So this is to be the laster chapter of this story. I hope that you have enjoyed it and please do leave me some feedback. It's been fun.
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Too Slow
'Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country. Hail the Victorious dead' said Theoden as he rose his goblet, every man and woman within the hall stood and raised theirs also.
'HAIL' they all shouted in unison before downing there ale
Aragorn paused for a moment, his mind drawn back to Haldir and how he had held the elf in his arms when he died. He looked back to see Legolas stood beside the dwarf, staring at his goblet with a distant look in his eyes. The ranger looked back to Éowyn who stood beside her uncle and her brother, she smiled at him before looking towards her uncle who's was making his way from the throne to his captains. Aragorn took another sip of his drink before he turned and walked towards his companions, Gimli was already stuffing his face with bread, meat and cheese, before pushing it down with large gulps of ale. The elf, however, had placed his goblet back on the table, turning to leave Aragorn grabbed him by the arm, his face etched with concern.
'Where do you think you're going?' he asked as he attempted to cover his concern with a joke.
'I need some air, my friend. I have spent too long inside these wooden walls.' he said as he smiled at the ranger, he too trying to cover his emotions with a friendly smile.
Aragorn nodded at him and released his grip, watching as the elf made his way towards the doors at the end of the golden hall. Legolas pushed the door open slightly and slipped outside, the cool night air brushed against his skin. He took a deep breath and smiled. He walked towards the end of the stone plinth from which Meduseld proudly sat, his eyes drifted to the stars that twinkled above him like a million white diamonds. For a long while, there was pure silence. He drank it in and closed his eyes allowing the serenity to flow over him like a great wave.
'I assume that gatherings in the woodland realm are much quieter affairs.' said Éowyn, as she walked up beside the elf.
'On the contrary, my kind can be quite merry when wine is involved.' joked the elf as he looked at her, his blue orbs shining in the darkness 'i, however, have never found pleasure in drinking until one cannot remember who or where he is.' he finished as he looked back up towards the night sky.
'Aye, nor me.' Replied Eowyn as she smiled at the elf, her eyes following his.
'Its so quiet,' said Legolas suddenly as he allowed his gaze to drift to the mountains beyond 'too quiet.' he finished as his eyes scanned them for signs of movement, seeing none his eyes then scanned the rest of the land around them.
'What do you look for?' asked Éowyn as she looked at him again 'do you sense something?'
'No, nothing.' was his reply as he broke his gaze and returned hers.
Come, have some food, drink some ale. You should not be out here alone.' She said as she placed a kind hand on his arm 'you have cheated death, my Lord, you should celebrate.'
'I may have cheated it, but many of my kin did not.' replied Legolas, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks 'Haldir did not.' he finished has his face dropped down and his eyes focused on a look stone that sat in the mortar that held the stone base of the building in place.
'My lord I am sorry, I did not mean to…'
'Do not trouble yourself I am not offended.' interjected the elf before Éowyn could finish her sentence 'I just do not feel like I deserve to be celebrating my recovery when so many of my kind died at the battle.' he finished as he bowed his head and walked away down the side of the building, leaving Éowyn alone with her thoughts.
The elf had always been secretive and quiet, but even she noticed that he had not been himself since his injuries and Helms Deep. He had blamed himself for the destruction of the weeping wall, and for the deaths of many men, children and elves. She watched as his disappeared into the blackness of night before she sighed and stepped back into the Hall where the men and women were laughing, singing and dancing. Legolas snuck into a doorway that sat at the back of the hall, heaving as he attempted to catch his breath.
'Perhaps I should have stayed in bed a few more days.' he said to himself as he chuckled, leaning heavily against the archway, his head falling back against the carved wood.
His body still hurt him, he did not have the heart to tell Aragorn that his recovery wasn't as far along as the ranger had been lead to believe. He coughed sightly, tastings something metallic he raised his fingers to his lips his eyes able to see the blood coating them in the low light of night. His heart began to pound against his chest and his hand started to shake as he lowered it to his side, eyes wide as he looked at the door beside him. Twisting the door knob it opened with little resistance and he snuck inside. The shouts and laughs of drunk men and women echoed through the hallway where he now stood. He was unsure as to where he was but took shaky steps forward along to small dark hall. A yellow light began to leak into view and soon he found himself once again surrounded by the people of Rohan, one of them clapped him on the shoulder and smiled at him.
'Ah master elf, we wondered where you had snuck off to.' he said.
Legolas looked at him and realised that it was Eomer, his green eyes locked with the elf's blue ones. His smile left and soon his expression was filled with concern.
'I just needed some air.' replied the elf as he smiled weakly back at him, placing a friendly hand on the man's arm before walking past him and attempting to slink through the many people that filled the hall. He spotted Aragorn and panicked, the ranger could not see him like this. He snuck quietly passed him but a man turned and elbowed him in the gut. Molten hot pain erupted through his body and he doubled over, collapsing to the floor as he clutched to his stomach.
'Someone, get help,' the man shouted as he dropped to the elf's side 'I am so sorry.'
The elf desperately tried to catch his breath but the pain was too much. He could feel his consciousness leaving him and more blood coated his mouth, his sight became blurred and he looked up to see Aragorn stood over him. His voice was muffled but he could just make out the man saying his name before he was consumed by darkness.
'Legolas!' shouted the man as he dropped to the elf's side, catching him as he went limp and began to fall backwards.
Aragorn scooped the elf up in his arms and carried him away from the party, walking briskly down that hall towards Legolas' chambers. Placing the elf gently on the bed, he began to remove the elf tunic to see what damage had been done. The bruises that covered the elf's body had begun to fade, and his cuts were almost gone. The elf stirred, the pain hit him again and he yelled out.
