Disclaimer: I own nothing, but you knew that. (I don't even own the last sentence. That was stolen from my best friend's fic.)

A/N: Happy New Year everyone. I started school today, so I don't know how fast updates will come, but I will do my best. Over my break I came up with a lot of new ideas too, so be on the lookout for those. I have some great new ideas. But I will keep this story going. I still have a lot planned. Hope everyone continues to enjoy. I love the feedback and all the comments. Thanks.

Chapter 24

Amnesia

Mornie utúlië (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantië (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now

May it be the shadows call
Will fly away
May it be you journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun

-May it Be - Enya

Legolas walked towards the healing room, ignoring the stares from other elves. He heard quiet murmuring behind him, but paid no heed. When he finally reached the healing room, he gently placed Aragorn down on one of the beds. Then, he looked around for the healer. An elf known as Liam appeared a moment later.

"Prince Legolas, what can I do for you?" He asked, looking the prince over to asses any injuries.

"Not for me, for my friend. He has a few injuries that need to be tended." Legolas said, motioning towards Aragorn.

The healer stepped closer looking at Aragorn, but suddenly turned to Legolas, confused. "He's a human!"

"Congratulations on noticing that." Legolas jested dryly.

Liam ignored his jest as anger spread across his face. "I will not treat a human. Get this filthy Edan out of my healing room."

Legolas glared at him. "The human happens to be my friend. You will treat him and care for all his wounds and he will be treated like royalty while he is here. Is that understood?"

The healer stared at him. He would have objected, but the sternness in Legolas' voice made him bite his tongue. "Understood." He mumbled, making it clear he was obeying, but did not wish to be.

Legolas nodded his head. "He will need to be restrained, however. I do not know how he will react when he wakes."

Liam nodded and quickly tied restraints to Aragorn's arms. "Does your father know about this?"

Legolas shook his head. "Not yet. I will return soon. If he wakes before I return, reassure him that he is safe."

Liam nodded his head with a sigh. Legolas could tell he despised the idea of having the human in his healing room, but he said no more to the healer. Liam would do his job despite his anger towards humans.

With a deep breath, Legolas headed to his father's office to talk with him. He did not know how he would explain to his father that he had brought a human to the palace, but he did know his father would be furious. He tried planning what he would say, but nothing seemed right. When he finally found his father in a meeting, he still did not have the words to say. He bit his lip, but walked quietly into the meeting.

"Legolas, I'm glad you are here." Thranduil said as he noticed his son. "I wasn't expecting you back so soon."

"I had to return, Ada." Legolas said.

Thranduil nodded his head. "Galabad told me about your encounter with the orcs and then he said you needed to travel back here. He said you would be in the meeting in a moment and that you would explain all the reason."

Legolas looked towards Galabad, grateful that the elf had kept his secret. This allowed him to be able to explain his actions to his father, instead of hearing it from someone else.

Galabad nodded his head in reassurance to the prince. He knew this would be hard on the prince and though he did not full-heartedly agree with Legolas' actions, he knew there was a reason behind it.

Legolas took a deep breath and looked at his father. "I don't know how to explain this to you, but I ask that you let me explain before you interject."

Thranduil nodded his head slowly. Suddenly, instead of seeing Prince Legolas as a warrior, he was looking at his young son who needed to explain his actions to his father. Legolas looked like a child who was frightened about what his father would say when he told the truth. Thranduil gave his son his full intention, determining to do his best to listen to his son and not jump to conclusions. "Go ahead."

"Remember when I told you about my human friend who was with me while I was captured?" Thranduil nodded, so Legolas continued. "The Nazgul took control of him and then I thought he was killed by an elven arrow. However, two days ago, I found him alive among some orcs. He is still controlled by the Nazgul, but I had the chance to save him, so I took it."

Thranduil looked at his son cross-eyed, but as promised, he stayed silent.

"I know I can help him, but there was nothing I could do for him out in the forest. So I decided to bring him back here to the palace."

