Disclaimer in Chapter 1 - They may yet be alive.
Nin-dethro hîn, Mellon-nin.
Chapter 21 – Oh, come now Elessar.
"What is it, wants wrong with him?" Elladan asked, kneeling down beside his twin brother as he tried to pry the young Prince's hands from around his own throat. The eldest twin was informed by a guard just a few seconds ago that a Wood Elf, inside the keep, was now thrashing around, screaming and shouting incoherent things. Elladan had ran at full speed that very moment, entering the Keep and seeing the Elven form of his dear friend crying and his two brothers trying to calm the Prince down.
"We don't know. We have tried everything and still he doesn't wake!" Aragorn shouted to his brother over the screams the Prince was making. By now, the whole room was in complete silence, stunned by the scene that was happening before them.
"We need to move everyone out of here." Elrohir told his brother, seeing the shocked faces of the Rohan people. He knew that Legolas hated attention and this was only going to worsen the situation.
Elladan nodded and was thankful that Théodred, Éomer, Éowyn and Haldir ran into the Keep, pushing through the guards that stood stunned at what was happening to the Prince of Mirkwood.
The four ran over, great worry within the multiple eyes that looked at the Prince. "What's wrong?" Éomer asked, seeing the pain etched on the Wood Elf's face as he tried to battle some being that none of them could see.
"We need to move everyone out of here." Aragorn turned facing the four "Only those that were badly hurt during the battle must stay. We advise them not to be moved."
"You are in luck, my Lord. We moved them out the day before yesterday into the streets below." Éowyn answered "Haldir said that there were many Elven healers down there that could help."
"That is indeed good news." Elladan smiled but it soon disappeared when Legolas screamed once more, a hand flying down to his side and hovering over something that seemed to be blocking his way to it. "Hurry!" He shouted to the four "I fear there is an evil at work here that is far beyond any of us!"
Aragorn gulped. Why was it that when Legolas was nearly healed or merely enjoying himself, the dark Lord had to come and ruin such a thing for him? Why must he always be tortured and not left alone for a fair few months? No matter how many questions that stumbled into the future King of Gondor and Arnor's mind, he knew that only person who could answer them truthfully was in fact Sauron himself and he knew he was never going to be able to ask such questions.
As the three mortals and immortal began to turn away, Elrohir quickly shouted "Go find Gandalf! We will need him. Be quick!" Soon, the three brothers were left alone, tending to their sick friend before them, hoping that he would be well at the end of what was happening to him now.
Elladan brought his hand down to where the Prince's was hovering over his side and saw how the fair hands of his friends clenched the air as if something truly was there. He gently placed his on top of Legolas' and then moved it underneath but something stopped him in doing so. The clear air was hard but it was cold. This confirmed his suspicions and more worry and fear began to grow within him. "It's Sauron." He told his brother's, shaking his head slightly and turning to see his brother's reactions.
Aragorn's eyes widened even more but before he was to say anything, Legolas suddenly sat up and then slammed his hand into the rangers face. Aragorn cried out at the force of the slam and he brought both his hands up to the Prince's hand, trying desperately to pry the hand off of him.
Elladan and Elrohir watched in fear as the Prince's grip hardened on their brother's face. "Estel!" They both shouted and soon a deadly, cold laughter filled the whole room. Both brothers looked at their friend; they couldn't see the Prince's eyes for his blonde hair obscured their vision.
Haldir and Théodred looked in horror at the Prince when they heard the cry from Aragorn and the cold laughter. Both watched, Éowyn and Éomer were outside helping the injured to the settlements below, as the future King tried to struggle out of Legolas' grip.
Ever so slowly did the Prince of Mirkwood turn his head and face the twin sons of Elrond. His now black eyes bore into the grey steel coloured ones of their own and a sinister smiled spread across his face. The two twins expressions were such a joy to see "I'll be borrowing him for a few minutes."
Elladan and Elrohir watched as the Prince's eyes shut quickly and sagged back down onto the floor, his grip from Aragorn's face lessened and the ranger sagged down, his eyes shut also. "Estel!" Elrohir repeated his previous shout as he knelt beside his foster brother, checking to see if the young man was fine. "He's not here." He told his brother, hearing the heavy footfalls of a man and the silent ones of an Elf running towards the four of them.
"What do you mean 'He's not here'?" Elladan questioned, checking over the Prince as Legolas still thrashed and gasped as obvious pain still went through him.
"It's just as I say 'Dan." The youngest twin told his brother and repeated "He's not here." He then began to explain "I know it sounds confusing but since we have all been bonded as brothers, I have always been able to sense him, well or not." When Elladan nodded slightly, he continued "I can't feel him. It's as if the bond between him and me has been severed somehow."
"I cannot feel this because of what happened all those years ago, correct?" Elladan answered, a slight sadness on his voice.
