The field was quiet now. The Orcs defeated and those who still lived had fled. All threat was gone. No one could see very far ahead of them due to the thick fog and smoke. A small group was forming off to the side of the field. Gimli, Sam, Frodo, and Merry sat on the ground as Aragorn and Gandalf quickly went through and set wounds. Others gathered and sat down quietly. No one spoke for a long time. To fatigued.
Finally Aragorn stood from wrapping a Dwarves extremely bloodied leg. "Legolas, you and I will go through and see if there are others that still have life." We wiped the blood from his sword and sheathed it.
Still not receiving an answer he looked around. Many wounded, muddy, tired faces but none were the Elf. Then he noticed another one missing from the party. Pippin was also not present. He quickly walked over to the Wizard.
"Gandalf, have you seen Legolas or Pippin?"
Gandalf looked around. "No, actually, I have not."
There was a sudden cry of alarm that sounded like Pippin.
Fearing he was hurt, Gandalf and Aragorn took off in the direction of the cry. Sam, Frodo, Gimli, and Merry were close behind.
When they found him, he seemed to be unharmed. He was standing beside a figure dressed in silver with leather armor, lying in the grass. At first Aragorn only pain attention to the startled Hobbit. Finally deciding Pippin was well, aside from a few cuts and bruises, Aragorn directed his attention to what the Hobbit was staring at.
Lying on the ground was Legolas. There was an arrow notched in his bow. But the arrow that Aragorn was staring at was the one in his chest. Legolas had a large spot of blood around the arrow.
His bow had been pulled back into firing position. He must have been fighting long after he was shot.
The rest of the group slowly approached. Gimli upon seeing his friend, for the first time ever so utterly helpless, he dropped to his knees. Aragorn knelt beside the Dwarf who slowly reached out and touched the arrow. As if not believing it was real.
The group stood, stunned, and not talking. Aragorn brushed a thin blond braid off of his friends face.
"This cannot be." Said Gimli. "The untouchable Master Archer, killed by arrow."
"It is a bit ironic isn't it?" Replied Aragorn. Gandalf reached over and took the bow from the Elf's still hands. Aragorn grasped his friends hands and slowly closed them as he started to fold then over his chest.
But Aragorn stopped, holding Legolas's hands in air. He drooped one hand and cupped the other in his palm, all in one rapid movement.
"What did you do that for?" gasped Gimli.
Aragorn ignored him and laid his head on the Elf's chest. "His heart still beats!" Not a sound was heard as Aragorn slowly removed his friends armor without bumping the arrow. No one quite believe him. As Legolas had to of been laying there for some time. But Legolas's hand tightened into a fist and his face scrunched in pain as Aragorn gently removed the Arrow. It was slick with the Elf's blood and the black feathers were matted.
His armor had helped. The arrow was only in about an inch and barely missed his heart. After a few more minutes Legolas's limbs relaxed and the group feared, once again, that he was gone. Until his eyes slowly fluttered open. He sat up a bit and looked around at the worried faces before fully registering the pain in his chest.
"Lie down, my friend. You took a mighty hit. It will take some time to heal."
Legolas's voice was hoarse. "is anyone else wounded?" he demanded.
"Not mortally wounded, no. Not like you."
Relief showed on his face. "So we have won?"
"Yes. It would look like that."
"Good. You can tend to the others. I am fine now." With that, he folded his hands over his chest and drifted to sleep. Everyone was a bit shocked at this. But there were many more still in need of medical attention, so the group split up.
Leaving Gimli to watch over Legolas. As he sat down in the grass the Dwarf wiped a lone tear from his eye and tried to busy himself with the edge of his axe.
