Leaving You Behind
folder
-Multi-Age › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
13
Views:
2,738
Reviews:
5
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
-Multi-Age › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
13
Views:
2,738
Reviews:
5
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Lord of the Rings (and associated) book series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
7
Title: Leaving You Behind 7
Author: Sivan Shemesh sivan325@walla.com
Beta:Gilraen Aclamense - Hannon le.
Rating: PG-13
Who is in the angst you ask: A few from each as: Aragorn, The Twins, Elrond, Thranduil, and Legolas… evil grin… plus, Faramir and Boromir and Denethor too. And don’t forget Éomer and Éowyn, their presences are needed for this story.
Warning: Angst full ahead, violence… guilt… Character death? OC’s. I forgot the tissues… so bring them on… evil grin…
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Tolkien. I just borrowed them for my own evil plans.
Spoiler: Total AU.
Note: Arwen is not in the story. Forgive me if you wished otherwise.
7.
Imladris
Two days after…
Erestor ran over to his lord’s room, he opened the door, and noticed his lord, standing by the window.
“My lord?” Erestor asked with caution.
Elrond stand near the window, his eyes were glassy, though it seemed to Erestor as if he had lost all hope about his sons returning home, and Erestor felt guilty, as he told the twins that they should go.
“My lord?” Erestor repeated his question, as he tried to calm his voice, not wanting to frame himself through the guilt that might be heard.
“What is it, Erestor?” Elrond asked him weakly, not moving his face away from the window.
“I have to confess something to you,” Erestor said, lowering his head with shame.
He was ashamed of his behavior over the twins. He knew that he had neglected them as they were the ones that needed him the most. True, he was Imladris’s Advisor, and yet he felt that he failed them, as they were in need of his advices, he found himself speechless.
“What do you mean, mellon?” Elrond asked, still not moving his head from the window.
“The night they left, your sons came to me, seeking my advice, but my lord, I had none to giving them, I simply told them that it would best if they left.” Erestor said lowering his head with shame for his act.
Elrond walked towards him, still pale as the moonlight. He moved his hands over his advisor’s shoulders, and clasped them. Making his advisor’s eyes lock on his, as he softly said, “We all made mistakes, now it is time to heal what it is ruined.”
Erestor stared over his lord and friend with confused eyes, he thought that he was going to yell at him, or say something worse. But Elrond did nothing of what he thought.
“My lord?” Erestor quietly asks, his eyes still set over him.
“What is it mellon-nin?” Elrond asks.
Erestor noticed the weeping tears from his friend, as he swallowed them.
“How are you feeling?” Erestor asks, he feared for his friend’s health, for to him, it seemed that Elrond lost his color and his body grew paler and weaker.
Elrond let out a heavy sigh, and broke eye contact with Erestor as he weakly walked over the window, and stared… looking for his sons to return home… to him.
“My lord?” Erestor asks with concern.
“Am I a good father?” Elrond turned to face his advisor; looking in his eyes, waiting for an answer.
Erestor stared over his friend, and again he found himself speechless, as he did not want to hurt him by saying the wrong words.
Erestor could feel his friend’s hard stare over him, and stammered. “You… are a good father to them… my friend.”
Then, Elrond snapped, “Then… why am I alone? Why did not they come back? Why?”
Erestor opened his mouth, and then he closed it, as he had nothing to say, as he only stared him.
Lucky for Lord Erestor that Lord Glorfindel entered inside; covered by silence he puts the meal that he took from the maid onto the table.
“My lords?” Glorfindel asked as he found himself in uncomfortable situation.
He turned his head from Erestor to Elrond hope to find what occurred.
“Am I a good father, mellon?” Elrond asks Glorfindel: the same question that he asked Erestor.
Glorfindel walked over his lord and friend, he grinned as he answered, “You are a good father to your sons, and even if you make mistakes, they will understand,” he stared over his lord, and then he tried to assure him, “they will be back, do not fear that they won’t, just give them time, and forgive yourself, because guilt and anger will bring you nowhere, mellon-nin.”
Elrond smiled back, and thanked him, “Hannon le, mellon-nin.”
Glorfindel nodded him, and then he lead him over the table, over his chair, to eat some food, so he could gather his strength back.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On the way to Imladris…
Thranduil, stared over the human that rode next to him, as he examined his face.