"You did what?" Thranduil asked as he stood, no longer able to stay silent.

"I had no other choice, Ada. I can bring my friend back from the shadows. I just need the time." Legolas replied.

Thranduil glared at his son. "I will not have a human living in the palace with me. Humans are a despicable race. They are bloodthirsty traitors and can not be trusted."

Legolas stood, glaring back at his father. His voice held a bitter edge as he spoke. "Don't you think of all people, I understand that? I was there when Heodym betrayed us. I watched helplessly as he hurt Linriel. I watched as she screamed and cried until her spirit faded into darkness. I remember that day as if it was yesterday." Legolas drew in a deep breath and lowered his voice. "Estel is not like Heodym. If the Nazgul didn't corrupt him, you would see that he is different. You would see the kindness behind his eyes and the love behind his smile."

"So you bring him here, so the Nazgul can use him to spy on us. Even you said he is corrupted by that beast. What makes you think he won't turn on you and go back to the Nazgul with information?" Legolas did not answer, so Thranduil continued. "I have always trusted your judgment, Legolas, but this time you are fool."

Legolas squared his shoulders and stared back at his father. "Please Ada. I'm asking you as your son to trust me. Let me help my friend."

Thranduil glared at Legolas. "This is not open for discussion." Thranduil snapped back. "I will not have a human living within my palace."

"Ada, please. I ask you to give me the chance. I know how foolish it seems, but I owe this human my life."

Thranduil just stared at Legolas for a moment. He saw in his son's eyes how much this meant to him, yet he hated the idea of having a human in the palace, especially one under the control of the Nazgul. He had no idea the power of the creature and what someone controlled by that power was capable of. At the same time, however, his heart tore at his son's desperate plea. He sighed and finally replied to his son.

"You have three days Legolas. If you can't prove to me by then how loyal your friend is, I will dispose of him." Thranduil walked towards the door, pausing to speak with the guard. "I want the human under constant surveillance." As the guard nodded, Thranduil left the room.

Haliem made a motion to get up to follow his king, but stopped and looked at Legolas for approval. The Prince stared at the door for a moment, grateful for his father's permission, but also cringing at his father's stern reaction.

"Sir?" Haliem questioned.

Legolas looked at him, suddenly remembering everyone else in the room. "Everyone is dismissed." He said as he walked out the door.

He headed towards the healing room, hoping three days would be enough time to save his friend. He found Aragorn awake lying on the bed. He was in a state of shock, trying desperately to break free of the restraints that held him. He looked at Legolas with fear-filled eyes as he came in the room.

"He's been panicking since he woke up. I tried to tell him he was safe, but he wasn't listening." The healer told Legolas as he saw the prince. "Either you do something to calm him down or I swear I will kill this human."

Legolas walked towards the bed, holding his hands in front of him peacefully.

"Who are you? What do you want? Why have you brought me here?"

Aragorn's panicked voice and fear in his eyes made Legolas concerned. "Calm down. No one is going to hurt you." The man, however, kept with his questions. "Sidh, U-gostach." (Peace. Do not fear.)

Aragorn calmed at the elvish words, looking strangely at Legolas. Legolas sat down in a nearby chair, keeping his gaze locked on the human.

"Why am I restrained?"

"I did not know how you would react when you awoke." Legolas answered simply.

The ranger stared at him. "When I awoke? What happened?"

"Tell me what you last remember."

The ranger looked down for a moment, thinking silently to himself. Suddenly his eyes closed and he shook his head. Scattered images, emotions, and faces flashed into his mind. It was too much for him to comprehend and understand. His head began to pound as a massive headache spread across his forehead. His breathing quickened and he shook his head to try to clear his mind.

"Sidh, mellon nin." Legolas said placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I can't remember. There's too much and it doesn't make sense." The human said in a panic. "I don't remember anything."

Legolas winced. "It's okay. Calm down. It will all come back to you soon. Just give it time." Legolas said more confidently than he felt.

