Note: And this is CB. I have nothing to say. At all. But Liz insisted upon having an author's note. So…hi. Sorry this took awhile, we have satanic slave-driving lunatic for teachers.
Chapter 5: The Road Ahead
After the initial shock, Aragorn had servant take Sarah and Legolas to a sitting room so they could talk. Aria's mother and Aria (who had finally come out from behind the chair, not knowing why Lili's mother had left) had stayed with Aragorn so Legolas and Sarah could have their privacy.
Legolas helped Sarah sit down, as it was clear that she needed it. The two of them sat across from each other in silence for a few minutes before Legolas said,
"I'm not sure what to say."
"The perhaps it is best if I spoke first." Sarah smiled sadly. "I only got sick right after Lili left to come here. That was barely a week ago. I don't know how it happened, it just did.. And I know I will pass on while Lili is with you, so I just wanted to ask you one thing." She looked up at him. "Could you promise me that'll you'll always watch over her."
Legolas was genuinely surprised. He should have expected her to say something along the lines of that, but he hadn't. But now that he thought about it, once they got to Mirkwood, what was he supposed to do? Abandon the two girls and go on with his life?
Sarah seemed to have guessed that he was having a major thought process on this, so she added gently,
"Aria will not always be there. She will most likely have to go on and live her own life eventually. But Lili will always need a friend to help her out, whether she will ever want to admit it or not. And that's all I'm asking you to do for her. To be a friend. You don't have to dedicate your life to her or anything, but just keep an eye out for her. Could you promise me that you'll always watch out for her?" The woman was almost begging, but Legolas would not let her do it.
He looked at her kindly and then smiled.
"I swear to it."
Meanwhile in the throne room, a very amused Aragorn was watching Aria talk to her mother very animatedly. Describing everything about life in the castle.
"It's really been fun. We had a pillow fight!" Aria exclaimed.
"I recall several other fights as well." Aragorn said from his throne.
Aria stuck her tongue out at him. "He was bothering me."
Aragorn rolled his eyes as her mother raised her eyebrows at her. "He?" her mother asked.
"Lord Legolas." Aria glanced at Aragorn, then turned away, and whispered. "I don't like him very much."
She didn't know Aragorn could hear her, what with him being a Ranger. Perhaps there were other reasons as to why she fought with him so much. He heard a crack behind him. Turning in his throne, he saw Legolas entering through a servants' door behind the throne. Legolas was about to say something, when Aragorn shushed him and pointed at Aria. 'Listen' he mouthed.
"Why don't you like him?" Aria's mother was asking.
"Because…he's an Elf." Aria gave a shrug. Legolas realized they were talking about him.
Her mother put her hands on her hips and glared at her daughter. "Aria, you sound like Aaron."
"Aaron had every right to hate Elves after what they did to him!" Aria cried, forgetting Aragorn was watching.
"Has this Legolas done anything to you?!" Her mother demanded.
"Excuse me?"
The women turned to look at Aragorn. Legolas was crouching behind the throne, so they did not see him. "Who is Aaron?" Aragorn asked.
"My brother." Aria snapped.
"And…why did he hate Elves?" Aragorn pressed. The more Legolas knew about Aria's hatred, the less they would fight, and their journey would be easy.
"They beat him up on his first day as a guard of the Citadel. It wasn't long after that the Nazgul started attacking the city." Aria told him. "You know…he really hoped you would come and be King so he could serve you. He didn't like Denethor much."
Aragorn tightened his grip on the arm of the throne. Her bother had not gotten to serve under a true king as he had wanted. Talk about your guilt trips. Behind the throne, Legolas was remembering something he'd long forgotten…
Legolas did not really enjoy foreign relations and all the things he was forced to learn. In fact, it bothered him quite a bit that he was here, because he was BORED OUT OF HIS SKULL. But never mind what he wanted to do with the little free time he had. It didn't matter to his father now, and it probably never would. And that's why he was stuck in Gondor.
Well, technically he was there because his father decided to be nice for a change and warn Denethor that trouble was stirring in the East. Thranduil wasn't about to go himself, so of course Legolas and his brother had to go instead. His brother because he was the heir to the throne, and Legolas because he needed to learn about foreign relations. Well, he wasn't learning at all. Not in the slightest.
His eyes were searching for some reason to go off and be bored somewhere else, but so far he had come up with nothing. Then three Elves who had escorted Legolas and his brother to Gondor caught his eye. They were talking to a Guard of the Citadel. It was kind of a one-sided conversation because the man, as was his duty, was not showing any signs that he knew they were there.
It took Legolas a moment to realize that the Elves weren't talking to the Guard, they were taunting him.
"I bet he can't see right in front of his face." One jeered.
"He must not, he's not talking to us. I bet he can't hear either!" Another exclaimed.
"Lowly Man, I despise you. You are a disgrace to your kingdom." A third said, before pushing him. The man fell back against the wall, then straightened up, only to be pushed down again.
And suddenly, Legolas couldn't hear the incessant droning of his brother and Lord Denethor. All he could hear was his heartbeat and his intake of breath. It seemed as if the Elves and the Man (he was a boy, really) were moving in slow-motion as the Elves shoved the boy to the ground and started kicking him. And Legolas watched on, knowing he should be doing something, but was doing nothing. Why?
It had only lasted about a minute and a half, but it had seemed like it had gone on forever.
"Legolas?"
He snapped out of his revere and turned to who was talking to him. It was his brother.
"Excuse me?"
"Legolas, are you alright?" his brother asked worriedly. "Does something ail you?"
