Tenth chapter: Loosing it all
Legolas, Arin, their twenty-six-year-old daughters and their five-year-old son and daughter travel home from a winter spent in Imladris with Arin's parents and Elrond's family, which Legolas was a big part of. They were escorted by Legolas elite team, and were by now almost at the border to the forest.
It was a beautiful spring morning. The bird was singing, and the sun shone from a blue sky.
"We will reach the forest in about three hours" Tristan told from the front, looking back at the others behind him.
The two brothers, Rogon and Logon came galloping from the north where they had been scouting, their horses making antics as they ran, in high spirit as the rest of them.
"All clear to the north" they said in unison.
"Good" Legolas said.
"Good" Theran repeated from his seat in front of his father, making the two brothers smile.
They rode un for an hour more when Cyan and Kaleth came galloping from the south.
"All clear to the south" Cyan said.
"Good" Theran said proud before his father could answer.
Cyan laughed, "you're welcome, my little prince" he said, bowing on his horse, making Theran giggle.
They rode on for nearly two more hours, the forest now shown in the horizon. They decided to take a short test before they entered the forest, and giving the horses some to drink. They stopped by a small stream, giving the horses some water, and resting for themselves. Theran and Anariel ran around the small camp, exploring.
Legolas walked with Arin in the outskirts of the camp, enjoying the spring and the sun. They kept a close ear and eye on their two youngest, but knew they were in safe hands. Both of their older sisters adored them, along with the rest of the team, all of them having a close eye to the two small elflings.
After a while, Legolas stopped dead in his tracks, looking to the west.
"What is it?" Arin asked.
"Rozarko!" Legolas called.
"What?" Arin asked again, this time more anxious.
"We are being fallowed" Legolas told when Rozarko was with them, "look to the west".
Rozarko and Arin both looked to the west, dark birds were swirling in the horizon.
"Brake camp" Legolas said, "we are moving to the forest as fast as possible".
It didn't take the elves long to brake camp, and soon they were galloping towards the forest. In half an hour they were under the leaves of Mirkwood, galloping towards the palace.
"Stop!" Anglond yelled from the front, "spiders!".
The team took bows and arrow fort, and soon the arrows flew towards the trees.
"Evacuate Legolas' wife and children" Anglond yelled.
Tristan, Girion, Rogon, Logon and Falael all evacuated Arin and the children. Legolas took a quick look after them as they disappeared into the forest, then he turned his attention towards the spiders attacking. The rest of them moved the same way more slowly. Luckily there weren't many spiders, and soon the rest of the team fallowed after the others.
Anglond stopped in the front, making the others behind him stopped too. In front of him a wargrider stood. The warg attacked and Anglond shot it before it reached them. A scream sounded through the forest, and right after they heard Girion's horn sounding alarm. Legolas froze, recognize the scream as coming from Arin.
All of them moved fast towards the sound of Girion's horn. The sight meeting Legolas and the rest choked them. Tristan, Girion, Rogon, Logon and Falael all evacuated Arin and the children were surrounded by wargs, the warriors in a circle, with Arin and her children in the middle. Falael lay on the ground, bloodied and looking lifeless. Legolas and the rest of the team joined the fight, making an opening for the other to flee.
Some of the wargs fallowed them, and Legolas' team tried to prevent them, but they were too many. Galdor's horse got killed, and Galdor fought on from foot, but soon got wounded and fell to the ground.
They fallowed Girion and the others, wargs closing in on both teams. Legolas could see Arin and his family galloping through the trees, wargs on both side of them, closing in. Girion killed one who came too close to Arin, but another fallowed too quickly. It attacked Girion's horse, and he fell to the ground, the warg jumping over him towards Arin. It never made it to her. It fell to the ground, it's head pierced with one of Legolas' arrows.
Girion got a hand from Tristan, and jumped up behind him, blowing the distress signal in his horn, hoping a patrol would be nearby, even though they were still some miles from the borders.
Legolas tried to reach Arin, and guard her right side. He never made it. In front of them a wall of wargs prevented the elves from going further, wargs closing in from all sides now. Then they all moved fast, arrow flew towards the wargs, the wargs attacking, and killing the horses. The elves fought aggressive, with deadly precision, and the wargs fell dead from their arrows, swords and knifes. Arin and the children once again in the middle of the circle.
