Chapter 14

'Where is Legolas?' asked Elrond as Aragorn sat down at the dinner table.

Aragorn picked up his napkin and placed it on his lap. 'Legolas?'

'Yes, I have not seen him all day, do you know where he is?' Elrond tilted his head inquisitively to one side.

Aragorn and Boromir exchanged looks.

'I don't exactly know,' said Aragorn truthfully; Legolas had gone off to be alone and hadn't told them where he was to be found. Perhaps he didn't want to be found, reading the book. Aragorn shuddered involuntarily.

Elrond caught the shudder expertly. 'Is he missing then? Do I have any cause to be alarmed?' His voice was alarmed already.

The hobbits looked up wide-eyed, and even Gimli stopped eating, a worried look in his brown eyes.

'Well…' said Aragorn carefully, 'not exactly…'

'Aragorn?' Elrond looked at him concerned.

'He…is….' Aragorn faltered, wondering why it was so hard to lie to Elrond.

Elrond gave him a stern and commanding look. 'Yes?'

'He's brooding,' said Boromir.

'Brooding?' asked Elrond.

'Yes, you see, sir, I got very mad at him and shouted at him, and now he is sorely upset.'

Elrond raised his eyebrows. 'Did you now? What did he do to arouse your wrath?'

'Well, sir, he was…mmm…dropping leaves in my hair.'

'And this infuriated you?'

'Well, it was more that he didn't stop when I told him to.'

'No?'

'No, and I shouted at him and he ran away. We haven't seen him since.'

'Well.' Elrond turned to Aragorn.

Aragorn nodded his agreement. When did Boromir learn to lie?

'I see,' said Elrond, he frowned thoughtfully as if he didn't quite believe them.

Aragorn ate his peas quietly in the uncomfortable silence.

'Pass the rolls, please?' asked Pippin.

Frodo handed the roll basket over to him. 'I just remembered,' he said, trying to strike up a conversation, 'Sam had a question to ask.'

Sam looked up worriedly. 'I did?'

'Yes,' said Frodo. 'You wanted to know about the garden.'

Sam nodded a little. 'I suppose I did.'

'Well, why don't you ask them?' prodded Frodo.

'The garden is doing very well,' said Sam, 'so well that it doesn't seem quite natural, and I was wondering if any of you had…'

He was cut off by Gimli's chuckles. 'What is it doing?' he asked.

'It's growing nicely and there are no weeds and it never needs to be watered, well, I just thought…'

'You thought right,' said Gimli, 'if you thought there might be a bit of magic at work. I forgot all about that, but Legolas and I blessed that dear garden of yours.'

'You did?' asked Sam in amazement.

'Yes,' said the dwarf, 'he said that there would be no weeds and I said that there would be no need for watering, and now both have come true.' The dwarf chuckled again. 'I wish Legolas were here to hear about it.'

'So do I,' said Merry, 'I hate to think of him crying in a little corner somewhere, all alone.'

Pippin nodded. 'I hope he isn't too upset. He's so nice to us.'

Frodo's face fell. 'I know…'

Sam looked glum.

The four hobbits avoided looking at Boromir.

Boromir coughed nervously.

'He probably just fell asleep,' said Aragorn quickly.

Elrond sighed a little.

Aragorn picked up his fork, wondering how Legolas was doing. He was probably going to read the book straight through. How long will that take? He took a sip of his wine. And what will he find?

'I have something to announce,' said Elrond.

The others looked up at him.

'I wanted Legolas to be here, but since he isn't…'

'What is it?' asked Aragorn.

'I am getting my novel published.'

Merry dropped his fork. 'Published?' he exclaimed forgetting his usual manners around the Elf-lord.

Elrond nodded. 'Yes, the publishers say that it is a work of brilliance.'

'What's it about?' asked Aragorn, who had never really taken the novel seriously. Elrond had never struck him as a fiction writer.

'It is the story of a young boy who was abandoned by his parents and raised by a psycho,' said Elrond calmly.

Aragorn froze. 'Pardon?'

'A young boy was abandoned by his parents and raised by a psycho,' Elrond repeated, taking a sip of his wine.

'That's just lovely,' Boromir muttered.

'It is actually very tragic,' Elrond said, 'Joanne Norton said that it broke her heart.'

Boromir nodded, his teeth gritted.

'What's a psycho?' asked Pippin.

'A person who is mentally disturbed,' said Elrond gently, 'but you needn't trouble yourself on such matters.'

Pippin and Merry exchanged a look.

'What's it called?' asked Frodo.

'That Doesn't Matter,' answered Elrond.

'Oh, I'm sorry, I was just wondering,' Frodo said quickly.

Elrond laughed a little. 'No, that is the title.'

