Chapter Twenty-Two: Disturbance in the Castle
It's Alive! It's Alive!
I never thought I would continue this story, considering how long I had stopped writing it. But here it is. Hopefully, this time I will finish it.
I revised some parts of the last two chapters to fit in with the new chapter, so I suggest reading them before reading this one. I hope you will like it."
Please, don't forget to like and comment ^^ Your comments give me inspiration to continue writing ^^
A week later…
Legolas woke up to the sounds of urgent knocks on the royal chambers' outer door at an early hour. He rose quickly, opened his bedroom chamber, and peered outside, seeing Rhircyn standing before Aragorn.
"I'm sorry for disturbing you, Your Majesty," the Captain said. "I have no excuse, but there has been a breach in the Castle's security."
"What happened?"
"You must see it yourself, Your Majesty," The Captain said. "Please, follow me!"
"What's wrong?" Legolas asked as he left his bedroom.
The Captain's face tightened upon seeing the Consort.
"I apologize, Your Highness, but this is an urgent matter for the King alone."
"I am his husband," Legolas insisted, "and I have the same privileges as him."
"I know, Your Highness," the Captain said, looking at Aragorn for help. "If the King wishes to share it with you later, it will be his decision."
Legolas' lips pressed into a thin line in evident displeasure.
"Legolas," Aragorn said. "It's alright. I'll tell you when I come back."
Legolas stared at his husband briefly before he nodded and returned to his bedroom.
"Wait for me, Rhircyn," Aragorn said. "I'll dress and come with you."
With that, Aragorn returned to his bedroom to change and return to the living room, where the Captain awaited him.
"Let us go."
Rhircyn led the King out of the royal wing and through the long corridors of the Castle, passing the large double doors leading to the central courtyard, which was filled with guards surrounding the White Tree.
On the highest branch of the White Tree, Aragorn saw a corpse hanging. A group of soldiers surrounded the base while two were trying to climb up the tree to retrieve the corpse.
Delicate pointy ears peeked between the strands of the dead person's blond hair, and an arrow penetrating the Mirkwood Royal Crest sewn upon the warrior's chest. Aragorn recognized the Elf as Ravonor, King Thranduil's messenger, who had disappeared the day before Mirth's funeral.
"Did someone see how this happened?" Aragorn asked the Captain, looking up at the corpse.
"No one, Your Majesty," Rhircyn replied. "We discovered the body a few minutes ago when the soldiers were doing their morning rounds. I-I have no excuse, Your Majesty. I failed you, and I deserve the gravest punishment."
"No, you did not fail me, Rhircyn," Aragorn said, putting a comforting hand on the Captain's shoulder. "I know you have been doing everything possible to prevent incidents like this. Lower the body and take it to the Healing Wing. Send someone to fetch King Thranduil, Lord Elrond, Lord Glorfindel, Lord Faramir and Gandalf. I will wait for them in my office. No one else in the Castle should know of what happened. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," the Captain replied. "I will do as you ordered."
The King remained at the bottom of the White Tree, observing as the two soldiers began to lower the body.
What was happening in his realm while he slept?
What would his advisors think of this?
And more important, what would Legolas say?
He did not want to hide this incident from his husband, but he needed the other Lords' opinions before he shared this with him.
"I swear, I will get you for this, whoever you are," he whispered, clenching his fists. "You will not ruin our lives. We will get you."
When Aragorn entered the office, everyone was already there: Thranduil, Elrond, Glorfindel, Faramir and Gandalf. The Captain had already briefed them on what happened before he left to carry out his duties.
"This is getting worse," Gandalf said as soon as the door closed.
"It will not stop unless you apprehend the culprits," Thranduil stated.
"I know, and I intend to end this soon," Aragorn said. "Legolas and his company were supposed to leave today. I will postpone the trip until tomorrow to give your warrior a befitting funeral."
"Thank you, Elessar," Thranduil said gratefully.
"Your Majesty, is it wise to leave the city after what happened?" Faramir asked.