Thranduil could feel the soft touch of the wind as it blew on his face. He seemed to be too much in thought as Aragorn stopped his horse and staring over him blankly.
“Thranduil, is there something wrong?” Aragorn asked and guided his horse over to that of the kings’.
“Forgive me,” Thranduil lowered his head, noticing the support that he got from Aragorn, he admitted, “I just remembered the time when you and my son met for the first time, and my reaction to it… and I just thought of changing the time, for everything that I said to you, accused you of… and yet, still after what I said, you two stuck together, as the bond of your friendship grew, and I just hope you could forgive me of what I said…”
“I know, your son told me in the same day, after the two of you argued, he told me why you were so afraid of me,” Aragorn smiled and then he continued, “Legolas, was, as it seemed loyal to us both, I mean, he, I guess, did not want to lose us both.”
“Hannon-le.” Thranduil thanked, and smiled back.
“Had I been that bad?” Aragorn asked, grinning over at the king, and then he let his mind return to the day that he and Legolas meet.
Flashback
Five years ago… in Mirkwood
It was a dark night, very dark as he walked-well- wondered in the woods, tried to find a way, or at least to find a light, as he held the rope tight, not wanting to release the creature.
Then he heard noises moving around him. He moved his free hand to touch and feel the air; he closed his eyes, trying to hear the nature as it surrounded him.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say anything, but before he said anything, he tried to control his voice, he did not want whoever was listening to hear the fear in his voice, he took a deep breath and shouted, “WHO IS THERE?”
“IT DEPENDS, WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ISYOUR BUSNIESS IN MIRKWOOD?”
“I am Aragorn, friend of Lord Elrond, and Gandalf,” he said, calmly as he could, and then he continued, as he wiped the sweat away with his free hand, “I came on Gandalf’s request, to bring the creature, Gollum, to the dungeons.”
“If you are a friend of Lord Elrond, can you tell me what is the most thing that Elrohir hates?” the elf asked him as he came closer at him, covered by the shadows of the night.
Aragorn whistles as he knew the answered, and then he answered as big smile covered his face, “I can tell, that Elrohir hates the most when Elladan interrupts him as he thinking, but that is not enough, I mean, ‘Dan also smacked him, like he was boring and wanted to play with his twin, not knowing that his half hates it, or just Elrohir done a good job as he hidden it away.”
“Not bad for a human,” the elf said, as he came closer than before, and Aragorn could see his blond hair, and his blue eyes that seemed to be like a lighthouse, watching him from getting lost, or even lost in the dark, and then he added, as he noticed the frown look that appeared over his face, “Here, held this, you will see better from the blinding dark, that fell upon us.” As he handed him the lantern, and lead the way.
It did not take much longer as Aragorn could see the palace, guarded tightly.
“Give me the rope!” Aragorn heard the order, and did as he was told.
The elf moved the creature over the guards and ordered, “Put him in the dungeons, and do not let him escape,” then he turned over the human, he noticed the frown or was it fear that salient in his eyes, and added over the guards, “the creature is dangerous, be careful!”
“Yes your Highness.” The guard quietly said as he bowed over the elf.
Then, the elf walked over the human, and said over him, “Come, as a friend of Lord Elrond, you need to sleep, and you must stay…”
Aragorn nodded, as he himself, did not wish to try to find the way alone in that darkness.
Aragorn followed the elf inside the palace; he saw all the candles that brought some lightness inside the hall, and for every candle an Armour guard kept watch, his heart almost stopped as he never remembered seeing a place like guarded so tight… it was like something bad was going to happen.
“Aragorn…” he suddenly heard his name, he snapped out of his thought.
“I must be tired,” Aragorn said.
The elf walked over a door, and opened it widly, the man came forward and stared inside.
“This is your room, the guards will give you clothes and towels, and you can take shower. Then in the morning, you will meet the king himself.” The elf said. He then stared over at the guard that was beside him and nodded. The guard handed him the towels and the clothes and then he pointed him over the room where he could wash and relieve himself.
“Hannon-le.” Aragorn said, thanking both the strange elf and the guard. He closed the door beside him, and walked over the bed, sitting on the edge.
