Aralas Oneshots

Sacrifice (part 2)

If you don't remember part 1, go read it again, because this part starts right in the middle of it, but from Aragorn's perspective.

Aragorn tried to struggle against the bonds that tied him, but they were of dark magic and extremely powerful so he couldn't do much more than wiggle in air a bit. And that only made him look silly, so in the end he didn't do anything but let Saruman lead them up the stairs and unto the uppermost platform of Orthanc. He felt like they had made the wrong choice. Saruman was too wise indeed to let them enter a tower without him noticing, so it must have been his plan in the first place, to capture himself and Legolas in the hobbits' stead. Why hadn't he gone alone? Now Legolas was trapped here with him and the possibility that neither of them would leave the Tower alive was very high. He'd rather have Legolas save with Treebeard and Gimli.

Suddenly Aragorn felt himself being pushed against a wall, high up in the air, as Saruman pointed his staff at him again. 

"Stupid elf", Saruman sneered, "you regret it now, don't you?"

Why would Legolas regret anything. It had been Aragorn and not him who had made up the plan, so if anything, it was Aragorn who should regret it. Which he did. A lot.

If Legolas' eyes could kill, Saruman wouldn't stand a chance against him. The ranger had never seen the elf so angry, hands clenched into fists and mouth pressed into a tight line. 

"You should have gone by yourself, shouldn't you? Because your life isn't by far as important as his."

Aragorn flinched. He knew Legolas was suffering already and these words probably hurt him more than the wizard could see. Disgusting Gríma Wormtongue grinned widely. This was the drop that made Aragorn's cup of anger flow over. He struggled against the invisible ropes again and wanted to shout at the wizard, demanding of him to let Legolas go and take him instead. He had almost got out the first word, as he heard Saruman shout:

"You be quiet, ranger!"

Before he could wonder how the wizard had known he tried to speak even though he had his back turned at him, Aragorn felt a fist knock him in the face and his vision went black for a second. When he managed to blink the stars in his eyes away, he felt a hot liquid trickling down his chin. 

"Estel!"

He clearly heard the desperation in Legolas' voice and his eyes filled with tears, not from pain but from seeing Legolas struggle against the ropes that bound him and hindered him from helping Aragorn. Saruman laughed menacingly.

"So I was right", he stated, and looked satisfied. "You are such a silly little elf."

Then he turned around and made a sign to Gríma, who hurried away down the stairs at once.

"I have an offer to make", Saruman told Legolas, while watching him with a content smile.

"I will not bargain with you", Legolas answered, his voice as cold as ice. 

"Oh, I am sure you will", the wizard replied, and in the same moment, Gríma returned with a small cup in his hands. "This is an offer you cannot refuse. Now listen, elf!", Saruman said with a harsh voice. "I will let him go, but I have conditions. I cannot change the destiny of a man, whose destiny was decided upon such a long time ago. His foe will find him and destroy him. But it will not be me, even if it would be a great satisfaction."

Saruman paused. Aragorn noticed the content look on his face and dreaded the wizard's next words.

"However, there will be a sacrifice made for him to escape this tower. Wormtongue", he then said and waved the man to come closer. He took the cup out of the snake's hand. "This", he said, "is a drink of the most torturing poison in my knowledge. When one touches it, the skin will get burnt in front of one's eyes and the pain will be most unbearable. But if it is ingested, that will say you drink it, you body gets burnt from the inside. First, your insides will singe. Then the searing reaches your skin from underneath and you will see it blacken and die with your own eyes. The pain will be enormous, but you will be within your full senses to feal it, as the poison reaches your brain the last. That way, you get the whole experience. Excruciating, isn't it?"

The wizard laughed. Aragorn gasped and cried out in pain, but the spell he was put under rendered it impossible for his voice to be heard. He needed to get away. He needed to save Legolas. Instead, he was punched again and this time it took him longer to regain conscience. When he opened his eyes, he only managed to see his elf take the poisonous cup and drink it to the very last drop. Then the elf started to scream.

"Legolas, no!!", Aragorn shouted and suddenly he felt the enchantment wear off and he fell to the ground. Without caring for his own hurting body, he ran over to Legolas, who was writhing in agony, hands and feet already distorted by the horrible poison. 

In the background, Saruman laughed another time. But it would be his last laugh.

With one swift motion Aragorn jumped against the wizard, his sword drawn and stabbed him right where he assumed his heart was. Saruman made a strange gurgling sound and with his eyes wide open, he slowly took a step back and, laughter still on his lips, collapsed. Aragorn turned around. He was still filled with so much rage that it only took him another second to behead Saruman's toy, Gríma Wormtongue. Having done that and thus having checkmated all his enemies, he paused and looked around himself as if in wonder. 

Legolas lay on the ground a few feet away from him, his eyes closed. He seemed not to be breathing. Aragorn wanted to shout, to kill the wizard all over again, but he could do nothing of the sort, as his lungs suddenly seemed to small and he gasped for air but got none and then collapsed on the ground right next to the dying elf.

---

When he woke up, he thought at first that he was in heaven. Everything was bright and gold and the air was filled by sweet fragrances and he heard music playing in a distance. Then an angel appeared in his sight.

"Drink this!", the angel commanded and handed him a cup. Was he being poisoned too? COuld you die if you were already in heaven?

With a loud cry he flew up from the bed he was lying in and pushed the angel to the ground. But he had underestimated his counterpart, because instead of pinning him to the ground, Aragorn was thrust on the bed again, seemingly not having had any impact on the angel. Now it spoke again, with the voice of Galadriel.

"Forgive me for having aroused your pain, Estel", she said in a calm voice. "I should have realised a cup was not the best option for you to drink from."

She disappeared and reappered swiftly with a bowl of fruits. Aragorn sat up in bed. 

"Here, have some", the elf offered, and without wanting to, Aragorn's hand picked a strawberry from the bowl and put it into his mouth. He chewed slowly. "Before you ask anything, I want you to meet someone", Galadriel continued. 

As if on cue, a door opened somewhere and suddenly Legolas was standing right in front of him, a small smile on his face. Galadriel stood up and left. 

"Estel", the elf whispered. 

"But...", Aragorn started, the strawberry forgotten. However, he could not finish his sentence, as Legolas was throwing himself at him and hugging him tightly. His arms were strong and Aragorn felt safe and comforted with him. Maybe he was dead after all?

"You were...", he started again, but Legolas shushed him. He put a hand on Aragorn's chin and lifted his face towards his. When he finally kissed the man, he knew he couldn't be dead, not if he was feeling this strongly. Tears ran down his face and he had to break apart from Legolas to breathe. His body was suddenly shaken from sobs, but they were sobs of joy, not of sorrow.

"Elves are stronger than you think, sometimes stronger than I myself believe", Legolas told him and looked at him with his bright blue eyes. 

Even though both of their bodies were healed, it would take a long time for their hearts to heal and for the memories to be forgotten, probably their whole lives. But they had each other and they would go through it together. 

"I never told you, Legolas", Aragorn managed to say. 

"What?", Legolas wanted to know. He gently caressed the man's cheek with his hand and love poured out of his eyes that warmed Aragorn's heart.

"That I love you."

"Me too, Estel", Legolas smiled. "Me too."

@iknowidonthavealife Another part for you, since you wanted Aragorn's reaction. Here you go, I hope it doesn't disappoint!