Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!!!
ff.net now seems to work again :-)
so, on with the story.
tell me what you think. I love all those reviews :-)
___
It had found the place in the elf's mind were he hid the memories that he did not wish to relive. Conjuring them up was an easy task, done so many times before although never to an elf.
Lothlorien. Beauty and pain filling his heart, tearing him apart. Grief so strong it overwhelmed him and he moaned in remembered pain.
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Gudin still knelt at the elf's side. The dwarves were ready to leave and follow the five that had set out to confront the creature but he could not bring himself to leave Legolas' side. It was a strange thing for he had never been fond of elves, but right now all he could see was another being in great pain. After all the elf was in this position because he had come here to warn them and had stayed to help them. He had never expected to see an elf like this, vulnerable and frail to the eyes of a dwarf. It caused a strange feeling of protectiveness to well up. Suddenly Legolas moved, curling up tightly and a moan broke from the elf's lips. The sound of pain echoed through the chamber.
In the grim silence the sound had been heard by everyone and many eyes turned to the source of it. Gudin looked up at them, his eyes searching for Gimli.
Gimli had instantly recognized the sound for what it was. He was ready to go and join his comrades but even as they started to move he found himself rooted to the spot, the small sound still reverberating in his ears.
Then his eyes met Gudin's.
Sudden anger flared up in the dwarf upon seeing Gimli standing there, ready to leave.
'I know not what ails you, son of Gloin.' He called out, 'that you would leave a friend in need alone. Do you think it was his great love for dwarves that brought him here and into this danger? For I think it was his love for you that kept him here in the darkness of our caves that he loathes so much. Why would you turn away from a friendship like this?'
Gimli heard him but did not respond. His eyes had finally come to rest on the form of the elf. Whatever anger had clouded his mind could not hold up at the sight of his friend like this. As long as he had refused to see him he had been able to ignore the danger he might be in. This illusion was gone now. Having recovered his ability to move a few steps took him to the elf's side where he sank to his knees. Gudin got to his feet and stepped away without another word.
Seeing his son getting to his knees at Legolas' side Gloin knew he would not join them and he turned to follow his companions.
Legolas was ghostly pale and deep lines of pain and anguish marred his fair face. His eyes told Gimli he was not aware of his surroundings.
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Legolas fought back, trying to struggle against the memories that assailed him. Even as the memory of grief and pain wracked his heart as it had done that day in Lothlorien, he remembered that there had been more to this. In the midst of all this there had been something good. A picture of Gimli rose as he tried to fight the memory of darkness with one of happiness. Their friendship had started to form then.
But quickly the picture changed to a fight of life and death against a beast in the water.
.Legolas saw Gimli being flung into the water behind the monster and knew a moment of utter despair. This was not the calm water they had chosen to cross the river but much closer to the waterfall and even from this distance he could see the strong current there. Ducking and slicing he tried to back away from the creature again, casting desperate glances at the place where Gimli had disappeared under the water. The last glimpse he caught of his friend told him that he was obviously fighting and loosing against the strong current as it dragged him away towards the waterfall.
Grief and guilt came with this memory and anguish filled his heart. He could feel himself getting weaker, he was hardly able to find the strength to push this memories away.
Part of him knew it to be not true, Gimli was alive and well. He remembered the dwarf laughing and jesting and clung to this picture in desperation. The memory of shared laughter and happiness eased his torn heart for a moment.
But then Gimli's face became distorted in rage and pain and the bitter words flung at him echoed in his ears. Pain exploded in his side as his body remembered well the forceful impact with the wall.
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The elf's body jerked and his arms came up suddenly, wrapping around his waist. He would have fallen on his side had Gimli not moved and caught him. A soft whimper of pain, hardly audible, and he was still again.
He held the elf in his arms, Legolas' head resting against his shoulder. Emotions no longer warred in him as concern and fear won over anything else. His hand came up to touch the elf's face but the moment his fingers came into contact with the cold skin he could feel a spark of something terribly dark and cruel and his hand flinched back.
Gimli's heart froze. He remembered the moment he had seen Legolas' hand flinch away from Nirith. In his pain and desperation he had taken this as a sign of refusal. He starred at his own hand that had made the very same movement now.
He could feel the slight trembling in the slender body and the terrible realization hit him that he had never given Legolas the chance to explain himself but had simply lashed out in anger. He had let out his pain and anguish on his friend and right now he was about to loose him like he had lost Nirith.
