Title: Devestating Consequences

Author: solo23

Summary: A year after the destruction of the ring, all is not well in Mirkwood. Orcs are just the least of their worries when Legolas hosts a reunion for the Fellowship...please read and review

Disclaimer: All of the characters and settings in this story belong to J.R.R. Tolkein. I recieve no profit for my stories, they're just for fun


A gentle breeze blew a strand of golden hair into Legolas's eyes. Brushing it aside, the young elf's eyes gleamed with hapiness. He was sitting in a tree, awaiting the arrival of his former companions, whom he had not seen for nearly a year. Legolas could hardly believe that it had already been a year since he had joined the Fellowship and Mordor had fell. Slowly, his thoughts drifted into old memories, and his attention slipped.

"Legolas," a voice called from a nearby tree. The prince's head shot up, and his gaze pierced the speaker. He rose slowly from his crouched position in a tree, and nimbly scurried to the ground.

As he approached the the warrior who had called for him, Legolas heard the hiss of an arrow shooting by his head. His bow was in his hand instantly, and he notched an arrow as he turned. It was immediately apparent that a fight would be in vain, for he and his companion faced an entire army of orcs. There was a soft thud as the other elf dropped to Legolas's side, bow raised as well.

"Retreat," Legolas ordered," We're outnumbered, it's pointless to try to fight them."

Raenin nodded his compliance, then swiftly climbed back into the tree. Legolas followed, and they traveled through the trees toward the safety of their home. Legolas felt a bit uneasy with his decision to retreat. Something was telling him that perhaps he should have fought, or they should have at least hid and gathered information.

While Legolas was caught up in his thoughts, he failed to noticed that Raenin had stopped. After a few moments, he turned to the older elf and asked," Why have you stopped?"

"Can you not hear them?" Raenin asked in a whisper. Then, Legolas did hear. He heard the sound of orcs coming from all directions.

Legolas turned toward Mirkwood's elven city, his heart sinking. As the pounding footsteps of orcs drew closer, he realized that they would not be able to escape. It was likely that the orcs had seen them before their retreat, and would be looking for them. He turned to Raenin and commanded," Go to my father. Tell him that the orcs have entered Mirkwood."

Raenin rose an eyebrow and asked softly," What are you going to do, mellon nin? Why are you not going to come with me?"

A determinded look came over Legolas's eyes as he replied," I'm going to distract them. The survival of Mirkwood is in your hands, Raniean. I wish you luck."

Before Raenin could stop him, Legolas lept to the ground, yelling,"Linne, mellon nin!"


Legolas was a blur as he shot arrow after arrow at the onslaught of orcs. All too soon he ran out of arrows and was forced to engage in battle using only his elven blades. He knew Raniean had left long ago, although he had left reluctantly. The young elf knew that he could not hold out much longer. He stifled a cry of pain as an orc's blade bit into his back. As he stumbled forward, a second blade pierced his side, elicting a pain filled cry from the elf. The blade cut deeply into his side, and dropped Legolas to the ground as it was pulled back.

Curled on the ground in pain, Legolas could barely hold on to consciousness. He closed his eyes as the tip of the enemy's sword touched the base of his throat. However, the blade never went through. An urk's voice could be heard over the noise of the bickering army," He is one of those who destroyed Mordor. Saruman will want him alive."

Legolas was pulled up roughly by his arms, which were then painfully pinned behind his back. He struggled against their grasp as they bound his wrists, knowing that it would not help him. A cold fear entered his heart, as he knew that whatever they planned to do to him would not be at all pleasant. An orc's fist came down on his temple, and Legolas could feel himself sinking into unconsciousness.

An orc kicked the elf, making sure that he was not awake. He flung the elf over his shoulder and set off to Saruman's lair.


Raenin brushed aside vines and branches as he darted through the forest. He soon found himself approaching the palace gates. From above, he heard one of the guards call," Raenin? Is that you?"

The elf nodded, and the guard called again," Where is Prince Legolas and his friends?"

Raenin merely shook his head and continued running. The king looked up in shock as the doors to his chambers were flung open, revealing the disheveled warrior. Before King Thranduil could utter a word, Raenin burst out," Orcs have invaded Mirkwood! Legolas...Legolas was taken by orcs."

Thranduil was speechless. For a few moments, all he could do was gape at the warrior before him. When he finally found his voice, he asked," Why have you returned and Legolas has not?"

"He lept from his hiding place to hold back the orcs before I could stop him," Raenin admitted sadly," he ordered me to go deliver the news. Without his actions, it is unlikely either of us would have made it back. I'm sorry."

The older elf nodded numbly, and requested that Raenin leave. Once he had his thoughts together, he formed a large escort to find the guests that should have been arriving soon.


"Orcs," Aragorn announced stiffly as he observed the trail that had been formed only a few hours before. His companions sighed, wishing that when the ring had been destroyed, all of the orcs would have died as well.