‘Who is that elf?’ Aragorn wondered, and thanked the Valar for the kindness of that elf, for his caring.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next morning…
Aragorn woke at the first light, just as the sun sent her beams through the window, touching his eyes softly.
Aragorn groaned as he woke, he rubbed his eyes, and then he snapped them opened as he remembered that the king might be waiting for him.
He changed his clothes in haste, and left the room, closing the door as quietly as he could. Then he turned around and noticed the smirked elf that appeared to welcome him.
“Come, the king is waiting…” the elf still smirked as he showed him the way to the king’s room.
As Aragorn entered the room he could see long red carpet covering most of the floor. The red carpet stopped by the stairs near the king’s chair, and Aragorn could see two more chairs that were next to the king’s chair.
“Come forward, human!” Aragorn heard the hard, cold yell that was the voice that called for him like an order, and he did as he was told.
“Where is your manners, human? Do you not know that you are standing in front of a King?” King Thranduil snapped st the human with hard and strong voice.
Aragorn bowed and knelt on in front of the king. When he received a nod Aragorn stood, but said nothing.
“What is your business in my realm, human?” the king asked, he turned to the elf that stood behind him, and asked, “Are you alright, ion-nin? Did this human hurt you?”
“I am fine Adar, that human did nothing to me, and he came by the request of Gandalf and he is known in Lord Elrond’s house,” the elf looked over the king and added with a smile, “He is not our foe, though I could feel his fear, he is a friend, he has a good heart, Ada.”
The king came closer over Aragorn, and Aragorn could see his veins, he was so angry. The king hurtfully accused, “Stay away from my son, you filthy man, I could feel your fear, you are just as the rest of the men, only came to destroy, but I will not let you take my son from me.”
“But Ada…” the elf muttered to the king as he hurried after him, and argued with him.
Aragorn watched them as they argued, he didn’t really know what was going on, or why the elf saving him from the king’s blaming, and accusing. It seemed that the elf wanted to be his friend.
‘Is he the king’s son?’ Aragorn wondered, ‘I wondered why he kept his identity hidden in the dark?’
The elf came towards him and led him to other room. He opened the door, waited for him to go inside, and then he too entered, closing the door.
Once the door was closed, Aragorn stared over the elf that was standing opposite him and for once, Aragorn watched him, as the Sun embraced the elf into her welcomed rays, as he was she on child.
“Who are you?” Aragorn asked with curiosity, as he tried to digestion what had happened.
“I am Prince Legolas, son of Thranduil, the King,” Legolas introduced over the human with a little smile on his face, and added, “But you can call me Legolas, and no Prince is needed.”
Aragorn nodded at him, with a smile upon his face, he grinned back, “I am Aragorn, I’m known as Estel, from Imladris… so you are the prince that the twins told me about…”
“What exactly did they say, mellon?” Legolas asked him fearfully, not knowing if the human accepted his friendship.
“They said, and I quote: ‘The most caring elf in Middle-Earth that they ever knew…’ and they said that they are glad that you are their friends as well.” Aragorn answered smiling over at the prince.
The prince nodded at him, and Aragorn could see the smile that appeared on Legolas’ face faded to a serious mask.
“Forgive me, for my father’s behavior… he… we have had bad encounters with men, they hurt us, and killed… they killed my Nana. After that my father decided that all the men are bad.” Legolas explained, hoped that Aragorn would forgive him for his father’s mistake.
“I forgive you, mellon-nin, but I have a question for you,” Aragorn gracefully said as he watched the prince who nodded lightly, and continued, “Why do you not hate me as your father does?”
“Then, mellon, we had something in common.” Legolas answered with a riddle, making the man wonder, he could see the confusion in the man’s face. He added, “Gandalf. Gandalf was the one that told me stories, as he told me the kindness of men, and even the evilness,” Legolas explained and then he sighed and continued, “But as you came, I could see and feel the kindness in your heart, but also the hurt and the pain of losing your mother. I feel the same pain as you, how terrible is to lose someone that you love…”
As Aragorn kept staring over Legolas, he could see the tears rolling down his cheeks.
End of Flashback
“Aragorn?” the king asked, as he noticed the blank look that appeared on the man’s face.
“Aragorn?” Thranduil asked again, with worry this time.
