Title: Never Forget Who You Are 13
Author: Sivan Shemesh
Rate: T
Summary: What happens if your best friend loses his memory? Will you stand behind him all the way or start to lose hope for him? And the big question is: Will Legolas remember anything at all, or will he be lost forever? But what evils are there, and why Legolas? You will need to find out.
Warning: Graphic violence/torture physically and mentally, OC's, angst. Character death.
Spoilers: Post ROTK. AU.
Disclaimer: I do not own J R R TOLKIEN's characters, but I do own Gimli's brother and more, the others that you do not recognize.
Author notes: This is my first story.
Credit & Beta: Manon & Morgan Jain Emery, who correct me where I gone wrong.
Chapter 13: From Bad to Worse
'Gandalf must know what has happened; where is he?' Gimli thought as he rode with Aragorn.
"What troubles you, my dear friend?" Aragorn asked, noticing how Gimli sat on the horse with his arms holding Aragorn tightly. Gimli said nothing.
"Gimli, is there something that troubles you?" Aragorn asked. Gimli seemed to be holding on to him tighter. Still there was no answer from the dwarf.
'I will ask him when we get there,' Aragorn thought. He turned and looked at Arwen, comforted to see his love. When she smiled at him, he smiled back.
That night Aragorn approached Gandalf about Gimli. The dwarf seemed to be in another world – not even his brother could get him to talk.
Gandalf smoked his pipe and watched Aragorn walk anxiously, talking about Gimli.
"Gandalf, I have never seen Gimli like this. I am worried about him," Aragorn said, his voice trembling slightly from the cold. The Maia did not say anything, waiting for Aragorn to finish.
"Help me Gandalf! He must know we want to help him, that we too, want to find Legolas," Aragorn said.
"Aragorn," Gandalf said softly. He took a heavy puff from the pipe before continuing: "When he will feels ready he will speak; do not push him to do it."
Yet each night, Gimli still did not say anything, and did not appear to listen to anyone who tried to speak to him.
NFWYA13
Aragorn remembered the golden leaves when they first arrived in Lothlórien in their journey with Fellowship. Now he and Gimli noticed the decaying leaves and the ugliness surrounding them.
As they rode into the woods, they all the Lady's voice: "The time is dark, an ancient evil has arisen. The choice to live or die depends on who seeks it."
Gimli was not happy to hear her words. The last sentence frightened him. 'What does she mean?' he thought.
Aragorn could barely breathe because Gimli held him so tightly. He was tired and wanted Gimli to talk.
"Gimli?" Aragorn asked.
"Yes?" Gimli asked, startled as he was deep in thought.
"Are you trying to do what the war did not – kill me?" Aragorn grinned at him.
Gimli realised he was holding Aragorn very tightly, and released his hold.
"Sorry," Gimli said. "I… I do not know what is happening to me. I am sorry."
"Gimli, my dear friend," Aragorn said. "I know that you are worried about Thranduil and Legolas, but to save them from that evil we need each other's support. If there is anything wrong, if you suspect something, you can tell me."
"Aragorn, I am not a child," Gimli stated, "although I let my thoughts control my actions lately after what happened to Thranduil."
"I know, I felt it around my chest." Aragorn grinned.
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Mordor
The figure walked into the room where Legolas was being held. There were open wounds on the elf, and he was in pain. The air smelt of blood.
Legolas' face was twisted with sorrow and pain; but his eyes showed some hope and faith.
"Do you think I came because I love you?" the figure said.
Legolas could only nod. He could not say anything, as he was in too much pain.
"Well… I guess I do have a some feelings for you, but not love," he said.
Legolas tried to swallow, tried to ignore his pain, because he could not forget the last words he was told before his father sent him to this room.
"B…but you said to me that I am your heir… why are … you doing this?" he asked fearfully.
"How dare you speak without my permission?" the figure asked angrily. Legolas cowered and did not reply. He was afraid now to say anything, in case his father sent in the orcs again to beat him.
The figure puts his hands on Legolas' knees and pushed down hard, only stopping when he heard the bones crack. He had made sure that if by accident the orcs let him go, the elf couldn't walk.
Legolas swallowed and did not cry out, bearing the horrible pain. His eyes were filled with fear and anger against his father. He felt useless.
The figure moved away from the elf, and began to laugh.
Legolas did not know why he was laughing, and he tried to ignore it. But the laughter was echoing in his head.
"You can not ignore me," the figure said, and came closer to Legolas.
Legolas' eyes grew wide, showing more fear, and then he quickly shut them, readying himself for more pain. He was ready to die.
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Gladden River
Elrond sat behind Thranduil, stopping from falling. He was worried about the king's condition – he had been in a great deal of pain throughout the journey. Elrond tried to do his best to ease his friend's pain, but nothing seemed to work.