Frodo blushed. 'I see.'

Legolas didn't show up after dinner either, and the night fell with no sign of him. Elrond began to worry and took to pacing across the living room floor.

'I'm sure he'll be all right,' said Boromir.

Elrond didn't seem to hear him.

Aragorn looked out the window at the darkening yard. The sun had set quite some time ago, and the last remnants of light were quickly fading away. But he doubted Legolas were out there, it was far likelier that he was in the attic, curled up in that vast, nearly empty, almost forgotten space, with a few candles and a written record of their fate.

He sighed and caught Elrond by the hand as he walked by, pulling him down beside him onto the sofa. 'He's all right, I know he is,' Aragorn assured him.

'Where is he?' demanded Elrond. 'I know you're hiding something from me.' He looked critically at Aragorn and Boromir.

'Yes,' said Aragorn, 'but I'm not going to tell you where he is.'

'Is he doing something I wouldn't approve of?' asked Elrond.

Aragorn shrugged. 'I don't know if you would approve or not.'

'The attic,' stated Elrond.

Aragorn held him fast. 'Don't go up there.'

Elrond got away from him and stood up.

Aragorn pulled him back down and turned to Boromir for help, but he seemed less than enthusiastic about holding down the wisest man he had ever met.

'Why not?' asked Elrond, 'What is he doing?'

'Can't you trust me on this?' pleaded Aragorn.

Elrond looked deeply into his eyes a frown of understanding forming on his face. 'He's reading the book, isn't he?'

Aragorn released Elrond's arm. 'Yes.'

Elrond sighed. 'I wondered when one of you would.'

'Have you—read it?' asked Aragorn.

Elrond looked down at his nails. 'Yes.'

'And?' Aragorn demanded.

'He has no need to read that book,' said Elrond simply. 'And I don't think he should.'

'Who won?' asked Boromir.

Elrond turned to him sadly. 'We did.'

There was a strange tension in the air. Aragorn shivered. 'Shouldn't someone tell him that he has no need to read it anymore?' he asked.

Elrond nodded. 'I will.'

'No, I will,' said Boromir, who seemed desperate to get out of there.

'Boromir, I think I should go,' said Elrond, rising to his feet.

'No, I'll go,' said Boromir quickly.

'Boromir…' began Elrond.

The phone rang. They all stopped for a moment and stared at it ringing shrilly in the quiet room.

'I think you should answer it,' said Elrond quietly.

Aragorn picked it up. 'Hello?' He listened for a few moments and then handed it over to Elrond. 'It's for you—the police.'

Elrond took the phone. 'Yes?'

Boromir disappeared up the stairs; Elrond looked worriedly after him, but turned his attention back to the phone call.

Aragorn stood by, trying to eavesdrop, but not hearing much at all. He fidgeted nervously with his fingers and waited. What if they caught on to the forgery?

'Yes…I understand…yes…quite…yes…farewell.' Elrond put down the receiver. 'I have to go down to the police station to identify a body,' he said.

'Whose body?'

'I do not know yet,' said Elrond. 'I have to go now.'

'Should I come?'

'No, they only asked for me.' He frowned. 'I do not know when I shall be back.'

'Is there anything I can do?'

'Don't read the book.'

'Why not? Did someone die?'

Elrond sighed. 'Please, just listen to me.'

'Yes, Elrond.' Aragorn looked down at the floorboards.

'And go see Legolas and Boromir to make sure they are all right.'

Aragorn nodded. 'I will.'

'Good. Lock the doors when I am gone.'

'Where are you going?' asked Gimli, stepping out from the bathroom, his hair wet, dressed in his pajamas.

'To the police station; I am needed to identify a body.'

'But you don't know anyone here!' the dwarf pointed out.

Elrond shook his head. 'I know a few people. But I must go now.' He pulled open a drawer and picked up his car keys. 'Lock the door, Aragorn.' He disappeared into the night.

Aragorn watched from the door as the car drove away, and then locked it and turned to Gimli. 'I have a queer feeling that something evil is astir.'

Gimli nodded. 'We would do good to take out our weapons.'

'I agree,' said Aragorn. 'Elrond, I believe, put them in the basement. If you fetch them, I have to check on Legolas and Boromir.'

'I'll do that,' said Gimli, heading towards the basement.

The ranger shut and locked the windows, a loud thump startled him and he jumped, but he soon realized it was Gimli stomping down the cellar steps. He breathed a sigh of relief, but did not yet feel at ease.

He had finished locking the last window, and had turned to the stairs, intent on checking on his friends, when a tall shadow fell over him.

He froze.

'Halt,' commanded a deep voice, and strong hands held him fast from behind. 'We need to speak, Aragorn son of Arathorn, and it is best done alone.'