This is No Mere Ranger Chapter 4
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
It is truly amazing that I have survived this long. I mean, really. I was originally only planning to do three or four chapters, but now I can see that it's going to take a lot more than that. I also did not expect that so many people would be looking at my story, so thanks for all of that, guys! I really appreciate it!
Sorry for not responding to the reviews for Chapter 2 before Chapter 3. Reader, it is only implied in the book that he has dark hair in the book, so I decided to go with that, just for fun. Thank you very much for the review!
, thank you very much for the review! I am glad that you enjoyed it!
Rose318, I think I fixed it, but please let me know if it still isn't letting you get on. Thank for the review! I appreciate it. Also, while we're on the subject of glitch chapters, sorry for the deal with Chapter 3. Technology hates me sometimes, and it tends to misbehave. And sorry if you got excited to think that I posted two chapters in one day. Hahaha. Ha. That would be something to see indeed. Sorry for the possible tease, I truly didn't mean it. Stupid technology.
Let's see… moving on from my love-hate relationship with technology…There's not much action between our characters in this chapter, but important plot stuff will happen (you know, saving middle-earth and that kind of thing.) It might also go back into the present (aka the Council of Elrond) for a bit, but there will be more memories soon to follow. I'll try to squeeze in a few moments. Thanks so much for all of the views and reviews and follows and everything else!
As usual, just tell me about things you want me to add/change/fix/delete!
Estel took a deep breath and tapped the flat of his sword against his knee. Elrond ha told him to try to get some sleep, but he couldn't seem to get himself to sit still for more than a few minutes at a time. Sleep was out of the question.
It was several things that caused this unrest. Legolas hadn't awoken yet, though it had been a day since they had arrived at Imladris and Elrond had healed him. Estel was riddled with guilt. It was his fault that Legolas was in this state. He should have checked Legolas's wound when he had been given the chance. Instead, he had given into his desires, which led him to the second thing that bothered his mind.
Never in Estel's life had he felt so much passion for someone, let alone for a man. He had felt as if he had been on fire, slowly burning from the inside out as Legolas held him. It scared him that he could feel so deeply, and it infuriated him that someone had that kind of sway over him.
The third thing that was making it impossible for Estel to sit still was the Orcs. What had so many been doing so close to Imladris? Orcs never travelled so close to the wards that protected the fortress. What had Legolas come to Imladris to tell Elrond? Why had he been riding so hard?
Now that the elf was safe and they were both out of danger and not falling on each other like wild animals, Estel had the time to wonder about everything. And why had the elf not told him of his true heritage?
Estel cursed and stood up, beginning to pace his room. He gripped his sword tightly in one hand, swinging it at invisible foes to work off all of the energy that was contained within his limbs. He longed to run, to go far away and not have to think about anything, but Estel knew that he couldn't. Running from his problems this time would do nothing to make them disappear.
Estel threw his sword onto his bed with a sigh of frustration. He needed to do something. He would die of boredom simply sitting here. It would seem that fate agreed with him in that, because after a few moments, a knock came on Estel's door. He walked over to the door in four long strides and threw it open promptly. The elf that stood outside looked a bit shocked at this violent display, but made no comment on it. He simply relayed the message, "Lord Elrond has requested that you go to the Pavilion to meet with him, Lord Haldir, Lady Galadriel and Lord Legolas."
"Ni lassui," Estel said and nodded his thanks to the elf. Legolas was awake? Why had Elrond not told him of this? He felt a slight pang. He had wanted to see the elf right when he woke up and plead for forgiveness for his foolish and lust-driven acts. But at least he would see him.
Finally, something that he could put his mind to. Estel grabbed his sword and quickly sheathed it. He needed to wash, for he had not taken the time to do more than change clothes and splash water on his face, but it could wait. Maybe Estel could finally figure out what was truly going on, and figure out a way to fix everything.
Legolas winced as his shoulder twanged when he took a seat opposite Estel. He was seated between Elrond and Haldir. Galadriel sat opposite him, and next to Elrond was an empty seat that Legolas was entertaining himself on deciding who would fill it. He was completely shocked when Estel limped into the pavilion.
