Chapter 11, Going up the Mountain.
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After three days the group of soldiers, Aragorn and Gimli had arrived at the mountain, but the men were too weary to continue.
"My lord, we must rest." One soldier said.
Aragorn looked up at the high mountain, then back at the soldiers who were weary.
He slowly nodded his head. "I suppose we must rest." Aragorn said sadly.
Gimli was outraged by this. It was only just past noon and they could not continue!?
"Aragorn, if I have to go up that mountain by myself I will. I am not waiting another moment." Gimli said stubbornly.
Aragorn smiled slight at him. "No Gimli, we can't go without the men, you know this."
"Aragorn, have you lost your senses! Legolas is just up that mountain somewhere, dying maybe, and we're just sitting down here like pansies! I won't stand for it!" Gimli shouted.
Some of the men who overheard their conversation were insulted at being referred to as pansies.
"Well, I suppose we could begin making our way up." Aragorn said as he stared at the high mountain.
Gimli smiled. "That's more like it lad." He said.
Aragorn turned to the men. "Everyone, listen to me! Gimli and I are going to begin the journey up the mountain. You may follow when you have been rested, but our friend trapped up there needs aid as soon as we can give it, so we must make our way ahead for a short while without you." Aragorn said.
A murmur when through the crowd of men.
"But my lord, we cannot leave you undefended." One soldier said.
"You are weary. We will continue walking until nightfall. We will wait for you on that mountain, and you must be there at dawn." Aragorn ordered.
The soldiers nodded and bowed their heads.
Then Aragorn turned back to Gimli, he was smiling.
"Let's go then." Aragorn said.
They both mounted their horses then began traveling up the mountain.
Meanwhile Legolas was laying in the cave, still unconscious. A dream came into his mind, he saw a light shine all around him. It was a soft light, and there was a gentle breeze that brought the scent of the sea with it.
Legolas stood there in his dream; he closed his eyes and took in the salty scent. He felt his heart leap in his chest, he wanted to go. Then he knew that this was not a dream, but the Halls of Mandos were beckoning his spirit away.
Legolas felt his life begin to slip away, but he allowed it to leave, it was time. But then something else entered his heart; his friends. What if they were pursuing the goblins in hopes to save him? He could not leave them.
And so Legolas hung there. Death calling, but life not releasing. He was troubled, for he could not make a decision. He had not much strength left, so he knew his time would come, even if he wished to hold out.
As Legolas lay there Unferth walked over. He smiled evilly as he looked at the unconscious elf. He bent down; he put two fingers on Legolas's throat, checking to see if he was still alive.
Unferth could feel his heart still beating, but it was slowing. He smiled.
"Your time is coming to a close Elf. I'm sorry to say you weren't much of an opponent." Unferth said.
Then he stood, he touched the scar above his brow. A thought entered his mind. He kicked Legolas on the side of his head. Legolas's head flew to the side violently, but the elf did not stir or wake.
Unferth bent over to see the Elf's brow. Right above it was a red cut that was bleeding. He smiled again, he had left his mark.
"Good, now I feel that you've paid your debt to me, though your death will please me even more." Unferth said evilly.
Then a goblin rushed in. "Two people are coming up the mountain!" The goblin exclaimed.
Unferth chuckled. Aragorn and Gimli had fallen for his trap. Perfect.
"They are as simple as Denethor was." He whispered.
Then he turned back to the goblin. "Are there any others?" He asked.
The goblin shook his head. "No sir." He said.
Unferth could not believe his luck! Everything was going the way he wanted it to. Either he had amazing skills or someone with a lot of power was making this all turn out right.
"Well then, go and attack them on the way up. Bring a whole horde. Tell them that I will be standing over the elf with a blade and if they don't come quietly, he will die." Unferth said as he pulled out his only weapon and smiled evilly.
The goblin nodded and turned away, he shouted in their foul language and gathered a horde around him.
Unferth went back and stood over Legolas, his dagger ready to plunge into the Elf's heart. Everything was ready.
--
Arwen and her brothers finally saw the men in the distance.
"Do you see Aragorn and Gimli? I can't seem to spot them." Arwen asked.
Elrohir and Elladan searched with their brown eyes, but could not see the King or the Dwarf. This alarmed Arwen.
"You do not think that he…" she couldn't finish her sentence. She spurred her horse to a gallop and took off.
When she arrived at the camp she jumped down. All the men bowed when they recognized her and her brothers.
"Someone tell me where Aragorn and Gimli are?" She asked. Her voice stayed calm through her worry.
One man stood. "He began making his way up the mountain. He said we should meet him up there at dawn. He wanted us to rest." The man explained.
Arwen was very distressed by this. Why was Aragorn so confident? Surely he knew the danger. She mounted her horse without another thought. Elladan and Elrohir followed her example.
Then Arwen turned to the men. "Follow me now. Before it is too late for Aragorn." She said.
The men nodded and some cheered. They used any horses that could make the long journey up the mountain but most of the horses were still too weak and many men had to walk.
Arwen fumed. She was angry at Aragorn for leaving without the men, he was either too confident or just being ridiculous. Elrohir smiled when he saw the fury in his sister's eyes.
"Arwen, my dear sister, please don't be too angry at him. He is just human after all." Elrohir said with a smirk.
Arwen glared at him, but slowly a smile formed on her face.
"That's better Arwen. Now come on, you have your husband to save." Elladan said.
Then they spurred their horses to a trot and made their way up.