"I'm not leaving," Aragorn said. "It wouldn't be proper for me to leave after such an incident. The Council will not hear of it!"
"You're informing the council?" Faramir asked.
"Of course," Aragorn said. "Such an incident concerns Gondor's relations with Mirkwood and all the Elven realms. The Council must be informed of it. King Thranduil, I believe you should be present in the Council when I tell them, as well as you, Adar and Lord Glorfindel."
The Elven King smirked slightly, nodding knowingly, while Elrond and Glorfindel raised an eyebrow.
"What will you do now?" Glorfindel asked.
"I think we should move our plans up a notch," Aragorn said. "We should arrest our suspects right away instead of waiting."
"I beg to differ, Elessar," Glorfindel said. "It would be useless to arrest the suspects now and ruin our chances to apprehend our main suspect. You may rattle them a little, but arresting them now would be most unwise."
"Glorfindel is right, Aragorn," Elrond said. "Arresting them now would waste our efforts in collecting evidence against them."
Aragorn thought briefly before he nodded.
In the past few days, many things had occurred in the Castle. The Rangers' investigations showed that two Lords were linked to the missing servants. Their observation also showed a shadowy figure visiting Mortardur's house. Their attempts to follow the figure failed, though. The Rangers had spread throughout the city, searching for anyone who might be or have hidden an elf. They hadn't caught anyone, but some had managed to locate an inn in the slums where a rumour of a stranger with sharp piercing eyes, glowing pale skin and long silver hair residing there had spread in those parts of the city. However, the mysterious stranger was already gone when they reached there.
With the Rangers on his tracks, Aragorn imagined, the mysterious Elf had already concluded that his presence had been discovered and would either flee the city or try to finish what he had started. But he was wondering when the Elf would make his move. The answer to that question came in the form of the disgusting display of the dead elven messenger.
"Elessar, are you sure of the information your men have gathered?" Gandalf asked.
"Yes," Aragorn said. "I'm definite that we're on the right track. This obnoxious display is his challenge to us. He's merely trying to prove his presence and that he's not scared of us." The man smirked. "Haldir's brother is losing his patience. Whatever his goals are, they will be soon revealed to us."
"Are you sure that he's one of Haldir's brothers?" Elrond asked. "Celeborn's reply stated that his brothers had sailed to the West."
"Then look at this," the man said, presenting the arrow he had taken from the corpse earlier. "The arrow's shaft had been broken, but the craftsmanship of the head is unmistakable. 'Tis a Lothlórien arrow."
The three Elven Lords' expressions tightened.
"Lord Celeborn's letter only confirmed that Orophin and Rûmil aren't in Lothlórien anymore," the man continued, "but there is no confirmation that they had actually sailed to the Undying Lands."
"That's true," Gandalf concurred. "Lady Galadriel has expressed her wish to come to Minas Tirith, perhaps for this reason. I reckon they would arrive in a few days."
"Because of what happened this morning," Aragorn said, "I won't be able to go to Ithilien, but Legolas will go there as arranged."
The five people present stared at him with an unreadable expression. As much as it appalled them to use Legolas as bait, they had agreed to use Gwîneth's suggestion to their advantage to sniff out the traitors in Aragorn's court. If an Elf were involved in this plot, it would be useless to try catching him in the city where there were many places to hide, but the situation would be different in an open space where there were no places to hide.
The news of the trip was announced a week ago to give those who wish to harm the Prince an opportunity to plot their worst. But Aragorn took tight precautions to ensure his spouse's safety. The escort, which would go with the royal couple and their friends, would be Rangers, led by Hathron, disguised as the royal guards. Their mission was to protect Legolas at all costs in case someone tried anything.
"Who will go to Ithilien?" Elrond asked.
"In addition to Legolas and the Hobbits," Aragorn said, "Faramir, Mallorn, Elrohir, Lord Imrahil, Éomer, Gimli, Lady Gwîneth, Lady Éowyn, Lady Lothíriel, and Lady Vanëanis."
