Some of you responded to my question a few days ago and it seems that most of you prefer quick (& short) updates... so here
we go with the next chapter...
To Mebrireth: the word 'ion' means 'son' in sindarin ... so Thranduilion would mean son of Thranduil... at least that's what I
think...
Everybody else: thank you for reviewing - I love you all for doing it!
Special thanks to Little My for beta reading
So... enjoy and do not forget to review!!!
___
Gimli could tell that Aragorn was not entirely happy with Gandalf's decision, but knew better than to interfere. The dwarf fell into
step with the man as they followed the Istari and the elf towards the camp.
Calenuial had remained one step behind Gandalf but when his eyes took in the still form of Legolas, he moved with lightening
speed to reach his side and dropped down to his knees. His bow fell from uncaring fingers as his eyes searched for the injuries
Aragorn had spoken of. When he carefully folded back the blanket covering Legolas, he could see the bandage wrapped around
his chest.
The elf's hand came to rest on Legolas' shoulder and he froze, an expression of shock and something close to horror flitting
across his face.
'So it is as the Lady has feared, ' he whispered.
His wide eyes came up to find Gandalf.
'What has befallen him?' he asked.
From the corner of his eye, Gimli could see Eomer and Faramir who had woken and were watching the scene with curiosity but
stayed their distance.
The elf rose to his feet, his eyes flickering from one to the other. He was badly shaken by how weak Legolas was. But he could
feel something else was wrong with his friend.
'What has been done to him?' he demanded, his voice rising.
'What is it you feel when you touch him?' Gandalf answered his question with one of his own.
A troubled look was on Calenuial's face as he spoke hesitantly.
'It is what I can not feel that disturbs me. There is life left in him although very weak, but his soul...' he shook his head as if in
denial. 'I can sense him, but only weakly as if he were too far away. I do not understand this.'
A shine of hope entered the Istari's eyes.
'Then you sense more than I do, for I feared that all hope was lost.'
The expression of confusion and worry changed to one of anger, but ere Calenuial could respond Gandalf resumed speaking.
With few words he told Calenuial what had transpired, but a flicker of doubt remained in the elf's eyes even after he had
finished. He looked at Aragorn.
'Tell me, King Elessar, why would you not inform the elves of Greenwood that their prince has been wounded thus?' he accused
the man. 'Why would you wish to hide his situation from me?'
His bow still lay on the ground but his fingers had curled around the hilt of the long knife he carried on his belt.
With a sigh Gandalf shook his head. He knew the elves of Greenwood well, knew that their temper was fiercer than that of any
others of their kin. Long years of fighting the dark creatures of Sauron without the aid of a magic ring had made them warriors
unmatched in the whole of Middle Earth, but often less wise in their actions. An angry elf of Greenwood could easily cause
matters to get out of hand here, and there was no time for this.
'We were about to leave this place and take Legolas to his father's realm,' he spoke, hoping to appease the elf with voicing what
had been his plan ever since last night.
Calenuial missed the barely disguised look of astonishment on Gimli's face, for his eyes were still fixed on Aragorn. The man
managed to hide his surprise far better than the dwarf and some of the anger seemed to drain away from the elf. He knelt down
again and carefully rearranged the blanket to cover Legolas.
Aragorn's voice broke the uneasy silence that had settled.
'Forgive me if I pry into matters that are not of my concern, but what about the message you needed to deliver? Is all well in
Lord Thranduil's realm?'
For a moment the elf only stared at Aragorn, as if to consider if the man could still be trusted. Then he answered his question
with a voice much softer than before.
'It was not a message that brought us here,' he confessed. 'The Lady could feel something amiss. The trees cried out in sorrow
and we feared for Legolas. Alas, I wish we would not have let him come here on his own, but he ordered us to deliver his
warnings. We should have known that nothing good would befall an elf in the realm of the dwarves.'
Gimli had not spoken until now but only watched the exchange of words. The accusation in Calenuial's words made him take a
step forward.
'It was not the doing of the dwarves that brought the evil here,' he spoke hotly.
'But what was the doing of the dwarves to destroy it?' Calenuial shot back. 'For it seems to me it is Legolas who has suffered on
your behalf.'
'He has aided us in destroying it,' Gimli admitted. 'But he is not the only one who came to harm. I doubt that the presence of
more elves would have changed anything.'
