Chapter 12

Smart Girl.

"Why can't I see?" Aragorn's head tossed to the side, his hand flying to his face on an impulse, trying to clear the darkness.

A hand caught his gently, and he heard Harain's voice: "Woah, easy Estel. Let me get it."

Aragorn briefly became aware of something cold on his forehead, when Harain removed the cool cloth from over his head and eyes, stinging the human's retinas with light. Aragorn blinked hard, allowing his eyes to adjust to the, actually rather dim, torch light.

He looked at the healer, who was mixing some tea, and smiled. "Thank you for-" he stopped. Mornaeg. "Harain, Mornaeg is here…he's looking for the cure for Bengwiil, he's the one who poisoned me."

Harain was all ready nodding. "We assumed as much."

"He told me he was going to tear these halls apart to find it, if he had to."

The elf dipped the cool cloth in fresh water, and dabbed pensively at Aragorn's forehead. "Well you can't believe everything Mornaeg says, Estel. The fact is, he's every bit as terrified of getting lost down here as the next elf. He wouldn't dare start tearing things to pieces, not knowing where he may end up, what he may find. No, Mornaeg will need a plan of action, if not an actual map or guide for these tunnels before he tries to find the cure himself. He didn't just want you to tell him where it was, he needed you."

Aragorn blinked slowly. "Then…you know what he was after?"

"You were talking wildly in your poisoned state, it's common with Bengwiil. You said 'Mornaeg', 'I don't remember', and 'he can't find the cure' and well- we pieced the rest of the pieces together ourselves. Be assured, though. You're well out of danger now. This cure seems quite effective I'm pleased to report; more pleased than you know. You may experience slight relapses as you're fully recovering, but you're going to be fine."

Aragorn smiled gratefully, repeating his thanks, and then his mind trailed off a moment. Something that, just a few hours ago, he couldn't get out of his head if he wanted to, had only just now recurred to him. "I have to go," he murmured, and began to push himself out of bed.

"Go where?" Harain's tone was parental.

"Legolas…I think he's in danger. I mean- I don't believe what Mornaeg said, I just- I don't know…"

"What did he say?"

Aragorn mumbled through what Mornaeg had said about the Prince's condition; that he was in the wood, shackled to a tree, that Mornaeg made regular visits to emotionally torment him. As he pulled his Ranger coat on, he was still saying, "I know I can't believe anything Mornaeg says, Harain, I know he was lying to me, but to run the risk that I'm wrong? I simply cannot do that."

Harain's gaze was steady as he replied, "What if the point of this, Estel, was merely to get you outside of these halls? Out of the protection of the elves and the dwarves…away from Bengwiil's cure. You would be a bargaining piece against your father, the Lord Elrond."

Aragorn wanted to argue, but Harain's words made a lot of sense. He nodded with a sigh. "Perhaps you're right. But I cannot risk I'm wrong, and let Legolas die. I have to at least look."

"Look where? Where would you even begin?"

"I have a few ideas; the closer I am to Mornaeg's "Mandossea" the more likely I am to find him. If I reach Mandossea and do not find him, I will return. Don't worry, my friend," Aragorn added, seeing the unconvinced look on Harain's face. "I will not go alone."

- - - - -

"How close are we?"

"No way of telling…I remember this wood very vaguely, I'm afraid."

A long pause.

"Thank you for accompanying me, Edren. I dared not do this alone, but I know how hard it is for you to step out into the great depths of Mirkwood. I suppose, for you, it's like the first time, isn't it?"

"Oh, I don't know…it does seem vaguely familiar." Edren's eyes searched the trees with no hint of fear, but curiosity. "It's beautiful. I am…glad this is my home."

Aragorn smiled appreciatively, and they went on in silence for awhile, the only sound being the rustle of leaves under the horses' hooves. Steadily, he could feel something like foreboding building up in his chest. They must be getting closer to Mandossea.

"Lindo is in the midst of Mirkwood, shackled to a maple tree…"

Maple tree. Fantastic, that ought to be easy enough to find. Aragorn was practically dizzy with trying to look closely at every maple tree they passed. They were getting closer, now. Closer…closer…

It seemed like it had only been a half-hour since they left, and all ready Aragorn could make out smoke in the distance; they were almost to Mandossea. He felt something in his chest heave with relief. "He lied," he said, making Edren jump at the sudden sound.

