ants. Though he also pretended not to notice, when Legolas felt his legs begin to tremble with both fatigue and weakness, he nonchalantly put his hand on Halgar's shoulder. Halgar smiled, and wisely pretended not to notice.

In turn, the human then began to use every excuse he could think of to slow their journey down and give Legolas a chance to catch his breath. He found two or three pebbles in his boots on different occasions, which delayed them long enough for him to sit, remove the boot, and pretend to find the pebble. Whenever he would find an herb along the way that he wanted for his healing pack, he would call a halt to their walking long enough to carefully, and slowly, gather the plant. Legolas just smiled from wherever he would sit himself, and wisely pretend not to notice for he was secretly grateful for what the man was doing for he was beginning to feel worse - he just wasn't going to admit it to him.

As the day wore on, Halgar noticed how pale his companion was becoming and how much more often they were having to stop for rest. When he found that Legolas had fallen asleep sitting up with his back against a tree, he just smiled and let him sleep, sitting on the ground and again immersing himself in his own memories. He was feeling more than a little guilty about the elf's injury, knowing that if Legolas hadn't felt that he had to defend him against the Uruks, he wouldn't have gotten stabbed.

After he had been asleep for a couple of hours, Legolas woke and the two continued their journey, neither speaking of the past two hours.

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Late in the afternoon, Halgar called a halt to their travels so he could check on Legolas's knife wound and change his bandages. Though he tried not to show it, when he saw the small amount of fresh blood that colored the linen he was concerned and knew that the Prince was pushing himself way beyond his physical limits while injured. Legolas, in turn, had convinced himself that he was feeling better although even though both beings knew this wasn't the actual truth.

An eerie feeling settled over them the closer they got to the Gladden Fields, and both felt almost as if someone or something was watching them. Whether they were being watched by the spirits of the long dead or something more alive and more sinister was something that neither of them wanted to find out and so they did not hesitate or stop until they had made the turn westward and start following the Ninglor River. They both decide to be extra watchful but not obviously so and even though they neither encountered nor saw any other being, neither of them relaxed their vigilance.

When they finally set up camp for the night, they were both ready for a rest but before he would even think of caring for himself, Halgar turned to care for Legolas. He smiled when he saw that the elf had fallen asleep with his head cradled on his pack. He didn't even notice when Halgar removed his weapons, making sure that they were laying within reach, nor did he notice when the man changed his bandages then covered him with a blanket.

Halgar settled himself down with his back against a nearby tree. He would keep the watch this night and would keep the elf safe, all the while feeling in his heart that this was but a little thing that he could do for his friend in return for the assistance he was giving him.

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On the second day of their journey, the weather took a turn for the worse and it started to rain. It couldn't be just little a little drizzle interspersed with periods of sunshine, it had to be the kind of rain that came down so hard and so fast and so continuously that it seemed to have the power to begin filling your boots.

Legolas looked at the grey sky and groaned, shaking his head. It wasn't as if he felt miserable enough, now it had to rain and make him feel worse. He looked to where Halgar was finishing loading his pack and groaned again. As much as he was beginning to care for his new human friend, he knew that he would more than likely have to slow down and wait for the human to catch up to him, for there were not that many humans, other than the Rangers, who could travel well in a downpour.

As the day wore on, however, Legolas was dismayed to find that it was the other way around and that it was the human, who was, more and more, having to slow down and wait for him. Just watching the human with his seemingly unlimited supply of energy was starting to wear him out and as they moved ever closer to Hope, the man seemed to become even more manic, darting here and there, looking for both root and herb. Halgar was a healer and he could not pass up an opportunity to collect from the bounty to be found in his own back yard.

Legolas just shook his head and kept on walking, once again noting the similarities between him and Estel and how their energy level, quick wit and bizarre sense of humor seemed so much alike. He made a mental note to himself to ask the man if it was at all possible that the blood of Númenor had reached as far as the little village of Hope.

He was also impressed with the man's survival skills noticing that not only did he walk almost as lightly and silently as an elf but that he left only the lightest of footprints, a fact that perhaps he only noticed because he, himself, was an elf.

He was drawn out of his musings when he heard Halgar call his name and saw him beckoning to him. Quickening his footsteps, he soon stood beside the man and saw what it was he was so eager to show him. Legolas looked out over a small valley, a beautiful lush, green valley with carefully tended orchards, gardens and homes. He couldn't help but smile as he put a hand on Halgar's shoulder. Together the two moved forward, into the little village called Hope, for they were home at last.

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COMING NEXT: Honoring the Dead: "No, Prince Legolas, I am not well and will probably never be well again for I have not just laid ten friends to rest, but have buried ten pieces of my heart with them as well. On the day that I ran, the day the slavers invaded Hope, I wanted so much to come back and help them fight off the slavers even though I knew I was supposed to run - that it was my duty to run. I just could not tear myself away from what was happening and that fact makes me feel as if I dishonored their sacrifice. The slavers chased me because they saw me watching them from behind a tree."

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Star-Stallion: Aw shucks! I didn't mean to make you sweat! LOL! Not all chapters of this story are going to be so deep so, not too much sweating will have to be done! LOL! But what does a guy do, at night, in a cave, when the only other person in the cave is an unconscious elf? He thinks! I do promise that there is more to Halgar than just brains. There is a lot of heart and courage as well. Halgar has a lot on his plate as you will soon see and so his thoughts are just one way for him to deal with what has happened. Thanks for the review!

Deana: Thanks for the review and the compliment as well. Yes, poor Legolas. He is not out of the woods yet so stay tuned. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

AlisonH( ): Thank you for your review and kind words. I will be introducing someone later on in the story that Tolkien wrote about and was important to the history of Middle Earth but, as far as I know, has NEVER been written about before by any fanfiction writer - so stay tuned. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

Padfoot's Pup: Welcome and thanks for the review. I always enjoy hearing from new readers. There are a couple of things left for Halgar and Legolas to do before Estel enters the story. The two will eventually meet for they are linked by over 3,000 years of history. I am hoping to give each of our favorite characters a chance to show their qualities this time around, including my OC characters who will eventually enter into the 'doings and happenings.' I hope I continue to entertain you.