Gilthron got killed by an warg, defending Arin. Legolas turned just in time to see the warg attack his wife and Theran she held before her. Legolas shot an arrow who killed the warg, but it collided with her horse, knocking her and Theran to the ground. Theran began to scream and cry from the fall.
The wargs attacked in full force now, spreading the elves. A warg attacked Arin, and this time Legolas could not safe her. He froze when he saw the warg biting his wife and son before throwing them hard against a tree.
Legolas ran to them, killing all enemies in his way. He knelled beside her, she was gasping for air, blood flowing out of her mouth and wound all over her fair body. Theran lifeless in her arms.
"No" Legolas gasped, tears in his eye, "no, no, no, no! Stay with me" he cried desperately.
He felt her lifeforce leaving her right through his fingers. Arin struggle for breath, blood flowing from her mouth. She slowly pulled her engagement ring of and laid it inside Legolas hand.
"No" he breathed, "please, you can pull through this"
Arin's breathing became slower, Legolas holding her close to him, not caring that his clothes got soaked with her blood. Right there, in the middle of the chaotic battle, Legolas held his wife as she died in his arms. She stopped breathing.
"No, don't leave me" he cried.
"ADA!" he heard Rianath scream.
His head whipped up, just in time to see Rianath fall of her horse, being attacked by a warg. Legolas stood, bow in hand, releasing an arrow. It hit the warg, he sent another that killed it' rider. He left his dead wife and son and ran to his three other children, Rianath the only of them not on a horse, Rian holding Anariel on hers, flanked by Rozarko.
Legolas was cut short by a warg attacking him. He drew out his twin knifes killing the first beast, then its rider. Another attacked from the left, and he manage to jump in time before the warg would bite him. He bore his knife into its throat, killing the beast. The rider jumped to attack him, and he felled the orc still in the air.
Then he felt a boring pain to his right thigh, an orc arrow found him. When he looked to where it came from, another arrow found its mark through his knee. His right leg buckled. Legolas took a small knife from his boot and threw it towards the orc archer, killing it. Legolas pulled the two arrows out. He tried to stand, but his right damaged knee not able to support his weight. He tried to stand, not supporting too much weight on his right knee, when he saw a warg attacking Rianath. Her throat was cut open and her scream muffled by the blood floating out of her.
Legolas looked to where he last saw Rian and Anariel, both of them of the horse, Rozarko too, and he tried to fight of the wargs attacking them. Legolas let his arrows fly, killing the wargs closest to his daughters. Tristan came running to help Rozarko, but got short cut by a warg. Legolas ran the best he could, trying to ignore the pain in his knee. Soon he was at his two daughters side.
Soon the rest of the team fell, Legolas was hit by an arrow to his lower back, and Rian was shot in her stomach, dropping Anariel in the process. Legolas knelled and took a frightened Anariel in his arms.
"Run" he whispered, knowing it was her only change to survive, slim as it much be, she would die if she stayed here, "hide in the trees".
"NO!" she cried, "I'm not leaving you ada".
"You have to" he pressed, kissing her hair, "RUN!" he yelled, getting up in time to parring an attack from a warg.
Anariel ran, and Legolas hope beyond hope that she would escape. He took one last look after her as she ran, a warg chasing her. Then all became black.
Lucien rarely patrolled in the western part of the forest, but his team had fallowed a pack of wargs going from the north toward the south-west of the forest. They had fallowed the tracks for five days when they heard horn in the distance. Lucien recognized it as Legolas' team, and it was a distress call.
Lucien felt the blood leave his head and his heart was pounding. What he saw before him was terrifying. The forest floor covered in blood, dead bodies from wargs and orcs. They searched the battleground and found several dead horses.
"There is a body here" one of Lucien's warriors yelled.
"Falael" Lucien recognized him, "it's Legolas' team".
"He's dead" the warrior said, making Lucien fear for the fate of the others from the elite team.
They continued searching the ground, finding more dead bodies, and several badly wounded, but alive. By a tree Lucien saw a white dress, covered in dried blood, cascades of light blonde hair.
"No" he breathed and ran to the tree, "Arin".
Still in her arms a small child lay, a boy not more than five he guessed. Theran he realized. They were both dead. He felt the tears burn in his eyes, and several slipped down his cheek.