For a moment desperation welled up to be quickly replaced by determination. He was not to allow Legolas to die so easily.
Keeping a strong grip on the elf with his left arm to keep him upright he started to search the pockets of his tunic with his right hand. He found the small flask and uncorked it with his teeth. ยด
'Legolas?' he whispered but no reaction came. He brought the flask to the elf's lips and managed to force a few drops of the elvish draught down his throat. With relief he noticed reflexive swallowing movements and carefully placed the flask on the ground. He only hoped it would be enough to keep Legolas alive.
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It could feel the sudden change in the elf. He had been almost defeated, almost too weak to fight anymore. His desperate tries to cling to happy memories when it brought up his darkest moments in life had kept him barely alive. Still he was the strongest opponent it had ever known. The sweeter everything it could wring from him tasted.
But suddenly he was not alone anymore. It could feel the dwarf close to him, if only for the cloud of pain that enveloped him. But it could not afford to split its attention right now. Not when victory was so near. But the elf had somehow regained some strength. Not much, but enough to fight it for a little bit more. It only caused a wave of delight as it would mean it could feed a little bit more ere the elf would fade completely.
@@@
It was a strange and terrible thing to sit by and watch as the elf fought against an unseen enemy. After what Legolas had told him about this creature Gimli could not help but wonder what it was that was going on in the elf's mind. He had told him it did use memories and deep buried fears against its victims to evoke the pain and terror it fed on. What was it the elf was living through right now? They had seen many dark things together and surely in his long life Legolas had seen more of it than Gimli could even imagine. What of it was the elf forced to relive again? He feared that even his own behavior against the elf would be used. He remembered well the deep grief he had found Legolas in when he had believed Gimli dead after their encounter with the creature in the water. How much grief had he caused the elf with his cruel behavior during this last hours?
He cursed himself as he held his friend close hoping his comrades would finally find this creature and destroy it ere it was to late. For he could feel the elf in his arms fading.
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The five dwarves stopped as once. They had found what they were looking for, there was no doubt. But they could not help but stare for what they saw before them now was not at all what they had expected to find.
___
so, on with the story.
tell me what you think. I love all those reviews :-)
___
It had found the place in the elf's mind were he hid the memories that he did not wish to relive. Conjuring them up was an easy task, done so many times before although never to an elf.
Lothlorien. Beauty and pain filling his heart, tearing him apart. Grief so strong it overwhelmed him and he moaned in remembered pain.
@@@
Gudin still knelt at the elf's side. The dwarves were ready to leave and follow the five that had set out to confront the creature but he could not bring himself to leave Legolas' side. It was a strange thing for he had never been fond of elves, but right now all he could see was another being in great pain. After all the elf was in this position because he had come here to warn them and had stayed to help them. He had never expected to see an elf like this, vulnerable and frail to the eyes of a dwarf. It caused a strange feeling of protectiveness to well up. Suddenly Legolas moved, curling up tightly and a moan broke from the elf's lips. The sound of pain echoed through the chamber.
In the grim silence the sound had been heard by everyone and many eyes turned to the source of it. Gudin looked up at them, his eyes searching for Gimli.
Gimli had instantly recognized the sound for what it was. He was ready to go and join his comrades but even as they started to move he found himself rooted to the spot, the small sound still reverberating in his ears.
Then his eyes met Gudin's.
Sudden anger flared up in the dwarf upon seeing Gimli standing there, ready to leave.
'I know not what ails you, son of Gloin.' He called out, 'that you would leave a friend in need alone. Do you think it was his great love for dwarves that brought him here and into this danger? For I think it was his love for you that kept him here in the darkness of our caves that he loathes so much. Why would you turn away from a friendship like this?'
Gimli heard him but did not respond. His eyes had finally come to rest on the form of the elf. Whatever anger had clouded his mind could not hold up at the sight of his friend like this. As long as he had refused to see him he had been able to ignore the danger he might be in. This illusion was gone now. Having recovered his ability to move a few steps took him to the elf's side where he sank to his knees. Gudin got to his feet and stepped away without another word.
Seeing his son getting to his knees at Legolas' side Gloin knew he would not join them and he turned to follow his companions.
Legolas was ghostly pale and deep lines of pain and anguish marred his fair face. His eyes told Gimli he was not aware of his surroundings.
