Greenleaf (Legolas x Aragorn)

Chapter X

PART IV: SOMEONE ELSE

Since the King had left, no one in Gondor had been able to find rest. Too many questions were haunting people's minds and it was difficult to know what was going to happen in the following weeks. Even if news was scarce, Gondor was not the only place where war was in the centre of people's thoughts. The king Aragorn had left Gondor and the precious piece of information had been quick to travel through Middle-Earth.

Weeks had passed since Elrond saw his apprentice leave with his best warriors. To keep his mind busy and balanced, the lord of Rivendell had decided to go back to his lands.

Everyone was glad that Saruman had not started his war on Gondor during the time the king was away. And it was not only because he was busy in Rivora. In fact, Gandalf had taken care to keep him occupied as long as possible. Maybe he had not defeated him but every second he kept him away from the small group of warriors going to Rivora felt like a victory.

The wizard's battle against Saruman was also the reason why he was currently in Rivendell too. Gandalf was weak after his restless and powerful fight so he naturally chose to follow the wise elf back to his home. 

"They should have been back by now." Elrond was not hiding his worry anymore. He was currently walking back and forth in one of the smallest rooms of Rivendell. Each thought getting in his head was making him more scared. And if he was openly showing it, it was only because his good friend Gandalf was alone to see it.

On the other side of the room, Gandalf was looking at Elrond. The wizard stayed seated on a wooden chair as he was still recovering from his previous fight. "They should. But Saruman is not here either. Let's consider it a good thing." Elrond kept walking around the room in all his lordliness. The slow noise of his steps on the floor was making Gandalf lose his patience and it sounded as a small alarm to him. He stared at him and tried to read his hidden thoughts. "They will be alright, Elrond. No one could have done it better than them."

Elrond stopped walking and turned around to see Gandalf in a swift motion. "Exactly. We should not have sent them. It was a bold move and if they were not to come back Gondor would be unable to remain strong. It might even be the same for the whole of Middle-Earth."

"We could not have stopped them. I tried but Gondor's king is stubborn. Now that it is done we can only be glad that our best warriors are on this trip. We gave them all the chances to succeed."

Elrond strangely remained silent for an instant and looked down under the weight of his concern. "It is not our best warriors I am worried about."

It took a short moment for Gandalf to understand what Elrond was talking about. "Therlos..."

The Lord of Rivendell walked closer to the window and he could now see a major part of his land. "Yes." He stared at the landscape afar hoping to see Aragorn coming back from Rivora. "He was not ready."

"No one is ever ready for war."

As Elrond was hoping to see the king through the window, he did not expect him to be opening the door behind him. Rivendell's lord turned around when he heard the violent noise of the door opening.

All hopes of the trip going as planned vanished away when they saw the king's face covered with blood. "Elrond!" Aragorn rushed in the room with nothing but anger on his face and grabbed Elrond by his cloak's label. "You trained a traitor! I trusted you and you let me help him get whatever he needed to take down my kingdom!" As he screamed, Elrond did not try to stop him. The king kept blaming the elf but Gandalf and Elrond both could see the main issue was not there.

Elrond tried to read in between his aggressive words and his eyes stopped when he saw Legolas' cloak on Aragorn's shoulders. As he was hit by so many thoughts, Elrond did not say a word and Gandalf decided to stop the madness. With what was left in him, he got up and used his staff to walk towards the king. When he reached him, he slightly pushed him away from Elrond with no difficulty.  "Aragorn." His simple name was enough for the king to ease a bit of his anger and lay his attention on the wizard. "Tell me what happened."