Chapter Nine

A Mere Rebel No More

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The fort was close. Legolas could almost feel the tension gathering in the air as they neared it. He also felt the torment of the conflict raging inside him. He knew that he would soon have to leave Aragorn, even against his better wishes and judgment. His stormy thoughts reflected in his eyes, causing a slight scowl to cover his features.

"Are you all right Inzil?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, I guess." He said, smiling at Aragorn. It hurt him, to lie like this, but he had to…

"Are you sure? You know you can trust me, right?"

"Yes."

Legolas felt as if he wanted to cry. But he could not. He never could.

Aragorn stared at him a moment longer, then nodded and rode ahead, leaving him to contemplate his thoughts.

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Aragorn could not figure it out. Back at the palace, Inzil had been so open, so warm to him, but now he was distant, and even cold. He had a feeling that his bad mood might have something to do with the fact that they were in the vicinity of the Elven fortress, the safe haven for their kind.

As a matter of fact, they have all been acting strange and quiet…

Aragorn rode on for a few minutes, contemplating the strangeness of it all, when he looked up and saw that dusk was steadily creeping into night.

He stopped his mount and waited for the others to catch up.

"We will make camp here for tonight." He said, dismounting and taking his bedroll off of his horse.

The others simply nodded, and began to make camp as night crept around them.

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Haldir sat, eyes focused on the fire, listening to the sounds around them. Even though he could not hear a thing, he felt as if they were being watched. He looked over at Aragorn, who lay dead asleep on the other side of the flames.

("We should leave in a in the next few hours...So he can not track us…")

Haldir nodded in agreement as Elrohir slid up next to him.

(No. We leave now.)

Both Haldir and Elrohir jumped at the sound of another voice. Haldir looked up to see Legolas, a grim look on his face, his blonde hair tied back, and his dark hood up so far that his face could barley be seen. Haldir was surprised. He had not seen Legolas so grim since the olden days…

He nodded, and pulled his cloak close about him. Elrohir stepped out into the dark forest ahead of them, and Legolas followed closely behind. Haldir shot one last look at the sleeping Aragorn, and then slid into the forest behind his companions.

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Legolas pushed through the brush behind Elrohir, not really paying any attention to where he was going. He was just walking…walking out of an old life, away from a new love…he was leaving everything he had come to care for behind…he was going back to face his demons, and he knew he would conquer them. He was ready.

Suddenly the dark forest gave way to a glade, lighted not by the moon, but by a circle of lamps that shone brightly into the night. There was a path ahead…the same ornate lamps lighting it…the trio wound along the path, coming to stop before an ornately carved door that stood in the middle of a thick and impassible glade of ancient trees.

Legolas felt his mouth hanging wide open, but did little to correct it.

Elrohir walked close to the door, whispered something in elvish, and the door swung open on its own accord.

Behind it stood a beautiful city, all lit by the same white lamps. Legolas walked forward in complete awe of what was in front of him. The city was a meld of all the elven cultures…the ornate dwellings extending up into the trees themselves, and it all seemed to embrace the forest around it…it seemed as if it had been grown not built.

He could feel eyes upon him and his companions, though he could see no one. A sudden idea came into his head, making him smile or the first time in days.

("Elrohir, how were you able to recognize me by sight?")

("Everyone here has seen portraits of the old days…the elder days, or has heard the last battle described to them…why?")

Legolas smiled, and pulled back his hood, letting the full light hit his face as they walked down the 'empty' path.

("No reason.")

He could feel the atmosphere change almost instantly, from suspicious and foreboding, to shocked and excited. Haldir looked over at Legolas questioningly, then seeing what he had done laughed, and pulled his hood down as well. Legolas was almost sure someone would faint at the sight of the two of them, both healthy and alive, walking down the broad path, a path they had fought so hard to keep so long ago…

They reached what seemed to be the main hall, and waked inside. They wound their way through several open passageways until finally stopping in a large open library. A tall elf stood in the corner, replacing a book on a shelf when they entered. He wore a long robe, fit for royalty, if there had been any left.

("Father,") said Elrohir, drawing the elf's attention, ("I have brought them.")

The elf, whom they recognized, stood in shock before them.

("My God…You are alive, both of you…")

("Did you think we would go down without a fight?") Said Haldir with a smile.

("No…I mean it's been almost…well…it has been many years since you were last seen…we all thought…")

("Elrond, we are back now…and that is what matters most.") Said Legolas, a serious look over taking his features.

Elrond nodded, then turned to his son.

("Go inform the heralds…spread the word throughout the city…our generals have returned.")

Elrohir smiled at him and ran off, pleased to be the one to deliver such good news to the people.

Legolas smiled slightly as he watched the boy run off.

("By the Valar…It is good to be home…")

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Aragorn woke up, startled at the silence all around. He sat up, groggily rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Inzil?"

There was no reply. He looked around and saw that he was not there…no one was.

"Inzil? Varin? Corin?"

He felt slightly angry; his slaves had left, leaving him alone. He sighed. He had expected them to run…but not so soon. He sat back on his elbows, staring at the charcoaled remains of the fire.

