The Edge of a Knife

Forgive Me

Legolas sat alone in his cell. There was barely any light. He hated it. A guard stood near the entrance of the dungeon. He didn't speak or come anywhere near Legolas.

He felt awful. He still remember the horror he had felt when he'd realised that he'd stabbed Aragorn. With his own knife.

He'd tried to help him. Stop the bleeding. But before he could do anything guards had come and taken him away.

He'd been left alone. His friends hadn't come. He doubted that they could. Or would.

He heard footsteps. Someone was coming. He stood up and walked towards the iron bars that imprisoned him.

The guard lit a few torches, filling the place with light. Legolas saw who his visitor was.

"Aragorn..." he didn't know what to say. His friend stood in front of him. His face expressionless.

His shoulder was wrapped in a bandage. His arms were crossed. Legolas couldn't wait anymore. He haf to apologize.

"Aragorn, I'm sorry. I did not know what came over me."

"I think you did." Legolas was taken back by the coldness in Aragorn's voice. "What do you mean?"

"You knew exactly what you were doing. You were trying to kill Boromir and take the ring for yourself."

Legolas was shocked. "I was not trying to take the ring. Boromir tempted me with it but I refused. I know what evil that ring can do. I would never dream of possessing it."

"Then why did you attack Boromir?" Legolas didn't know how to answer. He couldn't tell Aragorn what Boromir had seen. What he'd unleashed.

"Did he make you? Or were you acting on your own?" Legolas looked at his friend skeptically. Something was off.

"Why would you think that I would willingly kill Boromir?"

"Because you seemed to have no problem killing your own
people."

Legolas froze. He knew. "How did you-" "Gandalf told us. We all know."

Legolas turned awat from his friend. He couldn't bare to look at him.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Aragorn asked.

"Because if I did, I knew you would only see me as killer." Legolas faced Aragorn again. His face filled with distress.

"I never wanted to hurt them Aragron. You must believe me. My people, those men, I never wanted them to die."

"Then why did you kill them? For how long did you go about the land killing men where they stood? Not for Sauron but to satisfy whatever madness took hold of you."

"I was his prisoner Aragorn! For 300 years I was tortured by him! Controlled by him! Trained to do nothing but kill. Fight until I could no longer stand! Until my hands bled! I couldn't just walk away from that!"

Legolas gripped the bars. His eyes full of tears. "I tried Aragorn! I tried so hard to forget it! But it was in me. It was a beast I couldn't control. It consumed me and I could do nothing! I killed because it was the only thing I knew how to do. I couldn't do anything to stop it and now I have to live with their blood on my hands!"

Aragorn looked at Legolas. His expression revealing nothing about what he thought.

"Would you have killed me Legolas?" Aragorn asked. "If you hadn't realised what you were doing, would you have killed me?"

Legolas wanted to say no. To tell him that he would never harm him, or any of his friends. But he knew deep down, that if he hadn't stopped himself, he would have killed him.

Aragorn said nothing as Legolas hung his head. Neither said anything to each other. Finally Aragorn spoke. "Boromir is going to Mordor tomorow. After he returns, he is sending you back to Mirkwood. You will not be welcome here again."

Legolas looked up, fear was in his eyes. "Boromir cannot use the ring! It will not work, he will doom us all! You cannot let him leave with it."

"It has been decided." Aragorn told him firmly.

"Aragorn, you know as well as I do that it won't work. If Boromir leaves Sauron will regain the ring."

"It is out of my hands. Boromir has been able to use the ring so far. Perhaps it will work."

"Listen to yourself! This is not you, it's the ring! It wants to return to its master, you have to stop him!"

"We have no other choice! The ring is our only hope now."

Legolas gripped the bars of his cell. Anger towards his friend, as well as Boromir, consumed him.

"There is no hope as long as that ring reamains undestroyed."

Aragorn said nothing. Both stood in silence until the guard told Aragorn he had to leave.

Aragorn turned to Legolas. "Boromir is going to Mordor tomorow. There is nothing anyone can do. After he returns, you will leave."

Aragorn began to walk away when Legolas called out, "Can I see Gandalf, I need to speak with him."

Aragorn turned back to Legolas and narrowed his eyes. "You will not see Gandalf, or anyone else again. Including me."

Legolas froze. "What do you mean?"

"You're dangerous Legolas. You're not who I thought you were. You're a murderer."

Aragorn turned and didn't look back. "Goodbye Legolas."

Legolas watched him leave. The guard blew out most of the torches darkening the dungeon once again. He couldn't belive this was happening. He wanted to call out to Aragorn, beg him for forgiveness, he couldn't lose another friend.

He'd already lost so much already. Now he lost his friends. It was all his fault. He failed to control the beast that lived inside of him.

He'd hurt his friend. He also knew that Boromir's ill-fated attempt to destroy Sauron would fail.

They would all fall under Sauron. For Legolas, it was a fate worse than death.

------------------------------------------------------

Plz comment! Constructive criticism is appreciated!