Lord of the Rings 1. The Path to Brelan

Hey, this is the same story as previously posted, but for the sake of several readers who have told me they enjoy re-reading my fics, I have posted it with far fewer chapters to make it easier. It also has some additional proof-reading, so if you're reading for the first time, I suggest this version. So we've got lots of H/C, action/adventure, good dialogue, and I'm told, an original plot. Hope you'll give it a shot. Anyway, enjoy, and please review.

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 Middle Earth is a land full of fantasy, magic, and assortments of different folk ranging from Elves, to Dwarves, to Men and Hobbits. Countless adventures have been had in this land, only the smallest fraction of which are ever known or told. This is one of those stories, told in its entirety. Take it as you will. 

The Stone of Malinya

By Robinyj

 The rider halted his horse suddenly as he reached the boundaries of Gondor's territory and took a moment to take in the sight of the fair city, rebuilt even stronger and more magnificent than before the Great War. It had been several years since his last visit and much had changed, but to him it felt like a very short time; for time itself had an entirely different meaning to this cloaked rider.

 He sat tall on his horse, using no saddle or bridle to control the animal, just the touch of his hand and the sound of his voice. His fair golden hair could barely be seen beneath the hood that protected him. Normally the cloak would not have been necessary at all, but the winds had been unnaturally strong lately and he found dust and leaves constantly marring his vision. 

 It had been a long trip but he was not weary as others might have been. He felt very much at home in the forests, far from any houses or any other living thing, save the animals which also made their homes in the trees. With this being the case, to him the journey had been peaceful and calm. But now, as he looked upon the great city, with scores of men making their way through the streets, and the heavily guarded walls, he wondered what could be so important that the King of Gondor had summoned him to come with the utmost urgency. 

 _I suppose I shall find out soon enough. He thought to himself as he realized he would reach the great halls in only a few hours. _

 Legolas reached up and pulled the hood from his face, finding the wind had died down sufficiently, and gazed hard at the city before him. With his keen Elven sight he attempted to piece together a picture of what Gondor was like under normal circumstances, so he would know what to expect when he arrived. But the most he could see past the great walls were several roof tops and the occasional dot of a person walking along the streets. Knowing he would not be able to get a better view anywhere else, he decided it was time to make his way into the city. Aragorn had sent for him, requesting he come as swiftly as possible and he had no intentions of making his friend wait any longer than necessary. 

 Urging his horse forward once more he headed for Gondor's gates. Nearly two hours later he reached the entrance to the city, riding up fast and smooth. The guards were immediately alert and asked his name and business; everyone who entered Gondor had to be checked out thoroughly for there were enemies everywhere. But Legolas was a known friend of the King, and remained one of the only Elves to grace the fair city, so when he drew back his hood once more and announced himself as Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood, he was granted immediate access. 

 "Of course. King Elessar awaits your arrival," The guard said, he seemed a bit puzzled, but gave no explanation why as he continued, "He is currently in the high reaches of the tower, I shall call you a guide."

 "That shan't be necessary. I can find it myself," Legolas replied insistently.

 It must have seemed strange for a prince to be riding on his own, with no escort, and in fact it was. Hardly ever did Legolas leave his kingdom without some sort of company with him, but for some reason he felt he should take on this journey alone and so he had left swiftly in the night; leaving behind the Elves that were meant to accompany him and making his way on his own. Sometimes it felt good to just be by one's self, and not weighted down with the responsibilities and pressures of being royalty. For that reason Legolas declined when the guards offered to send forth word of his arrival so he may receive a proper welcome. He preferred to be welcomed as any other and so as he entered the streets of Gondor, he dismounted his horse to lead him and lifted his hood once more.

 With his features fairly hidden he gave the appearance of a local to the great city. Elves did not frequent these streets often and so no one was on the look out for one, therefore anyone passing by would think of him as another face in the crowd only. It was rather intriguing to be able to simply observe life for once. Walking through the streets of humans, no one bowing, or gawking as they caught their first glimpse of an actual Elf, and he found he rather liked it. 

 There were vendors milling about everywhere, selling varieties of items such as clothing, fruits, vegetables, and even livestock. Most people seemed to know exactly where it was they were heading and focussed entirely on their goal, paying no mind to the fair stranger that walked their streets. Others were simply strolling, having no real destination and taking in the wonder of the city. A few of these people may have noticed the Elf, but no one approached him. 

 As he neared the tower he saw that it was heavily guarded, as much as to be expected for a structure in which the King of the land keeps himself. He approached the guards casually, dropping his hood as he did so. The sentries had obviously been told the Elf would be arriving because they did not draw their weapons, but it was clear this was their first encounter with one of the Elder for the surprise on their faces was evident. Realizing he would have to make the first move he decided to introduce himself.

 "I am Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood, my presence was requested by Lord Elessar," Legolas said formally as years of royal training had taught him. He remembered to refer to him as Elessar but he would always be known as Aragorn to the Elf.

 The guards accepted this without question and called out for an escort for the Elf-prince. A man of no more than twenty five soon arrived, he was well dressed and Legolas guessed by his manner that this man was high in Aragorn's favor.

 "We've been expecting you, and Lord Elessar wished to see you as soon as you arrived. Please, follow me. Your horse will be given the finest care in our stables if you would allow our stable boy to take him." The man explained who later introduced himself as Harsol. 

 Legolas allowed his horse to be taken away, promising the creature he would visit him shortly, and was then led up the tower by Harsol. The walk to the citadel and the following trek up the great stairs took several minutes and Harsol took the opportunity to ask several questions he had obviously been pondering. 

 "Have you known Lord Elessar a long time?" He asked.

 Legolas smiled to himself slightly, wondering if the Man knew just how little meaning the words 'long time' had to an Elf. But he replied simply by saying, "A good many years by your standards." 

 Harsol nodded, obviously wanting more information but reluctant to ask. Legolas decided to tell him nothing further and instead focussed on the well built structures of Minas Tirith. They were not built in the way of Elf homes and they had no inner shine that made their beauty overly spectacular, but by human standards it was a very finely built city and Legolas had seen many. His attention was brought back to Harsol as he realized they had reached the top of the flight of stairs. 

 They were now in an open corridor but there were windows on the left wall. Harsol indicated a door directly ahead of them.

 "Lord Elessar is inside. He is in deep thought about a matter of great importance of which he will not share, and this is where he comes to think. He says the view helps him train his thoughts. Shall I announce your arrival?" 

 "No, that's fine. You may go," Legolas bid him to leave and he did so, knowing to follow the orders of royalty of any race. 

 Legolas looked at the door and decided against it. He had a much better idea. Aragorn may be King but that didn't mean he shouldn't get his share of surprises every now and then.

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 Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. 

 It was a wonder he didn't make himself dizzy. Aragorn continued pacing the large room as he had been doing for the last hour. Every now and then he would stop and stare out one of the many windows for a few minutes, but always he returned to his pacing. He had sent two messengers from his land three weeks ago, one to Legolas and one to Gimli. Both messengers had returned saying that the two had received the messages but left no reply for the servant to take back. Aragorn was not surprised, his friends never could do anything the easy way. 

 He had a quest of which he needed help. Specifically the help of Legolas and Gimli. He felt he needed a Dwarf and an Elf on this mission, and they were the two he trusted most. He knew they would agree to help him if only he asked, but in truth he was hesitant to request Legolas's help, and had debated heavily whether to even send for him. This was not a good quest for an Elf, but he felt without question that he would need one with him. So in the end he had sent for his friend, knowing him to always be up for a challenge. 

 Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth.

His pacing continued. He was not actually nervous or extremely anxious about the deeds that lay before him, but he was in need of serious contemplation and though many people argued, the pacing did help him think. There were so many factors that could go wrong on this quest, but if it succeeded it would be a great day for the Men, Dwarves, and Elves of Middle Earth. Coming to a decision that he had somehow known all along, he decided he would indeed take on the quest to recover what was lost.

 With his new resolve he took a relaxing breath and stopped his pacing. He turned to the northernmost window and looked out; he loved to marvel in the splendour of his city. He was at such great ease as he looked upon Gondor that he very nearly jumped a foot in the air when a golden-haired head suddenly dropped into his line of vision.

 "How about inviting a friend in?" Legolas requested as he hung from the roof, dangling in front of Aragorn. It took a few moments for the King of Gondor to regain his breath and get over the shock of his friend suddenly appearing from nowhere.

 "What are you doing?" He finally asked. 

 Knowing he was always welcome, Legolas swung down effortlessly and landed gracefully in front of Aragorn, "I wanted to know whether this new life of royalty was causing you to lose your touch. It seems I was right. What if I had been an assassin intent on killing you?"

 "Then my guards would have shot you when you came within a hundred feet of this place. And do not be so quick to speak of things of which you know not for sure. I think you'll find I'm still quite capable in battle. Do you believe it wrong for me to allow my guard to drop while in the safety of my own kingdom?" Aragorn replied, proving his point.

 "Nay, I do not. I meant to only see if I could get the drop on you. Now, if you will, would you care to explain as to why you have summoned me to your fair city?" Legolas requested. He desperately wished to know the reason he was sent for, the curiosity was driving him insane.

 "It is not only you I have called, but Gimli as well. Though I know not when he may arrive," Aragorn said. He loved seeing his friend's face light up at the thought of seeing the Dwarf once more.

 "Of that I am glad, but I must point out you did not answer my question." Legolas was determined, and would not be sidestepped with news of his friend. 

 "Yes, you are correct. I summoned you to ask if you would be willing to accompany me on a quest," Aragorn said, deliberately giving no details just yet.

 "You need only ask. May I ask exactly what it is?" Legolas asked, a million possibilities soaring through his mind. 

 Aragorn came a step closer to the Elf and dropped his tone slightly, "Have you ever heard of the Stone of Malinya?"

 Legolas's eyes widened greatly. That possibility had not come to mind. Aragorn now had his complete and undivided attention.

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 Before Legolas could ask any questions, and he had a lot of them, Aragorn ushered him from the room, explaining that this was not the best place to talk. They left the tower and made their way to Aragorn's home where they would be more comfortable and could speak without fear of interruption or eavesdropping. 

 Looking around the nicely decorated home Legolas noted that it definitely had a woman's touch. That brought another thought to mind, "Where is Arwen?" 

 "Visiting her father in Rivendell. She should be back within the week, but I had hoped we would be on our way before then so I fear I shan't see her for some time," Aragorn replied, his eyes down casting drearily with the thought. 

 "About this quest," Legolas started, taking a seat on a couch across from where Aragorn sat, "Do you truly believe you know the location of the Stone of Malinya?" The Elf's eyes were wide with wonder, for it would be a great thing indeed if the Stone could be found. 

 "Yes. But it is a long tale indeed. I would prefer to only have to tell it once. Can your curiosity be quenched with only the barest of answers until the arrival of Gimli?" Aragorn asked. 

 "Of course. But I must ask this: Where do you believe it to be?" Legolas's eyes shone with wonderment, for the Stone of Malinya would be a treasure worth more than a mountain of Mithril, and that was saying a lot.

 "I will tell you and you will probably figure out the rest from my answer. I believe that the Stone resides in the boundaries of the land of Brelan," Aragorn said, his voice sombre and almost regretful. 

 "Brelan," Legolas whispered softly. Indeed he could just imagine what the rest of the story was. He did not know a tremendous amount about Brelan, but he knew enough. Aragorn could see the wheels turning in the Elf's mind, piecing together the parts of the puzzle that had gone unsolved for millennia. 

 Deciding a subject change was necessary Aragorn said, "You arrived faster than I thought. Did you ride alone?" It was only now that he realized that he had not been forced to go through the endless diplomatic introductions that usually took place when other members of royalty visited.

 Legolas pulled himself from his thoughts and then smiled almost nervously, "I did. My father will not be very happy when I return home but I felt the need to ride here by myself. Sometimes being royalty can be downright boring."

 Aragorn smiled, he had been thinking the same thing a lot lately. He was a ranger at heart, an outdoors man. While he was capable and actually rather good at being king it was not what he craved. And he knew the same to be true of Legolas. The Elf wanted freedom from his responsibilities and from being treated higher than others. How ironic that many people dream of being royalty and having power and these two wished to be freed from it. But life works oddly and they both knew and accepted this. 

 "When do you expect Gimli's arrival?" Legolas asked, breaking them both from their thoughts. 

 "I do not know. Like yourself he sent back no message," Aragorn said, clearly frustrated with both his friends for making his life that much harder.

 Legolas smiled, it should have occurred to him the Dwarf would do the same thing, "Yes that is very much like Gimli." Then his eyes became unfocussed, as if lost in a memory.

 "Well, the Glittering Caves are not nearly as far from Gondor as Mirkwood so I expect he should arrive shortly." 

 Aragorn's reasoning was logical and Legolas was inclined to agree. It was then that Aragorn offered his friend a tour of the city, which he eagerly accepted. A short time later they were walking along the streets of Gondor. Aragorn was doing a wonderful job as tour guide and pointed out all the buildings, explaining part of their history, indicating those that had been reconstructed, and showing special pride in the structures of great importance. 

 The city was indeed grand, but Legolas thought it would be more enjoyable with a few less side-long glances his way. The residents of Gondor had never before seen an Elf, unless they had met Legolas himself three years ago during the time of the Great War. For that reason he was patient and forgave them for staring as they did, but still he wished he had not left his hooded cloak in Aragorn's home. He had found the city much more pleasant when no one was paying him any mind. 

 It didn't escape his notice that Aragorn seemed slightly less joyful than he could be as well. Glancing back, the reason became obvious. They were being followed by a contingent of half a dozen armed guards. Aragorn was not a man who liked to put the value of his own life above others so clearly to him the guards were unnecessary. 

 _Who would attack a King within his own walls? Legolas thought to himself. Always when he left Mirkwood his father insisted it was not alone, for there were many evil beings out there, and Elves were not loved by all, but he had always felt safe within the borders of his home. How strange it must be to have to spend everyday with someone standing by your side, watching your back for attack. After some time Aragorn bid them to stop._

 "I believe that is enough for one day. Let us return to my home, it is nearly time for the mid-day meal," Aragorn said as he turned back around to lead them in the opposite direction. They had seen much of the city and at a leisurely pace it would take nearly an hour to return to his home.

 Legolas followed and said, "It is a wonderful city Aragorn, you must take great pride in it, and all you have done." 

 "It was a wonderful city long before I came here. I merely strive to maintain its level of excellence," Aragorn replied modestly.

 Before Legolas could say more the sound of great trumpets roared from the gates. Legolas immediately thought they meant danger and reached for his daggers, but it soon became apparent that the tune was meant for joy and welcome. He knew Aragorn had not called for them to be blown so he came to his own conclusion.

 "I believe Gimli has arrived." Legolas smiled, his friend could always make a noticeable entrance. He was not surprised when he saw several flags being raised near the gates, indicating an honored visitor.

 "I was just thinking the same thing. If he had bothered to send word I might even had had the red carpet waiting. Such is only proper with the arrival of one such as Gimli," Aragorn said, obviously amused by the means of the Dwarf's arrival.

 "There might still be time to fetch it." Legolas suggested with a grin.

 Aragorn seemed to think about it for a moment, "No, we will allow him to walk on the streets like us common folk." He said finally, a smile playing on his lips as well. 

 "Yes, he will hate that."

 Legolas shielded his eyes with his hand and strained to see across the fields of tall Men, in hopes of seeing his small friend. His face brightened even more as he caught sight of him, "There he is. I would know that beard anywhere."

 "We might as well await him here and escort him ourselves," Aragorn said. It would be pointless to return to his home and wait for Gimli there if he was fast approaching them. 

 In only minutes the Dwarf was making his way towards them, a smile on his face as he saw his dear friends. With him were several of Aragorn's guards and four other Dwarves that had obviously accompanied Gimli. The streets were cleared as he drew near and this was obviously how he liked it. As he approached all three bowed, showing their obvious respect for one another. 

 "Ah Elf, it is good to see you again." Gimli greeted Legolas as they shook hands firmly.

 "You as well Gimli, it has been far too long since I have visited the Glittering Caves," Legolas replied.

 "It most certainly has. Almost I thought you were avoiding me." 

 "You? Never." Legolas smirked with mock indignity. 

 Gimli gave him a warning growl but then turned to Aragorn, "Lord Elessar, I was greatly pleased to receive your invitation." 

 "If only my summons had been for a simple re-acquaintance. There is a matter of great importance of which I must speak with both of you. But not here. Come, we shall dine together in my home." 

 Gimli nodded and bid his companions to follow him as Aragorn led the way. 

 Once they reached Aragorn's home, the King politely requested that the three be left alone to discuss their important business. Even the servants were excused from the house. Gimli was rather confused by these actions, but Legolas was not for he knew the importance of the Stone of Malinya. They all gathered around and had a great meal, reminiscing of past adventures while Gimli and Legolas joked to no end, enjoying being in each other's company once more. When at last all food had gone Aragorn led them to the living room, where they could speak comfortably.

 "Now Aragorn, you have left us both in suspense long enough. What is this business all about?" Gimli asked, quite serious in his demand for information. 

 "It is a matter of great importance I assure you. I have requested your presence to ask of you a favor. I wish for you both to accompany me on a quest," Aragorn said simply. He would reveal nothing else in case the Dwarf did not accept, but he was almost certain he would.

 "I have followed you to almost the ends of the Earth, what's one more mission? Of course I shall go. Where do we head?" Gimli was actually rather excited about another adventure. Though his home was always exciting, and things were progressing well, a bit of a thrill might do him good. 

 "We go to Brelan. Our purpose is long in its explanations but I will not keep you in suspense any longer. We seek the Stone of Malinya," Aragorn waited for Gimli's response, which was much like Legolas's.

 The Dwarf's eyes widened and his mouth gaped, "But that is only a myth."

 "Nay, it is quite real my friend. Though it has been lost for many thousands of years," Legolas said calmly. He was no longer surprised by the object of their quest but still it intrigued him greatly. 

 "And you believe it to be in Brelan?" Gimli asked Aragorn, still shocked. 

 "Yes. There are many wrongful tales and stories about the Stone of Malinya, so if you wish, I will tell you the tale of its making, in its entirety," Aragorn offered. 

 Neither Gimli nor Legolas were sure they knew all the facts about the Stone, just tales and legends passed down, so they nodded for Aragorn to tell all he knew. 

 "The stone was created a long time ago, even by your standards Legolas for its age is more than three times your own," Aragorn began, bracing himself for a long tale indeed, "It was created by a great Elf queen who passed from this land long ago, not surprisingly her name was Malinya. They say her beauty was unparalled, even among the Elves, and she had an inner power of which had never, or will ever again, be seen."

 Gimli interrupted then, "Surely she could hold no candle to the Lady Galadriel. For I cannot imagine a more magnificent creature could walk these lands."

 "Yes Gimli, even greater than Galadriel, though I must agree it could not have been by much. But this tale is not about her, it is about the stone. At this time all the lands of Middle Earth were in great turmoil. Races were gathered, and flourishing on their own, but all kept to their own kind, never engaging with one another, except for the occasional battle over land. Dwarves, Elves, and Men all existed in different worlds, never aiding or hindering the other races. This is why our peoples have come to have such different customs and lives. And though our races were good for the most part, there was also evil in the world, and it was banding together."

 "The Elves saw this, for even then they had great wisdom and almost prophetic abilities. They wished to unite the good races of Middle Earth that ruled most of the land. So it was that the Elves, Dwarves, and Men tried to work as one. It was not easy and tensions were always high, for everyone was wary to trust their neighbours. For this reason, Malinya created the Stone which bears her name; it was a token of peace and friendship among our peoples. Also, the Stone was capable of detecting lies and deceit. Knowing that your allies tell the truth is a good basis for friendship. So with the Stone nearby all the races were able to work together. Eventually the evil forces of Middle Earth did band together, as did the forces of good. The Elves, Men, and Dwarves triumphed over the dark forces, and those that were gravely injured in battle were able to be healed by the power of Malinya's Stone."

 "It was then that Middle Earth began to truly flourish. All the races were in a circle of harmony and open friendship, and there was no evil to plague the land. It must have been a splendid time to live. But all good things must come to an end as they say," Aragorn's eyes became clouded with sadness, as if he had actually been alive to see these events and missed them greatly now that they were gone.

 "Exactly what happened?" Legolas asked, though he was almost sure he knew from the legends of his people.

 "The Stone was lost. They say it just disappeared one day, and was assumed stolen but it was never found out by whom. This became the downfall of the land long ago. The Stone was the basis for all friendships, for it ensured only truth among the races but when it disappeared everyone was suspected and friendships failed. Some believed the Elves had reclaimed it for their own since it had been an Elder that created it. Others said it was the Dwarves, who wished to find some way to forge more great stones such as itself. And even more said it was the race of Men, for no reason other than jealousy and greed. And so with the Stone of Malinya's disappearance, almost all allegiances broke and Middle Earth was once more plagued with solitudes and war."

 "Time has healed many wounds but new ones have arisen also. Though your strong friendship has helped greatly, there is still some bad blood between the Elves and Dwarves. There are also many tribes and villages of all races, scattered about the land due to the war. I believe the Stone would unite all the peoples of our homes and bring a great time of joy." Aragorn finished with a sigh. His eyes seemed to stray as he apparently envisioned what the world may be like if the Stone of Malinya was found. 

 Legolas and Gimli remained quiet for some time, thinking over all they had been told. Some parts of the stories had been proven true, and more blanks had been filled in so it was easy to get a mental picture of just how spectacular Middle Earth would be. 

 "The Stone has been missing for millennia. How is it you think you have now found it? And why in Brelan? I know very little of that place." Gimli admitted, racking his brain for any information about the Men who lived in that territory. 

 "It is very far, many will not even travel there for it is a hard journey, and in truth there is not much to see in Brelan. At least, that is what they say," Legolas told him, calling upon his limited knowledge of the area.

 "You are correct, it is very far. It is a land of Men who live past desert and mountain. They live a life of solitude, much as they did back then. According to the tales of old, the Men of Brelan felt they were not fairly treated when the bonds of trust and friendship were made among the races. Hardly any trade was established with them, and no celebrations were ever held at their homes. They also received few visits from any Dwarves or Elves. This led them to believe that they were being ignored and that the rest of Middle Earth thought themselves better than the Brelans. In truth, their land was simply too far for any conventional travel. Friendship was attempted but it was hard, and the Men of Brelan made it no easier. They never ventured far from their own land so did nothing to form bonds of trust, always they expected the other races to come to them," Aragorn explained, very accurately describing the Men of Brelan.

 "Sounds reasonable that they would want the Stone. It would cause the break up of all the races. Everyone would be just as isolated as them. It would have simply been for spite. Why is it only now that they are suspect?" Legolas asked. This quest intrigued him more greatly with every moment and he longed for more information. 

 "All races were under suspicion of theft. The trust of the land was completely broken. Brelan seemed no more likely a suspect than any other land," Aragorn spoke at length once more, "It was by complete chance that its possible location was revealed to me. I sent messengers to Brelan in hopes of establishing a trade agreement with them. They have large food storages and fierce warriors, but they are smaller in number than Gondor. I believed they would welcome the chance to join with my kingdom. I was quite correct. The talks went splendidly and they have agreed to establish an agreement with Minas Tirith, I travel in three days to make my way to Brelan to personally conduct the negotiations. But, while my messengers were there, they were reportedly treated very well. The Brelans were so happy to have them there that they even took my men out for a night on the town if you will. Suffice it to say they all had a bit too much to drink and became quite inebriated. Except for one man in my group. He is not the most fun loving of people but I am very grateful for his lack of drink on this night. The Men of Brelan drank so much that they accidentally told of how their ancestors had stolen the Stone and hidden it in their territory. It is not known where apparently, only that it is hidden and well guarded."

 "The ramblings of a drunk only!" Gimli exclaimed, appalled that he had been called all the way from his home for that. 

 "I think not. My servant got the exact same story from three different men, at different times of the night. It is the answer that fits together all pieces of this puzzle. Brelan is one of the few lands I can recall that has yet to have a good relationship with any other society in Middle Earth. Surely if any others had stolen the Stone it would have been recovered or at least rumored about long ago. No my friends, there is no doubt in my mind that the Stone of Malinya lies within the land of Brelan," Aragorn said passionately. He was very determined to retrieve this item, no matter the costs it would seem.

 Gimli and Legolas sat in silence once more, both leaning heavily towards definitely going with Aragorn. The King of Gondor watched them both closely, looking for any signs of their thoughts though he knew his friends could prove very hard to read. 

 "This seems enough for me. The Stone has been missing for millennia and it would be great to have it recovered. Let us not say that we did not at least try. I will join you on this quest," Legolas said, officially joining with Aragorn now that he knew all the details. Even where they were going. Aragorn worried that the Elf had no idea what awaited him, but in truth Legolas knew all about the Men of Brelan.

 "Thank you my friend. And what of you Gimli?" Aragorn asked, watching the Dwarf who was clearly deep in thought.

 "Is there any particular reason that you need us on this quest?" It was a fair question and Aragorn knew it would be asked eventually.

 "The Stone of Malinya was a token of peace and friendship among the major races of Middle Earth, I feel it only right that at least one member of each race therefore be involved in its retrieval. There are other reasons as well," Aragorn admitted, not immediately exposing what those may be. 

 "Such as?" Gimli urged him to continue. 

 Aragorn took a deep breath knowing Gimli would not particularly like this next part, "The Men of Brelan were said to have had the strongest relationship with the Dwarves back before the Stone was stolen. I believe they would welcome us greatly, and trust us more, if we had you in our company. My own men mentioned that they appeared to hold Dwarves in high respect in Brelan."

 "As they should," Gimli's chest puffed out at this.

 "Well, they also like the Dwarves for another reason. They believe that they have a common enemy in that they both hold a great dislike for Elves," Aragorn said, waiting for Gimli's reaction. Glancing at Legolas it was clear the Elf had already known this. 

 "Not nearly as great as it once was, but I suppose there's still some hard feelings felt in a good many of my people. Why do these people dislike Elves, and how strongly are their feelings?" Gimli questioned. He was beginning to think he really didn't like the idea of Legolas accompanying them on this trip. 

 Legolas answered before Aragorn could speak, "It is not known why they hate the Elves. It is said that they themselves know not the reason. But the anger and hatred was there before the Stone was created, which is another reason they felt left out of Middle Earth's societies, they would not trust the Elves no matter what the Stone said."

 "It has been long since anyone visited Brelan before my own messengers set out and they got the impression that the Men of the land still feel the scorns of the bad blood, but it is diluted. For hate is a hard thing to maintain when you know not the reason as to why you are to feel it." Aragorn finished. 

 "What is my purpose on this quest, other than to be a representative of my people?" Legolas asked, genuinely curious as to what part he would have to play.

 "You partly answered for me, I do wish an Elf to be present for it was one of your own people who created the Stone. And the keen senses of your kind are always a welcome addition to any quest. But I may also need you to help in discovering the Stone's location. From what my servant has said, the Men of Brelan themselves no longer know where the Stone of Malinya is, for it was hidden long ago. An Elf can sense when the Stone is near, but to what degree I do not know," Aragorn replied.

 "I have heard that Elves can feel when the Stone is nearby. It is said that there are some of my kindred who have spent hundreds of years walking the lands of Middle Earth, hoping to feel the Stone's presence nearby. Some say it instils great warmth in the heart of Elves and others say that a great wave of joy passes through the person, and some say both," Legolas said, further supporting Aragorn's sense of need to bring an Elf along.

 "Either way, I believe your presence will be necessary if we are to find Malinya's Stone," Aragorn said. 

 "And is he just to walk into Brelan and announce himself an Elf?" Gimli asked, his tone harsh. He did not wish his friend to go on a quest where he would particularly be in danger.

 "Nay, he shall disguise himself as a Man. It would be simple enough. There have been no Elves in Brelan for many long years, they would never expect one to freely walk into their land after all this time. I am confident that Legolas would be just as safe as any of us." Aragorn assured the Dwarf. He was touched by Gimli's concern for his friend, but Legolas was needed on this mission. 

 "Have no fear Elf-friend, I gladly accept the risk," Legolas said to his still grumbling companion. 

 "I still do not like it. But this quest is clearly of great importance, not just to you Aragorn, but it would be a great service to all of Middle Earth. To have the free races united in harmony, oh, that is a day I have longed to see." Gimli's voice spoke of his great wish to see that day. His choice was obvious but Aragorn still felt he should ask his burning question.

 "You will accompany us then?"

 "Yes, someone has to keep you two from getting into trouble. And save your sorry hides when you do manage to." Gimli only barely managed to avoid the swipe of Legolas's hand, which was heading straight for the back of his head.

 "It pleases me greatly that you will both join me on the mission. Though we have all done this land a great service already, we shall set out once more and make Middle Earth an even finer home for all," Aragorn said, standing tall as he envisioned the world the Stone would create. 

 "We set out in three days to journey to Brelan." 

 It would prove to be a very long trip.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 The next few days were a busy time for all three of the friends. Aragorn had many arrangements to make for their trip to Brelan. They were to go under the pretence of establishing a trade agreement with the Men of the land, but their true purpose for this quest was to seek out the Stone of Malinya. Although Aragorn hoped they could somehow accomplish both, if he had to make a choice he would take the Stone and return it to its rightful home.

 Legolas and Gimli spent the three days learning much about Brelan, its customs, beliefs, history and the geography of the land. Though they learned much, the Elf and Dwarf often found themselves wandering about the glorious city and simply chatting, having three years of tales to catch up on. They enjoyed each other's company immensely for they shared one of the strongest bonds of friendship ever established in all of Middle Earth, and the fact that the two races were natural enemies made it that much more amazing of a relationship. 

 Gimli talked in length about his home and all that was occurring in the Glittering Caves, regaling his friend with wondrous tales of his people. In exchange Legolas spoke of all the current happenings in Mirkwood and even informed Gimli that he was considering finding some Elves to move with him to Ithilien. The Dwarf loved the idea and gladly offered to help in any way he could if possible. 

 Finally on the third day it was time to begin the long journey to Brelan. There would be a dozen men in all on this quest, though only Gimli, Aragorn, and Legolas knew of the true reason for their adventure. There was of course the three friends who had been in the great Fellowship of the Ring, and with them they brought nine of Aragorn's personal guards and finest soldiers. Though he wished not for their presence, Aragorn knew that no King should ever ride without his guards close by, for an attack could be in wait around any corner. 

 Aragorn also kept his men in the dark as to the true identity of their unknown companion. Although he trusted his soldiers completely, he could not risk any of them accidentally revealing Legolas for what he truly was to the Men of Brelan. He was also sure to instruct them to wear their hoods up as frequently as possible, explaining that it was an ancient tradition when visiting the land of Brelan. This was not true but was done so that Legolas would not seem suspicious being the only one with his hood constantly drawn over his head. These orders were followed without question, for all of the King's men wished for nothing more than to please their lord. 

 It would take nearly a month to reach, Miscalanth, the capital city of the land of Brelan, though they were to meet up with an escort that would accompany them in half that time. But they were prepared for the long trip, knowing it was no worse than other quests they had taken before. 

 Finally they were ready to depart. They were setting out early so as to move along as quickly as possible. Aragorn sat on his horse, tall and proud in the shimmering light from the sun that was swiftly rising. His black hair fell loose around his shoulders and Anduril, his constant companion, was sheathed at his side. The King's contingent of guards were scattered around him, some were already mounted, while others were checking their packs a final time to ensure nothing was forgotten.

 Gimli and Legolas were a short distance away from the rest of the group, looking over their horse and securing the last of their baggage. Gimli of course could not ride by himself so would be travelling with Legolas, which was what they were used to. Neither minded for it gave them a chance to enjoy each other's company for the length of their journey. While in the city, Legolas had been sure to stay a good distance away from the guards that would be accompanying then, knowing they were not to know he was an Elf. 

 That morning he had sat down and prepared himself, knowing this journey would be a great test of his skills; not just on the battle field, but his acting skills as well. He was now supposed to move and behave like a man. It sounded simple enough, after all he spent a fair deal of time around Men, and Aragorn was his closest friend, but it was in fact much more complicated. He had been acting and moving as an Elf for nearly three thousand years, it wasn't easy to change overnight. But for the past three days he had been carefully observing the Men around him and mimicking their movements alone in his room. He had also been perfecting lowering his voice, making it sound fuller and rougher, instead of amazingly and captivatingly pleasant as all Elf voices were. 

 So it was, on that morning he undid all his braids and wore his long blonde hair completely down to cover his ears. It worked quite well and he was confident that they wouldn't be seen even without the protection of the cloak, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be wearing that as often as possible. Aragorn had given him several outfits that were distinctly clothes worn only by Men. Now, after slinging his bow on his back and gracefully mounting his horse, he was ready to go. Gimli hefted himself onto the steed as well, having mastered the mounting of horses some time ago, it was the riding that discomforted him mostly. 

 "Ready to go Elf?" Gimli asked as he tried to see his friend's face from behind.

 "I'll ask you not to call me that again, it could mean the downfall of this journey," Legolas said, kindly reminding his friend.

 Gimli's face fell and he cursed his foolishness, "Of course, you're right. Won't happen again."

 Legolas nodded, then turned and smiled, "But to answer your question, I am as ready as I will ever be. This will be quite the task, finding the Stone of Malinya and pretending to be a Man. What I did to deserve this quest I will never know."

 "Well, be comforted that you at least are blessed with the finest of company on this trip," Gimli replied, obviously meaning himself.

 "Yes, it is good that Aragorn's going. I do not know what I would do if I didn't have someone along on this trip with whom to have an intelligent conversation with," Legolas said swiftly, not even waiting before their journey had officially started before beginning their game of insulting the other.

 "You wound me terribly, E...."

 "Don't say it. To you and all others I am no longer an Elf," Legolas reprimanded him.

 "I shan't forget, but you best not anger me or I may forget and let myself slip," Gimli said, intending it to sound like a threat.

 Legolas chuckled as they trotted towards Aragorn and the rest of their new company. As they approached Legolas felt eternally grateful that Gimli was riding with him. Having the Dwarf mounted behind him was just the excuse Legolas needed to ride without a saddle. Elves didn't use such things and the few times he had tried one he had hated it, and he could tell the horse did as well. 

 Several of the Men shot Legolas strange looks, wondering who this stranger was that rode with them, but their features softened with the sight of Gimli just behind him. The Dwarf had made it a point to get to know his new companions as well as possible before setting out. He had not had much time but he had managed to get to know them each by name and even shared a glass of ale with two or three of the guards. 

 Legolas and Gimli trotted up next to Aragorn, both searching the King's face for some sign of what he was thinking or feeling. But as usual they could tell nothing, and his features remained impassive. Aragorn offered his friends an encouraging smile, knowing that emotions always run high at times such as these.

 "Are you both ready?" He asked.

 Legolas nodded and Gimli said, "We're ready for anything, be they Orcs or Elves, let's be off." 

 The Elf and Man smiled at their friend's enthusiasm and nodded. Aragorn turned his steed and yelled out to his company, "Come Men, we're off to Brelan. It is a long journey but hopefully we shall return with the friendship of our neighbours. Ride on!"

 That was how they left Gondor. With the flag of the great city flapping behind them they rode away from the tall, sturdy walls and into the foreign territories of Brelan. It was unknown what would await them, but all new discoveries were, for the most part, welcomed.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 They rode all day, covering a good many leagues for they rode the finest steeds in the kingdom of Gondor. The horses of Legolas and Aragorn stayed side by side, but as was custom, the King rode in the middle of his group of guards to protect himself. But on this first day it was unnecessary, the sun was shining brightly, the birds sang cheerfully, and no ill wind blew through the trees. They were able to continue on their way uninterrupted the entire day. The three friends talked quietly amongst themselves during the times they were not forcing their horses forward with speed. Stories were exchanged and good jests told. Gimli and Aragorn also spoke with many of the guards, but Legolas remained silent for the most part. He was still wary about passing as a Man and did not wish to prove himself as otherwise by saying something foolish in his speech. 

 The Stone of Malinya was never far from the minds of the three friends, but even so they allowed themselves to enjoy the beauty of the forests that they travelled through. There were paths of their own making for several more days travel but eventually they would reach the land where new trails would have to be made, connecting Brelan to Gondor if the negotiations went well. But that was still more than a week away, so they would not worry about it now. 

 Just as the sun was dropping from sight they found a large clearing that would serve well as camp for the night. A large fire was built, so large that it would need plenty of wood to sustain it for the night. As it was about to be decided which of the Men would be sent to fetch the wood, Legolas quickly stood and offered to get it himself. He volunteered his dear Elf friend for the job as well.

 "Come Gimli, it will not take long," Legolas bid his friend to come along. Their conversations had been greatly limited the entire day since they could speak not of the Stone or of anything that may link Legolas to being an Elf, so the Dwarf swiftly took the opportunity to speak with his friend alone.

 Gimli picked up his ax and followed after Legolas into the woods, "Wait my friend, I am coming." He came running up to the Elf, muttering something about long legs and rushing everywhere they went.

 "We should gather as much wood as we can carry," Legolas said as he bent down retrieve a few nearby pieces.

 Gimli did the same and then looked back, deciding they were a fair enough distance from the camp to speak freely, "So, how was your first day as a Man?"

 Legolas actually smiled, "Not too bad, if I do say so. Though in truth there was not much to it on this day. We were riding only, and I can do that well enough without drawing any suspicion. But I am starting to feel this ruse may work."

 "Good, you make a fine Man as far as my own eyes can tell. From here I would think you no different from them, those clothes do make you look odd. Your normal grace in your movements seems even notched down." Gimli pointed out as he watched his friend gather more wood.

 "It is not your eyes alone. These clothes are uncomfortable to say the least, much too heavy. I feel absolutely weighted down in these boots. It is one of the few discomforts of all this." It was true, though Aragorn had gotten him the lightest ones he could find, the footwear was much too heavy for his liking. Walking over a small patch of mud he could see his footprints were much deeper than usual, but he supposed that could only help with the illusion of being a Man. "I fear it may prove to be a long journey indeed."

 "Well, on the ride home I don't see why it would be necessary to keep your disguise. Once we are out of Brelan and have the Stone, you can go back to being the same old Stupid Elf, we know and love." Gimli smirked at his own joke, and ducked a small branch heading for his head. He was getting quite good at avoiding the blows Legolas continually aimed for his skull. In return the Dwarf hurled his own piece of wood in Legolas's direction, which the Elf caught with ease.

 "Gimli, you may draw comfort from the fact that I shall never, ever, stoop so low as to impersonate a Dwarf. Why, the sheer mechanics of it are simply mind boggling," Legolas said, placing the branch on his pile of wood.

 "You'd make a terrible Dwarf in any case. You've no appreciation for fine craftsmanship, you like nature far too much, and your hair is far too long, Salogel." This time he didn't see it coming and the branch struck Gimli squarely on the side of the head. 

 "Don't call me that if it is not necessary."

 Gimli nodded in understanding, "You're far too short tempered as well." He said, rubbing his temple.

 This brought a great chuckle from Legolas, the irony of being called short tempered by a Dwarf, was far too funny. 

 "Indeed you are right," He said when his laughing died down, "So let us take up the wood we have gathered and return to camp. I shall need to at least feign sleep if I am to appear as a Man, I heard one of the guards mention it had been a tiring day."

 Gimli added one last log to his pile and agreed. Together they went back to camp, joking and arguing the entire way.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn sat in his tent looking over several maps of the region. The messengers he had sent forth to make the initial meeting with Brelan had made copies of their course, and the Men of the land had been kind enough to supply several maps of the territory from their point of view. He was now using both maps to make a more efficient and complete one. 

 He looked up as the flap of his tent was drawn open and the Captain of his guards popped his head in. Risorine was his name, he had dark brown hair that reached his ears, and eyes as gray as the clouds in a storm. He was of above average build and stood at the same height of Aragorn, which was quite tall. The Lord of Minas Tirith motioned for him to come in and wondered what it was the Captain wished of him.

 "What can I do for you Risorine?" Aragorn asked as the Man stood at attention before him.

 "I wish to speak to you about our companions," Risorine replied, never dropping his guard.

 Aragorn knew this would be coming eventually and was prepared for it, "Very well. Sit down and relax. Tell me what is on your mind." 

 Risorine did as he was told and sat across from his Lord. He had protected this Man for three years, but sadly still did not know him very well. For some reason he had never been able to make the bond of close friendship with his King, and though there was trust, he knew it could be much stronger. 

 "I understand the reason the Dwarf, Gimli, accompanies us. It will greatly lighten the hearts of the Men of Brelan and we will be welcomed greatly, but this Salogel, I do not understand why he rides with us. I've seen him speak to both you and Gimli in great length but of yet he has yet to have any conversation with the Men of your guard so we know nothing about him. I was curious as to the purpose of his presence here," Risorine always was one to get straight to the point, and now that his mind was open he felt a small touch of relief. Of course, Salogel was actually Legolas. If his real name was known he would be pointed out clearly, as the Elf that had been a part of the Fellowship of the Ring. The false name was necessary though all three of the friends hated it.

 "Salogel is a close friend of mine, and has been for many years. He is very closely in touch with nature and his surroundings, even more so than myself, and will be of great help in dealing with all unfamiliar surroundings we may encounter. He is also well trained and skilled in many fields which would probably seem useless on this trip, but I prefer to be prepared for anything. And, as well as being one of the greatest fighters I've ever known, he is a great judge of character, I wish to know his impressions of the Men of Brelan. Suffice it to say, I wish him here and I assure you he will be of great use," Aragorn said, his tone implied that he was not one to be argued with over this.

 Risorine nodded, "I understand, Lord Elessar." But it was clear he did not fully accept it yet. There was nothing Aragorn could do about that for now, but he suspected the Man's attitude would change. Legolas had a kind soul and all that knew him spoke fondly of him, Aragorn had no doubt that it would be only a short time before the Elf won the friendship of his guards. That is, as soon as he spoke to them.

 Risorine stood, bowed and began to leave when Aragorn called out, "I trust him as much as I do any Man, even myself. For a King that is saying a lot. Treat him with the highest respect Risorine." 

 The Captain of the guards said nothing, merely inclined his head and then left. Aragorn had a sudden feeling of worry. He truly wished he knew better what kind of man his Captain was. It pained him that he did not truly know the person who protected him day in and day out, but Aragorn had never found the time to build a true friendship with the guard. Or perhaps the truth was he had not even tried. When the Man was present Aragorn acknowledged him and treated him with the highest respect, but he had never divulged any secrets to the Captain, or told him of any weight that was bearing on his shoulders

 He was loved by his people, and said to be a great king, but he was loathe to admit he barely knew the people he saw each day. He decided he would have to remedy that problem. As soon as the Stone of Malinya was found that is. With this decision made, he turned his attention back to the maps before him. 

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Risorine walked out of Aragorn's tent disappointed. He had received none of the answers he had been searching for, in fact more questions than ever arose in his mind. Still he knew nothing about this stranger that rode with them. He knew not where he was from, or what events lay in his past. In fact, other than his name he knew absolutely nothing about Salogel. 

 _Perhaps I could find out more from the Man himself. Risorine thought to himself. Glancing around the camp he realized that the Man in question was nowhere in sight. He hurriedly walked around, peering into corners that Legolas could be hiding himself in, but he found no trace of him. Not wishing to draw suspicion by asking the whereabouts of the stranger, Risorine continued walking about the camp with his eyes tuned sharply to locating the Man. _

 Finally he caught sight of Legolas returning from the woods with the Dwarf, Gimli. Each held an armful of logs, clearly for the fire. 

 _Why would those two have gone off by themselves? Surely only one is needed to merely collect firewood. He thought to himself. It seemed obvious to him that the two had been discussing something in private, it would have been their only chance all day. Though he did not truly know either of them it was obvious to him that they were friends. It was clear in the way they spoke, and their great ease while in each other's presence. _

 Questions and partial answers whirled through the Captain's mind. _What would they need to have discussed in private? What are they hiding? Do they have other reasons for going on this journey? Does Lord Elessar know of this? _

 He had no real answers, but his suspicious mind filled in many blanks, mostly in the negative form. He watched the two friends all night, for they never strayed far from the other's side. They seemed to be keeping themselves away from the group as much as possible. 

 This was for the benefit of Legolas, so he would not be near the others too often and there would be fewer chances of him being exposed, but Risorine had no way of knowing that. When it grew late, all turned in for some much deserved sleep. Legolas set up his bed as far from the rest as possible while still being in the camp. Gimli was close by but to Risorine it seemed that the distance was the Man's idea. Legolas went to sleep with his back to the others and his hood still drawn over his head.

 _He's an odd one, he is. I'll have to keep my eye on him. _

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Risorine had taken the last watch before dawn and was now sitting at the edge of the camp, enjoying the sight of the sun rising above the clouds. He knew they should be off as swiftly as possible and strode into the camp to wake the others. With noiseless steps he walked to where the others were sleeping. Having slept on the very edge of the camp, Legolas was the first one he came to. He did not like this Man, he was clearly in his Lord's favor and his skills were valued above his own. Risorine had hoped that he could use this quest to finally impress the king, who never seemed to take notice of him. But Aragorn spent all his time with this stranger and the Dwarf, and that did not sit well with the captain. Risorine pushed these thoughts from his mind, knowing it was not the time for them. 

 He was surprised when he kneeled down to wake the Man and found his eyes already open, though he appeared not awake. His eyes were half-lidded but unfocussed and unmoving, as if he were seeing nothing. His initial shock was so great that he even gasped slightly at the sight, as odd as it was.

 The sound of Risorine's astonishment woke Legolas and he blinked rapidly as he left his dreamstate. He immediately looked up and made eye contact with the captain of the guards, who was recovering from his surprise and covering it up quite well. 

 "Good morning," Legolas said, then looked up at the sun, "Time to get up already, I suppose." 

 Risorine smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes, "Yes, I'm afraid it is. We have to be moving, there is yet far to go." With that he rose and moved to wake the rest of the men. He wondered if he hadn't just imagined the emptiness in the eyes of Legolas, and also questioned whether he had truly seen the sight at all. One's eyes could play awful tricks in the early mornings. He shook his head, dismissing the event entirely and roused the rest of the company.

 Legolas sighed, thankful that the Man had apparently not been observing him. 

 _I shall have to try this sleeping with closed eyes. He thought to himself as he sat up and stretched. The day looked like it would be fair indeed, the sun was shining and all the woods seemed filled with calm and comfort. Of course, the calm was being broken by the incredibly loud snoring of Gimli beside him. _

 _How did I sleep through that? Legolas wondered as he took in the deeply sleeping form of his friend. It was for the best that they had slept far from the others for no one would have received any sleep otherwise. Shooting out a too heavily booted foot, Legolas nudged Gimli, attempting to wake him._

 "Wake up my friend, the sun has risen without us," Legolas said as he used a bit more force in his attempts to rouse the Dwarf. 

 For his part, Gimli snorted, rolled over, and continued his snoring. Legolas chuckled and reached out to shake his shoulder, "Gimli, wake up," The Elf bid once more. Still the Dwarf did not leave his slumber.

 With a sigh Legolas stood, leaned over Gimli and shouted, "Gimli, the Glittering Caves are being invaded by Orcs! We are under attack!"

 Startled beyond comprehension, Gimli awoke, grabbed the nearest weapon he could find, which happened to be a frying pan, jumped to his feet and swung the cookware like an ax. 

 "Orcs? Where? I'll chop them limb from limb!" Gimli half growled, half muttered, still partially asleep.

 "I shall greatly enjoy watching them flee from your deadly frying pan," Legolas said from his side, greatly amused by the sight of the Dwarf fighting imaginary foes.

 Gimli finally seemed to take in his surroundings and glared daggers at the Elf, "A simple 'wake up' would have been sufficient." He grumbled.

 "But not nearly as effective, or entertaining. And I did try several times, but I could not be heard above your snoring." Legolas stated, rather matter-of-factly.

 "Go sleep in a tree." Gimli grumbled, not yet alert enough to come up with an adequate comeback.

 "I would if I could my friend. Come, there is a stream nearby where we may wash up before we eat," Legolas motioned for him to follow as he led the way to the promised water. 

 When they were feeling refreshed, and Gimli much more awake and able to form respectable insults, they made their way back to camp where breakfast awaited them. Legolas thought he saw Risorine staring at him from the corner of his eye, but when he met the Man's gaze he quickly looked away, and did not stare again. They ate their breakfast and were ready to set out once more, but first Aragorn summoned Gimli and Legolas to his tent so they could speak privately before they moved out for the day.

 "Well my friend, how are you fairing as a Man?" Aragorn asked, after instructing his guards to ready the horses so they could talk without fear of listeners.

 "In truth I thought you should tell me. Being a Man, I considered you the best to judge my character," Legolas replied, hoping that he had done all he was supposed to.

 "I have found no faults in your ruse as of yet. But I cannot always watch you for that would seem suspicious. You do seem to be pulling it off quite well though." Aragorn praised him. 

 "Hardly any difference I can see," Gimli said, "He seems just as much a Man as you or your guards. Though mostly you Aragorn, for you yourself have Elvish qualities, though few can aptly point them out." 

 "Yes, I am aware. But now that I know that you are comfortable in your disguise I wish to speak of other things," Aragorn said, changing the topic.

 "Comfortable is a matter of opinion. These clothes are wretched." Legolas muttered under his breath, though the others caught the meaning of his words. 

 "As I was saying, it will take nearly a month to reach Brelan, perhaps less if the fine weather holds, but in two weeks we are to meet with our escort. It shall be a small group of Men from Brelan, a half dozen or so. They will guide us into Miscalanth, Brelan's capital city, and be our introduction as well when we arrive. I know few of the customs of Brelan, so we shall have to play it by ear when we arrive I'm afraid." Aragorn told his friends.

 "Most of that job lies on your shoulders, I believe. As the leader of this company all diplomatic situations and customs are your responsibility to attend, are they not?" Gimli pointed out, then quickly added, "But we shall be glad to help in any way we can." 

 "Much appreciated friends," Aragorn said, and after a short pause spoke again, "As well, you should know that Risorine is wary of you Legolas. He is a man who likes to know all about his situation and those around him. You are a wild card that he knows nothing about and that does not bode well with him. Perhaps you should speak with him if you get the chance, prove your good intentions and loyalty."

 Legolas nodded, "I will see what I can do." 

 "Won't do you any good. If he doesn't like you now, your lack of wit will surely turn him off even more," Gimli said, jesting lightly with his friend.

 "Perhaps you could dazzle him with your remarkable skills with a frying pan, then." Legolas suggested, a twinkling in his eye as well.

 "Peace you two. As much as I enjoy your childish bickering, we must be on our way. Brelan, and the Stone, await us," Aragorn said, nudging them to the doorway. 

 They joined the group and swiftly mounted their steeds. Another day of travel was before them, and it proved to be a fine day for it. But despite the fair weather Risorine's face was dark as he glared at Legolas, who sat tall and proud on his horse, trotting next to Aragorn, unaware. There was something odd about him, he just couldn't decide what it was.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 They day went by swiftly as they travelled. The sun continued to bask them in its warm rays and the company enjoyed a peaceful ride for several hours. They stopped to eat their mid-day meal and then were quickly off once more. Currently, they travelled through the forests just outside Gondor's boundaries. 

 After they ate, the group set out once more, not stopping again until an hour before sunset. They had reached the edge of a small cliff in the terrain where the forest stopped and then began once more at the bottom of the slope. It was not by any means a hard climb, or would not have been if the company consisted of only men, but the horses made it a somewhat difficult pass in the journey. There was a small walkway where the horses could climb down, one by one, escorted by their rider. It was somewhat steep but it was the only option for the horses could not go down the sheer rockface, and it would take several hours to get around the cliff. Too long for Aragorn's liking. It would take some effort to get the animals down the slope, and the company was already tired from their day of travels, so it was decided to not descend the cliff until the morrow.

 Now, with still an hour of good daylight, the Men enjoyed themselves as they relaxed in the sun. Stories were being told, and their supper was being well prepared. Risorine and two of the other guards decided to take the time to practice their skills with their weapons. Slinging his bow on his back, the captain of the guard looked back to the camp and spotted Legolas and Gimli talking casually, and chuckling occasionally. 

 _Perhaps this rest is just the chance I need to learn more of our companion. Risorine thought as he observed the two. _

 Then he shouted, "Salogel!" And waited for a response. 

 It took Legolas a moment to realize someone had just called his name, and he turned seconds later, hoping they didn't notice his slow response to the unaccustomed title. He saw Risorine looking at him and it was clear the Man had called him. Legolas said nothing but clearly gave him a 'What is it?' look.

 "The bow is your weapon of choice is it not? Would you like to accompany us for some practice? Perhaps we may even have a competition of sorts." Risorine suggested, voicing his words from across the camp for all to hear. Legolas did not reply immediately and Risorine took the chance to add, "If you fear defeat you need not come."

 Legolas was not truly insulted by this, he was almost three thousand years old, far too mature and wise to be lured to anger by such a childish comment, but he knew a Man would not turn down this challenge. Aragorn had also told him to speak to Risorine if he got the chance, he had not done so yet, and this could prove to be his opportunity. Picking up his bow he replied as he believed a Man would, whose pride had been insulted.

 "I back down from no challenge. We shall see who the finer archer is," Legolas said, brushing past Risorine. 

 The Man seemed amused by this and quickly followed, Gimli was not far behind either, "This I must see." The Dwarf muttered as he lagged behind to watch the show. Very slowly the rest of the guards followed as well, though they watched from a distance. A competition was always a source of great entertainment, and all were curious about this stranger's skills as well.

 The four archers found an open area nearby with few trees that were close together. It was a fine spot to practice and better their skills. 

 Looking about, Legolas decided to allow Risorine to be in charge of the situation, "What is to be our target then?"

 Risorine scanned the area, trying to decide what would be best for their target, when he spotted a large tree some distance away. It would not be an impossible shot, but somewhat longer than most practice lengths. Near the center of the tree, on the side facing the company, were several rings in the trunk that formed an almost perfect circle. The tree could not have been a better choice.

 "There," Risorine pointed to the tree, "That tree. The rings shall be the target, closest to the center wins."

 "As it should be," Legolas replied, then stepped back, clearly offering first shot to the guards. He did this for two reasons, to offer Risorine a show of respect in hopes of earning his friendship, and to observe how the Men shot their bows. He had never truly watched them before, and hoped it was no different than his own way, though he could not see how it could be. 

 Risorine nodded in acceptance of Legolas's offer and tilted his head to the other two guards. The first guard strung his bow, aimed, and released. There was an audible twang and a crunch as the arrow fitted itself into the tree bark. Behind the group a small round of applause emitted from the watching guards and Gimli. The arrow had landed on the target, though far from the middle. It was an impressive shot, for a human.

 The guard smiled triumphantly, for just the tree was a hard target, but to hit a ring as well was quite an achievement. 

 "Nice shot," Legolas said truthfully.

 Risorine indicated the next guard, "Your turn."

 The second guard notched his bow as well, and aimed down the shaft. Another twang and a second arrow was now embedded in the tree's bark; this one only slightly closer than the first. The circle consisted of about twenty rings, and this arrow had penetrated the twelfth or thirteenth from the center, while the first arrow had hit only the nineteenth or so. The applause was somewhat louder this time and the guard smiled gratefully, much as his friend had.

 Risorine was next, he cockily stepped up to the shooting plateau and tried to see the tree better, then smiled, "Well done my friend." He then lifted his own weapon, aimed, and fired. From his stance Legolas could tell the Man was skilled with the bow so he was not surprised when the arrow hit the third or fourth ring; almost the very center.

 The applause was great, and the Men were proud of their captain. Risorine laughed for a victory he had not yet won and then turned to Legolas saying, "You will be hard pressed to defeat that shot."

 Legolas took a look at the arrow and then at the Man who was smiling triumphantly. The Elf did not like Risorine, he was too cocksure and thought himself better than others. Legolas decided to toy with him for the moment. He allowed his face to look as though he was unsure and hesitant to shoot. This caused Risorine to chuckle even more, furthering Legolas's dislike of him. 

 "If you don't wish to try then you may forfeit, claiming me the winner." Legolas was once more passive to this, not caring what the Men thought and knowing himself to be the better archer. But he had decided to knock Risorine down a few notches. 

 "No, I shall at least _try_ to best your shot," Legolas said, purposely hesitant. 

 The Elf took the shooter's position, appearing reluctant and unsure the entire time. He drew an arrow and notched it in his bow. It was by far the finest weapon of them all, for it was the very gift from Galadriel that he refused to leave behind. Looking down the shaft he aimed carefully, then lifted his head, as if unsure of his own vision. Risorine laughed at his uncertainty, not knowing it to be a ruse. Legolas was trying to decide exactly how close to hit, but he finally decided that if this Man could hit the third ring, then it would not be entirely impossible for a Man to strike the very center. 

 With this thought Legolas's features hardened, and he was suddenly the picture of confidence, as he stood there calmly. He aimed and launched his arrow. It soared noiselessly through the air and struck the target, right on center. He smiled to himself, satisfied in the shot.

 There was a moment of shocked silence and then loud applause burst from the crowd. All the guards and Gimli clapped and a few cheered, for it was indeed a beautiful shot. Legolas smiled modestly and the other two guards even came and clapped him on the back, congratulating him. His smile fell however when he looked to Risorine and saw the Man was clearly impressed, but very opposed to showing it. He did not clap or show any signs that he would later on. His fists were clenched and his jaw shut tight. Without a word the Man practically stomped away, shooting Legolas a dirty glare just before he disappeared behind a tree. 

 Legolas sighed, _Perhaps that was not the best way to earn his friendship_. He thought to himself.

 ~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 The night passed and went with no event, as did the following day. The horses were escorted safely down the cliff and they were able to head out once more. They were now on the third day of their journey. Still the sun shone brightly and all hoped the fair weather would hold up for it was making the trip very pleasant indeed. Aragorn had spoken with Legolas in length the night before, telling him not to worry about Risorine, explaining that the Man would get over the loss quickly. The Elf accepted this and even considered offering a rematch and intentionally losing, but he decided that Risorine would probably not agree and Legolas was hesitant to ask. Every now and then he would see Risorine glaring at him from across camp, or while they were riding. It was becoming somewhat disturbing and Legolas wished to resolve their differences, but every time he approached the captain either his glare would deepen into deadly, or he would move away. 

 _Stubborn, foolish Men, Legolas thought to himself as this behaviour continued for a second day. _

 Three days passed without incident, the weather held up, they were making good time to Brelan, and finally Risorine seemed to be forgetting about the archery competition earlier in the week. Aragorn could understand the Man's feelings and tried to explain to Legolas that he felt embarrassed to have been beaten. The Elf argued there was no shame in being beaten by someone who was better than you, but Aragorn explained that the feeling still existed. For a captain especially does not like to be bested before his own men. Legolas knew not how to amend his deeds, he wished to be in good favor with this Man, despite his current dislike for him, but no ideas of redemption were coming to mind.

 On an evening, nearly a week into their journey, they set up camp deep in the forest, where the trees stood close together. The sun had only just set. Risorine sat across from the fire, deep in thought. He had yet to seize an opportunity to impress his lord and make his mark in the king's eye. The captain wanted nothing more than to receive some form of praise or acknowledgement for a job well done, something he had yet to receive while in Aragorn's service. And as the journey continued Lord Elessar spoke more and more with the Dwarf and the stranger, seemingly forgetting the existence of his men altogether. Risorine's contempt for 'Salogel' grew more and more each day as Aragorn took notice of him and continually ignored the captain. Strangely enough he felt no ill emotions towards Gimli, though the Dwarf took just as much of the Lord's time. Perhaps it was because Gimli had not defeated Risorine in a match of skills before his own men, who were to respect and follow him. 

 Risorine pulled himself from his thoughts and looked across the camp to see Aragorn and the stranger deep in conversation about some matter, away from the rest of the group. He felt his anger rise even more and searched for another sight to keep his attention. Gimli sat not too far away, sharpening his ax and strangely out of the conversation between Lord and Elf. Risorine decided that this may be his chance to learn more about the stranger whom Aragorn so highly favored, for it was one of the first times he had seen Gimli and Legolas separated in any way. Making up his mind he rose from the log he was using as a bench and came up behind the Dwarf, tapping him on the shoulder. 

 "We are in need of firewood. Would you assist me, for your ax may be of use." Risorine requested politely. 

 Gimli looked up at the Man, and with only the shortest moment of thought replied, "Of course I'll come along. For it is dark and none should wander alone," In truth Gimli was hoping to speak to this human and perhaps persuade him into giving Legolas a chance at his friendship, for he had seen the evil glares Risorine had been giving his friend since being bested in archery. The Dwarf hefted his ax over his shoulder and followed Risorine, who carried with him a torch, into the dark woods. 

 There were few branches or larger pieces of wood on the ground so Gimli hacked off a few limbs from some trees, looking for the ones that seemed dying almost and brittle for he would never harm a healthy tree. Risorine scoured the ground as well, but his heart wasn't truly in the task, conversation had been on his list of activities.

 "You and Salogel seem to be very close. Did you meet before this quest?" Risorine asked, trying to sound casual.

 Gimli thought about his answer carefully, "Ay, we did. It was on a different journey, several years ago which even now I cannot speak of."

 "A finished tale that yet cannot be told, it must be a great story indeed," Risorine said, still prodding for information.

 "It is, and even if I were to tell you it would most likely take many long nights," Gimli replied, finding another branch for his pile. "But it was during a time of which I do not like to speak." He explained, hoping the man would drop the subject.

 "And Lord Elessar, when did you meet him?" 

 "On the same quest. It was how we all came to know one another. Full of danger and excitement it was." Gimli's eyes suddenly became clouded, as he remembered the great deeds done in the fellowship and all involved.

 "This journey must seem very boring to you then," Risorine said, deciding to change topics for the time.

 "Perhaps, but I have a feeling it will probably be a harder task than we imagine," Gimli said, his thoughts drifting back to the Stone of Malinya, their true purpose.

 "So, Salogel, what is he like? I feel I don't know the Man well," Risorine turned away from Gimli now, appearing to look as though he didn't truly care about the answer and was making only idle conversation. His torch flickered and cast playful shadows through the woods, enough to trick anyone's eye.

 "He is a good Man." _If you can call him that_. "The finest I know in fact. He is brave and kind, but tends to let his actions speak above his words," Gimli said, he wanted to get this Man to give Legolas a chance at friendship and ease his wariness, but also did not wish to give away any information that may not be necessary.

 "I see ..." It was clear the guard wished to say more but was interrupted by a sudden howling coming from deep within the forest. Both stopped and looked hard into the woods for any sign of what caused the deep throated call, though they had an idea of what the source was.

 "Are there Wargs in these woods?" Gimli asked, kicking himself for not pondering about it earlier.

 "Not usually, but we are a greater distance from the gates of Minas Tirith than I have ever been; I do not know this region well." Risorine answered truthfully. He cast his torch forward but could see no movements in the trees. 

 Another blood curdling howl in the distance, only this time the call was answered by a closer body. They listened together for another moment, but no more calls were heard. They were unsure if that was good or bad. 

 "I suggest we head back to camp," Gimli said, showing no fear, only caution.

 Luckily Risorine was inclined to agree, and nodded. Still they looked into the black woods but neither's sight was good enough to see the blazing eyes that watched them from behind the dark trees. 

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn and Legolas stood near the edges of the camp, deep in discussion, and oblivious to the departure of Gimli and Risorine. 

 "Your ruse is going perfectly Legolas, from a distance I cannot tell the difference from you or one of my own men. And they all seem to have gotten over their initial suspicion of you, except for Risorine," Aragorn said, his voice dropping slightly at the mention of the captain.

 "I know. He avoids me at all costs and refuses to speak with me. I wonder if I greatly wounded his pride in our little competition, or if he has other reasons for doing so," Legolas said, hoping Aragorn would have an answer for the Man's behaviour.

 "I do not know. But I hope he does not keep up this foolishness all the way to Brelan," Aragorn replied, then seemed to remember the reason he had called his friend forth, "There was another matter of which I wished to speak with you. I probably should have mentioned it before."

 "Speak of what it is then, for all of us suffer from lapses of memory from time to time," Legolas said, waiting to hear this news.

 "It is a warning only, but one you and Gimli both should know. There are chances that Wargs make their homes in these woods. Though few ever make their way to Gondor it is not unheard of, and some believe their favorite hunting grounds is deep in these very forests," Aragorn told him seriously.

 "Wargs are a danger, but nothing we have not faced before. Though we may be a prime target as we walk openly through the forest," Legolas said, even now looking over the trees intently.

 "Those were my thoughts as well. I would ask you to keep your keen eyes and ears open to any signs of danger or attack," Aragorn requested, knowing the Elf's senses to be finer than three of his Men's combined.

 "Of course. I shall be sure to stay alert," Legolas replied, putting Aragorn's heart at a greater ease.

 With their talk concluded they left each other's side, with Aragorn retreating to his tent and Legolas going off in search of Gimli. He was surprised when he did not see the Dwarf in the immediate vicinity. He didn't see him anywhere for that matter. Legolas approached the fire and asked one of the guards if they had seen Gimli.

 "Yes, he went off with Risorine a few minutes ago. I believe they were going off to fetch firewood." The Man replied. 

 Legolas nodded and thanked him, suddenly feeling uneasy, though he could not place the reason. Logically he knew that Gimli and Risorine could both take care of themselves, and that retrieving firewood was a nightly task that proved no danger, but he could not shake the feeling that he should follow them. Perhaps it was the unease he always felt around the captain of the guards, or the talk he had only just finished with Aragorn about the danger of Wargs that caused these feelings, but whatever the reason he knew his instincts to be right more often than not. And right now they were telling him to follow the pair. 

