Chapter 21 - Starlight
Alcandir was not able to rest for long. When the moon had reached its apex, Legolas began to stir once again. Moving quickly to the elf’s side, the man pulled the cloth from Legolas’ brow. Between the warm air of the desert surrounding them and the heat of Legolas’ skin, the cloth was now nearly dry. He re-wet the cloth and placed it back on the elf’s feverish brow.
As he pulled his hand away from the elf he was met by wide, staring eyes. The red rimmed orbs were glued to Alcandir and looked dull and empty. It was a look that the bounty hunter never wanted to see on a living being for the remainder of his life. The fear and sorrow that was reflected there was haunting.
Yet, along with the dull, empty, haunting look of the elf, there was something else . A deepness within that the bounty had never seen in another before. A rich honor, and profound morality was reflected there. It was then that Alcandir knew that his doubts and concerns were unwarranted. The one that he had pulled from the very clutches of hell, the tattered, marred individual that now lay before him, was, without a doubt, the one that he had been sent to Harad to retrieve.
Alcandir gently placed the backs of his fingers against Legolas’ cheek, the elf jerked his face away then clamped his eyes shut as though the man’ touch pained him. Wanting to ensure that Legolas knew he was safe and need not to fear him, Alcandir leaned over the elf and placed his hand back on the pale, hot cheek. He waited until Legolas opened his eyes again then spoke slowly and clearly.
"You are safe now, My Prince. No one will harm you here."
Legolas scowled slightly, a look of confusion coming over his ashen features. His cracked lips then began to move slightly as the elf Prince struggled to speak. Alcandir leaned in close, stopping with his ear mere inches above Legolas’ mouth. His breath was ragged and slow and the only words that the bounty hunter could pick out were, "Hear...No."
Alcandir smiled sadly and then rose to retrieve the tea that he had placed next to the fire to keep warm. When he turned back to face Legolas he stopped dead in his tracks. The elf was shaking, almost violently. He hurried back to his side just as the elf started to heave. Gently, he lifted Legolas and tilted him to his side to prevent him from choking. Legolas retched several more times then finally, after much strain, expelled blood over the sandy floor of the tent.
Trying to hide the shock that he felt so as not to frighten the elf, Alcandir lay him back on his back and then proceeded to clean the sticky fluid from Legolas’ face. The red of the blood contrasted dramatically with the elf’s pale skin making both starkly more severe in appearance.
"Who?" Legolas ground out between gasps for breath.
Alcandir smiled sincerely then placed his right hand over his heart and bowed his head to the elf prince. He kept his head bowed momentarily then quickly went back to tending Legolas’ injuries.
Legolas spoke again and Alcandir stopped to lean in and listen. He tilted his head so that his ear once again hovered just above the elf’s mouth. "Stars?"
Stars? What does he mean stars?
They like stars right? Does he want to see the stars? It is worth a try.
Alcandir untied the ropes that were holding the tent in place and allowed one half of the structure to fall. The sky was clear and the stars shone brightly against the black backdrop. He walked back to Legolas to see if he had guessed correctly. Already he could see that the trembling had calmed slightly and the elf seemed more at ease.
"Thank you." Legolas mouthed and Alcandir was pleased that he had interpreted the request accurately.
He sat down next to Legolas and watched him for a moment. There was a slight improvement in the golden elf’s demeanor but his appearance was still worrisome. He studied Legolas as Legolas studied the stars. A thought came to him just then and he wondered about the fate of the other elves. Had Kalen told the truth when he claimed that they were dead. He had told the bounty hunter that Legolas was dead and had obviously been lying.
Waving his hand in front of Legolas’ face to get his attention he then began to use mock sign language to ask his question. Holding up four fingers, he pointed to Legolas then pointed to one of the fingers. He paused for a moment then pointed to the remaining three fingers one at a time. Before he even finished his inquiry he was interrupted by a gasp from the shaking elf.
"Dead." Was the strained reply and tears began to form in Legolas’ tired eyes.
The pair sat in silence for a moment, Alcandir gently wiping the tears from Legolas’ face and dripping more tea into his mouth. He tried to understand the pain that Legolas was feeling. Both the physical and emotional. He was grateful that he had never had to experience what the elf prince had.
He then began to feel anger. Anger toward those who had inflicted such suffering on another and surprisingly, anger with King Elessar for sending him on this quest. He had not agreed to this sitting in the middle of the desert, administering aid to one he didn’t know. Trying to comfort one so completely heartbroken. Had the King of Gondor known that Alcandir would not be able to return this elf to his friends alive? Was he using the bounty hunter as a scape goat so that he would have someone to blame for the elf’s demise?
The trembling in Legolas’ body was increasing again and he moaned softly in pain. There was a soft whimper to follow the moan and Alcandir realized that the elf was trying to gain his attention. He propped himself on his knees and resumed his earlier position of placing his ear just above Legolas’ mouth.