Aragorn nodded, but his face showed his fear. "Who are you?"

"My name is…" Legolas stopped short. If Aragorn was still under the control of the Nazgul, he couldn't risk revealing who he was. Instead, he decided to use the name of his friend, and also the name he had used as a captive of Gerchen. Aragorn knew the name, and had called him by it when he had been a slave. "My name is Salien. We are good friends."

Aragorn looked at him, obviously not remembering anything.

"Do you not remember?"

Aragorn slowly shook his head. "Who am I?" He finally asked.

"Your name is Estel." Legolas said.

"Estel" Aragorn repeated the name to himself, hoping it would help him remember. An image of a face flashed into his mind, followed by another almost identical image. The faces were smiling and saying the name. The man cringed and closed his eyes as his headache returned. This time it was worse, making him cry out in pain.

Legolas cringed. Though Aragorn tried to remember, something wasn't letting him. Legolas feared it was the power of the Nazgul trying to keep the human under his control. If Legolas could just help the human remember, perhaps that would free him from the clutches of the beast. "Hodo, Estel. Seldo." (Lie still and rest)

Aragorn cringed for a moment longer before looking back up at Legolas. "Every time I begin to remember pain shoots up from every muscle in my body. I must have amnesia, but I've never heard of a case where remembering hurts as bad as this."

Legolas smiled at what he said. "Do you hear yourself?"

Aragorn looked at him curiously, not knowing of what the elf spoke.

"You are talking as if you know something about someone who had amnesia. How do you know that?"

Aragorn shrugged. "I don't know. I just do."

Legolas smiled. Aragorn's ranger instincts were kicking in. Estel was still there somewhere in the deepest part of his mind. "You know because it's a part of who you are."

Aragorn just stared at him, not understanding.

"It will all come back soon, mellon nin. Just give it time. You should rest now, regain your strength." Legolas told him as he reached down to undo the restraints that held is friend. "I do not believe these are needed any longer. Forgive me for having to use them."

Aragorn just nodded his head. "Where am I?"

"You are in a healing room. You were injured and your wounds needed to be treated." Legolas explained.

"How did I get wounded?" Aragorn asked not ready to let the elf leave.

"It's a long story. You need some rest. You have been through much in the past few days."

"But I have so many questions." Aragorn objected as he tried to sit up.

"And you will get the answers, but now you need to rest." Legolas said as he pushed gently on the man's shoulders to keep him lying down. "Seldo, mellon nin."

The human stared at him. "Mellon?" He repeated softly to himself. The word sounded familiar and reassuring to his ears, but he couldn't place why. He began to feel weary, however, and soon his eyes closed as he fell asleep.

Legolas rose and walked towards the healer. "I gave him some herbal tea with a slight sedative. He needs to rest." The healer told him.

Legolas nodded. "Tell me about his injuries."

"Well, there are many traces of torture on his body, but they are beginning to heal faster than I would assume for a human. It is as if something has been speeding up his healing process." Liam said, confusion etched in his voice. "The other thing that troubles me is there are traces of an arrow wound on his left side. The wound was incredibly close to his heart. By all reason, he should be dead. I have never seen someone survive with a wound like that. Yet somehow, whatever damage the arrow caused, is almost completely healed. I don't understand it."

Legolas nodded his head. The Nazgul must have kept his friend alive, and with his power, had somehow healed Aragorn's injuries. Legolas shuddered at the thought as to what the reason was that the Wraith had kept the human alive.

"Thank you for helping him. Let me know when he wakes up." Legolas said as he headed towards the door. He turned around and looked back at Liam. "When I am in this room, call me Salien. I can't risk him knowing my true identity just yet."

Liam nodded his head slightly confused. He shrugged his shoulders and walked back to his office, trying not to think of all the mysteries the day held.

Legolas left the room and headed towards his own room. He rejoiced that his friend was now safe, and he was confident that he could bring his friend from the shadows. He just hoped three days would be enough time.