Sorry yesterday's was so late, guys! Hurricane Isabelle hit SC a few days ago, leaving our satellite connection virtually busted. *sigh* SO I didn't post till late.

What's my excuse for today? Sorry, don't got one. ;) LOL!

Well, here we go, last batch of responses for this fic! *sniffles*

Lady Cassandra Skywalker: Welcome to chaos- AKA, the circle of the Write Sisters. ;) LOL! Thank you so much for the review! :D

Lilian-and-Lime: LOL!! You guys- girls- people, person, whoever you are- CRACK me up. ;) LOL!!! *is still giggling*

SilvanLegolas: Another story? *smiles innocently* I cannot think what you mean… ;) LOL! Questions will be answered, though, you're right. :D

LegolasLover2003: LOL! Yeah, well it sure is hard to imagine fitting THAT many answers into ONE chapter, ain't it? ;)

Pineapple Princess: LOL!!! I'm so thrilled you've been enjoying my fic! I love your name. It's so cute!! Thanks for spending your time on my fic; I'm incredibly flattered! :D

Lady Sandry: oooh who can read MC and NOT be a devoted fan, right? ;) Elfie?! *is still in stitches* OOOH The mental pic! ;) LOL!!

Lina: *watches Eomer, Gandalf and Lina ride off* YEAH! I'll be sure to tell him, Lina! Legolas: Tell who what? Me: Oh, tell Estel that Lina says she'll be back for him, and not even captivity will stop her. *Legolas shivers, nods, and takes off*…*a few minutes later*…*Legolas comes in with a black eye* Next time you've got a message from Lina to Estel, Chloe, you're doing it yourself. Me: Heh…yeah well… ;) LOL!! You're ALWAYS making me laugh, Lina Skye! Always! ;)

Cassia: *eyes well up with tears* Between this and Escape from Mordor they'll be all chocked up NOTHING!! LOL!! They're going to be sobbing all over their keyboards; 15% Nefredal 85% Escape! ;) OH, and the %'s will likely move about here and there when Hannah and Sarah get a bit further into Darkest Night. I happen to know- it's gonna get angsty. *bites lip* not gonna cry…not gonna cry…*grin* THANK you SO much for your reviews, Cassia! You have no clue how much it makes me blush when the amazing Cassia or Siobhan mention crying over MY fic. Golly, I start looking like a blood-has-been-spilt-this-night sunrise! ;) Thank you EVER so! To put it in your terminology: :o)

Erestor: Hurricane? That wouldn't be Hurricane Isabelle, would it? I live in NC, and even WE got rain, even though the storm hit SC. But I suppose it's highly likely that there are hurricanes all over the world, huh? ;) Will Aragorn be alright? Hm…good question! :D LOL!

Maranwe: Oooh! That was an AWSOME song! Gosh- it worked perfectly! Frightening, huh? ;) I actually went ahead and downloaded it and have been listening to it TONS of late. ;) LOL!! Thanks for posting it, I loved it! As for the 'where the heck were the orcs' bit…well, don't worry, it wasn't overlooked, there'll be an explanation. :D Keep up the rambling, Maranwe, I ALWAYS look forward to reading it!! :D

Helluin: Bengwiil 'wearing off'? Yeah, you're right, it will eventually- but Aragorn was recently dosed with it again by Gamdag's poisoned knife, so it gave him a little bumper time; not much, though…*ominous grin*

Laswen: Sorry if that seemed confusing to you. All things considered though, he wasn't gone long, Legolas was constantly doing SOMETHING, concentrating very hard on not thinking about Aragorn's 'death' because he'd promised not to despair. He nearly broke down when he met up with Edren, because it's really the first moment he had to just STOP and think. But I think you're right, Laswen, if Legolas has been alone and doing nothing for long enough, he probably would have shown more emotion. I didn't put that in, A. because there wasn't time and B. because it would be slightly repetitious. ANYWAY, simple comment, lengthy answer. Sorry! ;)

Hiro-tyre: Oh, don't feel bad, Hiro! You're often one of the best critics- Hannah and Sarah keep going on about what fantabulous reviewer you've been for them! ;) I'm glad you're enjoying it- and feel free to make constructive criticism when you catch it. *hold breath* I can take it. ;) LOL! Thank you EVER so for your reviews!