Maybe it was the pain that showed in his eyes that stopped another angry retort coming from Calenuial, but more likely it was
the snort coming from Gandalf.
'There is no use in putting blame on anyone. The harm inflicted was no other's doing but that of the evil creature, and it was
destroyed. By dwarves and elf working together.' Gandalf's voice was sharp as he added, 'And if we wish to save Legolas then
we can only do this together. Gimli, we need something to transport him with without putting too much strain on him. I would
suggest a stretcher to be carried between two horses. I trust you have come here by horse, Calenuial?'
'Aye,' the elf answered. 'But I left it behind with my companions when your men stopped us.' His pointed look at Aragorn
showed he had not been pleased with this.
'We will need two horses to carry Legolas...'
'One,' Gimli interrupted the Istari. 'Arod is still here.'
Gandalf only nodded but the elf's face had darkened. It was obvious that the thought of leaving Legolas to get a horse did not
appeal to him.
The guard that had remained in the background until now took a hesitant step forward.
'I will go back to the camp and bring one of our horses,' he volunteered.
Exchanging quick glances with Gandalf, Aragorn agreed and Calenuial relaxed again.
Gimli hurried away to find something that could be used to carry Legolas. For the first time since he had carried the elf outside of
the caves, he felt new hope. Maybe it was only the fact that he could finally do something besides sit and wait; maybe it was the
flicker of hope that he had seen in Gandalf for the first time since he had lain eyes on Legolas. There was a part of him that
hesitated at what they were about to do, for it seemed dangerous to him to move the elf while he was so weak. But Gandalf
surely knew this, and there had to be a reason for him to be willing to risk it. And whatever the Istari hoped to gain with taking
Legolas to Greenwood, it meant that there was hope left that the elf would return to life and once more bother him with mischief
and songs.
If he would ever forgive him. But something deep inside of the dwarf hoped that their friendship was too deep to be destroyed so
easily.
Calenuial watched the dwarf go with a strange look in his eyes.
'He carries a heavy burden,' he spoke as if to himself. 'I wonder what it is that weighs on his heart so much.' His eyes turned on
Gandalf. 'Tell me, Mithrandir is there something you chose not to tell me?'
But the Istari only looked at him with solemn eyes. 'Legolas is dear to him,' was all he said.
And the elf knew it to be true.
we go with the next chapter...
To Mebrireth: the word 'ion' means 'son' in sindarin ... so Thranduilion would mean son of Thranduil... at least that's what I
think...
Everybody else: thank you for reviewing - I love you all for doing it!
Special thanks to Little My for beta reading
So... enjoy and do not forget to review!!!
___
Gimli could tell that Aragorn was not entirely happy with Gandalf's decision, but knew better than to interfere. The dwarf fell into
step with the man as they followed the Istari and the elf towards the camp.
Calenuial had remained one step behind Gandalf but when his eyes took in the still form of Legolas, he moved with lightening
speed to reach his side and dropped down to his knees. His bow fell from uncaring fingers as his eyes searched for the injuries
Aragorn had spoken of. When he carefully folded back the blanket covering Legolas, he could see the bandage wrapped around
his chest.
The elf's hand came to rest on Legolas' shoulder and he froze, an expression of shock and something close to horror flitting
across his face.
'So it is as the Lady has feared, ' he whispered.
His wide eyes came up to find Gandalf.
'What has befallen him?' he asked.
From the corner of his eye, Gimli could see Eomer and Faramir who had woken and were watching the scene with curiosity but
stayed their distance.
The elf rose to his feet, his eyes flickering from one to the other. He was badly shaken by how weak Legolas was. But he could
feel something else was wrong with his friend.
'What has been done to him?' he demanded, his voice rising.
'What is it you feel when you touch him?' Gandalf answered his question with one of his own.
A troubled look was on Calenuial's face as he spoke hesitantly.
'It is what I can not feel that disturbs me. There is life left in him although very weak, but his soul...' he shook his head as if in
denial. 'I can sense him, but only weakly as if he were too far away. I do not understand this.'
A shine of hope entered the Istari's eyes.
'Then you sense more than I do, for I feared that all hope was lost.'
The expression of confusion and worry changed to one of anger, but ere Calenuial could respond Gandalf resumed speaking.
With few words he told Calenuial what had transpired, but a flicker of doubt remained in the elf's eyes even after he had
finished. He looked at Aragorn.