"How do you know?"

"I just know, Legolas isn't here. Mornaeg lied." He looked at Edren and smiled, a little bashfully, feeling as though the atmosphere could be light now. "You can tell me I'm a total paranoid mortal being, if you like."

Edren smiled politely, "No thank you."

Aragorn laughed, his eyes searching the forest. "Well, I guess we'd best head back to-"

"Aragorn, look."

His head whipped around to see what Edren was pointing at. There, in the clearing to their left was an old, maple tree, tall and scraggly. Dangling from the upper branches…

"Aragorn…are those chains?"

The human was all ready off of his horse, crashing through the underbrush to the clearing. He came to a sudden halt as he saw at his feet several hideous metal tools, all tipped in blood. Beside them, a whip, a dagger, a burlap sack with small, dart-points sticking out of it…horror gripped Aragorn inside, and he kicked the brutal devices aside, running again for the tree, hearing Edren's quick footsteps behind him.

Sure enough, there were chains hanging from the topmost branches of the tree, at the end of the chains were manacles. He tilted the metal cuffs towards the light shining in between the trees, and saw the thin, dark lines across the manacle flash bright red. "Blood…Legolas' blood." Tilting them further towards the light, he saw small divots in the metal. He ran his fingers down them. They were fingernail markings.

Aragorn felt suddenly sick. He gripped the tree, attempting to steady himself, and soon felt Edren rush behind him, and try to keep him on his feet. "Legolas…" he was panting.

"Easy, easy."

"Legolas, what- what happened to you…I was sure he was lying, I was sure Mornaeg made it up, Edren, I was sure-"

"Be steady, Aragorn."

"I- I hate being right," he muttered, pressing his forehead against the sharp tree bark. "Legolas…Edren, we've got to find him."

"We will," Edren promised quietly. "Aragorn, it could be that Mornaeg put those chains and that whip here to make us think that Legolas had been here."

"But what about the blood? And the other torture-devices, and all the…"

"The what?"

"The blood, and-"

"What blood?"

The human reached for one of the manacles reluctantly. "Right there, see? When you tilt it in the light, you can see small lines of…" Edren was puzzling at him. "Don't you see it?"

He started at Aragorn a long moment, a look of the most well-meaning concern on his face. "It's just…metal. Maybe it was a trick of the light-"

"What do you mean 'trick of the light'?" He demanded, feeling a sudden chill race down his back. "What about the torture-devices?"

"The whip?"

"No, beside the whip, there, in a pile over there, right-" In the place where Aragorn had kicked all the hideous metal tools, there lay only a neatly coiled whip. Completely clean. His eyes swung back around to the chains. Just as he had feared, the blood was gone, and so were the nail-markings. Oh, Valar…

"Something's…going wrong, Edren."

"Maybe we ought to return to the Halls-"

"I don't understand, I saw them, I saw the blood, it was right here!"

"All right, Aragorn, you know what? You don't have explain anything to me. I'm sure there is a logical reason you saw what you saw. But I don't think Legolas was really here, and I really don't think we ought to go to Mandossea looking for him."

"No…" Aragorn sighed. "No, neither do I. Come, we must hurry. Yes, now."

Edren was surprised by Aragorn's sudden urgency, but followed without question.

"I think I know what's wrong, and if I'm correct, I need to find my father."

"What do you think is wrong?"

"You know what I was thinking when we road this way searching for Legolas?" Aragorn's voice was working at a rapid pace. "The whole time? I thought I hope Mornaeg was wrong. I hope he was lying. I saw exactly what I feared I'd see: the weapons, the blood, the markings. And just when I feared I was losing my mind, when you couldn't see them, they disappeared. It's Bengwiil, it must be. And only Adda can fix it, so we've got to find him before things get out of hand."

"Wouldn't it be better to return to the Halls and await your father's return? All of the Saleb is there."

"Bengwiil works quickly, friend." He murmured, as they approached the horse's again.

"Harain can heal you, Aragorn."

"I know he can…" Aragorn found himself searching the sky for a moment, trying to decide if he wanted to tell Edren the honest truth. "But- Harain healed me once, and there is clearly still Bengwiil within my system. I- I want Adda to heal me."