"Your Majesty, maybe I should remain here with you?" Faramir suggested.
"No, Faramir," Aragorn said. "You're Ithilien's governor. Besides, I'll need you to ensure that Legolas and the rest get there safely. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," the Steward nodded.
Aragorn glanced at the Steward and then at the rest. He knew they had mixed feelings about what they had agreed to do, but they had also decided to continue with this plan to end this once and for all.
When Aragorn left his office, he was surprised to see Rhircyn standing by the door.
"Something wrong, Captain?" he asked.
"Well, I came to inform you that I've carried your orders, Sire," the Captain said. "The Elf's body has been taken to the Healing Wing, and two of my men are protecting it."
"There will be a funeral for him tonight," Aragorn said. "See to arrange one fit of a warrior."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The Captain stood in his place as if he had something to say but was hesitant.
"Anything else, Captain?" the King of Men asked.
"If you would allow me a private word with you, Your Majesty," asked the Captain with apparent uneasiness.
Nodding, the King returned with the Captain to the office.
"Well?" Aragorn asked as the two became alone inside.
The Captain of the Royal Guards took a deep breath before kneeling on one leg, bowing his head in evident shame.
"I have failed you, my Lord," he declared anxiously. "This breach in the Castle's security is my fault, and I deserve to be punished harshly. Whoever hung that corpse on our Sacred Tree could've easily reached you or your Consort because of my carelessness. I deserve to be punished. Please, Your Majesty, I don't deserve your trust or mercy."
Aragorn watched and listened silently until the Captain finished.
"You have not failed me, Rhircyn," the King said. "I don't hold you or your men responsible for this breach. I haven't been entirely clear and open with you. When I first instated more security around the Castle and my family, I hadn't mentioned that there had been an attempt on the Consort's life." —At that, the Captain looked up with complete shock— "You and your men have been battling an unnamed, unseen traitor without knowing it. It's my fault. I should've trusted you with such information."
"Your Majesty—" Rhircyn was silenced by the King's raised hand.
"Even with your extraordinary skills as a warrior, you still aren't a match for the adversary," he further explained. "Our foe is an Elf, an elite Marchwarden Elf who could've slipped among the best of the best guards unnoticed. He isn't someone who would've gotten caught easily. That's why I have called the Rangers of the North to help capture him. You now must cooperate with them and give them all the necessary aid."
The Captain nodded, rapt with attention at his King's words.
"The Consort and our guests, along with Lord Faramir, will be heading to Ithilien tomorrow morning," Aragorn informed. "Once they are out of the city's walls, we'll move to apprehend the culprits. Be ready. You're dismissed."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The Captain bowed his head before standing up and leaving.
Aragorn took a deep breath, praying to the Gods above that he was doing right.
Legolas couldn't return to bed after Aragorn's departure. He worried about why Rhircyn had come to their room so early on the day of their trip. When he returned to his room, he looked around, trying to find something to do and occupy his mind instead of worrying. But the room held little interest. It was neat, as always. His bags were packed, ready to go on the journey. He sat on the bed, looking at the empty room across from his own.
After that night, when he told Aragorn of his decision, his relationship with the man fell into a rut. Legolas was no longer angry with Aragorn, and they had resolved to remain friends, but there was a barrier between them, a wedge of uncertainty. He knew things could return to how they had been before that night, but he knew things would never be the same again.
He tried to distract himself by thinking about their journey, but it was a vain attempt. The longer he sat there, the more anxious he became. It felt like the entire day had already passed when it was only a little before breakfast. Aragorn must have forgotten about him!
Legolas shook his head. No, the man was probably busy with whatever Rhircyn had called him for. He would return for sure.
The Elf sighed and got up to look out the window. The day was bright and clear. A few clouds were in the sky, but they were so far away that they were not even noticeable. Legolas thought it would be a nice day to travel if he could get started.
He turned away from the window and stared at the door. Perhaps he should go out and find out what was happening. But it would be challenging for him to discover if it was secret. And besides, he would need to figure out where to look.