 Decided, Legolas picked up his bow and made his way to the edge of the forest, intent on finding his two companions. He had barely gone three steps into the dark woods when a sharp howling could be heard from afar, followed by a quick reply. Legolas quickened his pace, running now, for the feeling of dread in his heart had just increased ten fold.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 Risorine and Gimli started to make their way back to camp, but halted after only a few feet. A deep growl emitted from behind the two, quickly followed by another that sounded to be in front of them somewhere. The forest was very dark, and the light of the torch offered little illumination, so nothing could be seen but a few trees around them. They both abandoned their piles of wood and drew their weapons, Risorine his sword and Gimli his ax.

 Another growl, this time from their left. 

Neither showed any fear for they were both seasoned warriors, only discipline and caution. 

 "You ever go Warg hunting?" Gimli asked softly as they moved in more of a back-to-back position.

 "Several times, but never large packs. It was mostly scattered outcasts and the such," Risorine replied, not tearing his gaze from the black woods.

 "Well, this should be interesting then." 

 Before Risorine could make a reply the air was filled with the sound of a loud twanging. He felt more than saw the arrow that passed no more than an inch before his face. This caused him to panic somewhat and he felt his breath coming in faster.

 "Since when do Wargs have arrows?" The Man asked, now worried and frustrated as anyone would be when facing an unknown enemy.

 Gimli had heard the arrow fly through the air but he had also heard its landing, and it did not sound as though it had struck tree or ground, but flesh. He looked to where he thought the arrow would have hit, but could see nothing.

 "I don't believe that arrow was intended for you," Gimli said, and motioned for Risorine to aim the torch to their right. He did so and was surprised, though Gimli was not, to see the body of a dead Warg. The arrow had pierced its throat. The growls became louder now and a few snaps of teeth could be heard as well. 

 Suddenly a dark body jumped at them from a tree, though it appeared lightless and made no sound in its landing. It stood before them, but they could make out no features in the dark. Risorine pointed his sword at him even as he moved the torch to offer them some light.

 "If it had been intended for you, I assure you, you would be dead," Legolas said matter-of-factly, as he stepped closer. 

 Risorine's face immediately changed from caution to what could only be called contempt. He was about to speak, but was cut off as their new foe finally decided to attack. 

 Wargs shot out from all directions, snarling, growling, and showing off their massive teeth. Their lean, black bodies moved with great speed and their massive paws were strong enough to knock down the tallest Man. The three companions did not back down though, despite the overwhelming odds. Gimli sliced off many heads and took out a great number of the dark beasts, while Risorine wielded his sword with the might of any Man, impaling and slicing all that came within his reach. Legolas used his bow for as long as he could, but soon the Wargs grew too great in numbers, and came too close for it to be very effective, so he switched to the knives he kept in his belt. At first the three were able to fight nearly side by side, but as the battle drew on, chaos began to reign down and the companions were slowly separated. 

 Risorine spun around, avoiding a Warg that had been about to pounce on him, and he plunged his sword deep in the beast's back. He turned again, swinging his weapon as he did so, and caught another Warg in the throat, killing it as well. To his left, and unseen, a large enemy jumped at him, taking the Man offguard. He fell under the beast's assault, hitting the ground with a thud. The Warg snapped his teeth and went for Risorine's neck but the Man surprised him with his own strength and flung the creature off, then quickly chopped off its head. 

 Legolas fought with all his Elven speed and agility on his side. His knives plunged deep into the hearts of many Wargs, always hitting their target. With a great leap he flew over the head of one of the beasts and landed behind it soundlessly, before it could turn, the Elf's dagger was deep in its back. Sensing a body behind him, Legolas spun around and slit the throat of the beast in mid-air, but did not watch as it fell lifeless to the ground. 

 Gimli was enjoying himself immensely as he hacked and slashed at the approaching bodies of the Wargs. His ax swung true as always, killing many, and injuring few. Skilled fighters, all three companions were, but sheer numbers can sometimes defeat skill. As the Dwarf plunged his ax in the body of a Warg two more came up from behind, giving the warrior no chance to defend himself. He flew face first into the trunk of a tree, with the creatures' paws still digging into his back. Gimli was momentarily dazed as his head bounced off the hard wood of the tree. When Risorine had approached him, the Dwarf had been preparing for sleep and had not taken with him his iron helmet. Though he could not think clearly, his instincts drove him on. 

 With a mighty yell, Gimli threw the Wargs off him before their teeth went in, and swung his ax wide. The blade managed to graze the stomach of one of the beasts, taking him out of the fight, but the other was unscathed. Unfortunately the blow to the head, and the erratic attack, caused the Dwarf to lose his footing, and he felt himself fall to the ground. His vision blurred, and as he tried to rise to his feet, he could only barely make out the dark form of the Warg that got ready to pounce. Gimli had no chance to defend himself, and the Warg would have had him for supper if not for the other dark figure soaring through the air. 

 Legolas, seeing his friend in trouble, had raced to his aid. He leapt in the air and knocked the beast off-course and to the ground. They somersaulted together, ending up with Legolas on top, plunging his knife deep in the Warg's heart as they landed. He started to rise, but did not get the chance. He felt a weight land on his back and then sudden and burning pain flared through his left shoulder, so bad that he gritted his teeth against the cry in his throat. He didn't need to look to know that a Warg had its fang buried deep in his shoulder. Pulling his knife free, Legolas elbowed the creature, and then moved and sank his blade in its side. The beast released him and fell dead with a whimper. Legolas's shoulder was on fire but he didn't have time to examine the extent of the damage, there were still a good number of Wargs about them and he knew not the condition of his companions. 

 Looking about, he saw no signs of Risorine, though he assumed the Man's general direction when he saw a number of Wargs heading after something. But he did see Gimli, to his left. He was standing and swinging his ax, but his moves were unsteady and he was clearly disoriented for he showed little technique in his movements and his footing was unbalanced to say the least. Movement at his side caught Legolas's eye, it could only be another Warg. He raised his arm, knife in hand, ready to kill the beast as it reached him, but the creature never made it. The sound of a bow being shot echoed through the air, and an arrow suddenly appeared in the Warg's side, felling it where it stood.

 Legolas sighed and turned in the direction the arrow had come from. He was not surprised to see Aragorn standing a few feet away, bow in hand. There was no moon that night, but the king had brought with him the remainder of his guards and several torches, so the lord could be seen quite clearly. The guards were all about now, many of the Wargs fled but the ones that lagged behind were easily taken care of by the Men. The Elf lifted himself from the ground gracefully, being careful not to jar his left arm. Thinking quickly he drew up his cloak once more and made sure his shoulder was covered well to show no sign of injury. He would show the wound to Aragorn later to be tended to but the guards may be suspicious to the speed in which he healed from such an injury, so he kept it covered for now. 

 As Aragorn approached him, Legolas moved to Gimli's side. The Dwarf looked very unsteady on his feet and seemed to be trying to make his way to the nearest tree, but he didn't quite make it. The world tilted suddenly in Gimli's vision and he headed towards the ground, slender, but strong arms kept him from falling though. 

 Legolas looked down at Gimli as he caught him and then led him to a nearby tree, since the pain in his shoulder kept him from keeping him upright for long. Gimli was still conscious but clearly the blow had dazed him. Aragorn came running towards the two.

 "Are you all right?" The king asked immediately. 

 Legolas nodded unenthusiastically as he released Gimli, allowing him to lean fully against the trunk of the tree. The Dwarf gave no reply to the question, he simply groaned and clutched his head. Aragorn knew this was a bad sign and moved next to Gimli and held up several fingers before his face.

 "How many?" Aragorn asked, testing Gimli's vision.

 The Dwarf had no idea, "Some." He guessed, hoping the world would stop spinning and that the doubles of Legolas and Aragorn would disappear soon. 

 Aragorn frowned, as did Legolas, "We'll have to get you back to camp. Can you walk?" Aragorn asked.

 Gimli shot him an annoyed look and stood as tall as he could manage, "Course I can, I'm a Dwarf." He valiantly began to walk away from the two, but got only a few steps away before he began to sway. The same arms once more kept him from hitting the ground.

 "Come my friend, a Dwarf you may be, and your skull is thicker than most, but I do not believe you too proud to deny help when it is needed," Legolas said, being careful to phrase his words to not offend his friend or insinuate weakness in any way. 

 Thankfully, Gimli nodded and allowed the Elf to help him, at least until the ground stopped tilting beneath him. As they made their way back to camp they passed Risorine speaking with another guard, he was seemingly unharmed except for a gash running across his forehead. He tilted his head in acknowledgment to them but offered no words of greeting, and made no move to speak to them. Legolas thought this was odd behaviour for someone who had just fought with them, it was customary to speak of a battle in length after a victory. Though he in no way meant to start a conversation, he did call out.

 "Well fought, Risorine." He said as they came closer. The Man looked at them (mostly Legolas), lowered his eyes then grunted a response, which could have been an agreement or a dismissal, and moved away. 

 Gimli was hard pressed to notice, his head throbbed so badly, but Legolas was baffled by the Man's response, but consoled himself with the fact that he had not seen contempt in his eyes for once. For his own part the Elf's shoulder was paining him so badly he could feel the blood throbbing in his ears, so he was sure to assist Gimli with only his right arm.

 With each step Gimli took it upon himself to walk on his own power a little bit more. His head was throbbing, and his vision blurry, but he was at least beginning to see straight again. Legolas noticed this vast improvement and couldn't hold back a small smirk as he whispered to the Dwarf.

 "I counted myself at twenty kills." 

 Gimli looked at his friend and made a grumbling noise, but allowed a smile to grace his lips as well, "I wish I could tell you my number, but I could barely make out the figures I struck, though I do feel it to be somewhere around your count, most likely a little higher." 

 Legolas smirked, but left the insult unchallenged, knowing Gimli was not yet up to their strenuous game of wits. When they reached the camp they headed straight for Aragorn's tent, knowing that was where the medical supplies were kept. The son of Arathorn was known to be such a fine healer that it was not thought necessary to bring a professional doctor. Gimli sat down heavily on a chair and grumbled to himself, something about never going anywhere without his helmet, and a headache the size of the Glittering Caves. Legolas chuckled softly as he sat himself down across from Gimli, and then hissed in pain when he sat on his cloak tails, which in turn rubbed against his cut and torn shoulder. 

 Gimli watched him suspiciously as he stood and unclipped the brooch that was keeping the cloak on his back. He carefully slid the garment off, revealing the wound entirely. He tried to rotate his shoulder but found it too painful nearly half-way around. 

 "I thought I saw you injured, but my eyes were betraying me so badly I was hesitant to bring it up. Is it very painful?" Gimli asked, masking his concern. It was obvious the wound was not life threatening, or greatly debilitating, so he saw no reason to fuss and lecture the Elf about hiding his injuries, which he was often doing. They were both warriors and injuries in battle were always to be expected. 

 "Yes, actually. The wound is not large but those Wargs had long fangs that dig deep," Legolas replied, now inspecting the shoulder for himself. The beast hadn't had time to withdraw his teeth, which would have undoubtedly taken a large deal of the Elf's flesh, so it was mostly two deep puncture wounds on each side of his shoulder with long gashes running from each.

 Both turned as Aragorn entered the tent, Legolas had immediately moved to retrieve his cloak but relaxed when he saw the lord was alone. Aragorn had stayed with his men in the woods for awhile, examining the Warg bodies and trying to track the direction they came from. They needed to know all they could about an enemy or danger, in case they came back. He had looked for Risorine to ask the Man what had happened, but could not find his captain close by. Instead he made his way back to camp and was surprised to see not only Gimli injured, but Legolas nursing several large gashes in his shoulder as well. 

 Aragorn sighed, knowing his friend was often reluctant to speak of his own injuries, and approached to look over the wound, "And when did you plan to tell me you were hurt?" 

 "I had no intention of hiding the injury from you, only your men. They would surely notice the great speed in which I healed from something such as this," Legolas replied truthfully, and then bit back a gasp of pain as Aragorn probed the injured muscle.

 "You're lucky you didn't lose the use of your arm," Aragorn said as he moved to rummage through his pack that held his medicinal herbs and bandages. As he ground up several leaves to make a lotion to fight infection, Legolas removed his tunic painstakingly to make the job easier. 

 "How does your head fair, Gimli?" Aragorn asked as he continued grinding the leaves. 

 "It's still attached, but at this point I think I'd prefer if it wasn't," Gimli replied, still trying to shake the cobwebs.

 "I have some herbs that should help with the pain, they're in my pack. I'll get them in just a moment, after I take care of our injured Elf," Aragorn said, finishing his mixture and moving to apply it.

 "Watch your tongue Aragorn. For the next few weeks, I am to be a Man as any other. And as I recall, Men are subject to make many mistakes, the least of which are in battle. I was merely playing my part," Legolas said, smirking at his own rebuttal, the smile quickly vanished though and was replaced with shock and a hiss of pain as his shoulder was suddenly assaulted by Aragorn's lotion, which stung badly. "You could have warned me."

 "Sorry, just one of my human mistakes I guess," Aragorn said, smiling as he played on Legolas's own words. The Elf made no reply but Aragorn was sure to be a bit gentler as he applied the rest of the medicine. 

 "You fit better into your role than we suspected you would, your own flaws in battle are innumerable," Gimli said, joking now. He had retrieved the herbs himself and was preparing them, hoping they would remove at least a fraction of the pain in his head. 

 "I am not the one who was taken by surprise from behind by two Wargs." Legolas countered, easily fitting into their game.

 "No, you are the one that was taken by surprise by only one," Gimli said, surprising Legolas for it was obvious the Elf had thought that his mind would have been too blurry to recall those details. 

 "It was only to save your hide that I was ..."

"Enough you two, how you can stand each other I'll never know," Aragorn said mostly to himself as he finished the bandages on Legolas's shoulder, "You are both fit enough for now and should try to get some rest. Unless your head needs some additional care Gimli." Aragorn hadn't actually taken a look at the Dwarf's skull but he shook his head, insisting the herbs would do well to hold him over and that he had had much worse. 

 The two friends exited Aragorn's tent, still arguing over who was the worse fighter. After agreeing that they would not be able to settle the issue the two settled down for the night, for both were tired from their battle and injuries. Legolas was sure to sleep on his right shoulder, and Gimli used an extra blanket to make sure his head was properly cushioned. 

 ~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 Aragorn smiled to himself as he watched his two friends leave, still fighting. Their friendship was mind boggling to say the least, but usually entertaining as well. He didn't pretend to completely understand the connection between the two, but he long since accepted it. Still shaking his head, he turned to his packs and repackaged the herbs he had opened for the tending of Gimli and Legolas. When he finished he called forth one of his guards and told him to fetch Risorine. Shortly afterwards his captain entered, a small bandage on his forehead being the only sign that he had recently battled for his life. 

 "Risorine, please sit. I wish to hear all of what transpired in the forest. We would not even have come in search of you if it weren't for Salogel's abrupt departure from camp," Aragorn said. Gimli and Legolas were both injured, though not terribly, and needed their sleep, so he did not wish to ask the tale from them.

 "There is not much to tell my lord," Risorine said, but began the story anyway, "The Dwarf and I were gathering wood when we heard a series of Warg howls in the distance. We both agreed to head back to camp, but we soon found ourselves surrounded by the beasts. An arrow flew by me and killed a Warg that was approaching unseen, and then Salogel jumped out of a tree before us. The Wargs attacked then, and you know how chaotic a battle can be, the Wargs were slain I can tell you that much, but the details are foggy. They did surprise me though, my lord." 

 "Who? The Wargs?" Aragorn asked.

 "Nay, Salogel and Gimli. Most Men that I've met, when faced with danger and peril to their own persons, normally think only of themselves, and their own survival. Especially when fighting Wargs, many of the bravest warriors run, even against small numbers. These two backed down in no way. I may be mistaken in this for I was fighting myself, but I believe that they cared not for themselves even, but for the safety of the other. It is a rare trait in any in this time, and is a good way to get yourself killed. It is a weakness in battle," Risorine said.

 "Nay, it is their strength. They are friends Risorine, and find strength in one another, on and off the battlefield. It is without thought that they risk their lives for one another, it is simply impulse," Aragorn explained. 

 "They're an enigma." Risorine's eyes lowered as he contemplated his companions. 

 Aragorn nodded but the captain did not notice. When he did look up, breaking his own train of thought, he looked slightly ashamed for losing himself in thought as he did. 

 "I'm sorry Lord Elessar, my mind is wandering. It is late, perhaps I should turn in." Risorine suggested quickly. 

 Aragorn was fast to agree, "Of course. Good night then." Risorine saluted and left. 

 Shortly after he left Aragorn went to bed as well, contemplating his captain and his odd line of thinking. Friendship a weakness? That was just not so.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 The sun had been up for several hours by the time Gimli and Legolas awoke the next morning. The night had been long and tiring for both of them so it was not surprising to either of them that they slept longer than usual. Looking about, it was clear they were not the only ones who had overslept as they saw the guards all just beginning to rise as well. 

 "Did you sleep well my friend?" Gimli asked as he lifted himself from his bed. 

 "Not too badly," Legolas replied, then while stretching he accidentally pulled against his injured shoulder and winced, "Though it may have been a bit more pleasant if this arm would hurry up and heal itself." He indicated his shoulder as he slowly tried to rotate it. 

 "Yes, my own head was throbbing so badly I thought I would never find sleep," Gimli said, shaking his head in a vain attempt to ward off the returning headache. 

 "Personally I think that blow to the head did you good. I was not awoken once by your snoring during the night, perhaps you have been cured of it," Legolas said, trying to hide the smirk passing over his face. 

 Gimli grumbled, it was too early to engage his friend in their battle of wits so he decided to try and distract him until he felt more awake, "Didn't Aragorn want you to see him so he could rewrap your shoulder before we were off?"

 Legolas nodded, but hadn't forgotten, "Yes, I should go see him. I wonder when he awoke." Seeing Gimli had no answer for him, the Elf made his way to Aragorn's tent, leaving his friend behind to grumble about his headache. He crossed the camp quickly, acknowledged the guards and then poked his head into the king's tent. 

 Aragorn was packing several things away, knowing they had be on their way once more, but he lifted his head and smiled upon seeing his friend and motioned for him to enter. 

 "Good morning, my friend. How is your arm?" Aragorn asked as Legolas took a seat.

 "It does not pain me too badly, other than that I can tell you little," Legolas said honestly, not having had a chance to look over the wound himself.

 "Better let me take a look then," Aragorn took the bandages from his pack and moved closer to his friend. Legolas painstakingly removed his tunic, that being the only way to reach the wound, and then sat patiently as Aragorn looked him over. 

 "It seems to be healing nicely. Should only take a few days to heal, perhaps a week." Aragorn reported as he checked the shoulder. It looked much better than it had the night before, although he imagined it must still hurt terribly. He quickly rewrapped the Elf's upper arm and gave him some advice in what to do and not do to speed the healing. 

 "What of Gimli? How is his head?" Aragorn asked when he was done.

 "As thick as ever," Legolas said, bringing a smile to Aragorn's face as well as his own, "But he says he still suffers from a headache." 

 Aragorn reached into his pack and then threw Legolas a small pouch, he could tell it was filled with herbs, "Tell him to take some of those, he should feel better." 

 Legolas nodded and put the pouch in his belt then said, "I best go pack my things, I imagine we will be off soon." 

 "Yes, we'll be leaving shortly. Remember to stay on the look-out for more Wargs as we ride, and anything else for that matter. Who knows what unknown creatures may be living in these woods?" 

 "Brelan is sure to be a land of mystery and secrets. I shudder to think what else may be awaiting us on this journey," Legolas said then left to find Gimli. He had only gotten halfway across the camp when he spotted Risorine heading towards him, though his destination appeared to be Aragorn's tent. 

 "Good morning Risorine," Legolas said, not expecting a response. He could almost feel this Man's animosity towards him. 

 "You as well, Salogel," Risorine replied, while plastering an obviously fake smile on his face. He then stopped, clearly indicating he wished to have a word with him. Legolas smiled as non-threateningly as possible and halted as well.

 "I was impressed by your fighting last evening. Well, I shouldn't say that, I was too preoccupied to watch you fight for long, but your timing was impeccable ... or should I say improbable? That was an amazing shot as well, striking an enemy in the dark from twenty yards." Risorine's voice did not speak the same as his words, his tone was sceptical and criticizing. Legolas wondered what this Man was getting at. The only thing he thought he may be implying was that Legolas had somehow known the Wargs would attack. 

 "I am sure you would have seen him yourself if you had been facing the other way," Legolas said, then tried to sidestep the Man, who immediately moved in front of his path. 

 "Nay, it was pitch black. Nothing could be seen beyond several feet before you," Risorine was correct, it was so dark that it would have been an impossible shot for anyone other than an Elf. 

 "I assure you it was pure luck. I chanced to see the light from your torch reflected in the creature's eyes." Legolas offered as an explanation. 

 "Well, a fine shot none-the-less." Risorine walked away then, still not dropping his friendly facade. As he passed him, Risorine patted Legolas roughly on the shoulder. The Elf hissed softly in pain and instinctively dropped his shoulder to avoid any further contact, then continued walking. After he had gone several feet he turned to see Risorine still heading for Aragorn's tent, clearly unsurprised by the Elf's reaction to his touch. 

 _You know more than you let on. Legolas thought to himself as he massaged the torn muscle, trying to alleviate the pain. With a sigh he headed over to Gimli to help with the packing of their belongings. _

 "How's your shoulder?" Gimli asked, looking up from his pack as he heard his friend approach. 

 "Worse than it was a few moments ago," Legolas said, rotating his arm, "I believe Risorine is aware of my injury, though he said nothing of it. I do not understand this Man at all, I have done nothing to him yet he continues to dislike me. It is very likely I even saved his life last night." 

 "That may not have been a good idea," Gimli said, mostly to himself. 

 "Pardon me? You do not think his life was worth saving?" 

 "Nay, that is not what I meant. I meant only that Men do not like it being said, whether true or not, that they needed help against an enemy, no matter how strong. He is most likely insulted that you felt the need to come to our aid at all," Gimli said, searching for the right words to explain what he thought may be going on with the Man.

 "Next time I believe I shall let the Wargs have him." Legolas grumbled beneath his breath as he crossed his arms. 

 "He would mostly likely give them indigestion. But this is not uncustomary behaviour for Men, they tend to be very independent and hesitant to ask for help."

 "You are most likely right my friend, I have observed this of Men also. Well there is little to be done now, we should ready Jarinel," Legolas said, abruptly changing the topic. Gimli agreed and they quickly packed their belongings and readied their steed. 

 The day passed quickly after that. Lord Elessar and his company of guards, a Dwarf, and a hidden Elf, moved swiftly through the forest, wishing to reach Brelan's capital as swiftly as possible. They did not linger to observe any of the surrounding scenery, or take unnecessary breaks in their riding. 

 Aragorn was frequently looking back to the map made by the men he sent earlier to Brelan, and was pleased with their progress. He conversed with Gimli and Legolas whenever he got the chance, enjoying the opportunity to catch up with his friends whom he hadn't seen in nearly three years. Several times the king of Men noticed that Risorine shot the trio odd glares, and there was something in the Man's eyes that Aragorn could not quite identify. There was severe dislike, but sadly Aragorn knew that that was aimed for Legolas, but there was something else. Longing perhaps, but that made little sense, and also sadness. It was a puzzle Aragorn could not solve at the moment, but he hoped he could work it out eventually. 

 The night was as peaceful as the day had been. Look-outs were now set up to watch for Wargs but there were no sightings the entire evening. After a hearty meal, everyone slept soundly until the morning. 

 The next three days passed as such. There was generally fine weather, a few light showers of rain throughout the entire second day, but it was more refreshing than bothersome. They were making good time, and there was not a single sighting of Wargs. The men were all in a fine mood as the journey went smoothly, apart from Risorine who was caught glaring in Legolas's direction several times. 

 It wasn't until the third evening that Aragorn finally found the answer he had been looking for. He sat around the fire with his Men, listening to tales of battle, and some of humor, and even telling a few himself. It was a luxury he took only on journeys, for as royalty, conversing with servants and guards was thought of as somewhat demeaning. Despite Aragorn's thoughts otherwise he kept up that tradition around his senate and council. But here he was free to joke and get to know his men as he wished, and he wished it very much. Risorine was in the middle of a story of a battle he had taken part in, and all listened intently. A detail of the Man's story ignited a memory in Legolas of a similar, but very humorous situation, which he and Aragorn had both witnessed. He whispered this to Aragorn, not to be secretive but mostly because it was in a way, Elvish humor, and the King immediately erupted with laughter as he recalled the event as well. 

 Risorine had just finished his tale, and it had been quite serious in its telling, when Lord Elessar laughed so heartily. He fumed, for it was clear that 'Salogel' was the reason for this outburst, and he came to the conclusion that the 'Man' had mocked him in some way that the King found hilarious. But he was also mad that he had not been able to entertain his Lord in such a manner, for it was clear that Aragorn was very comfortable with both their strange companions. 

 Aragorn looked to Risorine and only then recognized the emotion he had seen in his captain's eyes the past few days. It was jealousy. It finally occurred to the King of Men that Risorine was greatly jealous of Legolas's close friendship with him, there was a bond between the two that the Lord and captain had never been able to establish, therefore never became friends and never achieved true comfort around one another. Risorine longed for his King's approval and to be noticed for his service. Aragorn realised that to Risorine it must appear as though Legolas appeared from nowhere and immediately stole the King's attention, which was not true. It was simply that the captain wished to be trusted and confided in, in a manner of friendship which Aragorn had yet to offer. Not being able to achieve this, Risorine was taking his frustration out on Legolas, who clearly had a strong relationship with the king.

 _I wonder if you fear as well that Legolas will take your place. Aragorn thought to himself, but he would not ask the question. It was now clear what ailed his captain, and it was a disease that had no cure. _

 Soon after, Risorine excused himself and went to bed. Everyone else followed shortly, though the evening had been fun they still had to ride again in the morning. They were after all scheduled to meet up with the escort from Brelan in three days time. 

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 _Not again. Legolas sighed as he awoke once more to the inhumanly loud snoring of Gimli._

 _His head must be healed. _

The Elf looked up and was thankful it was morning, knowing he would never be able to sleep once more now. He smiled and looked about him, wondering if there was a way to awaken his friend as humorously as he had a few mornings before. He suddenly had an idea, but his joke was ruined before it even started. Just as he was reaching for a nearby canister of water to shower Gimli with, the Man in charge of breakfast dropped several of his pans, causing a loud enough bang to wake the Dwarf up. 

 Legolas quickly replaced the water and feigned innocence. 

 Now both awake, the two leisurely prepared for the day, knowing that they were not setting out until late this morning. They had made good time the past few days and were being allowed a small respite from their hard riding. 

 Aragorn left his tent, stretching contently. He had slept well and was pleased with their progress so far. They were ahead of schedule and that meant they would be able to find the Stone of Malinya sooner than expected. His dreams had lately been filled with visions of what Middle Earth would be like if they succeeded; and the dreams were grand indeed. He only hoped he would see them come true. His eyes scoured the camp and he quickly spotted Legolas and Gimli enjoying their breakfast, and joking quietly. Both had healed nicely from their injuries sustained three nights ago in the Warg attack. Gimli had stopped mentioning his headache some time ago, and Legolas's shoulder was close to healed. Although he never spoke of it, Aragorn was sure to continue to change the bandages frequently and saw that the wound was closed but was most likely still healing underneath. Thankfully the Elf had not needed to fire his bow since his injury; Aragorn was sure that any stress on the shoulder would undo all the healing and tear open the wound once more. 

 Seeing that they were done their meal, Aragorn strode up the duo, "Salogel, might I have a word with you? In private?" 

 Legolas nodded, knowing that Aragorn must have wished to speak about the Stone of Malinya, or something Elvish. He told Gimli he would be back shortly, and then he and Aragorn headed towards the edges of the camp, but didn't stop there. They continued on, into the forest. Aragorn's guards began to follow but he ordered them to stay and pack the supplies and promised they would not go far. When they were sure they were out of earshot and that no one was following them they felt it was safe to speak freely. 

 "We will meet up with our escort in a few days. How do you feel about your disguise? Do you think you shall pass as a Man?" Aragorn asked seriously. If they were to go through with this journey, he had to be sure of all variables and of his friend's safety.

 "I do not believe any of your Men are suspect to my true identity, I do not see how the Men of Brelan would see through my disguise. I cannot foresee any problems until we reach Miscalanth, and once we arrive I assure you I will show the utmost caution. I am ready for this quest Aragorn, I have not been spending all my time perfecting my human traits to turn back now," Legolas replied, voicing his confidence in his disguise. 

 Aragorn had been almost certain of what Legolas would say, but he needed to hear it himself. Now that he knew that the Elf felt comfortable with his ruse, he could proceed to Brelan with a lighter heart. The two continued walking, discussing the legend of the Stone and what little was known of Brelan and it was not long before they found they had wandered quite far.

 "I fear I may have accidentally lied to my men when I said we would not go far. I am unsure as to the distance we covered," Aragorn said when they finally stopped. They suddenly found themselves at the top of a large cliff, it was quite high and the rockface sheer, but the view was spectacular. It was fortunate that they came to the cliff, for if not they would have kept on with their stroll through the trees without regard for time or distance covered. 

 Standing on the edge of the cliff they both marvelled at the splendour of the land.

 "An impressive kingdom. It stretches far," Legolas commented as he took in the sight. 

 "Yes, very peaceful," Aragorn said. Legolas turned suddenly, hearing footsteps and low voices around them. Aragorn could not hear them but could tell by the Elf's body language that it was not his guards who approached. 

 Legolas's eyes widened in shocked recognition as a sound filled the air, and he swiftly grabbed Aragorn by the shoulders and pushed him to the ground, "Down!" An arrow soared above them, only inches from their heads. 

 "This land is not as peaceful as it may seem," Legolas said, drawing his bow and notching an arrow. He did not shoot though, the voices and footsteps had stopped so he listened closely to discern in which direction he should fire. Aragorn drew his sword and moved to ready as well. He couldn't help but wonder who was attacking them; they were miles from any area of civilization. He was forced from his thoughts when an arrow flew towards him, which he barely sidestepped. 

 Seeing where the arrow had been launched, Legolas released his own arrow, hoping his aim could be true with his injury. He immediately flinched as his shoulder was pulled terribly, but smiled triumphantly when he heard a yelp come from the woods. Still their attackers did not show themselves though. 

 "Show your faces!" Aragorn demanded, eager to take a shot at these new adversaries who dared to shoot at a King. The only response he received was another arrow directed towards him, but this one headed for his feet and he was forced to step back to avoid being struck. Unfortunately he had not stayed completely alert of his surroundings and as he stepped back his foot caught a piece of unsturdy rock on the very edge of the cliff on which they stood. The rock came loose and crumbled beneath his weight, causing him to lose his balance and send him spiralling off the cliff face. He waved his arms in a desperate attempt to right himself, but it was no good, he was falling, fast. 

 "Aragorn!" Legolas shouted and dropped his bow. With his great speed he turned, dropped to the ground, and clasped Aragorn's wrist tightly just before he fell from reach. Aragorn gripped the wrist in return and tried to find some foothold to haul himself back up, but there was nothing in reach. The Elf cried out softly as the weight of the Man caused his shoulder to buckle and his wound to reopen painfully. The arm had been hurting for several days but this pain was intense. He didn't know how long his grip would last but he knew it would have to or his friend would be lost. 

 Unfortunately, with the Elf laying on his stomach keeping his friend from falling to his death, and Aragorn hanging perilously, only one hand away from the fatal plunge, there was no one to keep back their attackers. The two were far too occupied with their immediate dilemma to worry about them. 

 "Aragorn ... can you ... climb up?" Legolas grinded his teeth against the pain in his shoulder as he watched Aragorn try to find some way to get back up; currently the Elf's grasp was still the only thing keeping him from falling. 

 "I'm trying," Aragorn said, concentrating on finding footholds. 

 Legolas could hear footsteps behind him but couldn't be bothered to turn and see who they belonged to. A soft but sturdy voice suddenly sounded from behind them. 

 "I am Sorinth, and you are intruders to the land of Brelan."

 Legolas turned his head and found himself looking down the shaft of an arrow aimed directly at his head. 

 Turning slightly farther, Legolas could clearly see the arrow's owner. He was a Man of average height with brown hair that reached his ears and appeared only a few years younger than Aragorn. His eyes were the color of storm clouds, gray but with a fierceness hidden underneath and he wore the uniform of a soldier, green with light blue stripes running down the arms.

 The Elf barely gave him a second glance and immediately turned his attention to Aragorn once more. Showing no regard whatsoever for this stranger, Legolas shifted his body and stretched out his other arm as well, desperately trying to get a hold of his friend. The Man, Sorinth he had called himself, took a tiny step back when he did this, but made no move to help. 

 Legolas latched onto Aragorn's arm tightly when he was finally able to shift himself into the Elf's grasp. He now had a firm hold on his friend but if he was going to pull him up it would have to be solely through the strength of his legs, which would not have been an enormous problem regularly but there was nothing around that Legolas could use as an anchor to keep himself from falling as well. He did break himself from his thoughts for a moment and shot the Man beside him a deathly glare, suddenly growing annoyed by his presence. 

 "You have two choices, either back away before I am forced to shoot you with your own bow, or help me." Legolas held Sorinth's gaze, having obviously startled the Man with his words, but he saw in his eyes a discipline that came from training and a hard resolve to stick by one's values. 

 "I will help," With the smallest sigh the Man put down his bow and then knelt beside the Elf, taking hold of Aragorn's arm and thankfully relieving Legolas's left shoulder of the stress of his weight. 

 "Pull together on three," Legolas instructed and was glad that the Man simply nodded, "One, two, three." Working as one the two were able to pull Aragorn back to stable ground with only minor difficulty. The King gasped for air for a moment, exerted by the adrenaline rush accompanying the near-death experience, but momentarily stood and brushed himself off. 

 Their attacker, Sorinth, was picking up his bow but also looking them over intently. Legolas was doing the same, his eyes never straying from the Man as he moved about. Aragorn noticed that the Elf was clearly favoring his left shoulder and knew that the wound had been aggravated and reopened. 

 _I shall have to tend to it later. Aragorn thought and then turned his attention to Sorinth. He was now watching Legolas as he picked up his own weapon, which he had thoughtlessly flung to the ground upon seeing Aragorn fall. _

 "What are you doing in Brelan?" Sorinth asked, still studying the two. 

 Legolas looked him over a final time and then turned to Aragorn, ignoring the question, "Are you well?" 

 Aragorn nodded, knowing he should not ask the same thing of his friend, "Only slightly winded, but next time let's take the stairs." Legolas chuckled and agreed.

 "What are you doing in Brelan?" Sorinth demanded now, and restrung his bow.

  Legolas turned to him, somewhat agitated and said, "Is this how you treat all the guests you invite to your land?" 

 "No, only the intruders," Sorinth replied curtly, then lowered his weapon as he took a step back and motioned behind him. Half a dozen men slowly came from the woods, weapons in hand, and all dressed in the same green uniform. 

 "Friends of yours?" Legolas asked, quirking an eyebrow.

 "My men. I am their leader, Sorinth, as I've said. And you have yet to answer my question." 

 "But we did answer," Aragorn said before Legolas could reply, "We are invited guests to this land. I am Lord Elessar of Gondor."

 Sorinth had the grace to look embarrassed but quickly covered it up. He was smart enough to know to challenge a claim such as this. "I suppose you have proof of this. I have seen few Kings of great lands that travel without a large escort." 

 "I do. You and your men came across us just after we left the rest of my company. They camp directly through the woods in which we just travelled through." Legolas quickly whispered to Aragorn that he could hear his men approaching, "In fact they should be upon us any moment now."

 As if on cue the bellowing voice of Risorine suddenly called out, "Lord Elessar?" It was clear the captain and guards were in search of the two friends, and that made them wonder just how long they had been gone. 

 "Here Risorine!" Aragorn called out, watching as Sorinth ordered his men to lower their weapons, not wishing to start a conflict. 

 Risorine, Gimli, and several guards appeared from the forest and cast a curious and surprised glance towards the Brelan Men. 

 "My lord?" Risorine looked to Aragorn for confirmation that this situation was not hostile. 

 "It is all right Risorine. There was simply a misunderstanding," Aragorn assured his captain. Then Sorinth nodded almost imperceptibly towards Risorine, and oddly enough the Man returned the gesture just as swiftly.

 Gimli strode over and stood next to Legolas, both standing tall and watching over the situation. The Dwarf couldn't help but elbow Legolas and ask, "Can't you go anywhere without getting into trouble?"

 The Elf smiled and replied, "Which one of us had to be rescued from Wargs a few nights ago?"

 "Rescued? Why you merely leant a hand, I assure you I had the situation completely under control," Gimli said, easily brushing off the 'rescue' comment. Both were quiet then as Sorinth and Aragorn spoke to one another.

 "A Dwarf? If you are indeed who you say you will be greatly welcomed to this land. I assume you have the invitation token, if you truly are King Elessar," Sorinth said, sheathing his sword. He was now fairly certain that this Man was who he said, but he still needed to see the friendship token and hear the words of peace. Gimli puffed out his chest slightly upon hearing the Man's words, confirming that Dwarves were thought of very highly in these parts.

 "Of course." Aragorn reached into a pouch attached to his belt that he had been wearing throughout the trip to ensure its safety, and pulled out a small golden apple. The ornament had been given to his company that he sent to Brelan months before and he was to return it to prove he was who he said and speak their words of greetings. He held the apple out to Sorinth.

 "Lesque nils de Shama." Welcome to the land of Brelan. Sorinth said formally, taking the apple.

 "Resa mos terut." It's an honor to be here. Aragorn replied, then both bowed as officially as they spoke. 

 Sorinth smiled, knowing for sure that Aragorn was who he said as he recited the customary Brelan greeting in their own tongue, and returned the gift given to his servants. 

 "I am pleased that you have made it safely to our land. And I apologize for our actions; we were not expecting you for several more days," Sorinth explained as everyone began to relax.

 "I would have made the same assumptions in your place. As for the time of our arrival, I must admit that baffles me as well. I had not thought we would be reaching the rendezvous for three more days," Aragorn admitted, fully understanding the Man's actions.

 Sorinth nodded and then spoke loudly, clearly addressing his men, "It is Lord Elessar! He has spoken our words and greeted us honourably. It is now our duty to escort him safely to our King in Miscalanth."

 Aragorn accepted this and then indicated the way to their camp, "We must first return to our camp to fetch the rest of my men and our belongings."

 "Of course," Sorinth said, motioning for Aragorn to lead the way. 

 Aragorn and Sorinth walked side by side back to camp, with Risorine not far behind, eyeing the newcomers warily. The Men of Gondor and Brelan began mingling at once and followed behind their leaders, and Gimli and Legolas strode at the end of the group. 

 Legolas slung his bow over his shoulder and winced involuntary as the action pulled at the injury. Gimli noticed this and frowned.

 "Why do I have the feeling I missed something interesting?" The Dwarf asked, quirking an eyebrow.

 Legolas chuckled softly and said, "Let us just say that the Men of Brelan made a memorable first impression and leave it at that."

 "Did you run into any difficulties on your journey?" Sorinth asked Aragorn as they walked to the King's camp. It was a good distance away so they were making idle chatter as they travelled through the splendid forest.

 "The weather was fine and enjoyable. A pack of Wargs was our only excitement, and they were easily taken care of," Aragorn replied.

 "Wargs are a bit of a problem around these parts but there are less and less as you get closer to Miscalanth. I take it your men sustained no injuries," Sorinth said, edging the tiniest hint of concern into his voice.

 "They all came out unscathed, but we were much more wary after that," Aragorn said, making a point not to mention Gimli and Legolas's injuries. 

 They arrived at the camp swiftly and when Aragorn and his men had packed their belongings, they then had formal introductions. Aragorn and Sorinth stood before one another, each with their men lined up behind them. Gimli was introduced last so as to keep the Men of Brelan guessing as to the reason for the Dwarf's presence, Aragorn also made sure to skim over Legolas just as quickly as his guards, not wishing to draw attention to the Elf. His earlier instructions were followed to the letter and all his men kept their hoods drawn up as they were told to. The Men of Gondor assumed this was an unspoken tradition of Brelan so thought nothing of it, while the Men of Brelan thought it must be a tradition in the land of Minas Tirith so made no mention of it either, just as Aragorn had hoped. 

 After everyone was formally introduced they were on their way once more, their group now increased from twelve to nineteen.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 The day passed quickly enough with all the Men getting to know one another, forging friendships quickly with the Men they would be travelling with for the next two weeks. Legolas made it a point to stay away from the group as often as possible, a few of the Men of Brelan thought this was odd behaviour but Aragorn's guards assured them that, that was how he had been acting the entire journey, and it wasn't due to their company.

 Gimli quickly became a favorite of the Men of Brelan, they enjoyed his stories greatly and had a wonderful time jesting with the delightful and witty Dwarf. Of course Gimli couldn't help but allow all this attention to affect his pride at least a little, maybe a lot.

 Sorinth and Aragorn hit it off immediately, finding a nearly instant bond of friendship between them, despite their odd initial introduction. The Men traded tales of their respective lands and Sorinth taught Aragorn many of the traditions and customs of Brelan. For this the King of Gondor was forever thankful, for he hated entering a culture whose customs he didn't know, he felt it disrespectful. 

 Then there was Risorine. He spoke with the several of the new Men, but continually watched the two who were in charge of their mission. To most it would seem as though he were suspicious of these Men, Sorinth especially, but the truth was he was writhing with jealousy and annoyance. Once more a newcomer had entered the picture and immediately stolen his Lord's attention. It was bad enough that he had not been around when Aragorn was ambushed, but now his attacker had quickly become his latest confidant. The captain was beginning to think he did not fit in with Aragorn at all and idly wondered if the King of Brelan needed a bodyguard. But at least his focus was finally drawn from Legolas.

 Man and Elf sat in the King's tent once more that evening, much the same as they had three nights before with Aragorn rummaging through his bag for bandages and Legolas slowly removing his tunic. There had been no time throughout the day in which the Elf had been able to take care of his wounded shoulder and now he was feeling the effects. The entire day had been painful as every bump on the road had jarred his arm worse, but he gritted his teeth and suffered through it, refusing to let a few Warg bites expose his disguise. 

 Aragorn sighed as he sat next to his friend and looked over the wound, it had definitely been reopened and had been bleeding all day, and, the King knew, probably had been very painful. It had been healing nicely but now nearly all the damage was redone as the stress on the shoulder had been too great. 

 "This is never going to heal if you don't rest it," Aragorn reprimanded Legolas, mostly out of habit since he could hardly blame the Elf for being the cause of the injury.

 "Do not make it a point to fall off any more cliffs and you shall not have to worry," Legolas countered easily, then hissed a breath as Aragorn slowly began rotating the shoulder.

 "I believe you've strained the muscle as well as reopening the wound," Aragorn said, sounding much like the healer he sometimes was.

 "I would not be surprised; you are much heavier than you look." 

 "Thank you for the helping hand, you know it is greatly appreciated," Aragorn said as gratefully as he could, "There is a little else I can do. You must try not to strain yourself anymore though." 

 "I will be sure to get enough sleep and clean off my plate as well," Legolas said, mocking his friend for his concern over an injury that was annoying at the most.

 "Yes, do that too," Aragorn replied chuckling. He then left the tent and walked out into the night and began gazing at the stars while Legolas took a moment to put on his shirt and straighten out his appearance.

 They set up camp late for they wished to travel as far as possible in the light of day, so by the time the fire was built that night the stars could already be seen clearly in the night sky. A large fire was built and almost all gathered around it, some were posted to be on the lookout for Wargs, but with so large a group the chance of attack was low. Sorinth was talking with his own men and Aragorn was standing near the edge of the clearing, gazing into the night sky. Risorine saw this and thought it was a good opportunity to speak with his Lord, but just as he stood to walk over Legolas appeared suddenly from nowhere and they began talking immediately. Risorine didn't think he could take this for much longer, but he sighed and sat down once more, knowing he could speak to Aragorn later. Risorine's actions did not go unnoticed by Sorinth though and the Man frowned deeply.

 Derist, one of the Brelan Men, had been strolling around the edges of the camp when he heard the odd speech. He looked around and saw two men further along the path; normally he would have just let them be but something drew him nearer. His stealth talents had always been extraordinary and he crept a little closer to the two without being detected. As he approached he could clearly see one of the Men was Lord Elessar. Now he definitely knew he should not be listening to this conversation, not that he understood any of it. But the words captivated him and he had to continue listening. 

 "Mithril an nauth." Mithril for your thoughts. The other man said. Derist was soon able to identify him as Salogel, though he had to admit he had paid little attention to the 'Man'.

 Aragorn smiled and replied, "Brelan avorn anglenna." Brelan quickly approaches.

 "A si im nauth lend an ha." And here I thought we were travelling to it. Salogel said, brightening the King's smile even further. Derist had no way of knowing what was being said but had clearly heard the word 'Brelan', so listened to the rest of the conversation in case they switched back to Common Speech. They did not though and he was able to make out nothing more of their conversation, except what he thought had been the word "Malinya", but he was sure he was wrong. The Stone of Malinya was long since lost and he quickly pushed that thought to the back of his mind.

 Legolas and Aragorn stood looking up at the night sky and talking quietly, in Elvish. There was no real reason for doing so other than that they knew no one was around and it had been some time since either had spoken in the magical language.

 "Why does the thought of Brelan distress you?" Legolas asked, kicking a rock absently.

 "Brelan brings me no true distress, it is my thoughts of finding Malinya's stone that weigh me down. I worry that we will not be able to find it, or that it may not exist at all. My dreams have been filled with visions of finding the Stone, and the peace it would bring. My heart is set on these dreams and I fear it may break if they do not come to life." Aragorn admitted with a soft sigh.

 Legolas did not reply for a few moments and then said, "Middle Earth has survived through much, and it will continue to thrive whether we find the Stone or not. As for your worry, in all my years of experience I can tell you this, it does you no good. Especially when you have no control over what is yet to come. I would advise you to push it from your mind, but I know you well son of Arathorn. You will continue to ponder and doubt until the day we reach Miscalanth, so until then know that I will always be here if you need to talk."

 "Thank you my friend. You're right, I worry needlessly. I believe that meeting with our escort has unnerved me. We must have gone much faster than we believed to have arrived three days early." As he spoke, Aragorn turned and began to head back to the camp, and Legolas followed in stride.

 "I like to think of it as taking three days more off our quest, and the length of time until we can return the Stone safely to the inhabitants of Middle Earth," Legolas said, speaking his last Elvish sentence for many days as they re-entered the camp.

 Derist walked away from his hiding place, wishing he could have understood the strange conversation, but also somehow grateful that he had had a chance to hear it at all. When he saw Lord Elessar and Salogel enter the camp and then begin to settle in for the night, he finally followed and joined the group as well. He immediately sought out Sorinth, wishing for someone to speak to right away.

 "Captain, may I speak with you a moment?" Derist asked when he finally found Sorinth readying a few things for the morning.

 "Of course Derist, what is it?" Sorinth said, curious as to what could need his attention at so late an hour. 

 "Does Gondor have its own language?" Derist asked, unsure of how much he should admit to at this point.

 "I'm not sure, I've never asked. But I would assume it does, as all great kingdoms should. Why?" 

 "A piece of conversation I heard only, between Lord Elessar and Salogel, I believe his name was. I couldn't understand what they were saying, it was unlike any speech I've ever heard. Musical almost. Gondor is privileged to have such a beautiful language." Derist seemed to become lost in thought as he remembered the sound of the Elvish tongue.

 "Is that all?" Sorinth asked, breaking his man from his thoughts.

 "Yes sir, I was just curious. I better turn in for the night." Sorinth nodded his approval and Derist quickly sped away. 

 Sorinth found his eyes drifting through the camp, searching until he found his target. There, sitting by the fire talking quietly with Gimli, was Salogel. Sorinth suddenly realized that though he had been introduced there had been no true explanation as to the presence of Salogel. He had been alone with the Lord and that conveyed a position of importance, and he was clearly not one of Aragorn's guards, so what was this Man doing on this journey? Sorinth didn't know at this time, but he planned to find out.

 The next day passed quickly and consisted of riding, eating, and resting, as did the day after that. The weather was amazingly good, and all knew their luck would soon dwindle but until then they enjoyed the warm rays of the sun and the slight breeze on their skin. Legolas did a fabulous job of keeping his identity a secret and skillfully dodged any questions he did not feel entirely comfortable with. He was glad to find that Risorine no longer shot him looks of hatred as they rode, but he was disheartened when he noticed that Sorinth glanced at him oddly from time to time. Another mystery to unravel. His shoulder was healing as well and it would be at a hundred percent in two days or so, thanks to Aragorn's administrations.

 Gimli was getting along nicely with the Men of Brelan and on occasion even rode with several of them instead of with Legolas. The Elf didn't mind, in fact he preferred riding alone, and Gimli talking to their escort took any attention off himself.

 Aragorn and Sorinth spoke often and always rode side by side, with Risorine shortly behind of course. All couldn't have gone better for those first three days that the two companies spent together, but on the fourth day, things began to go a little downhill, at least for our members of the fellowship.

 On this, the fourth day of their journey with their Brelan escort, they were also accompanied by a series of short rain showers that ranged from sleet to slight drizzle. The sun didn't come out once and all were beginning to find themselves in a foul mood due to the cold and wetness of it all. After a gloomy and uneventful day of riding the rain began to let out until it was almost non-existent, knowing it may not last long the company made camp beneath a large collection of wide branched trees that would deflect as much rain as possible. Emotions were flaring and moods were bad, at least until a fire was built. After everyone was fed and warmed the mood became much cheerier especially since the rain had stopped. 

 Aragorn sat by Sorinth, away from the rest of the Men, and talked about their common interest of the land of Brelan.

 "So, you have both a large standing army and a plentiful supply of crops. Brelan sounds like a wonderful place, tell me of your judicial system." Aragorn requested, yearning for more information about their hosts.

 "Practically non-existent really. There is crime, and there are guards and watchmen to prevent it, but we've never had any serious problems with the crime rate. We have very strict punishments for those caught and found guilty of crimes and that more than sends the message that crime doesn't pay in Brelan," Sorinth replied, his voice edging near proud. Aragorn was not surprised by this, he had found out much about this Man in the past few days, least of which was that he was a good man, but could be ruthless when necessary. His battle stories conveyed that he showed no mercy to his enemies and felt they deserved any fate they received. 

 They spoke for awhile longer, comparing the resources of Brelan and Gondor and finding that their kingdoms had much they could offer each other. It didn't take long for both Men to get extremely caught up in the conversation, and it wasn't until Aragorn felt himself being watched that he looked around the camp to find the reason. He found the source immediately; Risorine. 

 The Lord of Gondor mentally sighed and chastised himself for breaking his own promise. He had assured himself that he would talk to Risorine and find out what was on his mind, he knew he needed to form a stronger bond with the Man who guarded his life, and yet in the last three days he couldn't think of a time he had even talked to Risorine. Aragorn felt a pang of guilt that he knew he deserved. What was done was done, he knew, but he also re-promised himself that he would talk to his Captain very soon.

 "Tell me about Salogel." Sorinth requested suddenly, breaking Aragorn from his train of thoughts. The question took him by surprise as it had nothing to do with their previous topic, but he had been preparing an answer, just as he had with Risorine.

 "What do you wish to know?" Aragorn asked, then allowed his gaze to wander to Legolas, who sat on watch away from the group.

 "It's clear that you're friends, that much was obvious by our first meeting, but I was curious as to why he is on this journey with you. He's clearly no guard, and does not seem to be a guide of any sort," Sorinth said, clarifying his reasons.

 "He is a close friend of mine; I have known him for many years. He is a wonderful tracker and has a bond with nature such as you've never seen. I find him useful to have on all journeys, but it was him who wished to go on this particular one. He has a great interest in the cultures of all people and wanted greatly to see Brelan, so I allowed him to come," Aragorn replied casually.

 _If he has such an interest in our culture why does he never speak to any of the Men? Sorinth thought, but kept it to himself. He then quickly changed the subject, pushing his curiosity to the back of his mind._

 Legolas sat by himself, lounging against the trunk of a tree as he took his turn on watch. Normally he would have wished to be with the group and join in the discussions and fun but on this journey he was perfectly content to be by himself for the moment. Any talk with anyone other than Aragorn or Gimli caused him great unease, not just for fear of revealing himself, but also because he had little true experience dealing with humans. Aragorn was one of his dearest friends of course, but although human in all accounts, the Man knew what it was to be like and around Elves so Legolas enjoyed his company greatly. Gimli was his best friend and he also found it easy to speak with the Dwarf about anything, and banter with him for long hours, but Men, that was new to him. They seemed almost crude when they dropped their masks of obedience that they took up when they guarded their king. He had lived in Mirkwood all his life and never before had been out of the company of his own kind for so long, except while in the fellowship but that was under far different circumstances. 

 So, not feeling the least put off that he was not in the company of Men, Legolas sat by himself, studying his bow and arrows while keeping his eyes and ears alert all the while. His gaze wandered over to the campfire eventually as he wondered what Gimli was doing. Oddly enough, just then his name was called out by his friend.

 The fire blazed brightly as the Men of Brelan, Gondor, and the lone Dwarf, sat around it, sharing tales of battle and humor. Gimli was currently telling one of his more impressive tales; the battle of Helm's Deep. He did not give a preceding story explaining what the situation had been, for that would have taken too long, and he was reluctant to talk about the quest of the ring with the Men who knew nothing about it. So he kept the finer details to himself and said only that there was a good reason for the battle. Of course, Dwarves were known to have a tendency of embellishment in their tales, especially of battle, but this story was mostly told in its entirety for it was an amazing one no matter what, and little needed to be added.

 "The Orcs kept coming and coming, you couldn't turn around without a black snarling face marring your vision, but we all battled on. My ax served me well in that battle as I sliced at the Orcs, neck after neck was severed from the bodies of which they were attached. The fight raged on for hours, there was no time for rest for that would mean your death ..." Gimli was interrupted by one of the men of Gondor.

 "How many did you slay? Surely you kept track."

 "Of course I did. It was some time ago now though," Gimli said, searching his mind for the number of enemies killed. Knowing he would never be able to remember he called out:

 "Salogel!" Legolas turned as his false name was called and looked at Gimli expectantly from his place at watch, "What was your count of Orc kills at Helm's Deep?"

 "Forty-one!" Legolas called back without a moment's hesitation, then added, "One more than yourself." It wasn't true, but he was curious to find out if Gimli remembered or not.

 Gimli gruffed slightly under his breath, "That's a lie my friend, and you know it. My own count was forty-two!" 

 Legolas brushed it off with a casual wave of his arm, "As you wish." And then leaned back against his tree once more.

 "We played a game based on who could gather more kills of their enemy, I knew I had beaten him by one. Now, where was I?" Gimli was eager to continue his tale but was interrupted once more by one of the Brelan Men.

 "Salogel was at this battle as well?"

 "I dare say yes, he fought beside me at all times, just as strong and courageously as any Man before him. You've seen his skill with the bow, I assure you any Orc he took aim at was dead before he notched his arrow," Gimli replied, his voice conveying his conviction about the matter.

 "Let's get him over here then. See if he can collaborate this tale of yours. Salogel, come and tell us if this Dwarf speaks the truth or embellishes his tale!" The Man called out to Legolas. 

 "Perhaps some other time, I will not put down my watch, but you have my assurances he tells the truth, at least as he sees it," Legolas said, not wishing to join in the conversation. He was having a wonderful time just gazing at the stars and listening to the sounds of the night.

 "You don't want to hear him anyway, horrible story teller he is. As I was saying, it was then that I was separated from Legolas and the others ..."

 "This Legolas you speak of, was he Man or Dwarf?" Another of the Brelan Men asked, causing Gimli to doubt that he would ever get through his tale uninterrupted. 

 The Dwarf suddenly wondered if it had been a good idea to mention Legolas in the tale. He had not wanted to leave him out so thought that by putting both Legolas and 'Salogel' in the tale, no one would be the wiser as to the Elf's identity. He was not one to lie outright and he would not do so now either.

 "He's an Elf actually," Gimli said casually, hoping to continue with the story, but the Men of Brelan would have none of it. 

 "An Elf! I thought Dwarves and Elves were long enemies." The Men of Brelan seemed absolutely insulted by the mention of an Elf.

 "They were, and sadly still are in most areas, but a few of us have found that some Elves are ... tolerable." Gimli managed to catch Legolas's eye and smiled, knowing he had heard his words. 

 "Unlike many Dwarves," Legolas said under his breath and pretended not to hear the conversation.

 "Friends with an Elf, I've never heard such a thing. What would be the point? Treacherous, horrible creatures." The Man from Brelan brushed off the idea, as did all the others. 

 "I'll have you know that some of my better friends are Elves. I should take you to see the Lady Galadriel, she would change your mind," Gimli said, anger hinting in his voice, then confidence as he thought of the Queen Elf. 

 "Well then my opinion of you Master Dwarf has been greatly flawed. I have heard of Galadriel, Witch of the Woods, she has put you under a spell, so I forgive you your words." The Man continued, not knowing how fragile the ice he walked on was. 

 Gimli stood, now furious, "Do not speak of things of which you know nothing. Any Elf would be the superior to a Man such as yourself." 

 This angered the Men of Brelan greatly, and they stood now as well. As for the Men of Gondor, they had kept silent but most knew that Elves were wonderful creatures and that their own King loved one greatly, so stood beside the Dwarf, on his side in this matter. Fortunately, before any more words of anger could be thrown, Aragorn and Sorinth appeared and stepped between the two sides.

 "Peace, all of you!" Aragorn shouted. Everyone backed down slightly, and a few had the decency to look away, but Gimli stood his ground as firm as ever. The Lord of Minas Tirith knew better than try to resolve the conflict, so decided breaking it up was the best he could do, "There will be no more of this tonight. It's late, you should all get some sleep." 

 None wished to back down but all knew they must, and very slowly they all moved away from the fire and began to settle in for the night. Once the tension had died down Aragorn sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair.

 "I must apologize for my men, they tend to be headstrong over many matters," Sorinth said.

 Aragorn studied the Man for a moment, hearing only duty in his words, he knew that Sorinth also had ill feelings towards the Elves for he did not truly apologize for their words, only their actions.

 "Do not worry yourself, I'm sure it will not happen again." He said this loud enough so everyone heard, feeling hopeful it would keep tempers in order. Sorinth excused himself, intent on rest as well, leaving Aragorn alone by the fire. 

 Knowing he should talk to Legolas, Aragorn walked to the edge of the camp where the Elf had been keeping watch. He briefly wondered if he had heard the conversation.

 _More than likely, he seems to hear everything. Aragorn thought to himself. He stopped suddenly as he neared the borders of their camp. _

 Legolas was gone.

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 Being unable to listen any longer, Legolas had left his post near the end of the argument between Gimli and the Men of Brelan. He greatly appreciated his friend's attempt to stand up for the Elves but knew it was probably useless; he had learned long ago that hate was a hard thing to cure. Though he did wish greatly that he knew the cause of the Men's hatred, there had to be a reason, but he could think of no way of finding out without being suspicious. Perhaps he could get Gimli to enquire, but that would most likely start another fight, and he did not wish that.

 He now found himself much more relaxed as he dangled his feet from the high branches of the tree he had climbed. When the fight had started he had wished greatly to defend his people, and especially the Lady Galadriel, but knew he should not. His only option was to walk away, if he hadn't he was sure he would have joined in the argument, and that could only make matters worse. 

 As he sat listening to the murmur of the trees he heard the sound of soft footsteps approaching. Craning his head only slightly he was able to see one of the Men of Brelan walking through the forest beneath him, seemingly looking for something. The rain was still coming down lightly so his hood was drawn, making it impossible for Legolas to see his face. Knowing he couldn't relax with the Man walking around below him, he decided to help him find what he was looking for.

 "Are you searching for something?" Legolas asked, loud enough to be heard clearly over the rain.

 The Man looked up and Legolas was surprised to see that it was Algoral, a Man from Brelan, but the Elf clearly recalled that he had been sitting with the group when the argument broke out. The Man hadn't said anything but had looked saddened by his companions' words and Legolas did not think that he agreed with the other Men of Brelan on the matter of Elves. 

 "You actually. May I join you?" Algoral asked kindly. 

 Legolas nodded and grabbed the branch above his head, "I will come down." He offered, knowing it would be a hard climb for most humans.

 "Do not bother." The Man began climbing the tree with great skill and was soon sitting on the branch next to Legolas. The Elf was surprised at his abilities, so much so that it was written on his face, "I have been climbing since I was young, it is a pastime of mine, as it must be yours." 

 "I see. Did you seek me out to discuss things we may have in common?" Legolas asked lightly, not knowing what he could talk about with this Man.

 "No, I wished to apologize for the behaviour of my companions, they are very narrow-minded sometimes." Algoral said, meeting Legolas's gaze. 

 Feeling suddenly uncomfortable Legolas looked away, into the night, "Why would you feel the need to apologize to me?"

 "Because of a theory I have." Algoral moved so swiftly that Legolas never had time to react or defend himself, and he suddenly found himself with his hood pulled back, and his Elven features exposed for the entire world to see. 

 Algoral smiled triumphantly as he took in the pointed ears and golden locks of hair, "You're an Elf!"

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 Before Algoral could blink Legolas had him pinned against the trunk of the tree, his hand over the Man's mouth and his fore-arm putting just the right amount of pressure on his throat.

 "If you speak of this to anyone I promise they will be the last words you utter." Legolas threatened him seriously, his voice dropping several notches. 

 "I will not, I promise. I am very good at keeping secrets, it has just been a long time since I have seen another Elf. Does the rest of your company know?" Algoral asked, not the least bit frightened by Legolas's threat, but it was obvious he knew it would be followed through.

 Legolas released him, made himself comfortable on the branch once more and replied, "Lord Elessar and Gimli only." 

 "I see." Algoral moved into his former position on the branch as well.

 "The others must not know," Legolas reiterated.

 "Oh, you should have no fear of that. You see, I myself have a few secrets that require keeping," As he said this Algoral drew back his own hood. "Besides, us Elves have to stick together." 

 Legolas turned in surprise, unwilling to believe such a claim, but then smiled. This 'Man', was indeed an Elf like himself. His hair was golden blond but cut much shorter than Legolas's and his ears were as pointed as any's.

 "That was very cruel," Legolas said, smiling good-heartedly and switching to Elvish. He didn't understand why he was here, but Legolas was thrilled beyond joy to see another Elven face.

 Algoral spoke Elvish now as well, "Yes, it was, and I apologize but I had to be sure I was right before I revealed myself needlessly." Algoral explained, but it wasn't necessary, Legolas understood completely.

 "Tell me, what gave me away?" 

 "Small things that Men would not tend to notice. First off you looked far too comfortable riding your horse with no reins or saddle, it is something I have had to learn to live with. You also seem extremely uncomfortable all the time, not just when you are around the other Men, but generally uncomfortable as if your own clothes have done you offence," Algoral said.

 "Men's clothes are horrible are they not?" Legolas asked, wondering if it was just him.

 "Wretched, I agree. There was also the strange language that Derist told me of, he said it was musical and I could think of few tongues that could be described that way. And when I noticed you had left during the middle of the Dwarf's argument that pretty much told me all I needed to know." Algoral finished.

 "It would appear my disguise was not as good as I once thought." Legolas mused to himself, though he knew that few of those things could have been helped.

 "Nay, it is well done. All hints were very subtle, it has taken myself nearly two years to perfect my own disguise." 

 "Two years? Why have you been with these Men so long? And tell me also where you hail from." Legolas requested kindly.

 "I come from Lothlorien, I believe you know my queen, Galadriel," Algoral said, smiling softly as he remembered her.

 "It would be hard indeed to forget someone as she." 

 "Very true. I was sent to Brelan to learn about these Men and why they hate our kind. I believe there should be no prejudices such as this in our world, and hoped to help, if only a little, where I could in the land of Brelan," Algoral said. The sadness in his voice answered Legolas's next question for him.

 "I take it, it has not gone well?" 

 "Not exactly. I have changed few minds and found only that hatred can run deeper than I once thought. But at least I found out the cause for their malice towards our people." Algoral pulled up his hood now as the rain became worse.

 "Do not leave me in wonder. Tell me the reason, if you will." Legolas asked.

 "Of course, I am glad to share what I have learned. Long ago the Elves and Men of Brelan lived in peace, in fact they got along wonderfully and often pooled their resources and joined together in their times of need." Algoral spoke at length. "There was one Elf in particular, I could not find out his name, but he was so trusted in the land that he was the Head Advisor to the King in that time, and his opinion was highly valued in all military matters. There came a time when Brelan and the Men of a nearby kingdom started a great battle, it is not even remembered what started it after all these years, but the war was fierce and Brelan was losing badly, all under the instructions of this Elf leading their armies. They were lucky though, they were able to gain the element of surprise in a rather important battle in the war and things began to even out. 

 "Then the Elf instructed the armies to meet the enemy at a pass in the mountains for what would be the final battle. He assured them that there would be hundreds of Elven archers waiting for them at the mountain tops to aid Brelan and they believed him. So the day of the battle came and the Men marched proudly, assured that they would win."

 "The Elves never came," Legolas said, filling in the blank when Algoral paused.

