Chapter 6
“Legolas,
no!” Haldir cried out in alarm. He couldn’t believe
what he was hearing, that Legolas would prefer to be a spirit
in Middle-Earth rather than a whole being in Valinor. “Don’t
you realise what you’re saying?! You’d be dead in
the very truest sense of the word!” Legolas turned away
from Elbereth and gently gripped his friend’s arms.
“Haldir, please try to understand – I have to do
this. Until I know that all is well with those that I hold most
dear, I will never find peace in Valinor. My heart is already
a ghost my friend, now my physical from will merely reflect
that.” Haldir shook his head in denial.
“Legolas….” He wanted to say something - anything
that might convince the Prince to change his mind. But the words
failed to come, as he looked deep into his friend’s eyes.
He saw the pain and despair in the crystal-blue orbs and he
knew that Legolas was right. He turned his face away; his eyes
burning with unshed tears. Legolas had been his friend for millennia;
it hurt to see him go, perhaps forever.
“I’m sorry Haldir.” Legolas said quietly.
He hated to hurt his friend, but Haldir was safe, he knew that.
His friends back in Middle-Earth were not.
“What will I tell your mother?” Haldir asked softly.
Legolas sighed.
“Tell her the truth. That I’m sorry I had to leave
and that I love her. I think she will understand.” He
smiled. “I will miss you my friend.”
Haldir gripped Legolas’ arm tightly. “And I you,
Legolas. I hope you find what you are looking for.” Legolas
returned the grip.
“Thank you.” Then he turned back to face Elbereth.
He met her gaze and spoke without a trace of hesitation. “I
am ready.”
The Queen of the Stars nodded almost imperceptibly. “Very
well, Prince of Mirkwood. If that is your decision, I shall
see it done. But know this – Should your heart find peace,
you will be returned safely to Valinor. However, should you
fall into darkness, you will be forever lost to us. You must
be careful, there is a great shadow moving towards those lands,
a shadow that would consume your soul without hesitation.”
The stars in her eyes glowed as she spoke.
Legolas bowed. “I understand and I will heed your words.
I thank you for this, great Valar.” She smiled kindly,
pleased by his words.
“Then go, and find the missing piece of your heart.”
She raised her hand and shimmering starlight engulfed the elf.
His body shimmered for a moment and then vanished.
Haldir
stared at Elbereth, unsure what to do or say. He felt utterly
lost and alone. The Valar looked kindly at the Lorien elf. “Fear
not for your friend, Haldir of Lorien. His spirit is strong
and his soul pure. I would not have sent him if I did not think
he had an excellent chance of success. It will take much to
overcome him.”
Haldir bowed respectfully. “Thank you, great Elbereth.
I will try to keep my faith in his strength, though this evil
concerns me greatly.”
“I understand your fear.” Elbereth replied. “However,
the heart holds much strength and a power greater than many
ever realise.”
Not giving Haldir a chance to respond, she began to glow and
with another blinding flash, she disappeared, leaving the March
Warden alone with his thoughts.
The
light around Legolas cleared and his surroundings came into
focus. Although he had never been to this part of the world
before, he recognised it immediately. The Grey Havens. He glared
at the single ship that lay in the harbour. “Rub it in,
why don’t you.” He grumbled, though he was sure
Elbereth was not listening. Then he glanced down and saw his
hands. Or rather, he saw through them. “Oh my.”
He said, shocked, despite expecting just this. “I really
am a ghost!” He stood there for several minutes, trying
to adjust to his new state. He tried to touch a tree and found
he could not. His hand went straight through the trunk. “What
have I got myself into?” He muttered.
Within about an hour he had got the hang of moving about. The
quickest way of getting anywhere was to glide; though he found
he could also walk normally. Being able to walk straight though
obstacles was a great advantage; it saved making any diversions.
With a small smile he set off, gliding swiftly towards Gondor.
Gimli
stood by Aragorn as he changed the bandage on Arwen’s
eyes. The rest of the injuries had begun to heal, but her eyes
were still in a terrible state. The dwarf silently handed the
King a soft cloth. He could hardly bear to look at the cracked,
infected skin and swollen lids.
Arwen moaned as her injuries were treated. She had been drifting
in and out of consciousness the past few days, waking only to
take the broth that Aragorn helped her to drink.
Yesterday, Aragorn had finally sent for Elrond. He had wanted
to spare his Father this pain, but Arwen was not healing as
she should and he needed the Elven-Lord’s experience.
He had not said what had happened to her, only that she’d
been injured, for he would not allow his father to hear such
news by way of a messenger. He only hoped his Father could help
her, as he had been unable to help his own wife.
