Whats this? An update thats actually on time? It must be magic. Seriously though, I am so glad I finally managed to get an update done properly. I love having a decent, working laptop that is actually in my house! I bet you lot do as well! Ducks assortment of sharp objects thrown by still grumpy reviewers Well this should cheer you up, I'm actually planning to put up the last one or two chapters ON TIME! That's clearly a new thing for me...

Anyway, I'm starting to feel sad as I only have one of two chapters left before this, my first ever fanfic, is finished.

Ah well, in the words of The Randomer: "But what a ride its been!"

I had to bribe Legolas into coming out from under the bed for this chapter, he didn't want to have any more to do with it for some unknown reason P

Enjoy!

Chapter 21

It was raining in the forest of Fangorn. Great grey droplets that plunged downwards, seeming to find every gap in the leaves so that even those who had thought they were under shelter found themselves drenched within a short time.

A perfect reflection of his grey mood, thought Sam to himself. It was a dark day for all and many tears would be shed. The return from the battle had nearly swamped the healers but it had been a few days and now those who would live and those who were to die were marked. Some were still in the middle. These few were the ones that had the healers toiling constantly, trying to withdraw them for the brink and give them their lives. Legolas was one of these. They had spent almost an entire night trying to help him and now he lay in a bed, pale as death.

The Fellowship were gathered at Legolas' bedside lost in their own thoughts. Each was full of a fear for their friend and most of them for each other at the moment. Sam and Merry were relatively unharmed although Sam sported several long scratches across his face while Merry had a spectacular black eye. Eowyn's whole body was covered in tiny cuts and bruises from the explosion and she still bore the scar from the knife she had taken to the stomach. Faramir sat next to Eowyn clutching her hand, he had not been harmed much in the battle but he still showed all the signs of his time in Sarumans clutches including the vivid whip marks across his back which were currently hidden from view by his shirt. Frodo's side was so swaddled in bandages it was a wander the Hobbit was able to walk about, but apart from the paleness of his face and the shadows under his eyes he seemed to be on the mend. Gimli was also in not to bad a condition aside from a steadily healing broken rib that he had valiantly ignored through the entire battle and the retreat until a healer had nearly physically forced him to submit to an examination. Pippin was not even present at the moment as he had not been able to persuade his healers to release him. The young Hobbit had frightened his friends terribly when they had seen him. He had had to be carried back to the forest and had needed intense care for the next few days. Gandalf too had scared them all, but he at least seemed to bear few physical wounds although he had slept through the next two days and still looked exhausted. Aragorn still looked awful. If he had not used his rank against the Elves watching him he would still be under their care. All over his body bandages and brusing could be seen and he groaned every time he tried to move. He had refused to remain away from Legolas any longer however.

Legolas himself lay still, his blonde hair splayed around him on the pillow. It had been mere hours ago that the healers had left him. The dagger had miraculously missed hitting any vital organs but the wound had bitten deep and on top of everything else it had nearly proved fatal. Indeed, there was still no certainty about whether he would ever wake up or not. Sam had almost cried when he had first arrived in the room as the Elf's face appeared to be more bruising than anything else, it was literally black and blue and much of it was swollen painfully. The Elf's hand was also causing them much sadness and discomfort. It could hardly be called a hand at the moment, considering the healers had needed to re-break nearly all the bones and set them properly. Legolas had lost so much blood that all his skin that was not bruised carried a faint bluish tinge anyway.

Aragorn shivered, he needed his friend to survive. It would have destroyed him inside had his best friend died in that tower and now it still hurt knowing that Legolas was still not safe. They had been told that if the Elf did not awaken by the end of the day then it was almost certain that he would never return to them. The Ranger was unmoving in his decision that he would be at the bedside when Legolas awoke. He had ignored anyone who had been trying to persuade him to stay and rest until he was fully mobile. He had threatened to crawl to where Legolas lay had he not been allowed.

