The Hidden Enemy

Finish What We Started

Aragorn sat alone on his throne.
He still couldn't live with what he had done.

How was he supposed to? He killed Thranduil, Legolas' father, the only family he'd had left.

The thing that plagued Aragorn the most was what Legolas had done.

He'd tried to kill him again, and he hadn't forgiven him.
He'd just left like Aragorn did all those years ago.

When Legolas had been in that dungeon after attacking Boromir, he had asked Aragorn to forgive him, but he had turned his back.

Now he understood, and he couldn't believe that it was only after he killed his closest friend's father that he finally realized it.

Eldarion had tried to comfort his father, even though he didn't fully understand what had happened.

Faramir had kept himself busy, trying to get the kingdom back in order after the chaos that had taken place.

Faramir was actually on his way to see Aragorn, he had some surprising news for him.

"Aragorn?"
He entered the throne room quietly.
Aragorn didn't say anything to him, he just looked up.

"There is someone here to see you."
Faramir informed him.
Aragorn didn't reply.

"He wishes to speak with you."
Faramir continued.
"Who is it?"
Aragorn asked, his voice dull.

"Someone who won't be ignored by his friends!"
Aragorn sat up as he recognized the voice.
"Gimli?"

Faramir left while Aragorn stood up from his throne.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to see if you were
alright."

Aragorn hung his head.
"You know what happened."
Gimli nodded.
Aragorn turned away from him and groaned.

"I don't know what to do Gimli, I fear that there is nothing I can do."

He turned back to Gimli, his face distraught.
"I killed him Gimli, I couldn't stop myself... Legolas will never forgive me. He could be fading again and it is all my fault."

"Legolas can't stay mad at you Aragorn. You're his friend, he would give his life for you or any of his friends. You know that."

"But now that I've seen what it was like for him. I should have forgiven him when he asked me to but I didn't."

Gimli was silent for a moment. He knew that all of this was Alatar's doing.

He assumed that part of his plan was to divide the men, elves, and dwarves.

That had been done, no one besides Gimli had stepped foot out of their lands since the battle.

Gimli's people had done battle with the Easterlings, and he knew for a fact that the Haradrim planned to attack Rohan or Gondor.

On his way to Minas Tirith, he had stopped in Edoras to warn Eomer.

The King of Rohan had been badly shaken from the battle.

"You know that it wasn't your fault Aragorn. We both know that it was Alatar, Legolas knows it too. He will forgive you, he just needs time."

"Are you sure about that Gimli?"
Aragorn snapped.
"You saw how Legolas was acting, he is not the same anymore. He will not forgive me!"

"How do you know that? Have you even tried talking to him? Have you seen him since the battle?"

Aragorn held his head in his hands.
"I cannot go to him Gimli, he will not forgive me, and-"

"You think that he will kill you."
Gimli finished his thought.
"Aragorn, ever since you learned about Legolas' past you have been afraid of him. And how many times since then has he remained loyal to you and risked his life for you?"

Aragorn refused to meet his gaze, he knew that he was right.

"Aragorn, what Legolas did then does not matter. He has changed his ways. But he is still in pain Aragorn. And pushing him away will not help him."

"He needs our help Aragorn, he needs your forgiveness. Just like you need his."

Aragorn took in his words.
He was right. He had to stop letting what Legolas did in the past affect him.

He had no reason to be afraid of him, he would forgive him, and he would do what he could to help him.

Turning to Gimli he said,
"When did you become so wise?"
"One thing you should know about me Aragorn is that I am full of surprises."

Aragorn laughed and Gimli joined in.

"We need to go get Legolas."
Aragorn said as he left the throne room, Gimli following close behind.

"Alatar is still out there, and I doubt that a brief war was his full plan."
Aragorn said grimly.
"What will we do when we get Legolas?"
Gimli asked.

"We finish what we started."

()()()

The two of them rode towards Mirkwood as fast as they could.

But to their surprise, as they entered Rohan, they were met with a familiar face.

"Haldir?"
Aragorn stopped his horse.
"Aragorn!"
Haldir's voice was frantic and his eyes were filled with fear.

"What is it?"
Gimli asked from behind Aragorn.
"It's Legolas, I cannot find him anywhere."

Aragorn froze.
"What do you mean?"
"It was just a few days ago, he left the palace and was gone for several hours. I went out to find him and there was no trace of him."

"I thought that he may have headed for Gondor."
Haldir concluded.
"We were on our way to Mirkwood to see him."
Aragorn informed him.

"So you have not seen him?"
Haldir's eyes became even more distraught.

"Aragorn... Do you think that Alatar has him?"
Gimli asked in fear.

Aragorn's blood ran cold.
What if that monster did have him?

"Where would he have taken him?"
Haldir asked.
"Back to his lair?"
Gimli suggested.

"We should ride back to Mirkwood."
Aragorn suggested.
"Perhaps I might be able to track him from there."

Haldir nodded.
The elf was clearly afraid.
They rode back to Mirkwood, pushing their horses as hard as they could go.

But they never arrived in Mirkwood, because as they approached Edoras they were stopped by an even more startling surprise.

"What are you two doing here?"
Gimli demanded.
"I don't know how to explain it."
Sam said from atop a small pony; Merry was at his side.

"But Merry and I both had a strange dream, we saw a dark tower, and inside it was a man cloaked in black, and we saw all of us there. You, Aragorn, Legolas-"

"You saw Legolas?"
Aragorn exclaimed.
Merry looked at him in confusion.
"Why? Is something wrong?"

"Legolas is missing."
Aragorn replied.
"And your dreams may tell us where he is."

"But a dark tower?"
Haldir asked.
"The only dark tower that comes to my mind is Barad-Dur. And it was destroyed."

"There's more than one dark tower."
Aragorn said slowly.
"What do you mean?"
Gimli asked.

Turning to Haldir he said,
"I know where Legolas is."
"Where?"
"Isengard."

()()()

Hey guys! Just letting you know that this story is almost over.

:'(

How Sam and Merry had their dreams and got to Rohan will be explained in the next chapter, and what happened to Legolas.