@@@
Legolas fought back, trying to struggle against the memories that assailed him. Even as the memory of grief and pain wracked his heart as it had done that day in Lothlorien, he remembered that there had been more to this. In the midst of all this there had been something good. A picture of Gimli rose as he tried to fight the memory of darkness with one of happiness. Their friendship had started to form then.
But quickly the picture changed to a fight of life and death against a beast in the water.
.Legolas saw Gimli being flung into the water behind the monster and knew a moment of utter despair. This was not the calm water they had chosen to cross the river but much closer to the waterfall and even from this distance he could see the strong current there. Ducking and slicing he tried to back away from the creature again, casting desperate glances at the place where Gimli had disappeared under the water. The last glimpse he caught of his friend told him that he was obviously fighting and loosing against the strong current as it dragged him away towards the waterfall.
Grief and guilt came with this memory and anguish filled his heart. He could feel himself getting weaker, he was hardly able to find the strength to push this memories away.
Part of him knew it to be not true, Gimli was alive and well. He remembered the dwarf laughing and jesting and clung to this picture in desperation. The memory of shared laughter and happiness eased his torn heart for a moment.
But then Gimli's face became distorted in rage and pain and the bitter words flung at him echoed in his ears. Pain exploded in his side as his body remembered well the forceful impact with the wall.
@@@
The elf's body jerked and his arms came up suddenly, wrapping around his waist. He would have fallen on his side had Gimli not moved and caught him. A soft whimper of pain, hardly audible, and he was still again.
He held the elf in his arms, Legolas' head resting against his shoulder. Emotions no longer warred in him as concern and fear won over anything else. His hand came up to touch the elf's face but the moment his fingers came into contact with the cold skin he could feel a spark of something terribly dark and cruel and his hand flinched back.
Gimli's heart froze. He remembered the moment he had seen Legolas' hand flinch away from Nirith. In his pain and desperation he had taken this as a sign of refusal. He starred at his own hand that had made the very same movement now.
He could feel the slight trembling in the slender body and the terrible realization hit him that he had never given Legolas the chance to explain himself but had simply lashed out in anger. He had let out his pain and anguish on his friend and right now he was about to loose him like he had lost Nirith.
For a moment desperation welled up to be quickly replaced by determination. He was not to allow Legolas to die so easily.
Keeping a strong grip on the elf with his left arm to keep him upright he started to search the pockets of his tunic with his right hand. He found the small flask and uncorked it with his teeth. ยด
'Legolas?' he whispered but no reaction came. He brought the flask to the elf's lips and managed to force a few drops of the elvish draught down his throat. With relief he noticed reflexive swallowing movements and carefully placed the flask on the ground. He only hoped it would be enough to keep Legolas alive.
@@@
It could feel the sudden change in the elf. He had been almost defeated, almost too weak to fight anymore. His desperate tries to cling to happy memories when it brought up his darkest moments in life had kept him barely alive. Still he was the strongest opponent it had ever known. The sweeter everything it could wring from him tasted.
But suddenly he was not alone anymore. It could feel the dwarf close to him, if only for the cloud of pain that enveloped him. But it could not afford to split its attention right now. Not when victory was so near. But the elf had somehow regained some strength. Not much, but enough to fight it for a little bit more. It only caused a wave of delight as it would mean it could feed a little bit more ere the elf would fade completely.
@@@
It was a strange and terrible thing to sit by and watch as the elf fought against an unseen enemy. After what Legolas had told him about this creature Gimli could not help but wonder what it was that was going on in the elf's mind. He had told him it did use memories and deep buried fears against its victims to evoke the pain and terror it fed on. What was it the elf was living through right now? They had seen many dark things together and surely in his long life Legolas had seen more of it than Gimli could even imagine. What of it was the elf forced to relive again? He feared that even his own behavior against the elf would be used. He remembered well the deep grief he had found Legolas in when he had believed Gimli dead after their encounter with the creature in the water. How much grief had he caused the elf with his cruel behavior during this last hours?
He cursed himself as he held his friend close hoping his comrades would finally find this creature and destroy it ere it was to late. For he could feel the elf in his arms fading.
@@@
The five dwarves stopped as once. They had found what they were looking for, there was no doubt. But they could not help but stare for what they saw before them now was not at all what they had expected to find.
___