Legolas
was surprised at the speed with which he arrived in Gondor.
Apparently, ghosts could travel far more quickly than any living
being. Dropping from a glide into a walk, he finally entered
the White City.
Almost instantly he knew that something was wrong. There was
a quietness about the city that had not been there before and
a feeling of darkness that was greatly unsettling. Elbereth
had been right, there was a great evil hanging over Aragorn’s
city. He wondered if Aragorn knew about it.
He hurried towards the palace, walking straight past the guards
and through the doors. Inside, though the palace looked exactly
as he remembered, the whole place felt wrong. An air of pain
and fear could be felt wherever he went and the darkness he’d
sensed outside was far worse here. His fear for Aragorn’s
safety was now approaching panic, as he once again began to
glide towards his old friend.
Walking
through the doors to Aragorn’s room, his eyes fell upon
his old friend. Aragorn was asleep in a chair next to the bed,
his head resting on the mattress near Arwen, his hand clasped
in hers.
Legolas let out a low cry when he saw Arwen. He knew without
a doubt that this was the work of the evil he sensed in the
city. Anger filled him at the pain and suffering this darkness
was causing his friends. This could not be allowed. He vowed
then to find out the identity of this evil. Once he’d
discovered what it was, somehow he’d find a way to stop
it. Even if he had to sacrifice his soul.
The
riders raced towards Gondor, the hooves of their horses leaving
a trail of dust in their wake. They rode side-by-side, tall
and proud. The shorter of the two had hair as dark as the night,
while the other was crowned with sunlight. Both wore expressions
of worry and determination.
As the gates of Gondor neared, they could see the guards standing
by the gate. As they watched, one left his post and began to
run.
Legolas
turned at the sound of running. A moment later there was a quick
knock and a guard entered.
Aragorn woke as the door opened. He blinked sleepily and looked
at the guard who had disturbed his slumber. “What is it?”
He asked, somewhat irritably. The guard bowed.
“Forgive the intrusion, My Lord. Two riders have been
seen approaching Gondor. We believe one of them to be Lord Elrond,
Sire.” Aragorn jumped up at the mention of his father’s
name.
“Thank the Valar.” He looked down at Arwen and then
at the guard. “I must speak with Lord Elrond. Watch over
the Queen while I am gone.” The guard placed his hand
over his heart.
“My Lord, I would guard her with my life.” Aragorn
knew that the man spoke the truth, but he still felt reluctant
to leave.
Legolas walked over to Aragorn and placed a ghostly hand on
his friends shoulder. “Fear not mellon nin, I shall not
leave her side.” He said gently, though he knew the King
could not hear him. He had to say something, he had to try.
Aragorn
suddenly felt strangely comforted. He no longer feared leaving
Arwen for a moment. “It must be because father’s
here.” He mumbled as he hurried off.
Aragorn
went swiftly to the front of the palace. In the courtyard, two
elves were just dismounting. As he had been told, one was his
father, the other, somewhat to his surprise, was Lord Glorfindel.
He had expected at least one of the twins.
“Estel.” Elrond went to his son and took him into
his arms. He looked hard at the King. “What happened Estel?”
He asked urgently. “What happened to my daughter?”
Aragorn’s heart clenched painfully as he softly answered.
“Orcs, Ada. It was orcs.”
Elrond
worked desperately, doing everything he could to try to save
his child. He tried his best to ignore the pain and worse, the
doubt in his heart. Aragorn and Glorfindel stayed close by,
assisting him. “At least there was no poison.” He
thought. “That is a slight blessing.” But he still
wasn’t convinced he could save her. He hadn’t been
able to save Celebrian. “Please Ilutivar.” He prayed.
“Do not take my daughter from me, from Estel. We have
lost too much already.”
In
the background, Legolas watched. An invisible tear slid down
his translucent cheek. So much suffering, it wasn’t right.
He could watch no more. He slipped through the door and began
to move towards the centre of the palace, to the hall of records.
He needed to find out what had been happening since he had died.
Then he could begin to seek for whatever evil was threatening
Gondor and his friends.
He only hoped he could figure out a way to turn the pages.
Glorfindel
shivered suddenly. For just a moment, he’d sensed someone
else in the room with them. “That’s ridiculous.”
He told himself. “The door is still closed. It was probably
a breeze from the window.” Yet he could not shake the
feeling that there was more going on here than any of them realised.
END
CHAPTER 6
Nevlothiel
– Legolas is a ghost. Happy now?!
