Dannen Gwend

Chapter 1

"Look at them, they're frightened!" Legolas said fearfully as forlorn men and children alike wandered aimlessly around the crowded armory at Helm's Deep. "I can see it in their eyes... and they should be! 300 against 10,000!" He glanced nervously at Gimli as he switched unconsciously to Sindarin.

"They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras." Aragorn retorted heavily in the same tongue.

"Aragorn," Legolas started. "There is no hope- they are all going to die!" This broke the man. He stepped forward, raising a scarred hand level with the elf's shoulder.

"Then I shall die as one of them!" He screamed back in the common tongue, slapping one hand across the fair elf's face.

The prince stumbled backwards, one hand clutched to his cheek. For a small moment, he allowed his sad eyes to glance at the one he called brother before he fled the room, the beginnings of tears in his mischievous blue eyes.

"Wait, Legolas! No!" Aragorn yelled after him.

"Leave him be, lad. He needs time." Gimli advises carefully, placing a large hand on the man's shoulder.

"I need to go find him, Gimli. He'll do something stupid if I don't." The man attempts to push past the dwarf, but is stopped by king Theoden.

"Aragorn, come. We must go over strategies again." Estel allowed himself to be pulled away, albeit begrudgingly.

Legolas stood atop the wall at Helm's Deep, gazing over the landscape as Uruk-Hai thundered ever closer to the fortress of men. He sighed; they could not win this one. Not with him, not with Aragorn, not with Gimli, not even with Gandalf. It was hopeless, it was futile to even try to fight...

But Aragorn would fight anyway. Ah, Estel, he would always try. Always blamed himself for losses, was always a little too noble. So kind as well.

Legolas had met him when he was only a young child, barely standing to his knees. He was the sweetest little thing. The elf had taught him to fight, ruffled his hair when it was too neat for the boy's boisterous personality, slept with him when he had nightmares and held him when he was sad. They had been best friends for what seemed like forever. Now they seemed miles apart.

Legolas brought a slim hand to his cheek- the one Aragorn had slapped- and exhaled loudly. "Oh Estel," he mumbled. "I'm sorry."

"Gimli, have you seen Legolas?" Aragorn calmly questioned the dwarf, who sat on the step below the ranger.

"No, but it's best to leave him alone right now, lad. You know how he gets." The dwarf replies.

"I'm just worried, though. Gimli, he's my best friend! I hurt him! I c-can't live with myself until I see him." The man sank to the ground beside his dwarven companion, head in his hands.

"THE URUKS ARE HERE!" A man screams from the top of the stairs. Aragorn whips around, subconsciously reaching for a hand. His fingers clasp Gimli's, not Legolas', and he jumps back.

"Sorry, I-I thought you were someone else." He stutters. The dwarf glances at him strangely, but shrugs it of nonetheless.

"THE URUKS ARE HERE!" Legolas turned toward the voice. The man was far away- so far that only an elf could hear him from that distance. The prince saw Aragorn jump away from something on the stairs. He almost laughed.

But battle had to be fought. He drew his knives, silently promising Estel that he would see him on the other side of battle. When the red sun rose after a night of bloodshed. A night- hopefully- of victory over the evil and triumph of all things light in this world. One step closer to peace in Middle Earth. This would start the war.

But were they prepared to end it?

Thank you guys sooooooo much for reading! Next chapter will be up sorta soon, after all it is summer! TTYL!

Translations:

Dannen Gwend- Fallen Friendship

-UE