After what felt like an eternity, he heard the sound of the living room door opening. He rushed out to see Aragorn entering the living room.
"Aragorn," he said. "What happened? What did Rhircyn want from you?"
The man sighed before he gestured for the Elf to sit.
"Do you remember your father's missing messenger, Ravonor? He's been found," the King said. "But the news isn't good. He was killed by an arrow and hanged on the White Tree."
"What?" Legolas asked in disbelief. "Why? Who would do such a thing?"
"I think it's Haldir's brothers," Aragorn said. "A Lothlórien arrow was embedded in his body."
"And the body was hung on the White Tree?" Legolas asked.
Aragorn nodded.
"Yes. I think that was done as a challenge," Aragorn said. "They're taunting me."
"Did my father know?"
"Yes," the King replied. "I told him, along with Lord Elrond, we agreed on the best course of action."
"Which is?" Legolas asked.
"I will inform the council," Aragorn said. "And Ravonor will have a warrior's funeral tonight. The trip to Ithilien will be postponed until tomorrow."
"We're still going?" Legolas asked.
"You will go," Aragorn said. "I will remain here to deal with this incident."
"But—"
"Legolas," Aragorn said. "The trip to Ithilien is important. It's our chance to capture and bring the traitors back here to stand trial. I want to end this matter as soon as possible. I'm counting on you to do this. You can handle it, can't you?"
Legolas looked down at the floor.
"Besides," Aragorn continued. "It would do you good to be out of the city for a while. I know you have been looking forward to this trip."
"Not like this!" Legolas exclaimed. "Aragorn, I can't leave you in such a situation."
"I will be fine," Aragorn said, trying to soothe his husband. "I promise everything will be alright. I'll join you as soon as I can."
Legolas sighed as he thought before he nodded.
"Alright," he sighed. "If you want me to leave, I will. I don't want to be a burden to you."
"You are not a burden," Aragorn said. "I just want us to end this nightmare and have some peace."
"I understand, Aragorn," Legolas said.
"Thank you," the man said. "Your father and the Elven Lords, along with Mallorn, Elrohir, and Gwîneth, are in the dining room with Gimli and the hobbits, waiting for you to have breakfast. We should join them. Aside from the Elven Lords and your father, no one else knew about Ravonor. So, please don't mention it to them until I speak to the Council and an official announcement is made."
"I want to be present when you talk to the council," Legolas said.
"Alright," Aragorn said, "but first, we must eat breakfast."
The Council meeting that morning turned into an uproar.
King Elessar had called the council members to the court for an urgent meeting without explanation, which made everyone curious. All the council members were already present, but the King and his Consort were not yet there. Murmurs flew around the chamber about the unexpected meeting.
"What do you think this is about?" One of the council members asked his friend.
"I have no idea, but I hope it's nothing serious," the other replied.
Suddenly, the door opened, and the King marched in, followed by Legolas, King Thranduil, Elrond, Glorfindel and four guards carrying a Litter with a covered dead body.
"Your Majesty!"
All the Lords stood up respectfully, bowing to the King and his entourage.
"Please, take your seats," Aragorn said as he reached the throne. The litter was placed in front of the throne. Legolas stood next to him and looked at his father and friends with a worried expression.
"First, thank you for coming on such short notice," the King said. "This meeting will be brief because it is not pleasant," he said, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Yesterday, there was a breach in our security. A Mirkwood messenger was killed and hung on the White Tree."
All the Lords gasped in surprise as one guard revealed the body of the dead Elf. Legolas clenched his fists at his side, trying to remain strong.
"Who did this?" one of the Lords asked.
"That is what I intend to find out," the King replied. "We don't know who did this, but we have an idea. Some people are displeased with my marriage to Legolas and have been working to bring an end to it. This is their recent attempt."
The Lords exchanged looks with each other before looking at the King questioningly.