ImaginaryWhisper: LOL!! No Elisabeth Turner for you, eh? ;) *blushes like mad* you told your friends about me? GOSH Whisper, thanks! :D LOL! *looks really goofy laughing at her computer screen* Oh well. ;)

Lothlorien leaf: Without finishing Erfier, eh? Well, your funeral! ;) LOL! I can't believe you've managed to fit Cassia & Sio and I on the SAME SCALE. It's my understanding that they're in a padded room all by their selves. ;) Gosh, though, dunno where that leaves ME. ;) Yup. Stupid Bengwiil. ;)

Jenny: *is laughing to hard to leave legible response* What's the point of waking him up to KILL him again? May I ask? Never mind I don't want to know sorry I asked. ;)

Triklu-sama: Anymore fics? Well…why don't you wait and see, eh? *grin* I'm so glad you've enjoyed them!!

Space Surfer: Don't worry about the vocabulary, it often slips me as well, and THEN not only do I write stupid run-on sentences like this one, but I start spelling evarything rong! :P Thanks for the feedback!

Well, everyone, it's been a pleasure flying with you. *American flag starts waving over her shoulder* ;)

No, seriously, thank you for ALL your fabulous reviews, and I hope to see you again- very soon. :D

And now! The final chapter.

*****

Chapter 17

To Laugh

Running as fast as his feet could take him, Legolas joined the madness with arrows already flying out in front of him. He took down every orc in his path and sidestepped the ones who tried to come at him from the sides. He soon found the source of all the arrows coming from inside the clearing, and wasn't a bit surprised when he did. "Edren! Are you all right?"

"Legolas! Thank-" he shot off an arrow just ahead of him, and leapt back several feet. "Thank the Valar you are all right, we couldn't find you!"

"Aragorn is alive!" Legolas cried joyously, sending off a volley of arrows into the oncoming hoard.

"What? Are you-" he cut off with a gasp of pain, and jerked the Salab dart from his knee, sending an arrow into the offending orc's neck. "Are you sure?"

"I got him out of the cave. They didn't-" another volley of arrows. "They didn't kill him after all!"

"By Ilúvatar, Legolas, that is good news to be sure!" Edren shook his head in wonder, ducking a thrown dagger just in time.

"Edren, we have to get out of here, there is no way we can defeat them on our own, even with Nyarin and Daurrè shooting from the outskirts!"

"What do you suggest?"

"A retreat!"

"Legolas, they'll-" he shot an orc that had been trying another Salab dart. "They'll chase us down for sure! They care not about rest!"

"Edren, we cannot stay here. We must find a way to safely retreat! But first-" he shot down two orcs simultaneously. "Where is Maklu?"

"Who?"

"The big, tall one."

"Oh goodness, Legolas, they all look the same to me!"

Legolas sighed, and sending a constant stream of arrows ahead of him, he probed the clearing for a sign of the orc who'd taken his weapons. He couldn't see him anywhere.

**********

Aragorn could smell the strong scent of crushed pine filling his nose. He appeared to be is some sort of Elderberry bush. He was aching all over, and worried sick about whatever was going on around him. He dared not sit up again, for last time he did that, he had nearly gotten his head shot off by a nearby orc.

Nyarin had moved further along the clearing, and so Aragorn was left with no protection whatsoever except his own hiding place. As long as no one figured out where he was-

"Get up." He felt the cold steal of a dagger pointed at the back of his neck. "I said get up, human. Really slowly."

Aragorn did so, rising to his knees as slowly as he could, the dagger remaining tight against his neck the whole time. The weapon moved abruptly to his throat instead, its point tipping his head back slightly. It was Maklu.

"Nice to see you found your way out of that cave. It's really too bad, I wanted to kill you and be done with it. But no, I'll let you live. When your friends are all dead, though, I think I'll put you back in that hole, you know? Let Gamdag have a little more fun with you before we lock you up again. Won't that be nice?" he sneered, running a none too gentle claw along Aragorn's torn cheek.

The human stared panicked up at Maklu's grinning face only a moment before his eyes rolled back into his head, and he fell limply into the Elderberry bush once more.

