Hi all!

Here are three tripple-drabbles written for the latest Teitho contest. I´m very happy that they were voted winners :-) I have never written anything this short and never thought I could.

I´m currently working on my next Teitho entry but the new chapter of Light My Path should also come within the next few days. Now enjoy and let me know what you think.

Take care,

Alina

Rating: K+ for some blood

Disclaimer: I do not own anything about these characters, I just borrow them

Author´s note: These drabbles take place at various times, their order here could be considered chronological but it does not really matter much

Black Blade

Legolas stared down at the blood that welled up among his fingers. He pressed down harder in an attempt to staunch the flow without moving the dark, rusty handle that still quivered from the force of the impact.

He was dimly aware of the noises of battle that still surrounded him, but they were no more than a wavering fog of sound that brushed him with cold hands but could be ignored.

"Do not move", he told his young friend gently. "Let me get a better look at the wound."

"You shot him from behind my back." The youth´s tone was almost accusing amidst the pain that laced it. "You could have hit me."

"I did not." Legolas spared a glance at the young man´s face and found all colour had left it. Somehow the pallor made Estel look even younger than he was.

So young! He should not be here, not surrounded be a band of orcs that had appeared out of nowhere. Not exposed to the terrible pains of a sword wound.

Keeping the pressure on the injury with one hand, the elf soothingly put the other on the human´s clammy forehead and then lowered his head to have his suspicions confirmed. The orc had rammed his black weapon home with such force that it had gone straight through Estel´s leg and into the forest floor beneath.

Legolas would have to wait for the twins to remove it. He could already sense the battle slowing down.

"Will I die?" There was a short silence. "It was a black blade."

The elf turned his gaze upon the human´s and did not break it as he spoke. "Was this black blade stronger than you?."

A smile touched pale lips. A knowing smile without a trace of fear.

End

Grey Caress

The darkness beneath the canopy of leaves was a soothing touch upon Aragorn´s cheek. He walked softly, his bare feet making no more sound than the whispering winds above.

The wooden handle of his dagger lay smoothly within his palm. It had warmed in his tight grip and now felt like a natural extension of his arm.

How many times had it seemed this way? How many days had he felt oddly exposed without either sword or dagger in hand?

The ranger´s keen eyes never left the ground as he walked, and when he saw what he sought he bent swiftly, putting the sharp edge of his dagger to effective use. It barely slowed as it sliced the tender material. The movement did not seem cruel but a mere caress. The moonlight glinted on the shimmering edge.

Like water, light could not be hurt by the bite of steal. The thought brought a smile to Aragorn´s lips. His eyes, however, kept looking. Kept searching.

In his living memories orcs fell to his swing, wolves with bloody fangs were sliced by his sword.

But not tonight.

He bent again, and again, his eyes finding their rare prey.

When he was finally done, he returned to his heart´s home. He felt his breath catch when he saw her sitting there, her back to him, waiting patiently for his arrival. Black hair was like a waterfall upon her white skin.

There was no more need for a weapon.

"You found them", Arwen smiled when he approached, "you found them before dawn could destroy their beauty."

The man knelt and placed the tender flowers in his beloved´s lap.

"Moonflowers", he breathed, "rare and beautiful, but nothing compared to you."

He leaned forward and when their lips met, he was at peace.

End

White Bite

The heat of battle was upon them with smothering wings, taking away what sparse space of air was not filled with the spray of black blood.

The only anchor in this madness was the reassuring feeling of the human´s presence as they danced with death.

Legolas felt his vision blur when blood seeped into his eyes. He shook his head in an attempt to get a clear look at both of the orcs who were swinging the foul weapons at him.

One blade he still saw in time and managed to squarely block it, but the other seemed to whirl at him from the misty, darkened air. The orc managed to hook the spike of his scimitar beneath one ivory handle and Legolas let out a shout of anger when he lost his grip and the weapon went flying.

"What!" Aragorn´s voice was laced with both worry and determination.

"Knife", was Legolas´ only answer.

The elf´s eyes kept being drawn to the shimmer of white that now gleamed in the dust behind his foes. He took a step away from Aragorn´s protecting form and lashed out at one orc, catching him in the throat and sending him crumbling to the ground.

His vision still impaired, Legolas saw the second orc´s next brutal swing at the last moment and only avoided the force of the blow by dropping away backwards, exposing himself to the final attack.

The orc stepped sideways to get a better position for the killing blow, but he had scarcely put his foot down when a howl of pain erupted from his black lips. It ended abruptly when the twin to the blade that had just pierced his foot found his throat.

"What?" Aragorn asked, turning as his own last foe fell.

"Knife."

Legolas smiled.

End