The One {A Legolas Love Story}

Hope Fails

Chapter 19 - Hope Fails

The next morning, I stood in the throne room of Minas Tirith with Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, Eomer and Legolas. The Dwarf sat in the steward's throne, who was now dead, and smoked his pipe. I was standing next to Legolas and Eomer and I looked at Aragorn, who had his back to us. I was worried for him, he had never been so distant with me. Ever since that night when Elrond came, he's been acting strange. As if something was worrying him, something more than everything else we had to worry about. Was it Arwen? Maybe that's why he had been acting this way, he was worried for her. I would definitely need to talk to him later.

"Frodo has passed beyond my sight." Gandalf said. "The darkness is deepening." I sighed and glanced at Aragorn once more.

"If Sauron had the Ring wouldn't we know it?" I questioned and everyone looked at me.

"It is only a matter of time." Gandalf said solemnly after a moment. "He has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping." He spoke and I gulped nervously. All I wanted was for battles to be over. I wanted peace. What he said also made me feel nervous, for Frodo was now the only one who could save us from the evil of Sauron.

"Let him stay there. Let him rot! Why should we care? Gimli shrugged as he smoked his pipe. I looked at him and shook my head.

"Because ten thousand Orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom." Gandalf replied. "I've sent him to his death."

I looked down at my feet and sighed. It was hard to think, even harder to think of happy things, but there was a slim chance that Frodo would make it. You should always have hope, I heard Legolas' voice in my head. I looked up again and listened to what they were saying. These days, I only had to think of him and those words to feel better.

"No. There's still hope for Frodo. He needs time and safe passage across the Plains of Gorgoroth." Aragorn said as he turned to face Gandalf. "We can give him that." He added as an idea seemed to appear in his mind.

"How?" Gimli asked.

"Draw out Sauron's armies. Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the black gate." Aragorn said.

"We cannot achieve victory through the strength of arms." Eomer mused, stepping forward.

"Not for ourselves, but we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's eye fixed upon us. Keep him bling to all else that moves." Aragorn persisted.

"A diversion." Legolas said. I looked at him with a small smile before turning to Gimli.

"Certainty of death. Small chance of success... What are we waiting for?" Gimli said and I chuckled.

"Sauron will suspect a trap. He will not take the bait." Gandalf said as he walked up to Aragorn.

"Oh, I think he will." Aragorn said. I looked at him questioningly but decided not to question him in front of the others.

***

I slowly closed the door behind me and stared at Legolas as he paced back and forth. Since the meeting earlier this afternoon he had been acting strange. He seemed very nervous.

"Legolas," I started and he stopped to look at me. "Please tell me what's wrong." I said and he sighed.

"Le bainon...meleth e-guilen." He whispered before gently taking my hand and kissing it with his soft lips. I blushed slightly and looked at him in the eyes.

"Legolas, tell me." I begged him. He sighed and grabbed my chin with his other hand.

"Aearel... You should not be here." He said. I frowned and looked at him questioningly. "You should be home... safe." He spoke, the last word nothing but a faint whisper.