**********

Legolas was still looking for an idea. He had been killing orcs nonstop, and knew that he was running out of arrows. Surely there was something else…

*TTTHONT* the prick of a Salab dart stung Legolas' thigh. His fingers flew to the spot, where he ripped the dart away, rubbing feeling back through the numbness as Edren covered him with extra shots. Legolas looked up gratefully at his friend as he regained his own composure.

"You all right?" Edren called.

"Fine!" Legolas responded, looking down to see if his thigh was bleeding. Then his eye caught something he hadn't noticed before. The elven rope he'd taken off Aragorn in the cave. It was then that a strange idea crossed his mind.

**********

Maklu was muttering still. "I never asked…stupid human…can't he just…never should have…"

His voice kept going up and down in pitch, so it was hard to catch all he was saying as he hoisted the limp Aragorn off the ground and slung him over his shoulder. It appeared that Aragorn's faint had been realistic enough after all, because Maklu was starting to walk off with him to the cave.

He opened his eyes, now that he was slung over the orcs shoulder, and looked around. To Aragorn's surprise, he found himself face-to-face with a very familiar looking quiver. A quiver which had a very familiar elven knife protruding from it.

Aragorn reached out slowly for the knife's handle, hoping Maklu wouldn't notice.

**********

Legolas looked around until he spotted the right orc; one that had a sword hanging from his hip. The elf smiled coldly. "Edren, cover me!" he cried, and made a dash across the clearing.

He felt Edren's arrows zinging over his head as several orcs saw his dash as an opportunity to attack him from the side. Just as an orc almost as big as Brog was about to crash right into him, he made a leap for the sword-carrying orc, and skidded along the ground till he was at the beast's feet.

Before the creature could react, Legolas had the elven rope tied in a lasso around his ankles. Leaping to his feet, Legolas held tight to the rope, and backed up several paces, pulling the surprised orc off his feet, and dragging him backwards as well.

And before any of the other orcs could shoot him down, Legolas started to spin to the side, dragging the orc along the ground. At first, he only rolled over the ground, tripping up a few confused orcs, but mostly just kicking up dust. Slowly, Legolas began to spin faster and faster, pulling his hands and the rope into the air as gradually as he could. Slowly but surely, the orc lifted off the ground and started wheeling through the air.

It was very affective. As the orc flew through the air, he either knocked the towering orcs over, or scared them back. Legolas was spinning an empty circle around him, and as the spinning orc screamed, Legolas' twirls became faster.

**********

Just a little farther…just a little. There. Aragorn's fingers closed triumphantly around the handle of Legolas' dagger. There was noting for it. He jerked the knife out of Legolas' quiver, and stabbed it deep into Maklu's back.

The orc screamed, and clawed at the human. As his nails found Aragorn's hair, the young Ranger soon found himself being hurled off the other's shoulder, landing hard on the rocky ground. Maklu was clawing at the dagger in his back, but suddenly, his eyes grew wide, and he held up the other elven dagger, the one he'd threatened Aragorn with before.

"Think you're so smart. Think you can outsmart me, do you human?"

Aragorn sat up, brushing the gravel from his bloodied arm, and stared defiantly up at Maklu. "You're going to die," he said flatly. "I've killed you. I'd say that is indeed rather smart."

"If I but had a bow, you would pay for this with your elf's own weapons, and I-"

*TTTHONT* Aragorn cried out in surprise, trying in vain to pull the Salab dart out of his back. But it was just behind his right shoulder blade, a place he couldn't reach with his right hand, and it was too painful to reach behind him with his left, because of the wound in his shoulder. Numbness began to creep coldly over his body.

Maklu sighed with a hideous grin as black blood trickled from his mouth. "Thank you, Tatra, I knew my loyal servant-"

*SHWOONT* Maklu fell forward, dead with Tatra's arrow in his throat.

Tatra kicked at his dead leader uninterestedly. "Too long have you been a mindless leader. Now you are a mindless dead one." He smiled at that and then looked up at Aragorn. The human was on his back, unable to sit up through the numbness overtaking him. "Poor human," Tatra chuckled, kneeling down beside Aragorn, and pulling out a length of rope. "I suppose you're scared, are you? Well, that's all right. No need to be scared, you know."

He crossed Aragorn's limp arms over his chest, wrapping the rope around the arms, across the chest, and around behind his back, pulling it tight again. "I won't kill you, I can't. I have to keep you, because he needs you. But don't worry, we'll still have some fun, even though we can't torture you to death itself. But we can come pretty close…as you already know."

