Seven
Aragorn scrambled to the edge of the pool as Legolas disappeared. The coherent part of him wondered why the elf had vanished, when Aragorn's body had remained after he fell in. The incoherent part of him screamed at the water to give his friend back.
In the depths, Aragorn could only watch as Legolas arrived right in the middle of the cell, next to the sleeping image of Aragorn himself. The elf looked around in amazement, and then, spying his friend, shook him into wakefulness.
Aragorn's eyes rolled back in his head and he shuddered. It had never felt this strange to slip between worlds. Why did it now? A strange dragging sensation had started in the pit of his stomach, and the world tilted. Abruptly, he realized that if he left, there would be no returning. Legolas had vanished, and so would he.
Still, he couldn't resist the pull that was drawing him into the water. His other self wanted to wake up, and nothing was going to stop it.
Suddenly, the clearing was empty.
----------
Aragorn awoke to frantic yells.
It was no longer just Legolas that was shaking him; Jack was tugging on his arm with quite a bit more force than was necessary, and Legolas had a hold on the other arm and was attempting to drag Aragorn away from the crazy man that was dragging him in the other direction. The other men were too startled to act; most just pressed themselves against the bars.
On the floor, Will began to stir.
Immediately, Jack let go of Aragorn's arm and knelt next to his friend. "Will, are you alright?"
The man moaned. "Jack? Where's Elizabeth?"
Jack sighed in relief. "Don't know, mate. Guess they didn't want to stick 'er down 'ere with the rest of us rascals."
Legolas stared in horror at the man on the floor. Slowly, he turned to Aragorn. "What is this evil?" he hissed, drawing back.
"None that I have heard of before, Legolas." Aragorn replied. "I cannot even know for certain that he is evil. He has shown no sign of it, and he is in love."
Legolas gave him a humorless smile. "Ah, the ultimate question: Can evil love?"
Aragorn smiled. "I remember that argument well. As I recall, I was the winner." He grew serious. "But I do not think him evil. He has shown no indication of malice, and tried to prevent this from happening."
"Prevent what from happening?"
Aragorn winced. "We were captured. Apparently, these men are to be put to death. And I am to be punished for helping them."
Unconsciously, Legolas lapsed into elvish. "I should never have come through the pool."
"The fault is mine, I believe." Aragorn murmured. "As I recall, I came through first." He paused. "Your body didn't stay behind. I don't think mine did this time, either."
A look of fear struggled for prominence on Legolas' face. "You mean we cannot return?" he whispered.
"Not as I did, in my sleep." Aragorn replied heavily. "And if we cannot return in that manner, I do not know how we can ever return at all."
Legolas slowly looked at his surroundings. "Is it such a terrible place?" he asked. "I have been here but moments, and already I wish for my home."
"I, too, desire to go home." Aragorn sighed. "But it is not so terrible. There is good here." A twisted smile graced his features. "Yet, if I stay, what will become of Middle Earth?"
Legolas was silent. Aragorn needed to go back. Middle Earth needed its king. If he did not claim the throne and defeat Sauron, who would? "You are right." He said quietly. "We dare not despair."
Then Will looked up at the familiar voice, and all hell broke loose.
In the depths, Aragorn could only watch as Legolas arrived right in the middle of the cell, next to the sleeping image of Aragorn himself. The elf looked around in amazement, and then, spying his friend, shook him into wakefulness.
Aragorn's eyes rolled back in his head and he shuddered. It had never felt this strange to slip between worlds. Why did it now? A strange dragging sensation had started in the pit of his stomach, and the world tilted. Abruptly, he realized that if he left, there would be no returning. Legolas had vanished, and so would he.
Still, he couldn't resist the pull that was drawing him into the water. His other self wanted to wake up, and nothing was going to stop it.
Suddenly, the clearing was empty.
----------
Aragorn awoke to frantic yells.
It was no longer just Legolas that was shaking him; Jack was tugging on his arm with quite a bit more force than was necessary, and Legolas had a hold on the other arm and was attempting to drag Aragorn away from the crazy man that was dragging him in the other direction. The other men were too startled to act; most just pressed themselves against the bars.
On the floor, Will began to stir.
Immediately, Jack let go of Aragorn's arm and knelt next to his friend. "Will, are you alright?"
The man moaned. "Jack? Where's Elizabeth?"
Jack sighed in relief. "Don't know, mate. Guess they didn't want to stick 'er down 'ere with the rest of us rascals."
Legolas stared in horror at the man on the floor. Slowly, he turned to Aragorn. "What is this evil?" he hissed, drawing back.
"None that I have heard of before, Legolas." Aragorn replied. "I cannot even know for certain that he is evil. He has shown no sign of it, and he is in love."
Legolas gave him a humorless smile. "Ah, the ultimate question: Can evil love?"
Aragorn smiled. "I remember that argument well. As I recall, I was the winner." He grew serious. "But I do not think him evil. He has shown no indication of malice, and tried to prevent this from happening."
"Prevent what from happening?"
Aragorn winced. "We were captured. Apparently, these men are to be put to death. And I am to be punished for helping them."
Unconsciously, Legolas lapsed into elvish. "I should never have come through the pool."
"The fault is mine, I believe." Aragorn murmured. "As I recall, I came through first." He paused. "Your body didn't stay behind. I don't think mine did this time, either."
A look of fear struggled for prominence on Legolas' face. "You mean we cannot return?" he whispered.
"Not as I did, in my sleep." Aragorn replied heavily. "And if we cannot return in that manner, I do not know how we can ever return at all."
Legolas slowly looked at his surroundings. "Is it such a terrible place?" he asked. "I have been here but moments, and already I wish for my home."
"I, too, desire to go home." Aragorn sighed. "But it is not so terrible. There is good here." A twisted smile graced his features. "Yet, if I stay, what will become of Middle Earth?"
Legolas was silent. Aragorn needed to go back. Middle Earth needed its king. If he did not claim the throne and defeat Sauron, who would? "You are right." He said quietly. "We dare not despair."
Then Will looked up at the familiar voice, and all hell broke loose.