Chapter twelve:

Looking up from the boy they were trying to heal, Aragorn and Legolas saw the blond warrior advancing towards them. Without anything more as a glance they turned their attention back to their patient. Furious that he was being ignored Achilles advanced even more, intent on having an explanation of what they were doing to their cousin.

"Achilles, wait!" Odysseus told him, the King of Ithaca had stepped in front of him and looked at him with pleading eyes.

" What are they doing to Patroclus? How did my cousin get here? I want to know." Many of the soldiers backed away, fear in their eyes. Achilles' rage was famous and none wanted to be the victim.

" Your cousin was wounded milord." One of the Myrmidons said, Achilles looked surprised for a moment as if he had been expecting everything except that. " And how come he was wounded, you all had strict orders not to fight." He told the man with an edge of steel in his voice. " He was wearing your armour milord, we thought he was you."

At that Legolas had to snort, Aragorn gave him a slight nudge to stop. " And what do you think is so funny!" Achilles bellowed to the Elf. " If you will excuse me milord, I will try to save your cousin first before I will answer your question." He told the man putting as much of his Royal upbringing in his voice as he could. Surprisingly, it worked, the man stopped asking questions, instead settled on glaring at them.

"Out of my way! Let me pass!" came the booming voice of Gandalf. He and the rest of the Fellowship gathered around Patroclus. Kneeling next to the boy, the Wizard started whispering incantations under his breath. In the meantime Aragorn was stitching up his throat and Legolas was singing silently in Elvish to sooth the distressed boy and those around him.

"We should bring him in the palace" Aragorn told the wizard silently. Nodding the wizard straightened to face Hector. " He should be brought to somewhere safer, we suggest we take him to the city, we will take care of him there." At that Achilles jumped up again and shouted his protest, however, with one glare from Gandalf he was silenced and sat down again, to the astonishment of all present. " We will keep him safe" Legolas told him. "Until the boy is safely back in his camp, there will be no fights anymore between the two camps." Gandalf continued.

"I will cook for him, if you want to Mr Gandalf, sir." Sam piped up. Smiling at the young Hobbit Boromir told him it wouldn't be necessary as there was a kitchen in the castle and they would be perfectly able to make him some food there. Blushing Sam looked at his feet.

Deciding it was time to take the boy to a safer and more comfortable place Gandalf signalled for Legolas to pick him up. Effortlessly the Elf did so and turned towards the city with Aragorn at his side, followed closely by the rest of the Fellowship.

The Greeks saw them go in silence none daring to interfere, Achilles stood there, broken, nothing remained of the strong, fearful warrior. Odysseus took him gently by the arm, and led him back to the ships. One by one the soldiers returned to either their city or their tents until nothing of this fateful day remained, but the bodies of the dead and the blood of the wounded.

Read and review please?