"You don't frighten me, Tatra," Aragorn hissed bitterly, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. In truth, Tatra did not scare him. The orc had done his part with dagger and whip, but the fact was Legolas had been smarter than all of them. He had found Aragorn and saved him from the cave.

But vulnerability was a fact he could not ignore, and the numbness of Salab was making him feel twice as vulnerable.

Tatra finished binding Aragorn's arms to his chest, and pulled the knot so tight, Aragorn could almost feel it through the Salab's effects. "What do you say, human? Shall we call Gamdag over and- take you back down into the cave?" His gnarled fingers moved to the whip coiled at his belt. "I am not as kind as Maklu."

***********

"Edren, get down!" Edren obeyed quickly, and Legolas let some slack into the rope he was still clutching. The flying orc's arc became even wider, knocking all the orcs who'd been attacking Edren down as well. Legolas had managed to clear a fairly large circle around him and Edren.

Nyarin and Daurrè had disappeared from the woods, and Legolas hoped that they had gone to lead the horses around to the forest path just behind him and Edren. The path he had taken to escape last. The path he hoped Lint was on somewhere.

It was time to grab Aragorn and get out of here. Slowly, he reeled the rope in towards him, and with a powerful jerk, he landed the flying orc painfully on the ground. Kneeling next to him, he tore the belt from the other's waist. Lifting the scabbard that hung from it, and patting the sword hilt tenderly, he looked down at the orc. "This is not yours, Gamdag."

Before the orcs could rush on him again, he grabbed the rope once more, swung Gamdag high in the air, and let go of the rope. Fastening the belt around his own waist, he called, "Edren, to the clearing! Set Lint free, should you find him!"

"Legolas-"

"Go! I must get Aragorn!" And without another word, Legolas ran off across his cleared circle, avoiding orcish arrows, and making a break for the cave-path.

**********

"So, human, shall we defeat you again? Would you enjoy that?"

"No," Aragorn muttered darkly. "Not in the least."

"That is unfortunate, for I had an idea of how to relieve your pain this time. I happen to have found some- herbs?" Tatra pulled from his overcoat a handful of arrow-shaped leaves. They were green as poison, and pointed as daggers. "How about some Bengwiil, eh human?"

"No…" Aragorn whispered, struggling against his numbness and his ropes. "No- no please! Stop, no get it away from me! Get it away!"

Tatra laughed darkly, holding the leaves closer and closer to Aragorn's mouth. The human couldn't move. He was numb all over and tied too tight to struggled anyway. Tatra was coming nearer and nearer, Bengwiil approaching Aragorn's shut lips like an excited adversary knowing victory was at hand.

Ea néfredäl Bengwiil uuye le-naeg! His own words to Legolas echoed in his ears. Do not fear, and Bengwiil cannot harm you! Ea néfredäl! He had controlled himself in the cave. He could do it now. He could be unafraid. But the smell was so strong…so suffocating. Panic was weakening him.

He felt blank, and things began to go dark. Maybe because of fear, probably because of Salab taking its final toll and knocking him out.

"Now you'll be much more fun to torture," Tatra sneered, but then stopped. He looked up. "What in Mordor-"

The creak of a bow being pulled taught echoed in Aragorn's fading hearing. But there was no need for whoever stood there with a bow. At that instant, a screaming orc came crashing into Tatra's head, sending both orcs flying off over the embankment beside the path. A rope that appeared to be tied to the newcomer's ankles was the last thing Aragorn saw before everything was dark, and his eyes closed on him.

"Where did *that* come from?" a voice cried from somewhere behind Aragorn.

"I know not, but it saved me an arrow. Look at all the dead…oh what a gruesome site. Let us go."

"But- battle is on through those trees just there, should we not assist?"

"Often is Mirkwood trampled by the battles of orcs. Now, we must continue."

"But Adda-"

"It is not our fight, fion nin."

"…yes Adda."

There was a pause.

"What is it?"

"I thought I saw something down there- I felt something alive…but they are all dead. Orcs and their prisoners alike…I thought maybe the one down there who is bound- but no. He- is covered in blood, and he's not moving. And why would an orc keep their captive alive? It is clear the one I nearly shot held no weapon…" the voice faded a moment in soft wonder. "I am shamed for my hope, I fear. He is indeed dead."

