Chapter Five

Disillusioned Expectations

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Aragorn awoke, a boyish excitement overtaking him. He was to go hunting today, something he enjoyed thoroughly, but only got to do every once in a long while. He got out of bed, and nearly bounced out into the other room, startling Inzil, who was just emerging from the servant quarters.

"Inzil! I'm glad you are up! Feeling much better?"

"Much better my lord." Said Inzil, his eyes wide in shock.

"Good…"

Aragorn was quiet a moment, studying him.

"Have you ever gone hunting before?" he asked, sitting in his chair and ringing for Aphara.

"Yes, my lord."

Aragorn chuckled. "Good! Then you can accompany me today."

"Sir?"

Aphara entered, pushing Inzil into the room in front of her.

"What would you like for breakfast this morning?"

"Surprise me."

Aphara nodded then left, off to get his "surprise" of a breakfast.

"I want you to come with me on the hunt today."

Inzil stood there, a look of dumb shock on his face.

"Even after what I did?"

"It was nothing,' said Aragorn with a dismissive wave of his hand, "I think you learned your lesson quite well, and I trust you."

Inzil bowed shortly. "Yes my lord, of course."

Aragorn smiled. "Good. We will be leaving in about an hour, so make sure you are well prepared."

Inzil nodded, then turned and went back into the servants quarters, lost in his own thoughts.

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Legolas, despite his severe shock at the fact that his master trusted him so, found himself riding out of the city gates a little over an hour later. He was exhilarated by the fact that he was riding again, and that he was allowed a bow, and a quiver full of arrows. He felt a little like his old self, like the person he thought had been lost years before.

"So how do you like it here?"

Legolas started, drawn out of his thoughts by Aragorn's question.

"Well enough my lord."

"I have lived here all my life, and I think it is one of the better places you could hope to be."

Legolas kept quiet, but let him continue all the same.

"I have always felt pity for your people. I never thought that you should be treated as most of you are. I thought you're people should be treated as living beings, not just property. It's like my own lost cause, to try to have all the slaves treated decently."

Legolas stayed quiet, not wanting to interrupt Aragorn's rather interesting words.

"Even as a child, I thought you should all be treated fairly, not as if you were dirt…Later in life though, I found out that I could do something towards my cause, if you will, by buying slaves and giving them a better life. I had been looking for some time for a slave to start my group with, when I found Varin."

Legolas found his interest perked at the mention of his friend's name. He sat up a little straighter in his saddle, and began to listen more carefully to what his master said.

"When I first found him, he was a mess. His master abused him regularly, and barley fed him any thing, so he was just skin and bones and bruises and not much else. I bought him, brought him back to the palace and rehabilitated him…and he has been my most faithful servant ever since. It was much the same with Aphara, who was being forced to work in a rather horrid brothel, and Nerin, who I found on a farmer's auction block. And you…" he said, turning you Legolas, "I could tell you had been down that road many times before, and that you needed a safe haven, someplace you could stay and not fear retribution for over half of your actions."

Legolas was quiet for a moment. He was unnerved by the fact that Aragorn was so willing to open up to him, to let him know anything about him…he had expected cold silence, and worse treatment…but instead…he had received kind words and a half way decent life.

Before he knew what he was doing, he found himself talking, opening up just a little to him.

"I appreciate what you have done for us, a kind heart is hard to find for a slave."

Aragorn looked at him strangely for a moment before saying anything.

"You and your people are more than just slaves, you're something else lost far beyond my own recollection…"

"We are elves."

Aragorn looked over at him, a strange look on his face again, and then nodded.

"Yes, you are…shall the hunt begin?"

Legolas nodded, and followed Aragorn into the forest.

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Aragorn chased after his quarry happily, but was purposely unsuccessful, for half the day. Inzil just trailed behind, a rather amused expression lighting his face. After about the twentieth time that Aragorn missed his prey, he actually began to laugh. It was music to his ears, like water bubbling in a summer spring…

He turned around, plastering a halfhearted sour expression on his face.

"You do it then, if you're so good that you can laugh at my efforts."

Inzil gave him a sly look, and notched an arrow, following the running quarry with his bow taught, until he let it go with a distinct twang. Aragorn swung around and saw the deer fall, mid stride, dead on the forest floor. His jaw dropped. He had never seen anything like it in his life…

He turned to look at Inzil, who was smiling, an almost smug look on his face. He just shrugged at him, then started to ride over to where the deer had fallen, leaving Aragorn still sitting there, staring after him. Aragorn snapped out of his daze and rode up next to Inzil.

"How on Earth did you do that? I have never seen anything like it!"

He just smiled, being insolent again.

"Can you teach me to do that?"

Inzil looked at him, puzzled, then sighed.

"I do not think it is possible for a human to learn such things…so I apologize my lord, but no, I don't think I can teach you."

"Ah well, it was worth asking." Said Aragorn, slightly disappointed. "Come, let us gather your prize."

"No my lord, it is yours, in all technicality."

"Come Inzil, you took it down, it is yours."

Inzil laughed again. "You have got to be the most stubborn person I have ever met Aragorn."

Aragorn felt a shiver go down his spine. Inzil had just said his name, for the first time, and he was surprised at how seductive it sounded rolling off his elven tongue.

He laughed though, trying to rid himself of the strange feelings that were now rolling around inside him.

They tied the deer to the back of the extra horse and started back towards the palace, staying in relative silence.

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Legolas was unsure of exactly why he had opened up to Aragorn so much. He was half afraid, and half glad that he had. He was unsure whether or not Aragorn would punish him later for his insolent nature, or I he would just laugh like he had all today.

He wasn't exactly sure what this new link was that was forming between them, but whatever it was, he wasn't sure he didn't like it.

He rode next to Aragorn in silence or some time until his thoughts lighted upon the elf he had met with his first day here.

"My Lord?"

"Yes?"

"The elf that I was with, the twin, do you know if he is still here?"

Aragorn was quiet for a moment before answering.

"Yes, but he is in the care of the Lord Faramir."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Let us just say, he is not as caring when it comes to your people as I."

"Oh."

Legolas sat in thought, wondering about the twin, all the way into the palace.

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