 "That is what they say. Brelan won the battle eventually but with a great many casualties, and there had been no Elf in sight. When the survivors of the battle returned to report what had happened the Elf advisor had disappeared, they never saw him again. Now the Men of Brelan have vowed never to trust Elves again, this vow has been twisted into complete hatred and they believe all our kind to be treacherous and conniving. It is a sad thing, truly." Algoral voice dropped to a whisper as he spoke his last few words.

 Legolas thought deeply about all this, fitting it into the puzzle of Brelan. It made sense and he was anxious to hear more, about the land and this mystery Elf. 

 Algoral was curious as well though and asked his question first, "You know about my reasons, now tell me of your own. Surely it is not on a whim that you disguised yourself so and joined the company of King Elessar. And am I right in thinking that you are the infamous Legolas of which your Dwarf friend speaks so highly?"

 "You would be correct, I am Legolas but Salogel must remain my name for this journey. I am from Mirkwood. And my reasons for joining this company are complicated to say the least, let us just say that it was Aragorn's wish that I come along and I strongly agreed," Legolas said, and then continued without giving Algoral a chance to interrupt, "We have been gone very long, we should return before anyone misses us." 

 Algoral nodded in agreement and readied himself to jump from the tree when Legolas caught his arm. He looked at the other Elf and saw a question burning in his eyes.

 "What is it?" Algoral asked. 

 "You have been with these humans for two years. In all that time has no one discovered who you are?" Legolas could not believe that he had been able to hide his identity for so long in a society where Elves were so hated.

 "No, I gave them no opportunity." Algoral smiled, a thought suddenly striking him, "There is something I must show you. It will not take long." He continued when he saw Legolas's questioning gaze, "I assure you, it will make your life as a Man much easier." 

 "Very well." Legolas agreed, still slightly suspicious.

 "Wonderful." Algoral said, and reached into a pouch attached to his belt. He poured a small amount of its contents onto his hand, it was a fine powder of some sort that shimmered even in the darkness of the night. 

 "Lothron i esgal heb pan dolen." May the veil keep all concealed. Algoral said softly and then blew the dust over Legolas. 

 The Elven prince began coughing harshly and he had to grip the tree tightly to keep from falling as his vision began to blur. Shortly afterwards he found he could see nothing at all.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn wasn't sure what to do. He knew that the argument between Gimli and the Brelan Men had most likely upset his friend, but it wasn't like Legolas to leave his post so suddenly. He finally decided that he would give the Elf a few minutes by himself and then go in search of him. Of course, there was no way he could be sure to find him, Aragorn knew better than anyone that if Legolas didn't want to be found he would remain hidden indefinitely.

 He sat down by the now deserted fire and stared into the flames. As if their quest had not been complicated enough, now he had the prejudice of the Brelans to deal with. He couldn't understand how the hatred of these people had continued for so long, unprovoked. He guessed it was just another perfect example of the stubbornness of Men. His thoughts slowly drifted towards the Stone of Malinya, and he wondered again if he was right in bringing his friends on this quest, without proof of the Stone's presence. 

 Aragorn was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the soft footsteps behind him, for they were mostly drowned out by the light rain. He was slightly startled when a hand fell on his shoulder, breaking him from his thoughts.

 "Legolas, I didn't hear you approach. I was about to go look for you," Aragorn said, glad to see his friend had returned on his own.

 The Elf smiled brightly, but appeared rather anxious about something, "I have been having a rather interesting conversation with Algoral. Come, I have something to show you, and much to tell you." 

 Legolas seemed very eager so Aragorn quickly agreed and they made their way to the King's tent. As he walked by, Legolas grabbed Gimli's arm and directed the Dwarf to Aragorn's tent. When all three were together they made sure that no one was nearby and they would not be heard.

 "Now, what is this all about Master Elf?" Gimli demanded, also noticing Legolas's odd behaviour.

 "After I left camp Algoral followed me and we began talking. He knows I am an Elf." Legolas started off.

 "What? How?" Aragorn was almost at a loss for words, he had thought Legolas's disguise was perfect.

 "This ruins everything," Gimli said.

 "Nay, it is much better this way," Legolas said, and received odd looks from his friends, "Algoral is an Elf as well. He has been living with the Men of Brelan for several years." 

 "How is that possible? Surely he would be discovered," Aragorn said, just as sceptical as Legolas had been.

 "Not necessarily, he showed me how it was done, and I will show you. I hope it worked," Legolas said, and then drew his hood back from his face. Aragorn and Gimli sat in shocked silence. 

 "By the Havens," Aragorn whispered, unbelieving.

 "I take it, it worked then." Legolas smiled.

 "If you were supposed to become a Man, than it worked wonderfully," Gimli said, still in partial shock. 

 Indeed the Elf now gave off the perfect likeness of a Man. His golden hair seemed not as ethereal as usual and his skin no longer glowed at all, but what were most amazing were Legolas's ears. They were no longer pointed, instead they were rounded at the top, just as any normal Man. Gimli and Aragorn were shocked beyond words but the Elven prince seemed all too happy with himself.

 "What do you think? Do I pass with my new disguise?" Legolas asked, enjoying his friends' shocked expressions.

 "How is this possible?" Aragorn finally asked.

 "It is an Elvish magic devised by Galadriel herself, or so says Algoral. He says it is how he has stayed hidden all these years. It is called The Mist of Concealment, and before you ask I have no idea how it works," Legolas replied.

 "Does it hurt?" Gimli was still looking closely at the Elf's new ears and couldn't imagine a change like that not being painful.

 "My ears are not actually changed Gimli, they only appear to be. To the touch they are as they always were, the Mist simply conceals them. The concealment process itself is not extremely painful, at first it caused me to cough somewhat harshly but Algoral assures me it gets better with every use. Apparently it lasts only several hours, but it is more than I could have asked for." Legolas's voice relayed a clear relief in his voice, which was only natural for now the matter of his disguise was secure and he almost certainly would never be discovered as an Elf.

 "It is a fine disguise and should make this quest much easier. We must thank Algoral, in private of course. And as shocking as this new development is, you said there was also something you must speak with us about," Aragorn said, prodding the Elf for information.

 "Yes, I have learned why it is the Men of Brelan so dislike the Elves," Legolas said, then proceeded to repeat the tale Algoral had told him. When he was finished he added, "I do not believe that is it all of it, but I am unsure if this Elf simply knows no more is keeping it from me." 

 "Either way we should be wary. We know little about Algoral, though he does seem to be an ally you can never be too sure," Gimli said, trying to think back to any time he had spoken with the Elf.

 "Well Legolas, learn as much about him as you can and keep us posted. It would be nice to have another ally on this trip, but he is not to know about our true reasons for this mission until you are sure he is trust-worthy," Aragorn said.

 Legolas nodded in agreement, "I understand, he will know nothing of our true reasons until I am certain. Now I believe we should all get some rest, it has been a day rather full of surprises."

 Everyone agreed and they parted company and then readied for the night. Sleep came over them all quickly as the lull of the soft splattering of rain drops caused them to nod off.

 Gimli grumbled quietly to himself as he drifted off, "Damn Elf, soon he'll be turning himself into a horse."

 Legolas heard this but smiled and said nothing.


	2. Trouble in Brelan

The sun was shining brightly the next morning and all were glad the rain was gone. The ground was still somewhat muddy but it would dry quickly enough as the day wore on. It was a wonderful start to Legolas's first real day as a Man. After speaking shortly with Algoral in private he entered the camp casually and for the first time with his hood drawn back. No one seemed to notice really and Legolas said nothing of it, he needed only to be seen for a short time as a Man to conquer any suspicions that the others may have. He didn't think anyone else had guessed his true identity but after speaking with Algoral he knew he couldn't be certain. 

 Aragorn stepped out of his tent, ready to start moving once more, when he spotted Legolas. His friend saw him as well and smiled. It disturbed him slightly to see Legolas as a Man, for he seemed an entirely different person. His hair seemed so average and unnoticeable, his skin simply pale, and his ears drew no attention at all. It was the perfect disguise but he hoped that his friend wouldn't feel the need to use it often.

 They set out shortly after dawn. They were less than a week away from Brelan and the Men of that land were eager to return home and show their new friends around. Sorinth and Aragorn took the lead with Risorine close behind, several times throughout the day Aragorn made it a point to fall back and speak with his captain; he felt he needed to for spending so little time getting to know this Man. Gimli and Legolas rode near the back, as did Algoral. The two Elves had much to talk about and had missed the company of their own kind. Gimli was content to listen to the two talk but paid close attention when Algoral began speaking of Galadriel, it was then the Dwarf decided that he liked this Elf as well. 

 Legolas did not use his magical disguise again that day for he was finding that it left him with headaches, though Algoral promised these would go away as well in time. The day passed quietly as did the night and all that occurred was the strengthening of the bonds of friendship between many of the Men. The days continued passing as such. Gimli, Legolas, and Algoral all spoke at lengths, Aragorn divided his time between Sorinth and Risorine, with occasional chats with his Elf and Dwarf friend, and the rest of the Men were content to ride the entire day. Finally they were only a day away from Brelan's capital, Miscalanth; the first leg of their journey was almost complete.

 It was early morning on the last day of their journey; the Men of Brelan recognized the forest they were traveling through well and assured their companions that they would reach Miscalanth shortly. It seemed to Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli that the Men of Brelan were becoming somewhat wary as they neared the city, but they made no comment about it. It would be rude to question the Men of Brelan about such a thing but Legolas felt he could ask Algoral, for he didn't seem to be suffering from the same apparent paranoia.

 "Algoral, is it just me or are the Men in your company much more alert than before? Almost to the point of distraction," Legolas said.

 Algoral nodded, knowing what the Elf meant, "You are right, they are nervous. I may know what of, but first there is something I must tell you. I should have mentioned it before we came this close to Miscalanth but it somehow slipped from my thoughts."

 "Tell me now then."

 "When you arrive in Miscalanth you will be taken to see the King. There is a ritual which you must avoid at all costs, it involves ..." Legolas never found out what he was going to say. Algoral stopped talking and turned to the forest, his keen ears picking up the same thing as Legolas's.

 "Do you hear that?" Legolas asked, it sounded like hushed voices and an unnatural rustling of leaves.

 Algoral turned to speak but never got the words out of his mouth. Before he could speak or react an arrow sailed through the air and plunged itself deeply in Algoral's chest! The Elf was thrown back off his horse and hit the ground with a sickening thud.

  "Algoral!" Legolas cried as he jumped from his horse. As the Men were alerted to this new danger the air suddenly became filled with arrows, coming from all directions. Weapons were drawn but their assailants never came out of hiding. The Men were forced to find cover and wait for their opponents to show themselves.

 Legolas knelt beside his friend, grimacing. The wound was bad, fatal to be sure. Algoral locked eyes with the Elf, and he could see nothing but pain and shock. Then the sparkle in his Elven eyes died and his eyelids closed, never to be opened again in life. Legolas felt the grief deeply as he would with the death of any Elf, but the fact that he had known this one made it all that much harder. He would have to come to terms with his sorrow but this was not that time. He gently lowered Algoral back to the ground and then unslung his bow.

 The arrows continued to rain down on them even as the Men ran for cover. Aragorn noticed a good number of arrows coming from one tree and strung his bow and ordered his men to do the same. They all fired at the tree and a cry could be heard. One archer was taken care of, but who knew how many others there may be?

 Legolas allowed his fine tuned senses to take over and watched the paths of the arrows intently. He swiftly notched his bow and fired into the forest, the sound of someone crying out in pain told him he had hit his target. He then made his way to Aragorn and his archers.

 "There are three in that tree and two more in that one," Legolas said, "There are two more over there, but I will take care of them. Aim for the tops of the trees." 

 "You heard him." Aragorn had complete faith in the Elf's senses and ordered his Men to fire as instructed. They struck at least three of the five archers pointed out to them, and looking back it was clear Legolas was attempting to hit his second.

 Gimli crouched behind a rock impatiently. He hated these kinds of battle and wished for some fine hand to hand combat. Just then his wish was granted. Sensing that their archers could not finish the job, two dozen or more Men emerged from the woods, all with weapons in hand. They leapt out of nowhere, attacking everything and everyone. There was no real style to their fighting but they were strong and vicious in their attack. Gimli and the rest of the Men engaged them swiftly, while Legolas tried to focus and find the last archer hiding in the trees, for he could prove to be the most fatal of all their new enemies in the end.

 Aragorn's sword clashed against that of his opponent's, these Men were strong and well armed but showed little skill and Aragorn had already defeated several of them with practiced ease. It was only in the size of their numbers that may have allowed the attackers to win the fight. Aragorn parried and thrusted and with a few quick strikes disarmed the Man, he then slammed him in the side of the head with the hilt of his sword. He didn't wish to kill anyone unnecessarily, just in case there was the smallest chance that this was all a misunderstanding of some kind, but that appeared doubtful. Aragorn was then forced to fight off two opponents at once, but was up to the challenge.

 Ax swinging masterfully, Gimli was finding little pleasure in the fight. He aimed to injure, not kill, much like Aragorn. Against Orcs he would not have hesitated to make the fatal blows necessary, but with Men it was another matter. Though when one of the swords came close enough to nick Gimli's beard the Dwarf was forced to make a fatal blow. 

 Legolas watched as the archer he had been targeting fell from his perch onto the ground, and then lay unmoving. He didn't have time to check on him, their assailants were everywhere and he had to help his friends. Stringing his bow once more he took aim for a Man approaching Aragorn from behind, he briefly considered aiming to injure but then caught sight of Algoral lying still and motionless on the ground. Legolas shot the Man through the chest. Shortly after that the Elf abandoned his bow and unsheathed his daggers, suddenly feeling the urge for hand to hand combat.

 Sorinth was holding his own in the life or death battle, but he was mentally berating himself for allowing the company to step into a trap, especially one he knew may be coming. There would be quite an uproar later on when he had to explain who these Men were but he accepted that those were the consequences he deserved. He was currently fighting off two Men at once, in a few moments he would be able to overtake them but he was so caught up in the sword fight he did not see one of the enemy's archers take aim at him from behind. He was able to knock one of the Men unconscious and just as he was forced to kill the other the archer released his arrow at Sorinth's back.

 At that same moment Sorinth saw a flash of green and gold rush at him and push him to the ground. Just as both bodies landed with a thud the arrow flew past, striking a tree behind them. Sorinth was startled that he hadn't noticed the shooter and turned to his rescuer in thanks. Before the words could come out though Legolas grabbed him by the shoulder while scrambling to his feet. The archer was loading a second arrow and he knew they wouldn't be able to deflect it from their current position. They both regained their footing and once more moved just as the shaft flew by. But the archer had been smart enough to foresee their moving slightly out of reach and this time the arrowhead grazed Legolas's thigh. He stumbled slightly and reached for his daggers. Before the other archer could reload he had thrown his knife directly into the Man's hand, causing him to scream in pain and drop his bow. The Man then began to flee the scene along with many of his companions. 

 Looking about it was clear that their attackers were in full retreat, the dead were left behind but they picked up those that were unconscious and scurried back into the woods with them, just as quickly as they had appeared. Everyone was tired and shocked, it had been so pointless. The forest floor was a mess of bodies and blood. The entire incident seemed as though a dream, it had happened so fast it lasted only three or four minutes, but the damage had been done. 

 Though there were many dead only two were from the company that had been attacked. One of Aragorn's guards had died from a slit throat, the other casualty was Algoral who had not stood a chance against the unseen arrow.

 "Thank-you," Sorinth said to Legolas quite respectfully, "You saved my life."

 Legolas nodded almost imperceptibly in reply, then turned away from the Man and slowly limped towards the body of his friend. Kneeling, he passed a hand over Algoral's eyes, closing the lids for the last time. He quietly wrote the traditional Elvish runes in the air above the body and then, not caring if anyone overheard, said several Elvish prayers. He solemnly wished there was some way he could return the body to his people in Lorien but he knew it would be a near impossible task. There were too many questions that would be asked, and too many obstacles in his way and that broke his heart. 

 Aragorn and Gimli both stood a few steps behind Legolas, watching him silently. Death was a horrible thing, but it was even worse when the death was pointless and unprovoked. Both were greatly saddened by the loss of Algoral but they were also concerned about Legolas, knowing how seriously Elves took death. Aragorn looked back to the rest of the Men trying to recover from the battle. A quick glance from Gimli ensured him that the Dwarf would watch over their Elf friend while he took care of several things. He walked over to Sorinth, seeing that the Man was unharmed and even appeared to be waiting for him.

 "Algoral is dead, as is one of my Men and I want answers. Who were those Men? What did they want? They made no demands, and made no attempt to steal from us so I do not believe they were thieves," Aragorn said, he kept his voice level but intense, he had been caught off-guard with this attack and wished to know the meaning of it.

 "They were Men of Brelan, outlaws actually. There is a small faction of Men within our land that greatly abhors the way we run our own country. They find our legal system unjust, and wish for changes within it, and they believe the poorer people of the land are kept starved while the rich get fatter. I admit our kingdom may not be perfect but some of this group's claims are outrageous. We have tried to stop them but they are elusive and now live outside the cities," Sorinth explained, his eyes somewhat downcast for not telling the lord this before.

 "Did you not think it wise to tell us that your land was at war?" Aragorn asked, his anger rising.

 "We do not consider it war, they are mostly an annoyance. There have been several small demonstrations, on some occasions a few robberies, but they've never done anything this drastic before. I can hardly understand their actions myself," Sorinth replied, honestly confused about the entire situation. "I can think of no reason for them attacking us other than that we represent the government of Brelan."

 "Much may have happened in the time you've been away from your home, perhaps the situation has escalated. But there is little to be done now. We should make camp for the night, it is growing late and we could all use time to recover before we reach Miscalanth. We'll ride early in the morn," Aragorn decided, his anger dying down as he read the truth in Sorinth's words and expression. 

 Sorinth nodded his approval of the suggestion, "We should be sure to ..." 

 He was interrupted by a shout from Gimli, "Aragorn! Come, quickly!" 

 Aragorn turned immediately at the urgent tone in Gimli's voice and was shocked beyond words to see the Dwarf kneeling next to Legolas, who lay on the ground unmoving. He and Sorinth joined Gimli in a few short strides. Upon closer inspection it was obvious the Elf was unconscious, his normally pale skin held a reddish tint, beads of sweat glistened on his brow, and his breathing was shallow. Aragorn knelt down across from Gimli and placed a hand on Legolas's forehead; too hot.

 "What happened?" Aragorn asked urgently.

 "Strike me down if I know. He was fine for all I could tell then he stood up, took a few paces and collapsed. Do you think he'll be all right?" Gimli asked, showing his obvious concern.

 "I don't know," Aragorn admitted grimly, "I have to find out what's wrong with him first. Was he injured in the battle?"

 "Not that I saw," Gimli said.

 "He fought alongside me momentarily. I didn't see him gravely injured but he was grazed by an arrow, though the wound was hardly fatal." Sorinth added, nearly dismissing the idea.

 Aragorn had noticed the Elf limping but had been too preoccupied to give it proper thought. He quickly found the wound; it was bleeding but could be patched up easily enough. It hardly seemed as though that could be the source of Legolas's collapse. Then a horrible thought struck him.

 "Where did the arrow land that he was shot with?" Aragorn asked, quite serious.

 Sorinth looked behind him and pointed to a tree at the edge of the clearing, "There." 

 Aragorn rose to his feet and raced to the tree, leaving Gimli and Sorinth to watch over Legolas. There was only one arrow in the trunk of the tree which Aragorn quickly and effortlessly pulled out. He looked over the tip, sniffed it, and grimaced. Risorine came up behind him unseen and asked:

 "What is it?"

 Aragorn didn't even turn to the Man, he stalked back over to the motionless Elf, and answered Risorine's question with a dread-filled mumble, "Poison."

 "Did you find something?" Gimli asked immediately when Aragorn returned.

 "This arrowhead was poisoned, but the concoction is unknown to me. Do you know anything about this substance, or how to treat it?" He asked, handing the arrow to Sorinth.

 The Man took it and inspected it closely, a sorrowful shadow passing over his eyes, "Yes, I know it well for I'm afraid it is one of the few poisons in our land with no cure. I'm sorry."

 "No, I refuse to believe that. Everything has a cure, it is simply a matter of finding it," Aragorn said strongly after a moment of thought, he was about to say more but stopped when a low moan escaped Legolas's lips.

 "Aragorn ..." Legolas asked in confusion as he awoke, though he was still in a state of mind where dreams and reality meld together.

 "It's all right my friend, just rest. You were hurt in the battle," Aragorn said, once more checking the Elf's temperature.

 Legolas nodded, his eyes still hazy, "Algoral?" 

 The group shared a conflicted gaze on whether to confirm or deny his blurred memory of events surrounding his death, but it was unnecessary as Legolas slipped back into a state of unconsciousness.

 Aragorn sighed not knowing what to do next. Gimli looked up and saw that they had drawn quite a crowd, which was the last thing they needed. The Dwarf knew Aragorn would want space and privacy to figure out how to help Legolas, so quickly decided to disperse the crowd.

 "All of you break for camp. Gets the tents set up and build a fire. And by the Havens some of you stand watch. Go on, you've all got work to do," Gimli said, shooing them all away. They quickly fled to their separate tasks. Gimli turned to see Sorinth and Aragorn moving Legolas to the shade of a tree, and followed after them.

 "There must be some kind of treatment for this poison. Anything." Aragorn was desperate to find a cure for Legolas, he refused to lose his friend to a stray arrow.

 "Nay, there is a vaccine that keeps death away and allows only for a deep sickness to set in, but it must be taken before the poison sets in. It would do no good now," Sorinth said sadly.

 Aragorn was a bit more optimistic though, "I want you to make it for me. I don't care if you think it will have no effect, you will make it, and quickly. Judging by how swiftly he collapsed I'm guessing he does not have much time." 

 "The poison usually takes full effect within a day, perhaps only a bit more if you are fortunate," Sorinth said, as he moved away to go make the vaccine that he knew would not help. But he would do whatever the lord wished of him if it would make Aragorn feel like he was doing something to help. This left Gimli and Aragorn alone to look after the Elf for the time being.

 "Why did you have him make the vaccine? He said it would have no effect," Gimli said to Aragorn.

 "No effect on a Man, it's never been tested on an Elf. There is the smallest chance that this poison may not even be fatal to Legolas, I know of several poisons that mean sure death to Men and not Elves," Aragorn replied, knowing that he was relying heavily on hope and faith now.

 "But there are also many poisons that are fatal to both." Gimli felt obliged to point out.

 "I am aware of that as well," Aragorn said, more to himself than the Dwarf, "Stay with him. I need to go fetch some supplies." 

 Gimli nodded and watched the Man walk away, his movements stiff and tense. Legolas moaned again, the Dwarf quickly noted that he was still asleep but his dreams appeared restless. 

 "Be strong my friend," Gimli said quietly, "You are not one to be so easily felled and I was rather looking forward to having you by my side when we recovered the Stone of Malinya." 

 Legolas groaned and shifted, his cheeks were an even brighter red than before, causing Gimli to marvel at the speed of which the poison had set in. He silently urged Aragorn to hurry.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 An hour later things had calmed down greatly and the camp was much more organized. Aragorn and Gimli continued to keep watch over Legolas in the privacy of the King's tent. They allowed few to enter for Legolas had shouted out in Elvish several times in his restless sleep, and it would not be an easy thing to explain. For now the Elf was covered in blankets for he had begun shivering and Aragorn was brushing a cold cloth over his forehead. His temperature had risen as well and his golden hair was matted down due to the horribly cold sweat. 

 Excusing himself, Gimli left the tent to watch for Sorinth. The Man still had not returned with the ingredients needed for the serum that could save Legolas's life. 

 _He may not die. The poison could not be fatal to Elves. Gimli remembered optimistically, but judging by his friend's current state it was becoming less likely that the poison killed only humans._

 Sorinth hadn't mentioned anything about the vaccine containing any rare herbs yet he had been gone a very long time, and this caused Gimli and Aragorn to both worry greatly. But for now there was little they could do but wait.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

It was another hour before Sorinth returned with the ingredients they needed. As he entered Aragorn's tent he mumbled an apology about one of the items being almost out of season and hard to find. Aragorn nodded, not taking in Sorinth's words, and quickly began to make the serum under Sorinth's directions. When it was finished he excused Sorinth and thanked him.

 "I can take care of him from here," Aragorn said. Even Sorinth was aware of the Lord's amazing skills as a healer, but still he doubted his ability to save the 'Man's' life. When Sorinth was gone Aragorn added a few of his own ingredients to the serum that were known to help against many poisons and a special item that worked wonderfully in healing and strengthening Elves.

 In this time Legolas had grown slightly worse. His temperature somehow continued to rise, passing anything a Man may have survived, his breathing was so raspy it felt to Aragorn like it was scarring his ears, and his delirium had stopped to be replaced by a discomforting silence, broken only by occasional pain-filled moans. The King of Gondor prayed that they weren't too late. 

 A quarter of an hour passed before what they hoped to be an antidote, was ready.

 "Do you think it will work?" Gimli asked, after Sorinth had been excused, his eyes shifting restlessly as they had the entire night. Helplessness was setting in.

 "I pray to the Havens it does," Aragorn replied softly. With help from Gimli he sat the Elf up and slowly forced him to drink the broth at his lips. After a few minutes and several tries they finally managed to get half of the serum down Legolas's throat. 

 Aragorn sat down wearily, "That should do. Now we must wait." That would prove to be the hardest part.

 It was night now, nearly midnight. The attack which resulted in Legolas's injury had happened only four hours ago, though it seemed nearly a lifetime as Gimli sat by his friend's side, waiting to see if the concoction they had made would save Legolas's life. He did not appear to be getting any better. _But_, thought Gimli, _at least he isn't getting any worse_. Another hour passed and Gimli found his head drooping, the stress of the night, and earlier battle had exhausted him, but he refused to give in to sleep. That is, at least until Aragorn came in half an hour later. It was only then he allowed his eyes to fall shut and sleep to take him, his last thoughts being those of good health for his dear elf-friend.

 He awoke several hours later, the sun was not yet up but would be shortly. Gimli saw Aragorn kneeling next to Legolas, clearly checking the Elf's progress. The Dwarf could see neither Legolas nor Aragorn's face and was curious as to what had happened in the night.

 "Aragorn?" He said simply, not needing to ask the dreaded question.

 The son of Arathorn sighed heavily, his shoulders drooping. He then turned to Gimli, a smile playing across his lips, "His fever has broken. I believe the worst to be passed."

 Gimli could have shouted with joy and relief. He studied Legolas, noting he was sleeping soundly and appeared in no pain, just sleeping. That sounded good at the moment. He hadn't intended to do it, but sleep quickly found the Dwarf again, and he did not wake up until after the morning sun.

 In the morning as the dew dried and the birds awoke to start their day once more, the camp of Men began to awake slowly. The Men had no cheer in their step as they mourned the deaths of their friends and kept silent in respect for the 'Man' whom they were sure would quickly pass as well. 

 Sorinth stood several yards away from Aragorn's tent. There was little movement inside, as there had been all night from what he could tell, but he knew not if this was a good or bad thing. He couldn't help but think it was bad. He knew no Man who had ever survived the poison Salogel had been infected with, so feared the worst for Lord Ellesar's companion. The King had not emerged for several hours and Sorinth knew it would be best if they moved on quickly, though he was loath to retrieve him. However it became unnecessary as Aragorn emerged from his nightly dwelling.

 Aragorn looked tired, his hair and clothes were ruffled, and his expression was grim. Sorinth approached the Man and couldn't help but ask immediately:

 "Did the vaccine help? Does he live?" Sorinth's voice was quiet, no doubt in his mind of what the answer would be.

 Aragorn had been deep in thought over the events of the night before and about their arrival in Brelan, but at the mention of Legolas a small smile caressed his face, "Yes, and yes." He said tiredly.

 Sorinth was more than shocked, "But how? He should be dead. How can he live?" 

 Aragorn smiled again in amusement, then began walking away from the tent, "Salogel does much that defies explanation. He is very strong and many say blessed by the Gods. But he is also able to fight off many diseases. I remember once when we journeyed to a village that was being assaulted by a horrible illness, he was one of the few to not be infected, even though he was around the sick everyday. Do not ask me to explain for I fear I cannot."

 "It is still incredible. The poison used is one of the strongest I know of," Sorinth commented, getting over his initial shock. "Perhaps we should send a small group ahead of us then. They can inform my King of what happened and perhaps send others to help. For I am sure Salogel will be in no condition to ride for some time."

 "Why don't you ask him yourself?" Aragorn tilted his head in the direction of his tent, clearly indicating there was something to see.

 Sorinth turned and felt his jaw drop and eyes widen. There, emerging from the tent on his own power, was Legolas. He seemed tired and perhaps weak as he shielded his eyes from the sun with a weary hand, he walked with a slight limp, and seemed somewhat paler, but there he was. Full and healthy. Sorinth thought he should have been dead on all accounts, but there he stood. No one would ever guess he had been fighting for his life only hours ago.

 "How are you feeling, my friend?" Aragorn asked, purposely casual, as Legolas approached.

 "I have been better, but I feel I shall live. I am told I have you to thank for my health, Sorinth," Legolas said, referring to the broth in which he had helped Aragorn make, subsequently saving his life. 

 "I did nothing really, besides, I owed you my own life. Now we are simply even." Legolas liked the sound of that. Elves took death very seriously and to owe one's life to someone is a debt that must always be repaid.

 "I agree, but it is an exchange I do not wish to relive any time soon. Are we to ride soon?" Legolas asked, now looking to Aragorn. Sorinth still could not believe that this 'Man' was up on his feet already, there was definitely something odd about him. Could he truly be blessed by the Gods?

 "Yes, an hour I think, until we head to Miscalanth," Aragorn replied, enjoying Sorinth's reaction to Legolas's recovery.

 "Very good. I will leave you then." Legolas began to turn but stopped suddenly, his shoulders drooping as he remembered something. He then asked with barely contained grief, "What of Algoral?"

 Sorinth sighed and said, "We are taking him to Miscalanth, he will receive a warrior's burial. We have taken care of his body according to our customs. If you wish you may see him." The Man gestured toward the far end of the camp. Several Men were gathered around the body of Algoral, clearly paying their respects. As Legolas drew closer he could see that their custom had included wrapping the body from head to toe and tightly securing the cloth with lengths of rope. He drew a small sigh of relief. It would never be known that their friend had been an Elf, a natural enemy of these Men. He could die and be buried in peace, and after this was over he would travel to Lothlorien and bring the news of his death.

 But for now they had to do what they had set out to. Bring peace to Middle-Earth. It would be no easy task.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 They set out on time, ensured to reach Miscalanth before mid-day. All the Men of the company were greatly surprised by the speed in which Legolas had recovered, but that was one of the advantages of being an Elf, though he wasn't about to tell them that. 

 Sorinth and Aragorn rode in front as they had done often in the past few weeks. Risorine was not far behind. They talked about the customs of Brelan once more; Aragorn wished to be sure he understood and followed each custom correctly. He was certain he had gained a fair grasp of each one by now.

As they rode Legolas made it a point to stay a bit further away from the group, he was silently mourning the loss of his friend and did not enjoy the side-long glances continually coming his way. Gimli rode with him as always but kept silent for the most part. He grieved for Algoral as well but not as deeply as Legolas. As they rode the Dwarf noticed his companion's head constantly drooping down.

 "Do you find this landscape boring or has your head become too heavy?" Gimli asked, curious why the elf was nodding off.

 Legolas visibly jumped and shook himself at the sound of his voice, "I am unusually fatigued. I feel as if weariness has invaded my very bones."

 "I don't suppose your near death experience could be the cause?" Gimli suggested.

 Legolas smiled grimly, obviously having thought the same, "I am sure it will pass in time."

 Gimli nodded, but felt that more than the poison, Legolas's grief was causing his body to tire, though he did not say this aloud. He knew the elf would heal himself in time. He just needed time.

 After they rode for a few hours Gimli said suddenly, "Ah, I have something for you my friend. I nearly forgot." He reached into one of the bags strung over the back of their steed, Jarinel, and pulled out a heavy pouch.

 "What is it?" Legolas asked immediately, but then recognized the bag.

 "It's Algoral's magic powder, The Mist of Concealment, I believe you called it. I removed it from the saddle of his horse so no others would find it and perhaps wonder of its origin. Here, take it, I believe he would want you to have it," Gimli said sincerely.

 Legolas took the pouch and studied it solemnly. He knew Gimli was right, but at the moment he wished only for the return of his friend and felt wrong taking the magical substance without permission. But then again, it was not as though he could ask.

 He finally nodded his consent, "Thank-you my friend, I will put it to good use," Legolas said softly. Gimli wasn't sure if he was talking to him or perhaps Algoral who was now in a different place.

 Sorinth had announced that he was beginning to recognize the area of forest in which they rode and assured Aragorn that they would reach Miscalanth in little more than two hours time. Aragorn was pleased; with the travelling out of the way they would simply need to locate clues as to the location of the Stone and could then be on their way. It sounded simple enough, but he had also thought the journey to the great city would be simple and pleasant. He had been quite wrong.

 "Oh my, my deepest apologies Lord Elessar but I have completely forgotten to tell you of a rather important and traditional ceremony in our kingdom. I don't know how it could have slipped my mind. Perhaps because it is only for company on which it is performed and of that we have little in Brelan," Sorinth said, his voice conveying his apology.

 "It is all right, I forgive your wandering mind. There has been much to keep the mind occupied these last few days. Please, tell me of this ceremony." Aragorn requested, glad that the man had remembered before they were even closer to Miscalanth.

 "It is not so much a ceremony as it is a greeting, since no words or gestures are truly needed. Upon our arrival to Miscalanth you and your company will be immediately taken to meet our king. Even before introductions are made it is necessary to drink of the Cups of Brelan. Only then will you be allowed an audience with our Lord," Sorinth explained.

 "That seems simple enough," Aragorn commented, wondering why the Man felt bad about forgetting something so apparently trivial.

 "It is rather simple, but something taken quite seriously in our land. You see only Men can drink of the Cups of Brelan, for their drink is lethal to all other races. Of course Gimli will have no need to drink, since he is not a Man but the rest of your company will have to partake." 

 Aragorn paled slightly and hoped it wasn't noticeable, "What is the purpose of this custom?" He asked, fearing he knew the answer.

 "It was established by our current king. He has a dislike for Elves even more so than the rulers before him and will not allow their presence in his kingdom. It is to ensure none sneak into our land," Sorinth explained. There was no apology or pride in his voice, making it difficult for Aragorn to judge if Sorinth agreed with this custom. 

 "Well, it should be of no problem, no matter what the reason." Aragorn was calm on the outside but inside he was screaming that he had to speak to Legolas, quickly. They were little more than an hour away from Miscalanth and he needed to warn his friend somehow and perhaps construct a plan without seeming suspicious.

 He rode beside Sorinth for another half an hour, quickly changing the subject to drive the ceremony from the Man's thoughts, and then left, explaining he needed to speak to some of his Men before they arrived. Aragorn veered off, talked to several of his guards about pointless topics then headed for Legolas and Gimli, who thankfully rode away from the rest of the group.

 The Elf and Dwarf looked up as Aragorn approached them, a dark look on his face.

 "What has happened?" Legolas asked immediately. He noticed the tenseness in Aragorn's shoulders and white-knuckle grip the Man had on Hasufel's reins.

 "We may have a small problem. When we arrive in Miscalanth in near an hour's time we will be required to partake in a ceremony which involves drinking from the cups of Brelan."

 "That doesn't seem so bad," Gimli commented, much as Aragorn had.

 "The drink is poison to all but Men," Aragorn stated simply.

 "Oh, well that changes things doesn't it?" Gimli said, casting a look towards Legolas to see his reaction. The Elf seemed deep in thought, his head was lowered and his hood hid his features from view. 

 "Perhaps it would be best if you stayed behind Legolas, for your own safety." Aragorn was ill to suggest it, but he could see little other courses of action that wouldn't result in his friend being put in danger.

 Legolas lifted his head quickly, making eye contact with the former ranger, "No, I shall go. I came this far, I will not turn back now." He thought a moment longer, "I may have a plan as well."

 Aragorn thought a moment, then nodded, it was Legolas's decision after all, "Very well, but be careful my friend. Have you concealed your features yet?"

 Legolas pulled back his hood in response, showing his unpointed ears, and pale skin and hair. 

 "Good, I must return to the front of our company. Good luck to you both." And Aragorn was gone, ahead to the front of the group once more.

 "What is your plan my friend?" Gimli asked immediately.

 "You shall see," Legolas said simply, then leaned forward and whispered into the ear of Jarinel. The horse neighed in response and Legolas smiled softly.

 A half hour later Sorinth yelled to the group, mostly to inform the strangers to the land, "We have reached the outskirts of the city. Once we are over this ridge you will see Miscalanth and all its glory, plus the surrounding lands of Brelan." 

 There was a general round of 'hurrah's' from the entire group. The Men of Brelan were glad to be returning home, and the Men of Gondor wished to see the great city and rest comfortably after their many nights of travels.

 Aragorn desperately wished he had asked Legolas his plan. If it did not work his friend may be revealed for what he truly was, but for now he had to lead his men and give the illusion of concentrating on establishing good relations with the Brelans.

 Legolas appeared calm and Aragorn wondered if he truly was or if he was simply hiding his anxiety well. 

 They reached the top of the hill and Sorinth waved his arm across the horizon, presenting the land as though it were a painting being unveiled, "Behold, the land of Brelan."

 Aragorn rode up beside him and gasped, "Oh my."

 The land was flat and far reaching. A glistening city stood tall in the center of the landscape, not unlike Minas Tirith, were it not for its slightly smaller size, lack of great walls and difference in construction. What had momentarily awed the King of Gondor though was the amazing vastness of the land. As far as the eye could see the horizon glittered with valleys and small outcroppings of villages. Brelan stretched out in all directions, like fingers trying to extend themselves beyond their reach. And the view from the ridge on which they stood was probably the most magnificent in the land.

 "Wonderful, is it not?" Sorinth asked, pleased by everyone's reaction.

 "A magnificent kingdom; proud and strong," Aragorn agreed.

 "It stretches beyond sight," Legolas commented. From any other this was not a surprising comment, but the Elf's eyesight was many times keener than a Man's and the land was truly grand if he could not see its edges.

 "We shall take you down then, for a closer look," Sorinth offered, leading the way down the rocky hill. Aragorn looked back to his men; most were still searching the horizon, taking in the sight of Miscalanth and its surroundings. The Lord immediately noticed Risorine though, not following the actions of his companions. Instead he followed Sorinth wordlessly, seemingly not at all impressed by the sight of Brelan. Looking back, Aragorn wondered how he could not be, at least initially, for after a moment the shock wore away. A sad thought struck him though, if this land was as vast as it appeared how were they to find the Stone of Malinya? He felt his previous doubts and worry begin to bubble up once more, but he put them aside almost immediately, for there was nothing he could do for now. He could only hope the answer to his questions would present itself shortly.

 As they neared the gates of Miscalanth several guards halted their progress. After few words Sorinth explained themselves and their companions, it was routine only as they had been expected back any day. The company rode through the streets of the city for several minutes, obviously being led to a large castle that stood in the heart of the city, towering over all like a watchful sentry. As they neared the gates several Men approached and Legolas knew that shortly he would have to put his plan into action if he didn't wish to be discovered.

 "This is the castle of Hileris. Our King awaits you inside," Sorinth explained, dismounting his horse.

 Aragorn noticed the Men coming forward. The one in lead was clearly an authority figure, but the others appeared to be servants of some kind. As one took the reins of Sorinth's horse he realized they must be from the stables. The lead man came up to Aragorn just as he was dismounting.

 "Greetings, I am Emilil, the King's advisor. If you will follow me I will take you to meet with our Lord Vecery. I know you must be tired from your journey but the King wished to greet you as soon as you arrived," Emilil explained, bowing slightly to show his respect.

 "I will gladly meet your Lord. Please, lead on." Aragorn followed Emilil and then stole a glance aimed at Legolas. He and Gimli were only now turning over their horse and began to follow. _If he does indeed have a plan he had better put it to effect shortly. Aragorn thought to himself._

 At that moment several sounds filtered through the air, the terrified screams of the horses, the pounding of their hoofs as they bucked, and the surprised cries of the Men who were trying to control them. Aragorn swung around to find almost all of the horses of Gondor loudly protesting being touched by any of the Men of Brelan. The stable keepers tried to calm them but they merely became more irate and bucked greatly. 

 "Calm them down. Hold them. They're going to hurt themselves!" The Men cried, clearly confused by the horses' behaviour.

 Aragorn was about to rush to their aid but Legolas beat him to it. He swiftly moved from horse to horse, clearly calming them with his presence. Their neighs quieted and their stance relaxed with the simplest word from the Elf. The last steed he attended was his own, Jarinel, who was also protesting the loudest. He petted the animal as it calmed at his touch and turned to the shocked Men.

 "They are understandably reluctant to go with strangers from this foreign land," He explained, nuzzling Jarinel's muzzle pleasantly.

 "Well they seem calm now, I think we can handle them on our own," One of the stable keepers said. He approached one of the horses which reacted immediately and tried to kick him away. The Man only barely dodged the legs of the horse. Legolas rushed over and calmed the creature down at once.

 "Perhaps Salogel should stay with them, if only for a little while, until they get settled," Sorinth suggested, fearing his Men's safety with the beasts. 

 "Would you be willing Salogel, and you could meet with us later?" Aragorn asked, already knowing the answer. It was not usual for the horses of Gondor to behave this way. He knew their strange behaviour was Legolas's doing.

 "Of course, I shall see that they behave for our guests. I should not be too long," Legolas said, taking two horses by the reins. Though he appeared only to be fulfilling his duties Aragorn was sure he saw a smirk on the Elf's face. 

 "We should continue inside then," Sorinth said when it was obvious Legolas had the horses under control. 

 Aragorn nodded his agreement, hiding his own smile. Clearly Legolas had asked the horses to rebel without him near, and it had worked perfectly. The plan was elegant in its simplicity and he couldn't help but be impressed by Legolas's usage of what he had with him. Of course, the Elf's ability to speak with the equines certainly helped, but it was a clever plan, nonetheless. 

 Relieved, Aragorn followed their guide with a much lighter heart, knowing Legolas was safe for the time being.

 The Castle of Hileris was a grand structure, speaking highly of the constructual abilities of Men just by standing. The stairs were wide and echoed of marble, the walls were ornately decorated with fabulous artistry sculpted directly into the walls, as well as the immense pillars. Aragorn was impressed as he strode through the halls, his own home was only slightly larger, but this castle was equal in appearances. 

 "My Lord awaits you in the common room, for he did not know the time in which you may arrive. But he was quite adamant about meeting you immediately. This gathering is of great importance to our Lord and he wishes for all to go well," Emilil said, leading the way up a grand flight of stairs. 

 "I must admit I have been eager to meet him as well," Aragorn said simply, studying the castle closely. Logically he knew there was no danger here, but it was a subconscious habit of his to learn all he could of new surroundings. 

 The group currently consisted of Aragorn and his Men, minus Legolas, and Emilil only. The Men of Brelan that had accompanied them had retired to their homes to rest and eat, having fulfilled their duty. 

 They were led to a large area, slightly closed off, far across the room was a massive wooden door, protected by a small contingent of guards. Just as Aragorn was about to ask why they had stopped Emilil spoke, as if reading his thoughts.

 "It is customary of our guests to drink of the Cups of Brelan. It is required before you meet our Lord." 

 Aragorn nodded, "Sorinth has explained this ceremony, and we will gladly partake."

 "Of course Master Gimli has no need to drink of the cups, it is for Men only and his status is already highly honoured," Emilil said, smiling at the Dwarf as his chest puffed out slightly. 

 Chuckling inwardly Aragorn watched as one of the guards who were escorting them suddenly brought forth two golden chalices. Another guard carried with him a jug, obviously holding the liquid they would be drinking. Emilil filled both cups to the brim then took a drink from one of the chalices, clearly to prove the drink was not lethal or dangerous in any way. The King of Gondor nodded as the cup was passed to him and he drank. The elixir was almost sickly sweet and left a pleasant aftertaste. He quickly passed on the cup. 

 When all had drunk from one cup or another Emilil smiled and gestured towards the door, "My Lord would be thrilled to meet you now."

 The word 'now' did not go unnoticed by Gimli or Aragorn, both knew if they hadn't drank they would not be permitted an audience, and probably would be asked to leave the kingdom. The great doors were opened by the guards and the company was admitted inside. 

 The room was vast, with a large table in the middle, set with chairs; there was an empty throne at the front of the room, clearly for the Lord of the kingdom. Food was set to one side and one wall was mainly made of windows, providing a grand view of the city. It reminded Aragorn of the tower he retreated to in order to think and be by himself. This was not the case for this Lord however; he stood by one of the large windows, surrounded by staff and advisors, or members of council. 

 Aragorn and his company were led forward into the chamber, drawing the attention of its occupants. 

 "Lord Vecery, may I proudly introduce Lord Elessar of Gondor and company," Emilil said loudly, with a grand gesture of his hands.

 The group by the windows parted and before them stood Lord Vecery. He was an older gentleman, with wrinkled, but strong, hands, and a short silver beard. His eyes were a startling blue, but held no warmth or cold, they were neutral and undecided. He stood at the height of many, not above or below anyone else, and held himself with an air of confidence as all rulers should. 

 Aragorn stepped forward and bowed, as did Lord Vecery, respectfully. 

 "Lord Vecery, it is an honor to meet you at last," Aragorn said sincerely.

 "You as well, Lord Elessar. It is our great hope that our kingdoms will have much to offer one another," Vecery replied, also very formally.

 "I am sure it will be so. Hopefully this meeting can set the groundwork for a long and lasting friendship between our lands." 

 Vecery nodded and then inclined his head towards Emilil, who had ventured to his side. The two spoke quietly for only a moment and when the Lord turned back to them there was the slightest hint of warmth in his eyes, as though the group had suddenly become friends with the King. Aragorn hadn't heard all that was said, but 'cups' and 'test' had been clear to him, and then Emilil had nodded his head. He assumed the King was pleased they were not Elves and had passed the test of the Cups of Brelan. Aragorn couldn't help but wonder what this ruler could hate so much about the Elder race, especially since it was most likely he had never even met one.

 "We have much to speak of, that is sure. But the day is still young and you all look as though you could appreciate the comforts of a good meal and perhaps a short rest. My servants will show you to your chambers, and if you will, we shall talk later this day at the evening meal," Vecery said, trying to accommodate their guests as much as possible.

 "That sounds fine. My men and I will be glad to join you. Then shall be the proper time for discussions and further introductions." Aragorn agreed. They were then led out by servants after a few parting words between the two Kings. It was all very formal, making Gimli and Aragorn's guards glad they had not been required to speak. 

 _Hopefully things will quickly become more relaxed. I wonder how Legolas fairs. Gimli thought to himself, as he was led away to his chambers. He supposed he would have to wait and see, but deep down he somehow knew the Elf to be fine. Each Man (and Dwarf) was assigned their own chambers, and their belongings were brought up not long after. There was a selection of food and wine in each room, not enough for a whole meal but more than enough to tide over one's appetite and quench their thirst. _

 All were eager to get cleaned and into some fresh, and finer clothes. Gimli was not surprised that Aragorn was given the first and slightly larger room, but he was also pleased that the room next to his was currently vacant, which meant it was probably to be used by Legolas. The Dwarf was glad his friend would be nearby, if they had words to discuss it would make it much easier, and he could good-heartedly torment his friend with his snores that were said to be able to penetrate walls. He smiled at the thought and set about getting ready for the supper with the King and his staff.

 Aragorn quickly began to settle into his room when he noticed that one of his bags was missing. It held nothing of truly significant importance but he did wish for it back. He thought it probably had been sent to the wrong room by mistake. He walked into the hall, intent on asking his Men if any of them had it. Just as he was about to knock on Risorine's door he spotted a figure coming down the hallway. His feet made no noise and his hair shined a bright golden. Aragorn sighed, relieved to see Legolas had made it safely into the castle. He was in his human disguise, which was only logical, as this was a crucial time in their journey. Looking down he noted that the Elf also carried a bag. His bag. 

 Legolas smiled as he approached Aragorn, and handed him his burden. 

 "I was just looking for this," Aragorn said, shouldering the bag.

 "It was left on one of the horses, I noticed it as I was settling them down and recognized it as yours," Legolas replied. Aragorn motioned for the Elf to follow him to his room. It was set a bit farther away from the rest of the rooms and they could talk in private. When the door was safely locked Aragorn turned to his friend expectantly.

 "Did you fare well?" He asked, though his concern was clearly unwarranted as the Elf stood whole before him.

 "Yes, quite well. I took my time with the horses, to make sure I did not return too early. One of the stable workers escorted me back to the castle as well, to ensure I would be allowed entrance. After that Emilil led me to this floor and instructed me back here," Legolas said simply. "And yourself? Is all well?"

 "Very. We already went through the ceremony involving the Cups of Brelan. It was clearly a rare ceremony for them to perform so I don't believe it will be mentioned again. Your absence was unnoticed as well. I met King Vecery, but not long enough to form a firm opinion just yet. We are to have dinner with him this evening, all of us. He wishes to hear of our journey and of Gondor," Aragorn said, unpacking his newly acquired bag.

 "In that case I should get ready. Which room is mine?" 

 "The last one on the left I believe. You're next to Gimli's room," Aragorn said, enjoying Legolas's immediate reaction. The Elf grimaced and sighed discontently.

 "I would be the one to have to suffer through his unbearable snoring." Legolas griped.

 "Legolas, these walls are hard stone. Surely not even Gimli could be so loud." Aragorn argued.

 "You do not have Elven hearing. But that in itself is unimportant; you will most likely be able to hear him from this room as well." Legolas continued, "I will see you at dinner then." 

 "Of course. I'll see you there." Legolas nodded in parting and left for his own room.

 He reached his chambers and stepped inside. The room was pleasant enough: a large comfortable bed, a platter of food was set out, there was a closet for his belongings and he was also graced with a huge picture window and attaching balcony. He wondered if everyone had one. Stepping out and looking across the side of the building he found that only every second room was equipped with the attached balcony. He smiled, wondering how Gimli felt about that. 

 Deciding he had plenty of time to get ready for the evening meal he decided to visit his friend. The fun way. Legolas jumped onto the railing of the balcony and reached out to find a grip to pull himself across. Gracefully, he pulled himself the small way to the next window. He was pleased to see that it was open.

_Aragorn had better be right about this indeed being Gimli's room_. He thought to himself. Very slowly he peered through the open window, and immediately spotted the Dwarf's axe leaning next to the door. A shadow appeared and he quickly pulled himself out of sight. Listening closely, he noted when Gimli had moved across the room. He swiftly dropped completely, grabbing the window ledge as he fell past it. Then he waited, still listening. 

 A strong wind blew suddenly, convincing Gimli to close his window. Just as he reached out to shut it a figure pounced at him from below, sending him flying backwards in shock. It then perched itself merrily on the ledge, smiling at his handiwork.

 Gimli groaned dramatically, "Why is it you can never use the door, Elf?"

 "Far too easy my friend, far too easy. Besides, someone must keep you on your toes," Legolas said, jumping into the room and offering his hand to Gimli. The Dwarf accepted.

 "If you ever try that again you shall have to keep on your own toes if you wish to keep your head." Gimli groused, but then smiled, glad to see his friend, "I take it all went well if you are in a good enough mood to annoy me so."

 "Everything went perfectly, as I have already explained to Aragorn. I merely came over to show you I am well and ask what you thought of our hosts," Legolas said, walking about the room and picking up various objects.

 "They seem hospitable enough, and sincere as far as I can tell. I did not meet their king long enough to form an opinion on him. He seems ... complex," Gimli said after taking a moment to choose the right word.

 "Aragorn said near the same thing. I shall have to meet him for myself then," Legolas said, putting down the statue he had been studying and rubbing at his forehead absently. 

 "Is that Elven Mist still causing you headaches?" Gimli asked, allowing only a slight edge of concern into his voice.

 Legolas dropped his hand immediately, seemingly shocked he had been paying the mild ache any mind, "It is nothing, truly. The headaches always begin when the Mist of Concealment begins to fade, and my true appearance resurfaces. They are simply a warning so that one won't be caught unaware and suddenly revealed. It is useful actually."

 "That is good then, for I would hate for you to be discovered in this land. From what I've seen of their king, Elves truly are not very welcome here," Gimli said, his voice clearly saddened by this, and the fact his friend was forced to hide his identity.

 "Well there is little that can be done. I shall leave you prepare for tonight's supper, for I must do the same," Legolas said.

 Gimli headed towards the door, meaning to open it for his friend, "See you shortly then, *Salogel*." Gimli emphasized Legolas's fake name and turned only to find his friend already gone. With a sigh Gimli moved to the window, this time ready in case of attack, and closed it. 

 Before he did so he chanced a glance outside to try and spot his friend scaling the wall. Legolas had already disappeared into his room, but what Gimli did see disturbed him greatly.

 _Why does he get a balcony?_

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Legolas busied himself for the next hour by making preparations for their supper with Lord Vecery and by settling into his new surroundings. He sighed discontently when he was forced to fill his cabinets with clothes of human design, and silently longed for even one outfit made from Elvish fabrics. How greatly he despised his new, uncomfortable wardrobe. Pushing these thoughts aside he dressed in one of his finer tunics, made some small adjustments to his appearance, and then mentally prepared himself for the night ahead. It would be filled with traditions and customs from the world of Men only, and he would be forced to participate and seemingly fit in. It was not a task he looked forward to, but for Aragorn's sake, and for the cause of finding the Stone it was a small price to pay.

 When he felt it must be near time for supper he left his room and knocked on the door of the next. Gimli answered, clearly in the final stages of preparation for their meal, and seemed slightly surprised.

 "Finally learned how to use a door I see," Gimli said, amused, and motioning Legolas inside, "I know you are immortal my friend but it still took you a fairly long time to master this basic skill. It makes me wonder how many centuries you needed to so fine tune your archery skills."

 "I assure you, not near as long as it most likely took yourself to gain the small amount of skill you have with your axe," Legolas replied, not straying far from the doorway so as to give Gimli the hint to hurry along.

 The Dwarf ignored the Elf for the moment and checked his appearance in the mirror that stretched far above his head. He made a few small adjustments to his beard, straightened his clothing, and then turned to his friend.

 "I suppose you're ready to go, are you?" Gimli asked. Legolas nodded only once in reply. "Let's be off then. We can't be late for our meeting with royalty."

 Legolas sighed slightly as he followed the Dwarf out the door. Being royalty himself he knew what to expect from this supper; it would be nothing but formalities, pleasant food, quiet conversation, and utter boredom. Secretly he wished he could pass over the entire thing, and perhaps explore the city. Search for tales or legends that the locals may know about the Stone of Malinya. But he knew it had to wait. Appearances had to be kept after all.

 The two friends chanced to meet Aragorn in the hall, also on his way to the banquet. They walked together through the winding halls of the Castle of Hileris. Gimli pointed out that while the structure was well made, the architecture was somewhat lacked, as there were far too many twists and turns in the hallways, making navigation nearly impossible. When they found themselves finally reaching the banquet hall Aragorn halted the two, giving Legolas a questioning glance as he did so.

 "Are you certain you shall be comfortable as a Man for an entire evening? There are no trees around in which you can hide yourself this time if you feel uncomfortable." Aragorn reminded the Elf, well-intentioned concern coating his voice.

 "I shall be fine. I am feeling increasingly confident in my deceptions, as necessary as they are, and would have mentioned earlier if I was not," Legolas replied, crossing his arms and waiting for Aragorn to continue into the banquet hall.

 "Very well," Aragorn said, a slightly relieved sigh being released, "But if you find yourself in a conversation or situation you are uncomfortable with contact me some way, so I can assist you." Legolas nodded, silently grateful for Aragorn's concern and possible assistance in the night to come.

 Casting a glance at Gimli Aragorn smirked, "And you Master Dwarf, do not let your head swell too greatly due to the praise and attention you will most likely receive this evening." 

 Gimli puffed out his chest indignantly, "It is not in my nature to wallow in the center of attention. However, if some of the Men should ask about my past adventures I shall have to be polite and tell them a tale or two of my heroics," Gimli said, allowing his words to trail off as he walked past his friends and towards the doors to the hall. 

 _It shall be a long night. Legolas thought to himself, shaking his head ruefully._

 When the group came to the large doors they were greeted by Emilil, the King's advisor. He bowed respectfully, opened the doors and formally announced their presence. King Vecery and several of his companions were already seated at the great table that was lavishly filled with an assortment of foods and drink. The hall was long with several doors all leading to other areas of the castle, there were windows set high in the walls, making it impossible to see directly outside, and several servants were scattered about the room. The King sat at the head of the table, on a chair slightly larger and higher than the others, there was another chair opposite of him, empty, exactly the same, obviously meant for Aragorn. It was a grand banquet, but nothing that separated it from others that the group had attended in the past. 

 All three bowed formally and took the seats they were lead to. Aragorn sat next to the King in a respectable position, and Gimli, being the honored Dwarf guest, was placed on King Vecery's other side, putting him directly across from Aragorn. Sorinth, who had already arrived, sat beside Gimli and Legolas was placed two seats away from the Dwarf, putting him beside Sorinth. The sitting directly beside Aragorn was being reserved for his captain, Risorine. 

 "Greetings Lord Elessar, I welcome you to my home and hope that you will enjoy your time with us, and hopefully find it a rewarding experience. I am sure this will be the first of many happy meetings between our lands," Lord Vecery said confidently, holding up a glass to Aragorn.

 Aragorn picked up his own chalice and replied, "That is the great hope of Gondor as well." 

 A comfortable silence fell among the group as the rest of the guests arrived in spurts throughout the next few minutes. Finally all were accounted for and the food served. Aragorn and the rest of the Men ate a good amount, filling their stomachs and praising the cooks. Gimli ate a great many platefuls, much to the pleasure of the Brelans, while Legolas ate only as much as required, not being particularly fond of the food of Men. He had secretly packed away several pouches of lembas in his pack, which he allowed himself the pleasure of every few meals on this trip. Not much was said throughout the meal, such things were meant for after filling one's stomach.

 When most of the food was consumed and it was time for drink and talk Lord Vecery spoke immediately, looking at Aragorn but directing his speech to all his Men, "Before we speak this evening I feel I must apologize for the great tragedy that befell you on your journey here. Sorinth has told me of the attack on you and your company when you arrived, and I promise I shall do all I can to bring these rebels to justice."

 "We lost a good Man, as did you. I knew Algoral only briefly but his presence will be missed, as will my guard's. I thank you for your promise of justice and hope that it may come through," Aragorn said solemnly, raising his glass to toast those that were lost. 

 "Sorinth also tells me one of your Men was injured in the attack. Struck by a poisoned arrow. Does he fare well?" Asked Lord Vecery, apparently concerned, but secretly curious.

 "Yes, he is well," Aragorn replied, hoping the subject would drop there, but it did not.

 "You could ask him yourself, my Lord, for he sits in banquet with you even now. Salogel is his name," Sorinth said, clapping Legolas's shoulder to show of whom he spoke. The Elf bowed his head respectfully while in the King's attention.

 "Hit by a poisoned arrow yet you are well enough to feast. A lucky Man you are indeed," Lord Vecery said, clearly awed. He knew of the poison that had no cure and wondered why this Man should survive when many others hadn't.

 "It was most likely luck which kept me alive. The arrow merely grazed me in passing and very little of the poison had chance to do harm," Legolas said, clearly dismissing the entire thing.

 "Still, you are alive, and you did save my Captain's life I am told. For this I thank you."

 Legolas nodded in reply, accepting the King's gratitude and turning back to his glass. Seeing a chance to end this conversation Aragorn immediately began questioning Lord Vecery about the outlaws that attacked him, curious as to their reasoning. The speech was long, and not interesting, but diverted the attention of both kings.

 No longer forced to speak, Legolas took the chance to study their hosts. Lord Vecery seemed genuinely enthusiastic about establishing a friendship with Gondor, though his reasons continued to go unsaid. Brelan had been separated from the rest of Middle-Earth for so long that it seemed odd they would choose now to form alliances.

 Sorinth was half-listening to the conversation between Lord Vecery and Aragorn while he himself spoke to Gimli, peppering the Dwarf with endless questions about his home and history. Of course, Gimli was only too eager to answer, and also continued to enjoy the hospitality of the Brelans. Legolas smiled as his friend began another long tale of battle, with some details greatly exaggerated. That smile quickly faded though as he chanced to look at Risorine. 

 The Man was speaking quietly with one of the Brelan Men, but when he looked up and saw Legolas watching him, though only momentarily, he cast the Elf an evil stare, then returned to his conversation. He was somewhat taken aback by this. Though the two had not reconciled their differences it had been some time since Risorine showed obvious contempt for Legolas, and he wondered what the cause was. Looking towards the Lords still deep in talk, he wondered if it was because he had already drawn the public admiration of Lord Vecery for saving Sorinth's life. Risorine had been introduced to Lord Vecery personally of course but it was Legolas out of all of Aragorn's Men that had drawn the Lord's attention.

 Sighing softly Legolas wondered if he could ever do anything that wouldn't displease this man, Risorine.

 When Aragorn and Vecery concluded their talk of politics the King of Brelan shifted his attention towards Gimli. The Dwarf greatly fascinated the Lord and he wished to know more about him.

 "Master Dwarf, tell me what brings you to our land. Though your company is welcome I am curious as to your reasons," Lord Vecery said.

 Gimli took a swallow of wine and then answered, "Well, Lord Elessar and I have long been friends and during one of my visits he told me of his intentions to visit your kingdom. It has always been in my blood to seek out excitement and travels, and the thought of visiting a foreign land enticed me. The opportunity to see new lands and meet new people was a great temptation. That said I decided to join my friend on this long journey and it has brought me here. And I have not been disappointed with my findings." He finished, pleased by the King's smile. 

 "I am glad you have enjoyed your stay thus far. And whatever the reason, you are always welcome to return, as are you all," Lord Vecery said as an afterthought. Gimli and Lord Vecery then began to converse with many of the Brelan Men leaning in to hear the Dwarf's words.

 It began to grow late but still no one made any mention of turning in for the evening. It was the hosts' job to declare the meal over and if a guest were to excuse himself early and without reason it may seem rude. As the hours drew on Legolas wondered if all the Brelan meals went on this long, and began to silently worry as he felt another headache begin to burden him. This was the first sign that the Mist of Concealment had begun to wear off. He would be hidden for another short while but after that he could be revealed for what he was. He needed to take his leave quickly. As a precaution he shook his head slightly, causing his hair to cascade over his ears, covering them well.

 Gimli was still rather enjoying his evening, though he had also noted the lateness of the hour. Looking about he wondered if anyone else felt fatigued by the day's activities. The two Lords looked as alert as always, as did most of the Men. He noticed one of Aragorn's guards stifle a yawn and another's eyes were drooping slightly. Logically he knew that Legolas would be feeling no such fatigue but he glanced his way in any case and saw him rubbing his forehead with a slight grimace.

 The Dwarf realized that the Mist of Concealment was probably wearing off again. His theory was proven correct when he noticed that in the lowering light the slight glow to the Elf's skin was becoming somewhat apparent, but only if one looked closely. Still, Gimli would not take that chance, but was lost as to a way to get the Elf out of the feast before the others.

 He tried to draw Aragorn's eye, but realized that the Man may not know about the effects of the mist and he could not be directly outright and speak of it. Gimli knew he would have to help Legolas out of this situation somehow and saw his opportunity a few minutes later. Just as a servant girl walked behind the Dwarf, desperately trying to keep balanced a pitcher of wine, he pushed his chair back only slightly, seemingly to stretch his legs. Of course the girl tripped over the leg of the chair and was sent sprawling forward, effectively spilling her burden all over Sorinth and Legolas.

 The two warriors stood in shocked surprise, dripping only slightly. The girl stood immediately, extremely nervous and embarrassed.

 "Oh, my deepest apologies. I didn't mean to. Allow me to help you," She offered immediately, using her apron as a cloth. 

 Legolas lifted his hand and stayed her immediately, "Do not worry, it was merely an accident." He said softly, a smile of understanding adorning his features. Sorinth was not so calm and wished desperately to yell at the girl for her clumsiness, but seeing Salogel's easy forgiveness of the matter he knew he would be considered harsh for doing so. Reluctantly he let the matter drop, but did order the girl to get him a proper towel. She fled quickly, eager to escape the situation.

 "With your leave my Lord, I feel I need to change my attire," Sorinth said to his Lord. Legolas nodded in agreement, trying to dry himself as well. He spared a glance towards his Dwarf friend and was not surprised to see a mixture of satisfaction and amusement on Gimli's face. Legolas had wanted to leave the meal, but this hadn't quite been what he had in mind.

 "It is growing late, as I only now realize. We should all take our leave for the evening. Perhaps tomorrow we can continue our discussions and make some greater arrangements," Lord Vecery suggested, standing to show it was indeed time to retire.

 "Of course, I shall look forward to it. Until tomorrow night then." Aragorn nodded respectfully, stood and led his Men out of the banquet hall. They all made their way directly to their rooms, somewhat exhausted. Legolas and Gimli walked behind the others, the Elf still dripping and ringing out his soaked hair.

 "You could thank me for the assistance," Gimli whispered to his friend conspiratorially.

 "Oh, thank you so much for probably ruining my outfit and embarrassing me in front of these Men. How will I ever pay you back?" Legolas pondered aloud, considering all sorts of ways to show his so called 'thanks'.