"Oh yes, poor little boy missing his ada?"

Aragorn's sword was in his hand only seconds after Edren strung his bow. "Mornaeg, show yourself!" Aragorn cried, for he knew exactly who had spoken. Sure enough, a moment later, Mornaeg stepped out of the trees, hands in the air.

"I am unarmed, human. I come alone."

Aragorn just shook his head in wonder. "You cannot expect me to swallow your lies forever."

"Do you see anyone else here?"

He made no reply. No, it was definitely a trap in one way or another. But fine, he'd play into this ridiculous game if it bought him time to think. "So what do you want?"

"I want your surrender, human. I want you and little Arasen here to join me back to Mandossea."

"Well I have thought over your proposal, and no thank you," he replied dryly. What was Mornaeg playing at, anyway?

"I suppose we're at an impasse then. I will not leave till you come with me, and what can you do with me standing here? Ride away? But have you thought it through, Estel? What if this is your only chance to kill me? What if this, right now, is your only opportunity to destroy Legolas' greatest tormentor once and for all?" He smiled at the careful look Aragorn gave him. "Now you're thinking."

"I don't want to kill you."

"Oh, yes you do."

Aragorn stole a glance over his shoulder, then at Edren. Whatever the trap was, it was springing. That made him uneasy. "Mornaeg, I'm not going to kill you. There is nothing to keep me from riding away from you right now. I've evaded you once, I'll do it again."

"You're right, Estel."

"Stop calling me Estel."

A hint of the old smirk stirred across his face, "Very well, Estel." He started walking towards Aragorn. The human felt the urge to jump onto his horse begin riding off. Something rooted him to the spot. What was Mornaeg doing? Had he just completely lost his mind? Was it finally the time to get rid of him? Maybe he did really want to kill this evil elf…

He kept walking forward, that look of mock innocence still on him. He was closer. "Do you want to kill me, Estel?" Closer.

Run.

Run!

"Edren-" Something hard hit Aragorn flat across the back of his skull, sending him reeling to the ground like a felled tree. Blearily, he felt himself being hauled roughly to his feet, shoved this way and that- it was hard to tell what on earth was going on, but at a guess the orcs that had rushed up behind him were now tying him up.

By the time his head cleared, and he could put up a fight, it was more than too late. Calm down. Just calm down. He tried to think of what it was he ought to say… You'll never get away with this? Right. Here we go again? An understatement, but at least it was more what Aragorn was thinking.

In the end, Mornaeg spoke first anyway. "Don't worry, Estel, you won't have to put up with me long. I'm not stupid. I'll be killing you in pretty short order. I mean, I would like to wait for Lindo, but I don't think we have that long. Wouldn't want you to have a chance to get away, would I?"

"Mornaeg-"

"Please, I don't want to hear it. Come, let's off to Mandossea." He glanced at Edren and his face became a mask of malice. "Good to see you again, Arasen. Don't suppose you remember me?"

Edren's mouth opened just slightly, but no sound came out.

"I didn't think so." And Mornaeg actually laughed, but it was neither jovial nor spiteful. It was cold. Fake. As the orcs lugged Aragorn and Edren from the ground, and began hauling them off into the woods, Aragorn wondered vaguely if Mornaeg had forgotten how to laugh the day his brother died.

- - - - -

"Father! Father, it is Legolas!"

"Elladan? Elrohir?"

"Elladan! Elrohir!"

Legolas and Elrond entered the Halls at a run, leaving their horses standing by the front gate rather than stabling them. The two reached the top of the stairs, and started towards the king's door. Legolas stopped short. He'd thought of something. "Lord Elrond, tell my father I'll be there in a moment, I just need to-"

"Go ahead."

"Thank you." He turned and ran back again the other direction, swinging into Edren's room instead. He came to a stop, head darted around wildly, until he saw Thernad standing on the balcony. He ran again. "Thernad!"

She turned, surprised to see him, hands resting lightly on the railing. "Legolas?"

"Thernad, we don't have much time, I need to talk to you." He grabbed her hand, steering her into the room again, and sitting them both on the edge of the bed. "I found Edren."