Elrond knew what Gandalf knew, about the enemy that stood in front of them. He knew what faced them, and knew the company would not rest until the enemy had been destroyed. Only then would Legolas and Thranduil's souls be free. But there was nothing to be done right now; neither the company nor Gandalf were there.
He felt lonely.
Elrond dismounted before carefully taking Thranduil down from the horse. He held the king in his arms, carrying him to the golden sand near the river and laying him down.
The Elf-lord scanned the area around them; he felt the cold wind biting through his clothing. He saw how the light vanished slowly from the sky; he saw the brown leaves falling around them. And he saw the stars.
One of the stars seemed to be fading.
Elrond made a camp next to the river. He found some wood and made a fire, then sat and watched Thranduil.
Thranduil's eyes were shut, and his head was moving from side to side.
"Legolas," he said as tears squeezed through the shuttered eyes."No…" His voice raised slightly, but then faded again.
Elrond moved towards the king and begged him to fight the evil, to ignore the voice in his head, and to ignore the pain, but it seemed Thranduil did not even hear him. He watched his friend, wishing he could take away his pain. 'He suffers enough,' he thought to himself.
'Why is he doing this?' Elrond thought. He lay down, his thoughts fading as tiredness claimed him.
During the night, Thranduil woke up frightened. In his mind he could reach out with his hands to touch his wounded son and bring Legolas back to him, to hold him close, but in truth he could not do that.
The screaming he heard seemed to fade.
Thranduil could barely move; moving his limbs was painful, and he shuddered when he heard a bone crack.
The laughter started from nowhere, and the pain became worse. Elrond woke up when he felt Thranduil shuddering, and noticed straight away something was wrong.
Thranduil felt the pull of Mandos' Halls. Tired and in pain, he gave up fighting, and his soul left his body.
Elrond moved his hand to the king's neck to find his pulse, but there was nothing. He closed his eyes, wishing Gandalf was with them. The Maia could have saved Thranduil from the Halls, rescued him from the darkness. But Gandalf was not there. He was at least five days away; he would not be able to change Thranduil's condition.
The Elf-lord felt the his loss of his best friend, and began to cry. He cried on the lost friendship. He cried for Thranduil's son, suffering under the hands of an enemy they thought would never return. But it seemed he had used Sauron to come back.
Elrond remembered something about Thranduil's past – something about the king's wife. He remembered himself saying and laughing: "You always had bad taste in women, my dear friend," before adding: "and yet, you have a beautiful son, a pure gift from nature and the Valar."
So lost was Elrond in his grief that he had not heard the noises around him. He had not heard the orcs, their laughter, their swords. They surrounded him and the king, and when he realised what was happening, it was too late.
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Lothlórien
Gandalf heard a strange noise and stood up from where he was sitting on the cliff. In his mind's eye he could see orcs, their weapons raised…and flames…
"Aragorn!" Gandalf called, his mind otherwise focused on what he was seeing
"What is it, Gandalf?" Aragorn asked as he came closer to him.
"I can see orcs…flames…they are attacking your father, but I can not see Thranduil. I fear for them," Gandalf said.
"WHAT?" Aragorn said worried. He moved away, wanting to leave and find Elrond and Thranduil so he could help them – his father especially was the a light in the dark for him.
"Wait," Gandalf called.
"Why?" Aragorn asked.
"You cannot ride alone Aragorn – you are a King. You will need to take some of the others with you," Gandalf explained.
"Very well. I will take Gimli and my brothers with me," Aragorn said and walked away.
Gandalf walked after him, and told the dwarves they were needed for a battle. He felt Aragorn would need more than just Gimli and the twins to help him, and he had no intention of staying behind.
"This is our chance," Sarin said, feeling the energy course through his body. He was ready to fight with the elves. At his words the other dwarves prepared themselves.
Aragorn walked away from the others, tears in his eyes. He was afraid for his father and Thranduil.
Arwen came closer to him and took his face in his hands before kissing him.
"Hannon le…" Aragorn said as he tried to fight the falling tears.
"Shh…" Arwen tried to comfort him.
There was silence.
Gimli coughed, and the silence was broken.
"Save father," Arwen said, afraid she would lose her father as well.
"I will," Aragorn said as he swallowed his tears. He walked to his horse. "Let's ride," he said. He helped Gimli up before he mounted. With the Flame of Anor giving them a little light, Aragorn and Gandalf led the group into the darkness.
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Mordor
The figure puts his hand over Legolas' head, and felt the pressure in his veins. The elf's hair was covered in blood, his face was badly beaten.
The figure could feel Legolas' pain from the broken bones, as well as his fear and anger.
"You are not so beautiful now," he said.
Some orcs came into the room and heard what the figure had said.
"Master…" the leader said.
The figure turned around, a questioning look in his face, for they disturbed him in his work.
"You should give him to us…" the leader said, adding: "We will turn him into one of us."
"Where is the other group?" the figure asked.
"They wait for your order," the leader said.
"Good…" the figure said as he smiled.
End of Chapter 13.