The memories were heavy on all of them. It was difficult to look back without sobbing aloud for several of the Hobbts. Merry still remembered as if it had been only minutes ago, walking alongside the two stretchers bearing Frodo and Pippin. Neither of his friends had stirred the entire trip and he had felt terrible inside. Pippin had always been there for him, even in the depths of the Orc camps, Pippin had been there. He startled all by breaking the silence and asking a question

"How did Morgoth die yet Legolas did not" it had been grating at him since he had found that nearly everyone was well

Gandalf looked up from his thoughts and replied to the Hobbit "I cannot say I know for sure Merry." He said kindly "But I have a hunch what happened, and as a Wizard, my hunches are normally fairly good. I belive that when Saruman was killed, Morgoth was considerably weakened because Saruman was one of two whom had brought him into Arda. The beings that brought him there were linked to his survival. Now, the thing that appeared under the tower was not Morgoth but merely an essence of him and therefore not as powerful as the real, or fully generated Morgoth would have been. If the real Morgoth had appeared in that room we would all be dead. However, what did appear was – even weakened- too strong for me although I was wearing him down a little. When Legolas used the dagger upon himself Morgoth must have been severly weakened already from Saruman's death and from what I had been doing in the offensive. Legolas' sacrifice weakened him so much that it only took a severe depletion of Legolas' strength to finally destroy him, not Legolas' actual death."

Merry and Sam blinked at Gandalf and then nodded slowly as if they understood

Gandalf sighed "Morgoth was already weak from Sarumans destruction and my attack so it did not take Legolas to actually die to destroy him."

The Hobbits looked slightly happier with this explanation of events and turned back to Legolas.

Suddenly,a soft groan came from Legolas. Immediately everyone was alert. The Elf eyes began to flutter slightly as he struggled to bring himself to full consciousness. Aragorn was swiftly at his side and he put his hand behind Legolas's head and bent over to speak to him softly in Elvish. The Elf's breathing became more rapid as he was clearly trying to understand what was going on and why he was in so much pain.

Startling the others he suddenly pushed upwards catching Aragorn unawares. The man stumbled away slightly and Legolas, seemingly oblivious to all the pain he was in looked around with terrified blue eyes. He spotted Gandalf and began babbling a torrent of Elvish at the Wizard who looked confused for a moment and then comprehension dawned on his face. He rose to his feet and put a restraining hand on the Elf's shoulder

"The danger has passed Legolas. Lle tyava quel?"

The panic in the Elf's eyes diminished slightly but they were still filled with pain and fear "Mani marte?" he asked hoarsly

"We won! Morgoth and Saruman were destroyed. Kaima tenna' tul're mellon nin."

Great relief shone through the Elf's pain at those words and with that he allowed the Wizards strong hand to push him back down into the soft bed, but he was too weak to even try to stop the gasp of pain that came from his lips as the full agony began to tear at him.

As soon as Legolas had shown himself to have calmed and not be in a completely unbearable amount of pain, Aragorn had rushed to get one of the healers. He returned with one fairly quickly and the healer immediately bent over the once again still Elf and begin checking him over

"He should not have sat up so soon." Muttered the healer who had heard tales of the stubborness of Thranduils son "He could have done himself more damage!"

Aragorn smiled, remembering times past "You are lucky he did not try to stand up,I believe he would have if he had been more coherant."

The healer simply sighed and after making sure that Legolas was not in any immediate danger left again calling back that the Prince of Mirkwood should re-awaken sometime the following day.

Great joy filled the hearts of the others. It seemed that Legolas had a chance now! Aragorn especially looked as if half the strain from his woundshad disappeared although of course i had not. As they all smiled at each other each felt a warmth in their hearts that perhaps their Fellowship would be properly re-united after all. It was a sign that the stain that had been left on Middle Earth from the War of the Ring was finally being cleared.

Sam gazed up at the little he could see of the sky. The clouds were clearing and the rain would soon stop.

Phew! What a heavy chapter to write, that was not easy. I hope you liked it, if you did; Review, if you didn't; Review! I know there are Lurkers out there, let me know if you are reading it! It really does make me update on time!

Translations:

Lle tyava quel? Are you well?

Mani marte? What happened?

Kaima tenna' tul're mellon nin (I hope it means) sleep until tommorow my friend

My Mention is for:

Sam: Hello there, nice to see you're enjoying it! As you've probably guessed I really do have to save Legolas, I (and many others) would be very upset if he was dead!