"Some of you might have thought this was a political marriage," Aragorn continued. "Well, you couldn't be more wrong. My marriage to Legolas has brought great advantages for Gondor and our allies, but I married him mainly because I love him. He is my mate and my husband, and I will not let anyone destroy what we have. But now Gondor is facing a political crisis due to this," he said as he gestured to the dead Elf.
"Your Majesty, I feel that you keep referring to us as your enemies," Lord Erchirion said. "We are your loyal subjects and here to serve you. If you suspect one of us, please state it to the Council."
"All in due time, my Lord," Aragorn said. "All in due time. But now, I want you to know that this situation isn't about me or my spouse anymore. It has become a political matter between Gondor and all the Elven realms, especially Mirkwood. King Thranduil expects us to find the one who had murdered his messenger and bring him to justice. I want you to know that I have sent soldiers to search for the culprit. They will not rest until they find him and bring him here to face the punishment he deserves. This is an outrageous act that will not go unpunished. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," the Lords said in unison.
"If there is any information about this case, please inform the Captain of the Royal Guards," the King said. "I'm counting on everyone here to help me resolve this problem."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the Lords replied.
"The funeral ceremony for Ravonor will be held tonight," Aragorn said. "I expect everyone to attend."
The King and his entourage left the council chamber. As soon as the doors closed behind them, the Lords started to discuss the shocking news.
"The King Elessar seem to have some suspects in mind, right?" One of the Lords asked.
"Yes," another replied. "It seems someone close to the King is plotting against him."
"Or one of us, maybe?" another suggested.
"That's nonsense," another Lord said. "Why would we do something like that? None of us want to stir a war with the Elves."
"I don't know," the first one said. "but I can tell you that I'm not involved in anything of the sort. I've got no reason to."
"Do you think the King suspects us?" another one asked. "I mean, Lord Erchirion is right. Why does he keep referring to us as his enemies?"
Two Lords, however, hadn't engaged with the other Lords in their discussion. Lord Bonirun and Lord Mortardur seemed lost in their thoughts to care about anything else around them.
"Lord Bonirun, Lord Mortardur, what do you think about the news?" one of the Lords asked them.
"It's truly a grave tragedy," Mortardur said flatly. "But I'm sure King Elessar will find the culprit and bring him to justice."
"What about you, Lord Bonirun?" the Lord asked. "You seem quiet."
"I'm just very shocked," Lord Bonirun said. "But I believe in King Elessar and his abilities. I'm sure he will solve this mystery."
The two Lords smiled at each other before joining the rest of the council members, who were still discussing the recent incident.
"Do you think they suspect us?" Bonirun asked his friend in a low voice.
"We'll know soon enough," Mortardur replied. "For now, let us play our part in this charade. Soon, it will be over."
"I hope you're right," Bonirun said, "or else, we are all doomed."
"Aragorn, wouldn't it be better to cancel the trip to Ithilien?" Legolas asked again as he and Aragorn returned to their chambers.
After what happened, he thought his husband would cancel the trip to Ithilien, but the man still insisted that he would go.
"No, Legolas," Aragorn replied. "I'm not changing my plans. It would be best if your trip went as planned. You know why this trip is important."
"Yes, you're using me as bait to hunt down Haldir's brother," Legolas said flatly as he sat on the couch.
"You know I hate using you like this, but I don't have any other choice," Aragorn said, sitting beside his husband. "We must act fast. The culprit is losing his patience and might do something more dangerous than he has already done. I don't want to put your life at risk, but we need to end this once and for all. Going to Ithilien is the best way to sniff him out."
Legolas sighed, lowering his head in resignation.
"I'm sorry. I don't want you to be upset," Aragorn said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm not upset," Legolas replied.
"You're not?" Aragorn asked.
"I'm not upset," Legolas repeated, his fingers playing nervously with the hem of his shirt. "but I'm scared. What if something bad happens to you while I'm away? What if you get hurt?"
Aragorn raised an eyebrow.
"Will you be sad if something happened to me?" he asked.
"Of course," Legolas said, slightly hurt at the man's implication. "How can you ask such a thing? You're my friend and husband. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."