"Ilúvatar help the innocent."

"Ineed, my son."

"Can we not go? I do not wish to see the dead now…it continues reminding me-"

"Aye, we must make haste for the Halls."

"Thank you, Adda."

"Noro lim!"

"Estel? Aragorn, wake up! Are you- oh thank the Valar, you're breathing, Aragorn do you hear me? It's Salab, isn't it? Let me see…is it…oh good, there, I got it. I got it out. Mellon nin? Please, say something!"

Aragorn's eyes opened slowly. Legolas was kneeling over him, and in his hand was a Salab dart, which he cast away when the human's eyes had opened. "Oh, thank the Valar, you're all right. What happened? Why are you bound?"

"The voices…"

"Sh…never mind it, I'll untie you." Legolas pulled an arrow from Edren's quiver, and sliced away the clumsy orcish rope Tatra had bound Aragorn with. "We must get out of here."

"Your weapons, Legolas," Aragorn whispered. "Maklu is dead over there." He tried to point but his hand only fell limp beside him.

"Take it easy, Aragorn. Thank you, I shall get them." Legolas disappeared from sight temporarily, and came back with his elven knives stowed, and his quiver strung around his shoulders. He appeared to have put the last of Edren's arrows in his own quiver, and simply disposed of Edren's old one.

Aragorn looked around and realized he wasn't where he had passed out. He was down the embankment a ways, just a few feet down from where Maklu lay dead. That would explain why there were no orcs shooting at them from all sides, they were well hidden in the undergrowth.

"We've got to get out of here, Aragorn," Legolas whispered quietly.

"But we have time," Aragorn murmured sluggishly. "The orcs don't know we're here-"

"But they will, they're only distracted because someone's killed their leader. But disorganization is a fact of life with them, and they will not take long to recover. They'll be after us soon enough, come on, we mustn't be seen."

Aragorn expected Legolas to try and hoist him onto his feet again, but instead, the elf lay down on the ground beside him, and wrapping his arms around the human's chest, he rolled off down the hill. As they tumbled down the deep slope, as painful as it was, having all his injuries constantly jarred, Aragorn realized that it was actually a very good idea.

Crackling weeds, crumbling earth, ripping grass, and smashing leaves were the sounds that filled the air over the next few milliseconds. Aragorn could only tell his head was throbbing as it hit the earth again and again, and he and Legolas rolled over top of one another, the prince never once loosening his grip around the human's chest.

*WHUMP* they were at the bottom of the hill. Aragorn opened his eyes slowly to find Legolas letting go of his shoulders, and rolling over onto his back.

"Well!" he shouted triumphantly. "Wasn't that fun."

"Oh, extremely," Aragorn groaned, rolling onto his stomach and rubbing his aching head. "Salab's wearing off, as is adrenaline."

"Good," Legolas grinned.

"Not good," Aragorn corrected. "It's just now letting me know I've got an awful headache."

Legolas' grin broadened. "Oh, come now. I've had worse ideas than *that*."

"Oh?" Aragorn sat up gingerly, and cocked eyebrow at his friend. "Do tell."

"Well," Legolas thought a moment. "Meeting you, that was a pretty bad idea. Look at all the trouble you get me into!"

"I shall say." The two jumped, and turned around.

Legolas grinned, and reasoned softly, "That was not entirely kind, Edren, just so you know."

"Thank you," replied the other. "I'll make a note of that. Good grief, Legolas, you look like something the Ranger dragged in!"

"I would like to mention that *he* dragged *me* this time," Aragorn commented loudly while he carefully brushed the dirt out of the cut in his knee. "And he hasn't apologized yet." He added with a lopsided grin.

"Now children, in case you haven't noticed, we're not out of the cave yet," Edren pointed out, looking around the dark forest.

Legolas blinked blankly up at Edren. "I hate caves," he stated simply. "I never, never want to see another cave as long as I or Aragorn lives."

Edren smiled. "So does that mean you're going to get off the ground and come get your horse?"

"In fact," Legolas put in, looking over at Aragorn now. "I hate caves more than I've *ever* hated caves. I hate caves so much, I would rather *die* than go willingly through the mouth of another revolting, dank, dirty cave!"