"Estel," Elrond said, rising to meet him. Legolas quickly followed suit, though Galadriel and Haldir stayed seated. Estel's eyes found him first, flicking over his body with the precision and professionalism of a healer. Once he was satisfied that Legolas was okay, he looked back up at his face and gave him a small nod. Legolas returned the nod and sat down again.
"Now that you have arrived, Estel, we may begin," Elrond said, and turned to Legolas. "You rode long and hard from Mirkwood with a band or Orcs on your trail. What has happened in the land of the Wood-Elves?"
Legolas took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts together. "My father, King Thranduil has sent me. Orcs are swarming the Mirkwood, and we are barely holding our fortress. All of our best glamour-spinners have been helping keep the wards up, but we cannot hold it for long. Twenty of my father's best warriors accompanied me, but none survived. I was only able to survive because Estel happened to chance upon me in the forest outside of Rivendell and help me slay them. These Orcs are vicious. Thranduil would ask for troops from Imladris to come to his aid, and time is of the essence in this matter."
Elrond soaked in the information, the serene look on his face never flickering. He nodded after a moment. "And what news have you, Galadriel?" He turned to the beautiful woman. Legolas felt something in his stomach tighten. Every minute they wasted meant that more of his kin were growing closer to death.
Galadriel smiled slightly. "There is a shadow passing over our realm, all of the realms of man, elf and dwarf. I have seen that the world will soon perish in flame and smoke if we do not find a way to stop this evil before it can gain much power. I see a dark king, one of the ring bearers taking control of this darkness, harnessing it for his own." Legolas felt himself go still with shock. One of the ring bearers? There could be only one who would use the power given to him to do such evil.
"One of the men?" he asked. Galadriel turned her brilliant blue eyes to Legolas. They penetrated him to his very soul.
You are troubled, she said in his mind. Fear not, Elrond has a kind heart. He will send the men to help your people. Though I find that you have more sense than any of the Mirkwood elves. She tilted her head slightly to the side. If only Thranduil could have the heart his son has.
Before Legolas could feel the relief or ponder on what Galadriel had said, she spoke aloud. "If he can be called a man," she said. "He is known as the Witch-king of Angmar and he is vicious. He hungers for power as any man does, but his power is beyond measure. It would do you all well to remember this. For though he was mortal once and had only the power of a man, he is now much more and much more dangerous."
Elrond leapt to his feet. "Are you certain?" he asked, his face paling.
Galadriel turned her attention back to the dark-haired elf once more. "Aye. I feel it as if it a sickness in my body. The darkness will consume all of Middle Earth, starting with our realms, for we pose the largest threat. Mirkwood is only the beginning. If this witch-king is allowed to continue, he will come to Imladris and break through the wards and burn your halls. The Orcs will feast on your corpses and then step on your bones as they march through to my forest. No man or eldeh will be able to kill him, for he is so consumed by power that he has surpassed mortality completely."
Estel drew in a sharp breath, and Legolas looked over at him, remembering that he was there only now. His eyes were wide. Elrond placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "What do you propose we do?" he asked. For the first time, Legolas heard a hint of fear in his voice. It sent a chill through him.
"Send troops to Mirkwood. We will send our men as well to join you and the Mirkwood elves in battle against the Orcs. Then we will march on the witch-king, who has hidden somewhere in the Misty Mountains and do whatever we can to kill him," Haldir said, standing and pounding a fist on the stone table. Galadriel reached out and gently guided him back into his seat.
"The Orcs will have to be dealt with, but we must wait to march on the Misty Mountains and the witch-king. We must find a way to gather more power," Galadriel said.
"Very well," Elrond said, leaning back. "I will send five hundred elves to Mirkwood."
"And we will provide you with the same number," Galadriel said to Legolas, who felt as if a burden had been removed from his shoulders. He let out a sigh and smiled for the first time in what seemed to be weeks.
"Guren glassui," he said and lowered his head in a sign of respect and thanks to both Elrond and Galadriel. "My father will be pleased to hear of this." Though not of the numbers. Thranduil would have had Imladris send a thousand and the Lothorien send another thousand. He did not dwell on that, for he was beyond his father's ridicule for the time being, and he did not want to try to bargain for more men. Elrond and Galadriel were being generous in sending troops at all.