Elrohir nodded "Since you ended the bond with him, you can no longer feel him as I would." The youngest son of Lord Elrond knew his brother was thinking back to the time when he and himself (Elrohir) rode out to find both Legolas and Aragorn after they had gone hunting together and had not returned for two days. Both couldn't believe what they saw that dreadful day. There, standing in the rain was Aragorn, ripping his sword out from Legolas' bloody body, a cold smile apon the Prince's face.
The shouts from the Prince brought the youngest out of his terrible thoughts and concentrated on his dear friend and brother. Who knew what Sauron was doing now?
"Ah, so you have decided to join us?" The dark Lord grinned as he saw Aragorn slowly beginning to open his eyes. Sauron watched as the ranger quickly stood and his eyes widened as he saw Legolas apon the floor, his side bleeding from where the dark Lord's and his hands were and the one around the Prince's throat.
"Est…Estel." Legolas stuttered, too weak to say the whole word fully. The burn on his side was hurting more than it did all those years ago and he could feel the red liquid slowly making its way down his side and onto the black grass beneath him.
"What are you doing to him?" Aragorn growled at the Lord of all shadows, clearly angered by the joyful expression Sauron wore.
"Why, I am only playing. Do not be angered by my fun, dear Elessar." Sauron laughed, seeing within the steel grey orbs the anger for him and the fear for the Prince below. "I have waited many long years for the sweet expression my Princeling wears now and why, oh why, did I not think of this before." The laughter echoed throughout the shadowed space.
Aragorn could see that the trees within the Prince's mind were now beginning to look withered more than usual as the dark Lord stayed longer inside Legolas' mind. He could only stand there and watch. Valar knows what would happen if he was to run and save his dear friend. Legolas could be induced to more pain and the ranger knew that Sauron would not let his go so easily.
"I want to show you something." Sauron said, releasing his hand from Legolas' throat and then muttering something beneath his breath, all the while listening to the sweet gasps and coughs the Prince was making from beneath him.
Aragorn stood, narrowing his eyes at the Lord as he mumbled words that he could not hear and soon his eyes fell apon those of Legolas'. The Prince was still coughing and gasping from the amount of air he was now sucking in to help fill his lungs. Legolas' eyes turned to his and Aragorn could see the pain and fear in his eyes. Fear also ran throughout his own being for he had never seen such an expression before on Legolas' face.
"My King, I found this outside the chambers that were located in the forbidden wing." Aragorn blinked, a small voice spoke within his head and he looked at Sauron and Legolas. Soon, a dazzling white light shone, blinding him and forcing the future King to shield his eyes with his arms. When the light disappeared, Aragorn took his hands away and saw himself, an older version of him for he could see a tiny grey hairs on his stubble. He was within a study of some kind, many books where stacked apon shelves and on a desk behind him. He wore a simple grey tunic that had small silver embroidery around the cuffs and collar, similar to the one he wore in Imladris. The ranger saw that his older self, moved towards the guard that had burst through the door that was now behind him.
"This is Eldarion's." Aragorn watched as he older self, grasped the small toy the guard held within his hands and soon fled the room, yelling at the guard not to follow.
Aragorn followed his older version, thinking many things like:
Who was this Eldarion?
Where was he now?
Did the guard just call him King?
Where were Legolas and Sauron?
He continued following himself and soon watched as his older version pulled on a door and opened it. What greeted him almost made him brake down in shock and fear.
A young boy was being strangled by a lithe figure that held the boy up against a wall. "Eldarion!" Aragorn's elder self, screamed in fear, running towards the boy and figure, ripping the hands from the boy's throat and quickly kneeling beside the small mortal as he fell to the floor, coughing and gasping.
"What do you think you are doing?!" Aragorn watched as himself shouted at the lithe figure that stood standing and watching the two on the floor, a smile apon his cold face.
"Oh, come now Elessar." Aragorn blinked, the voice sounded awfully familiar but foreign. It was warm but cold, gentle but rough, light but dark. "Surely your own son cannot visit your dear and old friend?" Aragorn gasped as he looked at the small boy. This was his child? So…The dark Lord was showing him the future? But surely the being before him couldn't be…
"I do not let him see you for what you have become or what he has turned you into." The older Aragorn growled, standing up in front of his son.
The figure laughed, walking forwards and standing before the King.
Aragorn gasped at the sight of the figure. "It can't be…" He thought as he saw the faint golden strands from the beings head, the eyes of the being were pitch black, the cold smile apon the pale face looked as if it was being forced.
"Oh my Elessar, blaming an old friend for what has happened? Instead of the little Princeling being turned into something, it is you that has." The being spoke and Aragorn was amazed that the figure was not even moving his mouth as he did. "Wait…Did he just say…?" "Have you forgotten that he never saw your wedding?" The older version of the ranger flinched. "How he was never their when your child was born and that he has not seen a single thing since he had been within this room? For five years you have kept me and him here, afraid of what I would do if I was to ever set foot outside this room."
