A/n: Hello! Okay, I'm going to answer a few questions here since I know a lot happened in the last chapter! And for anyone who doesn't know, the poem at the top of the last chapter was the funeral song that Eowen sang for her cousin Theodred at his funeral (I'm not sure if this part was included in the original movie or not). And I apologize profusely for how late this is! I hit abit of a slump lately. ^^;;;

1) The Shadow: The shadow is more of an embodiment of Saurons growing hold on Valo as the story progresses, the rising darkness inside him. It isn't essential to the plot but it will make another appearance. J

2) How much of Harry is left in Valo?: Well you'll just have to wait and see! And we will be seeing soon enough. :D

Thanks a million to excentrykemuse and mabidiso for great and thorough reviews and questions!

Disclaimer: Nope.

Chapter Sixteen~~~~ Isenguard Is Unleashed

Valo lay on the down feather bed in the rooms that King Theoden had so graciously given him, feeling a weariness in his soul. He was getting tired. Perhaps it was the cleansing that Meduseld had undergone. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep over the course of their journey. Or perhaps it was something else…something deeper that he was too afraid to question too much. A fatigue of the heart and mind. Legolas walked over quietly, his elf feet silent on the stone floors. Valo looked up at him wistfully, longing for him even though in his heart he felt guilty about his love for the Mirkwood Prince. He was a betrayer…His Master knew that he was in Rohan now. He expected him to make his way towards the Black Gate with all haste. Little did he know that, despite what Valo wanted, that was probably where the Fellowship would lead him before the end. Legolas gave him a tender smile, filled with such affection that it nearly broke his heart to see.

"I love when you look at me like that." His beloved whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

He always kissed him on that peculiar scar on his head. It was endearing. It never failed to bring a smile to the teen's face, no matter his thoughts.

"Like what?" Valo asked, being drawn into the baby blue eyes that he adored.

"Like I'm the only thing you see. Like I'm your whole world."

Legolas slid down to sit on the bed at his side, taking the small figure into his arms. He stroked Valo's unbound hair, only smiling with the brightness of a star when Valo whispered that he was the only thing he saw. He couldn't say that he was his whole world. He wished he could but with his Master's image burned into his mind, he couldn't bring himself to lie to the man he loved in that way. It would only hurt Legolas in the end. The elf leaned back and gathered his dark hair up, braiding it into his customary braid. Valo purred. He loved when Legolas played with his hair. When he braided it for him. It was such an…intimate thing. Like holding hands or those secret smiles they shared when they were alone. It was just intimate, more so than any sexual act could ever be.

"The King is moving everyone out to Helm's Deep in the morning. Are you prepared?"

Valo nodded, wincing alittle at the thought. He did not want to go to Helm's Deep. The very thought frightened him. And the realization that a large battle would be upon them within days sent fear acing through him. Fear for his friends and fear for Legolas. The thought that one or more of them could be hurt or even killed, kept him up at night despite Legolas's pleads to come back to bed. It made his magic react on it's own, snapping out at things with the least amount of provocation. As time passed, his magic seemed to react with his emotions. On one hand, he was glad that it was maturing and it was at his disposal more but on the other hand…it was more inconvenient than anything.

The next morning found Valo uncertain and twitchy. Aragorn had crafted a sort of strap out of some spare leather so he could carry his flying branch across his back instead of taking up his hands. He had resolved to try not to use it in front of the citizens of Rohan though. Something about the way some of them watched him made him unsettled. Uneasy. Like they thought he was some sort of strange thing. A freak. Aragorn had set him up on the horse King Theoden had allowed him to use, Brego, and the Ranger walked along in front. Legolas ran ahead to keep watch with the Guard Captain, Hama, and another guard. Gimli was chatting up Eowen just ahead of him. Valo got the strange feeling that the dwarf was making an attempt to flirt. It was a shame that the King's neice couldn't keep her eyes off of Aragorn. As his eyes alighted on this interaction, he couldn't help but resent the woman. He had heard that Arwen was sailing to Valinor but Aragorn was still as devoted to her as any life mate could be. Eowen had no right to look at him in wanting! He was Arwen's beloved, not hers! His magic began to rise out of his control, reacting to his anger at her wandering eyes. Legolas was suddenly at his side, running a calming hand over his knee. The magic seemed to shrink back inside of his body at that calm, loving touch.