"It is our problem as well, do not thank us," Elrond said. He stood and began pacing. "I will send them at first light, and they will meet up with the troops of Lothorien at the pass of the Misty Mountains, if that pleases you, my lady."
"Aye, it shall work," Galadriel said, inclining her head slightly. She smiled at Elrond. "It will be good to go to battle with you once again, Mellonen." Elrond inclined his head as well. Legolas felt himself go cold. This would be the first time in a long time all of the elves would fight together. Elrond turned to Legolas. "And we offer you our conjoint allegiance."
"Mirkwood gladly accepts," Legolas said, bowing his head once more. "And we are honored to fight alongside you to rid the world of this evil."
"As are we," Elrond said, smiling. "I believe we have concluded this meeting. We will speak again later of what to do after we send the troops, but for now, we must rest."
"Yes," Galadriel said. "Green-leaf, you are wearied by grief and your wounds. Rest would do you well, and then you may make the decision whether or not to ride back with our troops to your homeland."
Legolas felt as if he was a child being sent to bed, but he did not say anything of the sort. "Of course," he said instead, and stood. "Tenna telwan."
Estel watched him go with some apprehension. He had yet to talk to him. "May I also be excused from this table? I must check on the elf's wounds," he said in a low voice to Elrond. Elrond looked at him for a few moments and then nodded. Estel smiled his thanks and followed the elf down the stairs from the pavilion to his room.
Legolas had a bath waiting for him in his room, one that he was quite ready to take advantage of. Perhaps the healing waters could ease the ache that had set deeply into his shoulder. He had not had time to look at it before he had called the meeting, but now he had provided their people salvation, and he could rest and take care of his shoulder. He leaned over the pool, trying to see the extent of the damage, but the rippling water would not give him a true image. Legolas sighed and leaned back on feet and simply sat there for a few moments.
Gods, it felt good to just sit there and not have to keep riding, running away from Orcs. For the first time, he could simply sit and take a few deep breaths without having to worry about how close the Orcs were to him now.
Legolas did not hear the door open, or Estel's soft question, for he was so caught up in his peace. Estel walked swiftly over to Legolas, fearing for the elf's welfare, but upon seeing Legolas's tranquil face, he sighed in relief. "Mellonen," he said, placing a hand on the elf's shoulder.
Legolas started, reaching up quite by instinct to cover Estel's fingers with his own. He looked over to the man. "Estel," he said and smiled slightly. "It is good to see you."
Estel kneeled down beside Legolas, still touching his shoulder. The elf had loosened his elven robe in order to try to peer at his shoulder, so Estel had no trouble pushing the fabric away from skin. Legolas started, looking up at Estel. "I must see how your shoulder fares," he said. Legolas relaxed and finally let go of Estel's hand so that he could have the use of both. Estel quickly slid the elf's shoulder out of the robe. His shoulder looked much better than it had before. "I must apologize," Estel said after a moment of prodding at the skin around the wound gently. He looked up at Legolas, who was staring off into the distance, his eyes half-lidded. Upon hearing Estel's words, however, he looked down at the man.
"You have nothing to apologize for. You saved my life when I surely would have died, and doing that has caused you to save Mirkwood, and the race of the eldeh." Estel shook his head. He did not want such claims laid to his name.
"But I failed you." He placed a hand over the wound, cupping it so that his fingers never actually touched the inflamed skin. Legolas's skin was hot against his, and Estel felt as if he had started burning again.
"You have failed no one," Legolas argued softly, touching Estel's hand once again. "Least of all me."
"The elves say that men are driven by their emotions, that they do not have the same ability to reason and use logic. I had thought myself above that, but…" he paused, swallowed and laced his fingers with Legolas'. The elf brought their joined hands to rest over his heart and closed his eyes. "I meant to check your wound, but we never got the chance because I was distracted. And you were wounded and required Ada's healing. That could have been easily avoided if I would have done as I had meant to instead of giving into my carnal desires." Estel leaned forward and rested his head briefly against Legolas's unhurt shoulder. "Goheno nin," he murmured.
