Into the West:

A Legolas and Gimli story

by talking2myself

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Lord of the Rings films movies or otherwise.

"I'll look for thee and wait for thee until we meet again.

And then we'll take the road beneath the winter rain..."

-An Ent Song

The Two Towers

"You will make for the shire with all haste," Thranduil said to his son, "You will take the Lothlorien company with you and make a minor stop at Lothlorien just to see that Galadriel and Celeborn are still untouched by the orcs."

"Yes, father," Legolas said as he continued stuffing his empty quiver with arrows.

"Once you have reached the hobbits," Thranduil continued, "You will take all four of them back to Mirkwood. We'll keep them safe here until the orcs have been defeated."

"Yes, Father," Legolas said dully.

Thranduil gripped his shoulder tightly, "No gallivanting off! I mean it! You're not only representing your country, but your race in general."

"Father," Legolas said sharply, "I am fully aware of my duties. And fully capable of fulfilling them."

Thranduil let out a heavy sigh, "Sometimes I wonder." He patted his shoulder and returned back to the palace. Hyanthiel rolled her eyes at her husband's stubbornness and hurried over to Legolas's side handing him his quiver. "Safe journeys."

"At least one of my parents is concerned for my safety," Legolas said bitterly.

"Your father is very proud," Hyanthiel said, "He is very cross right now, but he will come to his senses sooner or later."

"You'll take care of young Rora until we return?" Legolas asked.

"Of course of course," Hyanthiel said waving the question away. She motioned for him to lean closer. Legolas smiled as he did. She pressed a kiss to his forehead just as she had done when he was a child, of course that was before he had risen in height past her. "I know you'll do the proper thing," she said, "but whatever you do come back to me safe and whole."

Legolas smiled in spite of himself, "Yes mother." Hyanthiel let her fingers brush across his face before standing aside. Hareth was next in line. She gave him a very brief kiss across the cheek to keep up appearances.

"Be safe," she said quickly her gaze lingering on Fuirin, "All of you."

-888-

"I thought we'd never leave!" Gimli cried once they were a safe distance away from the royal palace, "No wonder you never want to go home!"

"Yet you insisted on dragging me there," Legolas retorted.

"You know what you need?" Gimli asked, " A good dwarven celebration. Lots of meat good strong Dwarven mead. We don't have much for women, but I'm sure we could scare up some descent ones without too much hair."

Legolas laughed for the first time since they had entered Mirkwood. "I think I have enough trouble with one woman. And you don't think that they might be a little put off by the fact that I'm an elf?"

"Maybe for the first five minutes or so," Gimli agreed, "But after spending a lifetime with the likes of me and other dwarves you'd be a dreamboat."

"I don't think Hareth would approve," Legolas said.

"Hareth?!" Fuirin cried suddenly wheeling his horse around so he could face Legolas, "Half the kingdom would be up in arms! Hareth most of all!"

Aralnel and Elenuiel stopped a few paces ahead of Fuirin and turned to see the commotion. "We don't have time for this!" Aral protested, "We want to make it to Lothlorien before nightfall."

Fuirin ignored her, "Your mission is simple. For once in your life stop acting like a rogue bandit and start acting like a prince!"

"If you want Hareth so badly then fight for her!" Legolas burst out angrily. Fuirin blanched at his words.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Yes you do!" Legolas snapped his eyes blazing," And yes I know! I've known about you two for some time now. I tried to call off the wedding! I tried! Stop tearing down my character to make yourself seem the better candidate! I've been away from my home and family for months for you two. I'm not going to sacrifice anymore if you're too scared to win her heart!"

Fuirin fell silent. He just stared at Legolas for a few moments. Elenuiel rode in between the two with a scowl. "We don't have time for foolish marriages! We have to make it to Lothlorien and then to the shire. Move out." She rode ahead. Fuirin gave Legolas a dark look before riding close behind her. Aralnel rode next to Gimli and Legolas. "Whoa! How did you do that?!" she cried.

"Do what?" Legolas asked.

"How did you get Elenuiel to defend you?" Aralnel asked, "She won't do that for anyone except me! It's impressive! She barely knows you."

"She barely likes me," Legolas said.

"No, no," Aral said shaking her head, "You don't understand. Elenuiel comes across as really cold and unfeeling, but it's only to hide her sadness."

"Sadness?" Gimli asked, "Concerning what?"

Aral frowned, "She wouldn't want me to tell you. Oh but it would make things so much easier!" Aral anxiously looked ahead to make sure Elenuiel wasn't there. Her desire to tell was written across her face. She looked as though she were ready to burst. "Okay, it's like this!" she babbled. She leaned in close to the other two, "Elenuiel has been Chosen."

"Chosen?" Gimli asked raising an eyebrow, "What elven foolishness is this?"