Her eyes brightened and then dulled almost in the same moment. "What is it, Legolas, what's wrong with Edren?"

"Thernad…" Now he was here, he couldn't think how he was going to tell her. He'd known in a moment that he had to, that this was something she needed to know sooner rather than later…but how could he say those words? How could he break her heart that way?

"Legolas?" She nudged his shoulder, trying to shake him from his reverie. "Just tell me, please."

The suspense was turning her skin white, and Legolas knew he had to tell her. "Mornaeg is back." He kept talking right over her gasp. "He tried to kill Edren, we all thought he had. But with the help of Lord Elrond and the Healer, Harain-"

"The one who was banished?"

"Yes, him. They brought Edren back."

"He's all right?"

"Yes, he is."

Her eyes shut in relief, and it tore Legolas' heart apart. You have to tell her! "Thernad, Edren's alive, but he's not- exactly all right."

"What do you mean?"

"He…the healing process- you see, the way we brought him back, with Salab and Bengwiil- I mean, we healed him with Salab, because of the Bengwiil, but see, when he was shot it was-"

"Please," she whispered, squeezing his hand so tight his fingers were going numb.

He looked her in the eyes, swirling blue vapor, desperate for all the answers. "Edren doesn't remember anything, Thernad. Not me, not Mornaeg, not his past, his family…and not you."

"He…" she looked away from him, standing suddenly, and letting go of his hand.

"Thernad-"

"He doesn't remember anything at all?"

He just shook his head, eyes begging to tell her that he knew exactly how she felt. Well…maybe not exactly.

"He's alive," she said at last, her back turned to him, though he could hear her tears. "That's…all that really matters. Maybe- it'll all come back to him. Do you think?"

"Aye, I do." Legolas whispered, hoping he wasn't lying. "I do, Thernad," he said again, with more conviction, and after a few moments of silence, felt it was time she was left alone.

- - - - -

"I would come with you, Lord Elrond, but what of the Halls? What can they do in my absence?"

"I do not ask for your assistance, Thranduil. My people are far from this place, by the time any word even reached them of Mirkwood's predicament it would be too late. You must send your best warriors into the forest. You must smother this attempt of Mornaeg's to assist the orcs in destroying Mirkwood."

Legolas stood quietly beside his father's bed, where the king sat, watching the conversation unfold. He wanted to add his input, but felt that this conversation was not his quite yet.

Thranduil sighed. "So much death all ready…so many immortal souls cast into eternal darkness. But I- I will not allow further bloodshed when I could do something to prevent it."

Elrond looked satisfied, a little relieved as well. "Then I shall lead them into Mirkwood on your behalf, for I cannot ask you to abandon your Halls."

The king looked loathed to consider it. "Lord Elrond- your offer is gracious, but…I am Mirkwood's king. It is I who ought to lead my people."

"I would not take your pride from you, King, but I am here, I am prepared to assist you, and I do have selfish reasons for my actions as well."

Thranduil looked up for the first time.

"My son, Estel, has been taken captive by Mornaeg yet again, Thranduil."

Legolas got the impression this conversation had finally become his own. "What? How do you know?"

"Legolas," Thranduil chided softly, but Elrond met his eye.

"I have not the wisdom, perhaps, of the Lord Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel or of the many elves of old. But I know when my sons are in danger."

Legolas could feel his breath quickening. "He has been taken by Mornaeg?" Elrond nodded. "How? How long ago?"

"Legolas." This time Thranduil was sharper, and Legolas fell silent. "Then I suppose you must go, Lord Elrond. I shall assist you in assembling my best archers to join you."

"King Thranduil!" The door slammed open, flooding the dim room with sudden light, and Elrohir came running in. He stopped short. "Adda- you're back!"

"Ea im, ion-nin. What is wrong?"

"Adda, there is an elf out on the balcony. He's in such a rage, I think he means to throw himself down!"

Thranduil stood suddenly. "Who is he?"

"I know not, King."

"Never mind, take me to him, El."

The three elves followed Elrohir down the hall, a set of stairs, and finally around the corner and into a room. Elladan was standing out on the balcony of the room, hands outstretched. "I don't know what's going on, friend, but I can help you if you'll let me."