He spoke slowly and the words were strained, several were unheard altogether. "I...die here." Legolas drew in a deep breath. "Please...home. ...amongst...trees. Not...this...land." There was silence for a moment as Alcandir tried to piece the words together. He was once again interrupted by a quiet moan and turned back to the Legolas again. Tears filled the elf’s blue eyes and he looked pleadingly to the bounty hunter, "Please."
Unable to look into those sorrow filled eyes any longer, Alcandir began to look around him at the surrounding desert. It was still night, but he did not know how long Legolas truly had. He, himself, could not imagine the fear that came with dying so far from home but he did understand the security that comes with being surrounded by familiar things. He nodded to the golden elf then quickly set about packing their items and strapping them to the horse. He wanted to get Legolas home so that he could be in the comfort of his friends and family when he passed. He could not allow him to draw his last breath here, alone.
Walking back over to Legolas, he raised his eyes once again to the sky. Gods, give me strength. He gently lifted his trembling charge into his arms and placed him atop the horse. He then climbed up into the saddle and positioned Legolas in front of him as he had done previously.
"Hannon...." Although only bits of the statement came out and he didn’t understand the language, the meaning was loud and clear and pulled at Alcandir’s heart.
He urged his horse into a canter just as Legolas closed his eyes and fell to sleep.
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Excellent time had been made by the party from Gondor. They had been traveling all day and well into the night taking short stops to rest and water the horses. They ate atop the horses and rested themselves without dismounting as well.
Aragorn was pushing them as hard as he could without going over the edge. He finally called for a halt just after midnight and ordered camp to be set up and all in the party to get some sleep.
Sitting on a fallen log and staring into the flames of the small fire his thoughts began to drift to the dream of a few nights before. He wanted to sleep again in hopes that he might receive another dream, but he was scared of what the dream might tell him.
Aragorn was pulled from his musings by the presence of another woodland elf. Angrod sat down next to the King and began to study the fletching of one of his arrows. Aragorn could see that the dark elf had something on his mind and was searching for the appropriate words, he waited patiently with an amused smile on his face.
"How long do you plan to rest this night?" Aragorn should have suspected the elf would ask this.
"Not long, perhaps three or four hours. We will be moving again shortly." He regarded the dark elf for a moment then continued. "I am as anxious as you to see Legolas home safely."
"I am sorry My Lord. I know that you worry for the Prince." Angrod trailed off, his eyes dropping. "I promised his father that I would protect him."
The statement caught Aragorn off guard and he could hear the sorrow and fear in Angrod’s words. "You are a good friend to him."
"Would King Thranduil agree?" The question was sincere, Angrod was definitely in doubt. "The last time that King Thranduil saw Legolas before leaving for Valinor he beckoned me to a private meeting. I knew what he would ask before I saw him." The dark elf paused as though caught up in the memory. "I had been protecting the Royal Family of Greenwood since I had come of age. He bade me to protect his son in his absence. He bade me to ensure that Legolas would sail."
He fell quiet and Aragorn placed his hand on the elf’s shoulder. "Thranduil knows that you would die for Legolas if given the choice. There is no doubt in my mind that you would trade places with him right now if it were within your power."
"I have failed him. I have failed them both."
"No one has failed. We will scour all of Harad if need be, but we will bring him home. I still have not given up hope that Alcandir will succeed. Do not despair. Have hope."
Angrod lifted his brown eyes and looked deep into the King’s gray ones. Aragorn could tell that the dark elf was searching for any signs of deception or false hope. There was none. Although he feared for his dear friend, Aragorn had not given up hope yet. In his dream, Legolas still lived, and until he was shown otherwise, he would not cease his search.
"I see the sky is beginning to lighten to the east. Let us prepare to move out." The sky was, actually, still dark as a wraith and he knew that it hadn’t been the three hours that he had ordered, but Aragorn was ready to be on the road and moving South. "AWAKE!"
Sounds of waking began to emanate around the camp but there were no complaints. The party quickly packed and broke their fast with fruit and bread. They were all mounted and on the road within the hour.
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He was angry and determined. Determined to avenge Lord Kalen, but more importantly to regain his honor. The strange man, who had come to purchase the elf prince had humiliated him and he wasn’t easily deceived
He had lead great armies and commanded the guards of Marek. One did not rise to his position by being foolish.
As he rode over the sand, his horse breathless underneath him as it was pushed to the limit, Nolir laughed to himself at the stupidity of the slaver. The information he had provided was vital and the man had gained nothing in return. As a matter of fact, he had lost greatly for his betrayal, though Nolir didn’t feel the man’s life was worth that much anyway.
He would pursue them to the ends of the earth if needs be, but he would have his revenge. He would kill the strange man for harming Lord Kalen and he would kill the elf for bringing this fate upon the City of Marek.
Nolir would not quit until all was right in his world. He was gaining on them, he could feel it. He would have them in his grasp shortly and they would pay.He looked Legolas in the eyes. He was confused by the word. He began to search his memory for any hint as to what the elf had meant. Lifting his eyes and looking up in contemplation he saw the canvas covering he had erected to shield them from the sun. Subconsciously rising to his feet, his eyes fixed on the temporary ceiling, he began to remember something he had heard about elves.