Authors note: My first LOTR fic! My first Legolas fic! (my favorite
character by the way!) So don't bash me to hard! R&R!
Legolas sat beside his friend, remaining still, but glancing at Aragorn occasionally. There was something about Aragorn's expression that was unusual. Legolas guessed what it might be. At last he gave in.
"You miss the little fellow, don't you?" Legolas asked. His Elven voice was low and did not disturb the relative silence of forest around them, but rather seemed to be part of the natural sounds.
Aragorn looked at Legolas as if the question was absurd, but then he looked away. With a sigh, he replied, "Yes, foolish as it may sound, I do."
"Its not foolish, Aragorn. I miss him too. And the others." Legolas also sighed. "We were thrown together in the midst of great darkness and evil, sent on a task that meant certain peril, you would think the last thing we would want was to be together again."
Aragorn smirked. "They were good companions."
"And good friends," Legolas added. "But the Ring Bearers have gone to a better place then this."
Aragorn did not reply. A few silent moments passed. Suddenly Aragorn held up his hand to get Legolas's attention. He pointed into the forest.
A dark shape was snuffling along the forest floor. Its face was hideous and its armor was evil and dark. It looked around with dark squinting eyes, but did not notice the two hunters that watched it from nearby. Then it turned and let out a shrill disgusting cry and ten more of the evil creatures came to stand next to the first. They were Orcs. A few of the last remaining of Sauron's army. They grunted to one another in their fowl language, then moved on.
Legolas and Aragorn both notched an arrow into their bows and let them fly. Both arrows struck their mark and the two Orcs in the rear fell silently, dead, to the ground. Slowly and quietly, Legolas and Aragorn moved from their hiding spot and followed the small band of Orcs.
The trees thinned and the land sloped down into a small vale and sloped up again steeply on the other side. A stream ran down the bottom of the vale. The Orcs lumbered down into the vale and stopped to rest beside the stream, at first, taking no notice of their fallen comrades.
Legolas and Aragorn stopped at the tree line, just out of sight of the Orcs. They notched their bows and took aim. When two more Orcs fell, the remaining seven became alert. They pulled their swords and looked around frantically for the source of the arrows. One let out a piercing cry. The cry was for help, and had the two hunters known this, they would not have been so hasty to leave hiding.
Legolas and Aragorn jumped out of the trees, scattering the remaining Orcs and killing six in a matter of seconds. But the last let out a finally call before falling dead.
The two hunters paused for a moment. Their arrows were spent. Suddenly Legolas turned. He had heard approaching feet coming from behind them. Sure enough, a band of at least 20 Orcs could be seen charging through the forest.
Aragorn dropped his bow and pulled his sword.
"Gather your arrows as quick as you can! You're the better bow-man!" he called to Legolas.
Legolas turned and began gathering his spent arrows, even snatching a few of Aragorn's. Even before his quiver was filled, he turned and sent a few arrows at the approaching Orcs.
Aragorn struck the first Orc with a deadly blow and the battle ensued. Legolas seized his last arrow and turned. Three of the Orcs were already backing Aragorn down into the vale. Seven of the others were charging at Legolas. The remaining eight were still lumbering through the woods.
Legolas notched arrow after arrow. One right after another, in a matter of seconds, the Orcs fell dead. But somehow Legolas had miscounted his arrows in the hurry. He had one left and still Orcs were coming. He notched his final arrow and dropped the Orc number to seven.
Aragorn cleanly separated the head from the last of his attackers. He now stood in the water at the edge of the stream with Orc blood swirling around his boots. He looked up to see Legolas cast his bow aside and draw the short sword he carried. The Orcs now stood at the tree line, leering and jeering at the two hunters. Neither Man nor Elf took their eyes from the Orc company
"Seven against two," Aragorn whispered in Elvish.
"I noticed that as well," Legolas replied. "You know, if you get rid of the rest of these creatures, we'll be even."
"Gimli lost that competition, what makes you think I would win?" Aragorn replied.
Legolas gave a small shrug. "All right then." But before he could move to advance a sound caught his keen Elven ears. He looked up behind him on the rise and there stood a row of nine Sindarin Archers of Mirkwood. Aragorn also turned and felt almost relieved.
The Orcs slowly caught on that they were in the sights of the skilled archers. Their smirks vanished and they dropped to their knees, pleading for their lives.
The Archers came down the slope and went to detain the Orcs trespassers.
One of the Archers stopped at the bank. "Hail Legolas Greenleaf!" he called.
"Hail Gonlyn Lightwind!" Legolas replied.
"They said that an Elf had run off to defend the South edge of Mirkwood from Orcs and I laughed! Then I knew it must be the Prince! The itch for adventure still runs heavy in your veins!" Gonlyn said. Then he suddenly took notice of Aragorn and he looked shocked. "But they said nothing of King Elessar accompanying you!"
Aragorn chuckled. "I suppose the Ranger in me still longs for a journey now and again."
Legolas glanced over at the Archers who were now binding the remaining Orcs to be made prisoners. It was against an Elf's conscious to keep slaves of any creature, but the dwarves were not as kind hearted about Orcs. This company would be taken to Erebor.
"Well Aragorn, seems as though we're not needed here anymore," Legolas said.
"Yes, and I had better be returning to my duties as King, though it has been a joy to accompany you once again Legolas." Aragorn replied.
"Must you return to the castle so soon?" Legolas asked.
"I'm afraid so, my friend. There is much to do that I have put off far to long, and Arwen awaits. So! Walk with me back to our horses and from their we shall part."
Legolas agreed and Gonlyn decided to go with them. Less then a league from their first hiding place they found their horses grazing. Legolas and Aragorn bade farewell to one another and turned their separate directions.