"No, brother." Legolas said, tearing his eyes away from the poor boy on the ground. "Nothing is wrong." But something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
The boy had done nothing. He had not said a word, or made a rude gesture, and yet those Elves had beaten him up. Elves were usually only rude like that to Dwarves, they didn't bother Men. But for no reason, they had picked on him.
He watched as the other Elves left the boy on the ground. He slowly got up and resumed the position he had been standing in. Legolas could tell he was trying not to cry.
A moment later, the Elves walked into the throne room. Legolas glared at them, hard and cold, but they must have assumed he was mad that they were late getting back. And thought Legolas wanted to shout at them and tell them they were disgracing the race of Elves, once again, he did nothing.
Behind the throne, Legolas fell back onto his haunches, shocked. Everyone heard the thump and looked around.
"What was that?" Aria asked.
"Er-" Aragorn tried to think.
"Sorry." Legolas said, coming out from behind the throne. "That confounded door would not close."
Aria narrowed her eyes, like she knew he had witnessed her brother's beating. He cringed.
"Where's Sarah?" Aria's mother asked.
"She went to find Lili." Legolas answered.
And so the day wore on, a wave of guilt overcoming Legolas every time he looked at Aria.
It was finally the day that the girls and Legolas were to leave for Mirkwood. The girls' mothers had left the night before, bidding them good bye, safe trip, and that sort of thing. Lili did not seem to notice the sadness in her mother's eyes as they said good-bye, not knowing this would be the last time they were together. Aria noticed however, but dismissed it as sadness that Lili was leaving.
Sunrise found the girls outside the palace. Aragorn and Arwen were going to see them off. Aria was half asleep and partly dead to the world, but Lili was wide awake and ready to leave.
"Be careful." Aragorn said, grasping Legolas' arm in goodbye. He glanced at the two girls. "Not all evil is gone from the world." He paused, and then continued more softly. "Always keep an eye out, especially in the mountains."
"Aragorn, I have made this journey before."
"But not with two girls in tow."
Legolas glanced at the two girls in question. Aria was falling asleep on her feet while Lili was fidgeting nervously. He smiled, amused. "I see what you mean."
Aragorn nodded as Arwen came forward to say good bye to one of her closet friends.
"Take care of yourself." She held him tightly. "And them, take care of those two also."
"And here I thought you had forgotten about us." Aria said, coming over in a momentary lapse of attentiveness, Lili (like always) trailing behind her.
"You? Never!" Arwen laughed and surprised Lili and Aria by giving them each very tight hugs.
"A life lived in fear is a life half lived, remember that." She whispered in Lili's ear. Lili of course didn't know that Arwen had said anything, but she had thought that she had heard some sort of whisper in her mind. Most likely her imagination.
"Give him hell." She whispered to Aria.
"I heard that!" Legolas exclaimed.
"Heard what? Did you hear anything Husband?" Arwen said innocently.
"Nope." Aragorn grinned.
"Can we leave now?" Legolas grumbled.
"You sound like an impatient Elfling." Arwen admonished him.
"What's an Elfling?" Aria asked.
"I'll tell you when you're older."
"Wait! What are you, my moth-"
Lili suddenly pulled on Aria's sleeve quite hard. She signed something.
"Oh, um… Lili wants to say something to you, Aragorn."
Lili stepped forward and Aria (for once) stood behind her and translated without drawing attention to herself.
"You can't even begin to imagine how grateful I am that you have helped me leave the cruelty of where I was. You have opened another door for me, and now maybe I can break free of the burden that's been placed on me since I was a child." She paused waiting for Aria to go on. It looked like Arwen was going to cry. And Aria noticed that somehow Faramir had appeared out of nowhere (as he was prone to do). "I know it may not mean very much coming from someone like me, but I want you to know that you all will have my love and respect for as long as I shall live." Aria paused for effect, and then said on her own account. "That goes for me too."
It took Aragorn three of his long strides to reach the two girls and to gather them into a hug.
"You are always welcome to come back, should you feel the need." He said. "And even if you don't want to, I am going to force you to."
Aria laughed and translated for Lili who also laughed.
"Be careful." Faramir said, coming closer. "Don't get into any trouble or else I'll have to come rescue you." He grinned at Legolas. "And that would be most embarrassing for our Elven friend over there."
"I do not look for trouble." Legolas replied easily. "Trouble finds me."
The three of them mounted their horses and rode away.
"How long until we get a letter from Legolas telling us to come get those demons we call girls?" Faramir asked.
"I'd say at least two weeks." Aragorn watched them until he could no longer see them.
"Two weeks?" Faramir snorted. "I'm giving them three days until they come back."
Arwen hit them both lightly on the shoulder. "What little faith the two of you have. Come, let's go eat breakfast."
They had been riding for barely fifteen minutes and a leisurely pave before Aria had to say something.
"What do you mean that trouble comes to you?"
Legolas groaned quietly. "Nothing….just forget it."
"No seriously! I don't feel very safe!" She turned in her saddle and looked behind them where The White City was still visible. "Is it too late to get another escort?!?!" She yelled behind her. "Can I have a new one?"
Legolas groaned louder and banged his fist against his forehead. (one of the many things he did not do very often)
Lili smiled at the antics of the two of them. 'This is going to be along journey.' She grinned wider. 'Long, but very enjoyable.'
Note: Still CB. Yeah, nobody actually knows whether Legolas has a brother or not, but we're gonna pretend he does. Who knows what "A life lived in fear is a life half-lived" is from? If you know, you get a cookie! So…that's all. Until next time!