Exodus

By: Alilacia

Rating: PG13

Feedback: Here, and yes please :-)

Spoilers: None that I can think of. In fact, this story is pretty much entirely AU, so I doubt it. I shall let you know if there is.

Beta reader: Ying

Disclaimer:

I do not own Lord of the Rings, or anything to do with the film or books. That honour goes to Peter Jackson (et all) and J.R.R Tolkien. I have no permission what so ever to use these characters, will not receive any money for this, and I am doing this for my own enjoyment. And to pass the time between working during the day.

Note: The Characters (and concept of) Dehlfalhen and Glamferaen were created by Cassia and Siobhan and they were kind enough to let me borrow them for this story.

The story in which they were first introduced was called Siege of Dread and is posted here:

Again, these characters (and concept) are not mine, and if one wishes to use this (or any of the characters or concepts from the Mellon Chronicles series) email Cassia at or Siobhan at

Edit: Have also just been informed (thanks Cassia :D) that Saelons are indeed another invention of Cassia and Sio. So all the above wording applies to them as well.

Summary:

"Strider, you have to understand a lot of things. There is much that I cannot tell you, much that only they can tell you. If you can find them. Only know that there was a darkness within them that they had been fighting with for so long, and when they found his body lying there..."

Events put into motion, the beginning of the end started long before it could be stopped. In all his years he had never considered what the loss of one life could have on the world, none of them had. It should have come to no surprise to him really, that when a pivotal figure was lost forever that his life was turned upside down, and nothing was the same again.

And do you know what the worst part was... it really was all his fault.

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Exodus

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Part One - Memories

Everything was how he remembered it, and yet everything had changed.

But still he couldn't deny that being back here brought him peace, even if something screamed at him that something was wrong.

Estellio amin...

Estel, amin mela le...

Ada

Ú-moe edhored, Legolas...

Words rang inside his mind, and he shook his head to dispel them.

Guilt surfaced again and he stopped. It had been so long since he had set foot into this haven again. Many years he had let slip by without sending any kind of word to his family. He knew that he could easily say that he had been busy, which was true. Walking the path of a ranger, and then remaining in Minas Tirith for a time to end the disputes between the Gondorians and the Corsairs that plagued their shores had taken up many a year. But even he could not deny that something had kept him from writing, kept him from letting them know that he was even alive.

The winter these past few months have been hard. Luckily, we were well prepared this year and have been able to pass the days with no worry of food shortages.

I have often found myself worrying about how the winter is affecting Gondor. I also find myself worrying more and more about you my son.

Although I know of your strength in battle, and do not doubt it for a second, the lack of news from the south worries me. I know it could simply be the harsh winter which makes travelling too perilous for a simple letter but that does not stop my heart from worrying.

Keep yourself safe, ion nín. Although your brothers have attempted to keep me distracted in your absence, I can tell that they too long for the day when you will walk back through the gates of Imladris and back to us.

Only yesterday we received news from Mirkwood...

Strider closed his eyes tightly as the memory of the letter his father had sent him rose suddenly in his mind. Hearing from his father had brought a smile to his face, but something had stopped him from immediately writing another letter. His hand strayed absently to his pack where he knew all the letters he had been writing were stored. As well as the half written ones gathered up in haste as he had quickly left Gondor with little to no word to anyone.

He had only spoken to one, his second-in-command. Aragorn knew that the other man would be more than capable of leading the soldiers in his place, but still couldn't stop himself from allaying the soldiers' fears in what little way he could.

"But... sir, the battle may be over and the Corsairs driven back..." the man's voice trailed off, and he found it difficult to look Thorongil in the eye. "Sir, the soldiers still need you to lead them."

"What they need is someone of strong character and belief in what we are fighting for." Thorongil moved closer to the man and laid his hand on his shoulder. "If there is one person who I can confidentially say would fill that position perfectly it is you." The man looked him in the eye then and placed his hand on Thorongil's shoulder in return.

"Why do you have to go sir?"

"There is somewhere I have to be. A place I left long ago and wish to see again." Thorongil answered at length, "I shall not neglect it any longer." These last words were whispered and the man barely caught them. He frowned and thought briefly to question Thorongil on the meaning of his words but at the look on his captain's face, he decided against it. Brown eyes met silver as Thorongil clasped his shoulder once more, but this time in parting, and started to move into the shadows that were created by the flickering firelight.

