The Darker Side of Hope (a Lord of the Rings fanfiction)

Chapter 6- Loosing Aragorn

Chapter 6- Loosing Aragorn

Numb.

That's the only way I can describe how I was feeling. It was as if my entire body went numb; I couldn't feel anything. I had cried so much that I couldn't even cry anymore.

I couldn't feel anything.

I was sitting in front of Legolas on Arod, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. I was still shaking and my chest was heaving. I was going into shock.

It seemed as if the very light of the world had gone out; and with it, so had hope.

That's what the Elves had called Aragorn, after all.

Elessar.

Hope was gone.

-Legolas POV-

It took everything in me not to cry along with Rayel. Seeing her like this, it destroyed me. I deduced that was what happened when two people bonded; you could feel their pain. "I'm so sorry," I whispered to her again; truly meaning it. "Your brother was one of my friends and the greatest worrier I have ever met ... He was the leader of our Fellowship..." my voice broke as I tried to think of what to say to her.

"He's gone," she wept. "He's really gone..." I could feel her tears running down my hands as they fell from her eyes.

"There is a chance that he might have survived," I tried to lift her spirits. "Aragorn is strong."

"Was strong," she corrected me, turning to face me. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying and her irises were a mix of violet and blue. "No one could survive that fall... Not even my brother in all his strength. He is gone, Legolas."

"Rayel."

"No, Legolas," her expression turned hard. "I don't want to talk to about it. My dream was right... I lost my brother and there was nothing I could do. I didn't even have a warning. I won't even see him again... Mortals and Elves... we don't have the same eternal resting place."

I didn't know how to respond. What did I know of death? I had never lost anyone- at least not to Námo; the Lord of the Dead. Rayel had experienced more death and suffering than any other Elf I had ever known. We rode on in silence; ignoring the other Riders who stared and whispered about us. Gimli rode Hasufel for Rayel, because she wouldn't stand to let the horse stay behind.

He reminded her of Aragorn, and for that, the horse was brought along.

Helm's Deep came into view, as did Lady Éowyn as she led the people into Rohan's last defense. The city was built right out of the mountain; it was old, decaying but extremely strong. "It has a history," I murmured. "This city has seen more battles than I could imagine."

I received a slight nod from Rayel.

"How's your arm?" I asked her as we neared the gate.

"It could be better," she answered gruffly. "It's deep."

"I can see that," I replied softly.

By the time we reached the gates, I could tell that making conversation with her was hopeless. She was too far gone. A pair of guards unbolted the gateway for the Riders, jumping out of our path. The guards turned as we cantered by, announcing: "Make way for the King!"

The metropolis of Helm's Deep was crowded with the remnants of Edoras and the surrounding villages of Rohan. The refugees filled the streets, herded together, and whispering amongst each other.  I only assumed that they were taking in the number of Riders that had returned; we were few in number.

"Make way for Théoden! Make way for the King!" another guard shouted, as people stumbled out of our way.

The King led us up the steep, crowded stairway and up into the courtyard of the second story of Helm's Deep. We were met by the Lady Éowyn who was searching the surviving Riders for only one person. "So few," she whispered. "So few of you have returned."