"It was your fault that you have made me do what I have done." The elder answered. Aragorn's eyes, by now, had widened in disbelief as he saw the form of Legolas standing before his old self. "If you never had stolen his voice at the battle of the Black Gate then all would be well, he would stand up and face you, push you back to the corners of his mind but because you stabbed him through his own throat and pierced my shoulder, connecting us together while the battle still raged on around us, making me watch his face that was so full of pain try and cry out for help, I could do nothing but stare as you were slowly defeated. But instead of disappearing and seeing you crumble to the ground with your very tower, your spirit left your body and I was forced to watch as you slowly melt into his bleeding silent body."
Aragorn stood, completely stunned at the story he himself had just said. The bright light began to shine again and he could do nothing but shield his eyes from it. Once the light was gone, he took his arms away, tears beginning to well up in his eyes as he thought of what his elder self had just said.
"So, how did you like it? The future?" Sauron smiled from where he sat, his form was now being held up by one of the withered, dying trees in the Prince's mind.
Aragorn could find no answer to the dark Lords question. He stood but soon his legs gave way and he crumbled to the black grass beneath him. The ranger stared at the hands apon his legs as if it was the first time he had seen such a thing.
"I can tell why you are speechless." Sauron said, looking at the pitch black sky above "Such a horrible future that is to come your way. The fun thing is…" Sauron chuckled "…It cannot be stopped."
The future King of Gondor and Arnor looked up and faced the Lord of shadows. "Where is he?" He asked, knowing that Sauron knew who he was talking about.
"Ah, my little Princeling is right beside you." The Lord laughed when he saw Aragorn turn and face Legolas' still form, gently shaking the Prince to see if he was alive and awake. "I have healed him but the burn is still a little tender so please, do be careful, King Elessar. You must go now, I have had my fun and I need to regain my strength."
"Before you send me away…" Aragorn quickly spoke up "Why is it that I did such a thing? Why did I lock him up within that room for five years?"
"That is simple. Once I entered the Prince's body, I gained some control." Sauron began to explain "When you brought us back, you took us into that room and when Legolas awakened you thought everything was well but in fact it wasn't. Months after the battle and when Minas Tirith was rebuilt, I slowly began to take over. Slowly, so very slowly did I see what the Prince saw and when you began to understand what was happening, for the Prince was very good and trying to hide it, you knew that it was not your old friend inside his own body anymore and you had Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel seal the room, forcing me and Legolas to stay there, unknown to everything that was about to happen within the next few years. Only small visits from yourself, Gandalf, Elladan, Elrohir, Thranduil and Arwen were permitted, no matter how many times the others persisted."
Aragorn could only hold back a cry as he was told.
The world around the rnager suddenly went black and he awoke to the sight of his brother.
"Aragorn?" Elrohir questioned, a smile now beginning to show on his worried face "'Dan, he's awake, he's finally awake!" The youngest twin called to his brother, relief in his voice. Elrohir watched Aragorn's facial expression and soon furrowed his brow. "Estel? Are you alright? You've been unconscious for a whole day. You had us worried." He laughed, finally pleased that his brother was awake after such a long time.
Aragorn could only let out a cry, finally spilling his tears and feeling his brother pull him up into an embrace, gently soothing his back and hushing him. "It's my fault." He sobbed into his brother's chest "I can't believe…I did some…Something like that."
Elrohir couldn't find the words to speak as his youngest brother cried. He looked back at his brother and saw how Elladan furrowed his brows at his crying brother and had worry within his eyes.
Elladan looked down at the opened eyes of the Prince, a small emotionless whisper could be heard from Legolas' lips and the eldest son of Lord Elrond could only wonder what it could mean.
"It is what will come to pass…If he should succeed."
Oh Sauron, he's such cruel man ;)…Or is he an Elf? :o A Serpent? Werewolf? Vampire? o.o Ahaha well I hope you all liked this chapter :'3 It was really fun to write and I have enjoyed it so much! :D Soon, they will all be leaving for Edoras ;) Remember, two more days to go until they are and then "Nin-dethro hîn, mellon-nin" will be completed ;D BUT do not worry, "Ea na qwiil, Mellon-nin - Be at peace, my friend"is the next, so look out for that :D
I am thinking about finishing I' tel' supëltíe first before I begin writing the next part :o Tell me what you think? :)
Something you might want to know?
I' tel' supëltíe- Next chapter will be out tomorrow or Saturday :') Thank you for the support on that story! It means a lot *hugs you all*
That's it, I think ;p
Reviews;
I am sorry but I won't be doing reviews today :(
Aragorn: That's so mean!
Legolas: I say we kill her...
Whoa...This has escalated quickly *sweat drop* o.o' Please don't?
Aragorn: *pulls out Andúril*
*Gasped* You're not supposed to have that sword yet! Put it back in the closet along with Halbarad. -.-
Aragorn: Ok *sulks* Sorry buddy, going to have to let you out some other time :/
Halbarad: That's okay, Aragorn :/ *Takes Andúril and goes back inside the closet.
Rangers these days :S
Legolas: Ahem! Don't tell me you forgot about me, Sophie? *Raises knives.*
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHH! *Runs like a chicken*
Namarië!