"But sir..." A hesitant voice called after him, and Thorongil turned his head slightly to listen to what the man could have to say. "When I return to Minas Tirith... what shall I tell Lord Ecthelion?"

There was a pause as Thorongil turned his head to look out into the shadows. "Tell him that although I have valued serving him and Gondor, my path must now lead me elsewhere. There are other tasks that now call me and much time and many perils must pass, ere I come again to Gondor, if that be my fate." Thorongil turned to look him in the eyes again briefly before turning once more to the sprawling landscape ahead of him. "Lord Ecthelion has known for a long time that I would not be serving under him forever. And I think he already knew that I would not be returning with you this day."

"I understand." The man said softly, his brown eyes misting over slightly as he watched his captain... his friend... turn away from the life of a soldier and disappear into the shadows.

But even then, he had not been able to return home. Events away from his control had taken him deep into the darkened recesses of Mordor. It had taken him about a year to escape his captives and find another way out from Mordor. Save walking up to the gates and asking to be let out nicely.

Aragorn touched the scar on his lip absently. It had been much worse when the wound had been dealt, and Aragorn had known instantly that it would scar. Luckily, the growth of hair around his mouth and chin hid it for the most part, but he was still a little self-conscious about it. Until now all of his scars had been hidden from prying eyes.

Pressing through the last copse of trees, he found himself slowing and then stopping. Before him lay the gates to his one time home. A million thoughts ran through his head, and the desire to just turn around and leave pressed once more in his mind. No-one had seen him walk in, at least, he thought no one had; and he still didn't know if he really was ready to return to this life he had been hiding from.

Pulling a deep, shaky breath in through his lips he forced his feet to move forwards.

It seemed like he had been walking for ages before he even saw the first signs of life. This in and of itself was odd, and Aragorn frowned as he increased his pace to follow the flash of blond hair he had seen disappearing around a corner.

While he knew that it could not be his father or his brothers, he was curious to see who it was.

Eventually his search led him to an empty storeroom, one that he could only just remember from his youth.

Walking in through the door, he was just about to reach for the torch sconced on the wall when a hand wrapped itself around his neck and he was pulled in close to his assailant.

"It has been many a year since a human walked free in these halls. Speak quickly." A voice hissed into his ear, and Aragorn flinched involuntarily. Aragorn shifted to get a better look at the person holding him and stopped moving when the arm tightened even closer around his neck. From the corner of his eye, he could see strands of blond hair settling back into place. He had seen that hair before, he knew he had.

"Glorfindel?" He ventured quietly, hoping that he had gotten the identity right. The figure behind him tensed, and Aragorn heard the sound of metal scraping against metal. Seconds later a dagger was held within his line of sight and then rested just above where his heart was.

"How do you know that name, human?"

"I know it because you were my saelon when I was a child." Aragorn said softly, the arm around his neck making it difficult to speak normally.

The arm tightened for a brief moment, and before he knew it Aragorn was spun around to face steely blue eyes.

The eyes widened, and the arms holding him disappeared. The dagger was returned to Glorfindel's side, and he looked once more at the human standing before him with surprise clear in his eyes.

"Aragorn... Estel... we all thought you were dead."

Aragorn turned away from his former teacher and stared at a point on the wall. "It hit everyone hard when letter after letter remained unanswered." Glorfindel said softly, moving so he could see into Estel's eyes.

"I..." Aragorn's eyes slipped shut before he opened them quickly and fixed his saelon with a hard stare. "I did not come here to be treated this way." His anger got the better of him, winning over the guilt which had wracked him not so long ago.

"You know that I would not judge you harshly without good reason, mellon nín." The elf said quietly, "but if you truly loath setting foot through these gates again... why have you come back?"

Aragorn almost said something potentially damaging to their already strained friendship, but held his tongue when he saw the look in Glorfindel's eyes. It became clear to him then that the elf was happy to have him here, but was unsure where they stood... was quite possibly a little worried about how much he could possibly have changed in the years he had been away...