'Be calm my friend,' the man said as he placed a comforting hand on the Legolas' shoulder 'what happened?'
'I think I may have gotten out of bed a little too soon.' he replied as he attempted a smirk.
'You are a terrible liar Mellon-nin.' replied Aragorn as he smiled at him.
'I am fine Estel, I just need to sleep for a while.' he replied as his eyes felt heavy.
'I agree with Aragorn, you are a terrible liar old friend.' said Gandalf as he entered the room.
Gandalf walked to Legolas' bed, sitting on the edge he placed his hand on the elf's chest, muttering something under his breath as he closed his eyes. The ranger watched the wizard work, his heart racing as he waited for the outcome of his magic. Gandalf finished by placing his hand on the elf's cheek, as the Legolas' eyes closed, sleep taking him in its grasp. The wizard looked at Aragorn as he stood from where he had perched himself just moments before.
'He is healing but slowly, he needs rest. His body was badly broken, and despite the fact that elves heal quicker that mortals, it will take a while for him to come back from this.' said the wizard as he rubbed his tired eyes.
'But he will recover?' asked the man as his eyes drifted to his friend who now lay peacefully on the bed.
'Yes, he will recover. Another week and he should be back to his usual stubborn self.' joked the Wizard as walked towards the door.
Aragorn nodded and breathed a sigh of relief, sinking into the chair beside the bed. He sat and looked at the elf as his eyes danced beneath their lids.
'I think I shall stay with him for a while.' said the Ranger as he averted his gaze to the Wizard who was stood in the doorway lighting his pipe.
'Yes, very good. I shall see you in the morning.' said Gandalf as he took a puff from his pipe and then pulled the door behind him.
Aragorn sat and watched his friend as he slept, the rise and fall of his chest getting stronger with each breath. Hours passed. Merry voices sounded in the hall as people walked past to go to bed. Aragorn pulled his pipe from his pouch, carefully placing the pipeweed in the end before lighting it. The soft orange glow of the embers reflecting in his eyes, as he turned his attention to the small fire the burned at the other end of the room. The smoke from his pipe swirled above his head as he watched the flames dance.
'Thats a filthy habit Estel.' said the elf as he slowly opened his eyes to the dim lit room.
'Aye, you've been saying that to me for 60 years. I could say the same to you Mirkwood elves and your love of wine.' he jested back as he repositioned himself in his seat.
'What did Gandalf say?' asked Legolas as he pushed himself up slightly in his bed.
'He said the in a week you will be back to driving me into an early grave.' joked Aragorn.
Legolas chuckled causing him to cough slightly. He looked at the ranger for a long while, his eyes were tired from the lack of sleep.
'I am sorry for this evening my friend. I thought I would be okay but I was clearly wrong.' he finished as he avoided eye contact with the man, ashamed to admit his weakness.
'There is nothing to be sorry for Mellon-nin.' he said as he took another puff from his pipe 'You just need to rest and give your body the time it needs to heal.'
Legolas looked at his friend again, nodding in agreement before allowing his head to fall back against the wooden headboard. His eyes fixed on the green fabric that was draped over the top of his bed, trimmed with red and gold and finished golden horse embroiled in the centre. With his elven eyes, he was able to see every fine detail, every thread, every spec of dust that hung to the cloth. His eyes glanced to the man sat in the chair beside him, staring at the fire and he sucked on his pipe. Sleep tugged at his mind and so he closed his eyes, the woods of Mirkwood appearing before his eyes. His father was stood at the gate, his mother beside him smiling at him, her arms open as if to welcome him home. He walked toward them, their eyes filled with tears of joy as he embraced his mother.
'Mother?' he said as he pulled back to look at her.
'You are not to join me yet my son.' was her reply, a tear trailing down her cheek as she smiled at him.
'Your journey is not to end here, you still have your part to play.' said Thranduil.
'Yes, Ada.' he replied as he took a step backwards, his gaze drifting between his mother and his father.
'We will meet again one day my son.' His mother said and then she then faded into nothing.
He turned to look at his father whose face had become solemn, tears travelled down his porcelain cheeks as his eyes looked away and down.
'Go now Legolas.' said his father as he turned and walked through the gate, it closed behind him and leaving Legolas stood on the bridge by himself.
'Goodbye Ada.' he said before he woke from his dream, he turned to look at Aragorn who was now asleep in the chair beside him.
Sunlight leaked through the wooden blinds that covered the window beside the bed, dust danced in the white light. Legolas lay there, remembering his dream. A single tear escaped from the corner of his eye as he remembered his mother smiling at him as she disappeared from view. The ranger stirred and looked at the elf who was staring back at him.
'How do you feel?' he asked as he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands.
'I saw my mother, she came to me in a dream.' he said, his eyes flicking to the wall opposite that was painted with a thin white line of life from the window opposite 'its not the first time either. I dreamt that I had died in her arms.'
'What do you think it means?' Asked the ranger as he sat forward in his chair, his expression was one of confusion.
'I do not know.' replied Legolas, eyes stilled fixed to the wall opposite.
'I am going to fetch us some food.' said Aragorn as he stood from his chair 'Do not dwell on it Mellon-nin, you must rest and get your strength up. I do not think it will be long before we face our enemy again.'
Legolas nodded and gave the man a weak smile as he watched the ranger leave the room, turning to look at the elf one last time before closing the door quietly behind him. The elf sat there a long while and contemplated what his dreams had meant. Was it his mother trying to speak to him, or was it his tired mind playing games with him. Either way, he knew that all he could do is rest, for he would need to be in fighting form before the month was out.
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Well, there it is, I hope you enjoyed. I am contemplating a sequel at some point but not sure. Let me know what you think.