He moved his hand over the man’s shoulder, tried to shake him a bit, to wake him from the thought that deepened in his mind.
The shake seemed to wake him, as Aragorn shook his head, and then he found himself looking at the king, and frowned in confusion.
“Aragorn? What happened?”
“I seemed to be caught by the memories, forgive me.” Aragorn mumbled.
“As you said to me, we will find him, mellon-nin. And there is nothing to forgive, as memories remind us what kind of men, or elves, we are.” Thranduil sighed and a smile appeared in his face.
Aragorn smiled back.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The way through the marshes…
Éomer rode through the marshes. He was careful not to stare over the water, he had heard of the tale of – faces floating in the water, still, rotting and pale- and of flickering flames on the swamps. Eomer could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rose as a feeling of dread filled him inside.
As Éomer rode he heard strong voices came, but he could not see a thing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lothlórien
Elrohir was led outside by his grandmother, she led him to the mirror.
Galadriel descended to her garden in a glade and filled a silver ewer with water from a trickling stream. She stood before an ornate stand with a shallow silver basin upon it. The Lady turned towards Elrohir.
“Grandma?” Elrohir asked her in confusion.
“Will you look at the mirror?” Galadriel asked.
Elrohir saw her pouring the water into the silver mirror.
Elrohir looked at her with doubts in his mind. But as he stared he saw her determined look, and cautiously stepped towards the mirror.
Elrohir saw first the limp form of Legolas, as blood surrounded him, and then the images ran, and Elladan stared at him with sorrow as if something bad happened, and then he saw his father, knelt on the gray ground, crying.
Elrohir lowered his head and started to cry.
He never wished to see his father cry, not like this.
“Elrohir?” Galadriel asked, as she walked over him, kneeling beside him. She tried to comfort him, take the tears away.
“Is this going to happen? Is father going to lose us?” Elrohir asked with fear.
“Only you can change what you have seen, Elrohir,” Galadriel answered softly, “Everyone makes mistakes, even your father. He does love you, very much so.”
“Then… then… why?” Elrohir asked as he swallowed his tears, but Galadriel could hear the anger in his voice.
“It was a only a moment of fear that fogged your father’s mind, it is like the fear that you and Elladan felt two years ago, when you saw Estel, laying on the ground, covered with blood.”
End of Chapter 7.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Still love me?
Author: Sivan Shemesh sivan325@walla.com
Beta:Gilraen Aclamense - Hannon le.
Rating: PG-13
Who is in the angst you ask: A few from each as: Aragorn, The Twins, Elrond, Thranduil, and Legolas… evil grin… plus, Faramir and Boromir and Denethor too. And don’t forget Éomer and Éowyn, their presences are needed for this story.
Warning: Angst full ahead, violence… guilt… Character death? OC’s. I forgot the tissues… so bring them on… evil grin…
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Tolkien. I just borrowed them for my own evil plans.
Spoiler: Total AU.
Note: Arwen is not in the story. Forgive me if you wished otherwise.
7.
Imladris
Two days after…
Erestor ran over to his lord’s room, he opened the door, and noticed his lord, standing by the window.
“My lord?” Erestor asked with caution.
Elrond stand near the window, his eyes were glassy, though it seemed to Erestor as if he had lost all hope about his sons returning home, and Erestor felt guilty, as he told the twins that they should go.
“My lord?” Erestor repeated his question, as he tried to calm his voice, not wanting to frame himself through the guilt that might be heard.
“What is it, Erestor?” Elrond asked him weakly, not moving his face away from the window.
“I have to confess something to you,” Erestor said, lowering his head with shame.
He was ashamed of his behavior over the twins. He knew that he had neglected them as they were the ones that needed him the most. True, he was Imladris’s Advisor, and yet he felt that he failed them, as they were in need of his advices, he found himself speechless.
“What do you mean, mellon?” Elrond asked, still not moving his head from the window.
“The night they left, your sons came to me, seeking my advice, but my lord, I had none to giving them, I simply told them that it would best if they left.” Erestor said lowering his head with shame for his act.
Elrond walked towards him, still pale as the moonlight. He moved his hands over his advisor’s shoulders, and clasped them. Making his advisor’s eyes lock on his, as he softly said, “We all made mistakes, now it is time to heal what it is ruined.”