Legolas leaned his head against the man's and gripped his fingers more tightly. "U-moe edaved," he replied. They sat like that for several moments until Legolas shifted slightly and Estel lifted his head.
"I should go," Estel said after a moment in which they looked at each other. "I am in dire need of a bath, and you must rest to regain your strength. You ride back to Mirkwood with Elrond and Galadriel's troops at first light, after all."
Legolas started. He hadn't even begun to give that any thought. Estel started to stand, but Legolas stopped him. "Please, stay," he said. Estel turned back to him. The elf had risen to his knees. "I have a bath prepared here."
Estel blinked a few times. He had not expected the elf to ask for his company any longer. After their strange passion in the forest, he would be surprised that the elf would talk to him at all. Those sorts of things were usually unheard of among elves. Any kind of passion before marriage was almost taboo. "But do you not have use of the pool as well?"
"Aye," Legolas said, and a mischievous smile traced its way over his lips. "But who is to say that two cannot be in the pool? It is large enough for both of us, I assure you." He slid the robe down his shoulder even more, exposing his bicep and collarbone. Estel turned away.
"You tease me so," he murmured, trying to keep the husky note out of his voice. "Surely it is not permitted. And it is not proper for a prince of Mirkwood to bathe with a mere human."
"You are no mere human, Estel. You are the son of Lord Elrond, and you have saved the eldeh, which is not something that many humans can say they have done." The sound of cloth hitting the floor made Estel's heart speed up. "It would be an honor to bathe with you."
"Legolas," he said, but a finger against his lips stopped him from speaking any further. The elf was behind him, only inches away from his body.
"Come, mellonen," he whispered. "I must beg of you, join me."
Estel let out a sigh. He had been defeated for a long while, but he had tried to keep the elf's customs as a last shield. "Very well. Since you beg me to do so."
"You miserable tease." It was said lightly, and Legolas disappeared. After a moment, Estel heard the sound of Legolas entering the water and he closed his eyes briefly, and then began to undress. The elf had no idea what he did to Estel's self-control. Estel grimaced as he turned to the pool. Legolas had his back to him, his hair fanning out like a black cloak behind him.
The water was warm as he entered it, and he let out a small sound of satisfaction. It had been far too long since he had bathed, though it had only been the day before yesterday. The water stung the wound on his leg, but after a moment, that disappeared, and it soothed. Estel brought some of the water to his face and splashed away the dirt.
Legolas turned around after a moment, but did not come closer, simply watched the man. The water felt amazingly good on Legolas's sore muscles, and after a moment, he went to sit on one of the steps and lean his head back. The wound on his shoulder burned at the steam and he dared not submerge it, but he paid that no mind as he leaned back and relaxed, letting his mind drift to the soft sounds of Estel bathing.
"How did you come to be in Imladris?" he asked after a while.
Estel paused, looking over at the elf, who had not opened his eyes. "I remember naught how I came to be here, simply that Elrond has always been there."
Now Legolas did open his eyes, just to thin slits. "You have not inquired about your past?"
"I have had no need to," Estel said, extending his arm and washing the dirt and dried blood away from it. "I do not remember my parents and Elrond has been father enough to me that I have wanted not for anyone else."
"He loves you as if you were his own," Legolas said softly, leaning his head back and closing his eyes once again. Estel could hear the note of jealousy that was in the elf's voice, and wondered what in middle-earth he had that this beautiful elf didn't. He tilted his head to the side as Legolas looked up at him. "Oh, listen to me not. I am simply weary."
"Does your father not think highly of you?" Estel asked after a moment of thinking. Legolas turned his head to the side and said nothing. "What does he find you lacking? You have beauty, skill with a bow, and with a blade no doubt, and you are a just and kind person."
"My father cares nothing of beauty and it is required that all elves have skill with the bow and blade. And as for my character, I am not fit to be a king. I lack the coldness of heart that I will need to make decisions that are best for the elves of Mirkwood." He kept his voice steady and toneless. This was the first time he had dared speak of his father in such a manner. All others would have run to Thranduil for fear of what would happen if they did not, and report all that his son had told them.