Edren moved to Aragorn's side, and helped him to his feet. "Well, we can ride away at least. I think Legolas would much rather sit here and reflect on the evils of caves."

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Legolas leapt off the ground, and gave Edren a hand with Aragorn.

In the clearing beyond them, Nyarin sat on his horse with the captive elf in the saddle in front of him. Legolas nodded. "Suilad, Fenan."

Fenan was silent a moment. "I- forgive me, your highness, I've led your people into disaster and death. It is my fault, I should not have gone on that foolish venture after Bengwiil, I-"

"Let us not think on it now, all right, Fenan? It will be well. I promise you." Fenan only nodded back.

"Here, Aragorn." Daurrè knelt down in front of him, a small, sage-green leaf. It was fairly wide, with a pointed head, and small strings of leaf reaching out to the point from the sides. It looked like a flat and opened tulip, although green.

Salab.

Daurrè tore it in half, rubbing on half against Aragorn's knee, and handing the other half to Edren who rubbed into the human's shoulder. "This will numb it up enough for you to ride, I think," Daurrè told him, smiling, and throwing the leaf away. "But it's not enough for you to lose feeling anywhere else."

"Thank you Daurrè." Aragorn smiled, as his hand fell to where Legolas was fastening a belt around his waist. He found himself looking at his sword hilt once more, and his smile became wider as dirty finger ran over the smooth design work.

There was no need for him to say thanks, and the reassuring squeeze on his shoulder relieved Legolas the trouble of responding a "you're welcome".

"Your horse, Estel," Nyarin called, gesturing to Horthor.

Aragorn let go of Edren and Legolas' help, and limped slowly to the dark beast. Horthor's eyes were reassured, and comfortable. He gazed softly as Aragorn pulled his weary body onto the horse's back. "Mae pant, sadroner," he whispered, and patted the horse calmly on the neck.

Legolas felt his throat closing. He could still remember when he'd climbed onto that horse, sure Aragorn was dead. But now- everything was going to be all right. Everything was going to be just fine.

He sighed, his joy feeling so complete it made his chest hurt. He moved quickly to Lint's side, glad to see the pure-white horse standing before him, his own to ride once more. He hated every moment of Brog on that horse with Aragorn.

He pushed the thoughts away. Never again, he thought, will I live in the past. Never again. Nodding resolutely, he slid onto Lint's back, and reined him around to face the rest of his friends.

"Where are we off to, Edren?" Nyarin asked expectantly.

"To the Halls, for sure," Edren nodded, giving Legolas the briefest of a sidelong glance. Legolas knew what he meant; Thranduil was unstable, and goodness knew what he was doing right now. "But it is so dark," Edren continued, looking at the forest around them. "I cannot tell which direction to go."

"Well then," Legolas sighed, looking up at the sky. "We must follow Eärendil."

Edren shook his head. "Legolas, the sky is full of dark clouds."

"Oh, I know you cannot see it," Legolas said good-naturedly, closing his eyes, and breathing the evening air deep into his lungs. "But you can feel it. You can always feel it, Edren, and," he smiled. "it will lead us home."

He urged his horse into a gallop, and Lint obediently took him the rest of the way down the hill, and off towards the trees on the other side of the clearing. "Hope will lead us home, my friend," he called. "Estel will always lead us!"

And Legolas laughed. And he realized it had been so long since he truly laughed, and it felt so good, that he kept laughing. His high, elven laughter trickled through the trees, and seemed to send little breezes across their thinnest branches, as he rode spiritedly into the dark of the forest.

"He'll get himself lost," Edren sighed, shaking his head, and swinging his eyes to Aragorn.

The human was watching the faint glow amongst the trees that marked where the prince rode. "Probably," he consented, and a smile touched his face. "But- I don't think he cares."

"Come and be happy once more, Strider!" Legolas' voice echoed from somewhere in the forest. "Let me hear your laughter once more that it be ever in my memory!"

And so, Aragorn did. And it was true, and full of light and spirit. Fully of happiness. Hopeful.

"Come, Edren!" he cried, riding off down the hill. "Let us follow Eärendil then!"

Nyarin, Fenan and Daurrè cried, "Noro lim!" in one voice, and took off down the hill after Aragorn.

Edren lifted his eyes to the heavens where the stars should be. "Ilúvatar help me," he muttered in a long-suffering tone, and then he took off towards the forest himself, doing his best to search-out the scattering elves he was trying to keep track of.