Elrond and Legolas stepped carefully onto the balcony. Legolas was the first to speak. "Daurrè!" The elf who was standing near the edge of the balcony looked up, his eyes uncharacteristically bloodshot with tears. He was clutching a tattered-looking book in is hands.

"Legolas?"

"Daurrè, what is it? What's wrong?"

"I…I- don't…" he looked down at the book in his hands, and for the first time, Legolas noticed the torn pages blowing around and off the balcony.

"What book is that, mellon-nin?"

Daurrè whispered something Legolas couldn't catch, except for the word 'journal'. "Is it your journal?" he guessed.

Daurrè shook his head 'no'. "It- it belongs to…" he glanced at Thranduil who had just stepped out onto the balcony and went silent.

Legolas took a step forward, coming to stand beside Elladan. "Daurrè if there is anything you wish to tell me that you cannot tell my father, we can go talk somewhere else."

Daurrè looked away from Thranduil, and back at Legolas. "No. No, I know I ought to say- ought to tell everyone…" his voice trailed off again. Clutching the journal to his chest, he took one step away from the balcony's edge. "It is Átniir's. It's her journal."

"Átniir?"

He nodded. The prince went forward another step. "Daurrè…tell me what has happened."

- - - - -

"Leave him alone, Mornaeg!" Aragorn tried for the millionth time to strike out at the orcs clinging to his shoulders, arms and hair like clawed barnacles. Edren was huddled on the floor, arms clenched tightly across his chest, eyes closed.

"Leave him alone, Mornaeg, poor little Arasen," Mornaeg mocked, dealing another blow to Edren's ribs. "I'd shut my mouth, human, you're next."

"He doesn't remember it, ANY of it! Don't you-" Aragorn was cut off as a dagger pressed suddenly against his throat. Mornaeg nodded approvingly at the dagger-wielding orc's improvisation, and turned back to Edren.

"I used to be your best friend, Arasen, like a father that you- never actually had. I don't suppose you remember him either?" Edren looked up for the first time, questions in his gaze, and it was clear that he did not remember his father. Mornaeg frowned in mock-pity. "He hated you."

Edren's eyes became steeled. "You can't take away what I don't have, you know."

"Don't think bravery will help you, Arasen." He looked up at Aragorn again. "Either of you. Oh, I know what you're thinking just now. Dear, brave Lindo will come! Or maybe- your darling ada, Estel. Oh, I dare say they shall come, or Lindo, anyway. In fact, I'm counting on it. Now. How does that make you feel, Estel?" He turned and faced Aragorn full-on, walking towards him. "There's an elf in the Halls of Lindo's father who is loyal to me. An elf who has been assisting me in many, many ways. The elf who will make sure that Lindo comes right to my doorstep. Do you care to know who she is, Estel?"

"It's not Thernad," Aragorn rasped automatically, still trying to pull away from the knife pointed at his throat.

"No, no, not Thernad. What use would I have for her?"

"Then who-"

Mornaeg tisked loudly. "You mean you have not guessed? She is a better spy than I thought. Átniir."

Aragorn shook his head. "I don't believe you."

Mornaeg sighed, and paced closer to the human. "Átniir is my spy. Oh, perhaps she wasn't technically interested, but she has been useful enough. You see, both her brother Haithin and his friend Talaé r were among the idiots who rode into the forest to destroy the Bengwiil themselves. I caught them all, of course, the ones that didn't ride away half-alive, and I told Átniir that if she assisted, I would spare their lives.

"This worked well for awhile, but as I figured it would, she eventually began to resist. I told her to help bury Rhinthû r, my 'dead body decoy', with Tirniel. She said no, so I sent her a present: her brother with arrows through every part of his body."

Aragorn gritted his teeth, wishing he could take back the sarcastic thoughts he'd had about the fact that Átniir seemed to always be crying.

"She was ready to run away at that point, but she still had Talaé r's life in her hands, as I was happy to remind her, and she was back to do anything for me. She's spread lies, brought me inside information, even led you and Lindo to a certain place or certain conclusion. She told me one night she could not live with her conscience anymore, because she had pretended to be Thernad that day to fool you two."

"What's wrong, Thernad? Why are you so upset? Can I-"

"Go to Mornaeg's room, Legolas. Then you will see why."

"Will you not come with me, Thernad?"