"Then your father must be a fickle and blind man indeed, for you will make a great king one day, Legolas Greenleaf," Estel said. Legolas looked back over at him, and he felt something in his heart shift. This man… did strange things to Legolas's heart and mind. Legolas pushed himself off of the wall and began slowly moving towards Estel.
"If he heard you say that he would strike you dead on the spot," he murmured, coming within touching distance of the man. He moved to the side and Estel turned with him, keeping him in his view.
"I would like to see him try," Estel replied. Legolas laughed internally. Yes, this human was young indeed. He believed himself invincible.
Legolas made no other comment about his father. Instead, he reached out and wrapped his finger around a lock of Estel's sodden hair, as dark as his own with the water wetting it. "Gerich fin vain," he murmured, drawing himself closer to Estel. The man's gaze flickered from Legolas's storm-grey eyes to his lips. Legolas ran his tongue over his lower lip habitually, happy to see the reaction it brought Estel, who took in a deep, sharp breath.
"You should not tease me so," Estel whispered. Legolas smiled.
"What would you have me do instead?" he asked, running his hand over the human's shoulder. He was muscled in a way different than Legolas, thicker, denser and with wider shoulders. Legolas wrapped a hand around Estel's bicep and squeezed gently. The man flexed involuntarily underneath the elf's gentle touch, long slender fingers like silk against his skin.
"I would have you kiss me." The human's voice was low and husky with desire and it sent a shiver down Legolas's spine, a non-verbal answer to the desire he heard in the man's voice.
He raised himself out of the water so that they were face to face. "Would you?" he asked, rather cheekily, if Estel had anything to say about it. The man growled out an affirmative noise and tried to lean forward and capture the elf's lips, but Legolas had braced his hands against Estel's chest and held himself just centimeters from his lips. The man growled again, this time in frustration.
"You would drive gods to madness, elf," he said. Legolas only smiled in response, so sweetly that Estel lost track of his train of thought. He had been preparing to demand the elf stop teasing him—for the love of Eru Iluvater—but the words slipped from his tongue, leaving him speechless.
However, Legolas quickly took mercy on the man and pressed his lips to the man's, so lightly that it hardly felt as if there had been a touch at all. Estel let out a breath that caressed Legolas's whole face, and then Legolas pressed his lips to the man's once again. This time, he devoured the man's lips, and Estel returned with equal vigor, reaching his hands up to wrap around the elf's slim waist. Only Legolas's hands kept a hairsbreadth of space between them, pressed flat to Estel's chest.
Estel felt himself spinning into that inferno Legolas set alight in him, and he was more than happy to succumb to the searing heat, because it warmed parts of him that he did not know could be warmed, those dark recesses in his mind that he had always avoided because they held only death and loneliness.
What he had told Legolas was not entirely true. He had one memory of his father: his death. He could see it in his nightmares as if it were in slow motion; the man turning, sword in hand, to see Estel. He had shouted something, and then the ax had fallen onto his back and then there had been blood. A snarling Orc had stood behind him, and grinned manically at Estel.
That was the one thing Estel remembered of his father, and he had long since shoved it to the back of his mind, where it festered, rotten and malignant, always haunting him in the darkest hours of the day, always there, like a shadow.
But Legolas was a bright flame that buffered that darkness into nothingness for the time that he had his lips upon Estel's. He had been entirely wrong in the forest to think that one kiss would rid Estel of the desire that he felt pounding through him like a second heartbeat. Oh, it was quite the opposite.
Legolas's heart soared as Estel's tongue sought his out after a few heartbeats. He felt more at rest than he had in Mirkwood for months, even years. He felt complete as if he had been searching for something from the moment he was born, and he had found it. He hadn't even realized that he had been searching for such a thing.
This kiss was much sweeter than that of the forest, untainted by the hurried desire they had felt and the awkwardness of the first touch, and it lingered. When the man had to pull back for air, he did not release the elf or move away. He simply rested his forehead against Legolas's and caught his breath. The elf slid a hand up to the man's head, stroking it down his face. The stubble on the man's face was an unusual sensation to Legolas's hands, but not entirely unpleasant.