Erestor stared over his lord and friend with confused eyes, he thought that he was going to yell at him, or say something worse. But Elrond did nothing of what he thought.
“My lord?” Erestor quietly asks, his eyes still set over him.
“What is it mellon-nin?” Elrond asks.
Erestor noticed the weeping tears from his friend, as he swallowed them.
“How are you feeling?” Erestor asks, he feared for his friend’s health, for to him, it seemed that Elrond lost his color and his body grew paler and weaker.
Elrond let out a heavy sigh, and broke eye contact with Erestor as he weakly walked over the window, and stared… looking for his sons to return home… to him.
“My lord?” Erestor asks with concern.
“Am I a good father?” Elrond turned to face his advisor; looking in his eyes, waiting for an answer.
Erestor stared over his friend, and again he found himself speechless, as he did not want to hurt him by saying the wrong words.
Erestor could feel his friend’s hard stare over him, and stammered. “You… are a good father to them… my friend.”
Then, Elrond snapped, “Then… why am I alone? Why did not they come back? Why?”
Erestor opened his mouth, and then he closed it, as he had nothing to say, as he only stared him.
Lucky for Lord Erestor that Lord Glorfindel entered inside; covered by silence he puts the meal that he took from the maid onto the table.
“My lords?” Glorfindel asked as he found himself in uncomfortable situation.
He turned his head from Erestor to Elrond hope to find what occurred.
“Am I a good father, mellon?” Elrond asks Glorfindel: the same question that he asked Erestor.
Glorfindel walked over his lord and friend, he grinned as he answered, “You are a good father to your sons, and even if you make mistakes, they will understand,” he stared over his lord, and then he tried to assure him, “they will be back, do not fear that they won’t, just give them time, and forgive yourself, because guilt and anger will bring you nowhere, mellon-nin.”
Elrond smiled back, and thanked him, “Hannon le, mellon-nin.”
Glorfindel nodded him, and then he lead him over the table, over his chair, to eat some food, so he could gather his strength back.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On the way to Imladris…
Thranduil, stared over the human that rode next to him, as he examined his face.
Thranduil could feel the soft touch of the wind as it blew on his face. He seemed to be too much in thought as Aragorn stopped his horse and staring over him blankly.
“Thranduil, is there something wrong?” Aragorn asked and guided his horse over to that of the kings’.
“Forgive me,” Thranduil lowered his head, noticing the support that he got from Aragorn, he admitted, “I just remembered the time when you and my son met for the first time, and my reaction to it… and I just thought of changing the time, for everything that I said to you, accused you of… and yet, still after what I said, you two stuck together, as the bond of your friendship grew, and I just hope you could forgive me of what I said…”
“I know, your son told me in the same day, after the two of you argued, he told me why you were so afraid of me,” Aragorn smiled and then he continued, “Legolas, was, as it seemed loyal to us both, I mean, he, I guess, did not want to lose us both.”
“Hannon-le.” Thranduil thanked, and smiled back.
“Had I been that bad?” Aragorn asked, grinning over at the king, and then he let his mind return to the day that he and Legolas meet.
Five years ago… in Mirkwood
It was a dark night, very dark as he walked-well- wondered in the woods, tried to find a way, or at least to find a light, as he held the rope tight, not wanting to release the creature.
Then he heard noises moving around him. He moved his free hand to touch and feel the air; he closed his eyes, trying to hear the nature as it surrounded him.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say anything, but before he said anything, he tried to control his voice, he did not want whoever was listening to hear the fear in his voice, he took a deep breath and shouted, “WHO IS THERE?”
“IT DEPENDS, WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ISYOUR BUSNIESS IN MIRKWOOD?”
“I am Aragorn, friend of Lord Elrond, and Gandalf,” he said, calmly as he could, and then he continued, as he wiped the sweat away with his free hand, “I came on Gandalf’s request, to bring the creature, Gollum, to the dungeons.”
“If you are a friend of Lord Elrond, can you tell me what is the most thing that Elrohir hates?” the elf asked him as he came closer at him, covered by the shadows of the night.
Aragorn whistles as he knew the answered, and then he answered as big smile covered his face, “I can tell, that Elrohir hates the most when Elladan interrupts him as he thinking, but that is not enough, I mean, ‘Dan also smacked him, like he was boring and wanted to play with his twin, not knowing that his half hates it, or just Elrohir done a good job as he hidden it away.”