 "Well, you're out of there, as you undoubtedly wished. Besides, you hate Men's clothing, what is the loss of one outfit?" Gimli said, dismissing the Elf's complaints.

 Legolas sighed and smiled, he was not so blind that he could not find the humor in the situation, "I do not fault your intentions friend, merely your actions. It shall be days before I no longer smell of wine."

 "I think it suits you. At least this way I will always know when you are coming, for the smell of wine is something I will not miss." 

 Legolas chuckled, knowing this to be true, "I shall simply have to try harder to surprise you then." At this time the friends arrived at their respected rooms and parted ways. Gimli quickly removed the constricting garments, always hating to dress up, and changed into something much more comfortable. He then settled into his bed and quickly fell asleep, feeling the exhaustion of the day. Of course he would not admit to this, for as everyone knows a Dwarf has unlimited stamina.

 Immediately changing into something dry Legolas was surprised to hear a knock on his door, for the hour was late. The servant girl who had spilled the wine stood there meekly. She had brought a large basin of water with her that she left along with some towels, she then picked up the clothing she had stained with wine and took them with her to wash immediately. Legolas thanked her sincerely and bid her farewell. He was very thankful, especially for the basin. Very quickly he washed the sticky wine from his skin and hair. After drying off he felt much better and moved to the bed.

 Lying down he found it not too uncomfortable. Lacing his fingers across his chest he relaxed into sleep, knowing tomorrow would be another day such as this.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn awoke the next morning feeling quite rested. His years as a Ranger had tuned his senses to rouse him with the sun's first rays and he frequently found himself up and about before many others. He wondered if this would be the case in Brelan. Stepping out onto the balcony adjoining his room he found that it was indeed. The sun had only just risen and there were hardly any signs of activity on the previously busy streets. Sighing, he wondered how long he would have to wait before any of his company arose. He smiled softly then, remembering the one person he travelled with who was sure to be up.

 Dressing quickly, but properly, he left his room and made his way to Legolas's chambers. Passing Gimli's room he chuckled softly. Legolas had been right, the Dwarf's snores could be heard through the stone walls. He knocked gently on the Elf's door so as not to wake anyone else. It was a cheerful, very awake Legolas that answered the door, already in his human disguise, which still unnerved Aragorn. Legolas smiled at his friend and motioned him inside. 

 "I'm glad I am not the only one who has arisen," Aragorn commented as he entered.

 Legolas glanced at the wall and sighed, "With his snoring it was not as though I had much of a choice." He then motioned Aragorn closer and lowered his voice conspiratorially, "I have long since believed he does it on purpose and only when I sleep nearby."

 Aragorn laughed at this, mostly because it was actually possible knowing the Dwarf. "It makes me greatly appreciate being at the end of the hall." 

 "As you should. But I am happy as well that you are here. I have been up for several hours and am unable to leave this room until the others arise. I was greatly considering scaling the wall and taking a look around the town." Legolas had indeed been pondering this course of action, but then decided that scurrying through town late at night or early in the morning, could wait until they had been there for a few days.

 "It is best that you didn't, someone could spot you and I would be hard-pressed to explain such action from my *Men*," Aragorn said, wandering towards the balcony in the room. His love for the outdoors seemed to always be calling him, and he took every chance he could find to be near fresh air and open land. Legolas followed, feeling the same.

 "May I ask your plans for this day?" Legolas asked, leaning casually against the balcony rail.

 "I believe Lord Vecery is taking me on a tour of Miscalanth. I'm sure you won't have to attend, I wish I didn't either. I long to begin the search for the Stone of Malinya, but I fear I underestimated my own responsibilities here. I will be deep in discussions and negotiations throughout much of this trip. The duty of locating and perhaps retrieving the Stone may fall solely upon the shoulders of Gimli and yourself," Aragorn said, his voice tinged with regret. Finding the Stone had been his great dream for many nights now, and he wished to be involved in all parts of its recovery.

 "We will do our best, and keep you well informed of all progress we make," Legolas replied. He appeared about to say more when he turned suddenly, and began to listen closely to the outside world.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Risorine had not slept well, due to worries haunting his mind. He had awoken before the sun and decided he would rather stay awake than attempt sleep once more. Being purposely slow he got dressed, made his own bed, and took stock of his possessions, there being little else to do. It was then that he heard the doors of Lord Elessar's room opening. It did not surprise the captain that his King was up, for he often rose before others, but he had to wonder where Aragorn was going this early. 

 Holding his breath, he listened as the Lord's soft footsteps drifted away, then stopped. There was nothing for a moment and then the clear sound of a door being opened on a squeaky hinge. Any other Man would have wondered who the King was visiting, but Risorine knew immediately it was 'Salogel'. After all this time he could not understand why the King of Gondor would choose to spend all his free, and unfree, time with a foreigner of his Kingdom, instead of with his captain.

 His curiosity quickly bested him and after only several moments, he rose, and left his chambers. He needed to be sure it was actually 'Salogel's' room that Aragorn had entered. Now in the hall he intended only to listen from his doorway to try and pinpoint for certain which room the King had entered, but he found the Dwarf's snoring drowning out all other noise. Unhesitant, he moved down the hallway, listening for Aragorn's voice. He found it where expected.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Legolas lowered his voice and motioned towards the door, "Choose your words wisely, someone listens to our speech."

 Aragorn turned in surprise, having not heard anyone over Gimli's snores next door. He wondered who would dare eavesdrop on a conversation between the King of Gondor and a companion. It would be an unwise move for any of the Brelan Men, immediately causing distrust, and he could not picture it being any of the men from his company.

 "This view is quite splendid," Legolas said suddenly, and slightly louder than his normal speech. On silent Elven feet he began to inch towards the door.

 Aragorn took the hint and kept up a one-way conversation for a short while, "Yes it is, as good as my own. The people of Brelan have kindly treated us to their best rooms. Hmm, how does Gimli feel not having a balcony?" 

 This was all the time needed for the Elf to cross the room and swiftly swing open the door, "May I help you?" He asked immediately, not surprised in his findings of the eavesdropper's identity.

 Risorine stood swiftly, having been creeping low to hear better. He was shocked by Legolas's presence, not having heard the 'Man' make any sound as he walked to the door. His surprise and embarrassment caused him to fumble his words, "I uh, I was ... I was looking for Lord Elessar."

 "Then you might have tried *his* chambers first." Legolas's voice was cold, not enjoying the intrusion this Man made.

 "I did." Risorine answered immediately. Legolas knew it was a lie, he would have heard the Man make his way to Aragorn's room before he came here, but he could not say this; a Man would not have heard it.

 Legolas turned to Aragorn, approaching from behind. They exchanged a glance in which each conveyed the other's thoughts without needing words. Aragorn knew his Captain had been spying, but there had been no harm done so he let it pass.

 "What did you wish Risorine?" Aragorn asked, his voice only slightly warmer than Legolas's.

 Risorine bristled at the obvious dismissal, "Simply checking on your safety my Lord, it is my duty after all." He hoped this sounded a plausible and less shameful reason for his eavesdropping.

 "I am quite safe as you can see and will undoubtedly continue to be while in these walls. If there is nothing else I shall see you at breakfast," Aragorn replied curtly.

 "Of course Lord Elessar." Risorine bowed, gritting his teeth and hating his own stupidity. He then retreated down the hall, embarrassment and shame coloring his cheeks.

 Legolas closed the door after he left, knowing he was gone far down the hall beyond earshot. "You must do something about that Man. He is far too curious and jealous for his own good, and ours."

 "I know, I know. I shall see what I can do." Aragorn promised, already sorting ideas in his head on ways to deal with Risorine. The two talked for a bit longer, discussing Legolas's plan to possibly explore the darker parts of the city that would not be on Aragorn's tour. Both agreed it was a smart course of action, if the opportunity presented itself for him to put it to use. 

 They parted shortly afterwards, knowing they would soon be called for the morning meal. Legolas was still contemplating ways to explore the city alone, and Aragorn was wondering how to deal with his Captain.

  The rest of the morning passed without incident. The entire company had breakfast with Lord Vecery and several of the Brelan men. Throughout the meal Risorine could not help but shoot contemptful glares in Legolas's direction. Seeing this, and deciding to at least attempt to stop it, Aragorn halted his captain with a look of his own; one that rulers of great cities had trembled before. Risorine immediately left Legolas alone, but no one knew how long it would last.

 After breakfast the company was split up. Aragorn had been correct, the King of Brelan did indeed wish to take him on a tour of the great city of Miscalanth, and it would take up most of the day. Gimli, being their great Dwarf guest, used his influence with the men to earn himself a tour of his own. That is, a tour of the pubs and common places that Aragorn would not be visiting. He also asked if his good friend 'Salogel' could accompany them, and the men of Brelan readily agreed. With their paths set before them, it seemed sure that the day would be eventful for all. 

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~~|

 While Aragorn was begrudgingly accepting the King's invitation to view the city, Legolas and Gimli were changing for their own trip. The Elf was pleased to be back in casual clothes, even if they were Men's they were far more comfortable than formal wear. In private they spoke of their plans, to be friendly and courteous and be sure to ask of any stories of the Stone of Malinya but only in passing. It could not become known that they were searching for the Stone, for their quest depended greatly on secrecy. When breakfast was only several hours behind them Emilil knocked upon their doors, beckoning them to come for their tours. The friends eagerly accepted.

 "This is our finest pub. I believe you will find the ale to your satisfaction, Master Dwarf," Emilil said with a smile as he indicated the building before them. They had walked through the city for near an hour, being shown various landmarks, when they finally arrived at 'The Happy Horseman'. 

 "I must first taste it to be sure, but I have a feeling I won't be disappointed." Legolas rolled his eyes from under his hood as the group followed behind the Dwarf, into the pub.

 There was a good group of men inside. It was a little past noon and most were enjoying their lunches and speaking with friends. The establishment was a good size, built to fit many comfortably on a busy night. Upon the group's entry many heads turned, and remained turned at the welcome and surprising sight of a Dwarf. A questioning look was passed around the room, and Emilil smiled with delight at being this great guest's escort. No sooner had they walked through the door than Gimli was assaulted with greetings and handshakes, far too many to follow. The Men were eager to talk with him, for they had never seen or met a Dwarf, and immediately began peppering him with questions. He was given a central seat at the bar, so he may speak and be heard by all, which suited him just fine. 

 Though he was speaking to many he directed his speech towards Emilil, the only man he truly knew, "You have a fair city, and it has been a great delight of mine to walk through it," Gimli said, then swished back a great mouthful of ale, "But its beauty pales in comparison to the quality of your ale." This brought with it a great roar of agreement. Legolas sat at the bar, near the edge of the group, unnoticed. He ordered a drink to keep up appearances, but drank little of it. The plan had been for both to engage in conversation with the Men of this city, to double their chances of hearing a tale of the Stone, but Legolas knew this would now be impossible. Every man in the pub was listening closely to the Dwarf's speech and the Elf would not be able to tear any of them away to speak with them. 

 Gimli was also thinking it would be unlikely they would learn anything of the Stone from this course of action. No man seemed eager to speak of himself or their land. They wanted only to hear the Dwarf's tales. This normally would have been a fantastic thing to Gimli, for he loved to speak long and be heard attentively, but on this occasion he found it disappointing that for once Men did not wish to speak of themselves. Long they stayed at the bar, Gimli pushing down his disappointment to enjoy the attention, and Legolas taking the time to think over all they knew and determine their next course of action. Little came to mind. He supposed he would have to sneak out of the castle after all, late at night, and perhaps see what he could learn.

 When many men had come and gone the group decided they must return to the castle, much to the disapproval of the Dwarf's listeners.

 "I will return my friends. I need time to think of more tales to tell and must rest my weary tongue," Gimli assured them as he stepped out the door of The Happy Horsemen, followed shortly by Legolas and Emilil.

 "Fine people you have here, very attentive," Gimli commented, as they made their way back to the Castle of Hileris. 

 "They think the same of you. Coming here has given them much to speak of for the next long while," Emilil said, pleased with the people's reaction to the Dwarf.

 "They shall have to speak of it for long. Gimli spoke at such great lengths they will not be able to tell the entire tale at one sitting," Legolas replied, not putting much enthusiasm into their banter. Both were disappointed they had found no information, but could not openly share their feelings. 

 As they walked back they passed, for the second time, a great, guarded building that stood brightly in the city square. As before they gave it no notice, as their lowered spirits bid their feet to walk straight for the castle. But if they had asked, or even noticed the building they would have found the answers they seek. As it turned out, it was lucky for them that Aragorn was much more attentive to his surroundings, for later that night their hopes would be lifted once more.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 Aragorn only half listened as Lord Vecery explained in full detail the history of each milestone in his fair city, effectively making their official tour guide simply another spectator in their tour. The King of Gondor would normally give such things his full attention, but he could not seem to be able to force himself to listen. His mind was greatly disrupted with thoughts of the Stone of Malinya, and he could only hope that Legolas and Gimli would be able to find the necessary clues to locate it. This being the case his mind was inattentive as Lord Vecery displayed his great city. That is until they arrived at the great guarded building. Aragorn's attention was immediately drawn forth simply by the guards' presence for he had seen nothing else in the city, other than the Castle of Hileris, where guards were present, and he wondered what the building contained. There were few guards though, and he knew it would not be overly difficult to sneak in if one should want to, but still the fact that it was guarded seemed promising to him.

 "Lord Vecery," He began, so intrigued that he didn't notice he had interrupted the King, "If I may, what is that building over there?"

 Vecery seemed pleased that he had asked, and told him so, "That is our hall of records. All that was and is Brelan is stored within its walls, as will be all that comes to pass. Of course, some records are fragile and others secret so they are not for general public use, unless special permission is provided. Would you like to take a look inside?" 

 "Very much so. I am greatly intrigued by the history of nations; an entire hall of records to me is as valuable as mithril to a Dwarf," Aragorn replied, exaggerating a bit in hopes of a longer look in the hall.

 Passing by the guards Aragorn noted it would be quite easy to sneak in, the two front guards were the hall's only protection. The ceiling stretched quite high, some ten feet, and there were windows set high in the stone walls. The building appeared to be only one vast room, filled with shelves of parchments, scrolls, and books. It was clearly more than just a hall of records, it was a great repository of knowledge. 

 "How do you go through it all?" Aragorn asked quietly and absently as he ran his hands along several book casings. 

 "We have historians for that. It is their job to read and learn about our past and knowledge, and if information is needed they are called upon immediately," Lord Vecery said, walking down a parallel aisle, enjoying the writings as much as Aragorn. He was proud of his city, and enjoyed showing off and learning of its past.

 Aragorn could have stayed in the hall for years, not to learn of Brelan's history, but to search for any passages or clues about the Stone of Malinya. His heart constricted as he realized that somewhere in this room there most likely laid the answer he sought, but he also knew it may take forever to find it. 

 _Perhaps I can locate one of these historians, he thought, _surely they will know if there is any information about the Stone in these halls.__

 He turned away from the bookshelf to search for one of these historians, but his eye quickly became fixed on a case near a far wall. It was glass and locked tightly; filled with several scrolls, all tightly sealed. All were clearly marked with an Elvish symbol. Looking closer he realized the symbol was unknown to him, and gathered it came from the Elves who had once lived in the regions of Brelan but had long ago moved on to the Gray Havens.

 "Lord Vecery, what is kept in this case?" He asked, wishing greatly to be able to hold and read the papers. In a kingdom that despised Elves it was a rare event to find anything with the symbols of the Elder race, and he knew they must be important.

 "In truth, we do not know," Vecery replied. Aragorn turned then, a look of confusion set upon his features, "Those are scrolls of old, dating back nearly six millennia. But alas, we cannot read them. They are written in a script unknown to any that now live within Brelan's borders. They are records kept long ago, when we once aligned ourselves with the Elves," he seemed to spit this word out, "We know that they are records of our past but we have none now that speak or read the language." 

 Aragorn nodded, noting the sadness in the King's voice. Not sadness for the Elves' departure, but for possibly having a piece of his land's history kept from him, never to be known.

 Lord Vecery composed himself almost immediately and spoke with lighter words, "Come, I'm afraid we've no time to learn of past deeds now, but perhaps you can return here at a later date. There is much left to see."

 "Of course." Aragorn reluctantly pulled himself away from the glass case, still wondering what secrets it held. 

 They departed the building and continued on through the busy streets, people moving from their path wherever they turned. Aragorn resisted the urge to look back longingly at the hall of records, and turned his attention back to Lord Vecery who was droning on about the construction of a tower in the city square. If he had been distracted by his thoughts before then now he had no chance of following the Lord's words. Aragorn listened patiently, waiting for the time when they would return to the castle and he could inform Gimli and Legolas of what he may have found. He only hoped the hall indeed held the answers they sought.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Slightly later than usual the company from Gondor ate the afternoon meal in the halls of the Castle of Hileris. The meal had been delayed due to the length of Aragorn's tour, which had started earlier and ended later than Legolas and Gimli's. Having arrived late Aragorn had yet to speak with his companions about his findings. Having nothing of significance to report in return the Elf and Dwarf did not seek out a reason to speak with Aragorn, and had only the chance to speak in polite company at the meal.

 Aragorn would not get a real chance to speak to his friends until much later that night. While Legolas and Gimli were having quite a fair afternoon, hunting with the Brelan men, Aragorn was forced to spend the greater portion of his day with Lord Vecery. He seemed forever cursed with the responsibilities of his title, as they spoke of trade possibilities and alliances of the two lands. Still nothing was yet confirmed as to a full alliance.

 Finally able to take his leave after many hours with the Lord, Aragorn immediately headed for his chambers. He was disappointed to find that Legolas, Gimli, and the rest of his men had yet to return. Sighing in frustration he quickly wrote a note for each of his friends and slid them under the doors to their rooms. Having nothing else to do for the time he retired to his room and for a long time stood staring out his balcony, lost in thought.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 Gimli entered his room, content for the moment. Though the day had produced no clues as to the location of the Stone, he had enjoyed a great meal at 'The Happy Horseman', as well as a few ales, and the evening with the Brelan men had been pleasant, though uneventful. He had had little chance to speak with Legolas all day, having often been in the company of so many others that demanded his attention. But now the hour was late, and all were turning in for sleep. He was sure the Elf would be by later, perhaps through the window once more, and they could talk then. 

 It was only when he began to search the room for his bag of pipeweed that he even noticed the note on the floor. He unfolded it quickly, immediately recognizing Aragorn's handwriting.

 ~ _Meet me at _midnight___ in my quarters, I have much to tell you. ~ _

 Gimli's eyes widened in surprise. He and Legolas had found nothing that day, but it seemed as though Aragorn had discovered something, and he hoped it was the Stone. Looking outside he noted it was near another hour until midnight, which was fine for it would mean everyone else would be asleep, but it also meant the Dwarf would have to wait that long to hear of Aragorn's news. Folding up the note and depositing it in his bag, Gimli once again began his search for the lost pipeweed. He found it a few moments later and happily filled his pipe. He sat and smoked quietly, lost in thought and enjoying the quiet of the castle. 

 Deciding it was close enough to midnight, and confident the rest of the men were asleep, Gimli crept quietly from his room and down the hall. He took his time so as not to make a sound and soon reached Aragorn's door. Making only the faintest of noises he tapped on the door. It opened almost immediately and Aragorn quickly ushered him into the room, taking a habitual glance down the hallway after he was inside.

 When the door was carefully shut the two moved to the balcony, so as to be as far from prying ears as possible.

 "I am anxious to hear this news of yours," Gimli commented, still whispering despite the distance they put between themselves and any others who may be listening.

 "In a moment, we must wait for Legolas," Aragorn said, leaning against the balcony railing and listening for another knock on his door. As it was he was very surprised when he felt a tap on his shoulder from behind him.

 "You need not wait long then," Legolas commented, gracefully jumping down from the railing of the balcony. 

 Aragorn sighed, though smiling. Of course the Elf could not do the sensible thing and walk through the hallway, he would need to make his way over by traversing the outer wall of the great castle.

 "You could have been spotted my friend." Aragorn reprimanded, though is heart was not in.

 "There was none who could see me, I assure you. Unless you think there are more Elves in Miscalanth than just I," Legolas said, also taking a spot against the balcony railing. Pulling back his hood, his hair and skin glowed in the moonlight, his human disguise having worn off.

 "Well, there was Algoral," Gimli mentioned, his mind immediately spotting an opportunity to prove Legolas wrong. It was not until he noted the shadow that passed across his friend's face that he realized his grave mistake, "Oh blast. I ..."

 The Elf halted his words with a raised hand, but said no more on the matter. Legolas was dealing with his grief and it would all be well in time. Until then the subject was closed. 

 Knowing he would need to be the first to speak after such an awkward moment in their speech, Legolas asked, "What did you find this day on your travels?"

 "More than you two it would seem." Gimli grunted at this but said nothing. Aragorn continued, "Lord Vecery showed me much of his city but the only structure that truly caught my eye was the great hall of records, near the city square."

 "I do not believe we were shown this hall," Gimli commented, thinking back.

 "Of this I guessed, or at least, that you had not gone in, for it is forbidden unless special permission is granted. But this is unimportant, what I may have found in the hall is though."

 "May have found? You are not sure what it is?" Legolas asked, grasping at understanding.

 "I had not the chance to look," Aragorn said, "There were shelves and shelves, as high as the ceilings, all filled with records of the country's past and its knowledge. But this was not what I needed to tell you. I spotted a case nearly hidden in the shadows of the farthest corner. It was glass and contained the only documents in the structure that were locked away. When I asked what they were Lord Vecery informed me that they contained scrolls written by the Elves that once lived within Brelan's boundaries, but they know not what they say for no one that remains in Brelan now speaks or reads the language. I would have tried to read them myself but Lord Vecery wished to move on and I did not wish to seem suspicious." 

 "What do you believe them to say?" Gimli asked, now very curious.

 "I do not know, but would hope that within perhaps lay some secret about the location of the Stone of Malinya. There are historians whose only job is to read and learn about what is written in the normal scrolls, if the Stone's location was in them I believe they would have found it. I think our only chance of finding anything about the Stone that is not general knowledge, is to open these scrolls and discover their contents," Aragorn said emphatically.

 "I will go," Legolas offered immediately, not giving Aragorn a chance to continue.

 "Not alone you won't," Gimli countered, just as quickly.

 "Alas, I feel he should," Aragorn said, gaining both their attention, "The scrolls are locked away and to read them I fear it will be necessary to sneak into the hall in secret. Alone an Elf is quick and silent, not to mean any disrespect or judgment Gimli, but I believe it would be safer for him to go alone." 

 "Besides my friend, you cannot read Elvish script, I feel you would be of little help," Legolas commented softly, his head bowed in thought.

 Gimli nodded, and crossed his arms, "When would you go?" 

 "I can go tonight. It is now late enough and I could return long before the sun shows itself," Legolas said, eager to read the scrolls.

 Aragorn was unsure he liked the Elf going out and doing this so abruptly, he liked to have a plan and back-up plan when attempting something such as this. But these were rare circumstances; they would be in Brelan for only so long, and if they did not discover what the scrolls said now they might never get a chance. Aragorn would never again risk bringing an Elf, even Legolas, to this land that so hated them, and he doubted there were any others he could bring that would be able to read the Elven script.

 "Very well. But be careful, and do not leave right away. I wish you to return to your chambers, and please, use the hall, and think of your course of action. The chamber of records is large and guarded by two sentries at each doorway, but there are high windows set in the wall that it may be possible to climb in. I will leave it up to you to choose your own course of action, but I pray you be careful about it."

 Legolas nodded, his face a stern mask, taking his mission with all seriousness, "If there is nothing else I should go prepare."

 "That is all for now. I shall have to hear of your exploits of this day at a later date, but I heard many of Vecery's men speak of your day at 'The Happy Horseman'," Aragorn said.

 "It was a fine day, but we both better leave. Already we have stayed longer than may be safe," Gimli commented and made his way to the door with a curt nod of his head to say good-bye. Aragorn watched him walk quietly across the room, his eyes straying for only a second. But when he turned around once more he found himself on an empty balcony. He spun around just in time to see a flash of gold hair as Legolas leapt to the next balcony and out of sight.

 "Will Elves never understand the concept of doors?" He asked aloud, shaking his head as he went into his room. Laying on his bed he knew he would not find sleep that night, for his head would be filled with thoughts and wonderings of the Stone and Legolas's findings. But still he laid there, thinking, trying to dream but never quite making it.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 For near an hour Legolas stayed in his room after leaving Aragorn and Gimli. He changed into the darkest outfit he could find to make it easier to slip around in the night, though he doubted anyone would spot him anyway. Upon reflection he believed he did recall the building Aragorn had mentioned, and was confident he could find it again. He tucked a few things into his belt, his knives for one, and put on the Elvish boots he had packed away at the bottom of his bag; he would not be able to creep around quietly in Men's footwear. Having a not so clear, but usable, plan in his head, Legolas took off for the Brelan hall of records. 

 Weaving quietly through and out of the castle would take too much time, he decided, and instead scaled out his window. He was several stories up but the brick was thick and he got down easily. A few minutes later he had reached the ground. He hid behind several bushes, crept around the strangely alert guards, and then scaled a desolate spot of the guarding wall, all without making a sound.

 His journey to the hall lasted nearly an hour, but involved nothing that needs telling. When he reached the hall he stopped, and observed for several moments. He would not be able to slip by the guards, for they were alert, and he did not wish to harm them unnecessarily for that was cruel and also would bring forth too much attention later on. The windows high in the walls seemed his only choice. Still creeping about, he made his way to the side of the building that was closest to the hall. He reached the roof rather easily, there having been a staircase to use, and then judged the distance from the roof of this building to the next. It seemed a simple enough jump, and with that thought he sprang forward and leapt through the air, landing firmly and silently on the roof of the hall.

 From there he dropped to the edge and swung himself in through an open window. He was beginning to feel like a spider, jumping and sticking to walls, threading his web. But that was not a fair description, he did not stick to walls, he only found foot and hand holds that many Men would miss, or find unusable. Inside the building, he now only had to find the case and discover what secrets were hidden in its text.

 His Elven vision was a wonderful blessing as he saw things in the pale moonlight that most would not see.  When he found the case, he briefly studied the scrolls that he could not yet touch. The seal was that of an Elf with high-standing military power, but he knew not whose it was. He then had the problem of opening the treasure chest, and stealing his gold without anyone knowing he had been there. The lock was old, and would crack if forced open, and someone would surely notice this eventually. 

 Any fracture made in the glass's structure would be extremely obvious and he could not repair glass, alone, on this night. Sighing, knowing this would take some time from his eternal life, he knelt down and began to pick the lock with a small piece of metal. He was not surprised by the construction of the lock, it took several tries to get the pick in just right, then he had to carefully turn it until it clicked. It took nearly ten minutes, for the pick kept slipping out of place as he turned, until he finally heard the satisfying clang of metal as it separated itself from one another.

 Legolas took the lock off with an air of satisfaction, then carefully removed the coveted, ancient papers. He carefully removed their rope bindings, making sure not to damage the seal. He was forced to light a small candle in front of him, for even with Elvish eyes he could not read well in pure darkness. There were four scrolls in all, and the first he opened was long, but not full. It was written in an Elvish script unknown for some time, though there were a number of Elves who could still write and speak it, there was little to no use of it, and it was learned only in respect for the days of past. Fortunately, of the few that were forced to learn it were the royal princes of Mirkwood.

 _I hope all the scrolls are not as this, for it is useless and says little. Legolas thought to himself. The page was a single long list, filled with many things. Duty schedules for guards, an inventory of supplies, a list of supplies needed, and so forth. It seemed nothing more than a simple 'To do' list. Shaking his head, Legolas returned the scroll to its bindings and replaced it exactly. The next scroll held nothing of importance either; it was clearly a journal, and private, so he only skimmed for the words 'Stone of Malinya', but did not read it. The third scroll would prove to be a revelation though, so much so that Legolas forgot that there was a fourth scroll that he would never read. It was the first line that stole his attention completely._

 It was long and said much, but here are the parts of importance;

 "The Confessions and Failings of the Elvish Race,

 It was us. We are the thieves who stole from the thieves. The Brelans stole the Stone of Malinya, and kept it well hidden, but we recovered what was lost, and hope to one day return it. There is much chaos and hate in this world, but we do not believe it is yet time to return the Stone to the people. Perhaps someday soon. Until that time it will remain hidden, from all Men, Dwarves, and even Elves, until such a time that these races unite, and are able to trust each other without the help of the Stone and its power. Peace and love should be something shared willingly, without help, not forced upon races by the power of the Elves. This will be the only account of its location, but even this is useless without the alliance of the races, so the information matters not."

 Below this paragraph was a map, precisely drawn, of Brelan, mainly focusing on the area Miscalanth was now built upon. There was an Elvish rune marking the page; it was the symbol of Malinya. Legolas smiled brightly. He had found what they needed. They could use this to find the Stone and then return the peace to Middle-Earth, he thought, pushing back the words written that spoke of not using the Stone, thinking them folly. He began to wrap up the scroll when he noticed another paragraph that greatly interested him. Though he did not read the entire scroll, this passage needed to be read immediately as it pertained to a friend he had known for far too short a time.

 "Why did he make such a promise, knowing we could not keep it? Why would he promise the Men of Brelan our assistance in their war when he knew we could not interfere? I believe I know the answer, but wish for a different one, for I do not wish to put so much blame on this one Elf for the loss of so many lives. Being the chief advisor to Brelan's King for so long, he obviously felt sorry for the Men of their fine country, but he should not have involved himself the way he did. He promised them archers to aid them in their battle, 500 strong. We could not do that though, it would be wrong. A slaughter against the Men who challenged Brelan in the first place, and it was not our place to act. Of course, he could not understand this.

 The Brelans hate us now, all of us, and their Elven chief advisor has gone into hiding, where even his kindred cannot find him. I hope he is well. There is nothing left for us here, so we shall travel to the Gray Havens, and perhaps there we can find peace in the land. Oh, why did he do it? Why Algoral? You knew we could do nothing."

 "Algoral?"

Legolas stared for a moment in confusion, the words themselves were clear but his mind was unwilling to accept their meaning. Elves did not usually lie to each other, it was simply their way, yet Algoral had mentioned nothing of being the Elven advisor to the Men of Brelan and the reason for their downfall and Elven hatred. It seemed an important piece of information and he wondered why Algoral had withheld it. He knew the answer probably lay somewhere else in the scroll, for it was long and descriptive in parts, and he began to scan the contents of the parchment. If able, he would have stayed all night to find the answers he sought, solutions to new riddles. But this was not the case. Outside he heard the clear sound of movement, and speech. It was faint, but he knew there was a chance that the guards could come inside. 

 The candle was quickly extinguished and the scroll was rolled up and placed into a special case, for protection. Legolas was about to leave through the window once more, in a hurry to return to the castle and read the scrolls, when he realized that the parchments would be missed if taken. Thinking quickly he grabbed a scroll, just as old, from another shelf and wrapped it tightly. He then bound it with the same rope, showing the same unbroken seal on the front. After placing the scrolls back in the case, in their exact positions, he was on his way. 

 Over the rooftops, through the dark echoes of streets and melding with shadows he returned to the castle in half the time it had taken to reach the hall of records. It would be dark for only another hour, perhaps less, so he swiftly stole his way inside, past the guards, and back up the wall to his chambers. Since morning was quickly approaching Legolas decided it was safer to wait to tell Aragorn and Gimli of his findings, rather than risk being seen or heard in the early hours. This also left him the opportunity to read over the scrolls himself, for at least an hour, perhaps more. 

 He sat on his bed and carefully unwrapped the scroll, looking for answers and hoping more questions did not arise. After reading it more closely and with greater patience it became obvious that the scroll was a record. Not a journal, for it spoke of the deeds of many, but seemingly an archive of all that occurred between the Elves and Men of Brelan. Much of it meant little to Legolas, and he simply skimmed it over, barely reading the words. He found nothing of interest until he reached the entry regarding the Stone of Malinya. He read this once more, the words filling him with joy as he began to realize that it was most likely they would be finding the Stone of Malinya. The map was well drawn, but somewhat outdated. He spotted several landmarks on it, such as the hall of records, and felt confident they would be able to find the location of the Stone through the map.

 Continuing on he once more came to the entry describing the downfall of the Elf/Man alliance in Brelan. He read this over and kept on reading, searching for more elaborate explanations of the sequence of events.

 Algoral had indeed been the Elven advisor to the Brelan men, or so it seemed, and he had assured them the archers would come. What he had not counted on was the noncompliance of his own people, and could not believe they would not help the Men in their war. But the Elves stood by their decision that it was not their place to interfere in the matters of Men. The writer of the text personally would have liked to have helped the Brelan Men and agreed with Algoral that they should have assisted. But he held some anger towards Algoral for what he did after he made this promise.

 "He knew the archers were not coming, we told him and made it quite clear. But still he told the Men of Brelan they would be there, would ensure their victory. Perhaps it would have wounded his pride to inform the king the archers would not be coming, but it would also have saved so many lives. Nearly half the Brelan army was destroyed in this conflict, and almost all of that of their enemy. It is a sad day in the boundaries of Brelan, and I fear it is the fault of Algoral. It was not his place to assure them the archers in the first place, and it was not within his rights to lie to them. Perhaps this might have encouraged them to fight stronger, and hold hope, which may have led to their victory. But it also led to the deaths of many. I know he feels for what has happened to these men, and wishes to make it better, but I can see not how he could hope to do this. I can only hope that Algoral can perhaps find peace, even though I do not approve of what he has done, I can still hope that for him. I can forgive him, as would his people if he were to return to us, but still we cannot find him."

 Legolas read this over, for there was little else mentioned of his friend, and wondered, "Oh Algoral, did you ever return to your people? Or did you forever remain in Brelan, attempting to put back your wrongs?"

 The answers did not seem to be within the scroll, and Legolas wondered if he should ever know. He continued reading until the sun had been up for an hour. There were sounds of people moving about and talking in the halls. He acknowledged these sounds but paid them no mind; he was too busy learning and trying to find out more about the Stone and Algoral. He became so engrossed that he nearly jumped from the bed when a loud knocking came on his door.

 Looking up in surprise, he could not believe he had let himself drift so far from his surroundings, and become so unaware. Shaking his head at his carelessness he called out, "Come in." And reluctantly began to wrap up the scroll.

 It was Aragorn who entered the Elf's room. Legolas could tell the Man had gotten no sleep, though others would have missed the signs that were barely registerable in the ranger. He entered hurriedly, his eyes widening in shock as he saw the Elf sitting casually on his bed.

 "Have you lost all sense on your travels this evening?" Aragorn asked, his tone slightly hushed.

 "What are you talking about?" Legolas asked, standing to face his friend.

 "You are not in your human disguise, and yet you allow entry to your room without asking who knocks." Aragorn pointed out, surprised by the Elf's carelessness.

 Legolas brought his hand to his ear, only now realizing that he was indeed in Elven form, "You are right, I was careless, clearly. But I am sure you will forgive my errors when you hear of what I have found." 

 Aragorn's eyes immediately lost all aggression as they flicked curiously over the scroll Legolas held. "What is it?"

 "All we could have wished, and some that I, in truth, did not wish to know. I have not the time to explain all but there is a map within this scroll that I believe will lead us to the Stone. Do you recognize this script?" Legolas asked, unrolling the scroll and showing the writing to Aragorn who studied it for a moment.

 "Nay, it is a form I have never learned," Aragorn replied.

 Legolas sighed, "Then it would do little good for you to study it on your own. We shall all have to meet tonight and I will explain its meaning, for there is not time now to do so."

 Aragorn nodded reluctantly, but filled with hope from his friend's words. A map would be more than they could have hoped for. Suddenly the Stone of Malinya seemed very close.

 "I am glad to see you were successful. We should go about our business as usual. You speak with Gimli. We'll meet at midnight in my chambers once more," Aragorn said, heading towards the door to leave his friend to prepare for the day. "And feel free to use the door this time." 

 Legolas smiled, waved his friend off then locked the door behind him. He needed to change into human form immediately, before someone else knocked on his door. 

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 The day passed slowly for Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas. After breakfast Legolas had taken Gimli aside for a moment and explained briefly what he had found that night. The Dwarf was as enthused as his friends, but all three of them had to act their parts for the day, and keep up appearances. There was to be no hint that they had any other business in Brelan other than an alliance of countries. Aragorn spent his day with Lord Vecery once more, trying very hard to concentrate on the matters at hand. He had a well trained mind and was able to push the thoughts of the Stone from his thoughts for the most part, but every now and then he would have a wonderful vision of a united Middle-Earth, and his mind would momentarily stray.

 As for Gimli and Legolas, they were worse off. Having no national negotiations to set straight, their minds could drift as often as they wished, and they heard little of what their hosts said to them that day. They spent most of the day with the Brelan men once more. They took part in city activities and visited 'The Happy Horseman' once more, but did and learned nothing of significance. 

 Legolas grew increasingly edgy, his heart and soul itching to go off in search of the Stone, but he knew he must wait. They had spent many weeks searching already; he could wait a little longer.

 When the day was finally drawing to a close Gimli and Legolas spoke quietly, as they lingered behind the Men headed back to the Castle of Hileris.

 "I swear this has been the longest day of my near three millennia," Legolas stated, kicking a rock underfoot.

 "It has seemed slow to me as well, and I pray for the quick fall of night. Do you believe we can go tonight?" Gimli asked, not wishing to waste another day.

 "Perhaps, if we leave early enough and the location is not too far. I am eager myself, and will go alone if necessary."

 "It will not be.  And I will be going with you. As young Merry would say 'You'd have to tie me up in a sack to stop me.'" Gimli said, doing a poor Hobbit imitation which made Legolas grin.

 "Very well my friend, but I do not believe we will be able to leave Aragorn behind, so that will make us a trio." Just as he said this they reached the Castle gates. The guards nodded to them, recognizing the King's guests and immediately allowing them passage. Legolas stopped and asked the guard, "Do you know the where-abouts of Lord Elessar?"

 "Nay," the guard replied, "He and Lord Vecery went out several hours ago. But I believe they meant to return before supper."

 "Thank you," Legolas said, checking the sun's position and noting it was near time for the evening meal. He wished to speak with Aragorn as soon as possible. He knew he would have little chance with Lord Vecery about, but he decided he would still wait, just in case the chance arose.

 "You go ahead, Gimli. I wish to stay here and await Aragorn's arrival," Legolas said simply. Gimli nodded in understanding and made his way to the castle.

 Legolas stood just beyond the gates, waiting patiently for Aragorn to return. He spoke shortly with the guards on subjects of little importance, but mostly looked towards the horizon. The sun was setting earlier now that winter approached and it was nearly dark before he spotted the small contingent of guards that would undoubtedly be escorting the two Lords. They were walking at a leisurely pace and the guards at the gate had not yet spotted them in the fading light, so he pretended he couldn't as well. As he waited he began to feel that something was wrong. The air blew oddly and the feelings from the earth and rocks began to change, becoming tense. Something was going to happen. 

 He walked past the guards, outside the gates, to reach Aragorn sooner and find out if he sensed it as well. 

 Aragorn and Lord Vecery approached, both surrounded by guards as well as their captains, Risorine and Sorinth. The Kings spotted Legolas who was seemingly waiting for them. He turned to them as they drew nearer, but then donated all his attention to the high wall along the gate. He had seen movement, he was sure of it. Human eyes would have missed it in the failing light but he had seen at least one man, perhaps two, running hunched along the wall. 

 "Salogel, what is it?" Aragorn asked, also scanning the shadows above but knowing Legolas was seeing more than he was. The Elf turned to speak but his reply suddenly became a warning.

 "Down!"

 He heard the clear twang of a bow being shot and leapt forward, knocking himself, Aragorn, and Lord Vecery to the ground. The arrow sailed above them, missing its intended target. But not all could move as quickly as an Elf, and the arrow found a new target as it landed sharply in Sorinth's shoulder. The man cried out, and wavered but showed great strength when he did not fall to the ground. 

 "Everyone get down!" Sorinth ordered, clutching his arm and making his way to Lord Vecery. The King of Brelan picked himself up from beneath Legolas and crouched low among the guards. 

 Legolas was the only one who could see the assailants moving along the gate wall, making a quick retreat. His body tensed and he sprang to his feet, ready to take pursuit, but was pulled back by a strong grip on his arm. He turned. It was Aragorn, holding him back and shaking his head. Now was not the time for Legolas to show off his tracking skills. 

 The Elf nodded reluctantly and hoped the guards would be able to catch the attackers without his help. Still he yelled, "They are on the wall." 

 Guards began to scramble about; above and below the gates, and there was soon a chase for the attackers that Legolas could no longer follow.

 "Are you hurt?" Legolas asked Lord Vecery, knowing Aragorn was well. It was clear the arrow had been meant for the King of Brelan due to its trajectory.

 "I am fine, thank-you," Lord Vecery replied, rising and dusting himself off, "You saved my life. How did you see them in this darkness?" 

 "It is not fully dark and the last few rays of sun reflected off their weapons." Legolas lied swiftly, using much the same excuse as he had used on Risorine weeks before after the Warg attack.

 Lord Vecery nodded, accepting the reply, then turned to his captain, "Sorinth, you're hurt. Fetch a doctor, quickly." He ordered a guard while inspecting the arrow protruding from the captain's upper arm.

 "It can wait. We must get you both inside quickly, there may be more assassins about." Sorinth insisted, gently directing his king towards the castle gates. Legolas admired the Man's dedication to his king, and selflessness regarding his own injuries. He had come to learn it was a rare trait in Men.

 The group of kings and guards quickly made it past the protection of the gates and were nearing the castle doors. Several men ran forth, asking questions about what had happened. With them was Gimli who immediately ran towards his two friends, who thankfully appeared uninjured. 

 "What happened?" Gimli asked immediately.

 "There were assassins on the gate wall. They made an attempt on Lord Vecery's life," Legolas explained hastily.

 "Was anyone hurt?" Gimli continued.

 "Only Sorinth," Aragorn replied, looking around. "He took an arrow to the shoulder. I believe they have taken him inside to treat him."

 "At least the damage was minimal. Where is Risorine though?" Gimli asked, now also looking about.

 "That is a very good question," Legolas stated. He had not noticed the man leave, wherever he had gone. But was now thinking it strange that while under attack Risorine had made no move to get nearer to Aragorn that Legolas could remember. And it was the Elf that mostly took charge of Aragorn's safety. Where had Risorine been then?

 "Perhaps he has gone in pursuit of our attackers." Aragorn offered as explanation, but was now also recalling the lack of action on his captain's part. Just then the guards that had chased after the assailants returned, without Risorine, and reported that they had been unable to catch, or follow any of the attackers.

 "So where has he gone then?" Gimli asked, perplexed by the captain's actions. 

 "I do not know. But we should go inside. You two check on Sorinth while I speak with Lord Vecery. I wish to know the meaning of these attacks," Aragorn said. The Dwarf and Elf agreed and entered the castle with him, then split up. 

 ~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 Aragorn entered the great hall of the castle, unescorted for the first time. Lord Vecery was already there, shouting orders at several of his guards, demanding better security and that the assailants be caught. Aragorn waited for a few moments while order was restored and Vecery finally sent his guards on their way.

 "Lord Elessar, my deepest apologies for this attack. I have no idea how it happened, but I will find who is at fault, and who is responsible." Lord Vecery promised him, taking a weary seat on his throne.

 "There is no need for apologies, especially since I am quite sure the arrow was meant for you. I came here only to ask who you believe the criminals to be, if you have any suspects."

 "We know of no specific person, but I am almost certain it is the same group which attacked you and your escort in the woods on your way here," Lord Vecery replied.

 "What is their reasoning?" Aragorn asked curiously.

 "None that we know of. They have said before that they find our justice systems very unjust, and do not agree with the spread of wealth through the land. But this they told us years ago. In the past few months there have been more attacks, and no demands or reasons have been put forth. I wish I could give some explanation but I have none."

 "That is unfortunate. But while I stay in your city I offer all the help I can give in finding these outlaws," Aragorn said dutifully. He knew there was little any of his men could do to help in such a long standing problem but he at least had to offer.

 "Thank you Lord Elessar, but that won't be necessary. We will find these outlaws eventually." Vecery's voice held little conviction; it sounded more like wishful thinking.

 "Very well. If that is all I will take my leave for the night. I am sure you have much to attend to yourself, and I will not hinder you." Aragorn wished to return to find his friends, for Gimli, Legolas and himself would have much to speak of.

 "Of course. And give my thanks once more to your guard, Salogel. You are lucky to have him with you, he undoubtedly saved my life," Lord Vecery said, sincerely grateful. 

 "I will give him your thanks, but he is not my guard. He is my friend," Aragorn said in parting.

 "Then you are even more lucky still," Lord Vecery said softly as the door closed behind the great King.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 As Aragorn made his way back to his room, hoping to find Legolas and Gimli, he was more than surprised to find Risorine wandering the halls. He appeared to only now be returning from wherever he had disappeared to. The man was slightly out of breath but other than that looked well, and bowed when Aragorn approached.

 "Where have you been?" Aragorn asked immediately.

 "I took chase after the assassins," Risorine replied quickly.

 "The other guards returned some time ago." Aragorn pointed out, not sure why he was so skeptical.

 "I was able to follow one of them quite far, the others lost track of us. I almost had him, but he disappeared in a dense patch of woods," Risorine replied.

 Aragorn nodded, accepting the story for now, "Very well. You should turn in, it has grown late and there has been much excitement. I am retiring now as well."

 "Yes, my lord." Risorine bowed dutifully once more, then wearily made his way towards his chamber.

 Aragorn sighed, becoming more and more nervous about his captain. He had been acting far too strange. But those thoughts would have to wait for later; he needed to find his friends.

 It took him a few minutes but he eventually found them, also on their way to their rooms. They had been to see Sorinth. The doctors had successfully removed the arrow and said he should make a full recovery. Aragorn told them of what Lord Vecery had said, and also of his encounter with Risorine. They both listened, weighing the details in their own minds. 

 "The web is weaving tighter it would seem. There is much chaos in Brelan," Gimli commented. 

 "So much so that we had best move quickly if we wish to recover that which was lost," Legolas said.

 Aragorn raised a hand to halt any more speech from the two, "We will talk of this later. Now is not the time." Looking up and down the long hallways, the Dwarf and Elf agreed, then retired to their rooms. Gimli and Aragorn would find no sleep for several days, neither would Legolas, but he at least received several more hours to go over that which he had found in the scroll.

 ~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 Aragorn paced in his room. He was unsure whether or not to proceed in their search for the Stone of Malinya. They had the map now, and if they were to return at a later date they could then use it to find the Stone. Brelan seemed too alert just now. Too tense. The city would soon be in turmoil, outlaws were attacking more frequently and just that evening there had been an attempt on Lord Vecery's life. But perhaps that made it the perfect time to find the Stone. With turmoil brings chaos, and they may be able to retrieve the Stone with no one's notice, and then help unite the lands with its power. 

 In truth he knew not what the right thing to do was currently. Lord Vecery seemed a noble man; perhaps he could be told about the Stone and help in retrieving it. No. The man had an obvious hatred for Elves, he would not willingly help retrieve the Elven Stone, and if he did it would most likely be only to destroy it, or hide it once more. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli were on their own, of this he was sure. He would have to speak with his friends, and together they could decide what was best. He realized suddenly that it must be near midnight, and knew his friends would be arriving soon.

 He stayed out on the balcony, alert and watchful. Legolas would not sneak up on him this night. He had let the Elf surprise him on too many occasions already and was going to be prepared this time. 

 Aragorn stood, watching the corner and waiting for Legolas to appear. He was so focused on the next balcony that he did not hear the door silently opening behind him, and did not even know someone had entered until a map appeared before his eyes, startling him. He turned around to find Legolas holding the scroll up triumphantly, smiling.

 "You did say I should use the door. Now, are you ready to go treasure hunting?"

 "Ready and willing, but there is much to discuss first," Aragorn replied, somehow not surprised that Legolas had snuck up on him again. 

 "And what is that? We have the map, supplies, and the cover of night. I can think of little else we need," Legolas said, his tone slightly defensive. He did not wish to wait any longer to find the Stone, but would if Aragorn thought it absolutely necessary.

 "I am unsure whether we should proceed tonight or not. These attacks are …." Aragorn stopped when the door began to open once more, but it was only Gimli.

 "What about these attacks?" Gimli asked, joining the two.

 "They seem to have become more bold, and frequent according to Lord Vecery. With the state of chaos Brelan is in I am not sure now is a good time to retrieve the Stone." 

 "What could be a better time? We will be gone only a few hours, in the dead of night when no one will miss us. And when we return we shall bring a treasure greater than ever had in Brelan. Perhaps we can even help to create peace between the rebels and Brelans through the Stone's power," Gimli said. He was as eager as his friends to find the Stone, but less patient.

 "I had not thought of that. My mind has focussed mainly on reuniting the races of Middle Earth, not the factions of a country. But I suppose the outcome is the same. There would be peace, which is great motivation to set out tonight." Aragorn admitted, pleased he had come to a decision with his friends as to their course of action.

 "Legolas, explain this map if you will," Aragorn requested, indicating the scroll the smiling Elf held.

 "Of course. According to it the Stone lay somewhere beyond the boundaries of Miscalanth. This is the Elvish symbol of Malinya, where I believe the Stone to be hidden," Legolas explained.

 "A logical assumption. Do you believe we know Brelan well enough to make our way to this location?" Gimli asked, studying the map and seeing few recognizable landmarks.

 "I am unsure but we must try. There is an entry written about the map, by an Elven archivist. According to him, 'This will be the only account of the Stone's location, but even this is useless without the alliance of the races.' I am unsure what this means," Legolas admitted.

 "What an odd thing to write. If this map leads to the Stone why would only the alliance of the races make it retrievable?" Gimli pondered aloud what they were all thinking.

 "We shall have to find out when we get there. Perhaps there will be a clue wherever the Stone lies. Now I believe it has grown sufficiently late, and we must be off." Aragorn urged them, and they eagerly agreed.

 Though Legolas had escaped the castle by scaling the walls they agreed that was not a sound choice of action for the three of them to follow. Instead they took a chance and quietly crept through the castle, melting into shadows and walking with silent feet. When they reached the lower levels of the castle they escaped through a low set window, knowing the door would be too loud and noticeable. They were now outside, near the castle's back entrance which was not as heavily guarded. But the few guards that did stay here were on full alert after the attack on their king and the trio did not think they would be able to sneak by them all.

 They decided force would be necessary. Very silently Legolas crept up the wall and knocked out the two men on watch. Down below Aragorn and Gimli were doing the same to the foot soldiers. They were careful not to be seen so later the attack would most likely be credited to the rebels, and they did not do any lasting harm to any of the guards. 

 "We should get the horses," Aragorn suggested, and Legolas agreed. Gimli grumbled under his breath at the suggestion but did not voice any complaints because he knew it would be faster to take their steeds. They quickly made it to the stables and mounted, Gimli with Legolas and Aragorn leading the way. Jarinel neighed softly, thrilled to see Legolas. Though the Elf had come to see him everyday with sweets and exercised him, this was the first time they had truly set out since arriving in Miscalanth. They made sure they had all they needed then set off quickly into the night, silent whispers on the wind's wings. 

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli soon reached the Hall of Records, where the map had been kept. This was one of the few locations still standing in Brelan that was on the ancient map, so they decided to use it as their starting off point. 

 Legolas held up the map, his elven eyesight making it possible to see even in the barest of moonlight, "We must ride north, for what appears to be near twenty miles. I do not recognize many of these places but the landscape may become clearer as we ride." 

 "Very well then. Lead the way my friend," Aragorn prompted him. 

 Kicking his heels lightly to speed Jarinel on, Legolas led the way out of the city and into the dark of night. They had to ride through the city slower than they wished for they could not chance waking people in their homes, or possibly being followed, so needed silence. The moon was at only half its light but Legolas could still see clearly and found them passage through the city as swiftly as possible. Near an hour passed by the time they reached the wilderness surrounding Miscalanth. They continued north at full speed, covering much ground, but were shortly forced to stop and search for any landmarks that could date back thousands of years.

 "Over here, I believe I saw this on our map," Gimli called, pointing to a familiar rock formation. "The years have changed their shape slightly but I am sure this is the same outcropping on the map. And if there's anything I know it is rocks and stone."

 "Yes, you are correct Gimli. It is good that you spotted this. We can ride another ten miles east without stopping now," Legolas commented, studying the map and then tucking it safely away. Suddenly his senses perked, and his body went on full alert. A half second later Aragorn and Gimli did the same, and they all looked about themselves suspiciously.

 "I assume you both heard that," Aragorn asked needlessly, scanning the woods for any sign of the cause of their alert status. It had been the sound of leaves crunching underfoot. Then it happened again; louder than before. 

 "There," Legolas said, indicating a patch of bushes as the source of the crunching. He slowly lifted his bow and drew out an arrow, taking aim for the bush and then letting it loose. He purposely shot wide, not wanting to hit whoever or whatever it was just yet, only wishing to draw it out from hiding. The three friends stood waiting tensely, anticipating some kind of reaction. 

 "Perhaps it was the wind," Gimli suggested, thinking they had all become paranoid due to their frequent running about, and secret agendas they had been playing out. 

 "It was not the wind," Legolas said, leaving no room for argument. Beside him Aragorn nodded. The man was about to suggest another shot when a great whinnying sounded from behind them. They all turned to see Jarinel go up on his back legs, clearly upset. Legolas moved to him, intent on calming the beast when their watchers decided to attack. 

 Wargs. Half a dozen only, yet surprise had been on their side as they had been amazingly quiet in their approach. But in truth they had not needed to approach at all. The three friends had unknowingly ridden directly into their hunting grounds, and the Wargs had only to be silent and watch for the perfect moment for attack, which had come. 

 The beasts attacked with great speed and the friends rushed to defend themselves. Aragorn withdrew his sword and with practiced ease sliced at the neck of the nearest beast as it leapt into the air, causing it to fall back lifelessly to the ground. He turned as another leapt at him and easily side-stepped it as well. It came back around once more and leapt again, aiming for Aragorn's neck. The man drove his sword out and impaled the Warg, easily winning the battle. 

 Gimli hefted his axe high and brought it down mightily against the back of the first Warg to draw near. Grim satisfaction filled him as he gained some vengeance on the beasts for their attack against the company much earlier in their journey. Another Warg drew near and this time he struck from the side, knocking it dead to the ground. No more beasts attacked and the dwarf turned to see that Aragorn had finished off his opponents as well. Then the man's face changed from relief to terror as he saw something behind Gimli. The dwarf turned to see what it could be and shouted, "Legolas!" but it was too late.

 The wargs came in too fast and close for his bow to be any good so Legolas immediately withdrew his hunting knives. The first warg came directly at him, not much of a strategy really, and was quickly dispatched with a quick swipe at its throat. Legolas did not watch as it dropped to the ground though, as he heard Jarinel neigh behind him once more. Turning quickly he saw another warg running straight for the defenceless horse.

 Like lightning Legolas sheathed one of his knives then somersaulted beneath the horse's rearing back hooves. He unfurled and attacked the approaching warg, catching the beast's underbelly with his knife as it leapt. But the elf's concern for his dear animal friend had kept him from being cautious and alert to his surroundings. Even before he could withdraw the knife from the belly of the warg another one leapt on top of him, having come straight from a nearby bush. They rolled once with Legolas losing his knife and ending up on the bottom. His head impacted roughly against a stone but he kept enough of his wits to bring forth his hands, which curled around the throat of the large beast, keeping its snapping jaws from ripping out his throat. 

 Dimly, Legolas heard his name being called from behind him in a warning that came too late. He was able to keep back the jaws of the warg, but its claws were beginning to dig deeply into his sides. Tightening his grip on the warg with his left hand he held back the animal as his right hand searched the ground for his knife. Just as the jaws started to come closer, and the foul stench of the warg's breath polluted his air, Legolas's hand grabbed a hold of his knife, which he quickly brought down into the warg's side. The beast growled and leapt off of him, knife still in its back as it recoiled from the attack. It was dying, but decided its last act would be one of vengeance and leapt towards Legolas once more. The elf began to roll to get away but it was unnecessary as two great back legs kicked at the warg in mid-air, sending it sprawling into a nearby tree where it soon died.

 Jarinel neighed in victory, proud of defeating the warg, then bent down his nose and poked Legolas lightly in the head; his way of asking if the elf was all right.

 "Thank you my friend, I am fine," Legolas said sincerely as he petted the horse's muzzle. Aragorn and Gimli soon approached, their run becoming a jog as they saw that Legolas had once more taken care of himself and they were no longer needed. 

 "Are you well Legolas?" Aragorn asked immediately. Normally he could tell easily but there was hardly any light and the only reason he had even seen the elf in trouble was by his weak silhouette against the moon, for he did not even glow as the Mist of Concealment had yet to wear off. 

 "I am fine," Legolas said as he rose to his feet. His head immediately throbbed in protest and he was forced to lean against Jarinel as the dimly lit world spun around him. When the dizziness passed he looked up to see Gimli and Aragorn giving him sceptical, yet concerned looks. "I may have bumped my head." He admitted, quietly and casually. 

 Aragorn sighed and approached, feeling the back of the elf's head for blood. There was none, thankfully, but there was a fine lump forming. "You should be all right. I am forced to wonder if these wargs were not a sign that we should head back. Have another attempt at the Stone at a later time."

 Legolas did not agree in this and said so, "Aragorn, the city is breaking into turmoil, and we all know that if we do not act tonight we will not have another chance for possibly many months. We could never sneak out of the castle again as we did this night."

 "I agree with Legolas. We should continue on tonight. We are all well, apart from Legolas's skull which is near impossible to fracture. Sometimes I believe he has a head made of mithril, and the brains to match," Gimli commented, trying to lighten the mood and Aragorn's doubts. 

 "A head and brain worth ten times more than your own, Gimli. It seems a fair description," Legolas replied, taking the jest in stride. If Gimli joked with him there was no way they had noticed his other injuries, and he expected to keep it that way. His head ached but it was not nearly as bad as the long slashes running down his sides from where the warg's claws had dug in. The dark of night would keep his friends from noticing the blood and by the time they did notice he would most likely be healed anyway. 

 "Let's be on our way, we only have so many hours of darkness to help us," Aragorn said, mounting his horse. 

 Legolas helped Gimli onto Jarinel's back and then jumped up himself. The horse made a sudden sound of protest, throwing its head back in the air as it did so. His friends may not have noticed Legolas's wounds, but his horse surely did. 

 "Calm down my friend, the wargs are gone," Legolas said softly, calming and reassuring the beast with a touch of his hand. Aragorn and Gimli were easily fooled by Legolas's cover-up of the horse's actions and dismissed them immediately.

 "Let us now try to move with more caution my friends. Which way do we ride Legolas?" Aragorn asked.

 The elf studied the map for only a moment and pointed east, "That way." Aragorn nodded and they were on their way once more.

 As they rode Legolas was sure to wrap his cloak tightly around himself to keep Gimli from noticing the blood on his tunic. Jarinel made another sound of protest but Legolas quickly quieted him once more. 

 The group sped away, eager to leave the valley of wargs behind them. None of them saw the owner of the dark eyes that watched them as they left.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 "This is it," Legolas announced, stopping Jarinel and dismounting in one fluid motion. They had ridden for nearly an hour, stopping only to check the map several times, and they had finally reached their destination.

 "This is what?" Gimli asked, jumping off the horse with little grace but much relief.

 "Where the map ends," Legolas explained grimly. The sight before them was not one they had expected. It was a patch of forest, not unlike the miles of woods around it. There was a small valley with a stream running nearby, within a thick patch of trees, and large boulders riddled the landscape in front of a high hill, but beyond that there was nothing.

 "I suppose we should not have assumed the Stone would be lying out in the open after all these years. We shall have to search for it. But at least we know the general location now, which is more than anyone has known in the last six millennia," Aragorn said, but his voice still held a hint of disappointment. If they could not find the Stone within the next few hours they would have to turn back empty-handed.

 "We can still look. It may simply be buried, or hidden in a tree," Gimli suggested. Looking about it seemed possible, there were a variety of places that the Stone may have been hidden and never found, simply because it was never looked for. There was also the possibility that the Stone was indeed buried; a theory which gave them little hope of ever finding it. Still, the friends spread out and began to search through tree and under rock. 

 As Legolas walked by a group of boulders settled near the water he happened to run his hand along the rock-face. He then stopped as a great flood of warmth and an unexplained joy passed through him. For long minutes he marvelled at the rock, wondering what could cause such a feeling. It was then he remembered something he himself had said only several weeks before:

 "Some say it instils great warmth in the heart of Elves and others say that a great wave of joy passes through the person and some say both."

 He smiled then and called out, "Aragorn, Gimli, I believe I have found something!" never removing his hand from the rock.

 His friends found him easily enough, seeing him in the moonlight and raced over to hear what he had found.

 "What is it?" Gimli asked as they neared.

 Legolas turned to them, smiling, "The Stone is near. I can feel its presence. I believe it lies somewhere behind this rock-face."

 "And how would it get back there?" Gimli asked sceptically, noting the great size of the boulder and knowing it could not be moved, and most likely never had been. The rock-face was built into the side of a rather large hill that rose suddenly. Legolas clearly seemed to believe the Stone of Malinya lay somewhere behind, but how that could be they could not guess.

 "It seems that is the riddle we must answer to find it," Aragorn replied, having complete faith in Legolas's senses and believing the Stone to be nearby.

 Legolas reluctantly moved his hand away from the rocks, ending the stream of warmth and joy, and pulled the map from his belt. He read the words written underneath once more:

 "'This will be the only account of the Stone's location, but even this is useless without the alliance of the races."

 He read this aloud, giving his companions a chance to think over the strange words as well.

 "It is at least clear to me that if there is an entrance we must find it together." Aragorn pointed out and the others had to agree. So together they searched along the large boulders, looking for any sign of an entrance. 

 Aragorn brushed his hand over a patch of moss and was surprised to find an indent in the rock underneath. An indent which perfectly fit the shape of a man's hand.

 "What's this?" He asked, brushing the moss away. By the time Legolas and Gimli turned to see what he had found Aragorn had brushed away most of the moss. Underneath they were surprised to find not just one, but three different sets of imprints set into the hard stone. The first two sets were large and set at chest height with Aragorn, with the first set having slightly longer fingers than the second. The third handprint was smaller and set lower in the rock-face, obviously for someone of smaller stature.

 "'The Alliance of Races', Elves, Men and Dwarves," Legolas whispered, intrigued. 

 "It would seem we have found what we were looking for," Aragorn said, tracing the outline of the 'man's' hand with his fingertips. 

 "If it is an entrance then what are we waiting for? Put your hands in the damn things." Gimli ordered, not waiting for the others and pushing his smaller hand into the lower imprint. Legolas and Aragorn smiled and did the same, slowly fitting their fingers into the rock impressions.

 At first nothing happened, Legolas did not even feel the wave of joy and warmth he had earlier, but then it changed. The rock seemed to come alive and the stone beneath their fingertips glowed, but did not grow hot. A strange buzzing filled the air and when it was gone so was the rock. From beneath their very fingers the stone disappeared, revealing a doorway that was only just wide and high enough to walk through. 

 The three friends stepped back, shocked. After a moment they stepped closer and peered inside; there was a hall, seemingly short, leading into the ground.

 "We have almost found the lost Stone of Malinya; shall we take a few more steps and make it true?" Legolas asked, his joy unending as it was fuelled by their discovery and the emotions pouring from the Stone itself.

 "We shall. And we will do it together, for it took all of us to find it. I do not wish to taint this moment with heavy words but the sun will rise soon. We must move quickly," Aragorn said.

 "Let's go then. Time waits for no Man, Dwarf, or Elf." Gimli added, pushing forward and taking the lead into the doorway. 

 Aragorn and Legolas followed shortly behind. When they entered they found that what they had first thought to be a hallway was actually a great room. The floor was smooth and cool, as were the walls and they seemed to lightly glow. Near the far side of the room the ceiling sloped down suddenly and abruptly hit the floor.

 "This is a strange structure indeed." No sooner had the words left Legolas's mouth than the door behind them suddenly appeared once more, trapping them inside. They turned, shocked, but relaxed when they saw that the three handprints now appeared on the opposite side. It seemed leaving would be as simple as entering had been. Once the door closed the walls glowed even brighter, now fully illuminating the room. There was nothing more to see than before, but now they could at least see each other. 

 Legolas quickly wrapped his cloak around himself once more. The cuts along his side were now almost healed but there was still blood on his tunic, and he did not wish to worry his friends or receive a lecture about not hiding injuries.

 "It would seem we have come to a dead end. I know not where to go from here," Aragorn admitted, looking over the room. The only doorway appeared to be the one they had just come from; he could see no other entrances or exits. 

 Legolas looked the room over and moved to the far wall, where the structure sloped abruptly. He traced his foot carefully over the floor and then knelt to look closer. 

 "There are cracks here in the stone," He announced, tracing the square to show its location, "There must be a switch to open it somehow."

 "Maybe it's this," Gimli said, pointing towards a rune engraved into the wall. Legolas looked up and immediately recognized it as the symbol of Malinya, but before he could say anything Gimli touched the rune.

 Aragorn nearly lost his balance as the stone square he had been standing on creaked and then began to move. He recovered quickly and the friends watched as the rock retracted into the wall revealing a set of stone stairs.

 "How odd, Elves do not usually build structures that lead underground," Aragorn commented, after regaining his balance and glaring at Gimli for having touched the symbol. 

 "They will if forced to secrecy or hiding," Legolas commented then began to lead the way down the steps.