The man opened his eyes after a moment, and Legolas could see something different in his eyes. Since he had first looked into the eyes of the man, he had seen the darkness that lurked in the corners of his mind. That seemed to have cleared, leaving Estel's eyes as untainted as newly polished armor. Legolas's other hand slipped down Estel's chest, tracing the definition of muscle he found on the man's abdomen. Estel's breath caught in his throat at the strange sensation the elf's nimble fingers were causing him, somewhere deep in his stomach. He let out a huff of air and drew back slightly, realizing that both he and Legolas were completely nude in the water. Legolas let him go, seemingly content for the moment.
"I—̋ he paused, still trying to catch his breath, and to swallow the words he really wanted to say. "We must stop," he said after am moment. Legolas looked up at him, the lack of understanding clouding his eyes. Estel looked away from the elf's exquisitely shaped torso, to something that would help him keep his resolve. "I cannot give myself to you knowing that you will be leaving the next day, possibly to never return again."
Legolas sighed. "I will not return to Mirkwood for some time, Estel. My father has his army and I have a wound to heal."
Estel looked back over at the elf with surprise. "Your father does not require your presence?" Legolas did not answer. Thranduil would want Legolas to return as soon as possible, and aid him in any way he could. He knew that he should risk it and return with the soldiers tomorrow, but he had reasoned with himself that he could not fight with his shoulder thus wounded. He would let it heal before he would return so that he could fight and kill as many Orcs as possible. And… he did not want to leave the man. As much as he told himself that it was for his health's sake, it was truly for the man's sake. He wanted to learn the man, to know him before he had to leave, and he could not do that in one night.
"My shoulder is in no condition to wield a bow or sword," he said finally. "And the poison has left me weak and unable to fight. I will remain here until I am fully healed. I will join my father in Mirkwood as soon as I am healed, but I am of no use to him in this state. Even he will understand that and accept it."
He looked up and was surprised to see the man grinning broadly. "It gladdens my heart that I will see you more than three days," he said. Legolas returned his smile and then sighed. He was truly tired and needed to rest. Perhaps it was better that they would not continue tonight, for he feared that he would not be able to last the night.
"Aye, as does it gladden mine," he said, and moved to the steps. "Stay as long as you wish, but I must rest now. I find that I am wearied, and the pain will no longer keep me awake."
"Very well," Estel said, turning away from the elf as he began walking up the steps. It seemed a sin to look upon a body so beautiful without Legolas's absolute and complete consent. The elf wrapped himself in a robe and went to lay on the bed that was provided to him with the room.
Estel took a seat on one of the steps and soaked for quite a while before he brought himself to leave the water's warmth. The elf did not stir as he walked over to the chest at the foot of the bed and pulled out a second robe and quickly wrapped it around himself. He went to sit on the opposite side of the bed to re-bandage his leg, and then decided that it would not hurt him to lie down beside the elf for a bit.
Just a few moments, he promised himself. And then I will leave Legolas to rest in peace. He felt his eyes slipping shut, but could not seem to keep them open. He gave into sleep a moment later without the slightest hint of a struggle, only to awake much later, when an elf came knocking at Legolas's door to alert him that Elrond wanted him to join him to dine.
Okay, I know that we deal with the Witch-King in LotR, but he must have stirred up some mischief before he became Sauron's henchman, because, otherwise, how would we have known of him? So, yeah, just a random idea I got while I was being an insomniac last night. So yeah, there we have it. This is turning into something completely different than what I originally imagined it, but I kind of like this better than my original idea.
Thanks again for the views, reviews, favorites and follows! I really appreciate it! Remember, please review and tell me what I am doing wrong and if you have any questions, concerns, comments, or whatever else, just let me know. Thanks!
Sindarin!
Na lassui—Thank you
Eldeh—another word for elf
Guren glassui—thank you from the bottom of my heart
Mellonen—my friend
Tenna telwan—until later
Goheno nin—Forgive me
U-moe edaved—There is nothing to forgive
Gerich fin vain—Your hair is beautiful
Eru Iluvater—"The One" (The creator of Middle Earth)
Thanks again, and I will update ASAP!