Pressing back his anger as much as he could, Aragorn ignored the surprised look that flickered over Glorfindel's face and stepped in close. He wrapped his arms around the elf in a hug and felt a small sense of relief when Glorfindel did not pull away but relaxed in his grip.

"I missed this, mellon nín," Aragorn spoke gently into Glorfindel's ear. "Although I was often pressed to venture out into the wilds and learn more about myself, there comes a time when you simply have to follow your heart and return to whatever you call home."

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The thing about returning to your home after staying away so long... it either made you remember all that you had missed and that you were glad to see once more, or it made you wonder why you had returned in the first place.

Both these thoughts had run through his head in the time it took him to walk through the halls he had run through as a child. Had stumbled through as a teenager, trying to understand why he was different from all the others. Had lived through an adult as fate and destiny pressed even harder against his shoulders and he hadn't known where to turn.

Shaking his head, his eyes clouded over briefly when he realised where it was his feet had lead him to.

Flickering light from the candles cast weaving shadows over the many paintings that adorned the walls. Aragorn knew not when these paintings had actually been painted, but could feel the sense of history in the air. Could almost feel the charge of emotion that the artist had been trying to convey.

And... a wave of anger swept through him, and Aragorn's hands clenched into fists by his side. His silver eyes came to rest on shards of steel resting on aged fabric. Stepping closer to the altar, Strider resisted the urge to sweep the shards from where they had been laying for countless years.

Light breathing barely stirred the air, and the careful footsteps could not be heard. The sound of a cloak rippling momentarily displaced the air and blue eyes glanced down to watch the fabric settle back around a lithe frame. A slender hand came to rest upon the stone, the fingers trailing along each bump and crevice as the person moved closer. Far into the room, the man was unaware he was being watched, and blue eyes lowered one last time before raising again to stare at where they knew eyes would be if the man was not turned away. The fingers tightened on the stonework, and the blue eyes flashed with some emotion before the mask of indifference settled over the pale features.

With one last look at the human, the figure turned and walked away.

As the last of the cloak disappeared out of sight, the human turned, silver eyes lingering on the exit before returning to what had held his attention before.

Glancing at the doorway, Aragorn was sure that someone had once been standing there, watching him.

The thought was a little disconcerting, but by the time he had walked to the door whatever was there was gone.

If there was anything there... his mind pointed out, as he once more stood in front of the altar.

Rearranging the fabric where one corner had turned in on itself, Aragorn turned away from the shards.

Walking quickly to the ornate chair, the human dropped loudly in a sprawled position. Banishing all thoughts from his head, Aragorn instead concentrated on the white noise; the slight ringing in his ears; and allowed his eyes to drift shut. A deep sense of weariness overcame him then, and a sigh passed his lips. His eyes opened once more to see the painting on the wall before they closed for the last time as sleep stole over him.

The same lithe form that had observed the human in secret, returned once more. With effortless grace, the elf sat down into a small chair opposite from where the man had fallen asleep.

So much time had passed in many ways since he had last looked upon this human. Both this day, and in times past. The elf looked up and noted the fading light just visible from a window far down the adjoining corridor.

Indeed, many an hour had passed since he had observed the human in secret. What had kept him away; he still wasn't entirely sure, for they had once been called friends. Would once have given their lives for each other without question.

The elf had no idea where they stood now, not when so many years (in the reckoning of men) had passed them by.

Returning his gaze to the sleeping human, he entertained with the idea of just up and leaving without letting the man know that he had been here.

Making up his mind, the elf rose once more to his feet, and was about to leave the room when the human groaned and stirred.

Despite himself, the elf froze and couldn't tear his eyes away from the silver eyes that were returning to focus. Not even when they met his own gaze. The elf saw shock pass over the man's features, and his mouth open -- to say what; the elf had no idea and didn't really want to find out. Nodding once, the elf turned on his feet and started to walk out of the room. Not willing to give any explanation for his presence in the room, nor why he had been watching the human while he slept.

"Mellon nín... Legolas... my friend..."

Stopping at the sound of the human's voice, Legolas did not bother to turn around.

"Do not call me that, human. We may have been friends once, but we are no longer."

Legolas did not wait to see what Aragorn might possibly come up with to try and salvage the situation and just walked out of the room. In his wake, there was a confused and hurt human, wondering just how things could have turned so sour between them.

TBC...