"Lucien" someone called, not far from him.
He freed himself from the sight before him and walked to where a warrior had called him. He recognized Rozarko, lifeless on the ground next to a beautiful young elleth, Rian or Rianath he realized.
"He is barely alive" he said, "the two ellyth dead. Your brother".
Lucien looked to his left, seeing Legolas lying on the ground, pierced by several arrows.
"He lives, but just barely" the warrior said, "we have to get the wounded to the palace quickly".
"Gather the wounded first" Lucien said, "we have to take care of them first, the rest of you gather the dead".
The alarm sounded in the palace and the infirmary, wounded were coming in, but they didn't know who. The infirmary and healers were ready, and not long after, almost the entire elite team were being brought in, including Legolas.
The healers began to work on the wounded, doing their best to save them.
Lucien walked to his father's office, knowing the king would be there. He knocked on the door and heard his father call to enter. He walked in, seeing his father behind the desk. Thranduil looked up when Lucien entered, surprised.
"Lucien, what are you doing here?".
Lucien never got to answer before be felt the tears stream down his cheeks. Thranduil got up and embraced his son.
"What is this?" he asked, his voice soft, "what happened?".
"I found Legolas, his family and team in the forest" Lucien cried, "Legolas and half his team is in the infirmary. But, ada".
Lucien took a deep, steadying breath.
"They were attacked by wargs, around a hundred of them we counted by the dead of them. Arin and the children, they didn't make it. We found them all dead".
"No" Thranduil breathed, feeling the tears fall.
Legolas awoke in the infirmary, healers waking back and forth from one bed to another. To Legolas' right Rozarko lay, looking at him, his face sad. To Legolas' left Girion lay, still unconscious. Next to Girion Tristan laid, awake and meeting his eyes. Opposite Legolas lay Anglond, also awake, and to his left, Rogon and then Logon, both awake too. Mirthral lay to Anglond's right side, unconscious, and then Kaleth, also unconscious. Galdor, Cyan, Falael and Gilthron were nowhere to be seen.
Belenor walked up to Legolas, seeing he was awake.
"How are you?" he asked.
"Not sure" Legolas answered slowly, "did it really happen?".
Belenor didn't answer, but his face gave answer enough for Legolas.
Legolas began to shake his head, refusing to believed it was true.
"No" he cried, "no, no, no. Please, it cannot be true".
Legolas started to panic, Belenor anticipating such a reaction and calling for assistance. Soon four healers surrounded Legolas' bed, trying to hold him down while Belenor wetted a cloth with a liquid from a small bottle. Legolas was by now crying and almost screaming desperately, awakening the last ones from his team who was unconscious. They all looked worried by as their captain was sedated. Belenor held the cloth over Legolas' mouth and nose. Legolas panicking even more. Soon he became limp in the healers' grasps.
Thranduil, Lucien and Gilmarkar walked into the infirmary, Belenor meeting them near Legolas' bed.
"How is he?" Thranduil asked soft.
"We had to sedate him" Belenor told, "he was panicking. In addition to this, his right knee is crushed from an arrow, but will heal, as his other physical injuries. The emotionally wounds he's suffered, I'm not sure how will heal".
Thranduil looked to the bed where Legolas laid, right now it looked like he was sleeping peacefully. Gilmarkar already sitting on the edge of the bed, holding Legolas' hand. Thranduil looked around the room, four members of the team missing, and he guessed why. The others all awake, looking to Legolas' bed. Thranduil though it was good Legolas was surrounded by friends right now, he knew they were there.
An hour later Legolas awoke once again, the sedative effect wearing off. He rolled over to his side and hold almost cramp like to the covers in the bed. A soft hand was laid on his shoulder, Belenor he realized. The tears started to flow and his breathing intensified.
"Easy now" Belenor's soft and calm voice sounded, "it's allright. Ease your breathing. Easy now".
Legolas tried, but felt like he was drowning and gasping for air. His body started shaking. His chest hurt, and he felt like he had a big lump in his chest. He could not hold it back any more.
"Let it out" Belenor said, still soft and calm, "we are here for you. It's allright".