“Not bad for a human,” the elf said, as he came closer than before, and Aragorn could see his blond hair, and his blue eyes that seemed to be like a lighthouse, watching him from getting lost, or even lost in the dark, and then he added, as he noticed the frown look that appeared over his face, “Here, held this, you will see better from the blinding dark, that fell upon us.” As he handed him the lantern, and lead the way.
It did not take much longer as Aragorn could see the palace, guarded tightly.
“Give me the rope!” Aragorn heard the order, and did as he was told.
The elf moved the creature over the guards and ordered, “Put him in the dungeons, and do not let him escape,” then he turned over the human, he noticed the frown or was it fear that salient in his eyes, and added over the guards, “the creature is dangerous, be careful!”
“Yes your Highness.” The guard quietly said as he bowed over the elf.
Then, the elf walked over the human, and said over him, “Come, as a friend of Lord Elrond, you need to sleep, and you must stay…”
Aragorn nodded, as he himself, did not wish to try to find the way alone in that darkness.
Aragorn followed the elf inside the palace; he saw all the candles that brought some lightness inside the hall, and for every candle an Armour guard kept watch, his heart almost stopped as he never remembered seeing a place like guarded so tight… it was like something bad was going to happen.
“Aragorn…” he suddenly heard his name, he snapped out of his thought.
“I must be tired,” Aragorn said.
The elf walked over a door, and opened it widly, the man came forward and stared inside.
“This is your room, the guards will give you clothes and towels, and you can take shower. Then in the morning, you will meet the king himself.” The elf said. He then stared over at the guard that was beside him and nodded. The guard handed him the towels and the clothes and then he pointed him over the room where he could wash and relieve himself.
“Hannon-le.” Aragorn said, thanking both the strange elf and the guard. He closed the door beside him, and walked over the bed, sitting on the edge.
‘Who is that elf?’ Aragorn wondered, and thanked the Valar for the kindness of that elf, for his caring.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next morning…
Aragorn woke at the first light, just as the sun sent her beams through the window, touching his eyes softly.
Aragorn groaned as he woke, he rubbed his eyes, and then he snapped them opened as he remembered that the king might be waiting for him.
He changed his clothes in haste, and left the room, closing the door as quietly as he could. Then he turned around and noticed the smirked elf that appeared to welcome him.
“Come, the king is waiting…” the elf still smirked as he showed him the way to the king’s room.
As Aragorn entered the room he could see long red carpet covering most of the floor. The red carpet stopped by the stairs near the king’s chair, and Aragorn could see two more chairs that were next to the king’s chair.
“Come forward, human!” Aragorn heard the hard, cold yell that was the voice that called for him like an order, and he did as he was told.
“Where is your manners, human? Do you not know that you are standing in front of a King?” King Thranduil snapped st the human with hard and strong voice.
Aragorn bowed and knelt on in front of the king. When he received a nod Aragorn stood, but said nothing.
“What is your business in my realm, human?” the king asked, he turned to the elf that stood behind him, and asked, “Are you alright, ion-nin? Did this human hurt you?”
“I am fine Adar, that human did nothing to me, and he came by the request of Gandalf and he is known in Lord Elrond’s house,” the elf looked over the king and added with a smile, “He is not our foe, though I could feel his fear, he is a friend, he has a good heart, Ada.”
The king came closer over Aragorn, and Aragorn could see his veins, he was so angry. The king hurtfully accused, “Stay away from my son, you filthy man, I could feel your fear, you are just as the rest of the men, only came to destroy, but I will not let you take my son from me.”
“But Ada…” the elf muttered to the king as he hurried after him, and argued with him.
Aragorn watched them as they argued, he didn’t really know what was going on, or why the elf saving him from the king’s blaming, and accusing. It seemed that the elf wanted to be his friend.
‘Is he the king’s son?’ Aragorn wondered, ‘I wondered why he kept his identity hidden in the dark?’
The elf came towards him and led him to other room. He opened the door, waited for him to go inside, and then he too entered, closing the door.
Once the door was closed, Aragorn stared over the elf that was standing opposite him and for once, Aragorn watched him, as the Sun embraced the elf into her welcomed rays, as he was she on child.