Legolas sat beside his friend, remaining still, but glancing at Aragorn occasionally. There was something about Aragorn's expression that was unusual. Legolas guessed what it might be. At last he gave in.
"You miss the little fellow, don't you?" Legolas asked. His Elven voice was low and did not disturb the relative silence of forest around them, but rather seemed to be part of the natural sounds.
Aragorn looked at Legolas as if the question was absurd, but then he looked away. With a sigh, he replied, "Yes, foolish as it may sound, I do."
"Its not foolish, Aragorn. I miss him too. And the others." Legolas also sighed. "We were thrown together in the midst of great darkness and evil, sent on a task that meant certain peril, you would think the last thing we would want was to be together again."
Aragorn smirked. "They were good companions."
"And good friends," Legolas added. "But the Ring Bearers have gone to a better place then this."
Aragorn did not reply. A few silent moments passed. Suddenly Aragorn held up his hand to get Legolas's attention. He pointed into the forest.
A dark shape was snuffling along the forest floor. Its face was hideous and its armor was evil and dark. It looked around with dark squinting eyes, but did not notice the two hunters that watched it from nearby. Then it turned and let out a shrill disgusting cry and ten more of the evil creatures came to stand next to the first. They were Orcs. A few of the last remaining of Sauron's army. They grunted to one another in their fowl language, then moved on.
Legolas and Aragorn both notched an arrow into their bows and let them fly. Both arrows struck their mark and the two Orcs in the rear fell silently, dead, to the ground. Slowly and quietly, Legolas and Aragorn moved from their hiding spot and followed the small band of Orcs.
The trees thinned and the land sloped down into a small vale and sloped up again steeply on the other side. A stream ran down the bottom of the vale. The Orcs lumbered down into the vale and stopped to rest beside the stream, at first, taking no notice of their fallen comrades.
Legolas and Aragorn stopped at the tree line, just out of sight of the Orcs. They notched their bows and took aim. When two more Orcs fell, the remaining seven became alert. They pulled their swords and looked around frantically for the source of the arrows. One let out a piercing cry. The cry was for help, and had the two hunters known this, they would not have been so hasty to leave hiding.
Legolas and Aragorn jumped out of the trees, scattering the remaining Orcs and killing six in a matter of seconds. But the last let out a finally call before falling dead.
The two hunters paused for a moment. Their arrows were spent. Suddenly Legolas turned. He had heard approaching feet coming from behind them. Sure enough, a band of at least 20 Orcs could be seen charging through the forest.
Aragorn dropped his bow and pulled his sword.
"Gather your arrows as quick as you can! You're the better bow-man!" he called to Legolas.
Legolas turned and began gathering his spent arrows, even snatching a few of Aragorn's. Even before his quiver was filled, he turned and sent a few arrows at the approaching Orcs.
Aragorn struck the first Orc with a deadly blow and the battle ensued. Legolas seized his last arrow and turned. Three of the Orcs were already backing Aragorn down into the vale. Seven of the others were charging at Legolas. The remaining eight were still lumbering through the woods.
Legolas notched arrow after arrow. One right after another, in a matter of seconds, the Orcs fell dead. But somehow Legolas had miscounted his arrows in the hurry. He had one left and still Orcs were coming. He notched his final arrow and dropped the Orc number to seven.
Aragorn cleanly separated the head from the last of his attackers. He now stood in the water at the edge of the stream with Orc blood swirling around his boots. He looked up to see Legolas cast his bow aside and draw the short sword he carried. The Orcs now stood at the tree line, leering and jeering at the two hunters. Neither Man nor Elf took their eyes from the Orc company
"Seven against two," Aragorn whispered in Elvish.
"I noticed that as well," Legolas replied. "You know, if you get rid of the rest of these creatures, we'll be even."
"Gimli lost that competition, what makes you think I would win?" Aragorn replied.
Legolas gave a small shrug. "All right then." But before he could move to advance a sound caught his keen Elven ears. He looked up behind him on the rise and there stood a row of nine Sindarin Archers of Mirkwood. Aragorn also turned and felt almost relieved.
The Orcs slowly caught on that they were in the sights of the skilled archers. Their smirks vanished and they dropped to their knees, pleading for their lives.
The Archers came down the slope and went to detain the Orcs trespassers.
One of the Archers stopped at the bank. "Hail Legolas Greenleaf!" he called.
"Hail Gonlyn Lightwind!" Legolas replied.
"They said that an Elf had run off to defend the South edge of Mirkwood from Orcs and I laughed! Then I knew it must be the Prince! The itch for adventure still runs heavy in your veins!" Gonlyn said. Then he suddenly took notice of Aragorn and he looked shocked. "But they said nothing of King Elessar accompanying you!"
Aragorn chuckled. "I suppose the Ranger in me still longs for a journey now and again."
Legolas glanced over at the Archers who were now binding the remaining Orcs to be made prisoners. It was against an Elf's conscious to keep slaves of any creature, but the dwarves were not as kind hearted about Orcs. This company would be taken to Erebor.
"Well Aragorn, seems as though we're not needed here anymore," Legolas said.
"Yes, and I had better be returning to my duties as King, though it has been a joy to accompany you once again Legolas." Aragorn replied.
"Must you return to the castle so soon?" Legolas asked.
"I'm afraid so, my friend. There is much to do that I have put off far to long, and Arwen awaits. So! Walk with me back to our horses and from their we shall part."
Legolas agreed and Gonlyn decided to go with them. Less then a league from their first hiding place they found their horses grazing. Legolas and Aragorn bade farewell to one another and turned their separate directions.