Chapter 4
Legolas and Gimli stayed with their hobbit friends for 4 days before deciding it was time to depart. They had been given the grand tour of The Shire, much to the dislike of most of its other inhabitants. They had seen Buckland and Tookborough and had even taken a short trip to the grey havens which Legolas in particular found fascinating, he could feel the vast elven history in the place and its walls still held the joy of when the place was inhabited despite it having been deserted for years.
"You's don't need to leave so soon! Stay a bit longer!" Sam pleaded. "10 years is a long time not to see somebody and to only stay 4 days, if I had my way I wouldn't let you go for 4 years!"
"I'm sorry Sam but we told Aragorn we would be back within a year to continue to help in Osgiliath there is still much work to be done, we have been gone for 9 months and I promised my father we would stop by on the way back" Legolas said chuckling at Sam's pouting face.
"You did?" Gimli grumbled. "You failed to mention such a thing to me!"
"Yes I'm sorry Gimli it eh….slipped my mind" Legolas said rather unconvincingly.
"Of course it did! Well if we are going by Mirkwood I think we should take a dee-tour and pass by the Iron Hills where I was raised, there are still a great deal of my kinsmen there for you to meet they did not all depart for Erebor"
"Well then we really must be getting on without delay!"
"So be it, I will refresh your supplies and fetch Mr Merry and Mr Pippin to say Farewell"
Arod there old horse of Rohan was once again saddled up and made ready to leave. Legolas helped Gimli up and then leaped up lightly after him. The three hobbits stood at the end of the path leading up to Bag End and said their goodbyes.
"Diola lle mellonnin Namaarie" (Thank you my friends Farewell) Said Legolas as he and Gimli rode away down hobbiton road. As they watched their friends disappear around a bend Pippin turned to Sam.
"What did he say?"
"I don't know. I only ever learned how to say hello" Sam said sheepishly. Merry and Pippin laughed and shook their heads.
"Oh well, I think its about time for elevensies don't you Sam?" Merry said as they lead him up the path towards Bag Ends kitchen.
Legolas urged Arod quickly through Hodditon and Bywater and came swiftly to Buckland, he slowed Arod down to a trot as they reached the East Road that ran to Bree and looked around him.
"Do you hear that?" He asked Gimli.
"I hear nothing but the river, I do not have elvish hearing!"
"Someone is approaching, they are stumbling as though injured I think it's coming form the Forest" He said looking intently in the direction of the Old Forest. Gimli loosened his axe in his belt and looked around with narrow eyes.
"I don't think you'll need that, for I do not sense evil"
"Hmm, you still can never be sure" growled the dwarf. Legolas dismounted and headed towards the forest.
"Keep you bow at hand Legolas you don't know whats in that place" Gimli hissed. Legolas rolled his eyes and continued on. The sound was getting louder and soon Gimli could also hear it. As Legolas neared the border of the forest a man came stumbling out and fell at the elf's feet. He had light brown shoulder length hair and wore tatty travel worn clothes he reminded Legolas greatly of Aragorn in his ranger days before he was king.
Legolas quickly bent down and turned the man over, he was very pale and was clearly exhausted but he managed to open his eyes which were dark and piercing.
"what happened to you?" Legolas asked softly.
"I must….. Find….. my captain…he must know" the man said between gasps
"Who is your captain and where is he?"
"N..North of the shire, he must know…we must stop them…..Goblins!….Goblins come!" the man shut his eyes and grasped his upper side. It was then that Legolas noticed the arrow shaft sticking out of the mans skin.
"Your wound needs tending before we do anything!" Legolas said. "Gimli! Fetch the healing herbs and bandages!"
"NO! There is no time, besides my lord is a masterful healer, it is said he can bring anyone back from the brink of death! Please you must help me find him!" the man pleaded.
"Of course but first tell me where the goblins are headed do they come hither?" Legolas asked concerned.
"I'm not entirely sure but it looked l…like they were h…heading towards The Shire, Where are we now? I have been wandering blind for some time a fever has taken most of my ranger abilities" The man gasped.
"Then you are a ranger, I thought as much" Said Gimli as he brought a pack over to the two.
