When Two Worlds Divide (On Hold)

Chapter 15 - Stars and Shadows

So hi again everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I last updated I kind of lost faith in this book a bit but I'm back now! Also you might have noticed I've changed the title of the last chapter. The chapter after this one will be called that instead. So without anymore chatter from me, into the story!

Enjoy...

Legolas stormed through the corridors of his home, his still-healing muscles protesting to every movement. Nausea nagged at him constantly, threatening him if he moved to much or too quickly. The faint light of the healing wing burnt his suddenly sensitive eyes and caused his head to pound.

Behind his headache though, Legolas' thoughts swirled and twisted wildly like serpents. He simply couldn't make sense of the situation he had found himself in. He had come all this way, risked his own immortal, superior life, and for what? The healers in his own home to kill the very mortal he had saved? No. He couldn't let it happen.

But that healer, Hardon, he had said that Legolas wouldn't understand. Legolas was a warrior, a Prince, a weapon at times. But he was not a healer. He had no idea what the best way to help the ranger was. So perhaps the healers were right after all.

But he had sacrificed so much...

He was a warrior, not a healer...

That was a person in there, not an animal...

The ranger was mortal anyway, what difference did it make?

No. The human had saved his life in Angmar, given him strength.

He was not going to repay that life-debt by throwing this man's life away. This man was going to live. 

Legolas was going to make sure of it.

Suddenly changing direction, Legolas strode purposefully towards the throne room.

As soon as he turned the corner, a shadow slipped out from the darkness and trailed him through the halls.

———

Aragorn awoke and immediately wished he hadn't as pain assaulted him from all sides. The agony bound him in place, punishing him for every movement. It forced his eyes shut and whispered in his ears of death and peace. That was all he wanted now. Peace.

And from the sound of the healers' conversation, that was just what he was going to get.

Aragorn supposed he should be grateful. After all, wasn't this what he had wanted from the beginning? Hadn't he gone days without eating and drinking? And for what? Death. A place away from all the pain the world threw at him. Peace.

That was all he wanted now. Peace.

So why wasn't he thankful? Aragorn honestly didn't know. All he wanted to do was pass on from the Valar-forsaken world he found himself in.

And yet deep inside of him, a tiny spark of life and of love still glimmered. Nearly crushed forever by the darkness, but not quite. Flickering and fading, like a candle in a storm, was Aragorn's last light, the last part of him that was Estel, was hope.

And that candle called a desperate cry to any who might be listening. The cry of one who is dying and will not welcome death. The cry of one who is desperate to stay in this world for a few more precious seconds. That cry penetrated the darkness that surrounded Aragorn. Loud and clear, it was carried silently to somebody, anybody, to tell the message.

Estel is nearly gone. Aragorn is dying. Help.

———

Arwen sat bolt upright. She had been sleeping, if it could be called sleeping, until suddenly she had heard a cry.

The shout had been so hurt, so full of pain and sorrow and grief. Of despair. It had been so real. And it had sounded like, like...

No. It couldn't have been. He had left a long time ago.

Arwen shook her head. This seemed to trigger a huge headache so she stopped immediately and held her head gingerly in her hands as if it were about to break into thousands of pieces. Anyway, she must have been imagining it. This wasn't the first time she had dreamt about him, after all.

But this time had been different, it had sounded so real...

There it was again. Fainter and ever more hopeless. But there all the same. This time, she could make out words drifting on the breeze.

...gone...dying...help.

There had been more, but she hadn't heard it. Not that it mattered. She was convinced now she was dreaming. This headache was making her hallucinate. That was it.

Still, better check.

Clutching her pendant, she drifted into the mind of her beloved.

All she found was blackness and death.

———

Legolas hesitated before his father. He could feel the eyes of the guards like spears digging into his back. Nodding to himself, he answered his father's question.

"Just give him one chance, Ada. Please."

Thranduil raised one eyebrow elegantly.

"Only one, ion-nín? And if he fails, we will..."

Legolas clenched his teeth. He hated the way his father behaved when others were watching. He didn't understand why Thranduil couldn't just show his kindness to others, not just his son. Not that's that mattered now. The mortal's time was running out. He had said he was a healer. That was Legolas' only hope.

"Yes Ada. And then you can... if he doesn't make it, yes."

Yay! Nice short and easy to write chapter! Next time we'll be taking a break from the whole Aragorn situation and moving onto a new plot point! Of course I'll TRY to remember to put a bit about Aragorn in there, but that's not the main part so yeah.

Please VOTE and comment if you enjoyed!

Thanks so much!