Gimli looked up at the man and asked," Orcs? This close to Mirkwood? How would that elf let this happen?"

Aragorn felt a chill go down his spine as he realized the possibility that his friend was in grave danger. He muttered softly," He wouldn't..."

The man observed the scene, looking for any hints that Legolas may have been there. It was clear that there was a battle, one in which the elves had been vastly outnumbered. There were no bodies left behind, although Aragorn didn't consider this a particularly good thing. To his left, a hobbit's voice called," Strider, doesn't this belong to Legolas?"

Aragorn turned to look at Pippin, who was holding a disturbingly familiar bow. As he approached the scene, he was filled with despair. Not far away was Legolas's quiver, and his arrows were scattered about. He could see the light imprints of elven shoes where one elf had landed, presumably after jumping out of a tree. There were tracks indicating a struggle, and the blood of an elf was pooled on the ground.

"It appears that only one elf was here," Aragorn stated, clearly puzzled. He continued with sorrow," Legolas was that one elf. Judging by the blood left on the ground, it seems unlikely that he made it away alive."

The hobbits stared at each other, hardly able to grasp what Aragorn was saying. Gimli sank slowly to the ground, his eyes wide with shock. He muttered to himself," I always knew that the elf would get himself killed..."

"He is not dead," Aragorn declared with determination. In the distance, they heard an elf scream in pain.

"Indeed it seems he is not," Gandalf stated as he approached the group," although it seems he could use a bit of help."


Legolas's head swam. He could barely register anything that was happening. All he knew was that it hurt, and the pain kept growing. Soon, he could no longer hold back his scream of anguish. Through blurred eyes he could vaguely make out the orcs around him. He could feel his wrists rubbed raw by ropes that tied them behind his back. There were too many sources of pain for the elf to register it all.

"Stop!" the urk's voice echoed across the camp," Saruman wants him alive, and in one piece. Leave him alone."

Several orcs growled mutinously, but in the end decided against attacking their leader. Legolas moaned softly. Gently, he attempted to sit up. His attempt was greeted by immediate nausea and severly increased pain. One of the orcs noted his movement, and delivered a swift kick to his chest. A hiss escaped Legolas as his eyes glazed over from the pain. Far beyond the orcs' range of hearing, the elf heard the voices he had been waiting for months to hear.

An unusual determination filled the young elf's heart. With that determination came his final reserves of strength, and Legolas lept to his feet. He bolted toward the voices, somehow avoiding a dozen orcs who stood in his way. Legolas soon found himself within a visible distance of his friends. As loud as he could, Legolas shouted," My friends, help me! Please!"

As the words left his mouth, no less than five orcs tackled him, forcing him to the ground. He screamed in agony as his wounds were reopened, and new ones were added. The pain quickly became unbearable, and the prince never saw his friends' heads shoot up, or the sight of them charging toward him with a troop of Mirkwood's elven warriors.


The escort of Mirkwood elves had just arrived. They had begun to explain the fate that had befallen Legolas, and how he came to be in the situation, when the prince's plea for help echoed through the valley. Aragorn's head shot around in time to see a badly beaten elf, arms bound behind his back, running toward them. Drawing his sword, Aragorn lead the charge at the orcs who were gaining on his friend.

Before they could reach the elf, several orcs lept on him. They went down in a jumble, and Aragorn's heart broke as he heard Legolas scream. When the orcs dragged their prisoner up, he was unconscious. Orcs fell swiftly as the elven archers shot at them. Those who were holding Legolas went down, and the elf crumpled to the ground. Merry and Pippin managed to reach him before more orcs noticed. Sam and Frodo were close behind, stabbing any orc who came too close to their friend.

Three elves had fallen in the battle, but the orcs were forced to retreat. Pippin held Legolas's head delicately in his lap. By the time Gimli, Gandalf, and Aragorn made their way over to the elf, his eyes had fluttered open. Legolas bit back a moan of pain as he awakened. The agony caused by his injuries was severe. He jerked away from the hobbit when he found himself surrounded by blurry images, afraid that they were orcs and more pain was about to be inflicted.

The figure above him spoke softly in Elvish," Peace, Legolas. The orcs are gone."

"Aragorn?" Legolas whispered. He still could not see clearly, and the pain was threatening to overwhelm him. A small smile touched his lips as he realized that his friends had saved him. Struggling to sit up, he mumbled," Hannon le, mellon nin."

The elves from Mirkwood who formed the escort helped the prince onto a horse. Slowly, they made their way back to Legolas's home. Exhausted from the day's events, Legolas fell asleep quickly, and Aragorn smiled as he joined his friend on the horse, holding him close. Softly, he whispered," I thought I'd lost you."

Mellon nin- my friend

linne-go

Hannon le- thank you