A heartbroken cry escaped Legolas, and he started to cry desperately. All in the infirmary froze, all teammembers with tears in their eyes. Belenor just sat next to Legolas, letting the prince cry and get it out. But after a short while he started to get trouble breathing, and he began to hyperventilate.
Belenor called some of the healers to him, and readied the sedative once again. Two healers held Legolas down while Belenor held the cloth over his nose and mouth. Legolas struggled against the restrains, but soon the sedative took effect, and he became calm. Belenor removed the cloth right after Legolas felt to sleep, only giving him a small dose of the sedative, anticipating he properly had to do it more.
Legolas awoke half an hour later, it was beginning to be dark outside he realized. The healers walked soundlessly around the infirmary, looking to his teammembers. Legolas rolled over to his side again polling his legs up to his chest. The tears began to fall again, but he eased his breathing, concentrating on breathing slowly in, slowly out, not wanted to be sedated again. A hand touched his shoulder, he realized it was Belenor.
"Don't" he said before Belenor could say anything, his voice dangerously low, and Belenor knew the prince well enough to know not to interfere when he used that voice. The hand disappeared again and Legolas was left alone, well almost alone, his teammembers close by in the healing hall of the infirmary.
Legolas didn't fell asleep that night, he heard Belenor tell one of the healers on nightwatch to tell him if he didn't fall asleep within thee hours. Legolas was still curled on his side, looking blank before him. Girion in the bed next to him shot him worried looks now and then, but did not address him. He heard the voice Legolas used on Belenor, knowing not to interfere now.
After three hours Legolas still wasn't asleep. Belenor came to his bedside, placing a cup of steaming herb tea on the nightstand. He sat on the bedside next to Legolas, lying a hand on his cold, wet cheek.
"Drink this Legolas" he said, his voice soft, "it will help you sleep".
He helped Legolas up, and with shaking hand Legolas took the cup, drinking the tea and lying back down, again curled on his side. Belenor sat with him a short while, but when he laid a hand on his shoulder again, Legolas again warned: "don't", his voice again dangerously low. Belenor removed his hand, but kept sitting next to him for a short while. When it didn't seem that the tea would get Legolas to sleep, Belenor got up from the bed, walking to the herb table at the door, boiling some water. He mixed some herbs in a basin of boiled water. He sat he basin on the nightstand, moving it as close to Legolas head he could. Legolas did not look at him once, just laid staring blankly before him. Belenor took a small towel, waving the damp towards Legolas, so he could breathe it in.
Belenor waved another healer to him.
"Will you continue this?" he asked the healer, "just wave the damp in his direction, it should soothe and calm him, hopefully helping him sleep. Continue until it does not damp anymore".
The new healer sat next to Legolas, waving the damp in his direction. It had some calming effects on him, and he felt incredible tired, but could fall asleep. His mind was racing, the lump in his chest hurting more and more badly. A sob escaped him, and the healer laid his hand on top of his.
"Please" Legolas said, his voice low, but more broken this time, "don't".
The healer quickly removed his hand again, continuing waving the damp silently.
Legolas did not get any sleep that night, and Belenor discussed with the best healers of the forest what they should do. If he did not fall asleep the next night, they would try a stronger sleeping herb.
The day went on, healers examine and treating the wounded elite team. The bandages on Legolas' leg and lower back was changed, and the wounds cleaned. Belenor was looking at his knee, not liking how it felt.
"I'm sorry, Legolas" he said, "your knee does not feel right, I'm afraid we have to operate".
Legolas did not respond, and Belenor made him ready for surgery. An hour later, four healers along with Belenor walked to Legolas' bed with a stretcher, helping Legolas to it, using the sheet he was lying on, and lifted him to the stretcher. Then they carried Legolas to surgery room.
Four hours later, Legolas was brought back, still sedated. They gently lifted him to his bed, and covered him in warm blankets. Belenor styed by his side until he would wake, knowing their properly would be complication to the wakening. There was silent in the hall, all team members wanting to give Legolas peace to wake up.
Legolas started to stir after half an hour. Taking a few deep breaths before he stopped breathing. Belenor calmly laid a hand on his chest, telling him to breathe. Legolas started to breathe again, but soon he stopped once more.
"Breathe, Legolas" Belenor said.
Legolas took a deep breath, and once again stopped.