'Tell me, King Elessar, why would you not inform the elves of Greenwood that their prince has been wounded thus?' he accused
the man. 'Why would you wish to hide his situation from me?'
His bow still lay on the ground but his fingers had curled around the hilt of the long knife he carried on his belt.
With a sigh Gandalf shook his head. He knew the elves of Greenwood well, knew that their temper was fiercer than that of any
others of their kin. Long years of fighting the dark creatures of Sauron without the aid of a magic ring had made them warriors
unmatched in the whole of Middle Earth, but often less wise in their actions. An angry elf of Greenwood could easily cause
matters to get out of hand here, and there was no time for this.
'We were about to leave this place and take Legolas to his father's realm,' he spoke, hoping to appease the elf with voicing what
had been his plan ever since last night.
Calenuial missed the barely disguised look of astonishment on Gimli's face, for his eyes were still fixed on Aragorn. The man
managed to hide his surprise far better than the dwarf and some of the anger seemed to drain away from the elf. He knelt down
again and carefully rearranged the blanket to cover Legolas.
Aragorn's voice broke the uneasy silence that had settled.
'Forgive me if I pry into matters that are not of my concern, but what about the message you needed to deliver? Is all well in
Lord Thranduil's realm?'
For a moment the elf only stared at Aragorn, as if to consider if the man could still be trusted. Then he answered his question
with a voice much softer than before.
'It was not a message that brought us here,' he confessed. 'The Lady could feel something amiss. The trees cried out in sorrow
and we feared for Legolas. Alas, I wish we would not have let him come here on his own, but he ordered us to deliver his
warnings. We should have known that nothing good would befall an elf in the realm of the dwarves.'
Gimli had not spoken until now but only watched the exchange of words. The accusation in Calenuial's words made him take a
step forward.
'It was not the doing of the dwarves that brought the evil here,' he spoke hotly.
'But what was the doing of the dwarves to destroy it?' Calenuial shot back. 'For it seems to me it is Legolas who has suffered on
your behalf.'
'He has aided us in destroying it,' Gimli admitted. 'But he is not the only one who came to harm. I doubt that the presence of
more elves would have changed anything.'
Maybe it was the pain that showed in his eyes that stopped another angry retort coming from Calenuial, but more likely it was
the snort coming from Gandalf.
'There is no use in putting blame on anyone. The harm inflicted was no other's doing but that of the evil creature, and it was
destroyed. By dwarves and elf working together.' Gandalf's voice was sharp as he added, 'And if we wish to save Legolas then
we can only do this together. Gimli, we need something to transport him with without putting too much strain on him. I would
suggest a stretcher to be carried between two horses. I trust you have come here by horse, Calenuial?'
'Aye,' the elf answered. 'But I left it behind with my companions when your men stopped us.' His pointed look at Aragorn
showed he had not been pleased with this.
'We will need two horses to carry Legolas...'
'One,' Gimli interrupted the Istari. 'Arod is still here.'
Gandalf only nodded but the elf's face had darkened. It was obvious that the thought of leaving Legolas to get a horse did not
appeal to him.
The guard that had remained in the background until now took a hesitant step forward.
'I will go back to the camp and bring one of our horses,' he volunteered.
Exchanging quick glances with Gandalf, Aragorn agreed and Calenuial relaxed again.
Gimli hurried away to find something that could be used to carry Legolas. For the first time since he had carried the elf outside of
the caves, he felt new hope. Maybe it was only the fact that he could finally do something besides sit and wait; maybe it was the
flicker of hope that he had seen in Gandalf for the first time since he had lain eyes on Legolas. There was a part of him that
hesitated at what they were about to do, for it seemed dangerous to him to move the elf while he was so weak. But Gandalf
surely knew this, and there had to be a reason for him to be willing to risk it. And whatever the Istari hoped to gain with taking
Legolas to Greenwood, it meant that there was hope left that the elf would return to life and once more bother him with mischief
and songs.
If he would ever forgive him. But something deep inside of the dwarf hoped that their friendship was too deep to be destroyed so
easily.
Calenuial watched the dwarf go with a strange look in his eyes.
'He carries a heavy burden,' he spoke as if to himself. 'I wonder what it is that weighs on his heart so much.' His eyes turned on
Gandalf. 'Tell me, Mithrandir is there something you chose not to tell me?'
But the Istari only looked at him with solemn eyes. 'Legolas is dear to him,' was all he said.
And the elf knew it to be true.