 This time they did find themselves in a corridor but it was short and they walked for only a few moments before coming to the next room. This room was small and plain, but good things come in small packages as they say, for on an altar in the center of the room sat the Stone of Malinya.

 It was a perfectly round sphere that sat motionless on its podium. Within it there was a light that glowed as no other light did, it was as if someone had trapped a rainbow inside it and then forced it to glow a thousand times more beautiful than before. It was no color and every color at the same time, burning so beautifully it put the moon to shame. How anyone could lock away something so beautiful for so many millennia was something the friends could not understand.

 Finally their quest was ended; they had found that which could reunite the races. It was more beautiful than they had imagined, and finally understood how its creator could possibly rival the beauty of Galadriel. In these few moments, it all became worth it. The secrecy, deception, attacks, surprises and late night meetings seemed a small price to pay for something of such beauty and importance.

 "The Stone of Malinya," Gimli whispered in awe. The three stood silent for a long time, appreciating the beauty of the Stone and respecting its power. The Stone seemed to cast a spell on the friends, but finally they broke free and remembered their task.

 "I am pleased beyond words to at last find Malinya's Stone," Aragorn said, stepping forward, "Myth becomes truth once more it seems, only this great power shall be used for good, to unite Middle-Earth. Long it has waited to be looked upon once more but alas, I must now hide it away again and keep it secret as we pass through this land. I do not know if I can bear to turn it from my eyes."

 "You have the strength, and long will you be able to gaze upon it when you are back in your own country. For now we must hide it, and we also must go. The night has grown late, so late that we have in fact entered the early morn," Legolas announced. It was not a joyful thing for them to leave, but the elf could not hold back the joy that the Stone had created in his being and this reflected in his voice.

 Aragorn nodded and picked up the Stone, finding it lighter than he had expected and able to fit snugly in his two closed palms. With no more words he wrapped it in a cloth and tucked it away in his bag. Then the three turned and left the chamber, moved back up the staircase and left the room behind, never to return.

 "It shall be a great day in Gondor when I return with this high above my head to reunite the lands and bring joy and peace back to the races," Aragorn said, his mind wandering as they all stepped forward and once more placed their hands in the imprints to open the door.

 As they walked Legolas felt the joy of their accomplishment as well as the emotions from the Stone and couldn't help but smile broadly. But this joy quickly faded as the door to the cavern opened once more, revealing the outside world. 

 As the three friends stepped through the doorway they found themselves face to face with a dozen arrow tips. Well over twenty men stood before them, some with bows drawn and notched, and others with swords. They seemed ready and willing to shoot, and not the least bit surprised that a Man, Dwarf, and Elf had just walked out of the side of a rock-face. They seemed familiar to the three companions somehow, though they could place a name to none. 

 Aragorn had a sinking feeling that they had just run into the rebels responsible for the recent string of attacks on themselves and Lord Vecery.

 The company stood shocked for a moment then began to reach for their weapons, hoping they wouldn't have to use them. They had fought their way through worse situations before but usually against Orcs and Goblins, not against Men. Suddenly a voice rang out from behind the men.

 "I wouldn't do that Lord Elessar. It could prove to be the death of you. And I most certainly don't want that."

 Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli turned in the direction the voice had come from to see its owner step forward.

 "Risorine?" 


	3. More Trouble in Brelan

"Risorine, what is the meaning of this?" Aragorn asked. His head was starting to ache from so much happening in so little time. 

 Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas did not draw their weapons for they were trapped nicely and did not think escape would be possible at the moment. They could not fall back, the door to the cavern had shut behind them, and if they did move to draw their weapons or attacked they would undoubtedly be shot, despite how quickly they could move. For the moment they had few options.

 "You look surprised, Lord Elessar, and here I thought you were known for being able to read men's emotions and intentions so well." Risorine gloated. "Drop your weapons now or they will be forced from you by arrowheads." He was clearly in command of the men before them as they raised their bows higher at his words. The friends exchanged a brief glance and dropped their weapons to the ground, sword, axe and bow respectfully, then took a step back. 

Aragorn and Legolas exchanged a brief look, assuring each other that they still held a weapon; Legolas had his long knife hidden beneath his cloak, and Aragorn a dagger in his boot. Risorine smirked and walked up to the three casually, not even bothering to draw his own sword.

 "You are the leader of these outlaws that have been plaguing this city?" Aragorn asked, clearly confused.

 "I am, and have been for years." Risorine smirked, proud for having so fooled the King.

 "But you are a Man of Gondor," Aragorn continued, unbelieving, "And have been in my service as long as I have reigned."

 Risorine shook his head as if ashamed he had to explain, "I've lived in Brelan all my life but left this place several years ago and travelled to Gondor, to learn of its secrets and ways of life. Very quickly though I found myself a member of your guard and rising in stature as the Great War drastically lowered the soldiers under your command. I was not sure what I was hoping to accomplish when I first became a member of your company; I had not planned on staying long after all, and I had my duties here in Brelan. But eventually I found it was almost nothing to rise to the rank of captain of your guards and decided to stay longer than planned," Risorine explained, obviously very pleased with himself.

 "And once in this position you used your influence to suggest I come here, to Brelan." Aragorn reasoned, "For what final purpose, may I ask?"

 "At first I wished you to influence our king. Our laws must be changed as well as our economy. Gondor is strong and I knew you would have the strength to do this. If the two countries align Brelan would eventually adapt the greater laws of Gondor. But then I heard of another more pressing reason to bring you here," Risorine continued, his smiling never leaving his face.

 "The Stone," Aragorn said. His eyes narrowed and he glared daggers through the man he had trusted with his life, but had never really gotten to know. Perhaps if he had taken the time to speak with him he could have seen this coming. 

 "Yes," Risorine's eyes twinkled and his voice became wistful, "The Stone of Malinya, a treasure of the rarest sorts. I also heard word from the company you sent here months ago relating the tale of the Stone, for those men think of me as a dear and trusted friend. I knew you could not resist Malinya's temptation and I was right." Risorine opened his mouth to say more but was interrupted when he heard a soft curse from Legolas.

 "Traitor," The elf whispered, fully aware the man had heard him. When Risorine looked toward him and their eyes locked he continued, "You are a traitor twice over. A man has a duty to hold to his homeland and you have broken this duty by harming your own kindred inside Miscalanth's walls. But worst of all you took an oath when you became Aragorn's captain. An oath that should not be taken lightly, you have sworn upon honor and pride to protect him at all costs. Now it is clear that you have none of the virtues necessary for such a post." 

 Legolas's words were answered with a swift backhand from Risorine. The elf's head flew back but his stance remained firm. He stood up tall and unharmed, seemingly not even dazed from the blow. This angered Risorine and he struck him once more; the effect was the same but blood now trickled from Legolas's split lip. The elf casually wiped the blood away and as Gimli tensed into a fighting stance several of the men around them stepped closer and drew their swords but Risorine stopped them with a wave of his hand. 

 "You lecture me of honor and pride? The three that would hold secret meetings and lie to kings of countries in order to gain what they wish. You come to Brelan only to steal the Stone from us and bring it back to Gondor in triumph."

 "It was you, the people of Brelan that stole the Stone from the peoples of Middle-Earth. We intend only to return it," Gimli said growling, not at all pleased by his friend's treatment.

 "We did not steal the Stone. It was the elves of this land, they stole it for themselves and hid it but told us not where," Risorine defended, but was not entirely convincing.

 "We have learned much in our time here, Risorine, and uncovered many lost truths, but that is not one of them," Aragorn said calmly but there was a silent rage burning in his eyes.

 "You speak of things of which you know nothing. We have long known the Stone to be in Brelan and have searched for it for many years. The Elves hid it well and we could not recover it."

 "And if you had found it what would you have done? I have doubts of its safe return," Legolas replied.

 Risorine glared hard at him, his teeth grinding, "You have been a nuisance from the moment you stepped foot in my business and my patience is all but spent, so I suggest you watch your tongue." Risorine swiftly pulled a knife from his belt and held the tip to the elf's throat. Legolas met the man's gaze, never flinching, and nodded only slightly. Risorine smirked triumphantly.

 "It is as you ask," Legolas said after the knife was pulled away, "I will watch my tongue closely." With this he let out a sharp whistle, so loud and shrill that it surprised the men around them. The three friends moved into defensive postures as did their captors, expecting them to attack. It was a great surprise when the attack came from behind.

 With amazing speed and a great whinnying the two horses attacked the men surrounding their masters. Jarinel rushed into the circle of attackers, pushing back those in his way and stepping over those that leapt away in surprise. Hasufel did much the same and charged through without regard for the men in search of his master, Aragorn.

 The horses could do little damage but their presence was distraction enough to allow Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas to surprise the men before them. As the outlaws turned to the horses the three rushed forward; Aragorn and Gimli picked up their weapons from the ground, but Legolas moved straight ahead, his knife unsheathed, not needing his bow at the moment. 

 For several moments the valley floor became a mass of confusion. Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli went forth, attacking those in their way and putting them to the ground. Aragorn swept around and locked swords with a man, then twisted away and hit him hard under the chin with the hilt. Gimli swung his axe, but his target leapt back and fell to the ground. The dwarf lifted his axe once more to strike but it was unnecessary as a hoof landed on the man's chest, effectively knocking the wind from his lungs.

 Legolas ducked under a man's arm, swung his knife without looking and then continued on as he felt his blade connect. He was making his way to the horses. Their attackers would quickly realize the horses were simply a distraction and he did not wish to see them hurt in their attempts to help their masters.

 Suddenly more men appeared. Aragorn realized they had been keeping watch just around the great hill in which they had stepped from. They were being surrounded quickly and had to get away as soon as possible. Legolas saw this as well and at the same moment the two friends once more let out a sharp whistle. The horses reacted immediately, with Hasufel racing toward Aragorn and Jarinel pushing his way to Legolas.

 "Thank you my friend," Aragorn said as he took a hold of Hasufel's saddle and jumped upon his back. The horse neighed with pleasure to see his rider was well and immediately began to gallop away to get him to safety. Aragorn reined the horse in though, just as they reached the outskirts of the group of men and turned to spot his friends.

 Legolas was gracefully mounting Jarinel, using the horse as leverage to kick a man in the jaw before he hopped on. Once seated on his horse the elf spotted Gimli nearby and then saw Aragorn quite a distance away.

 "Aragorn, go! I have Gimli!" He shouted as he urged Jarinel forward. The horse replied immediately, pounding through the rows of men once more. Jarinel sped through the crowd as if it didn't exist, focussing on the small figure fighting off attackers left and right. Legolas leaned dangerously far to the side and as they raced past Gimli the elf snagged him by the neck of his cloak, stopping him in mid-swing and struggled to pull him onto the horse's back. 

 Aragorn hesitated a moment at Legolas's call, reluctant to leave without assuring his friends' safety. As he waited several men approached him, swords high, but Aragorn was the better swordsman and had the advantage of horseback. With several quick sword strokes he dispatched of the men then turned to see Legolas and Gimli safely upon Jarinel's back. Only then did he turn and speed his own horse deep into the woods, only too aware of the arrows now falling around him.

 Gimli grunted as he was tossed onto the back of the horse. The ride started out oddly, with both him and Legolas attempting to gain their balance, but eventually they steadied themselves and rode on smoothly. Their pursuers were close behind, as were their arrows. Gimli turned to look back at them and only then realized that instead of being in his usual position behind Legolas, the elf had foolishly placed him at the front of the horse. 

 Arrows now fell all around them, some coming dangerously close but many missing and falling short for it was hard to aim in the dim light of morning. Legolas charged the horse ahead faster, weaving him through the increasingly dense forest. He looked down at Gimli, pleased that he was safe and holding on tightly to the horse's mane. He could see Aragorn some ways ahead of them, managing to navigate the forest quite well, but their pursuers were close behind Jarinel. They would not be for long though. They had no horses that Legolas had seen and would quickly be lost behind them while on foot. 

 A grunt of frustration huffed out of Gimli as he tried to become accustomed to the unusual seating on the horse. He had never before sat at the front and very few times had they ridden at such speeds, through woods. Normally he would hold on to Legolas and wait for the ride to end, but now he had to take a hold of Jarinel's mane and even found himself trying to help in directing the beast, but Legolas needed no such assistance. 

 _Crazy elf. Would it have taken so long to put me in my usual seat? Gimli wondered. Then he turned, startled as an arrow suddenly imbedded itself deep into the base of a tree they were passing. Legolas easily manoeuvred Jarinel away from the tree, trying to zigzag through the woods to confuse the archers. _

 Aragorn turned to check on his friends, causing his horse to slow slightly. Legolas noticed this and waved to him to continue their retreat. Aragorn seemed to accept this, satisfied they were out of harm, and turned his horse again and continued away from the field as fast as Hasufel could take him through the dark woods.

 It was at this moment that two things struck. First realization struck Gimli that Legolas had not placed him in this position by chance. No, that sneaky elf had put him in front so that he may use himself to shield his friend from the arrows that were raining down upon them. Gimli growled, not appreciating being treated as one who needed protecting and turned to give Legolas a good, long, loud lecture on the subject, but all that came from his mouth was a warning of "Look out!"

 The second strike was that of an arrow finding its mark.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 The pain began in his left shoulder, there was a brief feeling of weightlessness and then a whole new pain ignited within his entire left side. Legolas knew he had been shot. This hadn't been the first time, or the worst as far as injuries go, but it was the chance with the worst timing.

 The arrow landed deeply in Legolas's left shoulder, and the force of the hit combined with Jarinel's speed sent the elf flying helplessly from the horse's back to land hard on his side with his head banging roughly against a jutting rock. The arrow went in deeper as the impact broke off the shaft and the only thing keeping him from crying out was the lack of air in his lungs. 

 "Legolas, no!" Gimli called out helplessly as he tried to reach for his friend too late and could only watch him tumble painfully to the ground. Jarinel immediately stopped when he lost his rider, sending Gimli pitching forward slightly. The horse back-tracked immediately and stood before the elf, pawing his hoofs on the ground in an attempt to get him to rise. 

 Legolas looked up from his sprawled position on the ground and tried to blink away the pain and confusion. His shoulder radiated with pain that would not be silenced and he found himself staring blankly at Gimli as the dwarf's lips moved but he heard no sound.

 "Get up you blasted elf. Hurry!" Gimli said, his voice sounding more panicked than it had in recent memory. Legolas responded and slowly attempted to rise to his feet, only to find that he had injured his knee as well and fell back against a tree, shocked by the new stabbing pain. Gimli was not pleased with his friend's lack of progress in rising and attempted to free himself from Jarinel's back to assist him.

 Legolas watched Gimli trying to get off the horse's back then he turned and in the dim light saw that their pursuers were closing in on them and they had rage on their tongues and blood in their eyes. The elf knew he would not make it back on the horse before they came, and could barely stand as it was, let alone ride. If Gimli did get down to help him they would not be able to escape without a fight, and Legolas knew he was in no condition for a battle. Assessing their situation as quickly as his muddled mind allowed, and taking into account the still falling arrows, Legolas decided.

 "Go Gimli, meet up with Aragorn," He commanded, trying to make his voice firm as he once more tried to stand.

 "Are you mad? I shall not leave you here." Gimli seemed genuinely shocked and even stopped his struggles for a moment.

 The men were almost upon them now and an arrow landed dangerously close to Gimli's head. Legolas could spend no more time arguing with the dwarf and called out to Jarinel.

 "Caw hortha! Celeg hon o si, Jarinel. Aphad Aragorn. Im iest ha." Top speed. Swift him from here, Jarinel. Follow Aragorn. I wish it.

 Gimli knew little elvish but what he had just heard angered him. What angered him more was when the horse reluctantly obeyed Legolas. With a neigh of protest Jarinel set his sights straight ahead and away then raced off after Aragorn. Gimli shouted in protest but could not free himself from his seat and was forced away along with the horse. He shouted curses at the elf for he knew he would be far from him by the time he slowed the horse and managed to climb off and by then Legolas would be overtaken by Risorine and the men pursuing them. 

 Legolas sighed in relief as Jarinel obeyed his wishes and raced off with an infuriated Gimli desperately trying to get off. He knew his friend was mad and had every right to be, but he saw no point in risking both of them being captured, or even killed. Legolas now had to worry only about himself. Cradling his left arm against his chest he pulled his knife free from his belt as he hobbled to the other side of the tree to protect himself from falling arrows.

 The approaching men stopped before the tree, clearly not planning on going after Gimli and Aragorn, who were quickly becoming lost in the distance. With a smirk several of Risorine's men made their way around the tree, flanking all positions in order to completely surround their prey. Legolas tensed from his position.

 Bows drawn and notched the men converged around the tree, ready to attack, but as they circled around the trunk they found that there was no one there. The men shared a confused look. 

 "Where did he go?" One asked.

 Suddenly the slightest rustle of leaves drew their attention above and a great cloaked figure dropped onto them. 

 Legolas hadn't been sure he would be able to climb the tree with an arrowhead in his shoulder, but desperation had driven him up the tree's limbs. He had thought to escape through the tree tops but in his current state he could not be as silent as he needed and would not have gone unnoticed. Jumping from the tree he at least decided he would fight them until the end. He landed atop a rather large man, whose arrow shot high into the air as he fell. The jump jarred Legolas's twisted knee but he ignored it and faced the other men around him. He counted twelve in his sights now, and undoubtedly more behind the tree's base. 

 His pursuers made the first move, and a smart one as they all attacked at once. The elf managed to twist out of the way of the first two, causing them to slam into one another, but as he turned to swipe away a man approaching on his left, he was tackled to the ground from the right. He landed once more on his shoulder and bit his tongue to keep from crying out as he kicked at his attacker. The man who had tackled him was sent flying away but two more took his place and rushed the elf, keeping him on the ground and pinned on his stomach. 

 "Stop struggling. You only make this harder on yourself." One of the men commented, but Legolas continued to wrestle them off. 

 The fight was quickly draining from the elf though. The pain from his shoulder and knee was so excruciating he wanted to scream, and his knife had been forced away from him. Rough hands held him to the ground, too many to count but he continued to struggle, landing several blows and knocking off many of the men. Finally one man grew so impatient that he took hold of the shaft of arrow protruding from Legolas's shoulder and twisted the arrowhead mercilessly. The pain was so incredible that Legolas's body bucked with its force and then a great moan escaped through his gritted teeth. When the pain went down the elf found his whole body was wracked with tremors from the shock. 

 "That's better," The foreign voice commented as his hands were tied roughly behind his back, "You have courage but you're a fool. You are but one man. Did you hope to escape from us all?"

 The energy was gone from Legolas now, and his eyes were glazed over from pain. The men hauled him to his feet and dragged him through the forest, uncaring about the blood dripping from his back or the obvious limp afflicting his left side. 

 "Come on, Risorine's waiting, and he's not going to be happy," One man said, tugging at Legolas's arm.

 "What about the other two?" Another asked.

 "There's nothing to be done now. We'll take this one to Risorine and find out what he wishes to do next," The first replied, frowning deeply as Legolas was continually unable to keep up. 

 The men talked little during the walk back to the hilltop, and Legolas found himself wishing they had not gotten so far away before being caught again. After several minutes the pain died down in his shoulder since his captors had stopped pushing him forward, and Legolas spoke for the first time in their meeting.

 "This is an ill course of action, for all of you," He said calmly, skilling his voice to sound wise and logical.

 "Why is that? You seem to be the one in an awful fix," The first man remarked, laughing at his own words. But he listened when it became clear Legolas meant to continue.

 "I am a companion of Lord Elessar, King of Gondor who has open to him the ear of Lord Vecery. You will be found eventually and punished for your crimes. You will be hanged at the very least for the crime of treason towards your country, for that is without question what you have done. Your only chance of living through this is to turn away from Risorine, and this path of destruction. It does nothing but cause chaos and fear in the very streets which you claim to fight for," Legolas said, his voice sounding reasonable and his eyes meeting no one's as he walked, being careful not to stumble.

 There were a few moments of silence among the men before the man at his side tugged roughly on his arm once more, "You have a smooth tongue young man, but you are being taken to Risorine and we will not be persuaded from our goals." 

 Legolas suddenly stumbled as he walked, his mind too jumbled to be disappointed he hadn't reached his captors. 

_Young man?_

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 "Stop you damn horse! I do not know what Legolas told you but you will stop and let me down immediately!" Gimli cried, infuriated. His best friend was back there, injured and practically defenceless and he could not help him because he was being kidnapped by a blasted horse. Minutes had passed and still Gimli could not get Jarinel under control. What he wished the horse to do was to turn around and speed back to Legolas, but he would gladly settle for the beast to simply stop so he could get down. 

 Of course he could get down, but not easily. If the horse would not stop then Gimli would receive a worse fall than Legolas if he jumped off, especially at the speed in which the horse was moving as it tried to catch Aragorn. All Gimli could do was shout and had even pulled at its mane but it still would not stop.

 When he noted that they were beginning to catch up to Aragorn he took in a deep breath and shouted as loud as he could, "Aragorn stop this horse!"

 Aragorn actually jumped in his seat and reined Hasufel in at the call. Jarinel raced toward him, seeming only too happy to stop now that he had caught up with the King of Men. Gimli could see the shocked horror on Aragorn's face as he took in that the horse had only one rider. 

 "Where is Legolas?" He asked immediately, looking behind them in hopes of spotting the elf.

 "He was shot and has most likely been taken by Risorine by now. Quickly, help me off this beast and speed us back to him," Gimli said, once more trying to escape the horse's back.

 "Was he all right? How bad was he hurt?" Aragorn asked, unable to keep himself from scanning the woods, expecting Legolas to pop up at any moment. 

 "He was shot, as I said. Beyond that I do not know but he took an arrow to the shoulder and appeared to have injured his leg as well for he could not stand. Aragorn!" Gimli cried as he received no help in getting off the horse.

 "How could I not have seen?" Aragorn mumbled to himself, sliding off Hasufel and moving to help the dwarf.

 "How indeed?" Gimli asked, not truly angry but wishing Aragorn had noticed the elf was missing, for it would have made things much easier for all of them.

 "I turned only twice for these woods are hard to navigate on horseback. I saw the white of Jarinel's coat through the darkness and assumed all was well," Aragorn said softly, looking for an explanation for his lack of observation.

 "What is done cannot be undone. Now hurry, we have an elf to get back to." Gimli pointed out, grimacing as he was lifted onto the back of Hasufel. 

 _At least this beast is under control. He thought to himself as Aragorn climbed on once more, swiftly and gracefully. With no more words Aragorn sped the horse forward through the thick trees once more. Jarinel followed silently behind, not forgetting Legolas's order to follow Aragorn as he wished._

 "How did you come to be a horse-master Gimli?" Aragorn asked as they rode, very much feeling the long minutes between them and their friend. 

 "The crazy elf. After he fell from the horse he persuaded it somehow to ride off without him, with me stuck upon its back. I swear that elf's immortality will end with the blade of my axe if he does not stop acting so foolish." Gimli grumbled from his usual position, now behind the rider.

 Aragorn frowned, worried that Legolas's immortality could end at all. He only now realized how little he knew about the man who had protected him for so long, Risorine. He did not know what this man's motivations were, or even how his mind truly operated for Aragorn had missed his opportunity to learn these things. One thing Aragorn did not like was not knowing his enemies or what they might do, especially ones that held his friends captive.

 The forest was becoming clearer in the light of morning but this also changed the look of the forest from what they had seen shortly before. 

 "Where did he fall Gimli?" Aragorn asked, not slowing Hasufel's gallop.

 Gimli looked over his surroundings, not yet recognizing anything. "Nothing here seems familiar, it must have been further into the woods." They continued to ride until Gimli spotted the tree that he recognized Legolas to have leaned against after he fell, "There! It was there!" 

 Aragorn stopped and jumped swiftly and smoothly from the horse's back to quickly sweep the ground. Gimli remained in the saddle, knowing he would be getting back on shortly and would only step on any tracks Aragorn might find.

 Aragorn knew they had lost precious time for Gimli said he had been forced upon Jarinel's back for long minutes and they had then had to ride back into the forest. Searching the ground Aragorn easily read the signs and frowned; the blood in the grass told him the most.

 "There was a fight about a quarter of an hour ago, which Legolas did not win for he was gravely outnumbered; there are more tracks here than I can count." He followed the footsteps slightly farther, making sure of their path, "They headed back to the field with the hilltop." He announced. He began to walk back to Hasufel and stopped as a glimmer in the grass caught his eye. Stooping down he picked up Legolas's long knife and suppressed a growl of rage. Gimli did not though and his eyes spoke of murder when he saw the elf's discarded weapon.

 Aragorn tucked the knife away in his belt and wordlessly joined Gimli on Hasufel. They charged forth once more, Jarinel beside them, heading back into a battle they had just left.

 ~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

_Young man indeed. _Legolas thought to himself as he was walked through the woods, flagged by over a dozen guards. At first he had rolled his eyes at the comment, thinking that the man had been taunting him, or had simply forgotten his true age as Gimli sometimes did. But soon he realized that there was no jest in the man's voice, and he truly believed Legolas to be younger than himself. An unlooked for smile came upon his face as he thought of this. These men did not know he was an Elf, or that he had already lived more lifetimes than they could dream of. The Mist of Concealment had yet to wear off, so they most likely thought him to be a man of only twenty-five or so.

 As his captors pushed him along, leading him to the traitor Risorine, he reminded himself to keep up the façade of a Man. Though these rebels appeared to be against Brelan's ways he had no way of knowing if they would also be against the Brelans' hatred for elves and decided not to risk finding out, for it was obvious that Risorine already held a deep hatred for him. 

 Speaking of which …

 "Where are the others?" Risorine asked sternly. They had finally reached the open field where he had been waiting for them; he had stayed behind to look over the cavern they had retrieved the Stone from. When he saw only one prisoner he did not look pleased.

 "They got away; we could only catch this one." The man reported, pushing Legolas forward. Risorine grinned when the elf flinched. 

 "No need to worry then. Lord Elessar will be back for him. If I know anything about the man I know he will not leave a companion behind. Especially one so trusted as this," Risorine scoffed, clearly showing the offence Legolas did to him simply by being the preferred company of Aragorn.

 "But how well do you truly know the king? Perhaps as well as he thought he knew you?" Legolas asked, attempting to place doubt into Risorine's mind, for he knew doubt caused a man to make mistakes. 

 "I know him well enough. Of course that is no thanks to you, stealing away every opportunity I had to learn more of him and his secrets. You alone are the reason I was never fully in the King's confidence and you nearly ruined everything. I do not know how you always managed to be everywhere, and hear everything but you made yourself quite a nuisance, as you are now." Legolas could see the anger building in Risorine's eyes as he recalled all the occasions he had interfered in Risorine's plans. He clearly blamed Legolas for the failure of so many of his schemes; the elf had kept him from eavesdropping on Aragorn and gaining the king's confidence, and had been mostly responsible for stopping the assassination attempt on Lord Vecery. And now Legolas discovered that simply by talking to Aragorn and keeping him busy he had interfered greatly with Risorine's plot.

"Perhaps it is time you redeemed yourself. You may start by explaining to me how I can gain entrance to this secret cavern you three emerged from." 

 Legolas had seen Risorine looking over the great stone as they approached and smiled, knowing the man would never be able to open it. It was elvish magic and could only be opened if one had the key, which Risorine would not get. Legolas considered telling him how to open it, knowing it would only anger him when he learned that a man, elf and dwarf were necessary. As far as Risorine knew there were no elves in Brelan and Gimli had just gotten away. But he decided to lie for now, and keep up his young human façade.

 "I know not. Aragorn opened the door. It matters little anyway, the Stone will never be yours to hold Risorine," Legolas said. 

 This angered the man and he once more stepped toward the elf with his knife drawn, "Do you think me a fool? I know you did Elessar's scavenging, finding his clues to the Stone while he was busy with that fool Vecery. Now you will tell me how to open this door or I will cut the words from your tongue." 

 "I know not the words you wish to hear therefore they cannot be cut away," Legolas replied evenly, not drawing away from the steel. 

 Risorine's eyes grew darker and then he looked down and saw the round container attached to Legolas's belt. He reached down and took it from him, then quickly opened it, revealing the scroll and map inside. 

 "It seems that you steal not only Stones but sacred scrolls as well. At least I now know where you found your information. Read to me these words," Risorine commanded Legolas as if he were a dog, holding the scroll open before him. The elf did not even look at the words but instead continued to hold Risorine's gaze. 

 "I cannot," He replied finally, "It is a form of elvish, a language I do not read. It was Lord Elessar that translated this and led us here, as you know he reads and speaks the elvish words."

 Risorine studied Legolas a moment and, after reading only truth in Legolas's words, grunted in frustration and rolled the map up once more. "Yes, I am quite aware of his association with all that is elvish. Horrible race. They should have left these shores long ago." He muttered, mostly to himself.

 _That answers one question, Legolas thought, __it would most definitely not be wise to reveal myself. Then suddenly the ground began to tip. His head was light and his knees weak as he watched the world shift around him. He had lost more blood than he thought from the arrow, which was still imbedded in his shoulder, and it was beginning to affect him. Removing the point now would only worsen the blood loss greatly so he was thankful for its presence, but it pained him tremendously. His knee could barely be bent and pain shot through him when the slightest pressure was placed on it. Fighting past the fatigue and fog in his mind he dimly realized that Risorine was still speaking and he had not heard what the man had said._

 "We should leave swiftly. We must get away from here and cover our tracks before Elessar returns, for he can track across great distances and lead Lord Vecery's men to our location. One of you, secure him on your horse then let's be off," Risorine ordered. 

 Legolas looked up, concerned that he hadn't noticed the men now entering the field on horseback, leading rider-less steeds behind them. The elf was surprised by how many men Risorine appeared to have under his command, and for the first time wondered if their cause was perhaps just, and if Brelan's laws did need to be changed. If so many men opposed them, how fair could they be? 

 These brief thoughts were quickly extinguished as his captors pushed him ahead once more, deliberately placing pressure on his injured shoulder. He was suddenly reminded of just what kind of men these were. They were cruel and there was no pity in their eyes. He sensed no quest for freedom here, only a quest for power. 

 Despite the lightness of the push he suddenly found himself falling to the ground, his leg being unable to support him and his bound arms unable to balance him. He bit back a cry as he hit the ground and his shoulder was assaulted once more. He felt fresh blood trickle from the wound. 

 "What is wrong with him?" Risorine asked curiously from a distance as he jumped into his saddle.

 "He was shot in the shoulder, that's how we got him off the horse." A man replied as he dragged Legolas to his feet. 

 "Will be he all right?" Risorine continued.

 "I doubt it, he's lost a lot of blood," The man said, not knowing it was elvish blood that flowed through his veins and he could therefore survive twice what a man could.

 "Just make sure he doesn't die. We shall need him alive before this is done." Risorine noted coldly, and then began to lead the group away from the brightening valley and into the woods. 

 Legolas was dragged to a horse and forced atop it, and then the largest of his guards, a great burly man with a scruffy beard climbed on as well. The elf leaned forward immediately, trying to keep the man from colliding with his injured shoulder. The guard allowed this as it made it easier for him to ride the horse. 

 Legolas briefly rested his head on the horse's neck and discovered that it was a kind horse, but had a cruel master. The horse understood Legolas as well and felt he was in pain so kept the ride as steady as possible, which was difficult since the group was moving along at a full gallop. 

 The woods around him were unfamiliar, as was the entire region of Middle-Earth they now rode through but he tried to keep track of their location, noting landmarks he would need to recognize should he escape. His friends were far behind by now, but they were safe and had the Stone of Malinya, and he was sure they would protect it. But Legolas had to admit that his own options seemed very limited and grim. 

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 "We seem only able to find Legolas's belongings and never the elf himself," Gimli commented drearily as they searched the ground once more. They were now at the base of the hill which held the stairway leading to the Stone of Malinya. Risorine and his men were gone, but the tracks were still quite fresh.

 "Let us hope that the next item of his we find is still in his possession," Aragorn replied, studying the ground with one hand and clutching Legolas's bow in the other. Aragorn remembered that the elf had not picked up the weapon during the fight with Risorine's men and they had found it lying forgotten in the grass. "I for one fully intend to return these items to him, as soon as possible."

 "I as well, as soon as you tell me which direction we must head in," Gimli said, still sitting on the horse. He wished that he had some skill in tracking, so he could be of some help instead of simply sitting on Hasufel's back while Aragorn did all the work. Of course, once they found Risorine and his men Gimli was fully prepared to begin working. He would start by removing Risorine of his head.

 "They had horses after all," Aragorn announced suddenly, finding prints that did not belong to their own steeds. "They must have had more men than we thought. In any case, they all left in that direction. Hopefully they have left clear tracks all along their route. I do not know these lands and if I am forced to guess at which direction they took I fear I will not make the right choices."

 "We will find them. We are the great hunters after all, the ones who tracked a band of Uruk-hai over forty leagues and five in search of lost friends. Surely we can find a band of men on horseback, even in their own woods," Gimli said reassuringly, and Aragorn could find little doubt in the dwarf's voice.

 "You encourage me greatly Gimli, but only time will tell if our choices are wise. We must be off now though." Aragorn climbed onto Hasufel and sent the horse ahead once more; he smiled as he noted Jarinel still galloping closely beside him. As they rode Aragorn kept his eyes on the ground, watching for signs that any men may have left the group or changed direction. After several minutes he found that they were moving steadily east, away from Miscalanth, but he was pleased that their course seemed continually unchanged. Clearly the company had been moving at great speed but Aragorn was confident that they would be able to catch up with the group fairly swiftly. 

 "I do not know how long they intend to ride but their tracks are easy to read, we should be able to follow them indefinitely at this rate," Aragorn reported to Gimli, knowing the dwarf knew little in tracking.

 "That is good. If they do not go far we may be able to retrieve Legolas even before the mid-day meal. Though I feel I must point out that we will be hard pressed to explain our sudden disappearance to Lord Vecery," Gimli said.

 "I have little concern for that at the moment, I wish only to find Legolas, and in doing so perhaps throttle Risorine as well. I was a fool. He was my captain, sworn to protect me and I made no effort to speak or learn of him. If I had I may have seen this coming," Aragorn said, his voice was filled with guilt and clearly he felt responsible for Risorine's treachery.

 "Then again you may have done right in not speaking to him, for didn't he say that was what he wished; to earn your trust and learn of Gondor's secrets, to undoubtedly use against you. As you said earlier, we should allow time to show us the wisdom of our actions," Gimli replied, proud to be throwing Aragorn's words back at him in an attempt to assuage him of guilt. 

 After a moment of thought Aragorn smiled, "You are wise beyond your years Gimli, sometimes I wonder if Legolas has rubbed off on you too much."

 "Nay, it is simply a gift of all dwarves; we are a very wise folk. So wise in fact that we are clever enough to keep our wisdom a secret, or else men and elves and all other races would be knocking on our doors left and right, wishing for advice in trivial matters. We have no time for this of course, therefore I must swear you to secrecy on the matter. You shall tell no one of our great skills in counsel, except perhaps Legolas if you feel it is necessary." Gimli kept his head high and proud as he said this, but there was a mocking twinkle in his eye.

 "Very well son of Gloin, I shall tell none and keep your secret of wisdom safe." Aragorn assured him, a half smile creeping onto his face. 

 "That is good, for I never should have told you in the first place, it is a guarded secret." 

 They rode on, Aragorn easily reading the tracks in the brightening morning. Still the men they followed did not change course, and kept on steadily eastward. Aragorn smiled, noting that the tracks were appearing even fresher so he knew they were closing in on their prey. This quickly changed though as he saw the landscape creeping up ahead of them. His smile was wiped away and his heart lurched into his throat as they reached the top of a small uprising in the ground.

 "Gimli, I believe we may need that great Dwarf wisdom to aid us now," Aragorn said softly, his voice constricted now with worry.

 "What is wrong?" Gimli asked, peaking around Aragorn's back. 

 "We can track them no further, and I know not which way they have gone." 

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Legolas reluctantly admitted to himself that Risorine was clever in his escape. The man knew that Aragorn would be following them, but thought he would first return to Miscalanth to receive aid from Lord Vecery. Legolas knew better and thought his friends were even now in pursuit of them, but now he knew they would most likely not be followed.

 The entire company was now making their way north by way of a small stream that was just large enough for three horses to gallop side by side in. The water would leave no tracks to follow or even any scent if Aragorn were to return with hunting dogs to search by. Legolas feared he would be on his own. 

 There was little he could do now but wait for an opportunity for escape. He silently wished he had some token to drop, much as Pippin had done while captured by orcs, but he had nothing to throw even if his hands weren't tied. His knife was lost to him and he had left his bow on the ground during the first battle. He hoped Aragorn would find it and keep it for him, he was desperate not to lose it for he treasured it greatly as a gift from Galadriel. 

 His shoulder ached but it was beginning to numb and his knee did not bother him as long as he did not move it too much. In truth this short ride was doing him good; his leg was healing, he could feel it already, and his wound had stopped bleeding. His strength was returning to him, but he knew it would take much more than his returning strength to escape these men. They watched him closely and aside from his guard who rode with him there were three more horsemen in front and behind him, all ensuring he did not escape. 

 Clearly Risorine was smart enough not to underestimate his captive which annoyed him to no end. He would have to wait until they reached their destination before making an escape attempt. 

 Legolas tried to remain focussed but they were riding very smoothly, at a steady pace which seemed to be lulling the elf into sleep. His mind began to drift and his thoughts jumbled as they rode. Just as he had reached the brink of sleep he jerked his head up, not allowing himself the pleasure of rest. His body was weary from blood loss but he forced his mind to remain alert. He would not sleep through an opportunity to escape. 

 Up ahead of them Risorine led the group out of the stream and into the forest once more. Legolas had a feeling they were close to their destination. The sun was up now and Legolas had enjoyed its warm rays while galloping through the stream, but it had not yet risen high enough to extend its warmth into the dark forest. 

 "Should we bind his eyes?" Legolas's guard called out to Risorine. Clearly the man didn't want him to know the location of their hide-out.

 "Not unless you plan on letting him escape so he can lead others here," Risorine replied. He had a distinct confidence about him now; a confidence that Legolas knew he had not had before. It seemed that while in the company of the men who served him, Risorine thought himself to be above all others. 

 His guard grunted, knowing he had just been insulted and not liking it; several of the men snickered around him. Legolas kept his peace and instead concentrated on their route, needing a focus to keep his tired mind alert. 

 They reached their destination a few minutes later. Legolas saw it before his captors did and came to the conclusion that either these woods were not entered often or this was a place of common knowledge that the people of Miscalanth now thought was abandoned. Their home base was completely out in the open. There were several tightly packed trees all around it but there was no attempt made to hide the building. 

 Legolas thought it must have been the home of some rich hermit, for he could think of few others who would build such a large estate in the middle of nowhere. The house was large with a roof that just reached the top of the lower trees. It was a plain structure with no frills such as shudders or decorative pillars. There was a defensive aspect to it as well; the entire home was built from solid stone, not wood as would be expected in the forest. There were almost no windows and the few he saw were small and narrow, and appeared to be set very high in the rooms they were in. 

 There were a few attributes that Legolas assumed these outlaws had added themselves; such as the beginnings of a stone wall, and a watch tower in one of the higher trees. All in all it was a good, strong structure, perfect for such men. 

 "Home sweet home," Risorine whispered up ahead, not expecting anyone to hear. 

 They rode up to the building and dismounted. Legolas was surprised to find that Risorine had even more men here, left to guard or tend to the base. The amount of followers that the elf had seen was nearing fifty; then he lowered that count, remembering they had killed several of them in their initial fight.

 Legolas was hauled roughly off the horse by his guard, who was still in a foul mood. He landed on his good leg first and tried to keep his weight off his twisted knee but was unable to as he was dragged forward. The pain ignited again, not as bad as before, but Legolas bit it back and walked as normally as he could between the two men guarding him. They took him closer to Risorine and stopped, obviously waiting for the man's instructions. 

 Risorine smiled at the home he hadn't seen in five or more years, glad to be back and pleased with the progress his men had made in his absence. He turned to the men holding Legolas and his grin widened, becoming crueller.

 "Lock him up; I'll see to him later. For now I have a letter to write." Risorine announced, then headed towards the front door of the house, "And keep a guard on him. He's rather clever when he chooses to be." Then he entered the house, not looking back.

 Legolas looked up to see that two more men had come to guard him after hearing Risorine's words. Whatever way he had done it Risorine had clearly gained the respect and obedience of these men, and still held it after so many years. 

 His guards hauled him around the house, bringing him in through a side entrance. After passing through a short, stone hallway they came to a firm wooden door, barred with metal boards to fortify it. One of the guards opened it and the others shoved him in, not caring as he crashed to the floor. He heard the sound of metal clanging and knew he was being locked in. 

 He sat up after a few moments, allowing the pain to die down, and looked around his prison. The walls were hard stone, and there were no windows or furnishings. The stone was cold to the touch and Legolas felt as though he were in an underground cavern. No light could enter, leaving him alone in the dark.

 _I suppose I should find a way out of here, Legolas thought to himself. His arms were beginning to ache from being tied so tightly behind him and he needed to free them. Taking a deep breath he painfully bent his legs into his chest, wincing as his injured knee protested. Resolved now he somersaulted backwards, putting most of his weight on his right shoulder, and pulled his arms beneath his legs and then over them. When he landed he was in a great deal of pain but his hands were now in front of him. _

 He ached all over and feared he had just used what little energy he had left. He wanted to work on loosening the ropes around his wrists but couldn't find the strength. Leaning against the cold stone he let out a long sigh. He needed to rest, even if only for a few minutes. His injuries were robbing him of his strength and he needed to let himself heal. He laid his head back, finally found a position which didn't cause him too much pain and relaxed. Sleep claimed him in moments.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Hasufel's hoofs pounded on the forest floor as the horse galloped towards Miscalanth at full speed. Aragorn and Gimli were holding on tightly to remain on the speeding horse, which Aragorn was urging even faster. They had been unable to find Legolas themselves and knew they would need help so were making their way back to the city. Lord Vecery and his men knew the area and may know where the rebels had taken their friend. It had pained them greatly to turn back, for it seemed to them like they were abandoning Legolas, but without proper guidance it would be foolish to go after Risorine alone. They may find themselves becoming lost very easily, and then they would be no good to their friend.

 It took nearly two hours to reach Miscalanth's walls, despite Hasufel's best efforts. The ride was emotionally gruelling for both Gimli and Aragorn, and they only hoped they hadn't taken too much time. Both of them had been silent for the trip, each lost in their own thoughts of grief or guilt.

 When they reached the Castle of Hileris the guards seemed pleased to see them, and quickly took their horses. It was obvious they wished to say something but Aragorn and Gimli would not give them the chance and ran to the castle doors as soon as they were dismounted. They sped through the castle, not letting anything slow them until they reached the King's hall. The guards moved to stop them but the man and dwarf easily side-stepped their efforts and burst into the great hall.

 "Lord Vecery!" Aragorn shouted as they entered. The King of Brelan sat on his throne and shot the two a shocked looked, mingled with relief. Sorinth was with him, his arm in a sling, but he was also pleased to see the pair. 

 "Lord Elessar, how wonderful to see you well. When we could not find you or your companions this morning we worried that the rebels had somehow harmed you," Lord Vecery said and Aragorn sensed genuine concern in his words.

 "It is a long and complicated story Lord Vecery, but unfortunately you are not too far from the truth. The rebels did attack us. Gimli and I managed to escape but my companion Salogel has been taken captive," Aragorn said emphatically. He did not usually show strong emotions while in the presence of other lords, or even in public, but at the moment he didn't care. He needed this man's help if he wanted to find his friend. 

 "The young man who saved my life?" Lord Vecery asked. At Aragorn's nod he cast down his eyes, "Yes, they would not be happy with him for his interference." 

 "We were able to track them quite a distance, far past Miscalanth's walls," Gimli said, making sure the king understood they at least had a starting point.

 "We lost their tracks when they crossed a stream and did not know enough about your lands to guess their course." Aragorn added.

 "You did right to come here. We will find your friend. Sorinth, gather your greatest trackers and hunters and have them ready to leave in the hour. They will go with Lord Elessar to track down and stop these rebels once and for all," Vecery ordered.

 Sorinth bowed, accepting the order and then started to leave the room to make sure it was seen through. Aragorn admired him for still doing his duty despite his injury. 

 "Did you by chance recognize any of the men who attacked you? We have reason to believe some of the rebels may still live in Miscalanth and even within these walls," Lord Vecery said, needing all the information the two could offer to help find 'Salogel'.

 "There was one that we recognized without mistake," Gimli replied, his voice coated with anger and hatred.

 "The leader of the rebels is Risorine, my former captain," Aragorn said spitefully. 

 "What?" Sorinth stopped in his tracks and turned back to the room, forgetting the task appointed to him.

 "You're sure?" Lord Vecery asked, quickly rising to his feet.

 _He's shocked, Aragorn thought, __more than he should be._

 "There is no doubt in my mind Lord Vecery. He is their leader," Aragorn said, and a great sadness filled the King's eyes.

 "But Risorine was …." Sorinth was stopped by a gesture from Lord Vecery.

 "I am well aware of what Risorine was Sorinth," Lord Vecery said sadly. There was sorrow in his eyes, but also great disappointment. 

 Realization dawned on Aragorn and a great fury ignited in him, "You knew! You knew Risorine was a man of your country and you said nothing! Why? Why did you not tell me?" 

 "Peace, Lord Elessar, please," Lord Vecery pleaded, and the great look of regret in his eyes was all that calmed Aragorn down, "We did know he was of our country for it was us that sent him to Gondor. Before we risk an alliance with a country we must first know if it is a strong, proud and noble nation. Risorine was sent some years ago to investigate the potential of Gondor. We allowed him all the time he wished but when he did not return after several years we thought him dead, for we had heard of the Great War, despite its distance from our lands."

 "When he came back with you," Sorinth continued, "we intended to question him on his absence but never found the opportunity. As you know it has been somewhat chaotic in this country for some time. Risorine was a trusted servant to Brelan, we thought he must have good reason not to return."

 "That still does not explain why you kept this information from us," Gimli pointed out.

 "I am sorry Master Dwarf, but we thought it best to keep silent until we spoke with Risorine," Lord Vecery replied. 

 "I am still grieved by this deception but I will let it pass for it seems that Risorine does well in fooling those around him. He has been the captain of my guards for several years now, and still I did not see this treachery coming," Aragorn said, his voice relaying the guilt he felt in the matter. 

 "Lord Elessar I cannot express enough my apologies in this matter. Risorine was a trusted member of my staff for years as well. I thought him loyal." Vecery admitted softly.

 "That appears to be what he is best at, instilling loyalty, for the men under his command are very devoted to him as well. But these are things to be discussed at later times. For now we must find them," Aragorn said once more.

 "Yes, we must. Sorinth, fetch the men, quickly." Vecery ordered once more. Sorinth bowed again and raced from the room to fetch the men he would need to track the rebels.

 "If it pleases you Lord Vecery, my companion and I must retire to our rooms to prepare before we ride out again," Aragorn said as casually as he could. They both needed to leave before Vecery began to ask questions regarding how, where, or when they were captured, for he had not yet thought of a believable excuse. 

 "Of course, and please accept my apologies once more." 

 "I do. We shall return and I will bring you the traitor to be judged as both of us see fit." Aragorn promised, and then he and Gimli left the hall.

 "That was easier than I expected," Gimli commented as they made their way to their rooms.

 "Yes, thankfully their shock kept them from asking too many difficult questions. They will ask eventually, I know, but if we can keep from answering their questions until after we have found Risorine and Legolas, then I care not if Vecery knows the truth," Aragorn said. His prime concern now was getting Legolas back. In the bag at his side he held one of the greatest treasures of Middle-Earth, the Stone of Malinya, but he could think of nothing that he wanted more than the safe return of his friend. He hated having to ask for help, but this was not his land or his people, so he had no choice. 

 Gimli was worried as well. Legolas had been injured when he left him, and who knew how the outlaws were treating him? Probably not well if Risorine's earlier actions had been any indication. 

 When they reached their rooms Aragorn said, "We will not be leaving again for nearly an hour; we should rest for a time until then. It has been a hard and long few days, and we should rest before the long ride and battle ahead of us."

 "Very well, but only for an hour's half or so," Gimli agreed, and then retired to his room.

 Aragorn entered his room as well and fell onto the large bed inside. Sleep would not come to him, he knew this, but he could rest his weary body and try to clearly think over all that had happened. He laid and tried to think but his mind kept drifting back to the fact that he had left a friend behind in a time of battle. He had simply continued riding as his friend lay hurt and fighting for his life. 

 His mind drifted and the guilt built up, but his body did earn some rest which would sustain him for many hours.

 When a half hour passed Gimli knocked on his door and came into his room. He found Aragorn sitting on the edge of his bed, his mind focussed entirely on the Elven knife he twirled between his fingers. 

 "He'll be back, Aragorn. He won't leave us knowing how many arguments I've won," Gimli said and was graced with a shadowed smile from Aragorn.

 "The Mist of Concealment has worn off by now. Risorine once told me he did not understand elves or why they remained in Middle-Earth. I think it was his way of showing his hatred," Aragorn admitted, still twirling the knife.

 "Well if Legolas is anything he's resourceful. They will not easily discover his true identity," Gimli said. 

 Aragorn was about to reply when an envelope suddenly appeared from beneath his door. He moved to pick it up, then stopped. "Lord Elessar" was clearly written on the envelope, in Risorine's handwriting. Aragorn flung open the door and chased after the guard walking away down the hall. He caught up to him easily, grabbed his shoulder and twirled him around to face him.

 "Who sent this? Where did it come from?" He asked fiercely, holding up the envelope.

 The guard was young and surprised by the aggression in such a noble lord's voice, "It arrived a few minutes ago. A man came to the gates and asked that this letter be delivered to you. I do not know who it was."

 "Send word that he is to be followed, immediately," Aragorn ordered.

 "He took off swiftly on horseback after he delivered it. He is undoubtedly far from here by now," The guard replied, still scared.

 Aragorn sighed in defeat and the anger seemed to drain from him as he released the firm grip he had on the guard's shoulder. 

 "Damn." He whispered, knowing it would be futile to take chase of someone with such a head start. With a nod of his head he sent the guard away once more.

 "What does it say Aragorn?" Gimli asked, not sure if he truly wished to know.

 Aragorn ran his hand through his hair then marched back into his room with Gimli, shutting the door behind him. "We shall find out." 

 He tore open the seal and pulled free the paper inside. As he shook it open a single lock of golden hair fell to the floor. 

 Aragorn picked it up, his eyes showing a deep and powerful fury burning within him, then he closed his fist around it tightly. It was clear he wished to release his anger but for now he held himself in check and forced his mind to concentrate on the words before him:

_My Dear Lord Elessar,_

_It seems I am not the only man who lives by deception. Congratulations on finding the Stone of Malinya, it was a very fantastic feat, but do not get too attached. It seems you left something behind in your haste to leave, but don't worry, I shall take good care of it for you. I have found that 'Salogel' is simply full of surprises and information._

_If you wish to see him alive again you will bring me the Stone, and you will come alone. You will go into the woods once more, the field where the Stone was found, at nightfall of this evening. If you try any tricks he will die. You will give me the Stone in exchange for his life. If you do not follow these instructions I will send you worse than a lock of hair. _

_See you at nightfall._

From Risorine and his new elf friend.

"He knows," Aragorn said, and then allowed the letter to sail to the floor.

 ~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 Legolas lay on the cold stone floor of his cell, gasping for breath. In the distance he could hear water running. A great river flowed somewhere nearby, and its sound resonated into his mind with a numbing force every time his pulse pounded. 

 His shoulder was still bleeding heavily and his head ached, along with the rest of his body. A great weariness began to overtake him and he felt his eyelids begin to droop. But he would not allow them to close. It was not natural for his people to sleep with closed eyes and he knew that he was actually closer to unconsciousness than sleep. Pain wracked his body but that did not bother him nearly as much as the chill in his heart, left by Risorine's hatred and malice. 

 An hour ago he had awoken from his light rest because of an ache in his head. It had been a different kind of pain than he had felt before; it was very sudden and familiar. He raised a hand to his forehead and noticed his skin glowed palely.

 _The Mist of Concealment has worn off, he thought to himself sorrowfully as he raised the hood of his cloak over his head. He knew he would have to be careful if he did not wish to reveal his identity to his captors. They had treated him roughly as it was by not tending to any of his injuries or feeding him (which he didn't really mind) but had for the time left him alone. He didn't think that would be the case if they knew him to be an elf. _

 Not long after he realized this he heard voices and footsteps approaching. There was a jangle of keys and the door to his cell was opened. Legolas feared that the darkness around him would betray him and the luminescence of his skin, but luck was with him. The sun was in just the right position to beam into the short hallway and as Risorine entered his cell so did enough light to brighten the room.

 Legolas rose to his feet as he entered, refusing to remain below the Man, and found his leg was sturdier than he thought it would be; it still pained him but the muscles had almost mended themselves. Risorine smirked at the small act of defiance. Legolas tensed, ready to lash out at his captor, but decided now was not the time for escape as several armed guards appeared at the door. 

 "I see you're hardly worse for wear. You better hope Lord Elessar is willing to give up the Stone to keep you that way," Risorine said. He clearly enjoyed having Legolas at his mercy and the Elf could still see the anger in the Man's eyes, though he covered it with smugness.

 "As I have said before, the Stone of Malinya will never be yours Risorine. Now what is it that you wish?" Legolas asked, eager for the man to leave.

 "Not much. Just stand still and this will be over in a moment," Risorine said as he took a step closer and revealed the knife he had hidden from view.

 Legolas acted on instinct and slammed away the man's wrist with his open palms, causing him to drop his weapon. Moving swiftly, Legolas drove his elbow into the man's face then dove for the knife. Risorine stumbled back, his nose bleeding, and was steadied by one of his guards. Legolas had barely gotten his fingers around the hilt of the weapon when a heavy boot slammed down on his wrists, causing him to drop his prize. With his free foot, the guard trapping him kicked the knife away. Legolas glared up at the man, who smirked triumphantly. His arms still trapped, Legolas rolled forward on the balls of his feet then pulled himself backwards with all his might, freeing himself from beneath the man's feet and causing his captor to fall. 

 He began to rise but didn't see the kick coming until it was too late and couldn't block it as it connected with his head. The elf flew back into the wall, shouting in agony as his injured shoulder took most of the impact. The guards pounced on him them, five in all, and held him in place against the wall. When he tried to struggle once more his head was slammed into the hard stone, banishing all thoughts for pain instead. He suddenly noticed his hood had fallen down during the fight.

 "That was unnecessary," Risorine commented as he approached, wiping a drop of blood from his split lip. There was anger in his eyes and he delivered a swift punch to Legolas's ribs, who was unable to double over due to the restricting hands upon him. 

 Risorine bent down and picked up his knife, then held it to his captive's throat. But Legolas would not give the Man the pleasure of seeing him flinch from its touch, or see fear in his eyes so he stood calm and defiant. 

 This angered Risorine further but he moved the knife and simply cut off a lock of the elf's hair. 

 "This is all I need." He said, then turned to leave the room. "Bind him tighter." He ordered as he reached for the door.

 Legolas was forced away from the wall and onto his knees. He was held tight as his wrists were cut free and then tied behind his back once again, tighter than before. One of the guards holding him stared at him hard for a few moments, noting that there was something odd about him that he hadn't noticed before, but he was unable to pinpoint what it was. As Risorine opened the door to leave the cell a great mass of light surged in, brightening the room considerably. It had been the glow of the elf's skin that originally gained the man's attention, but as the light filtered into the room the guard noticed something else about their prisoner. 

 "Captain, come back!" The guard yelled immediately, backing away in surprise. "You must see this!"

 "What is it?" Risorine asked, becoming annoyed and not wishing to see any more of their 'guest.' As he entered the cell again he began to close the door behind him and in the darkness also noticed the difference in their prisoner's features. His curiosity peaked, and as he stepped forward a theory began to form in his mind. 

 Legolas, who was still being forced to kneel on the cold stone, was hauled to his feet by Risorine. The Man had a tight hold on his hair and tilted his head back roughly, clearly revealing his Elven features. 

 "Elf." Risorine spat the word as if it sickened him, and then threw Legolas roughly to the floor. He landed silently, refusing to put words to his pain. Risorine stared hard at him for a moment, truly seeing his enemy for the first time. "Lord Elessar's deceptions run deeper than I thought, and this is the worst offence of all." A new fire erupted behind Risorine's eyes, kindled by a different kind of hatred; a much darker kind. He knelt in front of Legolas, his eyes narrowed in anger as if that would intimidate the warrior. "Then he shall simply have to pay for his deceptions. Elves have not walked within our borders for centuries, and they will not do so again."

 Legolas laughed softly, despite the situation, "I think you would be surprised by how wrong you are." He said, remembering his meeting with Algoral. If there had been a single elf in a troupe of only seven he couldn't help but think there were probably more elves in Brelan. When he saw Risorine's confusion he elaborated, "I met another of my kind within your borders and he told me he has lived among your people for years."

 "You lie through your teeth Elf," Risorine replied without doubt, emphasizing his passion with a swift kick to Legolas's unprotected ribs. "As do all your kind. There is good reason we despise your people in this land, and it runs deeper than simple dislike as it has for centuries. You are not just unwelcome, you are forbidden. But do you know the main reason why there are no elves in Brelan? Because the penalty for them to walk here is death. I would kill you myself but I may yet have use for you," Risorine remarked, then rose to his feet. 

 "Lord Elessar is more of a fool than I thought for bringing you here, to the land that most despises you."

 "Obviously you have not been to the Dwarf lands," Legolas mumbled as he began to regain his breath.

 "How could you call someone friend who would risk you life so openly? I wonder if he will be willing to trade the Stone for you; it is clear he cares naught for your well-being," Risorine said, ignoring the comment. He was enjoying tormenting the elf and attempting to put doubt to the relationship he knew to be so strong.

 "I came to Brelan of my own will. I had hopes of freeing your people from their ignorance about the Elder, but now I see that may not be possible. Your hatred runs deep and is unwarranted," Legolas said.

 "We know more than enough. You had best hope your friends come for you. If they don't I may just hand you over to Lord Vecery. He hates your kind more than any other I know. I would love to see what punishment he would enforce, not just on you but on your friends as well." Risorine left Legolas to think this point over and exited the cell, taking his men with him. 

 Legolas shook his head ruefully, pitying the Man for his ignorance and hatred. His head ached and his knee had been badly jarred, but worst of all, the blood flowing from his open wound was greater than before, and it was not long until unconsciousness overtook the elf once more. His last thoughts were of the beauty of the Stone of Malinya.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn entered the King's hall for the second time in the same hour, followed closely by Gimli, having formed a new plan of rescue to retrieve their friend. 

 "Lord Elessar, my men are ready and at your command," Lord Vecery said as he entered.

 "Thirty men await you outside. I thought a small company would be best for this outing." Sorinth added.

 "You may tell them to stand down, at least for now. I received a letter from Risorine and he wishes to make a trade with me, tonight at dusk. He will return Salogel in exchange for a great treasure that I carry," Aragorn replied cryptically, not knowing how much he could tell this man for now.

 "And what is this treasure?" Lord Vecery asked. Aragorn wished he hadn't.

 "I am afraid I cannot tell you," Aragorn said, honestly regretful.

 "You cannot tell me? Can you tell me why not?" Lord Vecery asked indignantly.

 Aragorn shook his head, "No. I am sorry to keep this from you, but I must insist you not press me on this matter."

 "If I am to help you Lord Elessar I must know I can trust you. This Man betrayed me as well. I am just as involved in this matter as you and I refuse to have secrets kept from me on this. This is my kingdom, my land ….."

 "And it is my friend we go after." Gimli announced suddenly, interrupting the old king. "Forgive me my lord but our company has suffered nothing but hardships while in your land and yet we have held none of this against you during our stay here. Lord Elessar is a proud king and he must be allowed his secrets to keep, as you have kept from us, but let us not lose sight of what is important here. We have the chance to capture Risorine and bring him to justice, as well as retrieve Salogel. Do these petty things truly matter so much?"

 Lord Vecery appeared deep in thought for long moments, and then spoke: "You speak the truth Master Dwarf, and I do not like things to be kept from me but I must understand and respect Lord Elessar's secrecy and hope that it has good reason."

"It does, I assure you," Aragorn replied.

 Lord Vecery took in a deep breath, resignedly and asked, "What is your plan then?"

 Aragorn nodded in thanks of the man's understanding and said, "Risorine instructed me to come alone, to the field where Salogel was taken and bring with me this treasure. Of course I have no intentions of doing this, coming alone that is. I will have need of your men, for I wish to arrive early and hide them in the surrounding forest. When Salogel is safe they will reveal themselves and you shall have Risorine and all his followers to do with as you please."

 "Very well, you may take whom you need. Be careful though, as much as I would like to capture and punish Risorine for his crimes we must first help your friend," Lord Vecery said. Aragorn appreciated the sincerity in his voice.

 "I will ensure his safety," Sorinth announced.

 Lord Vecery turned to him, a patient and understanding look on his features, "You are injured, Sorinth. You will stay here." It was then that Aragorn truly noticed the bond between these two. They were of the right ages to be father and son, and acted as though they were in some fashions. Lord Vecery had no heir and Aragorn did not doubt that Sorinth would be ruler of Brelan when the old King passed away. 

 "This Man saved my life, a debt I intend to repay as best I can; I am obliged to go. Besides, I know the bordering forests well, they will need me," Sorinth's eyes burned with conviction. Whether approved or not, he would be going.

 "Very well," Lord Vecery nodded, "But be careful."

 "I will. I must go tell the men of our new course of action." He bowed and left the room.

 "Thank-you for your understanding Lord Vecery, it will not be forgotten," Aragorn said respectfully. 

 "How long until you depart?" Vecery asked, hoping inside to end this situation quickly.

 "Three hours. We want to be there before Risorine, perhaps scout the area." Gimli announced.

 "I wish you luck then. I'm sure you have much to do." 

 "Of course." Aragorn knew they were being dismissed, but did not mind. Though the matters they spoke of were pressing, Lord Vecery still had a city to run. Aragorn knew all too well how he felt; torn between duty and emotion. They left the hall with no more words.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 "That went well," Gimli commented once out in the corridors.

 "Let us hope things go as well for Legolas. Too long he has been with these men, and I fear what may happen if he is their prisoner much longer," Aragorn said, raw emotion tingeing his voice. He had had a great deal of emotions assaulting him lately and it was beginning to affect him. He could handle joy, betrayal, worry and anxiety, but to take in so much at once it became almost overwhelming. But he was handling it well, he just wished he didn't have to keep deceiving the men and king who helped him; it felt wrong, despite its necessity. 

 "Do you know how badly Legolas was injured?" Aragorn asked. He had asked before when they were rushed and still searching and had not received a clear answer from the Dwarf. Aragorn had tried to avoid asking at all but finally he did. He felt he should be prepared to deal with his friend's injuries, however severe.

 Gimli sighed, obviously not pleased with the topic, "He was shot in the shoulder as I said; hard enough to knock him off the horse. He injured his leg when he fell, for he could not immediately stand, but I saw no blood. When Jarinel sped me away I could see him standing, ready to fight; the shaft of the arrow had broken off but it was still imbedded in his shoulder. I cannot say how he fared in the battle."

 "We will have to hurry then, and be very careful around Risorine. Though the injuries you speak of would not be fatal to an Elf Risorine knows who he is now. I have my doubts of the kindness of his treatment and the state we may find him in." Aragorn grimaced.

 When they reached Aragorn's room once more they went inside. Aragorn sat at the edge of his bed and dropped his head into his hands. For long minutes nothing, and everything, was said. Feelings and thoughts could be understood through the silence between the two companions. Worry and anxiety were prevalent.

 Eventually Aragorn stood and opened a small cabinet beside the wall. He pulled out his pack and withdrew from it the Stone of Malinya. It glowed and pulsed with a light so pure and spectacular it had to be watched. The Man and Dwarf were unwillingly pulled into the sight of it and for long minutes they simply stared at its beauty, drawn into its mass of colors and light. Finally Gimli spoke:

 "Will you give it to him? Put one of the greatest treasures in all of Middle-Earth, in the hands of that madman." 

 Aragorn continued to gaze into the Stone, his vision never wavering, but his mind clearly moving and turning swiftly. When he looked up he replied, "I will let him believe I have given it to him and that will be enough. Though Risorine may be granted sight and perhaps touch of Malinya's Stone, it will never be his. He shall know no beauty or light for a long time if I have my way."

 "Its beauty is captivating, especially at first sight. We may be able to use that against them," Gimli commented. His strategic mind immediately sought out advantages wherever possible, and he knew the Stone was their best one. 

 "You may be right my friend," Aragorn commented, "I could sit and stare at its beauty until my final hours. Let us hope that Risorine may see the beauty of it as well, and not just its power." He reluctantly began wrapping the Stone in its cloth once more and placed it back in his bag, knowing they would have no need of it for several hours. The time would pass slowly.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 Legolas laid in darkness, not moving, barely seeing and trying not to feel. His bright eyes stared straight ahead as he walked through his dreams where he thankfully felt no pain. The sun shone brightly and the birds sang at the sight of him in this dream world; a world so very different from the one he now lived in. 

 The pain coursing through him had begun to die down and in its place a great weariness overtook him, until he was forced into sleep. He had lost much blood and his body was running out of energy, trying to heal his many injuries. The sleep would help; it would refresh him and help him when he awoke, if he awoke. He had been given no chance to look over his injuries to judge their seriousness and at the edges of his dreamland there was a tinge of worry. If his body only needed rest so he could heal himself he would be fine, but if his wounds were worse than he thought than he was dying and may not ever awaken.