"Well, it's good to hear that," Aragorn smiled.
Legolas observed the man intently, noticing a tinge of disappointment in Aragorn's voice. It seemed as if the man had anticipated a different response from him. He hesitated, contemplating what Aragorn desired to hear from him, yet uncertain whether he should vocalize it. He wasn't prepared to divulge his genuine emotions, fearing it would make him vulnerable in front of his husband. Legolas worried that expressing his true feelings would shatter his determination to depart from Gondor, binding himself to Aragorn indefinitely.
"I will go to Ithilien," he said eventually. "but only if you promise me you'll be careful. Don't do anything rash that might endanger your life."
Aragorn chuckled.
"Don't worry. I can handle myself," he said.
"I know that you are a powerful and skilled fighter. But I can't help feeling that something is going to happen."
"Something like what?"
"Like a traitor stabbing you from behind!" Legolas said.
"There's no need to worry," Aragorn spoke. "You should trust in my resilience. I have faced countless battles and emerged victorious. I once survived a fall from a cliff and lived to share the tale. I did not meet death's embrace during the siege of Helm's Deep, nor when I journeyed the path of the dead. I also did not succumb at the Black Gates. And I assure you, I will not meet my end now. You can have faith in me, Legolas."
Legolas felt his heart flutter as Aragorn locked eyes with him, his piercing grey gaze drawing Legolas in. He found himself engulfed in the depths of those eyes, and it took all his strength to break away.
"I trust you," he said quietly.
"Then go to Ithilien and help me catch the culprit," Aragorn said.
"I will, but you'd better stay safe, or else!" Legolas warned.
"I'll do my best," Aragorn said with a smile. "I've known to be lucky."
"Whatever luck you live by... let's hope it lasts the night," Legolas said teasingly, and the two laughed at the fond memory.
Looking deeply into each other eyes, slowly, their faces neared each other until their lips were an inch apart, almost touching.
"Aragorn, won't you tell me who the Lords you suspect connected to Haldir's brother are?" Legolas asked as he pulled away quickly, trying to change the subject and cover his nervousness.
"I told you I can't yet," Aragorn replied. "It's better that you don't know until I can arrest them. I don't want you to treat anyone differently if you know who they are. It would be too obvious, and I don't want to alert them."
Legolas sighed and nodded.
The entire Castle went into an uproar when the news of Ravonor's death was revealed.
Mallorn stormed to his father's chambers as soon he heard the news. When he arrived, he saw Elrond and Glorfindel were there.
'Ada, I've just heard what happened to Ravonor,' he said. 'How could such this happen?'
'It seems we underestimated our foe, my son,' Thranduil replied. 'He's bolder than we thought. He killed my messenger and hung him on the White Tree without getting caught during the night.'
'Do you think he had done this to provoke Elessar?' Mallorn asked.
'Indeed,' Glorfindel replied. 'He wants to prove that he's not afraid of us.'
'Well, he will soon know that the King of Gondor isn't someone to be messed with,' Elrond said.
'What's he's going to do?' Mallorn asked.
'As far I understood,' Glorfindel said. 'The Rangers will arrest the suspected Lords once Legolas is out of the city and—"
'We're still going to Ithilien?' Mallorn asked.
'Yes,' Glorfindel replied. 'We think it's the best way to capture our enemy.'
'I think it's dangerous to send Legolas to Ithilien, especially now that the culprit is bolder,' Mallorn said.
'It's the only way to lure Haldir's brother,' Thranduil said. 'Tomorrow, you will go to Ithilien with Legolas and the others and stay with them. You must make sure that no one gets close to them.'
Mallorn wanted to object but stopped when he saw his father's stern eyes.
'Yes, Ada,' he said, nodding.
'Legolas needs you now, Mallorn,' Elrond said. 'If anything happened to him, it would be devastating for your father. You must help him.'
'Yes,' Mallorn said again, nodding.