"No." Her voice was dull. "No. I don't want to."

"She then locked you both into Lindo's old room till you found the trapdoor under his bed. Just as I planned it. Of course for a little bit there, I was sure I'd lost her loyalty; The day I asked her to lead the Lord Elrond into Mirkwood where I could capture him. As a previous resident of Rivendell, she didn't like that too well, and was ready to turn on me, but I- well, let her know what was at steak, cut Talaé r's left hand off, and she led Elrond into Mirkwood." He snapped his fingers and smirked. "Easy as that. Smart girl."

"Pathetic," Aragorn hissed, ignoring the blade at his throat temporarily. Mornaeg turned to him, curious. "You call yourself a- a tyrant," he stammered through his half-blocked windpipe and clenched teeth, "but you're pathetic, Mornaeg, all you know how to do is terrify and- and how to destroy. Any fool can kill."

Mornaeg nodded slowly. "True, human, excellent point. I didn't know a mortal would have such thorough views of evil. Perhaps you've done your own wicked deeds, Estel?" Aragorn only held his gaze coolly. "But I'm not just a killer, I have planned this slow death delicately, mellon-nin. The steady crumble of you and Arasen, and by that, Lindo, and by him, his father, and by Mirkwood's so-called king's fall, this whole great forest will topple into darkness."

"This is your home-"

"Wrong! It was my home. Mine and Minaeg's. But we all know what happened to him now, don't we? Arasen made sure of that. Thank you, by the way, mellon-nin." He turned to Edren. "Átniir told me of the charming tale you related to Lindo on my behalf. All the gory details, so I hear."

Edren just shook his head, stealing a brief, questioning glance to Aragorn. "Oh yes, that's right." Mornaeg sighed theatrically, "You don't remember that, do you? But you know of what I speak, Arasen. After all, you've read the journals." Edren looked up suddenly. "What, surprised? Come now, Lindo took them with him, and found you not long afterwards. Being the sentimental wreck he is, he of course gave them all to you. And you read them, Arasen, because you're afraid. You want to know who you are, and it terrifies you that you don't recall. But what is worse? To not know? Or…" he smiled evilly. "To know the horrible truth. You're a liar. A coward. A traitor. One with the audacity to call yourself Lindo's friend. And you hate yourself, Arasen, you do so."

"What do you know!" Aragorn's mouth was ajar, ready to speak, but Edren's words came first. "You don't know me, Mornaeg, don't think I haven't read all the journals, every page. Don't think I don't know exactly who I was- am. And don't try to make me think it's all my fault, because it's not."

Mornaeg's mouth opened to speak, closed, opened again. He looked away briefly. Araogrn realized he'd never seen Mornaeg taken aback before. For a brief moment, there was fear in his eyes…and then it was gone. "Yes it is, Arasen. You can deny the responsibility if you want, but you know-"

"Do you know what Legolas said when he left for Rivendell? He told me to keep the journals. He shouted at me and I didn't care because I knew why. He wants me back, he wants the Edren in those journals back. So I don't remember what I did back then, but he doesn't care, so neither do I!"

It was clear Morneag had not planned to be yelled at today, especially by quiet, little Arasen. That look of fear slid behind his eyes again, but he fought it. "Not everything is in those journals you know, Edren. I read them too. But did you happen to mention the things you were too afraid to admit? The things that you didn't even put in your journals?"

"What things?"

Mornaeg's smooth air took him over again. "Legolas tried to kill you once."

"That's a lie and you know it, Mornaeg!" Aragorn spat.

"No it isn't."

"It has to be," Edren whispered.

"Attempted to drive a dagger straight through your heart, he did."

"Edren, it's a bold-faced lie."

Mornaeg took a moment to smirk at Aragorn, proving the human's point, but the face he showed Edren was one of deepest pity. "It hurts when a friend decides he can't stand you. That he can't forgive you. Legolas couldn't take the betrayal you dealt him, so he attempted to kill you."

"Edren, you know it's not true."

"Estel, here, stopped him, but I suppose the very fact he would rather you were dead was too much for you, little Arasen. You didn't say a word of it in your journals."

"Edren-"

"I…don't believe you."

Mornaeg smiled. "You don't know what to believe, Arasen."