 But these thoughts were on the far borders of his dreamscape, places he did not visit while he walked through the peaceful woods. So the worries did not bother him here and he continued along through the forest, enjoying the sights and smells of nature. Blissfully unaware that he actually lay on a cold stone floor and his body around him was weakening.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 "Aragorn, they're ready," Gimli announced, peaking his head into the Man's room. 

 Aragorn did not rise from his bed, but remained hunched over, staring into his hands. Gimli sighed, thinking he was once more studying Legolas's blade, but as he stepped closer the Dwarf saw that the King of Men was again gazing deep into the Stone of Malinya. He at first worried that Aragorn had been pulled into its beauty, his thoughts and expression seemed so intense, but then he realized that though the Man was staring at it Aragorn was not truly *seeing* the Stone.

 "What are you thinking about?" Gimli was surprised he'd asked the question, not usually being one to pry into others' business. But Aragorn seemed so deep in thought that he couldn't help his curiosity. 

 "I was recalling a conversation we had, long before we left for Brelan. I told you both something that I myself had almost forgotten in this chaos. Something that may help us, and Legolas," Aragorn replied as he lifted his head, the first shadow of a smile crossing his face.

 Gimli stared at him for a moment in confusion as he also tried to recall their conversation and any way the Stone could aid them. After a moment he got it. "The Stone has the power to heal."

 Aragorn's smile widened, "That it does, or so it is said. Though how it works and to what extent I do not know. But hope remains and we must find Legolas quickly for he may need this more than the races of Middle-Earth." 

 Gimli moved out of the way as Aragorn rose and walked past him. He concealed the Stone and placed it in his bag once more and was ready. The two left the castle and headed to the stables. Aragorn was pleased to find Hasufel had been saddled for him, and the men of Brelan were already upon their steeds, awaiting his arrival and orders. 

 Jarinel neighed loudly from a corner of the stable and Aragorn pitied the great horse. He would allow no one to ride him other than Legolas and could therefore not be brought with them, but it was clear he longed to be free to find his master and friend. Aragorn walked up to the horse and his presence calmed him. Jarinel allowed him to stroke his muzzle. The man looked to make sure none were close enough to hear him then said:

 "I am sorry Jarinel, but you must stay behind. I promise I will find Legolas and bring him back to you. Be good for these men until he arrives." 

 Jarinel neighed again, almost indignantly but was slightly calmer than before. Aragorn gave him a final pat of assurance then returned to Hasufel. Gimli had already been assisted onto the horse's back and Aragorn climbed up to join him. Once outside Sorinth came up to them; his arm was no longer in a sling but his shoulder was heavily bandaged.

 "Sorinth, I do not believe it wise for you to accompany us, as Lord Vecery has said you are injured. But I know you will come no matter what my advice, so I can only thank you for your loyalty to Salogel, it is greatly appreciated," Aragorn said honestly.

 "It is nothing; I just always repay my debts. If you would, which direction do we ride in, and what will be the length of our journey?" The Man asked, brushing aside Aragorn's praise.

 "East, for the most part," Aragorn replied, "Though sometimes the path verges. We are headed to a large field, with a great hill beside it, covered in rocks. The journey back took nearly two hours at Hasufel's top speed."

 "Then it shall take us no longer. I believe I know of where you speak, but will be more sure when you show me the paths you took getting there. Please, lead the way and I shall advise as I see fit," Sorinth said, moving aside to allow Aragorn to lead the men.

 "Very well," Aragorn said.

 Sorinth turned and spoke to his men, thirty in all, "We're moving out! Lord Elessar will lead us for as long as he may. We head east at full speed!" Aragorn nodded his thanks as the man clearly passed command of his men to the king.

 "Let's go," Gimli said behind him, "We've only got so many hours before dusk."

 Aragorn looked up, the sky was darkening and the sun would set in nearly four hours; they had to be swift. He kicked his heels against Hasufel's flanks and set him forward at top speed. Behind him he heard the hard pound of hooves and knew Sorinth and his men were close behind. As they sped through the forest, dodging around trees Aragorn thoughts were divided between worry and revenge. He promised himself that Risorine's time was coming to an end.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

_Legolas walked through the forest, enjoying the sights and smells of nature; it was calm and peaceful here, as everything should be. He suddenly stopped walking and listened. He could hear water running nearby. This confused him for he knew that no stream or river flowed anywhere near the section of wood he walked in. He began to follow the sound, curious as to what could be causing it and where it could be coming from. He walked and walked but the sound never came any closer; the water seemed to be running just out of his reach. Frustration began to fill him, despite being in this peaceful land. Still he walked, searching, desperately now, to find the river that he knew should not be there. The sound became louder, but still just as far away and Legolas began to jog to catch it._

_ He was so intent on his destination, so tuned to his sense of hearing and direction that he did not notice the world was fading around him. The sky blackened and lowered, the trees around him blurred, then faded together to form black walls about him, and the leaves beneath his feet hardened and became cold, until he was walking on solid stone. _

_ He still could not find the water. It had to be close. It had to be somewhere. Then a new sound was added to his darkening world; footsteps. Several pairs of footsteps that were approaching swiftly. And there were voices; they were distant and rough. Perhaps they would know where the water was. He ran now, towards the voices, pushing through blackness, desperate to find this lost river. Where was it? How could an entire river be hidden? How could he be so lost? The sounds were all around him yet he could reach none of them. Water, footsteps, voices, water, footsteps, voices, water, footsteps, voices………._

_ The sounds continued, pulsing through his thoughts with every stride of his legs. He ran and ran, then stopped! Silence._

_ The footsteps had ceased. The voices had quieted. Then the sound of running water suddenly became loud. Very loud; almost as if he was standing in its path._

_ He looked up into the darkness. He was under a waterfall……_

 ……. Legolas awoke with a start, blinking his already open eyes and shaking his head to clear away the droplets of water. He was soaked from head to foot and there was a puddle forming around him, red from the mix of water and blood. A satisfied laugh came from above him and he looked up to see several of Risorine's guards crowded into the cell. One was holding a now empty water pail. 

 "Get up Elf!" The man with the pail ordered, his smirk disappearing and quickly changing to anger when he caught Legolas's defiant stare. "We won't fall for your tricks. Rise!"

 Legolas got the impression that the men had been trying to get him to rise for some time, and they had been the sources of the voices and footsteps from his dream. It disturbed him that he had not awoken when they first arrived; it showed how unresponsive his body was becoming. 

 The first man kicked him harshly in the ribs to speed him up, as if that would help him rise any faster. The men were already impatient with him, it had taken a bucket of water to get him to even respond to them, and they were not willing to wait for him to rise on his own. Now that he would be able to walk he was grabbed by the elbows and hauled to his feet; they cared nothing for his injuries and one man even deliberately pressed down on his shoulder, pressing into the wound. Legolas tensed but did not flinch or react in any way, refusing to give him satisfaction; but his heart broke as the true hatred these Men held for his people became clear. It was not simply the malice of one Man that was against him, it was the malevolence of an entire nation. 

 He took a calming breath when they reached the outdoors once more. Though he had not been in the cell for very long it was still very confined and dark, and he had yearned for the sight of the outdoors, though he had still been able to clearly smell it. A sigh of relief actually passed his lips as he stepped into the sun's golden rays and immediately felt his skin begin to warm and dry. 

 When he stopped his guards forced him ahead, surprising him and pulling on his shoulder once more. This time he hissed through his teeth. He considered lashing out at the guards, knowing he could overpower just the two of them even in his weakened state, but he looked behind him and realized they were not alone. Once more Risorine had sent half a dozen men to guard him; the Man was not underestimating him. 

 They reached the front of the rebels' hide-out and Legolas saw Risorine, readying his horse along with several others. There were a few rider-less horses as well and he knew one would be for him. 

 "Bring him here." Risorine ordered when he saw them, showing no interest in the elf's dampness, then quickly turned back to inspecting his saddle bag. As Legolas was brought forward the Man turned to him; his moves crisp with anger. He was still seething from finding out about his true identity and Aragorn's deceptions. Legolas was glad. Finally this Man knew the sting of betrayal.

 "Well, it is time to find out if Lord Elessar truly values your immortal life. I highly doubt it, but we shall go and see at the very least," Risorine said. He continued to downplay the bond of friendship between the two, not understanding how any Man could trust or befriend an Elf. Yet he knew that their friendship was strong and that still angered him, for it was a bond he had never had in his life.

 "I would try to persuade you from this course of action, but I fear you are too much of a fool to heed sound advice," Legolas replied, shaking his head and truly pitying these people for their ignorance. As much as he tried to understand them, he simply could not. And for this reason he could not entirely forgive their hatred, despite having the compassionate heart of his people. Deep down he was beginning to despise them, simply due to their hatred of him.

 "Let us go and we shall see who the fool is. If Lord Elessar truly is willing to trade the Stone of Malinya for your life, then it will prove to be him. Especially since your life will be forfeit either way, as will his." Risorine smirked and mounted his steed. His hair fell softly on his shoulders as he positioned himself, straight and tall, and he looked every bit a leader; confident and cunning. Legolas mentally added deceptive, cowardly and ignorant to his list of qualities as well. 

 Legolas had known that Risorine had planned to kill him for some time. Had suspected it in the beginning and been sure after the discovery of his true race. But his announcement that he planned to end Aragorn's life as well surprised him, for that was an act that would not go unnoticed. 

 The men prepared to ride out and Legolas was dragged toward an empty horse. It was the very horse he had been forced to ride to their home, and it remembered him. This time they were more prepared for his company and allowed him to ride alone. He was forced into the saddle, grimacing in discomfort, and his hands were tied to it as well. He would not be able to jump off the horse, and just in case he tried to encourage the beast to speed him away, its reins were tied to those of the horses' before him. Risorine's was one of the horses which he was attached to. The man smirked, slapped his heels against his horse's flanks and sent them on their way at top speed. He had obviously wished to surprise Legolas with the sudden gallop, but even with his hands bound behind him the elf had perfect balance while atop the great creature. When Risorine noticed this his lips thinned in anger, and he sped the group even faster.

 As they rode Legolas felt his body begin to relax with the rhythm of the horse. His shoulder was healing, finally, as the blood had stopped flowing and he had been given a short chance to rest. But his body was tired from fighting to keep him alive, so was still exhausted. His thoughts were drifting, as were his senses, but he had to stay focussed. Aragorn would have a plan; that much he knew. He would need to be alert and ready to help or do his part in whatever it was the king was going to do. 

 His head started to droop with exhaustion once more and he found it harder and harder to concentrate on his surroundings. Looking up he noticed the sun was swiftly setting. They would arrive at the field by dusk.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 "Aragorn, I feel I must bring something to your attention." This was the first time Gimli had spoken since they set out nearly an hour ago. He was used to trying to attempt conversations while riding behind someone, but they were not usually travelling at such speeds.

 "What is it Gimli?" Aragorn asked, tilting his head back to hear him better but keeping his eyes on their course.

 "If Risorine knows Legolas is an elf, how are we to keep this information from these Men?" Gimli asked, indicating those that rode behind them.

 "We shall have to hope for chance to be by our side. I have brought with me the Mist of Concealment; I found it in Legolas's chambers. We shall simply have to search for, or make, an opportunity to use it on him, before these Men discover his identity," Aragorn replied. It had been a question plaguing his mind as well. He had planned enough ahead to bring the Mist but beyond that he knew he would have to see how the circumstances unfolded themselves.

 Sorinth was true to his word; they had ridden swiftly and arrived in the field where Legolas had been taken, only two hours after they left Miscalanth. 

 "This is where we last saw them," Aragorn announced, stopping and dismounting Hasufel. 

 "I think they came from that direction." Gimli added, pointing into the forest ahead of them. 

 "Yes, that would make sense. These woods are not well used and it would be unlikely for them to be found. There is much to do before sun fall, we must hurry." Sorinth ushered them unnecessarily. 

 Dusk was still two hours away, and they were glad for the time. Sorinth explained that he knew the forest quite well and led his men to areas that they could hide until their quarry arrived. 

 "They should stay back quite a distance," Aragorn suggested, "Risorine's men will know these woods well also, and know where to look for that which is hidden."

 Sorinth agreed and the large bulk of his men were placed a great distance away from the valley. They would be able to see all and approach quickly enough, but they would not be spotted by those who did not know they were there, and they could not hear anything from the field. This was what Aragorn wanted.

 What he didn't want was anyone close enough to hear any conversation in the valley, but this was exactly what Sorinth gave him. While most of his men kept away, Sorinth and a single guard set themselves among the boulders on the high hill overlooking the field. Aragorn wished to argue that they would be seen, but in truth he could not. It was a good hiding spot; Sorinth would easily be able to see Aragorn's signal and they would not be easily spotted. He simply wanted none of Brelan's men in hearing range. But if they did not shout their voices would not be easily heard.

 By the time all the men were positioned it was nearly dusk. They had not waited a moment too long. Aragorn and Gimli were the only ones visible in the field and they were hard pressed to see the men of Brelan, hiding in the forest. Hasufel was the only horse visible, for obvious reasons the Men had been forced to leave their steeds far behind in the woods.

 The Stone weighed heavily on Aragorn's shoulder as he paced the valley floor. The treasure they had sought to bring peace to the lands seemed to be causing nothing but pain, betrayal, and misery. He idly wondered why the good things in life were so few; even those things made to be good seemed to turn against him. 

 Gimli was nervous as well. He did not like waiting and was impatient so passed the time fiddling with his axe; changing its position and checking and re-checking its blade.

 Looking out into the forest Aragorn could see none of Sorinth's men, and was impressed by their skills in stealth. His head snapped around suddenly, drawn by the sounds coming from the other side of the valley. Gimli noticed this and stood straight and alert. 

 "They're coming," Aragorn whispered, knowing the Dwarf had not heard them yet.

 Just as the last rays of sunlight filtered through the tips of the trees, the sound of hooves became clear in the distance. 

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

Legolas knew he had to save his strength, so he let his body relax and his mind drift as they rode towards the valley in the descending sunlight. Despite the evil these Men seemed to fill them with, the forests were actually quite beautiful. Especially at this time, the pivotal moment where night and day meet and then quickly part ways. He always loved this time of day. But there were several factors that were ruining it for him. His fatigue, the pain he was in, and the fact that the object in his direct line of sight was the back of Risorine's head; an object he desperately wanted to impale with an arrow.

 They continued riding and Legolas let his gaze wander around the woods. He spotted a type of tree he did not recognize, which was curious to him. He greatly wished to see it, talk to it, but he knew that was out of the question. As they passed closely by another tree of its kind he promised he would return and learn of it, if he could. When they neared the valley Legolas noticed something else in the woods. Unnatural shadows were moving in the darkness. They did not belong to plant or animal and he knew that they were Men. And not Risorine's men.

 When he realized this he averted his gaze, but not too quickly as to draw attention. He simply hung his head low and watched the forest closely from the corner of his eye. They were close now; Risorine would soon be dealt with by Aragorn, or hopefully by him. Legolas knew the men in the woods were there to help him, sent by Aragorn and Gimli. His muscles tensed and his body became alert as he prepared for the battle that would soon be coming. He just wished he wasn't so tired.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 As the sounds of hoof beats drew nearer Aragorn had to fight the urge to unsheathe his sword as he would normally do when an enemy approached. And Risorine was an enemy, it was all Aragorn saw him as now. To keep his hands from his weapon they instead sought out his pack at his side. He placed his palm over the cloth protectively, as if assuring himself it was still there.

 Gimli took a step forward, axe high. Aragorn put out an arm and stopped him. "Wait. They will come to us." He said. It was clear the Dwarf was out for blood but would try to contain himself as best he could. Aragorn wondered if it might not have been better if he had hidden in the woods with Sorinth.

 The company at last came into view and Gimli saw pure hatred burning within Aragorn's eyes as he caught sight of Risorine, sitting high and smug upon his dirty brown horse. Shortly behind the betrayer came Legolas and Aragorn's gaze and expression quickly shifted. His friend was alive; he felt a breath of relief leave his lungs as his eyes continued their gathering.

 Legolas was indeed alive, clearly, but he was also bound, bruised, damp, and covered in blood. Far too much blood, thought Aragorn. The elf looked far too weak; his head was hung low and his body slumped with fatigue. He heard a low growl emit from Gimli, and the axe was lifted once more. Aragorn again had to stop him with a touch of his hand. 

 "Greetings Lord Elessar," Risorine called out as he dismounted, his voice far too cheerful. "So glad you could make it. But I did tell you to come alone." 

 Aragorn fought down his anger and adopted a look of calm as he cast a casual glance Gimli's way, "He would not be left behind." He explained with a shrug.

 Risorine actually laughed, "Very well, it matters little." He turned and snapped his fingers at several of his men. Aragorn did a quick count; Sorinth's company outnumbered them by more than a half a dozen. 

 At Risorine's command two men approached Legolas's horse. One man cut him free from the saddle, while keeping his hands still bound, and the other pulled him forcefully off the horse. Legolas landed roughly and was very grateful his leg had ceased to pain him, but he did stumble and was pitched forward slightly. The larger man took him by the hair and forced him to stand, dragging him forward until he was slightly past Risorine. He then shoved the elf onto his knees, so he was facing Aragorn and Gimli, then took a single step back. He had a sword drawn at his side.

 "Here is mine. Where's yours?" Risorine asked, his objectivity obvious. 

 Aragorn looked at Legolas, being able to see him clearly now despite being on the other side of the valley. The length of the field suddenly seemed as long as the River Anduin. The archer's face was bruised, quite badly. And they were fresh, for if he had received them in the initial fight several hours ago they would have faded. It was clear Risorine's men had not treated him well. But Aragorn had to force himself not to smile as he met the elf's eye. Legolas was indeed weak, but not nearly so much as he had let on. His eyes were wide and alert since neither Risorine nor his men could now see his expression. He tilted his head to the right and then clearly blinked three times, signalling to Aragorn that he knew there were other Men in the forest. He would be ready when they attacked. 

 "Release him and you may get it," Gimli replied, then grumbled, "Or something worse."

 "Clearly you do not know the rules of this game Master Dwarf. You give us what we want and you get him back. If you don't give it to us," The man beside Legolas lifted his sword to the elf's bare throat, "I think you know what happens."

 "Untie him at the least," Requested Aragorn, stalling now, "As a show of good faith."

 The man beside Legolas looked to Risorine, who shook his head. "I have no faith in you good King of Gondor who would lie to kings and even his own captain. You will give me the Stone now or he dies." The steel bit in deeper and Legolas pulled away. The man stepped closer, until he was right behind the elf and took him by the hair to steady him as he pressed the sword to his throat. He was now right where Legolas wanted him.

 Aragorn saw the blade draw blood from his friend's throat and knew he could stall no longer. He reached into his pack and withdrew the Stone of Malinya and held it high. It was not as beauteous as before. Its light had faded while in Aragorn's care, for it could sense the Man was being deceitful in some way. Still he held it up high, to make sure Risorine and Sorinth both saw. That was the first signal.

 Legolas felt the wave of joy and warmth pass through him from the Stone, but he could pay it no mind in his current situation. The steel bit in deeper.

 "What is that?" The guard with Sorinth asked up on the hill.

 Sorinth shook his head, unable to hear much from down below, "I do not know; perhaps a sacred relic of Gondor."

 "Release him," Aragorn repeated, dropping his arm and taking the Stone from sight.

 Risorine nodded towards his man and Legolas's hair was released and the sword lowered, but the Man did not back away. "Give me the Stone and he will be freed." 

 Aragorn took a last, longing look at the Stone and then lobbed it across the field, intentionally causing it to land far from Risorine's reach, but clearly in his sight. When the Stone of Malinya left his fingers it began to glow once more with its previous beauty, and Risorine and all his men were stunned by the sight of it, at least for a moment. The throwing of the Stone had been the second signal. 

 Aragorn met Legolas's gaze once more and offered a quick and purposeful nod. Arrows flew suddenly from the forest, striking several of Risorine's men and one of the horses. 

 Legolas stood quickly, head-butting the man behind him. The man was taken by surprise and fell back, but retained his sword and quickly recovered after stumbling. Legolas turned around and kicked the man swiftly in the stomach, knocking him down before he could let loose a single stroke of his weapon.

 The rebels were quickly pulled from the trance the Stone's beauty had put them in and they realized the danger around them. It had been a trap. Now they had to decide whether to fight or retreat. They had no way of knowing how many men they fought, or where they were. Risorine was urging his men forward, telling them to hold their ground, but few listened.

 Arrows continued to fly through the air and Legolas tried to stay low. He needed to find cover and free himself from his bonds. Looking around him he saw most of Risorine's men were in retreat, and the men of Brelan were appearing from the forest. Some had swords drawn and ran forward, while others stayed back and notched more arrows to their bows. Legolas had to drop to the ground suddenly as an arrow flew towards his chest. _Were not these men sent here to help him? _He thought, but forgave them instantly, knowing that a Man's aim with a bow was not always true. He struggled to rise without the use of his hands, and without injuring himself further.

 Risorine fumed as he dodged arrows and approached one of the Men of Brelan. He quickly ran his sword through the Man's stomach, desperate to release some of his anger. Aragorn had deceived him again and was cheating him out of his prize. Looking across the field he saw the Stone, so close, but not close enough. If he went after it he would be captured or killed. He knew he must retreat, but he also knew he must make Aragorn pay for his loss. Unsheathing a knife from his belt Risorine stalked forward as he saw the King of Men running across the field to join the battle. 

 Aragorn and Gimli raced to engage the rebels with sword and axe drawn and ready. Aragorn stopped for only a moment to pick the Stone of Malinya up from the ground and put it safely back in his pack. Gimli passed him in this time and joined the battle first. He would later comment that the legs of a Dwarf finally outran those of a Man. 

 When Aragorn raised his eyes he was struck by a great sense of danger and he looked around to find the source. Risorine was approaching swiftly, knife drawn dangerously but he was too far; Aragorn could not reach him in time. All he could do was shout a warning and run forth as swiftly as possible. 

 Legolas had just gotten to his feet once more when he heard Aragorn shout his name in warning. He turned around to seek out the danger and found Risorine was directly behind him. The elf could not defend himself in a fight while his arms were still bound behind his back and he began to back away. Risorine did not wish to fight him. Without hesitation the man took a step towards Legolas, bringing them almost face to face, and gripped his shoulder tightly in one hand. With the other hand he plunged his dagger deep into the elf's unguarded torso. 

 Legolas gasped, overwhelmed with pain and surprise, and was kept upright only by Risorine's death grip on both his shoulder and the knife which was held firmly in place. Risorine brought his head forward and whispered to him, "I told you Lord Elessar would pay for his deceptions." 

 The man twisted the knife ruthlessly before he withdrew it, causing even more damage and creating a larger slice in the elf's belly. Legolas glared at him for a moment, pain, hatred and anger all etched into his face. Then his body slackened and he fell onto his knees. He took a long wheezing breath and continued to fall until he hit the hard earth, already red from blood.

 Risorine smiled and as he turned away he wiped the blood from his dagger. He had the look of a man who was very satisfied with himself. "Retreat! Fall back!" He ordered his men as he mounted his horse, still smiling broadly and rode away from the scene. The ones who had not yet fled followed him, also on horseback. 

 Aragorn reached Legolas too late, the damage was done. He dropped down beside the elf and turned him over gently. 

 "Legolas, can you hear me?" He asked while pulling cloth and bandages from his bag. 

 The elf's eyes were glazed over but Aragorn saw recognition in them, "Aragorn." He smiled, then grimaced as Aragorn applied pressure to the wound in his side to stop the blood flow. Gimli suddenly appeared as well, his axe blood red with revenge. He quickly cut free his friend's hands as Aragorn continued to look over the wound. The tightness of the ropes did not escape his notice, or the bleeding of his wrists. Anger fuelled in the Dwarf from the clear mistreatment of his friend, but he fought it down for now and concentrated on helping and healing him.

 "You're going to be fine Legolas, hold on," Aragorn instructed as he pulled herbs and bandages form his bag. The truth was though, he was very worried. His friend had already lost a great deal of blood and the new wound in his abdomen was very serious. The knife had gone deep and the blood was flowing heavily. If he was a Man Legolas would have died already, and Aragorn knew not how much more his Elven body could handle. 

 "Risorine?" Legolas asked, his voice weak and eyes straying over the area, taking in the end of the fight. 

 Aragorn and Gimli both grimaced and look behind them; Risorine had gotten away, along with several of his men. Many men lay dead on the ground; some were rebels and some were of Brelan. Sorinth appeared suddenly, there was a curious look on his face and he stared hard at first Aragorn and then Gimli. But he was also clearly concerned and eager to help.

 "Is there anything ….." Aragorn did not let him finish.

 "We can care for him, go after Risorine. Find him!" The King ordered vehemently. Sorinth nodded in agreement, knowing he himself had little skill in healing. Several of his men had already taken chase after the rebels, using the horses of the ones slain. Aragorn whistled absently and Hasufel came forward. "Take him. Quickly." Sorinth complied, mounted Hasufel and sped away. 

 The three friends were left alone in the field, with only the dead for company. 

 Aragorn and Gimli turned their attention back to their friend on the ground; his breathing was becoming more laboured and his skin was pale. He was fading quickly and they knew it. They would have to act soon or the prince of Mirkwood, and their dear friend, would be lost. 

 "Gimli, come and keep pressure on this, I must inspect his shoulder as well," Aragorn explained as the Dwarf and Man switched position. Gimli pressed the cloth against the stab wound and tried to give his friend a reassuring smile. It was returned weakly.

 "This was not quite the reunion I had planned," Legolas said, talking in quick breaths as he lay on his side.

 "Nor I, lad, but I should have, knowing you." Legolas usually hated when Gimli called him lad, but at the moment he didn't mind that much. But he winced as Aragorn prodded at his injured shoulder. 

 "It is not infected but he's lost so much blood. If I remove the arrowhead it will only be worse," Aragorn announced.

 Gimli looked up, hopeful, "What about the Stone?"

 "I am unsure Gimli. If we decide to use it I shall have to remove the arrowhead, for it cannot be healed over. This will make the blood loss worse, removing it would kill him," Aragorn explained, his voice dropping with sadness and frustration.

 "But if the Stone does work ……." Gimli continued and was cut short.

 "And if it doesn't than we have doomed him!" Aragorn pleaded.

 "Do it Aragorn," Legolas said from below, sick of being talked about and not to. "I am lost if you do not." The elf could feel it, his vision was fading, his thoughts were becoming blurred and his soul seemed restless, as if it no longer fit his body. He was dying, and he did not wish it.

 Aragorn's fists gripped his knees tightly as he tried to decide what to do. He bit his lip and ran his hand through his hair. 

 "I shall try," Aragorn replied at last, getting up and retrieving his bag from beside Gimli. He removed the Stone of Malinya along with another bundle of bandages. His fingers began to probe the injury gently. The arrowhead was in deep now; he would have to go into the wound, then pull it free. "This will hurt." He announced sorrowfully, "Gimli, hold him down."

 The Dwarf did as asked of him and kept his friend in place. Legolas and Aragorn took a large breath at the same time. His fingers reached into the wound until he grasped what was left of the shaft of the arrow, then he quickly hauled it free. Legolas was too tired to fight it back and screamed in pain. Gimli held him down as his body arced in pain and both the friends' hearts cracked a little at the sound of his screams. Legolas slumped to the ground, exhausted and breathing heavily. Aragorn quickly placed several bandages over the wound after throwing away the arrow in disdain. Taking another deep breath to compose himself he picked up the Stone of Malinya, not allowing its beauty to steal a single of his thoughts. 

 He needed to do this, he had to save his friend, he had to be strong and stop his hands from shaking. Memories of all those he had ever lost suddenly flew to his mind, and he fought to push their images away.

 As he held the Stone over his friend, who lay hurt and bleeding so badly, all he could do was curse Risorine and his treacherous soul. But more than that, he cursed himself. For bringing his closest friend to a land that hated him and being the cause of his pain. And he cursed himself for his stupidity; he had no idea how to harness the power of Malinya's Stone. 

 Gimli looked down at Legolas, so peaceful and quiet despite the pain he must be in. Then he realized he was far too peaceful and his eyes had become glazed and stared, unfocussed, into the distance. The Dwarf moved the hand that was holding the bandage, placed it on his friend's chest and felt nothing.

 "Aragorn, he's not breathing."

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

Ceral had been a stable boy his entire young life and in that time he had seen very few horses as fine as the white beauty that stood before him. He surpassed all others in the stable and even compared to the king's own steed the horse was proud and fair, but unfortunately quite wild at the moment.

 Jarinel neighed and kicked in the stable, disliking being caged, and hating even more to be away from his master. He did not know where Legolas was, but he was supposed to follow the Man, he knew that. Aragorn had left some time ago though, and he was trapped within these walls unable to follow.

 Ceral approached the horse slowly. He was concerned for the creature and knew it would hurt itself if it didn't calm down. Desperate, he tried to talk to the horse, but only made things worse, "Easy boy, it's okay. I'm sure your master will be back soon." But Legolas would not be back for some time; Jarinel knew this because he had been forced to leave him behind in the forest. His struggles became even greater and the walls shook around him.

 The stable boy threw away all caution, refusing to let such a fine horse be so tormented. Ceral unclasped the hook from the door and swung it open, freeing the horse from its captivity. Jarinel sped away, not slowing as men crossed his path and were forced to jump out of the way. He needed to find his master, or the Man at least and follow him as Legolas wanted. Jarinel knew which direction Aragorn had left in, remembered their earlier outing quite well, and took off for the forest line. Ceral watched him go, knowing he would be in trouble, but not caring for the moment as he watched the spectacular horse disappear into the horizon.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn's eyes snapped up in shock at the Dwarf's words. He reached out and gently rolled Legolas onto his back once more. He laid his head on the elf's chest and listened. It was true, he no longer drew breath, but his heart was still beating, faintly. 

 "Legolas, no. You must fight, please," Aragorn pleaded silently as a cold feeling of dread crept through his spine.

 "Come Elf, you cannot leave us now," Gimli admonished, his voice rising with anger and despair. 

 Aragorn suddenly felt a tingle of warmth in his fingertips and he looked down to see the Stone of Malinya was glowing in his palm. It no longer shone in a bright rainbow of colors, instead it gleamed a fierce, pure white light. A look of understanding and acceptance passed over the Man's face and he suddenly knew what to do. 

 He reached out and pushed Gimli's hand off Legolas's chest and began to undo the tunic, revealing the bloody chest beneath. 

 "Aragorn, what ……" Gimli was stopped by the intense look in the Man's eyes.

 "Be quiet Gimli, please," Aragorn asked desperately and the Dwarf was silent. The King of Men took the Stone of Malinya and rested it on Legolas's chest, with his own hands wrapped tightly around the orb. A hush fell over the valley as the air stilled and all sounds of nature quieted. The light glowed intensely. Aragorn's eyes blazed as they reflected its brightness, and then suddenly the light spread, filling the Man's form with a radiant glow. Warmth spread through his hands, then arms and soon through his entire body and he could feel Malinya's true power coursing through him as he silently prayed that it would be enough. 

 Gimli looked on, his eyes confused but hopeful. He had no understanding of the magic of the Elves or the Stone, but he had great faith in both of his companions and that was what all his wishes and hopes were based on.

 Words began to flow from Aragorn's mouth and the Stone brightened as they slowly became louder and more intense. The glow of the Stone in the darkness lit up Legolas's skin, which no longer glowed on its own, but still the Elf did not move or draw breath. 

 Aragorn continued, his body hunched and sweat dripping from his forehead. His eyes flew open as he suddenly stopped chanting and instead gazed deep into the Stone as its light became almost blinding. He knew that he and the Stone of Malinya were now connected, wrapped together in a spell that must be finished, but he felt himself weakening. The light of the Stone stopped brightening, having seemed to reach its peak and Aragorn somehow knew it was not enough.

 "Gimli put your hands on the Stone," Aragorn ordered through gritted teeth as he tried not to break his concentration. Gimli was hesitant to comply, not wishing to interfere in the spell the Stone was casting. But Aragorn seemed sure and the Dwarf did as asked of him and placed his hand over the top of the Stone of Malinya.

 He was immediately drawn in, connected, and the Stone ignited with a new intensity as the warmth and light washed over him as well. The two friends stared into the Stone for as long as they could, marvelling at its beauty, but eventually had to lower their eyes as the light became too strong. It felt like nothing and everything; there was a great power running through both of them, but there was also a great weariness creeping into their bodies.

 As the intensity of the light reached its pinnacle it exploded, like a wave crashing on the sand. The Man and Dwarf were released from the spell and the force of the Stone's power threw them to the ground. The Stone of Malinya floated a hair's breath above Legolas's chest, its light spreading everywhere. Then the light faded, the air relaxed and the Stone dropped to the ground, landing tiredly beside Aragorn.

 Aragorn and Gimli lay on the ground for a moment, unable to move. A great exhaustion had seeped into their very bones and their minds were a momentary blur. They both pushed past their fatigue and brought themselves up onto their elbows. Their eyes met only briefly and then their gaze dropped to the form in front of them.

 "Legolas?" Aragorn's voice was as weak as his body but he forced himself to sit up and look at his friend.

 The elf lay on the ground, showing no signs of life. He had not moved or drawn breath; but he looked peaceful. A sound of anguished protest passed Aragorn's lips and he fell to the ground once more, half from exhaustion and half from grief.

 Gimli saw as much as Aragorn; their friend was motionless. But he also picked up something Aragorn had missed. In the surrounding darkness he could see that Legolas's skin was glowing on its own once more. 

 The silence in the field was broken as Legolas took in a huge gasp of air, and his body arced in life. One breath became two, and suddenly the elf was alive. He coughed harshly several times, clearing his lungs of old air, but then his breathing settled into a silent, steady pace. Aragorn bolted upwards and Gimli leaned in closer, both of them feeling the great fatigue leaving their bodies. As Aragorn leaned forward he felt a sudden burning pain in his left side and shoulder; he put his hand to his side but could find no wound. Looking across from him he saw that Gimli was rotating his shoulder blade, as if it was paining him as well. But just like the fatigue the pain was quickly fading and died away in seconds.

 Aragorn tore his thoughts from the pain and looked down on his friend whose immortal life was miraculously intact. He placed a hand on Legolas's chest, needing to touch him and feel life flowing through him once more. 

 Then his eyes opened and he spoke. Aragorn and Gimli's hearts rejoiced to hear his voice.

 "What has happened here?" Legolas asked, pushing himself up on one arm. His voice was scratchy and filled with confusion as he looked at his friends and wondered what could bring such hardened warriors so close to tears.

 Aragorn reached forth and embraced the elf tightly; his body was trembling with joy, "Much my friend, much has happened." The Man said, his voice cracking with relief. Legolas returned the gesture weakly, still confused.

"Elf, if you ever worry me like this again then I swear you will meet with my axe in an untimely end. And your blasted horse will shortly join you as well," Gimli said, but his voice held no malice, only relief and joy.

 Legolas chuckled softly, and Aragorn and Gimli smiled broadly. They could all feel that even without words or actions something had changed between them. Something they could not quite describe or understand. From that day on the three friends shared a bond that was stronger than friendship, it was deeper and felt from within their very souls for they had been connected to each other by the Stone of Malinya. It was a connection that could not be broken, nor wished to be.

 Legolas tried to sit up, Aragorn and Gimli each supported one of his shoulders to assist him. The elf shied away from Aragorn's touch and flinched. The Man was confused by the action, but soon saw the cause. Though Legolas was alive he had not been completely healed. The wound on his shoulder was not as deep as it had been, and it was no longer bleeding, but still it remained. Looking down he saw the elf's stomach still sported a large gash as well, though no longer close to life threatening. 

 As Legolas wrapped an arm around his waist he sat up higher and stared straight ahead for a moment, his memories of the past few hours quickly returning. He looked down at his stomach in confused awe and carefully rolled his shoulder. He remembered what had happened and knew he should be dead.

 "How is this possible?" He asked, and both the Man and Dwarf knew of what he spoke. 

 "I'm not sure if it can be explained; I don't know exactly how myself, and I witnessed the miracle, for it could be called no less," Gimli replied.

 Aragorn picked up the Stone and stared at it as its myriad of colors returned. He held it up to the others, a small smile at the corners of his lips, "It was Malinya's Stone that healed you my friend. But it takes a great deal of power to restore the immortal life of an Elf, and the Stone alone had not the energy to do so. It needed to draw strength from other sources."

 "Us." Gimli guessed and Aragorn nodded.

 "I did not hold enough energy myself and needed your assistance. The Stone took as much as it could but even that was not enough to heal him completely it seems. That is why his wounds were not fully healed and we are so exhausted," Aragorn said. None of the three had yet risen from the ground for none could find the strength.

 Legolas looked down at his former wounds once more and turned to Aragorn and then Gimli, infinite gratitude visible in the depths of his eyes, "Thank you my friends, I am lucky to have companions such as yourselves."

 "There is no need for thanks. Having you back with us alive and well is more reward than could be asked for," Aragorn said, placing a hand gently on Legolas's shoulder. 

 The moment of joy the three shared suddenly broke as Legolas looked out to the bodies of the dead and his eyes darkened and filled with sadness from the loss of life. "Risorine has gotten away." It was a statement not a question. 

 "Yes, but we will find him," Gimli assured him. After a few moments Aragorn and Gimli felt their strength had returned almost completely, but Legolas was still quite weak. He reluctantly allowed them to help him to a nearby tree; they placed him on the ground to rest against its trunk. No sooner had he laid back his head than it snapped up again, and his body was alert.

 "There are horses coming; they approach swiftly." He reported.

 Aragorn could not yet hear them and asked, "Do you know who they are?" 

 Legolas closed his eyes and listened, "I believe I can hear Sorinth, but I cannot be sure."

 "Aragorn, they cannot see him like this," Gimli commented, gesturing to Legolas who no longer appeared as anything other than an elf.

 Aragorn could hear the horses now, "You are right, but the Mist of Concealment is stowed in Hasufel's saddle; we have no way of getting it until Sorinth returns. Stay behind us Legolas, and pretend yourself injured; they may pay you no mind."

 Legolas nodded and sighed deeply as he pulled the hood of his cloak over his head, getting very tired of these deceptions. 

 When the hoof beats almost reached the valley Legolas began to stand, using the tree for support as he cradled his left side. Aragorn saw this and quickly forced him to the ground once more, "Stay down." He ordered, "A Man would be dead from your injuries."

 "An elf would be as well." Gimli pointed out, but nothing more was said on the matter as Legolas sat down; too tired to argue.

 Sorinth rode into the field, followed closely by most of his men; they had lost only a few members in the initial fight. The captain did not look happy.

 Aragorn stepped forward to engage them, not allowing them time to ponder Legolas's condition, "What news, Sorinth?"

 Sorinth bowed his head, clearly ashamed by the news he carried, "I am sorry my Lord, Risorine and the other rebels have gotten away. They know their way through these woods well and we could not follow them in this darkness." 

 It had indeed become dark quickly; when the sun went down the woods became black and the moon was only at half its strength, shedding hardly enough light to see by. Aragorn desperately wished they had caught him.

 "Very well; it would be foolish to go after them this night then. They cannot be tracked in this darkness and we would be wandering around aimlessly in the dark until morning's light if we tried. Or most likely become lost ourselves." Aragorn knew it would be best to go back to Miscalanth, regroup and then take chase after Risorine, but his heart yearned for satisfaction. And he worried about time. Mainly the time Risorine would have to get away.

 "If we do not find them tonight they will be beyond our reach by the sun's breaking." Gimli pointed out.

 "I know Gimli, but there is little we can do unless you can follow them by scent. We have no way of knowing where they head," Aragorn said, frustrated.

 "I know." A voice sounded from behind them. All heads turned as Legolas rose silently, this time on his own power.

 "They have a base, further into the woods. They will go there." He said strongly, leaving no room for doubt.

 "Can you lead us there?" Sorinth asked, just as eager as the others to find Risorine.

 Legolas's reply was cut off by Aragorn, who raised a hand to stop their conversation. He turned to Legolas; the elf could see the warning in the Man's eyes.

 "Havo dad, Legolas," Sit down Legolas. Aragorn said, taking a great risk as he switched his speech to Elvish.

 "Im sinta manke Risorine na." I know where Risorine is. Legolas pointed out, not backing down.

 "Lle aen harwa ar' aa na utu." You are injured and may be discovered. Aragorn's voice held only concern now and Legolas's eyes softened and paled. His next words were softer, almost pleading.

 "Im tha san i andelu. Risorine naglak. Sina na lye ere' assa, Estel." I will take the risk. Risorine must be caught. This is our only chance, Estel. Legolas stood his ground firmly, knowing that Risorine must be caught that night and given no chance of escape. He saw the struggle going on within Aragorn; he wished for justice to be dealt against this man as well, but he also feared for his friend's safety in his weakened state. 

 _He lay dead at my feet only moments ago; I cannot put him in danger again, Aragorn thought to himself._

 Legolas seemed to read his mind and said, "I willingly accept the danger." Then added, "Risorine sinta ya Im." Risorine knows who I am.

 "By the Valar, speak in the Common Tongue. Must I remind you, you are the only ones who know the tongue of Gondor?" Gimli said dramatically, covering for their usage of the Elvish language. 

 "My apologies Gimli," Aragorn said absently. The Man and Elf held each other's gaze for a long time, exchanging so much without words. Finally Aragorn nodded and turned to the Men of Brelan. "We ride out tonight. Salogel will lead us." Then he turned and strode toward Hasufel, "Come my friend, you may ride with me."

 Legolas spun around suddenly, hearing a familiar sound in the distance. He listened for a moment longer then smiled broadly and said, "I do not believe that will be necessary." He whistled sharply and all heard a whinnying reply from the south. 

 Jarinel appeared from the shadows, his white coat gleaming in the dim moonlight. He neighed in delight when he found his master and Legolas greeted the horse with open arms. 

 "I have missed you my friend. Thank you for finding me." He mounted the horse slowly, for he was still hurt, and was thankful for its lack of saddle or reins for he was too tired to deal with them. "I only hope I can repay you for your loyalty, and regret that I must now bring you into danger once more. I know you have travelled far but we still have some ways to go this night." Jarinel neighed, looking prouder than ever with Legolas sitting atop him once more and seemed only too happy to continue on that night. The horse moved forward suddenly and began to prod Gimli with its nose. 

 "Blasted creature," Gimli grumbled, backing away in surprise.

 "I believe he wishes you to ride with us my friend," Legolas said, offering an arm to help Gimli up.

 "This beast is treacherous. I will not ride him." Jarinel made a sound of protest and pawed at the ground, but then poked at Gimli once more.

 "He seems determined," Legolas commented. Gimli gruffed from below and crossed his arms, but eventually gave in.

 "You must promise me you will control this blasted thing." 

 "You have my word." Legolas assured him, offering his hand once more. Gimli finally took it and was hefted onto the horse's back. Jarinel displayed his joy by rearing up on his back legs, forcing Gimli to clutch to Legolas to stay on. "I think he likes you."

 "I'd rather he didn't, then our feelings would be mutual." Gimli grunted, but inside he felt quite safe on the horse. He had seen how loyal it was to Legolas, almost to a fault, and that allowed him to trust the animal.

 Aragorn smiled as he trotted over to them on Hasufel, pleased to see things had quickly gone back to the way they were. "I thought you may need these." Aragorn held out Legolas's bow and quiver. The elf's eyes shone with pure delight and relief; he had thought the weapon lost.

 "Thank you my friend." As Legolas took them Aragorn discreetly passed him a small pouch as well. He took it without comment and could tell by its feel and weight that it was the Mist of Concealment. He tied it to his belt quickly but did not know when he may have the chance to use it. It felt good to have his bow slung over his back once more, but Legolas thought something was still missing, "You did not chance to also find my ……."

 Aragorn held out his long knife. Legolas smiled in thanks, took it, twirling it once and appreciating its weight, then sheathed it in his belt. 

 "It would seem we are all ready to move along then?" Gimli asked from behind, willing them to move out so Risorine's neck could quickly meet his axe.

 "Sorinth, are you ready?" Aragorn asked.

 Sorinth nodded and replied, "All who are coming are prepared. I have appointed two of my men to stay behind and care for the dead."

 Aragorn nodded his head in respect for the decision, "It is well then. Salogel, please lead the way."

 Legolas sent Jarinel ahead without a word and the others followed silently. There was twenty-four in the band in all and Legolas thought that together they were far too loud, but made no comment. He tried to concentrate on their route instead of his fatigue but his ability to memorize the forests so well made it impossible for him to forget the way to Risorine's 'home'. His body was extremely weary and it had every right to be; he had been dead only minutes ago. Since he knew the way so well he was easily able to guide the horse while letting his mind drift into dream and his body rest. It would only help a little.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 They rode for nearly half an hour when suddenly Legolas halted in a clearing below a hill and turned his horse around.

 "What is wrong? Have you forgotten the way?" Sorinth asked, showing uncharacteristic impatience.

 "Nay, it is only slightly beyond that ridge. I thought we might wish to stop and formulate some semblance of a plan, unless you simply wished to ride in and order Risorine's surrender," Legolas replied. He was tired and it was putting him in a foul mood.

 Sorinth had no reply and dismounted swiftly as did the others.

 "You were right to stop." Aragorn pointed out, "How many of the rebels do you believe reside here?"

 "I cannot be certain but I believe there are fewer at night, for as you have said many of the Men live in the city and have their own homes. Considering their losses in the field by your earlier attack I would guess no more than thirty," Legolas replied.

 Attack plans were considered for several minutes with most of the company offering suggestions. Gimli did not wish to wait but allowed the time for strategy. Aragorn and Sorinth shared a short debate on the advantages of bringing the horses, with Aragorn eventually winning, stating they would not be stealthy enough. Legolas stood a short distance away from the group, allowing them to construct their plans while he listened for voices from beyond the hill. They were faint, even to his ears, but they were not moving or rushed.

 "Let's move out then," Sorinth said and Legolas knew the discussion was over. The Men all began to follow their captain away from the huddle they had made and he moved to pursue them. Aragorn watched Legolas from a distance, observing the new faults in his step. He had been worried that the elf was not well enough to lead them to the base, and he knew that he was not ready for a battle. He noticed Legolas take a step and falter, something he had rarely ever done, even in times of extreme exhaustion. As the elf walked by Aragorn halted him.

 "May I have a word with you Salogel?" He asked, taking Legolas's arm and leading him away from the group, beyond ear's reach. When they were far enough away he said, quite seriously, "I do not wish you to come with us."

 Legolas's eyes widened larger than he thought possible but still Aragorn continued, "Stay here, watch over the horses and rest. You are not fit …….."

 "Aragorn I am not a child, do not treat me as such," Legolas said, unconsciously straightening.

 "Then see reason. You are injured my friend and weary beyond even your capacity to function; do not deny it for I can tell. You are not fit for battle at this time; you know this. And if you will not stay behind for this reason then do it for me. I do not wish to see you injured, or discovered due to your exhaustion." Aragorn's voice held no command, no stature; at this moment he was simply a Man worried for a friend and Legolas recognized this. "You have much strength my friend, but you cannot so easily recover from death. Stay here, rest. I will settle this for both of us."

 Legolas was going to argue further but he could sense how heavily this weighed on Aragorn's mind, just as the Man sensed how truly weakened the elf really was. The Stone of Malinya had done more than deepen their friendship, they were connected now and could almost read each other's thoughts and emotions and feel them as if they were their own. The elf sighed in frustration, accepting Aragorn's argument, and after a moment closed his eyes and nodded, "Very well. It is as you ask; I will not follow with you. But you must promise me that Risorine will not escape either the battle or justice."

 "Thank you. I will see that it's done. I know you do not wish to stay behind but it takes a great burden from my mind," Aragorn said strongly. He clasped Legolas's shoulder in thanks and then moved away toward the group of men. "Let's move out."

 The elf remained where he was and did not look towards the group as they left; in this full darkness they would see the glow of his skin. When he did look he saw Gimli turned to him, slacking behind the rest of the group, and their eyes met for a moment. The Dwarf had obviously been thinking the same as Aragorn and seemed to thank him for staying behind. Legolas waved him away half-heartedly and then they were gone. 

 The elf leaned against the closest tree and sank to the ground, cursing his inability to seek revenge or justice; he was unsure which one he truly wanted. The urge to be by his friends and fight alongside them was very strong, but so was his fatigue. Even now he was unsure whether he could rise from his position on the forest floor. He sat lost in thoughts for some time until Jarinel came and poked him into awareness. Legolas turned to the horse and finally smiled, "It would seem you are forced into my company for some time longer."

 Jarinel neighed in delight and Legolas quickly quieted him with his touch. Then he looked toward the hill trying to picture the rebels' base, and wondered when the battle would begin.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn hunched low in the brush easily seeing into the small field the house lay in that the rebels used as their base. There were several torches lit around the men that were milling about below, gathering belongings and packing them onto horses and carts. They were seemingly preparing to leave but were in no hurry; Risorine must have assured them that the only one who knew where they hid was dead. Aragorn smiled, knowing how wrong he was. 

 Sorinth elbowed him lightly and then pointed to the far east side of the building. Risorine had just exited the house and stood clearly in the light. Aragorn nodded and all around him swords were silently withdrawn. He withdrew his own blade, appreciating its weight, then leaned out slightly from the bush and waved a hand to the other side of the forest, where Gimli and the rest of the Men lay. They saw him and waited. He was to be their leader in this battle and no move was made until he said or did so.

 The Men were tense with anticipation and Gimli's eyes glinted with a thirst for battle and vengeance and he knew his axe would be put to good use that night. These men were outlaws and had to be brought to justice, but worse than that they had stolen his friend and came so close to nearly killing him. This thought ignited fury in the Dwarf and he gripped his weapon tightly, urging Aragorn to order them ahead.

 Aragorn waited for several minutes. He waited almost longer than he should have, until Risorine was near the center of the field, just between the two factions of Brelan Men so he would not be able to escape. He needed to know this Man would not get away; would not lie or trick another, or cause more chaos and death. When he felt the traitor was near enough he sprang forth, silent and nimble, and behind him came his small army of Men. 

 Swords clashed loudly for some time.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 He had had every intention of staying behind. He had in fact promised Aragorn that he would not join the battle, and he was a noble elf that kept his word. But when Legolas heard the first sounds of battle he had sprang to his feet as he was energized by adrenaline and found himself unable to sit by idly as his friends put themselves in danger. His bow was clutched tightly in his hand as he raced through the forest, towards the battle. As he drew close he stopped, not willing to completely break the oath he had sworn to Aragorn. He could not join in the battle, but he could help tilt things in their favour.

 Racing up the largest tree he could find he placed himself near the top branches and sat, perfectly balanced. He could not see the entire battlefield, but he did not wish to waste time finding a better spot. He could see Sorinth fighting bravely against two foes at once, but he would soon be overtaken. Pulling free an arrow Legolas notched it in his bow and fired, gritting his teeth as he pulled harshly against his torn shoulder. The arrow was true, despite the elf's injury, and felled the nearest of Sorinth's attackers. The Brelan captain took a step back, surprised, but quickly recovered and engaged his other adversary. 

 Legolas notched another arrow and was searching for a new target when he spotted a figure leaving the battlefield. The Man moved swiftly through the forest and Legolas was hard pressed to see him clearly or get a clean shot. The deserter was heading away from the battle as swiftly as possible and the elf saw he would have to pass through a small clearing where Legolas would be able to strike him. He brought up his bow and aimed, waiting for him to reach the field. When he was in clear sight Legolas started to release his arrow, then stopped, recognizing the Man below.

 "Risorine."

 The Man did not deserve such a quick end as the arrow would give him. Legolas dropped from the tree silently, like a hunter stalking its prey. He removed his tattered cloak, knowing it would most likely catch on a branch or rock and give him away. Then he chased silently after Risorine, promising that the Man would not escape again. He found he could follow him quite easily, despite the darkness of the wood. There seemed to be a light guiding his way.

Legolas pushed himself on, keeping Risorine in his sights but not yet overtaking him as he fled. The Man did not yet know the elf was tracking him and would soon slow and drop his guard when he thought no one followed. Legolas knew he had to wait for this to happen because already his limited supplies of energy were draining from him. When he first saw Risorine his anger had fuelled him on but now, after chasing him for some time, he had to force his legs to move and his body to stay upright. But he did not think the chase would last much longer for the Man did not seem to be fleeing in a random direction, he ran as though he had a destination. 

 As they raced through the woods Legolas continued to see Risorine quite clearly despite the darkness of the forest and wondered why it was that he could. At first he had thought the moon was beaming into the woods but the trees had quickly become so thick that he knew the light of the half moon could not creep in and there were no other sources of light in the valley, for the Man carried no torch. Ahead of him Risorine turned at a twisted tree and Legolas found the answer to his question; it stopped him in his tracks.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn had set his sights on one man and as the battle was engaged he stalked towards him, his intent clear. All around him men fought; the Men of Brelan had at first offered a peaceful solution, assuring the rebels that if they gave themselves up no harm would come to them but the outlaws had insisted on a fight, on Risorine's encouragement, and would not be disappointed. Aragorn saw Risorine; his sword was drawn but he no longer appeared calm and cocky, he looked panicked and seemed to be searching for a way of escape.

 "Coward," Mumbled Aragorn as he approached, then yelled, "Risorine!"

 This drew the Man's attention immediately. He turned to the great King, who never looked more threatening than on a field of battle, and he faltered. No one knew better than Risorine that the King of Men was the mightiest of warriors and would not be felled in battle. As Aragorn came towards him with sword drawn high in the pale moonlight the thought of surrender seemed very appealing. But just before Risorine put down his sword he saw one of his men rushing over to help him; a young lad whose name he did not even know.

 "Lord Elessar," He replied, regaining his composure, "So sorry about your elf."

 Aragorn's eyes burned brighter and Risorine took a step back but his sneer did not diminish. Though his gaze was fixed on Risorine Aragorn still felt the man approaching behind him and turned just in time to block a killing blow from the rebel. He deflected the young man's sword but as it was drawn back the blade sliced across his ribcage, through his tunic and flesh and severed the strap of his pack. 

 As Aragorn withdrew to assess his hurt he felt the bag fall from his shoulder and watched as it hit the ground. The Stone of Malinya fell from it and rolled across the field. 

 The Stone glowed with its abnormal beauty and all three Men's eyes were drawn to it. Risorine stepped forward in awe, unbelieving that he was so close to the item he longed for so greatly. He knelt before it, greed and desire burning in his eyes. Aragorn moved to intercept the traitor but another man had joined his first opponent and he now had two adversaries to fight off. He struck and parried, attempting to end the fight quickly but the two Men continued to back away and then move in quickly, purposely stalling the King. 

 Risorine picked up the Stone of Malinya, still in awe of its beauty, and clutched it selfishly to his chest. His eyes darted around the field daring anyone to try and take his jewel. Now that he had what he wanted he deserted his men to their fate as he raced into the forest and away from the fight. He could reach the river easily and from there continue on to his other hide-out in the next forest, then he could decide his next move. For now he had to get the Stone of Malinya to safety, somewhere that only he could see it, only he could love and hold it. 

 Aragorn watched Risorine leave the field from the corner of his eye as he dodged a clumsy swipe of a blade. He was sick of this fight and needed to stop his former captain. Charging forth he easily surprised the two men as he ran between them, then swung around and started the battle anew. His blade was a blur as he went through the men, fighting both at once. Aragorn created an opening for himself by tying two blades together and then, moving faster than his opponent, he stabbed at the Man's stomach. Aragorn swung around as the first man dropped to the ground and faced his second adversary. The smaller man could not fight well when alone and was quickly bested by Aragorn's experienced blade. The King went for the killing blow but at the last second realized how young the rebel was and knew he was most likely deceived into joining with these men so he spared his life and knocked him out with the hilt of his sword. 

 Looking around the field he saw the battle dying down but there was no sign of Risorine or the Stone and he hadn't seen in which direction he fled. He let out a shout of frustration and anger. The Stone was gone, the prize they had worked so hard to find, and Risorine had gotten away with it. The traitor had escaped once again like the coward he was and Aragorn hung his head as he realized he had broken his promise to Legolas. The best thing he decided was to ask if any of the Brelans had seen which direction Risorine had fled, perhaps it was not too late to follow him. He approached Sorinth who was tying up one of the rebels. Before he could ask his question though he realized they were missing a stout member of their group.

 "Where is Gimli?"

 Gimli had seen Risorine leaving the field but he had not been able to follow him right away since he was tied up in battle. After disposing of several more of the outlaws of Brelan the dwarf had gone after the traitor but knew it would be hard to catch up, for the Man ran quickly and though Dwarves were natural sprinters they were wasted over long distances. Still Gimli would not allow him to get away without at least attempting pursuit. He was far behind the man but he continued on, intent to catch the traitor who had caused so much pain and chaos. In his opinion his axe had not seen enough of battle that night.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 Legolas stood in shock for a moment. Risorine had the Stone of Malinya. How could this be? And how had he escaped the battle so easily? The elf did not know the answers to these questions but he intended to find out. As he began to take off after Risorine again another thought struck him: What of Aragorn? The King had solemnly promised that Risorine would not escape the battle and that he would never hold the Stone of Malinya as his own. Legolas could think of only one explanation for what may have happened and it sickened him. If Risorine truly did have the Stone then Aragorn must have been killed or injured in the battle, for he would not give it up for any other reason. 

 Risorine's footsteps were fading but Legolas was conflicted as to which path to follow. His friend could be wounded or dying in the battle behind him and he would never forgive himself if he left him to fulfill his own selfish need for revenge. But he also knew that Risorine had to be caught and punished for his crimes, and that the Stone of Malinya could not stay in his hands. Legolas took off after Risorine, not wasting another second as a new thought struck him; if Aragorn was gravely injured he could use the Stone to heal him, much as the Man had done for him. 

 Legolas was filled with a new sense of purpose and that spurred him on with great energy. He raced through the forest once more, his light feet making no sound as his keen eyes sought out the faint light he had been following earlier. He found it easily; Risorine was slowing his pace. The Man continued to run but was constantly looking behind him and checking for danger. He seemed to think there was none. 

 The Man finally slowed his pace to a walk and he smiled triumphantly as he looked behind and saw no one. He then continued on his way, walking leisurely. Legolas followed, deciding not to show himself since he was curious as to where the Man may be heading. Risorine left himself completely open to attack as he walked with his gaze fixed on Malinya's Stone but the elf restrained himself from ambushing him and instead climbed into the trees to lessen his chances of being seen. 

 As he pursued his prey, watching from the treetops, Legolas became aware of the sound of water nearby; it was a great mass of water, most likely a mighty river, and they were drawing nearer to it. After a few more yards the elf could see a great canyon up ahead of them and noticed that the sound of the water seemed to echo from within it. The river ran deep.

 Risorine smiled to himself, thinking things were finally going his way. The cursed Elf was dead, he had escaped from Lord Elessar, and at last the Stone of Malinya was his, and its beauty was fantastical. He was headed towards the river; once he reached the shore he could follow it to one of his few other hide-aways in the forest then regroup with the few men he had left. Then once his following was rebuilt he would use the Stone to ……… a twig snapped behind him, breaking his thoughts. Risorine spun around, his expression panicked when he saw no one.

 Legolas cursed his fatigue and himself for not being aware enough of his surroundings. He ducked down low in the tree as Risorine's gaze scoured the woods around him. The Man saw no one but still ran away once more at full speed, quite aware that someone must have followed him. Legolas chased after him, no longer caring about stealth.

 He could hear leaves falling and twigs snapping as someone chased him but as Risorine looked behind him he saw no one. Whoever his pursuers were they were quick and he knew that fleeing was his best chance. He ran blindly, desperate to get away but his tracker just came closer and closer. He raced out of the woods and looked behind him; still no one. As he turned back around he only barely stopped himself from falling to an untimely end. He was standing on the edge of a great cliff, one he had visited many times. The river flowed far beneath him, mighty and dangerous; he knew that its rocks were sharp and its current swift. None could survive its waters.

 "Too close." He whispered as he backed away and turned to run again but was stopped when an arrow suddenly dropped from the sky, from the moon itself. The arrow was well aimed and landed inches from Risorine's feet. He tried to flee again the opposite way but once more an arrow stopped him, appearing from nowhere. He tried once more but escape was impossible and the shaft this time buried itself no more than a hair's breath from his foot. Risorine looked into the dark forest but could see no one. It was as if his pursuer aimed from the very heavens; as if something haunted him.

Legolas enjoyed watching the Man squirm but finally decided to show himself after letting Risorine shrink back with fear for a few moments. He dropped from the tree, appearing to fall from the sky, and landed silently in a crouch several yards in front of the Man who dared call himself a warrior. 

 Risorine shuddered in horror as he thought that it could not be a Man who chased him but must be a figure from the heavens, sent by the Gods to punish him. As the shape rose to his feet and was illuminated in the moonlight Risorine lost all his composure as he saw the very 'Man' he had killed only hours ago. He was being hunted by the dead. 

 "No …. n…no ……. This cannot be. Y …. y…y…you're dead." He whispered, backing away one step for every stride Legolas took forward.

 "Not all things are as they seem, you should know this well Risorine. One thing you should also know; no deed goes unpunished," Legolas said, stalking forward slowly but purposefully. 

 If Risorine had had any doubts before that it was a spirit that chased him they were all dashed away as the elf approached, ghostly in form. His feet were silent as they fell, despite the strength and anger in each step. His hair and skin shone in the ethereal manner of the dead and his eyes seemed unnatural, bluer and deeper than the oceans. Risorine was raised to believe in forces beyond his understanding and continued to falter as the 'spirit' approached, knowing what his judgment would be from him. He was not worthy of mercy. 

 "Please, wait. I'll …… I'll return the Stone, I'll amend my wrongs." Risorine stuttered.

 Legolas knew the Man was frightened and understood why so played along with his role, "It is too late for that." With these words Legolas took a large stride forward and Risorine backed away farther, too far.

 Legolas sensed it, as only an elf would. The ground was not firm enough, eroded away long ago by the rapid water far beneath them, it barely held itself up. But Risorine was too frightened to notice, too horrified by his own mortality and continued on his path of destruction. Legolas felt the earth shift and knew the ledge would not hold. He ran forward to pull the man away from his fate but Risorine misunderstood the action and fell backwards as he tried to get away.

 "Wait!"

 The ground cracked and groaned, the rocks shifted and Risorine disappeared along with the cliff-face. Legolas leapt ahead, tried to grab him but his fingers grasped nothing but empty air. He pulled himself to the edge and watched as the man fell and fell and fell. Their eyes reflected the same horror as the event unfolded. Risorine made no sound as he plummeted; he simply extended his arms, stared into the night sky above and waited. Legolas watched as long as he could but turned away as the Man's body slammed into the jagged rocks below. 

 All feelings of satisfaction and retribution the elf may have felt were drowned by a great sorrow that struck him and almost sent him diving into the water himself. Instead he slowly stretched out his arm, reaching for what he could not grasp. He looked down to the water and watched Risorine's body float away. The Stone of Malinya slipped from the bloody fingers of the dead and sank beneath the water's depths; its beautiful light would never again see the sun's rays.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Gimli ran through the forests swiftly for he suddenly had a target to aim for. He had been just about to give up his pursuit of Risorine, being unable to find any traces of him, but he had kept going refusing to so easily let revenge and justice be denied. Just when it had seemed that he would only accomplish getting himself lost he had heard a clattering of rocks and then shouting from the edge of the forest. It was not so much revenge but curiosity that now spurred him forward, not knowing what could be the cause of such sounds. The sight that greeted him was not one he expected.

 A figure lay on the ground halfway over the edge of a great cliff. Gimli immediately hefted his axe, thinking the figure to be Risorine, but as he approached it became clear that was not the case. The blond hair of the creature before him belonged to Legolas. He did not move as Gimli came near, though he had to have heard him. His gaze remained turned from the Dwarf as he stared longingly into the raging river below.

 "Legolas?" Gimli's tone held all questions he had, but his voice was soft and curious.

 The elf turned slightly at his name but did not face him; Gimli stayed where he was. Long moments passed until finally Legolas pulled himself up onto his knees and shifted his gaze from the water to the pale moon above their heads. Gimli could almost feel the sorrow emanating from the elf, and wondered what had happened. He spoke eventually, his voice sounding tired.

 "I am weary of this place Gimli. Let's go home." He seemed exhausted beyond measure, as if his very soul ached with fatigue. The dwarf knew he was weary not only in body but he was sick of Brelan; hated the lies, deceit, betrayal, hatred and pain this place had caused him. He could not blame him for wishing to leave.

 "What happened, my friend?" Gimli asked, stepping directly behind the elf. 

 Legolas spoke slowly, as if trying to understand himself, "He fell. Risorine, he's dead; the ground could not support him. The Stone, it's gone, lost. We failed. I failed. It was my fault."

 "The Stone is lost? This grieves me greatly but you are not to blame and I will not have you believing so. It is Risorine who should be thought at fault for this horrendous act, him and all his damn followers. They are the reason the Stone was endangered. But if you wish to look even beyond that you may blame all of Brelan; it was their hatred that eventually led to the Stone's destruction," Gimli said firmly, not allowing Legolas to take needless blame when he knew he had done his best, "That's what hate does my friend, it destroys beauty." 

 Legolas nodded, understanding and wondering when Gimli became so wise. 