And to his surprise, it was not hard finding Legolas amongst the trees. For even as Edren rode into the thick of them, a lighthearted, and innocent melody, punctuated by quiet conversation, floated from somewhere ahead, marking where both Legolas and Aragorn rode side-by-side.

"The Road goes ever on and on-"

"Do you suppose that would be as beautiful in Elvish, Legolas?"

"I doubt it. For it was, and always shall be, a song of the Halflings. A song of the innocent."

"Aye- but perhaps we could at the least create harmony for it."

"Strider, it is well as it is."

"You are right, but it would be interesting to try…"

High laughter. "Shall we sing, or shall we not?"

"Indeed, indeed! It was but a thought. So which part had we last sung?"

"But the first line; you interrupted."

"Ah. Yes." A shaft of singing rose up clear and windy. "The Road goes ever on and on," and it was then joined by a sweet ringing of a voice, "down form the door where it began…"

The combination of the voice of a human, and that of an elf made harmony entirely unnecessary. It wasn't breathtaking, nor was it flawless, but as one of them missed a word, and they broke off in laughter, rediscovering the lyrics, it was clear to listening ears that there was no way to make a song more complete or correct.

"But Estel, is it not 'Where many paths and places meet'?"

"I thought it was- hang on…wasn't it 'Where many roads and paths do meet'? No, but that doesn't make sense…awful meter."

"I was fairly certain the last word was 'meet', because it rhymes with 'feet', the last word of the other line."

"Though, could it be 'Where many friends and-" oh something, I can't think of it, but maybe it ended with 'greet'?"

"Perhaps…"

"No wait, it was-" The human's voice lifted clear in the air. "Where many paths and errands meet!"

"Aye, that was it!" Again, laughter rose quietly and privately from the place the friends rode beside one another, closely followed by the innocence of song.

In the dark, Edren smiled. Oh, he thought, how good it is to laugh.

The dark clouds stretched over the scene below, absorbing the sound underneath them. They expanded all the way from the journey's beginning to it's end…and they overlooked what lay at the companions' destination. It was going to be a dark thing that waited up for them when they reached the Halls of Thrnaduil once more. Bengwiil was not defeated, though Legolas was fining his way out of it. And what *had* Thranduil been doing in their absence? For Legolas had indeed made the mistake of leaving, with no mention to his ill father.

No, it would indeed be a very unhappy destination.

But, oh, right now? The Road went ever on and on for them. And sure enough, they were following the hidden light of Eärendil. Light of hope.

Estel.

The End…no…

But it is the Beginning.

Coming Soon to FanFiction.net

Ranî mä r

(Within Truth)

Silence was painful when purposeful. Something in the air- something akin to hesitance, and yet more determined than even that wrestled on quite moments.

At last, at long last, the breathy sound of an elven voice trickled into existence. "Edren, I came here to ask something of you."

Aragorn said nothing, waiting almost as eagerly as Legolas for the reply.

"And what is that?" It was clear Edren knew, or was afraid he knew. After all this. All this, and it would end here. He didn't know if he was relieved or afraid. It felt more like fear.

"I want…" Another pause. At last, he would ask. Now. "I want the truth, Edren. All of it. Lindo, Arasen, Tiro-Lim, Bioren…" Legolas shook the old piece of paper in his hand. "I need to know, Edren. I must. Please."

Edren sighed solemnly, taking the paper from Legolas' outstretched hand, and smoothing the wrinkles out of it. "You needn't push the matter nor worry of convincing me, Legolas…for it has been long that I've wished to tell you of this. Long."

"Then you will?" Legolas was unashamed of his pleading tone.

"Yes," Edren said at last. "Yes I shall. But understand, Legolas…it won't be easy, it-" He shook his head. "Never mind, you'll find out soon enough." He was quiet a moment longer, searching his thoughts and memories. "So many things to say," he sighed, shaking his head. "But where to begin…"

"Why not the beginning?" Aragorn put in quietly.

Edren nodded slowly, and then fixed gray eyes on the young elf in front of him. Legolas met the intense gaze with his own silver one, ready to lose himself in mystery.

"Prince Legolas Greenleaf. Lindo. The Little Sparrow…"

And so Edren began.