He gave Legolas a half hearted smile, trying to pretend as if he weren't about to do something naughty to the smiling girl up ahead. He was a monster…about to do something cruel to an unsuspecting woman just because she was batting her stupid eyelashes at his keeper. Wretched muggle. Wait…where had that come from? What was a muggle? He'd heard that world before, had used it before. But where? Valo decided to do something very unorthodox. He turned inside his mind and asked the voice there. He had never outright acknowledged the voice, never spoken to it for himself. It felt odd.

'What is a muggle?' He asked curiously.

The voice gave a dark chuckle, a feeling of smug satisfaction coming from it. The feeling of something uncoiling inside his being caused shudders to wrack his small frame. It felt like something was stretching out inside him.

'They are non-magical people. The scum of the earth. The so called normal people. It's all a load of rot. We are the normal ones. They are lesser than us. Never forget that, Valo.'

He couldn't exactly agree but he didn't say anything more on it. Aragorn was a muggle, if he went by the voice's claim, and he was certainly not less than Valo. The teen shrugged it off, his attention coming alive when he heard a far off cry and Aragorn running up to gather Brego.

"Wargs! We're under attack!" Immediately the civilians began to cry out in fear. Aragorn came to him quickly, his eyes alive with the prospect of battle, "Valo, Fly up and attack from the air. Do NOT come down from there. You'll be safe where they can't reach you."

Valo's heart sped. Aragorn was giving him the opportunity to fight back. It took only the time it took to get him into the air to realize just how important this was. If even one Orc escaped…they would take the sighting of him with the enemy back to his Master. He didn't relish seeing how well his Master could torture him from afar. He had to make sure none escaped.

His magic came to his call easily, responding to his fear and anxiety. It arched up to his call, almost as if it were some warm, pleased feline rubbing against his skin. Against his insides.

"All riders to the head of the column!" The King shouted his order, the sound resonating along the plain.

Already, from his vantage point in the air, Valo could see Wargs spilling over the plain like some malicious disease. His mind was assaulted with a barrage of those strange foreign words that focused his magic better than ever.

'Impedimenta, Sectumsempra, Expelliarmus, Confundus, Conjunctivus, Immobulus, Flipendo, Petrificus Totalus, Reducto, Avada Kedavra'.

Now which ones to use. He sets his sights on the Wargs that were closest to the Fellowship. Selfish, he knew but…he couldn't go on without them.

"Sectumsempra! Immobulus!" A Warg burst into a bloody spray and another fell like a rock, only to fall pray to Gimli's ax.

A Warg had escaped the battle and was headed with purpose towards the fleeing townspeople. The screams of the women and children were deafening. He shot the Warg down with a quick Sectumsempra. From above, he shot spell after spell at the Warg's that he could see. At some point, he had lost sight of Aragorn during the battle but he shook it off, despite the growing worry in his belly. Aragorn was a fully trained warrior. He was probably fighting off behind a large rock where he couldn't see. Gimli was buried beneath two Warg corpses, much to his amusement. It sounded like good blackmail material, Valo thought with a mischievous smirk. He levitated the bodies off of the dwarf throwing the grumbling Gimli a bright wave. Oh yea. He was never gonna let him live this down. There would be an end to the "girl" remarks he got from the dwarf. They were even now. Legolas gave the signal for him to come down from the safety of the skies once the last Orc had been destroyed. The elf took him into his arms lovingly, giving him a kiss filled with relief. Valo couldn't help checking his beloved over for hurts, much to Legolas's amusement. Gimli was there, talking to Theoden. Where was Aragorn? Where was his keeper? That sense of dread began to grow again.

"Legolas…where is Aragorn?"

The Mirkwood Prince frowned and they began the search for the missing Ranger. He was not among the fallen. It was after only a few moments that Valo came upon the half dead Orc, chuckling to itself by the cliffs. He went to his knees at it's side and the thing immediately began to choke up at the sight of him. He recognized him even though Valo did not know this Orc. They all looked the same to him.

"Where is the Ranger, swine?" He hissed, his more aggressive nature coming out to play.

The voice in his mind was encouraging him to terrify the creature. The thing choked on it's own blood as Legolas, Gomli and King Theoden joined him at his side.

"He went over the cliff…Dragged down by a Warg, my lord." He gasped, his face clearly showing how terrified he was of the teen at his side.

Valo's eyes widened, horror filling his entire being as he walked numbly over to the cliff. Legolas seized the thing, demanding the truth but the Orc only to have the creature die in his grip. Valo stared into the Anduin, pleading to see his keeper safe on a ledge or some miracle keeping him from the water rushing by. Legolas joined him on the cliff, unable to believe his friend had fallen. Valo's tears joined the rushing river, his heart singing a lament to his dearest friend.

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