"Breathe" Belenor said again, this time receiving no responds. "Legolas, remember to breathe" he said a little louder.
Legolas took a desperate inhale for air, having trouble breathe properly.
"Easy now" Belenor said, taking his hand and lying it on his chest, "match my breathing. There, easy now".
Legolas tried to match Belenor's breathing, and soon he breathed more calmly, until he once more stopped.
"Breathe Legolas" Belenor said.
"I'm breathing, damn it" Legolas cursed suddenly, receiving some chuckles from his team.
"No you're not" Belenor said with a smile.
"Well, I'm trying" Legolas snapped.
"Why so cranky?" Belenor asked.
"I'm tired" Legolas answered yawning.
"Then sleep. Just remember to breathe".
He earned a small slap from Legolas hand on his chest. But Legolas fell right back to sleep.
Next he awoke it was evening, people was talking nearby, his father's voice, and Rozarko he realized.
"I'll be fine, my king" Rozarko said, "just need to recover, we all do".
"I'm glad" Thranduil responded.
Legolas did not have the energy to concentrate more on the conversation. For a while Legolas tried to recall why he was in the infirmary, he remembered going home from Imladris, and a beautiful spring day. Then it hit him, the wargs, the orcs, his family. He curled over to his side, holding tight to the blanket covering him. His body was shaking; his breathing became faster. Girion rose from his bed, walked the few steps to Legolas' and sat on the edge. He took Legolas' hand, wiped a few tears away with the other.
"It's allright" Girion whispered, "we are all here for you".
A sob escaped Legolas, and he started to cry heartbrokenly. Belenor walked to the bed, but did not interfere at the moment, letting Girion take care for now. Thranduil sat on the other side of the bed, stroking Legolas on his back, minding the wound on the lower part.
Legolas manage to cry himself to sleep, Girion stayed at the bedside for a while, holding his hand which Legolas held desperately. He slept the whole night, the anesthetic from the operation still in his system, making him able to sleep.
Three days after he was brought in Legolas was released from the infirmary. Only Girion, Tristan and Rogon was still there, but would properly be out the next day.
Legolas stood in his living room, it felt hauntingly empty and cold. He walked to the windowsill, the one stuffed with soft pillows. He opened the window and sat on the shill, his legs pulled up to his chest. He did not realize how long he had been there until Gilmarkar came, asking if he came to dinner. At first he did not answer, not until Gilmarkar laid a hand on his arm.
"I'm not hungry" Legolas said.
"You have to eat" Gilmarkar pressed.
"Please" Legolas begged.
Gilmarkar walked out of the room again, leaving Legolas alone.
The sun was shining, under other circumstances Legolas would have enjoyed such a day. Now he was standing in the clearing where Aegnor was buried, dressed in a black tunic, with white, delicate embroidery of small leaves. His silvery white hear braided in the traditional braid of the house of Oropher, his white circlet on his forehead. Three more hills were raised next to Aegnon's, one for his wife, Arin, and one for his twin daughters Rian and Rianath, and one for his youngest twins Theran and Anariel. The five white coffins already in the hills, the doors still open.
Legolas walked up and turned towards the crowd. His father and Gilmarkar close by, along with his team. Arin's parents and brother was there to. Elrond, Arwen, Elladan, Elrohir, Estel and Glorfindel from Imladris stood next to Thranduil and Gilmarkar. Galadriel and Celeborn from Lorien were present too, along with many from both the Woodland realm and Imladris. Lucien stood at the far end, not daring to come too close to Legolas.
Legolas did not speak to the crowd, instead he started to sing, which Sindar elves often did when they buried their loved ones.
Say something I'm not giving up on you
I'll be the one, if you want me to
Anywhere I would have fallow you
Say something, I'm not giving up on you
And I… I'm feeling so small
It was over my head
I know nothing at all
And I… will stumble and fall
I'm still learning to love
Just starting to crawl
Legolas turned and sang to his family instead:
Say something, I'm not giving up on you
I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you
Anywhere I would have fallow you
Say something, I'm not giving up on you
And I… Wil shallow my pride
You're the one that I love
And I'm saying goodbye
Say something I'm not giving up on you
And I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you
Anywhere I would have fallow you
Say something, I'm not giving up on you
Say something, I'm not giving up on you