"It's a great sacrifice," Aral said with a sigh, "You know the elves are going to the Valor."

"Yes," Gimli said sadly not looking at Legolas.

"Well, pretty soon nearly all the elves of Middle Earth will be gone," Aral said, "Except for her."

"Why?" Legolas asked.

"She's been Chosen," Aral said, "To stay behind. To be the last elf in Middle Earth to protect Lothlorien and Mirkwood." Aral frowned, "To be seperated from all her people... except for me of course."

"You're staying?" Gimli asked hopefully.

"Yes," she said with a small sad smile, "I'm not technically a full fledged elf and I haven't done anything glorious enough to be considered. Which is okay seeing as I could never leave my home. Lothlorien is the most beautiful place in the world after all."

"Aye," Gimli said blushing, "With the most beautiful lady in the world as well."

-888-

"My stars dwarf!" Aralnel cried as she hefted a bag down from her horse as they began to set up camp for the night. "What did you pack?! It's so heavy! And how many bags do you need?"

"What do you mean how many?" Gimli retorted, "I only packed one and my axe of course," he said plopping his bag on the ground.

"Then... then... then who's is this?" Aral asked holding it up, "And what's in it?" she pulled the drawstrings and opened it up. "Rora!" she cried.

Rora's frizzy head popped up out of the bag. Her curls danced with static frizz, "Hello Aral. Is dinner ready yet?"

"What are you doing here?!" Aral cried lifting her out.

"I told you!" Rora said defiantly, "I wanna find my mama! And I knew that this was the only way that I could get out of the palace."

Aral smiled genuinely impressed with the girl's ingenuity, "Good thinking, but now we have to find a way to bring you back."

"I'm not going back!" Rora snapped. She plopped to the ground with her arms crossed and a fierce pout. Aral giggled at her comical resolve and that only made in worse. "I'm not going back! I'm..."

"Quiet!" Elenuiel suddenly hissed. The entire company was silent for a moment. The sound of clattering orc feet could be heard. They were a good distance away, but were rapidly gaining ground.

"We have to get out of here and quick!" Rumil said, "Grab the child. We'll sort out what to do with her later." Aral shrugged and scooped up Rora like she was a sack of potatoes.

"I'll get the rest of the bags too," she said to Elenuiel, "You can get the horses and..."

"AHH!" Elenuiel suddenly let out a cry of pain and fell to the ground clutching her shin"Elenuiel!" Aral cried.

Gimli and Legolas dropped to her side. A slingstone lay a short distance away. "Come on!" Legolas cried as he scooped her up onto their horse, "They're closer than we thought. Leave the supplies we need to get out of here!"

Orcs tore out of the brush in a mighty torrent. It was a small party probably just a scouting party. But what they lacked in numbers they made up for in zeal. Arrows and slingstones flung around them like hail. They kicked their horses desperately begging them in elvish whispers to move faster. Furin and Rumil rode hard through them hacking at the orcs left and right as they tried to skewer them with spears and swords. Aral had her arms tightly wrapped around Rora shielding her from the blows. "Come on!" she cried, "Lorien isn't too far!"

The company hurried across the plains until trees appeared in the distance. "There!" Aral cried, "There! We'll be safe there! In the woods!"

Sure enough as they rode into the woods the orcs numbers thinned. They strayed away from the mysterious woods. Rumil let out a heavy sigh and leapt to the ground. Aral bounded down and shoved Rora into his arms winding him. "Elenuiel!" she cried, "Are you alright?! Speak to me!"

"I'm fine, Aral," Elenuiel muttered through gritted teeth as she painfully made her way down from the horse. "It's nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing," Gimli said looking over Elenuiel's bruised shin.

"Come on," Legolas said instantly agreeing with Gimli. "We should bandage that up."

"I tell you I'm fine!" Elenuiel persisted.

"I don't care," Legolas said, "If your leg falls off while on the journey I'll blame myself." He set her gently down on the ground while the others used what was left of their supplies to establish some sort of camp. Thankfully their medical supplies hadn't been damaged. Legolas very gently lifted her legging to look at her bruised skin. "That'll hurt for a few days," Legolas said looking it over. He very gently began the task of bandaging it up.

"So did Aral tell you my entire life story?" Elenuiel snapped dryly while he worked. Legolas looked up mildly surprised. "Yeah, I know," she scowled, "She told you about me being Chosen."

"It's not exactly a secret," Legolas pointed out, "I would've found out at some point."

"I'm not sad!" Elenuiel protested fiercely, "No matter what she says! I'm not that weak."

"I believe that," Legolas said before looking up at her big ice blue eyes, "Although you'd look much prettier if you smile."

Elenuiel stared at him in shock as he finished bandaging her leg. And as he walked away a smile smile crossed her lips.