A strange sound penetrated Aragorn's sleeping mind. He finally recognized it as birds singing. It seemed so false, so pretentious that birds would be singing while his drugged brain ached so. Everything was so fuzzy. He didn't care to open his eyes. The haze inside his head seemed confusing enough.
Where was he? His face felt warm and he could hear a creek running as well as the gentle ditties of the birds. But he felt angry. Something had happened to him, something unjust, something that had interrupted him while he was in the middle of something important.
Gradually he conceded to opening his eyes and as he did so, an involuntary groan emitted from his lips. A green and yellow filled his vision and slowly came into focus. The green slowly became the crisp leaves of the trees that lined the path he was lying on. Soft yellow shafts of sunlight streamed through them and fell on his hair and warmed his face.
I will not be comforted. He slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, his hands supporting him on the dead leaves of the trail. How much time had passed? Something felt wrong about this afternoon sunlight. It felt false. He was too cold to believe that it was day, to believe that the sunlight was real. But how could someone mask the night with day?
"You fall so easily, it almost makes me feel sorry for you." Came an amused voice from behind him.
Aragorn whipped around to face the owner of the voice, but the sleeping powder seemed to still be in effect. His reflexes were slow. He did not find his blade already in his hand. Someone darkly clad stood in the shadows, just on the other side of the creek that lined the path. He was just outside Aragorn's line of vision. The ranger blinked furiously, trying to clear his eyes quicker.
The man laughed softly at Aragorn's frustration. "And I don't mean just you. Your dear friend, the elven Prince – well, that was simply feeble."
Legolas! Aragorn stood immediately, determined to face Legolas' assassin at eye level. But it was too much, too soon. He lost his balance, stumbled backwards and fell gently into a sitting position. He fought back his urge to cry out in frustration, knowing it was what the other man wanted.
The robed man threw his head back and laughed uproariously. "You see what I mean? I'd say it is pretty obvious why you are here. But how can you hope to pose a threat to me when you fall even more quickly than the one who you have come to avenge? For all of your supposed glory, neither one of you has been able to face me like a man."
Aragorn once again leapt to his feet, unable to restrain himself. He was determined to stay up this time, and indeed found that the dizziness passed straight away. His vision had cleared and Aragorn could now recognize his enemy as the same man that had warned him against the butterfly. He realized now that the man had been playing with him. In fact, it seemed that the black-haired man was only interacting with him to waste time.
"Your dabbling in spells, potions and trickery makes you less than a man. It seems that I need not steel myself to face you, as you will never allow your opponent or victim within fifteen feet of you."
The man in black tensed.
"It seems obvious that you wouldn't last one minute of true face to face combat, so you keep everyone away, utilizing various deceits." Aragorn continued.
"You be silent!" The man snapped. "You are in no position to ridicule me. Look at you. The majority of your attention is devoted to standing up of your own accord."
"Well then, I don't see where the threat lies for you and your facing me like a man."
The man seethed and his breath came out in enraged puffs. "Very well. Let's have at it then." His voice once more became silky as he gained control of himself. "A fair fight then?"
Aragorn said nothing. He merely drew his blade and started towards the man. Legolas' assassin hopped over the creek and joined Aragorn, his blade in his hand. However, he kept walking even after he had reached an appropriate distance for a duel. Taken aback, Aragorn had not time to react, nor see what it was that the attacker held in his hand as he raised it to Aragorn's face and all went black.
TBC