“Who are you?” Aragorn asked with curiosity, as he tried to digestion what had happened.
“I am Prince Legolas, son of Thranduil, the King,” Legolas introduced over the human with a little smile on his face, and added, “But you can call me Legolas, and no Prince is needed.”
Aragorn nodded at him, with a smile upon his face, he grinned back, “I am Aragorn, I’m known as Estel, from Imladris… so you are the prince that the twins told me about…”
“What exactly did they say, mellon?” Legolas asked him fearfully, not knowing if the human accepted his friendship.
“They said, and I quote: ‘The most caring elf in Middle-Earth that they ever knew…’ and they said that they are glad that you are their friends as well.” Aragorn answered smiling over at the prince.
The prince nodded at him, and Aragorn could see the smile that appeared on Legolas’ face faded to a serious mask.
“Forgive me, for my father’s behavior… he… we have had bad encounters with men, they hurt us, and killed… they killed my Nana. After that my father decided that all the men are bad.” Legolas explained, hoped that Aragorn would forgive him for his father’s mistake.
“I forgive you, mellon-nin, but I have a question for you,” Aragorn gracefully said as he watched the prince who nodded lightly, and continued, “Why do you not hate me as your father does?”
“Then, mellon, we had something in common.” Legolas answered with a riddle, making the man wonder, he could see the confusion in the man’s face. He added, “Gandalf. Gandalf was the one that told me stories, as he told me the kindness of men, and even the evilness,” Legolas explained and then he sighed and continued, “But as you came, I could see and feel the kindness in your heart, but also the hurt and the pain of losing your mother. I feel the same pain as you, how terrible is to lose someone that you love…”
As Aragorn kept staring over Legolas, he could see the tears rolling down his cheeks.
“Aragorn?” the king asked, as he noticed the blank look that appeared on the man’s face.
“Aragorn?” Thranduil asked again, with worry this time.
He moved his hand over the man’s shoulder, tried to shake him a bit, to wake him from the thought that deepened in his mind.
The shake seemed to wake him, as Aragorn shook his head, and then he found himself looking at the king, and frowned in confusion.
“Aragorn? What happened?”
“I seemed to be caught by the memories, forgive me.” Aragorn mumbled.
“As you said to me, we will find him, mellon-nin. And there is nothing to forgive, as memories remind us what kind of men, or elves, we are.” Thranduil sighed and a smile appeared in his face.
Aragorn smiled back.
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The way through the marshes…
Éomer rode through the marshes. He was careful not to stare over the water, he had heard of the tale of – faces floating in the water, still, rotting and pale- and of flickering flames on the swamps. Eomer could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rose as a feeling of dread filled him inside.
As Éomer rode he heard strong voices came, but he could not see a thing.
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Lothlórien
Elrohir was led outside by his grandmother, she led him to the mirror.
Galadriel descended to her garden in a glade and filled a silver ewer with water from a trickling stream. She stood before an ornate stand with a shallow silver basin upon it. The Lady turned towards Elrohir.
“Grandma?” Elrohir asked her in confusion.
“Will you look at the mirror?” Galadriel asked.
Elrohir saw her pouring the water into the silver mirror.
Elrohir looked at her with doubts in his mind. But as he stared he saw her determined look, and cautiously stepped towards the mirror.
Elrohir saw first the limp form of Legolas, as blood surrounded him, and then the images ran, and Elladan stared at him with sorrow as if something bad happened, and then he saw his father, knelt on the gray ground, crying.
Elrohir lowered his head and started to cry.
He never wished to see his father cry, not like this.
“Elrohir?” Galadriel asked, as she walked over him, kneeling beside him. She tried to comfort him, take the tears away.
“Is this going to happen? Is father going to lose us?” Elrohir asked with fear.
“Only you can change what you have seen, Elrohir,” Galadriel answered softly, “Everyone makes mistakes, even your father. He does love you, very much so.”
“Then… then… why?” Elrohir asked as he swallowed his tears, but Galadriel could hear the anger in his voice.
“It was a only a moment of fear that fogged your father’s mind, it is like the fear that you and Elladan felt two years ago, when you saw Estel, laying on the ground, covered with blood.”
End of Chapter 7.
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