Chapter Two

New Home, New Life

888888888888

Aragorn stared down at the list of needed workers, and then looked up at Varin, who was waiting to find out where to place the others. Aragorn looked over the few remaining slaves, and then pointed to three of them in turn.

"Take him, him, and her and send them down to the kitchens." He said, turning to Varin. He bowed slightly, then went over to the slaves and undid their chains, sending them off with the waiting man, who would lead them to their quarters, and then to the rest of their lives…unless they were sold again.

Aragorn looked over at the two remaining, the twin and the one that was his. He walked over to the twin, looking him up and down.

"What are we going to do with you?" he said, eyeing him. "All the other quotas have been filled…"

The adjoining door opened as he spoke, and the son of the steward, Faramir stepped in.

"Aragorn? I am in need of a new slave, and I had heard you just bought a few…'

"You are in luck!" said Aragorn, "This slave here didn't fit the quota…does he fit your needs?"

Faramir eyed him for a moment, then nodded. "Have him sent to my people's quarters when you are done processing…"

"You can take him with you now if you wish…"

Faramir nodded again saying that would be better, and Varin moved forward to release the younger slave. He shot an almost pleading look at the fiery one, then looked down at the floor, defeated, and left with Faramir.

"And this last one my lord," questioned Varin, his head slightly bowed as he shot a concentrated look at the slave before him, "Where is he to go?"

Aragorn just chuckled, then looked back down at his papers. "He will be joining us."

Varin eyes widened for a moment, then he nodded curtly, and undid the slave's chains, leading him out the door towards the quarters for his staff.

Aragorn watched the two depart interestedly, then went back to work, completing forms and making sure the castle business ran smoothly…

888888888888

He could hardly believe his eyes. In all his years of slavery he had never thought he would see a familiar face. He felt his long lost friend pull him through a door, and into a dimly lit hall. As soon as the door closed behind them he felt himself being stopped, and turned to face his companion. He looked at him penetratingly for a moment then smiled.

"It is good to see so familiar a face in this world once again…there are so few of us eldar left…"

The new slave smiled in return.

"It is good to see you too…Haldir."

Haldir smiled, a remisant light coming into his eyes. "You have no idea how musical that name is to my ears."

"Quite, I would imagine." He smiled. They laughed and continued down the hall, eventually emerging into a dim room with a few chairs in it, and an adjoining hall in which there were several more doors slightly sunk into the walls. One of these doors was open, and he could see that they lead to tiny bedrooms, furnished with a bed and table and lamp, but not much more. He smiled slightly…he had been forced to live in much, much worse.

"Welcome to your new home…Legolas."

88888888888

Faramir walked briskly down the hall, the new slave following along behind him quietly. He inwardly cringed, as he had lied to Aragorn in order to obtain him. It was not him that needed the new slave, but his brother, Boromir, and knowing how Boromir treated his slaves, Aragorn would have been likely to say no.

Faramir couldn't really understand why, but he felt pity for the creature that was tagging along behind him, for a life with his brother would be short, and rather bitter.

888888888888

Aragorn sat in his study, poring over the papers his father had just sent in, when Varin came in, followed by the new boy. He looked well in his new livery, the blues and grays making his eyes stand out brilliantly.

Aragorn stood, crossing to his new acquirement.

"You look well…" he commented after looking him over thoroughly. He crossed back behind his desk and sat down, looking at him calculatingly.

"As a member of my staff you will obey my orders, or Varin's, as he is your overseer, and will make sure you do not fall out of line."

The creature merely nodded.

"You will also need a name…Are you willing to give me your name? Your true name to call you by?"

The boy narrowed his eyes. "No my lord. I would never give you my name unless you were one of my kind."

Varin said something harsh under his breath to the boy, and he shot him a look to kill, but Aragorn merely laughed.

"I enjoy your fiery spirit boy…it is one of the reasons you are here and not serving hard labor…In fact it has given me an idea as to your first job…"

He took out a slip of paper, wrote something upon it, and then sealed it up. "Welcome to Minas Tirith, Inzil."

He got up and crossed the room, holding out the paper to the newly named Inzil as he did. "Your first duty will be to take this to my father, the king, and return here with the reply."

Inzil looked at him incredulously, then up at Varin who nodded. He looked back at Aragorn a moment, then took the paper, his eyes on the ground.

"Yes my lord." He said, almost in a whisper.

Aragorn nodded, a slight smile still on his face. "Take Varin with you, you will need a guide…until you learn your way around."

Both Varin and Inzil nodded, then waked out of the room, leaving their master in a rather good mood.

88888888888888

Legolas shuddered as soon as he left the room.

"How can you stand it? Not only to be owned by them, but given one of their names!"

Haldir looked at him sadly, understanding quite well how he felt.

"To be a slave, Legolas, is to be just that, a slave, subject to your master's every desire and whim. There is nothing we can do."

"We could stand up and fight!" he said vehemently.

"How? There are guards and human eyes everywhere! One false move and our semi safe existence is over! Don't you understand Legolas? We cannot win! We tried to fight before and look what happened! We were captured and enslaved! What could we do to change that?"

Legolas paused, looking at his friend strangely. "There is still the rebellion in the North…humans have yet to take any of us from the strong hold there…"

Haldir looked at him sadly, then sighed.

" There is no escape…People have forgotten, who we were…who we are…I hope to try to keep it that way." He looked at Legolas, then continued forward. "Welcome to your new life. You had better get used to it."

Legolas stared after him for a moment, and then followed after, staring determinedly at the floor.

88888888888888