 "It will kill ……… Aragorn." Legolas sprang to his feet and took off, out of the clearing and back to the home of the rebels. He had forgotten about Aragorn; the man may even now lie dying and he had lost the healing Stone. He hoped he was wrong but he could not chance being right and raced away, leaving Gimli confused and lagging behind.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn looked over the battlefield and knew he should be satisfied, but the escape of Risorine and loss of Malinya's Stone made all joy leave his heart. He cradled his left side gingerly, slowing the blood flow from the wound as he picked his pack up from the ground. The field was well lit by torches and he could see that the slash looked horrid and pained him but it was not life threatening or greatly debilitating. 

 Around him men were being questioned and bound. Some had fought to the death but many had surrendered willingly, after seeing their leader flee they had little to fight for. Sorinth approached him and saw the blood on his tunic.

 "You should have that tended to." He suggested kindly.

 Aragorn shook his head, "I have had much worse, trust me. But I will have it looked at later. How did we fare?" 

 "Not badly. We lost none to our numbers but I fear for our Master Dwarf, he has disappeared and no one knows where," Sorinth said, even now looking into the dark forest in search of him.

 "He will return, if he does not become lost. He can hold himself in battle, that much I assure you. Never have you seen an axe so wielded. But still, I wonder where he has gone." Aragorn walked toward the edge of the woods with Sorinth beside him. Sounds of a struggle erupted behind them and the two saw several men struggling with a burly rebel who would not be bound. Sorinth hurried off to help the men restrain him but Aragorn stayed where he was, knowing the situation was well in hand. He took up a torch and headed into the forest, intent to find Gimli for the Dwarf was of little use in forests. He had taken only a few steps when he saw a figure rushing towards him. He pulled his sword instinctively but lowered it as Legolas drew near. The elf slid to a halt when he saw the Man alive and seemingly well. Pure relief was plastered over his face.

 "I had thought you injured or worse," Legolas admitted.

 Aragorn asked, "I received little hurt in the battle, why would you think different?"

 The elf's expression changed so quickly it shocked the man, "Risorine had the Stone of Malinya, and I knew you would not let it go while you lived."

 "Nay I would not. It was taken from me and I was unable to retrieve it in time. I am sorry my friend, I failed you. Risorine has gotten away," Aragorn admitted, not thinking over Legolas's words.

 "He has not. Justice has been rightly served, if one can call it that," Legolas replied, shaking his head, "Even now the traitor lies dead in a great river that flows nearby which I cannot name. His own cowardice felled him but he took with him the great treasure; the Stone of Malinya is gone. Almost I dove in after it, but reason won out over desire for none could survive the fall it took."

 Aragorn had already thought the Stone lost to him, but this news still distressed him, "Gone? Forever? This cannot be. The symbol of peace destroyed by hatred? It is an unfair world in which we live, where evil may find a way to triumph, even in death." Aragorn stated bitterly. His eyes reflected loss and defeat and for long moments the two friends shared in their terrible sorrows.

 "It was my fault, I could not …..…"

 "No, I am sure you did all you could Legolas." Aragorn cut the elf off, not allowing him to take the blame much like Gimli. He was silent for a few moments, but his eyes still shone with disbelief, "So much work and hope lost forever, all due to the fallacies of Men."

 "It was not just Men. The Stone's fate seemed to be decided long before we even arrived here. Perhaps the Stone was lost to us before we ever retrieved it," Legolas said, receiving a confused glance from Aragorn, "True, we found Malinya's Stone with all the best intentions, but within a single day it led to civil unrest in this nation and has already caused the deaths of many. How long could we have protected it and ensured it was used only for good?"

 "You may be right, but should we not at least have been given the chance to try?" Aragorn asked resentfully, cursing the powers of fate with his words. 

 For this Legolas had no answer so nodded and said nothing. Aragorn looked to his friend and could tell he was beyond exhaustion and had not yet rested; the archer seemed barely able to stand on his own power. 

 "You should rest my friend. We will take care of these men and ensure they are brought safely to Miscalanth," Aragorn said. Legolas sighed and looked up at the moon once more. He was tired; tired of Brelan and its hatred, prejudice and pain. He despised this place and wanted nothing more to do with it. To him it seemed that no good was able to come from this land.

 "Have you seen Gimli?" Aragorn asked, drawing Legolas from his thoughts.

 "Aye, he will be along shortly if he does not become lost. I will go find him and leave you to your duties here." Legolas turned and walked away. Aragorn watched him go, not able to dismiss the weariness in each of the elf's steps, but his thoughts were mostly overtaken by his deep grief from the loss of Malinya's Stone. 

 Legolas found all his energy now completely gone, combined with his anguish he could barely stay upright. Such was the reason he so easily tripped over a jutting root and fell hard to one knee. He shook his head to clear the fog from his mind and when he saw a hand appear in front of him he took it without question, assuming it to be Aragorn. It was quite a shock when the strong arm pulled him up and he was brought face to face with Sorinth, who stared at him hard and intently. It was then Legolas realized that in his grief and worry he had forgotten that he wore no cloak or hood, and had not yet used The Mist of Concealment. He was elf-kind and now Sorinth knew this as well.

 "This explains much." The Man gritted out through clenched teeth. He had suspected something was amiss with this 'Man' for some time and now he found his answers, though he had never expected this. Legolas met Sorinth's gaze, his eyes almost pleading for understanding. He tried to pull away but the Man's grip was firm and he did not have the strength to free himself of it. 

 "Sorinth, please hear me first before you say more," Legolas asked, quickly taking in their surroundings. Several of Sorinth's men were approaching.

 "I will hear none of your lies. You are as treacherous as these very men we hunted down this night," Sorinth said, his voice becoming dangerously loud. 

Aragorn saw what was happening too late but still he ran forward, hoping he could somehow convince Sorinth to keep his discovery quiet. 

 "Sorinth, we can explain." Aragorn assured him swiftly as he approached. Sorinth turned to him, his eyes like fire and his jaw clenched.

 "I should have guessed you knew of this Lord Elessar. There is little explanation you can give to excuse these deceptions," Sorinth said. He was a man of honor and pride and would not be lied to or deceived again.

 Aragorn began to speak once more but was cut off as three Men from Brelan approached, leading ahead of them one of the rebels. The outlaw saw Legolas, stiffened and then scoffed, "The elf survived then did he? I knew their kind were unnatural. You Men really do care nothing for Brelan if you align yourselves with this creature." 

 And with those words all was lost. A murmur began to echo through the Men in the field, followed by gasps and outbursts of rage as the truth was told and seen by all. Legolas could hide no longer. The air became thick with tension as the Men of Brelan all came in closer, unconsciously circling the archer. Some were curious, others clenched their fists and some were simply amazed, unbelieving that Elves would dare walk in their land. 

 Sorinth released Legolas but stood his ground. The elf took a step back and looked over all the faces of the Men around him; he saw little but anger and hatred, all directed toward him. His already weary and sorrowed heart crumbled a bit more as he took in the dark looks and scowls. He was hated for what he was but would no longer hide from it. He dropped his head in sorrow and to shut out the dark feelings being shot at him, for one can only take so much hatred. 

 It was then that Gimli arrived in the field, only now catching up from when Legolas had raced away from him. He knew immediately that Legolas had been discovered, his secret was clearly out. In a way it was a relief, but in a worse way it was a burden. The Men crowding around the elf did not look understanding or sympathetic; in fact some looked down right hostile and even clutched their weapons tightly. What Legolas needed was a distraction to make his escape, and someone to watch his back. Gimli hefted his axe and started forward.

 "Legolas run!" He charged at the group but before he could get a swing of his axe Aragorn suddenly appeared in front of him, halting his actions. He had spotted the Dwarf's approach and knew what his reaction would be.

 "No, he will not run from this," Aragorn stated firmly, still holding him back. Gimli looked towards the group once more and saw that Legolas did indeed show no signs of running. In fact he seemed quite determined to stay. 

 "Staying is madness, he must flee!" Gimli exclaimed.

 "He will no longer hide from who and what he is. I believe he wishes to face these men, explain to them the lies they have been fed and reveal the truth of the elves." 

 Gimli looked at the group of which they stood just out of earshot; they did not look willing to learn, "Crazy elf." He finally conceded and lowered his axe. He stepped forward with Aragorn, both ready to defend their friend in any way necessary. 

The group of Men had paid little heed to Gimli, especially since Aragorn had stopped him. They remained where they were around Legolas, dissecting him and judging him unjustly. He was a deceitful, lying, cowardly Elf in their eyes and could never be considered much more.

 "Sorinth listen to me…." Legolas began but was cut off.

 "I will hear none of your words!" Sorinth said again.

 "But his words are important and he has a right to be heard," Aragorn said strongly, his voice the only one of reason.

 "An elf? What rights do you think he has here?" One of the guards asked, eyeing Legolas condescendingly. 

 "He has every right! Tell me, what laws has he broken? What sacred trust has he defied simply by being who he is?" Aragorn argued fiercely.

 "Our laws Lord Elessar and our trust; he has broken both," Sorinth stated simply. Aragorn turned to the Man expecting to see what he saw on every other face, but he was hopeful when he noted that though Sorinth was enraged there was no hatred in his eyes. 

 Aragorn began to speak once more but was halted by Legolas, who had remained silent for some time, "Peace Aragorn, their minds will not be changed by you." Aragorn looked to his friend and saw a sorrowful acceptance in his eyes that hit the King as hard as if he had been struck. 

 Sorinth spoke again, "By our law he will be put under arrest. But he may speak freely now if he so wishes." 

 Legolas looked at the Men around him, so full of hatred and malice towards him though he had done nothing to them but exist. He knew all words now would be useless so simply said, "I meant no harm or disrespect to you or your country in coming here." 

 "That may well be true but does not discount your actions," Sorinth said, then turned to Aragorn, "I do not believe he is in any shape to attempt escape so he may ride with you, unbound, but when we reach Miscalanth he must be brought directly before our King for judgment." 

 "Judgment? You treat him as though he is a criminal!" Gimli pointed out, outraged.

 "He has broken our law." Sorinth reiterated then turned to his men and forced them to break apart and take care of the outlaws who had been quickly forgotten. The guards moved away reluctantly, many shooting death glares in Legolas's direction. Only a few remained behind to ensure that the 'prisoner' did not attempt escape. 

 Aragorn approached Sorinth once more, unable to comprehend the injustice unravelling before them. "Sorinth this is wrong, you must know this." 

 Sorinth shook his head ruefully, "You speak to the wrong man. If it was up to me I may have released him, pending this explanation of yours, but it is not for me to decide. These matters are for Lord Vecery's judgment. There is nothing I can do."

 Sorinth turned away, unable to meet the elf's penetrating gaze and left to tend to business with their rebel prisoners. 

 As he retreated Gimli commented quietly, "Risorine may have been right about one thing after all."

 "And what could that possibly be?" Aragorn asked, unable to fathom agreeing with one so treacherous.

 "There are some things in Brelan that must change." Gimli stated. Aragorn found himself unable to disagree as he watched Legolas walk away, weary in mind, body and soul, and flanked by three alert and hate-filled guards.


	4. Even More Trouble in Brelan Let's get o...

Legolas was tired, but it was more than just a physical weariness, his soul and heart ached with fatigue from taking in so much unprovoked hatred. He could sense the loathing directed toward him from all directions and for his life he could not understand it. The Men of Brelan had been kind to him, treated him as a companion and even risked their lives for him before they knew him to be an Elf. Now that they knew the truth it appeared as though several wanted to cut his throat themselves. At this point he wished only to rest, but beyond that he wanted to speak to these men, try to understand their extreme dislike and change their opinions of his people. But now was not the time, his betrayal was too fresh in their minds, so he accepted their hatred for the time being and tried to steady himself for the next few hours.

 It was too dark and late to continue to Miscalanth so they had decided to make camp at the rebels' hideout for the night. All around the field men were settling in for the night. Several torches burned every few yards or so. Since there were so many of them (almost thirty rebels and more than two dozen of Sorinth's men, including Aragorn and his companions) they had decided to separate the sleeping arrangements. The rebels were all ushered into the house and locked inside. Several guards were posted at each exit and were to be relieved at intervals during the night. As for the Brelan men, they were all comfortable sleeping in the outdoors for the night and were unpacking their bedrolls.

 Across the field Legolas could see Aragorn speaking adamantly to Gimli, his voice hushed. Legolas could have heard them if he wished but instead watched the Brelan Men around him and made it seem as though he wasn't. Many of them were busy handling the last few rebels or tending to their horses but they were all aware of him. Many even stared at him outright, rebel and guard alike, their eyes filled with contempt. Three men stood almost directly behind him, his guards. Though they were ensuring he didn't escape somehow, they also appeared reluctant to come very close to him. 

 Legolas wondered what lies these men had heard of his kind to make such feelings in them. He was unsure how long he could handle their malice boring into his soul. It was a great relief to him when Aragorn finally approached, for even though the Man did not wear a cheery expression he and Gimli were the only ones for miles who no longer hated him on principle alone. 

 Aragorn stepped to him and saw the guards come in closer. With a single glare he deflected them all away from earshot; the King of Men was not in the mood to deal with their prejudice. He turned back to Legolas, his gaze softening.

 "How do you fare my friend?" Aragorn asked. He was tired that much was clear. It was the weariness of a man with too much burden on his shoulders and nothing to do with it. 

 Legolas, leaning rather casually against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest, only said, "I am as well as can be expected." Aragorn was silent for a moment then sighed deeply. He closed his eyes and suddenly struck a nearby tree as hard as he could as he exhaled. Legolas barely blinked, "You are not pleased with this?"

 "Of course I am not pleased. This is wrong Legolas. It's all so very wrong, can you not see that? First the Stone is lost and everything, all of this, is for nothing. But worst of all the treatment you have received thus far is atrocious. They seem to think of you as nothing more than an untrustworthy criminal. You have rights, just as they do; you're a free, living being who does not deserve to be treated in this manner!" Aragorn fumed, now kicking the base of the tree.

 "They do not see it that way," Legolas explained calmly, appreciating his friend's sentiment.

 "How can you just be idle like this? Why do you not stand up for yourself? Speak to these men!" Aragorn pleaded, struggling to find some semblance of logic to the entire situation, but what he did not yet understand was that hatred and prejudice were illogical things that can not be easily understood unless experienced first hand.

 "Sadly I have grown accustomed to such treatment and know how to handle it to some degree. I received much the same greeting upon my first visit to the Dwarf lands with Gimli, despite his protests of our friendship," Legolas replied. His voice remained even and emotionless despite the swirl of feelings flowing through him, and on the surface it seemed as though he was unphased by the matter.

 "Even so, do you not wish to talk to these men? Explain to them who you really are? What your people truly are?" Aragorn asked, still grasping at understanding.

 Legolas shook his head sadly, "I am weary Aragorn, and have not the strength to persuade them at this time for their feelings of betrayal are fresh in their minds. These men are deaf to all pleas I may have. Besides, even if I did convince them and showed them the wrong of their ways I would still have an entire nation to persuade. Nay, I will save my words for Lord Vecery. If his mind can be changed about my kind, then his people will not be far behind."

 Aragorn seemed to accept this as he turned his gaze to the ground, as though deep in thought. "That is most likely our best course of action. It just seems so wrong." Aragorn sighed as he noticed the guards slowly drawing closer once more.

 "I did not say that it wasn't." Legolas pointed out. Aragorn turned as he saw the elf's attention shift to something behind him. Sorinth approached, his stride full of purpose as he left a meeting with several of his guards. His voice was still tinged with anger when he spoke but Aragorn understood that his anger came only from their betrayal and withdrawal of the truth rather than Legolas's actual identity. In fact, Sorinth's fury seemed to be directed more to Aragorn than Legolas, lending Aragorn to hope that the captain could play a very important role in Legolas's future in this land.

 "There has been much discussion as to what to do with you for the night," Sorinth announced. Legolas met the man's gaze, appreciating being spoken to directly instead of about.

 "And what decision has been made?" Legolas enquired, still leaning against the tree.

 "I have decided to leave that to you," Sorinth replied.

 Legolas looked away for a moment; it was not a hard choice. His options were clearly the house or the outdoors for the evening. He knew he would not survive the night with the rebels and the moon was beautiful that night.

 "I will stay out here, if it pleases you." Legolas answered.

 Sorinth nodded, "That was what I thought. But if you are to stay out here you must be bound for the night."

 Aragorn responded before Legolas had the chance, "That won't be necessary, I assure you."

 Sorinth's gaze hardened as he turned to Aragorn, "And what assurances can you give me?"

 "I will take responsibility for him. You have my word that he will do nothing," Aragorn replied.

 "Your word means very little to me at this moment Lord Elessar. You should feel most lucky that you are not facing the same charges as your friend, I could easily have both you and Gimli arrested for hiding his identity," Sorinth explained, then his eyes softened as he looked to Legolas, "It is not my choice to be made. The Men are very unsettled by this development and there will be unrest among them if measures are not taken against you."

 Legolas understood completely and though he did not like it, replied, "I will allow the bonds, I ask only that I be allowed to spend the night with my friends."

 "That I will allow. If you please…" Sorinth motioned for Legolas to extend his arms. The elf sighed but pushed himself away from the tree and held out his wrists. Sorinth seemed reluctant but tied his hands together dutifully. He left a long piece of the cord out as slack and tied this end to a high, sturdy branch. Aragorn fumed and was unable to watch, despite Legolas's agreement. As for the elf, though he disliked the rope, and felt somewhat foolish, he was more saddened than angered by it. Saddened that these men despised him enough to make it necessary. 

 "I suggest you get some rest; tomorrow will undoubtedly prove to be a very long day," Sorinth said uncomfortably when he was done.

 Legolas leaned back against the tree, shaking his head as he stared at his bound hands. If only they knew how easily he could escape if he so wished. But if it made the Men feel better and curved their anger for the time he would endure the bindings. Sorinth then began to walk away but Aragorn quickly stopped him, his movements crisp with barely contained rage.

 "Sorinth, may I have a word with you?" Aragorn requested curtly. Sorinth was unsurprised by his tone and nodded.

 "Of course. Come, I am eager to hear this explanation of yours," Sorinth said, his voice holding a hint of scepticism. 

 Aragorn went with Sorinth to a private corner to speak and shot Legolas a quick look assuring he would be back shortly. The elf waved him off unenthusiastically. When they were a fair distance away he sunk down the base of the tree to sit on the ground. Willing himself to relax and forget the trouble he was currently in, Legolas set his gaze on the bright moon above him and finally rested.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 Aragorn pulled Sorinth into a dark corner to speak, checking every direction around them to ensure no one was close enough to hear their speech. Sorinth wondered what the King needed to be so secretive of; everyone already knew the elf's identity.

 "Sorinth, I must ask you to stop this immediately. All of this. Legolas's treatment is unjust, for he has done nothing to you or your people," Aragorn said.

 Sorinth raised a hand to keep him from saying more, "Lord Elessar I did not agree to speak with you to hear your pleas for the elf. I am doing my best to ensure his proper treatment but my men are furious and I cannot say that they have no right to be. Bad enough we were all lied to, deceived, but by an Elf is the worst offence of all. I need not remind you that they are forbidden in our land for a reason."

 "I care not for the feelings of your men I care about the treatment of my companion. If you despise him so, why do you vouch for his proper treatment?" Aragorn asked, honestly curious.

 Sorinth sighed, unable to hold onto his anger. After a long moment of thought he said, "If he was anyone else, just some man I met on the street or a wandering traveller then I would most likely not show him such courtesy. In Brelan we are taught at a young age that Elves are unnatural and dangerous; never to be trusted. But this one, Legolas you say, I cannot hate him. He has lied to me, true, but I have also spoken with him and detected no deceit in his speech, no dishonour in his voice. He seems a proud creature; in fact he practically bursts with nobility and I cannot hate him for this reason," Sorinth explained, his eyes darting towards the tree where Legolas now slept, his gaze fixed on the moon above. "Not least of all though, he saved my life and that of my King. These are not things easily forgotten. But helping him goes against all I was taught and I am deeply conflicted over it."

 "You should not be. What we are taught may seem right as children but as we grow we should not be afraid to question our own ways. Legolas is a proud being, the proudest I know and honorable. He easily could have escaped you and your men; in truth he did not have to come to Brelan at all, but he chose to stay. He seems to have faith in you and your people that you will realize the truth eventually: that he is not your enemy. But helping him is a question I am surprised you must ask yourself, for when is it wrong to do the right thing?" Aragorn questioned, knowing he had his answer by the look in Sorinth's eyes.

 "It is hard. To put aside one's prejudices and try to see the real being underneath," Sorinth explained.

 Aragorn, attempting to understand for himself offered these words of encouragement, "Never in my life have I seen purer a dislike than that between Elves and Dwarves. For reasons they've mostly forgotten they hate each other like nothing else. Except for two. Though it took a quest to save Middle-Earth to do it, my own companions of Dwarf and Elf kind are the closest friends I know. If these two races were able to put aside their differences do you not think you can do the same?"

 The captain looked unsure but clearly would give the matter some thought. Attempting to change the topic Sorinth asked, "You knew of our laws before you came here, why then did you bring him? What good could have possibly come from bringing an elf past Brelan's borders?"

 Aragorn met the man's gaze. He had been somewhat dreading this explanation. Finally he said, "Have you perhaps heard of the Stone of Malinya?"

 Not surprisingly, Sorinth's eyes widened in shock.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Gimli sat by the fire, grumbling lowly to himself as he stared deep into the embers. He disliked this entire situation and was trying to figure out some way to change it. Across the field he could see Legolas sitting against his tree alone. The sight angered Gimli when he saw the bonds around his friend's wrists; if he had not seen the elf agree to them he would have skewered any Man that attempted to do such a thing. He had to admit, Legolas's current behaviour was baffling to him, choosing to stay and face outrageous charges than flee, but he knew he must trust his friend's judgment, as much as he disagreed.

 He rose moments later, intent to join Legolas in the moonlight, but as he drew closer he saw that the elf was sleeping peacefully, though it was hard to tell. The dwarf knew that he needed his rest so retreated back to the fire. When his stomach growled he realized he hadn't eaten in quite some time and Legolas for even longer. He knew the elf needed rest but food would help too. He got up once more, this time to make a meal for himself and his friend.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 "That is a myth," Sorinth replied strongly after taking a moment to get over his surprise.

 "Nay, it is quite true," Aragorn said, "I am sorry to say that we had ulterior motives for coming to your country. Though an alliance is our main concern and greatly sought for, we also came to verify a tale we heard. While my men were here rumor was spread that the Stone was here in Brelan. I decided to find out for myself. I knew that a member of each race in Middle-Earth should be present if the Stone was reclaimed and for that reason I brought with me Gimli and Legolas."

 "So the Elf's presence is merely a necessity in your plan to steal from us?" Sorinth accused.

 "We stole nothing. The Stone belongs to all of Middle-Earth, we simply needed to find it. Which we did," Aragorn said cautiously, gouging the man's reaction.

 "You recovered Malinya's Stone?" Sorinth asked and then realization struck him, "The great treasure. The one you could not speak of to Lord Vecery and that Risorine was willing to kill for. It all makes so much sense."

 "I assure you Sorinth I meant no disrespect in my deceptions, but there was little else I could do. I needed Legolas's help to find the Stone, and he did it. Without him it would have remained lost … perhaps it would have been best if it had." Aragorn added sadly.

 "Where is the Stone now?" Sorinth asked, enthused.

 "Lost. Gone. Risorine stole it and took it with him to his death. I doubt it shall be found again in our lifetime." Aragorn reported.

 "Then it would seem your quest was rather pointless." Sorinth pointed out.

 "You need not remind me. Now do you see that we meant no harm in our deceptions, it was only out of necessity that we told you false truths."

 Sorinth was quiet for a moment. "This is much to think over, but I believe I understand your position. I am unsure of how I feel of all this now, but I assure you this: when you are brought before Lord Vecery I will speak for you or at least make sure that you are all fairly heard."

 "I suppose that is all I can ask," Aragorn said, but was disappointed inside. He had hoped for more from this man, for him to fully understand and side with him. 

 It was then that a strange feeling overcame the King of Men. He closed his eyes as a chill ran down his spine, and his nerves suddenly became alert, as if he had been startled. His mind was screaming that something was wrong but he knew not what. When he opened his eyes the feeling did not pass but intensified. He looked around, wondering what may have caused the strange sensation. Shock registered on his face as he looked across the field. Sorinth turned as well but was not as surprised.

Legolas was gone.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 It had been a long day, one of the longest in his immortal existence. A day so filled with pain, torment, loss and hatred that he wanted to do nothing more than forget it. And for this reason as Legolas walked through his dreamscape he allowed nothing to touch him. He had no real sense of being as he strolled through the beautiful forest around him, speaking to the trees and basking in the warm glow of the sun.

 He had no idea that he had died only hours earlier. No clue that all around him were men who despised him and all others like him for no reason. Was unaware that he had held and lost one of the most precious treasures in all of Middle-Earth. No, he would not let these things affect him now. He needed rest, and he wanted to forget. 

 But circumstance and his elvish senses would not allow that. Even in his deepest dreams he could sense the thumping of feet as they approached. Believing Aragorn to have returned he pulled himself to awareness to greet him just in time to feel a hand clamp down tightly over his mouth. 

 The elf immediately brought up his arms to defend himself but he was unable to lift them as several strong hands gripped his elbows, restraining him. He was then hauled silently to his feet. Legolas struggled as he tried to make sense of the situation. There were more than half a dozen men around him, all Brelan guards and all emanating with long un-channelled anger. Their grips were strong and faces deadly serious as they attempted to overpower him. Legolas's bound hands were useless as he fought to free himself from their grips. He knew this attack could not end well for him, especially if they succeeded in moving him as they seemed to wish. He kicked at one man who was careful not to make a sound as the elf's boot connected with his leg. Then another hand appeared in the elf's hair and as his head was pulled back he could feel cold steel against his skin.

 "Stop struggling or we'll kill you where you stand." The voice threatened and Legolas believed him. Wishing to fight back but knowing he had no chance while bound and weaponless, Legolas ceased his struggles. The man belonging to the voice smirked, "Good. Now let's go." The rope connecting the archer's hands to the tree branch was cut, but his wrists remained bound.

 The hand clamped over Legolas's mouth was never removed as a dozen strong arms forced him deeper into the woods and away from the campsite. Fury burned in the eyes of the men around him and to Legolas their intentions were clear; if it were up to them he would not live through the night. They pulled and dragged him through the forest quickly, being careful not to make a sound and never give the elf a chance to escape. As they reached a small clearing the knife was finally removed from Legolas's throat and he was pushed roughly to the ground. He landed on all fours and saw a pair of legs appear in front of him. He knew he had only one chance.

 Acting on instinct Legolas reached out and pulled the man's legs out from under him, causing him to fall hard on his back. The elf then jumped to his feet and struck another man with his bound fists, but before he could do more he was flying forward and then landed on the ground once more, moaning in pain. A Brelan guard stood behind him, triumphantly holding the thick branch he had used to strike the warrior across the shoulder blades. As Legolas tried to rise wearily the man stepped forward and struck him once more, sending him back to the ground and knocking the wind from his lungs.

 "Stay down Elf. You should know when you've been beaten." The man mocked as the others all gathered around their victim.

 "I told you they were treacherous, they even fight dirty." Commented the man Legolas had tripped.

 Legolas gasped for air as he attempted to rise once more, determined not to stay below these men. He was kicked hard in the ribs for his effort and fell to the ground once more, this time on his back.

 "Unnatural, lying creatures. Don't you know you're not welcome here?" Another voice taunted and then struck him hard in the ribs once more. "Well, you know now I suppose."

 "It's not as though an elf would have any regard for the laws of others anyway. They have no respect for other races. Just think of themselves as high and mighty; above the rest of us they are." This man reached down to pull Legolas slightly off the ground, then struck him hard across the temple. The elf hit the ground silently, dazed but determined not to lower himself to respond to these men's insults. Then again, he couldn't speak if he wished as another kick stole the air from his lungs once more. The taunts and assaults got worse from there as the group tightened around him, and the men could no longer wait to get their shot at the defenceless archer. They were all around him now, pounding on him mercilessly; circling him, taunting him, kicking and striking him. He was bleeding badly in several places and was very shortly bruised from head to toe. And he had done nothing to them. Nothing at all but exist to walk through their land. It was pointless, but hate is a powerful and dangerous weapon that does inexplicable things.

 Legolas attempted to protect himself from their ruthless assaults. He brought his bound arms over his head but most of their kicks were aimed toward his ribcage and back. When he did finally get his arms around his torso to protect his battered ribs one of the men struck him hard in the face, sending him rolling onto his back and then stomach. The men backed away then, all smiling and seeming very satisfied with themselves. But Legolas was not going to let them win easily. Though he could sense unconsciousness was not far away, he attempted to rise once more; he managed to pull himself up to his elbows before the man with the branch struck him once more across the back. Legolas fell to the ground and listened to them laugh. He was unsure which hurt more; their laughter or their attacks.

 "Look at that; elves do bleed."

 "They aren't so tough. You just have to know how to handle them."

 "Guess that'll show him who's really high and mighty around here."

 Legolas laid on the ground and said nothing.

 "What's the matter elf, have nothing to say?"

 "What would he say? There's no denying that his kind are lying, murdering, deceitful, untrustworthy creatures? There is little more he could say about them."

 "Still, I thought the elf might want to say a few words. Tell us all about ourselves; probably try to explain how _we're_ the dirty, lying, disgusting ones. Isn't that right elf?" Another hard kick to the ribcage.

 "Legolas."

 "It does speak. What was that?"

 The elf lifted his head and met the man's gaze. His swollen eyes were masked with blood but they were also defiant and noble as he gasped, "My name … is Legolas." 

 The man's smile faded as he could not hold the elf's gaze for long and Legolas's will proved to be stronger than his own. The elf's tired eyes returned to the ground when the man looked away. His head was quickly jerked upwards though as the angry guard grabbed his hair, pulled him onto his knees and placed a knife to his throat.

 "I don't care what your name is. I only care about what you are, and that happens to be a filthy, lying, worthless elf, which makes you less than nothing." The man's voice was hushed as he spoke through gritted teeth and several cheers of agreement erupted from behind him. Smirking, the man ran the knife slowly across Legolas's throat, tauntingly. The steel did not draw blood but Legolas was unable to take in the large gasps of air his lungs ached for in fear that he would slit his own throat. Instead he waited for the knife to be taken away, trying to have faith that these men had some goodness and logic within them and would not kill him in cold blood. Looking at the man's eyes the elf was unsure if his faith was warranted and it was then that he began to question his trust in the goodness of Men.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 "Legolas." Aragorn called out as he jogged toward the tree where he had left his friend. He was silently hoping the elf had simply decided to sleep within the tree's branches, but such was not the case. There was no sign of the elf and Aragorn found himself wondering how long he had left him by himself.

 "So much for your word Lord Elessar, your dear elf has run away," Sorinth said, almost as if kicking himself for believing Aragorn's words about the goodness of elves. If the king could not show him the elf had not broken his word than his speech had been for nothing.

 "He did not." Aragorn assured him as he inspected the ground around the tree, "There was a struggle here. And look, this rope was cut by a knife. Legolas had no such weapon that could cut it so cleanly. Clearly he was taken." Looking around, it was clear that several of Sorinth's men were missing.

 Just then Gimli came forward, running, a perplexed look on his face. "Aragorn, I just had the strangest sensation … where is Legolas?" 

 "That is what we are attempting to find out. Bring me that torch." Aragorn ordered and Gimli gladly retrieved it. The former ranger used the light to follow the trail left in the dirt, though it would have been obvious to almost anyone. "He was dragged away, by your men most likely." Aragorn reported, his eyes accusing as they turned to Sorinth.

 "Your men? What is the meaning of this, I thought he was to be taken to Miscalanth." Gimli was outraged and ready to pounce on anyone. Sorinth was sure to be careful with his words.

 "They did not have my permission or blessing if this is so. It is also possible that he simply attempted escape and they took chase after him. But come, we will see what this is all about for ourselves," Sorinth said, making a show of leading the way to find him.

 "I fear I already know," Aragorn said as he followed the trail with a much more urgent step, Gimli not far behind.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

Legolas held the guard's gaze, unwilling to show fear or any other emotion that may lead this man to believe he had beaten or broken him. It was clear from the man's eyes that he would soon be overpowered by his hatred and anger, which was only being fuelled by Legolas's unwavering glare. The steel bit in deeper, and Legolas felt blood trickling down his neck. The guard sneered and the proud elf knew that the hatred in the man could not be stopped.

 Suddenly there was an animalistic cry from behind and the knife was gone as the Man was tackled to the ground.

 Gimli reached the site before Aragorn and Sorinth and saw what was happening. Quick as lightning he emerged from the tree line, enraged as he had never been before. Racing into the clearing with a mighty battle cry he leapt upon his friend's attacker, flying through the air and tackling the guard to the ground. All around him the Brelan guards were so surprised by his appearance that they did nothing to help their co-conspirator. The guard landed with a hard thud that knocked the air from his lungs, but Gimli was not done. As these men saw only hatred when they looked at Legolas, Gimli saw only hatred when he looked at them. Once, twice, then three times his fists pounded into the face of the guard. He then moved to his feet and kicked the man hard in the ribs several times.

 One of the guards approached, not to attack the warrior but to restrain him, but Gimli would have none of it. He laid the guard out flat with several powerful punches to the stomach and then a knee to the face when he was doubled over. It seemed the Dwarf was so sick of the hatred of these men that he was willing to beat it out of them. He threw his arms in the air and coaxed the guards on, daring them to attack him. None took a step forward; a prepared, armed warrior was apparently too much for them.

 With a guttural growl Gimli grabbed the first guard by the collar of his shirt and lifted his near limp form to eye level. With unmatched intensity in his eyes, Gimli whispered, "If you ever, _ever_ come near him again you will find yourself in pieces on the forest floor. Pieces hewn by my axe!"

 "Gimli, that's enough!" The voice of Sorinth sounded suddenly from behind.

 The dwarf never even turned, "It will never be enough." Then he tossed the man back to the ground and walked away from him disgustedly, towards his injured friend. 

 Aragorn was kneeling on the ground next to Legolas, also seething. One hand was placed comfortingly on Legolas's back, but the other gripped tightly around the hilt of his sword. He had also laid out several of the guards, unable to hold back his rage, but had yet to draw Anduril from its sheath. Legolas lay unmoving on his side, coughing and gasping for breath. His lungs were starved for oxygen but every breath was excruciating due to his shattered ribs.

 "What is the meaning of this?" Sorinth asked, his voice also angry. 

 The guards responded unhesitant, "The prisoner attempted to escape. We stopped him."

 "You lying snivelling brutes! How dare you lie on top of all this? Look what you did to him, and for nothing. You call him the savage, untrustworthy race, when you are the ones that are little better than Orcs!" Gimli exclaimed. Several of the men stepped forward to this. Gimli just hefted his axe, not backing down. "Oh do come closer. I am eager to part all of you with your heads."

 "Gimli, stop this now. All of you stop, that's an order!" Sorinth announced, putting as much authority into his voice as he could muster. "And you should all know that this outrage will not go unpunished."

 "The prisoner was trying to escape. We did what was necessary." The guard reiterated, and from the sound of his voice it was clear he believed it.

 "Well, it's good that the _eight_ of you were able to take him down so easily. Against so _few_ it must have been quite the struggle," Aragorn commented bitterly from the ground.

 Sorinth shot him a look that indicated he wasn't helping. "Please, Lord Elessar, I will handle this. All of you get back to camp, you will be dealt with and reprimanded severely upon our return to Miscalanth."

 Aragorn accepted this and hoped it to be true. Then he turned his attention to the bloodied body before him. Legolas had regained his breath but was coughing harshly and his body shuddered with the pain it caused. Finally, when the coughing fit ended he had lost all his strength and his body went limp. Aragorn's first action was to cut the binds from his friend's hands. It had been wrong to agree to them in the first place; with his hands free Legolas may at least have been able to defend himself.

"Reprimanded? Over an elf?" A guard asked behind him, disgusted that such a creature's well-being was held in higher regard than his position as an officer.

 "Yes, for the elf, and for disobeying a direct order from your captain, which is an offence worthy of court-martial. So now I suggest you all do as I said or your charges will be doubled." Sorinth's voice was stern and inflexible. Slowly, grumbling, the men left the field, more angry than before and still very unsatisfied.

 When they were gone Sorinth sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "None of them should expect to be employed when we arrive home." Then he approached the trio still on the ground to enquire about his 'prisoner'.

 "How is he?" Sorinth asked as he knelt beside them, taking in the elf's haggard appearance. Legolas coughed harshly just then, and his whole body shuddered. The elf's hands clutched tightly at his ribcage, trying to alleviate the pain the coughing caused. It was clear several of his fingers were broken by their stillness and slight trembling. When the hacking coughs passed Legolas took a final deep breath and then rested his head against the ground, attempting to gain some comfort from the coolness of the earth.

 "Clearly he is not well," was all the effort Aragorn would spend on the captain as he checked over Legolas's injuries. He undid the elf's blood soaked tunic to better see the damage the guards had done. It was quickly apparent that the blood was mostly coming from the gash on Legolas's side that had been reopened, worse than before. Aragorn removed his cloak and tore off a strip to use as a makeshift bandage. He needed someone to keep pressure on the wound while he continued ascertaining Legolas's injuries and looked for Gimli. Unfortunately the dwarf was several feet away, pacing as if he was on guard, despite the departure of the men. He looked to Sorinth for aid.

 "Here, take this. Keep pressure on that wound until I have time to care for it." Aragorn ordered the captain and he thankfully did as asked, though somewhat tentatively.

 Legolas coughed again and then spoke with some effort, "I did nothing to them." The statement was not made in attempt to clear his name, but to voice his confusion. He clearly did not understand what fuelled these men on in such a way, and was desperately looking for some reason for it. Aragorn sighed, not knowing any and heard Gimli mumble several curses under his breath not too far away.

 "I know my friend, I know. I do not understand their actions either, and doubt I ever shall. They're gone now, so just rest," Aragorn said quietly, placing a hand on the elf's shoulder for comfort. Legolas did not respond for several moments; he simply looked into the blue sky of the night and stared intently at the moon, as if dissecting its layers in an attempt to find the answers to his questions. When he finally turned back to Aragorn the man felt a shudder pass through him. The elf's eyes had turned cold and dark; there was no spark of joy visible anywhere in their depths, Aragorn saw only disappointment, anger and pain. He was so taken back by the look he almost didn't notice when Legolas began to rise.

 "I have no need of rest, I am quite well." The 'prisoner' stated strongly as he attempted to rise, slowly. It was not hard for Aragorn to take his arm and force him back to the ground.

 "I will decide if you are well, and only I." The man stated, just as firmly as his friend. It was a testament to Legolas's true fatigue and well-being when he submitted without further objection.

 Aragorn moved his gaze upward, noting a long gash on the elf's cheek and one badly swollen eye. The ranger noticed that his eyes were glazed and unfocussed, meaning Legolas either had a concussion or was still in considerable pain. With a second thought he sadly realized it may be both. One arm was clutched tightly to the elf's chest and Aragorn could see that two of the fingers were broken on the right hand, most likely from when he had attempted to shield his head from his attackers.

 Reaching out slowly, Aragorn pulled the hand away from Legolas's chest and inspected it. The second and third fingers were broken and bent at unnatural angles. They both knew they would have to be set and then wrapped. No words were needed as Legolas took a deep breath, closed his eyes and nodded. Gritting his teeth, Aragorn skilfully set the bones as quickly as possible. Legolas inhaled sharply as the bones snapped into place and then his breathe came in heavy with exertion as Aragorn wrapped the fingers with cloth in an attempt to keep them immobile.

 After he finished the temporary wrap, Aragorn moved on to the worse injuries. Legolas's chest already showed signs of horrible bruising and Aragorn had to find out if the ribs were broken or not. "Try not to move, this will hurt." He warned. Legolas nodded and closed his eyes once more.

 Aragorn moved his hands down the ribcage, exerting only as much pressure as needed. There appeared to be no broken bones on the right side. Legolas winced but said nothing. Moving to the left side Aragorn felt the bones shift at the slightest pressure. As he moved lower Legolas let out a low moan and his back arched as he attempted to escape the pain.

 "I'm sorry my friend," Aragorn apologized immediately.

 "It's all right. I am fine." Legolas lied through gritted teeth. The bones weren't just broken but shattered in several places. Aragorn noticed as well. He sighed, knowing there was little he could do here. He had Sorinth remove the bandage a moment and saw the bleeding had at least slowed at Legolas's side, but that was the only good news. Looking up he saw Gimli now stood closer to them. He looked down sadly on his dear friend but said nothing and came no closer. Aragorn decided he would have to deal with him later, but he was sure he already knew what was on his friend's mind.

 "We'll have to get him back to camp." He announced, indicating Legolas, "Can you walk at all?" 

 "Aye, I told you I am fine. Just …… give me a moment." Legolas slowly rolled onto his side and stayed that way for several moments as he took in several large breaths to steady himself. When he was ready he pushed himself onto his elbows and began to rise. Aragorn helped him then, grabbing an arm and pulling him to his feet. As the elf leaned on him for support Aragorn threw the arm over his shoulders. Very slowly they made their first steps back to camp. Sorinth walked ahead of them, constantly looking back at the duo, while Gimli sullenly stayed at the back of the group. 

 The dark of the night made it hard to see their path clearly and as they reached a hilly area Sorinth turned to the man and elf and warned, "Be careful here. Take your time."

 Legolas gritted his teeth to bite back an angry retort to the man as he continued the daunting task of putting one foot in front of the other. Sorinth noticed this and seemed confused by the reaction, so simply continued on and said nothing more until they reached camp. Legolas's anger confused the man but Aragorn understood completely. The comment had sounded slightly demeaning from the captain, though it had not meant to be, and Legolas's pride was already stinging from having to accept help at all. He did not need to be patronized by the captain of the men who attacked him, especially not now.

 They eventually made it back to the rebels' base, having to only stop once as Legolas nearly collapsed from another coughing fit.

 Upon their arrival Aragorn helped Legolas to a nearby tree. The elf released a relieved sigh as he leaned against the comforting bark of the tree and lowered himself to the ground. Aragorn and Gimli immediately began tending to their friend; it was clear from their efficiency that they had all cared for one another many times during their friendship. Suddenly feeling very out of place Sorinth excused himself, remarking that he had to speak to his men immediately.

 "Gimli, could you fetch me water and bandages? A torch as well, if you could," Aragorn requested calmly.

 "Of course," Gimli responded and then was gone.

 Looking into Legolas's eyes, Aragorn noticed they were still slightly glazed, "How many fingers do you see?" He asked.

 "Three," Legolas replied curtly and correctly, "Now leave me be." He ordered dejectedly as he laid his head against the trunk behind him.

 "That is something you know I will not do." Aragorn responded, turning to look for Gimli. 

 "I do not need your help Aragorn, I am well. Now go, and find your rest while you can for tomorrow will be a long day," Legolas said, irritation clear in his voice. Then he coughed and clutched at his ribs once more. Aragorn frowned. 

 "Let me look at those again." He requested as he moved in closer. Legolas pulled away and then seemed to erupt.

 "I said leave Aragorn! I do not need or want your help; I don't want you here. I just want to be alone! Do you understand me? Leave me in peace or leave me in shambles I care not, but just leave." The intensity and sadness within Legolas was pouring out, but he soon lost steam and dropped his head in his good hand, "Please, just leave me alone. By the Valar go away." He requested softly, unable to meet his friend's eye.

 Aragorn was shocked and torn by the words. His friend was hurting terribly, in form and mind, but he could do nothing to help. He knew his words would do little to comfort his friend at this point, he was struggling through so much pain and hatred, and the only way that Legolas was offering to let him help, was to leave. Leave him alone to work through his own emotions and feelings, to discover for himself how he felt before sharing it with others. Only when he understood his own mind could Legolas co-exist with the rest of the world. Suffering himself, and very confused, Aragorn rose, patting Legolas's shoulder as he did so, his way of indicating he would be back. Then he walked away, did not turn back, and left the elf, cursing his own kind as he went.

 As he walked away, slowly and deliberately, Gimli approached, arms laden with the items he'd requested. Seeing Aragorn he stopped and then looked to Legolas, alone, with his head hung low between his arms crossed over his knees, and asked, "What are you ……?"

 Aragorn had no words to explain. All he knew to do was place a hand on Gimli's shoulder and lead him away, "Leave him be for now. He suffers from more than we can see and I know not how to help him."

 "He does not need to be alone now Aragorn. I know naught of what goes on in his head, but that much I know for certain," Gimli said with conviction.

 "With his own mouth he told me of his wishes and I believe him. He does not want us with him now, trust me." Aragorn pleaded, still stinging from the elf's words.

 "I do trust you lad, but I will not believe it until I hear it from Legolas himself." Gimli announced. He dropped his burden of bandages and then stomped purposefully towards the tree the elf lounged under. When he was halfway to his destination, Legolas looked up and Gimli stopped as he saw the fire in the elf's gaze. It yelled at him to leave, to let him be alone in his suffering and in his thoughts, and Gimli was tempted to do so. It seemed Aragorn was right; Legolas did not want him there. But he still had not been *told* to go away.

 With his resolved hardened he began forward once more, until he was beside the elf still glaring at him. Gimli's features softened as he met his friend's gaze and he saw Legolas's do the same. The fire gradually died away and Gimli slowly sat down beside him. Legolas shook his head in disbelief at the Dwarf's audacity and a joyless shadow of a smile passed over his face as he turned from his friend and dropped his head into his arms once more. 

 Gimli shifted, making himself comfortable as he too leaned against the great bulk of the tree. No words had been said between the two, but Gimli knew that even though he was not entirely welcome, he would be tolerated for the time being. The dwarf wanted to do more for his friend, talk to him, or at least see to his injuries, but clearly Legolas wanted neither. He had to be satisfied with himself in knowing that at least his friend was no longer alone.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn watched Gimli approach the elf and was not surprised when he was stopped dead in his tracks by a single look from their friend. There were emotions and thoughts swirling through Legolas right now that neither of them had any hope of understanding, but Legolas was trying to. Aragorn knew any attempts to understand the hatred, anger, and malice of the men around them would most likely not go well, but at least in time Legolas would be able to sort through his own emotions and decide how he felt about the situation and how to respond to it. He just wished he had been allowed to care for him first. He knew the elf was in considerable pain but was too proud to admit it.

 Hearing footsteps behind him, Aragorn turned to see Sorinth approaching.

 "How does he fare?" The captain asked. Aragorn appreciated the sincerity in his voice.

 "He refuses to let us help him actually. He's very proud and very stubborn at times, sometimes overly so," Aragorn replied, not delving into the deeper reasons for Legolas's need for privacy. 

 "I know." And somehow Aragorn thought he did.

 As they talked another guard approached them from behind, almost skulking. Sorinth turned to him sharply when he heard him, recognizing him as one of the men from the attack.

 His voice laced with disgust, the man asked, "Captain, should the prisoner not be tied? What if he should attempt to escape once more?" 

 The guard never got to hear Sorinth's reply for he suddenly found himself falling to the ground, after having been struck hard across the jaw by Aragorn. The guard looked up from his sprawled position, shocked. Aragorn loomed over him, anger sketched on his face and his fingers twitching, as if he was resisting the urge to strike him again. Looking to Sorinth, the guard hoped his captain would defend him somehow, reprimand Aragorn for striking him, but he saw only the same anger etched onto Sorinth's face.

 "Get some rest," Sorinth said, turning back around. "And tell the others not to worry themselves about the 'prisoner', they've all done far enough already."

 The guard wanted to protest, his soul yelled at him to strike back at this man, but looking at Aragorn he knew he would stand no chance. The king was a warrior, plain and simple. The guard was little more than a boy, who simply thought himself a man. Dropping his head, almost sulking, the guard returned to his friends.

 "I am sorry for their intolerance, Lord Elessar," Sorinth said when he was gone, "You were right. Things should not be this way."

 "It will be difficult to change their minds. Legolas seems to think that it is only Lord Vecery he need convince of his good intentions in this land, though that would absolve him of any crime, it would not negate the hate felt towards elves in your country," Aragorn commented.

 "He will have a hard battle before him indeed if he thinks he alone can change my lord's mind on the matter of elves. He despises them, unjustly, as do most of my people. I suppose we can only hope that Legolas's earlier interactions with the king will change his mind. And he will not forget that he saved his life, for I will remind him if I must," Sorinth replied, his voice firm with resolve on the matter.

 Aragorn nodded but then realized that Gimli had not yet returned. When he turned to search him out he was surprised to see the Dwarf sitting quietly beside Legolas. The elf had apparently not moved since Aragorn left him and Gimli was watching him with a concerned gaze, yet he said nothing. Aragorn wondered at this strange behaviour. Though he had known Legolas longer and shared just as strong a bond of friendship with him, he had been forbidden from the elf's company, yet he tolerated Gimli. They were not laughing or joking for certain, but the dwarf had not been ordered away. Perhaps Legolas had simply not had the strength to request him to leave. Or perhaps it was something else.

 Still pondering the situation he turned away from the two, hoping some privacy would allow them to talk freely. Sorinth bid him goodnight just then and suggested he get some rest as well. Aragorn returned to his own campsite for the night and decided to attempt to sleep. Not too far away he could hear several of the guards on duty, no words were clear but they were laughing and he recognized their voices as those of the Men that attacked Legolas. He felt his anger build inside him once more at the audacity of these Men. What cruel, malicious feelings must they have within them to treat a living being in such a way? A being that had done nothing to them and posed no threat in any way. Hearing them laugh once more, Aragorn wondered how Legolas could ever be expected to trust humans again.

 But he was human. 

 Aragorn sat up at the realization.

 After being raised by elves he admittedly sometimes forgot, but Aragorn was as human as any man in camp with him that night. 

 "Could it be for this reason that Legolas sent me away?" Aragorn pondered aloud. Looking through the camp of people he could just make out his two friends, still beneath the base of the tree. Legolas had still not moved and Gimli sat upright, very alert, with his arms crossed, as though on guard duty. Aragorn supposed he was in a way. 

 _Should it not be I sitting there with him, offering whatever comfort the companionship of a friend can give? He thought to himself as he watched the two._

 Laying back down he couldn't help but wonder if the elf had lost so much faith in Men that he no longer trusted his closest friend. 

_That is absurd. Legolas is too wise a person to allow several unfortunate encounters with men to decide his feelings toward the entire race._

 Though Aragorn knew this to be true, he also knew that such prejudices could be felt on lower levels of thought. Legolas may still believe that he trusts Men, Aragorn especially, but in a dire matter he would undoubtedly have little faith in a human, simply because of past experiences. And he could not be blamed for this. As he laid thinking, Aragorn could come up with no way to help this situation, to prove to Legolas that not all Men are like those he had met. In fact most were far different; they were loyal and good. But how to show him this? He could only hope that Lord Vecery would prove to be one of the good, like Sorinth, and help in changing Legolas's mind.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Gimli was deep in thought as he sat beside his friend, watching him and keeping watch on him. No man would near this tree, lest it be Aragorn, or lest he be willing to meet with the dwarf's axe. It angered him to his core what had been done to his friend. After willingly following all of the foolish laws of these Men, they had attacked and beaten him without cause. It made his blood boil in such a manner that he had to try hard not to think about it in order to keep himself calm.

 The elf had still not let him treat his injuries in any way, in fact had not moved at all in the last hour. Gimli wondered if he was asleep, but he doubted it somehow. Knowing he was awake, the Dwarf wished Legolas would speak to him; explain to him what he was thinking, so he could help, or at least assure him that he was well physically. Yet the elf said nothing. But Gimli waited, allowing his friend to speak in his own time, or perhaps never at all, whatever he wished.

 "Aragorn was the first Man I ever met." 

 Gimli turned as the voice suddenly emitted from beneath the crossed arms of Legolas, just loud enough to be heard. There was a short silence and Gimli almost spoke, to urge the elf on further, but worried anything he said may stop all communication between them. But Legolas continued on his own a few moments later.

 "There had never been Men in Mirkwood, but on a visit to Rivendell I was introduced to the adopted son of Elrond. Though raised by elves he was very much a Man, there was no way to hide the fact. Over the years we became friends and I wondered if all Men were as he: noble, brave, and courageous. Then there was Boromir, who was a good Man at heart I know, but temptation stole him from us, and in truth I expected more from someone of such high stature. And indeed I did think to myself that Boromir had been an exception, that most men could be as Aragorn. I must laugh now at my folly of thought. And now in these last few weeks I have met more Men than I can remember, seen more faces than I wish to recall and of them all I am challenged to call to mind one redeeming quality among them. Anything to give me cause to respect their people. With all the anger, hatred and cowardice I have seen, I must worry about the future of the race of Men. I worry for them and all that will follow."

 Gimli sat stunned, having never heard such bitterness on the elf's graceful tongue. Legolas's views on Men had been changed forever, that much was certain, but it seemed to Gimli that his friend was asking him to prove him wrong. To explain to him that Men were really good and there were reasons behind their actions, but Gimli could think of little to say. When he did speak, he said,

 "I too have met few Men in my years, and have also noted how Aragorn seems to be the rare exception among them who are brave and valiant, but that does not mean they don't exist. Though they are not here, I am confident that for every Man filled with rage and hatred, there are a dozen more in Miscalanth or Minas Tirith who are pure of heart and true in spirit. The men around us have made the greatest impact, for when we picture the race of Men we may well think of them, but we also must force ourselves to remember the others not like them, who have made, what should be, just as strong an impression. Though many are no longer with us, that is only because their courage brought them to their deaths in the Great War as they defended their homes and lives. The Riders of Rohan, Aragorn's Dunedain, and the valiant army of Minas Tirith, these are not Men we should forget exist simply because they love instead of hate. Remember the good in Men my friend, for it is there. And if you damn the entire lot for their faults and their bad apples, you may find yourself not so different from these men around us as you think."

 "I do not think I can trust them, not after all I have seen. I know there is good, but how are we to find it? How are you able to know which of them are good and which are evil?" Legolas asked, seemingly deeply confused.

 "You must have faith I suppose. Faith in your own judgment of character and, as hard as it may be, faith in Men. I think perhaps they may surprise you, in more ways than one."

 Gimli held his breath, waiting for his friend's reaction, hoping there would be one. Had he even made a dent? Could Legolas's mind be changed? Then finally the elf moved. Slowly stretching out his legs he lifted his head and turned to the Dwarf; his eyes sparkled with something Gimli could not identify in the moonlight. He thought it may be reluctant acceptance. Then Legolas nodded, as if he had finally made a great decision that he had been pondering for some time, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly as he smiled. 

 "Thank you my friend, for your loyalty and your aid in understanding this matter. It is clear that there are no simple answers, for the situation is direly complex. I fear I will always be wary of them from this point, but Men at least do deserve a chance, for there is good in them, somewhere, even if it may be hard to find," Legolas said, leaning casually back against the tree. Gimli smiled; oddly proud of his friend and the decision he'd made. Having one crisis seemingly over he took in the elf's appearance and didn't like what he saw. There was dried blood on his forehead from a wound that had probably already healed, his ribs were broken and were yet to be set, and such exhaustion was written on his features he was amazed the elf was still alert enough to speak and think.

 "Now that you have made up your mind on this matter, do you perhaps wish to clean yourself up?" Gimli asked, clearly making it Legolas's choice. The elf nodded and Gimli wordlessly rose to his feet and gathered up the materials he had found earlier. The torch still burned and Aragorn had left the water and bandages close by in case they were needed. Also in the pile was a change of clothes for Legolas. Dropping down beside the elf once more he placed all these things out. Legolas took a cloth, wet it, and began to clean the blood off his face and arms. He grimaced when he touched his eye, though not as bad it had been it was still swollen and sore. When he was done Gimli handed him the change of clothes which he gratefully took. 

 He painstakingly removed his tunic and Gimli saw the true damage done to him for the first time. The elf's entire chest and back were covered in deep purple bruises, obscenely noticeable against the natural pale skin. Most were scattered and random, in the crescent arch of a boot, but others had melded together into masses of discoloration, mostly around the ribs and lower back. Gimli tried not to stare but could only imagine the pain that must be involved in every movement his friend made. Knowing the elf could not stand to see a look of pity on the dwarf's face, he quickly replaced it with anger at his mistreatment.

 He remembered that Aragorn had said several of the elf's ribs were broken. Though the Elder healed quickly Gimli knew they would not yet be fully healed, or properly unless they were set. 

 "Do you wish me to get Aragorn to assist you with ……" He held out the bandages futilely.

 Legolas shook his head, "Nay, let him rest. It is a simple matter, for the bones mend themselves as I rest. While I was deep in thought I could feel them mostly set themselves, a simple wrap should keep them in place well enough." So with some aid from Gimli the elf's bruised, broken ribs were bandaged and set. Legolas was attempting to downplay the injury by mentioning his quick healing, hoping his friend would believe the hurt was nothing, but in fact it pained him greatly and it was hard to keep his features steady as his ribs were painfully wrapped. 

 When all was done he lay back down, perfectly comfortable under the boughs of the tree for the night. Gimli had brought with him a bedroll from the camp and made do. Legolas knew it was only a few hours until sunrise, and then they would set out for Miscalanth, but a few hours was all he needed, for even that much rest would do wonders for his fatigued body. 

 "Sleep now my friend, tomorrow will be …… interesting," Gimli said, his eyes downcast in thought. 

 "I fear far too interesting," Legolas said and then slid effortlessly into sleep. The last time he allowed himself the luxury of rest in this camp he had been attacked, but he slept easily with Gimli beside him, for even if he feigned rest he knew the Dwarf would get no sleep that night. As he had done for several hours already, Gimli sat up straight and alert, watching over the camp for any movement towards them. Legolas appreciated his watchfulness more than he could express and promised to pay him back for it, perhaps let him win a few arguments. It was with these surprisingly happy thoughts that Legolas drifted into the abyss of sleep and remained for several hours.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

The morning came quickly and the sun beamed brightly onto the campsite that was filled with little more than dark moods and feelings. Beneath a large tree off to the side of the camp a lone elf slept fitfully, but was awakened as the first rays of light struck his skin. Legolas actually smiled upon seeing the bright morning, but as he moved and pain ignited through him, his smile faded and he remembered the circumstances he was in. He was being held prisoner by men who had rescued him only hours before, and then decided they hated him enough to beat him mercilessly, and now he would return to their city to face judgment for his existence. Just your normal day in Middle-Earth.

 What shocked Legolas at the moment was the pain that ravaged his body. He had thought that after several hours of rest his injuries would have mended slightly, but instead he found himself sorer than before, and his injured muscles stiff from unuse. In fact every movement was agony, especially for his destroyed ribs. Clearly his injuries were worse than he originally thought. Sitting up slowly the elf turned to the snoring form beside him and smiled slightly. He knew Gimli had not meant to fall asleep, had undoubtedly fought it very hard, but the dwarf was almost as exhausted as the elf had been, and needed far more rest than the former. 

 With a slight nudge he was able to remove his friend from his state of rest. With a start Gimli sat up and looked around frantically, searching for what had woken him. When he looked at Legolas he was met with a raised eyebrow.

 Gimli chuckled embarrassedly, "I bet you think I was sleeping," Legolas nodded. "Well, I fooled you nicely then." The Dwarf said smugly as he sat back and crossed his arms.

 "Just inspecting your eyelids then, were you?" Legolas asked sceptically, knowing the dwarf would not admit to falling asleep. He was supposed to have guarded his friend and even now felt horrible for drifting off.

 "Exactly," Gimli grumbled, rising to his feet. Legolas let the topic drop as he also rose, albeit more slowly. A hand was offered to him by Gimli, who studied him closely, but Legolas refused, determined to stand on his own power. With one arm wrapped around his ribcage and the other pushed against the tree for support, he finally managed to rise on his own. Each movement brought about a new sensation of agony, each of which pounded into Legolas's ears louder than his own heartbeat. He took a trial step forward and was rewarded with a blinding pain down his lower back that caused his legs to become weak; he breathed deeply to steady himself but this only caused his ribs to protest and he soon fell back against the tree once more. Gimli was at his side immediately, offering aid that was not wanted.

 "Perhaps you should rest while I find Aragorn," Gimli suggested timidly.

 "No," Legolas responded a tad too quick and too harsh, "I am fine." To prove his point the elf pushed away from the tree, making a show of no longer needing its support as he took a step forward once more and managed to stay upright. Gimli huffed, but did not argue with his friend.

 Noises began to drift towards them and it became clear that the rest of the camp was awake as well. In fact several pairs of suspicious eyes were already staring in their direction. Legolas sighed, not surprised. What did surprise him was when one of the guards broke away from the others and approached the two. Gimli grumbled at his approach, but Legolas was more curious than wary of the single Man.

"We are leaving soon. Get ready," The man said simply, his cold eyes sweeping over Legolas and Gimli alike. The dwarf straightened considerably and glared in return, more fiercely than any other could, while Legolas simply met the man's gaze, his own eyes penetrating and unyielding. Unprepared for the assault of such strong wills the guard quickly broke the contact and marched away, his steps heavy with anger.

 "I must admit, I am having a hard time making friends here in Brelan," Legolas complained dramatically. Gimli appreciated his friend's attempt to lighten the mood of what would surely be a dreary day so replied;

 "Who needs new friends when you have me?" The dwarf asked, all smiles.

 Legolas just shook his head ruefully and suggested, "Let us go find Aragorn."

 "Aye, we should. This day may bring about many things, and it would be best if we face them all together," Gimli said, and Legolas offered him one of the few sincere smiles he had shown in days.

 Together the two strode through the camp, receiving many hate-filled glares but being approached by no one. Sorinth had ensured there would be no more incidents within the camp for his men respected him, but even more they feared a court martial, so the two friends walked safely through the guards preparing for the ride back to Miscalanth. It did not take long to find Aragorn in the field where the horses had been kept for the night. He was adjusting Hasufel's reins and saddle, with Jarinel close by. When the horse suddenly took off from his side Aragorn turned to see the cause and was not surprised to see the creature racing up to meet Legolas as his dear rider entered the field. Legolas smiled and stroked the horse's mane while Gimli backed away in discomfort. The finger's of the elf's other hand were still wrapped and immobile, but it did not escape Aragorn's notice how the hand lingered near the tightly wrapped ribcage.

 "Good morning my friends, though I fear it shall not be as good a day, for any of us," Aragorn said when they approached.

 "The day could not be worse than the night," Legolas pointed out softly, his voice still bitter. Though the prince had resolved his feelings somewhat towards Men as a whole, it did not negate the fact that he had been attacked and injured by the Brelan men and his pride demanded justice. He still wished revenge against the men who had harmed him, but he restrained himself in the knowledge that any violence or retribution on his part would simply bring about more hate and distrust, which he did not need. But to him the matter was not yet settled.

 "I hope your words prove true, for I know we will have quite an interesting time of things once we arrive in Miscalanth," Aragorn replied. Looking slightly uncomfortable he then asked, "Legolas, may I speak to you a moment?" casting an apologetic glance Gimli's way afterwards. 

 "Of course," Legolas replied, also eager to speak to the man. Gimli took the hint and excused himself, mumbling something about breakfast. When he was gone Aragorn turned to Legolas and the elf saw hurt and confusion in the Man's eyes. He sighed, knowing himself to be the cause.

 Avoiding the true subject for the moment Aragorn asked, "How are you healing?"

 "I am well Aragorn. This you could have asked me with Gimli present," The elf pointed out, not wishing to dance about the subject. 

Aragorn nodded and finally, getting right to the point, asked, "Legolas, do you trust me?"

 The elf was taken aback by the hesitation and doubt in the strong warrior, and felt truly guilty for his treatment of him the night before. This must have shown on his face for Aragorn quickly continued, "I will understand any answer you give, truly, but I must now."

"Does this question arise from the fact that I forbid you near me yet allowed Gimli to stay?" Legolas asked softly, ensuring he kept continuous eye contact with the Man to convey the truth in his response. Aragorn nodded. Legolas dropped his gaze for a moment and seemed to think over his response. When he lifted his head, he stated quite boldly, "Aragorn, you smell."

 The King of Men was unsure how to reply to this, but Legolas continued on swiftly.

 "Like a Man that is. I do not know if you are aware but each race has their own distinct scent, Men not least of all. And in wake of what has happened over these past days I must admit that I find the scent of a Man, any Man, quite unsettling and it makes me wary. I do trust you Aragorn, with my life and with all that I care about, but last night, as much as you may have wished to, you could have offered me no comfort. Unfortunately I find myself becoming tense and alert at the approach of any Man, and I am unsure if I can keep myself from doing so," Legolas admitted. The look of understanding on Aragorn's face told him that the King knew he still trusted him, but a different look passed over him at his last words.

 "Do not, be sorry that is," Aragorn told him, "While you remain in Brelan it is undoubtedly best for you to be on your guard. Even I must admit that I do not know what will happen once we reach Miscalanth."

 "Nor do I, but there is little we can do now, except overcome all obstacles as they appear," Legolas said wisely, his words lighter than what he truly felt in his heart. With that said he turned from his friend and gave his dear companion Jarinel the attention he was craving. The horse snickered in delight to have his rider back, but sensed something was wrong. He poked him gently in the head in question.

 "My evening was less than enjoyable I am afraid. I am merely sore, it is nothing." Legolas promised the beast as he continued to stroke his mane. Jarinel didn't believe him but was just happy to see him once more. Abruptly he dropped down to his two front feet, eager for Legolas to mount him so they could be on their way. The elf smiled once more.

 "Soon my friend, we will be off shortly. First I must find Gimli once more," The horse snorted but rose in understanding as the elf went off to search for his missing dwarf.