Mortadur spaced his office back and forth, unable to quell the anxiety and anger he had been feeling towards Shadow. He was glad that the Elf would finally leave the city, but he didn't anticipate that the obnoxious Elf would do something so audacious and reckless as hanging a corpse of an elf on the White Tree.
This act alone was an insult to the Elven race as a whole and an insult to the Kingdom. It would plunge the Kingdom into a war with the Elves if King Aragorn failed to resolve this issue. On the other hand, Mortadur thought that if the King failed to solve this issue, the Council would be forced to remove him from the throne and replace him with someone more suitable for the position. The Council would have a great chance to rise above the King and have absolute control over the Kingdom's matters. But the fear of a possible war with the Elves was the only thing that bothered Mortadur.
"Ghah!" Mortadur shouted in frustration and punched a wall. It took a lot of effort from him not to scream and break everything in his office. "Why did it come to this? I had everything planned, but that stupid Elf ruined my plans."
The door of his office suddenly opened, and his wife appeared. Her expression was full of concern for him.
Mortadur took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He didn't want to let his wife know about his frustration.
"Husband? What's wrong?" she asked, noticing he was upset. "I heard a loud thud and—"
"Nothing's wrong," he interrupted her. "Why are you here? I thought you were with Ohtar in the gardens." He asked, hoping she would buy the excuse.
"I wanted to inform you that a message from the castle told me that our trip to Ithilien has been postponed until tomorrow," she said. "You were in the Castle this morning. Do you know what happened?"
Mortadur looked at his wife as if he had first seen her. He had forgotten that his wife and son were supposed to join Legolas on his trip to Ithilien.
"It' doesn't matter," he said. "You're not going anymore."
"What? Why?" His wife frowned. She didn't understand what was happening.
"Because I said so," Mortadur said with authority. "And I don't want to hear any complaint about it."
"But..."
"That's enough, Wife! You and Ohtar won't go to Ithilien tomorrow, and I won't hear a word about it!" Mortadur said sternly and walked past her, slamming the door behind him.
His wife watched him leave her behind in a daze. She didn't understand what was going on with him.
Aragorn laid his head back on the leather chair and closed his eyes. His mind was lost in all the whirlpools of events that have taken place since his marriage to Legolas eight months ago. He didn't know that his marriage would cause such a rift in his Court. Members of his Council even resorted to treason because of their opposition to the marriage. His Rangers had gathered evidence of the plot and presented it to him. However, he couldn't arrest the conspirators until Haldir's brothers were captured. But now, after what happened in the courtyard, he had to find a way to alleviate the Lords of his Council before they took more drastic measures against him and his rule. Capturing Haldir's brothers and linking them to the Lords must be done as soon as possible.
His musings were interrupted by a knock on the door. He turned to face the entrance of his room, calling the person in.
"My Liege?" Hathron greeted as he entered. "May I enter?"
"Hathron. Please take a seat." He gestured to a chair near him.
The Ranger took a seat but did not speak further. He knew the King would begin their discussion, for he would know what Hathron was there for.
"I'm disappointed in you, Hathron," the King began. "You bear responsibility for the breach in the Castle's security. I thought the Rangers were keeping their eyes open."
The Ranger lowered his head in shame, knowing that the King was right.
"I'm sorry, my Lord," he said. "I take full responsibility for my negligence. I don't know how to apologize enough for this lapse on my part. I'll accept any punishment you see fit to give me."
Aragorn leaned forward and looked at the man closely.
"I know how loyal and reliable you are, Hathron. I am not accusing you of treason or negligence. However, you're one of my best Rangers, and I need you always to be alert. I must know that the White Castle is safe and secure, even if I weren't here."
Hathron nodded.
"Yes, my Lord. I assure you that this will never happen again."
"Good. Now, what brought you here?"
The Ranger took a deep breath before he answered.
"About the servants, My Lord. We got a confession from them. My Rangers are digging the graves of the missing servants as we speak."
"What did the arrested servants have to say?"
"They said that Lord Mortardur offered them a lot of money to kill and dispose of the servants who prepared the breakfast that morning. Lord Bonirun's personal servant facilitated the negotiations."