Inzil had lied to him, about many things…but so had he. They all thought that he was helpless, that he could not fend for himself…but they were wrong. How did they think he had defended himself all those years ago…when they had not been around?

He had been someone different, an exile, someone who was quite able to fend for himself, and even kill if necessary.

He got up; kicking the fire slightly with his foot, then pushed his bedroll aside, and revealing the blade and bow beneath it. He strapped his weapons on over his cloak, then pulled up his hood. He walked out into the forest…knowing the horses were no longer there. Someone had taken them in the night…otherwise they would have been after him as soon as he had woken up for their feed… He struck out in the direction of Rohan, letting his old training come back, and kick back in…

He was a Ranger once more.

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Legolas felt elated, as he had not in years. He adjusted the dark blue cloak around his shoulders once more, feeling the heavy, yet incredibly soft material under his finger tips again. He looked over his reflection again, just to make sure everything was perfect.

His long hair had been plaited back, just out of his eyes, but it still hung down loose on his shoulders. A black tunic and leather bracers covered his pale blue shirt. His black pants were tucked into soft leather boots, and his blade hung on his hip. He had his cloak ceremoniously draped only over one shoulder, so as to show his embroidered insignia. The silver gold butterfly flew over the crossed bars of this cultural mesh that was the rebellion. He put his hand over the insignia, covering it almost defensively.

("I just can't get over it.") Said Haldir entering the room in the same dress. ("We are home, we are welcome, and we are captains of our people once more…")

Legolas smiled at Haldir, looking at him through the mirror.

("Just being home was enough…")

He turned around, dropping his hand from his shoulder as he did.

("But this is far better.")

Haldir laughed outright, and Legolas joined in, and then, still chortling, they waked out into the hall, making their way towards Elrond's apartments.

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Aragorn never saw it coming. He neared the ridge of the forest, and could see the morning sun just beyond. He smiled slightly at the good time he was making, letting his guard down as he did.

In that moment, he felt something hit his arm, causing blinding pain to shoot up and down his body. He dropped to his knees and felt for the cause of the ache, only to find the shaft of an arrow deeply buried in his shoulder. He barley had time to look up before they were upon him, swarming towards him…and then the world around him went dark…

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Haldir was glad to see his friend so happy. It had been so long since any of them had been, but it had been exceptionally bad for Legolas. Even though he had never spoken a word about his past, any keen observer could tell there were things that had happened to him that he would most likely never tell anyone.

("My Lords!")

They both turned to see Elrond standing in the entrance hall, motioning them over.

("How do you find your uniforms? Are they to your liking?") He asked upon their reaching him.

Legolas smiled brightly at him.

("They are magnificent…I never thought that I would ever wear something like this again…if not for Elrohir, we very well would not be.")

("Well, I didn't do much…I just led you here.") He said, a broad grin across his face as he came up behind his father's shoulder.

Haldir couldn't help but smile back, but Legolas's face fell, his smile vanishing.

("What is the matter my friend?")

Legolas stared intently at Elrohir as he spoke.

("We never told him.")

Haldir felt himself choke slightly.

("Is it necessary? I mean…")

("Tell me what?")

Legolas spoke before Haldir could keep him quiet.

("That there was someone else of importance to you at the palace, someone that you would have tried to save if we had told you earlier…")

Elrohir just tilted his head slightly to one side questioningly, a slight smile still on his face.

("Your brot….")

("MY LORD!")

All four of them looked over at the interruption to see a few scouts coming in the hall…and they were dragging someone behind them…

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Legolas knew who the figure was, before the scouts even said. He felt his heart stop as the human…as Aragorn was thrown at their feet.

He could see the blood still streaming down his one shoulder, and a broken off piece of an arrow shaft sticking out of it. His hands were bound, and there was a bruise forming along his cheekbone…it was all he could do to not drop to his knees and embrace the man, hold him close and try to fix all his hurts.

("He would not tell us who he was General Greenleaf, but we wish to be allowed to take him in for forcible questioning.")

Legolas just looked at them, puzzled.

("Do you mean you wish to…?")

("Torture information out of him? Yes, my lord, with your leave. Then he would be killed, so as to preserve the secrecy of this haven.")

Legolas's brain turned into over drive. He could not let these elves touch his former owner, could not let them find out who he was…but an idea was beginning to form in his mind…one that could save them both.

("No, no, take him to my quarters…I will be along shortly to question him myself.")

("Yes my lord.")

The scouts drug Aragorn to his feet, and pushed him down the hall towards Legolas's room.

"What do you think your doing!"

Haldir stared at him shocked.

"I would not think he would take precedence…"

"I am saving an innocent life."

Legolas turned on his heal and marched out of the hall, his cloak billowing as he waked. He would never let them murder the one person he had come to love in the last couple of thousand years…he had to save him no matter what the cost.

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Haldir stared after Legolas, at a loss for his actions. They had barley been here a day, and already he was aiming to get them both killed.

("Quite the General, is he not? Already taking on such responsibilities so soon…")

Haldir turned to Elrond, a pained smile on his face.

("You have no idea my lord…you have no idea.")

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