 As Aragorn watched the exchange he was glad to see Legolas well enough to walk, though it was clear he was still in pain, and was especially pleased to see him smiling. But he could not help worrying about the safety of his friend and what would happen when they reached Miscalanth. From what he had heard, Lord Vecery had about as much patience for elves as his guards, which did not bode well. But the King had seemed wise and compassionate; Aragorn could only hope he could see reason.

 But across the camp, only hatred lived, with reason nowhere in sight. Tolson watched Legolas maliciously, disgusted that his kind were anywhere near Brelan. Bad enough he walked among them for so long, but now, now he, Tolson, one of the King's guards, had been punished for attempting to rid the world of the creature, and the prisoner was allowed to walk freely among them. Not able to take it anymore Tolson stomped toward his captain, Sorinth, who seemed to be becoming less and less popular among his men.

 "Captain, I can tolerate this no longer," Tolson announced, assuming the captain would already know what he spoke of.

 "What is wrong now Tolson? Your horse still not like you?" Sorinth asked, completely uninterested.

 "No …….….."

 "Your watch partner snore too loudly?"

 "No …….….."

 "Your shoes too tight then?" 

 "No captain," Tolson fumed at his captain's complete indifference to his plight, "it is our so called prisoner. He is to be taken to Miscalanth to be sentenced and jailed, and yet he walks among the camp as free as the rest of us, with no guard and no restraint."

 Sorinth finally turned from his saddlebag to face the guard. He was so young, but so angry. The captain's eyes burned with hardly controlled rage, "He walks freely because of you Tolson. Due to the actions of yourself and the others, he can barely walk as is clear to me at least. If he should try to escape, or harm anyone of this company, then I will take full responsibility. And as for what shall happen once we reach Miscalanth, that is not your matter to decide; it is only for the wisdom of our King to rule upon. So I would greatly appreciate it if you stopped passing judgment in this matter."

 The anger etched on Tolson's face expressed how he felt, but he could not voice these feelings to his superior without even worse repercussions to his position, "Permission to speak freely, *sir*." 

 "Denied," Sorinth replied without hesitation, "Help with the prisoners and get your things ready, we'll be leaving soon."

 Tolson twitched in anger and indignation, but could do nothing. Hands clenching, he stomped away from his captain, knowing that his words could not be right. Elves were evil, and had to be disposed of. As he marched away he almost didn't notice that he was approaching the person in question. The elf walked slowly and seemed to be looking for something as he strolled through the camp. Knowing he could do nothing to him with so many close by and Sorinth behind him, Tolson satisfied himself with sticking out his foot as he passed, intent on tripping the creature. What he did not count on was Legolas's quick senses and far stronger legs. Easily seeing the outstretched appendage, Legolas stepped over it with one foot, but with the other he kicked him discreetly in the shin bone, slamming the man's leg into the elf's front foot. Surprised, Tolson easily lost his balance and ended up sprawled on his back, in front of everyone, while the elf nonchalantly walked away. 

 Fuming, Tolson pulled himself to his feet and decided once and for all that elves had to be evil.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Legolas shook his head as he walked away. That attempt to harm him had actually been quite poor, but he felt no sympathy for the young guard he had tripped. Perhaps it would teach him to leave him be, but it would most likely just make him angrier than he had been. Knowing there was nothing he could do to remedy the situation the elf simply continued his search for Gimli, all too aware of the increased stares in his direction.

 He did not have to search long for his friend appeared suddenly, arms laden with what was clearly a breakfast for two.

 "Ah, there you are. Here, you must keep up your strength," Gimli said, handing Legolas the tray he had brought him. The elf took it reluctantly and took a bite of a soft fruit which he chewed slowly, his sore jaw protesting. 

 "Thank you my friend, but we are moving out soon," Legolas explained, turning to lead the way back to the field where their mounts grazed. He finished off the fruit but ate nothing else on the plate. Gimli followed behind, not pleased. They reached the field once more and Legolas shared one of the fruits with Jarinel, who was only too happy about the present.

 All those that would be leaving with them were ready and mounted. Most of the guards were staying behind to watch over the captured rebels until proper transport could be arranged to bring them to Miscalanth. For now Sorinth had to report in to Lord Vecery, and with him would go two other guards, Aragorn, Gimli, and their 'prisoner'. 

 Aragorn was already atop Hasufel and watched his friends return. Gimli was walking protectively close to Legolas, who tried not to notice as he spoke quietly with Jarinel. What Aragorn noticed most though was Legolas's walk, he had no grace in his slow step, only agony. It was clear he was still in a great deal of pain; Aragorn knew he should not even be up and about. The King winced in sympathy when his friend took a deep breath and then mounted the great white horse in a single leap, but then pitched forward slightly, a look of intense pain etched into his features due to the sharp movement. Legolas stayed that way for several moments, angry that his injuries plagued him so. Trotting Hasufel closer, Aragorn made no comment, knowing it would not be well received, and instead spoke to the hovering dwarf.

 "Gimli, if you are still wary of Jarinel then Hasufel would not object to your company," Aragorn said invitingly, hoping the warrior would receive the implied message. Gimli turned from Legolas, who he was about to yell at to have his ribs re-bandaged, and was about to refuse Aragorn's offer when he saw the compelling look in the Man's eye. His gaze darting up towards the elf once more, it was clear he understood. Though he wished to ride with his friend in order to keep an eye on him, it would do more harm than good. With the elf's condition as it was having another passenger behind him for the ride would do nothing to improve his health.

 "Thank you Aragorn, it is greatly appreciated. Though I fear your horse is little better," Gimli replied, making no comment on Legolas's condition or his reasons, he simply grumbled about his unending hatred for horses. The archer of course knew what they were doing, but he also appreciated it. He had not been looking forward to having Gimli riding behind him, and he did not wish to bring up the subject himself. 

 Legolas smiled to Aragorn as the Man helped Gimli into the saddle, and it was gladly returned. Sorinth rode up to them then, with their two accompanying guards lagging behind just out of hearing distance; Legolas noticed the guard who had attempted to trip him earlier and his eyes narrowed, as did the young man's.

 "We must head out now, for Lord Vecery will have all of Miscalanth in an uproar if he does not hear from me shortly," He then turned to Legolas, his eyes soft with regret, "You can ride free to Miscalanth, but once we reach the castle of Hileris I am afraid you must be bound once more."

 Legolas did not blame this Man in any way for the precautions he was forced to make, and knew they would do him more good than harm, so stayed Aragorn's protests with a simple glance and replied, "It is well, truly Sorinth. I understand your obligations to your country's laws, even if I do not agree with them."

 Sorinth just nodded, "If there is nothing more, let us ride."

 There was nothing more and so they set out. Legolas leaned forward and whispered in Jarinel's ear; he was rewarded with the smoothest ride possible back to Miscalanth. And so they travelled, slowly through the thick forest, and swiftly over the open plains; a soft trot across the lazy stream and almost a gallop up the impressive hills. Throughout the journey Legolas could feel so many eyes on him; his friends watched him for signs of fatigue or injury, while the Brelan guards watched him with wary suspicion. He tried to ignore both, but found the feel of their gazes unsettling. Only Sorinth did not stare at him, for which he was grateful. The Man looked always straight ahead at the terrain and it was clear he was lost deep in his own thoughts. Somehow the elf knew that even though the Man's gaze was not on him, his thoughts were.

 They rode in silence, with the horses' gallop being the only sound as each wandered in their own thoughts and feelings. The Brelan guards remembered the hatred their parents had taught them, Sorinth remembered the same, but also all he had seen and done with this elf that he could not hate, Aragorn pondered how such hatred could exist, unjustified, Gimli simply wished for it to stop, by any means, not caring about the cause, and Legolas continued to weigh the race of Men, finding the scales extremely unbalanced at the moment.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 The duty guards were beyond elated to see the safe return of their captain, along with the honoured guests of Gondor. The two sentries immediately called others to take the groups' horses and stepped forward to welcome the company home.

 "Sorinth, we began to worry, the King most of all. I see your mission was a success," The first guard commented on seeing Legolas with them. His gaze passed over him quickly, easily recognizing him and taking little notice of the bruises adorning his features, assuming they had been caused by his former captors. 

 "What of the rebels? Did you learn anything of them?" The second guard asked.

 "We found their base and I believe we have captured most, if not all of their group," Sorinth replied while dismounting, his voice not holding the excitement one would expect in such a statement.

 "You sound not pleased by this. It is what we have wanted for months," The guard reminded him.

 "It is not the rebels' capture that saddens me friends; there were complications on this journey," Sorinth explained cryptically, meeting Aragorn's gaze briefly as the Man helped Gimli off Hasufel's back.

 "Complications?" The second asked, confused.

 Nearby Legolas freed himself from Jarinel's back just then and landed softly on the ground, biting back the pain involved. Tolson walked by and gave him a slight shove forward as he told the guards,

 "Complications in that the *Man* we were sent to save was no *Man* at all."

 The still perplexed guards turned their attention to Legolas then and finally understood what had been meant.

 "Captain, he's an elf!" The sentry exclaimed in pure shock. Legolas flinched when the look was quickly replaced by anger and malice, aimed towards him.

 "This is impossible," The other noted.

 "Aye, I am quite aware," Sorinth sighed, knowing that he would have much explaining to do, to many different people.

 "He tricked all of us," Tolson continued, "But what else would you expect from an Elf?" The two guards nodded in agreement and understanding.

 Gritting his teeth to keep from lashing out at this Man's ignorance, Legolas turned to Sorinth, "I believe I am ready to see Lord Vecery."

 "Of course. Come with me, oddly enough he is most likely eager to see you at the moment," Sorinth commented as he started into the castle, Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli not far behind.

 "Strange how quickly things can change," Gimli mumbled.

 Then from behind someone cleared their throat loudly, obviously wanting their attention. It was Tolson. 

 "Yes?" Sorinth enquired. Tolson said nothing, not wishing to be spoken down to by his captain again, but indicated Legolas and then held out his own hands. It was clear what he meant. Sorinth sighed, hating the laws of his own country. Turning to Legolas he said, "I am sorry, but by law of Lord Vecery you cannot enter the castle unbound."

 "I am well aware. I will tolerate the bonds, at least until I speak with your Lord," Legolas assured him and held out his arms willingly. He was quickly tied once more and the group proceeded into the castle. As they made their way through the long, weaving halls Legolas pondered what Lord Vecery's response to his identity would be and thought of ways he could change the Man's mind about Elves. Beside him Gimli was taking stock of their surroundings, noting the number of guards, locations of exits, etc. If Legolas was found guilty of being an Elf (how could he not?), he knew the penalty was death, and, refusing to let that happen, he was even now formulating an escape plan for all of them.

 They began to ascend a large flight of stairs which Legolas grudgingly moved up much slower than usual. He was maddened that his injuries were proving so debilitating but knew that they were truly quite serious. If he had been home in Mirkwood, or even Gondor, then his friends and family would assuredly not let him leave his bed for a week, until he was completely recovered. He knew he should be resting, not about to argue for his freedom, but in this particular instance all he could do was struggle through the pain as best he could, until there was time to rest.

 They finally reached the top of the stairs and made their way to the throne room where Lord Vecery waited. Winded from the long, gruelling climb up the stairs Legolas continued his slow pace. He suddenly stumbled forward several feet as he was pushed from behind. The elf swung around quickly and saw it was Tolson that had pushed him.

 "Hurry up, we haven't all day," The young guard complained. Legolas had to bite his tongue very hard to keep from hurting the Man. But when he sensed Tolson's hand coming forward to shove him once more, he had no choice but to react. Swinging around faster than he currently thought possible he caught the guard's wrist with his bound hands and squeezed hard. Tolson's face showed astonishment which quickly changed to pain as he tried to pull himself free. But Legolas's grip was strong and he had a point to get across.

 "Let me make something clear to you right now. I have willingly accepted and conceded to your laws out of respect for your country; that does not mean I am under your submission or anyone else's. I suggest you not forget that. If you touch me again I will have no further patience for you and you will find yourself wishing even more so that I had never come to your land," Legolas's voice held such power and conviction that Tolson flinched away from it.

 "Legolas release him, this will not help you," Sorinth pointed out. Tolson looked around at the faces around him and found no one moving to help him. Sorinth, Aragorn and Gimli all watched the exchange calmly, clearly backing the elf, while Tolson's fellow guard actually took a step back in fear of their 'prisoner'. 

 His mouth turning up into a smirk, Legolas released the Man and then nonchalantly turned to follow Sorinth once more. Tolson seethed as he cradled his wrist against his chest and wondered if it was possible to grind bones with pure strength. He did not follow the group as they continued on their way, instead, cursing softly, he watched until they disappeared around a corner and then made his way to the healer's.

 When they finally reached the stone doors of the throne room Sorinth suggested, "I should like to speak with him first if you do not mind. He will be delighted to hear of the rebels' capture and I will be sure to mention all you did to assist us. He may then take the news of your true identity with a lighter heart."

Legolas nodded his agreement.

 "I should like to come with you," Aragorn requested. Sorinth nodded, seeing no reason to deny him. As they began to enter the room Legolas took Sorinth's arm.

 "Thank you Sorinth, for all you have done. I know it must not have been easy for you," the elf said sincerely.

 Sorinth just smiled grimly and nodded, "I fear it will not be enough. Wait here for just a moment." And then he and Aragorn entered the chamber, leaving Gimli and Legolas in the hall alone. The two waited silently for a few moments, avoiding the other's eye until finally the dwarf could take it no more.

 "We could leave you know," Gimli suggested suddenly. Legolas just looked at him. "We have been left with no guards and I can easily navigate out of this palace. Many of the guards do not know your true identity, it would be nothing to escape this place," He pleaded with his friend, but it was clear that his words did little.

 Legolas shook his head, "I will not run from this. The Brelans hate me for what I am, not who I am. As a Man I was considered a friend, as an Elf, I am an enemy. I must know the reason for this, and must show them the folly of their ways. Sorinth I have already reached, if I can do the same for Lord Vecery then perhaps there is hope for Brelan."

 "I told you once to have faith in Men, now I fear you have too much. This is a grand risk to take," Gimli pointed out.

 "I know." Legolas smiled and then leaned against the wall, patiently waiting for his audience with the King.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn and Sorinth entered the King's chamber without introduction. Lord Vecery was seated on his throne and his face alit with joy to see their return. Forgetting all semblance of ceremony he rose from his chair and embraced Sorinth tightly.

 "It is joyous that you have returned safely. Tell me of your happenings. Did all go as planned?" The lord asked, his voice filled with excitement to hear their tale.

 "Even better than planned, in many ways. We lost several men unfortunately, but we have also captured the rebels, all of them I believe, with the help of Lord Elessar and his companions," Sorinth reported, and felt hope when he saw the old man's eyes light up even more.

 "This is indeed a day for celebration," The king commented, then turned to Aragorn, "And did you get him back?"

 "Yes, we did," Aragorn replied.

 "He is under guard for now, until you make your ruling," Sorinth added softly.

 Lord Vecery looked confused, "Under guard? Do you speak of Salogel or Risorine?"

 "Salogel my lord, or should I say Legolas, as is his true name," Sorinth continued cryptically, offering his king few clear answers.

 "I must admit I am confused, I sent you to retrieve this Man, not arrest him," Lord Vecery said.

 "My point exactly," Aragorn commented. Sorinth shot him a warning glance and continued.

 "That is the problem my lord. I am afraid Legolas is no Man at all. Upon his rescue it was revealed to us that he was indeed an Elf," Sorinth said, sounding apologetic.

 "An elf? No, that's impossible. Isn't it?" The king's voice was soft in shock as he struggled for comprehension. This made no sense at all.

 "It is quite possible, and true. I am sorry for our deceptions but it was I who asked that he accompany me on this journey and I take full responsibility for his presence," Aragorn announced, attempting to lessen the charges that would be brought upon his friend.

 "You knowingly brought an Elf within Brelan's borders, to my very home, while aware of our laws?" Lord Vecery asked, now becoming furious. Aragorn nodded. "Did you also know that the penalty for their presence is death?"

 "Not until I arrived. I knew of your hatred, but not the extent. I must admit it surprised me. How could you hate so much a people you do not even know?" Aragorn questioned the king, infuriating him further.

 "My reasons are my own and I do not need them justified by one so deceitful," Lord Vecery accused.

 "You throw about insults you should aim at yourself. You are the one who did not inform me of Risorine's true identity. If I had known this then none of this would have happened," Aragorn replied spitefully.

 "And you could have gone about your business in Miscalanth, never revealing that you secreted that despicable creature passed our borders," Vecery continued, as if interrogating a prisoner.

 "May I remind you that that 'despicable creature' saved your life not two days ago," Aragorn replied, stopping the Man's rant. The King seemed to be stopped dead at the reminder. 

 "My lords you bicker like children, hurling insults and accusations at each other. Let us not forget the matter at hand," Sorinth intervened, being far bolder than his position allowed.

 "The elf is here to cause unrest and chaos in Brelan; his kind have no other purpose," Lord Vecery said at last, struggling to defend his own hatred.

 "Truly? And how many of the Elder have you met before he, who has done nothing but show your country the greatest respect while he has been here?" Aragorn asked, knowing that the king had met no others.

 "Then what is his purpose Lord Elessar? For what reason did you bid him come to Miscalanth?" Lord Vecery asked, knowing he would be able to find some ill will in Aragorn's answer.

 "I needed his help," Aragorn said simply.

 "For what purpose; sabotage, assassination?" Vecery persisted.

 "Surely you must know how preposterous a notion that is; Legolas has saved your life and your captain's, yet you treat him as though he were a criminal. No, worse, for you have not even allowed him to speak his side," Aragorn argued.

 "And what is that? Tell me, what defence can he offer?" It was clear Lord Vecery was sceptical of the elf's motivations.

 After a moment of thought he admitted, "I asked him to come, to aid me in finding the Stone of Malinya," 

 "That is a myth, you risked his life for nothing," The king replied smugly.

 "They found it," Sorinth announced, "It is real."

 Lord Vecery seemed sceptical, "And where is this treasure now?"

 Aragorn hesitated before answering, "It was lost to us. Risorine stole it from me during battle and took the Stone with him when he fell to his death."

 "Then you have little to back your claim," Vecery pointed out.

 "In any case, Legolas's reasons for coming to your land were not immoral. He did as I asked, as a friend; for this I do not think he should be punished," Aragorn said, straightening.

 "Fortunately it is not your opinion that matters in this instance. And what were your plans once the Stone was recovered? Keep it for yourself?" Vecery asked, but he seemed to be quickly tiring of the conversation.

 "Nay, the Stone belongs to all of Middle-Earth. We had hopes of uniting all races and nations with its power, but that will not happen now, and our peoples are on their own to reconcile their differences," Aragorn's voice dropped significantly as he spoke, no longer defending Legolas but losing himself in his own sorrow for a moment.

 "You put me in a hard position Lord Elessar. You ask me to break my own laws and take your word on this matter, bringing forth no proof to aid in my decision," Lord Vecery said after some time.

 "Myself, Gimli and Legolas were the only ones to see the Stone, as did several of the rebels if you would believe their words. I know not of what else I could show you as proof, for the map and scroll were taken from us that spoke of its location and history. All I could offer you was to take you to the chamber where we found the Stone, which is now empty," Aragorn told him, frustrated as he realized he truly had no way of proving they had come for Malinya's stone only.

 "You had best think of something better than that Lord Elessar, for it shows little. If there is nothing else I should know then I ask that you leave me, until I have made a decision on the matter," Lord Vecery said, turning from the two as if the conversation were over.

 "I do not see how there can be a decision to make. How can you hate or judge him for what he has done? For what he is? It is wrong and I am amazed that you cannot see that!" Aragorn exclaimed, unable to hold back his frustrations any longer.

 "Tell me Lord Elessar, if, say an Orc, snuck into your kingdom unnoticed and undetained, left free to wreak whatever havoc it wished, what would you do? If upon its capture it pleaded its innocence, would you have pity on such a creature? Would you not destroy it the first chance you had?" Vecery's argument was compelling and Aragorn had little rebuttal.

 "That is different. An Orc is made for destruction and hatred, it is their sole purpose."

 "And you believe Elves are not? Well we believe differently. I am well versed in the legends of old, even if you are not. For I know where Orcs came from; they were elves once, and that should tell you all you need know," Finished, Lord Vecery sat in his throne.

 "Elves are not your enemy, and even if they were the Elder of this land left it long ago and Legolas was not one of them. In fact he is from the farthest borders of Middle-Earth, a prince of Mirkwood. Yet you would hold the actions of his race against him, from a time before his own birth?" Aragorn asked, stepping closer and softening his tone, "You told me once you thought I was lucky to have him as a friend, but what has truly changed that you now wish to condemn him on behalf of all of his kind."

 "You are lucky you are not liable to share in his fate after your deceptions," Vecery reminded the ranger.

 "Speak to him," Aragorn pleaded, "You must know this is wrong. Let him teach you the truth of the Elder, you may be surprised by what you find."

 The King did not speak for several moments, taken aback by the desperate sincerity in Aragorn's words. Finally he turned to Sorinth and asked, "You have spent time with this Legolas, what would you have me do?"

 "If it is my place to say Lord, I would free him unquestionably. I have found him honorable and noble, respectful of all Brelan's laws. He in fact gave himself up willingly when the truth was discovered and I have seen nothing that warrants the prejudices we have been taught go hand in hand with elves. They are different from us, but this we cannot hold against them for it is simply their way. It is nature. I see no reason to punish them for this, no more than we should punish the Oak tree for being different from the Pine," Sorinth said respectfully, though he seemed worried that he had spoken out of place. Aragorn cast him a gracious look and then turned to Lord Vecery, who was in silent contemplation.

 "Bring him before me then," He finally commanded, "I will learn for myself of the Elder."

 Aragorn and Sorinth bowed respectfully and quickly exited the room to retrieve the King's next guest.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

Easily hearing the approaching footsteps Legolas was not surprised when the doors to the throne room opened once more, revealing Aragorn and Sorinth.

"Lord Vecery will see you now," The captain announced as he and Aragorn stepped back into the hall. 

 "How did things go?" Gimli asked, having not been able to hear or see anything.

 "Better than I expected. Sorinth spoke graciously on Legolas's behalf and it is clear that Lord Vecery holds his opinion with high respect," Aragorn reported, clapping Sorinth's shoulder.

 "I did no more than I promised, for that I deserve no undue praise," Sorinth replied, then turned to Legolas. "Come, he does not like to be kept waiting."

 Legolas nodded and turned to his friends, a joyless smile on his face, "Wish me luck." 

 "Good luck my friend, but you shall not need it. You carry your own luck though I know not where you hide it," Gimli said affectionately.

 "Do not anger or underestimate him. Tell him the truth, I believe that will be enough," Aragorn offered as his only words of support. Legolas took them and then followed Sorinth back into the throne room.

 Lord Vecery sat with his head cupped in one hand, seemingly deep in thought and did not look up when the great doors opened once more. Legolas stepped forward, Sorinth close behind.

 "Good evening Lord Vecery," Legolas said politely, bowing his head. The king looked up and almost did not recognize the figure before him. With his elven features revealed Legolas cast a different aura about him, one which spoke of great power and age. Gone were the everyday, ordinary features of a Man and in their place was not someone who simply existed by chance, but a creature that had been _made, created and brought to life with a purpose, with every detail carefully considered and crafted to perfection. It was as if he was from another plane, with eyes that spoke of wisdom and age, but still somehow sparkling with youth. And there was strength. A physical strength that belied the elf's small size, and also a strength of will so pure that it shone. He almost burned with this power; in fact, Lord Vecery noted, the fair hair and skin of the being was casting a light radiance, adding to his etherealness. _

 Lord Vecery berated himself as he was floundered by Legolas's appearance, momentarily forgetting the matter at hand. He was to judge this elf and then decide his fate, and despite all he had been taught about this race while growing up, his first thought had been, "From what heavens came a creature of such wonder?"

 He quickly composed himself, ignoring the elf and his captain's odd stares at his reaction, and stepped down from his throne. In only a few steps he was face to face with his prisoner. Being careful not to make contact with the powerful eyes, Vecery took in the bruises on his face, the bound hands and the way he carried himself, as if in considerable pain. 

 Looking Legolas over he asked, "You are not going to harm me if I have those removed are you?"

 The captive almost chuckled, "No my lord, I assure you I am quite content with the charges already laid upon me, and do not need the assault of a king added to the list."

 Accepting his words the king turned to Sorinth, "Untie him, then you may leave us."

 Sorinth did as asked and gladly cut Legolas free, then smiling his encouragement silently left the room. After he was gone Legolas stood, rubbing his wrists, waiting for the king to make the first move. 

 "I see the rebels were not kind in their treatment of you," Lord Vecery commented, continually pacing around the room and never meeting Legolas's eye.

 "No, they were not but sadly the injuries you see were not caused by the rebels, but by your own guards," Legolas replied, his eyes never leaving the man as he moved.

 "And how did you provoke them into doing such a thing?" The king asked sounding unconcerned.

 Legolas bit back his angry retort and answered, "I did nothing to them. They attacked me for no reason in the middle of the night while I slept."

 "I shall have to speak to them then," Vecery said, his tone flat and void of emotion.

 "Sorinth has said he shall care for the matter," Legolas told him, the heavy feeling of the conversation leaving him.

 "Has he?" Vecery asked, but it was clear he wanted no answer. He finally stopped pacing in front of the elf and said, "I must admit I am at a loss at what I shall do with you."

 "I have broken your law," Legolas said, testing the Man's reaction.

 Vecery just nodded, "Yes, you have, unquestionably. But you have also saved my life."

 "I would have done the same for anyone, I ask no reward for my actions," Legolas said. He knew by saying this he would be dropping his only leverage in the situation but Aragorn had said to tell the Man the truth.

 The king was moved enough to look surprised, then said, "Lord Elessar would have me free you and take your punishment himself."

 Legolas instantly moved forward to protest this action, but Vecery raised a hand before he could, "Do not fear, I would not follow such a course. A man cannot be punished for the crimes of another, it is simply unjust."

 The elf sighed in relief and cursed Aragorn for doing something so foolish, finally understanding why the Man had wished to see Lord Vecery first. 

 "Sorinth also believes you should go free," he added.

 Legolas knew this already and simply nodded, "Sorinth is a good man."

 "Yes, he is. The finest I have," Lord Vecery said almost off hand, thinking deeply. "He trusts you as well, that much is clear for he made no protest to his own King being left unguarded while questioning a dangerous prisoner." The king lapsed into silence once more and turned to sit in his throne.

 Not enjoying the silence Legolas took a step forward and drew the Man's gaze, "Lord Vecery, may I ask you a question?" 

 At the king's nod he asked, "Why do your people hate me?" Pure confusion laced his voice and it was clear that he was in desperate need of an answer. Lord Vecery even looked shock by the question and when he did not answer right away Legolas continued, "What is it about my kind that you could despise; you have never met another before me? We do not seek to harm you or rule you, we do no damage to your crops or your lives. We simply _are_, and yet your country despises us."

 "Does hatred need a reason? Can it not simply exist?" Lord Vecery replied, his voice firm but strangely sad.

 "No. It must have reason, it must have substance or there is nothing to fuel it," Legolas argued, quickly becoming frustrated, "My people have done nothing to you, they once helped you."

 At mention of the alliance so many years past Lord Vecery's face grew red with anger and shot from the chair to stand before the elf.

 "That is where you are gravely mistaken _Legolas_," he spat the name, "The elves betrayed us. We trusted them, with our homes, with our very lives, and they cared enough to let us be slaughtered. It is the reminder of this betrayal that fuels the hatred in Miscalanth. The city square ensures it shall not be forgotten for there stands a monument to all the souls lost in that battle that should have been victory, and instead became massacre."

 "And for this reason all elves are evil in nature?" Legolas asked incredulously, "Every descendant of the Elder should then carry this burden through eternity? If that is what you truly believe then I must have misheard moments ago when you told me 'no Man can be punished for the crimes of another.'"  

 "That is different," Vecery responded unphased.

 "How?"

 The King finally met his gaze, "You are not a Man."

 Legolas sighed in frustration and looked momentarily to the heavens, "Do you not even know the truth of what happened that day?" Legolas asked, his eyes sad for the knowledge that had been kept from this Man. This country.

 "Of course I know, I am King, I know all my country's history. We were betrayed by your kind. They promised to aid us, to help us win our war, and left us to die. We counted on them and they never came," Lord Vecery said fiercely.

 Legolas shut his eyes. Oh Algoral, you know not what you did, he thought. When he opened them he met Vecery's furious gaze.

 "You were betrayed that day by a _single_ elf, one alone in all the thousands. He was your city's chief advisor and he alone promised the aid of his people. Aid they could not with good conscience give. The elf was not right in what he did, he made a promise he could not keep and that did cost lives. But all this hatred, all this fury, over a single elf's unintentional betrayal?" Legolas's heart went out to these people somehow, who did not even properly understand their own past.

 "The ancient tales are right, you are deceitful. You feed me lies you make up as you go," Vecery accused, but Legolas could see that there was doubt in his eyes.

 "I speak the truth as I know it. The elven advisor, his name was Algoral was it not? The one who made such a promise?" Legolas continued, trying to convince the Man.

 "Yes. How do you know this? Lord Elessar said your home was far from here, Mirkwood, that you were not of the Brelan elves," The King accused. He would not be surprised to find the former ranger had lied as well.

 "I am not, but I have been to your archives and was able to read your ancient scrolls. The ones no one living in Brelan can read. They speak of your history and the truth of what happened millennia ago," Legolas told him.

 "Lies!"

 "It is the truth! The elves were not your enemy, but they did not feel it right to take sides in a battle that did not involve them. They could not offer you aid, Algoral disagreed and he made a mistake, a mistake which has haunted Miscalanth for centuries." Legolas was emphatic now, "Lord Vecery, your country has carried this burden of hate for so long its shoulders must be weakening. Let this hatred die, let your people have true peace. Peace in their minds and their souls, for none can be at harmony with themselves while they carry so much hate, unbridled."

 "Even if I were to do this, if I somehow believe you, then what of yourself? Do you feel you are undeserving of punishment? You enter my country under rouse of disguise, you lie to me outright, steal from our archives and then use us to your own means of finding this Stone of Malinya. Should nothing be done of you?" Vecery asked. He thought the elf would claim himself free of all crimes and was surprised when Legolas answered:

 "I did do these things, I broke your laws knowingly, but in this case I believe the possible rewards of my actions were worth the risk. We found the Stone and though it is now lost, with it we could have brought peace to Middle-Earth. Peace to _every country, __every race. There would be no more war, no more hatred or distrust; the land would be in harmony and there would be balance. It was with this goal in mind that I set out on this quest and decided I would do whatever necessary to make it true. I deceived you, yes, and I am sorry, but you cannot deny that there was no other way to enter your country. And if I am to be punished for this, then so be it, but I do not think you are a Man who would reprimand another for wanting peace."_

 "The Stone could truly do this?" For a moment the king forgot his hatred as he was taken in by the passion and sorrow in Legolas's words and he found himself sharing the same dream as the elf.

 "Yes, its power was great. It once united all of Middle-Earth but that time has long since passed and now will never come again. I fear our lands and our people are on their own to make peace," Legolas commented sadly. Both Man and Elf were silent for a long time, lost in their own thoughts and memories. Peace; such a cherished thing but so easily lost, just as the Stone of Malinya had been. 

 Finally Lord Vecery pulled himself from his thoughts and faced Legolas, who was now closer to the far wall staring out a window into the busy streets. _This is no evil creature, Vecery thought to himself, _it is as if the very heavens shine upon him and his words are pure, without restraint or falsehood. How could I condemn a being who feels so deeply? It is as though the lost chance at peace was a dagger to his heart.__

 Feeling his gaze upon him Legolas turned to the king, whose eyes had slowly softened with understanding over the course of their talk. Legolas knew he had reached the Man and waited only for the words from his own mouth.

 "I am told you aided in the capture of the rebels," Lord Vecery commented suddenly, clearly wishing the situation elaborated on. Legolas nodded, understanding that the Man needed to know of all that he had done while in Brelan.

 "It was Aragorn and Sorinth who are to be given the most credit. I simply led the way to their camp before they were able to escape, for my eyes can see clearly even on the blackest nights," Legolas replied.

 "That is how you alone spotted the assassins who made an attempt on my life," Lord Vecery concluded. The elf nodded. "It seems you are of many talents _Master Elf." The term was not lost to Legolas, it was the only time thus far the King had acknowledged him with any form of true respect. He smiled in gratitude. _

 "Many talents indeed," Smiling in return the King suddenly rose from his throne and strode towards the large doors at the end of the room. Opening them wide, he asked the hall's surprised occupants, "Would you all join us for a moment?"

 Sorinth instinctually walked by his King's side upon entry while Aragorn and Gimli made their way closer to Legolas, unasked questions on their lips. Legolas simply smiled at them, indicating all had gone well. Nothing was said until Lord Vecery made his way back to his throne and then turned, addressing them all.

 "I have spoken at great lengths with Legolas and I believe I now see how he has so swayed the mind of my captain. Hatred is a horrible thing, though sometimes justified, but it is clear to me now that hatred must have a reason, and I admittedly have no reason to hate the being before me as I once thought for no one should be punished for the crimes of another. I wish to speak more with each of you but first I feel you must know that you shall all be allowed to leave Brelan, free and unharmed, for it seems to me you have all suffered enough during your stay here."

 The announcement was met with smiles of gratitude and an exuberant "yes!" from an enthusiastic dwarf. Legolas and Aragorn contained themselves slightly better and bowed with humble acceptance.

 "Thank you Lord Vecery, you will not regret this," Aragorn promised, eternally relieved by the announcement. He honestly had not known how he would have reacted if the outcome had been different, if Legolas had been sentenced to death by these people simply for existing.

 "See that I don't," The king replied, but looked at Legolas. The elf smiled assuringly, as if promising the Man he had done the right thing. "I would also invite you to return, but I can not assure you of a festive welcoming from the public."

 "We understand," Legolas said, his voice sounding oddly strained to the King.

 "My lord, if I may, the past few days have been very trying and I'm sure our guests could use some rest," Sorinth suggested. 

 "Of course, your rooms are where you left them and at your disposal. We shall meet again at this evening's meal where we can discuss your actions and our future as allies in greater detail," Vecery said in dismissal and sat down in his throne once more as he watched the trio leave. Aragorn placed a hand on Legolas's shoulder in joyous congratulation and Gimli walked slightly ahead of the two, rambling wildly about never having any doubts. The King smiled as they left and then noticed he was not alone. Sorinth stood by his side, having also watched the group leave, a slight grin adorning his face as well.

 "What do you find so entertaining Sorinth?" Vecery asked. He turned as if startled and smiled again.

 "Their friendship, it is very strong. If circumstances had turned out differently they would have fought to the death for each other, of that I am sure," Sorinth commented.

 "From the little I've heard of this adventure you had, they already have."

 Sorinth nodded and then turned to his king quite seriously, "Why did you release him?" he asked, sounding only curious and in no way disappointed. 

 "I could not condemn him. I owe him my life," Vecery explained.

 "But there is more to it than that," Sorinth said, knowing he was now prying.

 "Yes there is," Vecery replied, and dropped his head in thought, "He is so very different from all we have been taught elves are. By your own words, he is noble and respectful, a being that seems above others and knows it not. His words held only compassion and truth, as did his eyes, and as hard as I tried, I could not hold onto my hatred for long."

 "Then perhaps we have both been bewitched by the power of the elves, for the same thing happened to me." Sorinth announced.

 Vecery chuckled softly, "Perhaps."

 Feeling the conversation was over Sorinth began to leave, knowing there was much to be done around the castle. Just as he reached the doors Lord Vecery gave him one final order.

 "Oh, and Sorinth see that the guards that attacked him are no longer in my service by the hour's end. And ensure they will find no work in this city above that of a stable boy's assistant."

 Sorinth gladly took on the order, bowed in acquiescence, and left the chamber as Lord Vecery strode to stare out the window once more, still contemplating the truth about elves and all that had just happened.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 Gimli could not stop smiling as the group left the king's chamber, triumphant. They had somehow avoided catastrophe once more and he wondered briefly just how thin they had run their supply of luck these past few days.

 Once the doors shut behind them the dwarf turned to Legolas and asked, "What in Valar's name did you say to that Man? From what we had been told he despises your kind more than you do pipeweed."

 Legolas's eyes sparkled mischievously as he replied simply, "I merely told him the truth, as Aragorn suggested."

 Beside him Aragorn made an uncharacteristic huff, drawing the attention of both, "It is unfortunate we had not tried it sooner, we may have saved ourselves a _great deal of trouble."_

 "Well what you call trouble, I call adventure," Gimli remarked. "Looking back it has all been quite exhilarating."

 "If that is the case, then Gimli you may keep your adventure and have any that passes my way as well, at least for the time being," Legolas promised, then turned to Aragorn. "As for the truth, I fear Lord Vecery would not have listened if it were brought to him sooner. Sometimes even truth cannot bring about reason; he had to discover for himself what we already knew."

 "And what is that? That Elves aren't worth their salt in battle?" Gimli joked good-naturedly. 

 "Gimli, I have defeated you time and time again in battle, must I truly beat you once more before you will admit to who is the better fighter?" Legolas asked, easily taking the jibe.

"I suppose you shall," Gimli remarked, still walking slightly ahead of the two. Legolas appeared about to reply but he had momentarily forgotten about his weakened condition and it suddenly caught up with him. His body strained beyond its limits, he stumbled slightly when he caught his foot on a slight incline of the floor. He was able to stay upright but slammed into the nearest wall, easily losing his breath as pain crashed through him, from his bruised shoulders to his broken ribs. A loud gasp escaped him and thankfully Aragorn reached his side and steadied him before he dropped to the ground.

 "I am fine," Legolas announced in a quick breath, attempting to deflect any help or sympathy he may receive. Aragorn and Gimli shared a brief look of concern and understanding, then, when he knew he would stay upright, Aragorn released his friend's arm and slowly backed away.

 Closing his eyes briefly and taking a deep breath as he waited for the pain to pass, Legolas straightened and made a show of stepping away from the wall on his own power.

 "I believe these last few days have taken a toll on us all. We should each retire to our rooms for some rest." The suggestion was made by Aragorn but clearly directed towards all of them. The cheerful mood of the group had quickly disappeared at the reminder of the hatred and cruelty shown to them in this country. Gimli nodded in agreement, as did Legolas who had to fight down the urge wrap an arm around his ribcage. 

 "I believe our quarters are just around this hallway," Gimli offered, leading the way and deliberately keeping the pace slow. 

 Legolas and Aragorn followed, with the Man staying close to the Elf's side. No words were shared for long moments. Hating that this country's loathing had ruined their minor victory Aragorn finally broke the silence by pointing out, "The quarrel between you two is foolish you know."

 The surprised and curious glances he received from his friends was enough to prompt him on; he shrugged his shoulders casually, "Everyone knows Men are the most superior warriors on the battlefields."

 With identical outcries of denial from his companions, Aragorn had successfully re-established the argument, which continued heatedly until they reached their quarters.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 It was only when their rooms were in sight that the friends realized how exhausted they truly were. The last few days had been filled with nothing but worries, pain, attacks and more worries on top of that and none of them had received any true sleep since the Stone had been found. Legolas immediately started for his room, silently eager to rest and give his wounds time to heal but he found Aragorn was directly on his heels. He turned around to face the Man and gave him an inquisitive look.

 "I will not keep you from your rest Legolas but I do wish to properly look over your injuries, if only briefly." Aragorn requested, sincere and professional. The proud elf bit back his retort of being fine, knowing that his friends knew differently. With a reluctant nod he opened the door and allowed him access into his room.

 "Very well." 

 When they entered the room Legolas sat upon the bed and removed his tunic so Aragorn could cut away the old bandages. The Man somehow managed not to flinch or show any expression of pity as he saw the extent of the elf's injuries. The night before the bruising had been fresh and hardly noticeable in the darkness, but during the last few hours they had darkened fully, which Aragorn knew they must do before they healed, but the contusions created a horrible collage of pain across Legolas's bare chest and he felt his anger rise again unbidden. 

 "Are you healing well?" The man asked as he reapplied the bandages to his friend's ribcage. The bruises he could nothing for, but at least he could slightly care for the broken bones.

 "Yes, I should be well in a day or so," Legolas replied exaggerating slightly. He then undid the wrapping on his broken fingers and flexed them, finding they worked quite well now. Aragorn nodded as he finished up the wrapping and tried to ignore the gasp of pain from his patient, knowing any sympathy he offered would not be taken well by the elf's pride. When he was done he quickly mixed a cup of water with several herbs from his pack and forced the elf to drink it, insisting it would help with the pain.

 "Thank you my friend," Legolas said sincerely afterwards, attempting to show his appreciation for all that had been done for him over these past few days.

 "It is my pleasure Legolas. Now get some rest, and save your strength," Aragorn instructed, falling back into the role of a healer.

 "That had been my plan until you insisted I undergo your ministrations," Legolas pointed out.

 "Well it was a good plan while it lasted. I will retire now as well for these past days have been tiring," Aragorn explained as he approached the door.

 "More so than many would believe," Legolas commented, "Good night."

 "Actually, I believe it is still close to morning," Aragorn pointed out with a smile and then was gone.

 Legolas smiled as well and then slowly lowered himself onto the bed, breathing a long sigh of relief. Almost instantly he fell into a deep slumber, deeper than his dreamscape, into a sleep where there were no images or feelings, just a neutral void that brought no pain and allowed his body to rest completely. While in such a state he would heal quickly and hopefully regain his strength. After so many days being injured and tired, it was good to finally rest. 

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~

 Aragorn sat silently by Legolas's bed, his expression full of concern as he dipped his cloth in the water beside him and then gently placed it on the elf's forehead. Legolas awoke at his touch, confused and unsteady from too much sleep.

 "Aragorn what are you …"

 "Rest my friend, you are running a fever," Aragorn explained curtly, hoping his friend would fall back into his slumber. 

 Legolas looked out the window and noticed the sun had disappeared, "How long have I been asleep?"

 "Since just before mid-day, after your speech with Lord Vecery. It is now well into the night, morning comes in a few hours." Aragorn replied, removing the cloth from his forehead. He had been worried that the elf's abused body would be susceptible to fever and attempted to fight it off with the use of his herbal remedies but that had failed. When he had awoken late that afternoon from his own needed rest he had found Legolas in the deepest of sleeps with the highest of fevers and had stayed by his side since.

 "I do not need a nurse maid Aragorn, you should rest as well," Legolas admonished him. 

 Aragorn shook his head, "I have already rested well, unlike yourself. Here, sit up and try to eat something."

 Suddenly feeling hungry Legolas did as asked and gratefully took the plate Aragorn offered. While he ate the meal he became frustrated to discover that he was almost as weak as he had been when he first laid down, with the fever stealing his energy, but at least his bones were mending and his bruises were quickly fading, as well as the pain they brought.

 When he ate as much as he could for the time being he laid back down, feeling a strong weariness in his bones. 

 "Sleep my friend, all will be well in time," Aragorn assured him as he began to fall into sleep once more.

 "How can you be so sure?" Legolas asked even as his consciousness slipped away.

 Aragorn smiled as if the answer should be as obvious as day, "Have you not noticed Legolas? Through all our adventures and all the obstacles we go through, everything is always alright in the end."

 Legolas did not disagree as sleep claimed him.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 The night was filled with strange dreams of lost treasures and delusions that caused the elf to thrash wildly in his sleep. Aragorn and Gimli stayed with him constantly with Sorinth and Lord Vecery even stopping by to check on his health. Legolas's fever began to rise rapidly at mid-day, and he mumbled silently in Elvish as his delirious mind plagued him with images and memories. Gimli was confused that the elf had fallen ill, having never known Legolas to be sick before. Aragorn explained that it was very rare and most likely due to the poison Legolas had been exposed to earlier in their journey; it was still quite fresh in his system and undoubtedly had some effect on the elf's immunity to illness.

 Aragorn constantly spoke to their friend in his delirium; he calmed him and cared for him as only one accustomed to the Elder could. It was under his care that the fever finally broke later that evening.

 "He will be fine," Aragorn told a relieved Gimli. "I think at last he can start to heal from all that has happened."

 "I hope so Aragorn, I truly do" was all Gimli said on the matter.

 The three stayed in Brelan for several more days. Legolas was forcibly bed-ridden for a day by Gimli and Aragorn to recover his strength, but after that he was free to walk the halls and gardens of the palace which he could be seen frequently doing. The garden was in bloom with flowers lining the walkways and a pristine fountain at its center. Its beauty could not match that of any Elven garden but it was tranquil enough that Legolas could lose himself to his thoughts and during his many hours there he came to terms with all that had happened, and tried to decide upon his true feelings of Men and of prejudice. 

 After he was assured of his friend's health Aragorn spent many hours with Lord Vecery, discussing the still possible alliance between their lands. Though it would not be easy due to the distance it seemed the two countries would be able to compliment each other, and at the very least not be enemies. 

 Gimli found Brelan enjoyable after his tension eased away from their tiring adventures. Most of the public was still quite fond of the Dwarf and enjoyed hearing his tales, which he never tired of telling. During the day he would feast with the local townsfolk and at night he would usually seek out Legolas and they would talk for many hours. 

 Strangely enough Miscalanth returned to normal quite quickly. As the rebels were found and jailed the town became a more joyous, carefree place to live. The king continued with his duties and the town folk continued on with their lives. There was no outcry for the death of the Elf that had entered their kingdom, in fact there was no one speaking of Elves at all. It seemed that Lord Vecery, with all the power his position allowed had somehow managed to keep Legolas's identity hidden from the rest of Brelan, but as the days passed Aragorn had a feeling they should leave before word somehow got out.

 It was not until their last night in Brelan that the three companions met together on Aragorn's balcony. For a time they silently watched the sun set beyond the horizon but eventually they spoke and their speech was heavy with its burden. They discussed the hatred of Brelan, forced out of Legolas what had truly happened during his time with the rebels, they spoke of hope for Brelan and its people and finally they breached the subject that none had wished to truly speak of, the Stone of Malinya.

 "Its beauty was incredible," Aragorn remarked, remembering the inner shine of the Stone that had put the passing sunset to shame.

 "Aye, it was truly a remarkable treasure, in sight and in power," Gimli added.

 "I wish only that we could have shared that beauty, that power. We did our best I know," Aragorn said at length, "and none are to blame but Risorine for its loss, but I cannot help but feel that we have robbed Middle-Earth of its only chance for lasting peace. And that would have been such an incredible thing to see, to live in."

 "But would it not have been tainted?" Legolas asked, speaking openly about the Stone for the first time.

 Not understanding what he meant, Aragorn asked, "How could peace be tainted?"

 Legolas shrugged as if he did not know but replied, "I cannot remove the words of the Elves of this land from my mind. They hid the Stone because they did not approve of its use. They said, 'Peace and love should be something shared willingly, without help, not forced upon races by the power of the Elves.' After careful thought, I cannot help but agree with them. Peace is best when it comes naturally."

 "But is peace not desirable, no matter what the cause?" Gimli asked, not sure he agreed with his friend.

 "Not always. What if peace only came through destruction? Two countries go to war, the only way for peace is either a truce between the countries or the annihilation of the enemy." Aragorn said, following what Legolas meant. "Though war is never sought, in the end, peace arises. But if two countries are at war, if they have a conflict that cannot be sorted out, then the Stone could bring a peace to these countries that they may not agree to."

 "Exactly. Though it may not be desirable every country and race must be free to do things their own way, live their lives as they will. Is it really our decision to make whether or not to force peace on people, if they are not yet ready or willing to accept it?" Legolas asked, but his voice implied that he still wasn't sure as to the actual answer.

 "Perhaps it is not for us to decide, but it would have been nice to be given the option, Gimli said, after some thought.

 "Yes Gimli, but peace by natural means somehow feels more fulfilling. For example, I have a feeling that eventually no Elf shall have to fear entering Brelan's borders, but it shall take time. Time, trust, and faith." Legolas pointed out, "It seems clear to me that peace is something you have to fight for, or at least work for. True and lasting peace cannot be granted on a magical whim."

 Aragorn was silent. He had never thought of the situation in that way. Perhaps the Elves had had a point, and the Stone's loss was more a blessing than a curse. After all, their time here looking for it had brought only pain and suffering to everyone that knew of its existence. Even though he wasn't sure of everything yet, the thought did help to ease his heart from the loss.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 Aragorn and his company rose with the morning sun the next day. By the time they had broken their fast the horses were laden with their baggage and the final farewells were being said. As Aragorn's guards mounted and prepared to move out, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli stood together before the King of Brelan.

 "Your visit has been most interesting Lord Elessar. We owe you a debt of gratitude for your aid in capturing the rebels that have plagued our city for these past years," Lord Vecery said sincerely in their parting.

 "It was our pleasure, we are glad we could be of assistance. Hopefully we shall meet again in the not too distant future," Aragorn bid him. The older Man smiled and inclined his head in agreement, then turned to elf at his side.

 "And you I owe my life, as well as my gratitude for shedding the truth about our past. I believe in time my country can be taught to see the folly of their ways, and I will do all I can to ensure it." Legolas was pleased by the sincerity in the Man's voice.

 "That is my great hope as well," the elf replied just as sincerely.

 Addressing the entire group now the King said, "I look forward to the day of all of your returns, for as long as I reign you will be welcome in Brelan."

 "Thank you Lord Vecery," Gimli replied. Just then Sorinth trotted over on his own steed.

 "We must move out shortly," He informed them sounding apologetic. The group nodded, bowed one final time in reverence to Lord Vecery and then turned to mount up. 

 Legolas looked through the crowd of horses and was not hard pressed to spot Jarinel struggling against the stable keeper who was trying to keep him steady. Knowing what a handful the horse could be he jogged forward to calm the beast until he saw just who the stable keeper was. Legolas's wounds had healed days ago so the elf walked with no pain or appearance of injury. With this in mind he casually approached Jarinel, a smirk playing at his lips.

 "Greetings Tolson," Legolas said exuberantly, surprising the former guard turned stable boy. Tolson spun around, having not heard his approach, and his face showed clear contempt. "How is your wrist?" Legolas asked, sounding mock concerned.

 The Man knew the question was really a taunt and replied with his own smirk, "It is fine. How is your … everything?" Practically every part of Legolas's body had been injured in some way after the assault by Tolson and his friends.

 "Oh, I am quite well," Legolas said cheerfully. He still had not received his retribution from that attack. Lashing out suddenly the elf struck the Man straight across the jaw, never giving him a chance to defend himself. It was a knock out shot and Tolson landed bonelessly on the ground, unconscious. Legolas shook his knuckles out, feeling very satisfied, "Quite well indeed."

 Gimli walked up then, gave his friend a curious glance then saw who he had struck. A true chuckle escaped the Dwarf's lips when he saw the unconscious Man, then he clapped his friend on the shoulder in congratulations and in an attempt to get him mounted and on his way. 

 "Do you feel better?" The dwarf asked unnecessarily.

 "Yes," Legolas smiled brightly, took a final look at his unimpressive opponent and then leapt gracefully onto Jarinel's back. Gimli was up shortly afterwards and the two trotted off to join the others near the far gate. 

 Aragorn had seen all that happened and when they approached gave Legolas a questioning glare. The elf merely shrugged and replied, "I do not need everyone in Brelan to welcome me back."

 "No, I suppose not," Aragorn admitted and made no more of the matter. Sorinth came up beside them.

 "If you are ready we should be off," He suggested and no one disagreed. The large group set out, away from Miscalanth and started the long journey back to Gondor, which they hoped held fewer surprises than before. Sorinth and his Men would accompany the group for several days, ensuring they were well on their way and in the right direction, and then return to Miscalanth. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas were pleased to spend several more days with the Man and had been assured that the guards that accompanied them had no personal quarrels against Elves that he knew of. Either way, Aragorn's guard greatly outnumbered Sorinth's in this instance so there was little worry for Legolas's safety from their escort.

 The weather was good that day, a beautiful sunny sky was all that could be seen through the lush green treetops and birds and other wildlife were everywhere. It was a perfect day to travel. And travel they did. They made good time for the first few days with the group interacting well and the weather holding nicely. At night they all talked and joked around the fire, and during the day they talked and joked while riding. All together the entire environment was very relaxed, with the foreigners eager and happy to head home and the guards pleased with having such an easy assignment. The memory and pain of the past week seemed to leave everyone for the time as they enjoyed their journey.

 Legolas had been most pleased with their progress. Now that his identity was no longer a secret he could walk and speak freely, without fear of discovery, and he found no hostility in any of his companions. His friends treated him as always, Aragorn's guards were quite used to Elven company so paid him no extra mind, and Sorinth had indeed picked his Men well for none seemed too overly worried about what he truly was. Surprised at first, but otherwise uncaring. Legolas even found himself getting along quite well with them. Though he knew he would always have dark memories of Brelan, memories and feelings he could not banish, he soon thought that he may also have some good ones as well. He may also have some new friends, which he would greatly cherish.

 It was on the fifth day of their journey, early in the morning, that Legolas found himself pulled from his thoughts by a soft and impatient whinnying beside him. Turning around he found Jarinel pawing playfully at the ground. It was clear he was eager to continue on, enjoying galloping along with his master, but they were not to set out for several hours more.

 "Calm down Jarinel. We are not to leave for some time yet," Legolas told the horse apologetically. Jarinel neighed in dismay. The elf chuckled, "Very well, I will take you for a short ride to the southern valley we passed last night, but no more." The horse was all too pleased and leaped in joy. Smiling, Legolas mounted him, told Aragorn of his destination and then was gone. 

~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|

 The camp had been packed away and the Brelan men were ready to leave the company and return home, confident the group would be able to return to Minas Tirith safely from their current location. The men of Brelan were all mounted and saying their final good-byes and Gimli was reminded of their departure of Miscalanth only days before. He and Aragorn stood before Sorinth, wishing him luck in all his prospects.

 "It has been an honor to know both of you, for I have learned much from you all, about friendship and loyalty, as well as hatred," Sorinth said, almost smiling and shaking both their hands.

 "I have enjoyed our time together as well, Brelan is lucky to have men such as you," Aragorn told him.

 "Aye, a few more of your sort would have been a great help to us indeed," Gimli replied, also knowing he would miss the man that had helped them so much.

 "Warriors such as yourselves I fear need no one else to aid them, but thank you," Sorinth said then looked around sadly. "Where is Legolas, I had wished to say good-bye to him as well."

 Aragorn once more pushed down the worry he had felt for some time, "I do not know, he left several hours ago with Jarinel and has yet to return."

 "We really must be going, perhaps you could tell him … well, just tell him it has been an honor, truly. I have never known another such as him." Sorinth remarked. Aragorn smiled, nodded, and Gimli pointed behind them.

 "Ah, it seems you shall have to tell him yourself, here he comes."

 Indeed Legolas was returning proudly on Jarinel's back, smiling widely at the sight of his friends. He was also soaking wet.

 "What in Valar's name happened to you?" Gimli asked when the elf approached and dismounted.

 Legolas looked at himself, as if just noticing his soggy state, "Oh, Jarinel found a river and insisted I join him for a swim." He explained as he patted down the horse's damp hair.

 Aragorn chuckled and shook his head, glad to see his friend back in good spirits after so long being lost in dark thoughts. Gimli just mumbled 'crazy elf' and said no more on the matter. 

 "We lost track of time," Legolas continued then turned to Sorinth, "You are leaving us then?"

 "Aye, I must return to my King for there is much to be done about these rebels, thanks to you all." 

 "I understand. It has been an honor to know you Sorinth, thank you for all you have done, and all I know you will do in the future. Perhaps someday our paths will cross again," Legolas proposed, shaking the Man's hand.

 "One can only hope. And thank you, for teaching us the true ways of the Eldar. It is a lesson I will be sure to spread and teach," Sorinth assured them. 

 "Of that I have no doubt," Legolas replied, meaning it fully. 

 Sorinth said a final good-bye, mounted his steed along with his Men and then set off. After a few yards he stopped, turned to the three companions and saluted, then he was gone, the last remnant of Brelan removed from their lives.

 "I wonder if we shall see him again," Gimli pondered aloud.

 "He is probably wondering the same of us," Aragorn responded.

 "There is no way to know now, but I should like to come back some day and see if Brelan truly can change their ways and attitudes," Gimli said.

 "It would be interesting indeed, I should like to join you on that quest," Aragorn offered, which Gimli gladly accepted. Legolas stood silently beside them, staring at the deserted road leading to Miscalanth with a small smile on his face.

 "What of you Master Elf, would you return to this land to discover its fate?" Gimli asked.

 Legolas turned to them, an almost knowing look on his face, "I have no need to come back. Brelan will have peace, for they will not wish to hold onto an unfueled hate if not necessary. No my friends, I think Brelan will be quite fine on its own. But I will still accompany you if you so wish to return."

 "You seem extremely sure about Brelan's fate," Gimli commented, somewhat surprised by the elf's comments.

 Legolas smirked, "Elvish intuition, something a dwarf would have no hope in comprehending."

 "If that is true the reason is most likely because it makes no sense at all, as does everything of Elvish nature," Gimli retorted.

 Aragorn rolled his eyes, knowing the coming fight would be long and quite amusing. Taking their shoulders he turned them both forcibly around, away from Brelan.

 "Come my friends, you may finish this discussion once we are home," Aragorn suggested. And that is just what they did. They went home, happily and better friends and people than when they set out.

The end.

Want a little more?????? Well you're in luck cause if this was a DVD you would have just reached the Deleted Scenes section. After I finished this story I thought of another ending I liked a lot, so I wrote it and made it for a little special something. If you liked the way the story ended, then don't bother, it's only a little thing. But the One Ring was a little thing and look what it did.

Either way, thanks for reading. I worked really hard on this fic, so please review, tell me what you think, what you liked and how I can improve. I can take criticism quite well I think. 

Robinyj

The Stone of Malinya: Deleted Scene (Takes place in the final chapter, right after Legolas leaves the group with Jarinel.)

Legolas breathed in deeply, enjoying the fresh smell of the forest and catching the faint scent of water nearby. He and Jarinel were galloping through an open valley, with no true destination, just for the sensation of flying that came with the great speeds the horse was capable of. Technically they were supposed to be helping their companions prepare to set out on their own back to Gondor, since their Brelan escort was returning home, but it had been some time since the two had been able to roam aimlessly through the forest and they gladly took hold of the opportunity. Legolas knew that though Jarinel would take some time to tire, the sun's warm rays that day had to be uncomfortable for the horse.

 "I believe there is water nearby my friend, should we go in search of it?" Legolas asked. Jarinel clearly responded in the positive when he brought himself up on two legs with a short whinny. The elf smiled and pushed him ahead.

 They trotted through the woods for only a short time before they came to a calm river that cut the forest in two. Jarinel neighed in delight and shot forward, eager to not only drink but jump into the refreshing water. Just before he reached the shore Legolas removed himself from his back, not feeling it necessary to get soaked just yet. Jarinel splashed in the water happily, kicking up large waves in an attempt to get the elf wet as well. For his part the archer was content to watch the horse have its fun for now, they still had some time until they had to return to the campsite after all. But Jarinel had other ideas. Trotting out of the water the horse stood before his master and shook out his mane, making Legolas laugh as droplets of water cascaded over him from head to toe.

 "Very well, I will join you," he finally conceded when the horse did not stop. Jarinel began to happily head back to the water while Legolas removed his weapons and placed them carefully on the ground, he then undid his boots and began to remove his tunic when Jarinel became impatient. Grabbing the elf's sleeve with his jaws the horse bodily dragged him towards the water. Legolas was too busy laughing to really protest and quickly found himself waist deep in the river.

 "I hope you are quite happy now," Legolas remarked as he stood up. Jarinel splashed him once more to show him he was. Now fully soaked the elf knew he would have to play along and began to swim away, out of the horse's reach. 

 "You shall have to do better than that if …" Legolas did not finish his thought as a strange feeling suddenly came over him. It was a great mixture of joy and warmth, and though he was enjoying himself with Jarinel he knew that was not the cause. He realized it was a feeling he had felt before.

 "No, that is impossible," He tried to tell himself, but it was all too possible. If this river was connected to the one near the rebels' base it was extremely possible, even likely. A sense of hope and dread filling him, he decided he had to know for sure. Legolas took a deep breath and disappeared below the water's surface. 

 The river was clean and shallow at this junction, as well as calm; the current was of no worry to him. He swam near the bottom, his sharp gaze taking in every detail of the riverbed. Eventually he had to come up for air, but he quickly dove down again, intent to follow the strange feeling. Again he found nothing.

 When he dove for the third time he went slightly farther upstream and found a bed of rocks along the bottom. He pushed himself forward and was almost blinded by his discovery. There, trapped between two large stones and shining with all its intensity was the Stone of Malinya. 

 Legolas almost gasped and pulled a small amount of water into his lungs. Needing to resurface quickly he made a powerful final stroke and reached the Stone. Grasping it tightly he made his way to the surface once more. Coughing slightly he swam back to the shore he had long ago left behind and, ignoring the still playful horse, trudged to the shallow water. He did not even make it to dry land, instead he just sat near the river's edge, in water deep enough to reach his knees while sitting, and stared at the Stone of Malinya.

 "Its beauty is greater than I remembered," the elf whispered as he gazed into its depth. Despite the fall it had taken and punishment it must have suffered while in the water, the Stone was still perfect, uncracked and smooth as crystal. From inside the same light glowed its myriad of beautiful colors, overpowering most people's thoughts with its beauty. But now the question Legolas had to answer was what to do with it. 

 "It cannot be by chance alone that the Stone came to me," Legolas knew and wondered what reason the fates would have for taunting him with such a gift. If it had been Aragorn or Gimli the answer would be simple, take the Stone and bring peace to the lands forever. But Legolas had begun to think differently of the Stone. He had told Aragorn that peace that came naturally was the best kind of all, and he believed that. The Stone of Malinya was powerful but he now began to think the Elves of old had been arrogant to create such a power that could bring peace to wherever they wished it. To have harmony in the land there must be effort and struggle put forth, and it is through that struggle that lives are bettered and relationships strengthened. If there is no struggle, how can there be any true reward?

 At this point and time Legolas did not even believe that the Stone was needed anywhere in Middle-Earth. The Enemy was destroyed, Elves and Dwarves were beginning to trust each other once more, though many of the Eldar were leaving for the Gray Havens, and Gondor stood strong as a nation of Men, with no enemies in all directions. Even Brelan was now free from controversy, having succeeded in stopping the rebels that plagued them, and having learned the truth about elves and their past. For what purpose could the Stone be used in this time, where peace and amity were managing on their own?

 "Well, it makes a lovely decoration," Legolas finally decided. And he knew what he must do. The lands of Middle-Earth were not in chaos, they were in harmony. The lands and the races had fought hard and earned the calm in which they lived, and the elf truly believed that the knowledge and return of Malinya's Stone would only cause controversy and pain once more, as it had done in Brelan. 

 He could not return this treasure to the people of Middle-Earth, he could not even tell Aragorn or any one else of its recovery. The Stone had great power, but even it could not control the battles that may be fought over it.

 And as Legolas thought these thoughts, decided his course of action, the Stone was feeling everything he was. Having been cured by it, holding it as he now did connected him directly to its power, and when his hands began to tingle he looked directly into its core. A light beam emerged and caught him directly in the eyes, blinding in its intensity, but the elf did not flinch or turn away, instead he somehow understood that he had to look deeper. And the deeper he looked the more he saw.

 He saw a land that he instinctually knew to be Brelan, and as he looked closer he could see the Castle of Hileris, and sitting on the King's throne was not Lord Vecery, but a Man of just as wise an age who cast a familiar face. It was Sorinth, many years from now, ruling Miscalanth in his final years. Around the king were advisors, captains of the guard, counselors from the senate, tax collectors from the treasury, and elves. Dressed in fine robes as only honoured visitors would wear, the unknown Eldar bowed to Sorinth, who returned the gesture and invited them to sit with him in a place of honor. As the image pulled away Legolas could see that throughout Brelan there was peace and happiness. 

 The image pulled away farther and Legolas saw more; Middle-Earth, all of it. And it was beautiful. There was no war, no hatred and no hunger. Everything was as it should be, everyone was content, everywhere there was peace. 

 The pictures faded but their impressions in Legolas would last a lifetime. The Stone's power was greater than any of them had thought, for it had the power to see the very future, which it had shown him. And as the visions blurred away Legolas knew that the Stone had done exactly what was necessary. Legolas had thought that Aragorn, Gimli and himself had been responsible for the peace in Brelan, the rebels' capture and the diminished hatred of elves, but he now understood that it had been the Stone, the object they had come searching for that put all the events into motion. It had had a plan all along, and now that plan was finished. 

 As Malinya's Stone withdrew their connection, he knew that its work was done. The light from its core began to fade and the surface hardened and became cold until eventually Legolas held only a rock. Nothing more. 

 A smile graced his features; he understood now that the Stone had had a greater plan all along, as preposterous as that sounded. In the end there was peace, natural and well earned, and it would remain for some time. Chuckling softly Legolas took a final look at the rock he now held and threw it back into the water, watching as it sunk to the bottom until a time when it was perhaps needed again. He rose from the water, taking no notice of his damp state and whistled for Jarinel. It was time to return to his friends, his family, and leave Brelan to reach its fate on its own.

 The elf rode back to camp, his smile never fading, knowing that he must never tell anyone of what he saw or did, but knew that he would take great comfort from it for some time. How could one not be comforted by peace, after all?

The end (really)

Hope you liked it. 


End file.