"We are on the borders of Buckland, you came out of the Old forest over there" Legolas answered the mans question. "If you are a ranger then your captain is-" he paused and looked at Gimli confused. "Aragorn" they said together.
"Yes, you know him?" The man asked.
"Of course we know him! He's only the king of Gondor not to mention a close friend of ours! We've known him for countless years!" Gimli said rather to loud.
"What brings him so far west?" Legolas asked flinching at his friends rudeness and began examining the mans wound.
"News got to him that the dwarves were going to take back Moria and he wanted to be here in case the goblins threatened The Shire. Pleases we must find him!" The man said with a renewed sense of urgency.
"We will, tell me how close are the goblins to The Shire?"
"I'm not sure they were near the Weather Hills when I last saw but that was nearly 3 hours ago, if they travel with all speed they will be here at night fall" the man gasped.
"we will help you find Aragorn, but you must let me tend your wound, you cannot travel with it like this and you will be no good to him dead!" Legolas said sternly. The man reluctantly agreed and Legolas went about undoing the mans shirt and examining how deep the arrow had gone, he ran his hand over the mans back and found the tip of the arrow head was sticking out.
"Now that we are no longer strangers tell me what is your name?" The elf asked as he deliberated the best way to remove the arrow.
"Blade some call me, but my right name is Lorindor Son of Hadrid"
"Greeting to you Lorindor although I wish it were under better circumstances, I am Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood and this is Gimli Gloins son" Legolas told him.
"I have heard your names before! King Elessar has often spoken of you both" said Lorindor.
"He has! I hope nothing bad!" Said Gimli gruffly.
Legolas laughed at the dwarf then turned his attention back to Lorindor. "I think the best way for me to remove this is to push it through, it will couse less damage that way. The wound is not serious but we must get this arrow out and get you bandaged up" He picked up a small stick off the ground, cleaned it in some water from his skin an gave it to Lorindor. "Bite down on this" Lorindor did as he was told and braced himself for the pain. Legolas put his hand on top of the arrow shaft and gritted his teeth, he had had this done before and knew how much it hurt. He pushed down quick and hard, cringing at the muffled cry that escaped Lorindors mouth.
"I am sorry son of Hadrid it was the only way to get it out" Legolas apologized.
"You need not say sorry Legolas you are only helping me" he shut his eyes and put his head on the ground panting heavily. Legolas wiped the sweat away that was pouring down Lorindors brow.
While Legolas had been seeing to the arrow Gimli had been busy preparing a fire and some water to boil, in case it was needed. He had been thinking about what Blade had said, if the goblins were so close to the shire then the hobbits needed to be warned, they wouldn't stand a chance if they weren't. He handed the boiling water to Legolas who was pushing down on Blades shoulder to stop the bleeding, he took the water and thanked Gimli. He then crushed the kings foil leaves into the water and bathed the wound before binding it tightly. Already colour was starting to return to the mans face. Lorindor sat up and put a hand on the bandages, they were neatly and professionaly done.
"Either you are a skilled healer or you have done this many times" He remarked. "I feel much better"
Legolas chuckled at distant memories. "When Aragorn was a young ranger he took me on many an adventure and we got hurt countless times! I have lost count at how many arrows I have removed form him! Luckily now he is older and wiser and thinks before he acts! Are you fit to ride Blade?"
"I think I could manage it now, thanks to your healing but my horse was slain by the goblins as I tried to escape"
"Then Arod will take you to Aragorn and Gimli with you, I shall run back to hodditon and warn our friends of the coming danger" Legolas said.
"And why Legolas can I not come with you? If the goblins attack before Aragorn and his men can arrive you will need my help! I do not wish to pull arrows form you!" Growled Gimli.
"My dear dwarf you know I am a swifter runner than you and we are in need of much hast!" Gimli scowled at the implication that he would hold the elf up but reluctantly agreed to the plan and was once more mounted on the white horse this time behind Lorindor. Legolas put both his hands on Arods cheeks and muttered in elvish. "Bear them swiftly and safely my friend" he then stepped back and watched them take off at a tremendous pace, before turning and dashing back across the brandywine bridge and through Buckland.