"And they did it just for money? Were they not aware of the consequences?"
"Money was involved, of course, and Lord Mortardur told them they would not be implicated," Hathron answered. "He said they could do their usual work as if nothing had happened, and he would handle everything. However, I also think they were threatened with their families. These servants have families in the counties under Lord Mortardur's and Lord Bonirun's jurisdiction."
"I want you to lock down Lord Bonirun's personal servant," Aragorn said. "But not because of the missing servants. Find any reason to lock him so you can interrogate him without raising suspicion."
"Yes, My Lord," Hathron said. "Consider it done!"
"Are your men who are accompanying Legolas ready?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Good," Aragorn said. "Your mission for the upcoming days is to keep a close eye on the two Lords until the mysterious Elf is caught. Nothing regarding them should go unnoticed and undetected. Do you hear me, Hathron? I'm giving you a second chance to redeem yourself. Don't disappoint me!"
"Yes, My Lord.'
"I will call Faramir now, and I want you to repeat to him what you have just told me."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Hathorn said.
The funeral of Ravonor began after sunset. Elven warriors in full regalia faces hidden behind helmets, stood at attention. A row held torches from the Castle's entrance to the gate on both sides, illuminating the stone path.
Ravonor's body lay on a wooden platform raised high above the ground. He wore a ceremonial white robe with gold trim and crossed his arms over his chest. The body was still as if he were sleeping.
King Elessar, his Consort Prince Legolas, followed by Thranduil, Prince Mallorn, the rest of the Elven Lords, Gandalf, and the rest of the King's friends, walked behind the platform. The Council Lords followed behind.
Six male elves carried the platform, their faces hidden under helmets without visors. They walked slowly, following a funeral march towards the main gates of Minas Tirith. It was decided that the elven messenger would be buried outside the city in the surrounding green plains. There was a sombre silence in the procession. There were no songs of grief or lamentations, not even a whimper. The elves walked with their heads high and their shoulders back. The crowd watched from the side of the road. The humans had never seen an elven funeral. The elves looked so proud and regal. It seemed like a ceremony done for kings. When the platform reached the city gates, the funeral party halted. The warriors standing guard stepped aside to clear the way. The gates opened with a loud creak, and the procession walked out of the city. The funeral march stopped outside the city when the elves had placed the platform in the exact spot they wanted. As the elves prepared the grave for the body, Lady Gwîneth began to sing an Elvish song. Her voice was sweet and lilting like the wind blowing through the forest on a spring day. The melody was slow and haunting. She sang in a low voice at first, but her voice grew stronger as she sang. Other elves sang, and their voices rose with the night wind. The song was eerie yet beautiful, filling the hearts of all those who heard it with sorrow.
Legolas threw himself on the bed, tired from all the day's events. He did not feel like going to sleep yet, though. The funeral had been emotional for everyone, especially for Legolas. He was tired from all the death that was surrounding him. He sat up on the bed, resting his head on his knees.
"Legolas? What's the matter?" Aragorn asked, entering the room and noticing Legolas' posture. "Are you fine?"
"I'm fine," Legolas muttered, not looking up.
"Legolas," Aragorn said, sitting down next to his mate. "Tell me what's wrong. Don't keep it to yourself, please. I know you're not fine."
"I just-" Legolas began, but the words stuck in his throat. "I'm just so tired of all this death that is surrounding me."
"You've been through a lot, my love," Aragorn said. "And it is alright to be upset about it."
"I don't want to be upset. I want to be strong like my Adar or like you. I want to be strong," Legolas said, looking up at his mate.
"You are strong, Legolas. You have endured more than many men and elves," Aragorn said. "You are stronger than you think, Legolas." He let a deep sigh. "Don't despair, my love. Everything will be over soon. I promise."
To Be Continued…
I have a crazy story idea about Legoals dying at childbirth, then after 21 years, Eldarion pleaded with the Valar to bring back his Ada.
What do you think? Should I write it?