Passing Duty
By: Azra
*Yeah, I guess I'm going to make this into some kind of a series. This chapter is what happened in between Part Two and Part One, about the battle in the Mirkwood. This is my take on it, so I have no idea how close to the facts this will be*
~Part Three~
Smoke was billowing from three buildings and one had already completely gone up in flames by the time Legolas arrived back in the village. He'd been out in the forest when word of the attack had reached him, and had rushed back to the village with haste. The message hadn't said _what_ was attacking, so when the young prince spotted the fighting he was shocked. Somehow, hundreds of Orcs and a few Goblins had managed to take the village by surprise; though how the scouts did not catch them Legolas was left wondering.
As he stepped out into the clearing, an arrow shot at him. He dodged by reflex alone, the arrow barely missing his head. As it was, he got a nasty scratch across one cheek. Narrowing his eyes in anger- no Orc injured him and lived- he drew an arrow and notched it to the bow. Smoothly, he lifted the bow, drew the arrow to his bleeding cheek, and fired. It hit the Orc in the throat.
Now the battle was really on. In a matter of minutes, his quiver was empty and he'd tossed it to the ground. His bow he'd slung over his shoulders in its place, and he had drawn his two knives.
The knives had been a gift from his father, Thranduil, at his five-hundredth birthday. They were Elvish work, with gold handles and bright silver blades that would never grow dull.
"The palace is under attack!"
The call came quite unexpectedly as Legolas found himself facing three Orcs by himself. But when he heard the cry, the Orcs were forgotten and he turned and dashed off towards the largest structure in the village.
The gate had been utterly destroyed, reduced to a pile of junk metal. A trail of destruction led through the main doors and throughout the palace rooms. It was in one of these rooms that he found a small group of Goblins. All of them carried a long sword and were fighting fiercely with a two other Elves while a third elf lay wounded on the ground behind them.
Legolas recognized the Elves immediately. The two that were still standing were his cousins, both of them older than he. As he looked at the third elf, however, his heart stopped and he almost screamed out.
There on the ground, covered in her own blood, was his mother, Alca. She had a wound in her side, the knife's handle still embedded deep in her body. Her skin had turned deathly white and her breathing was shallow and harsh.
His attention was brought away as one of his cousins fell. The other cousin was now left with three Goblins to face. He had yet to notice Legolas as his attention was totally focused on the fight.
His short-sword whipped out and struck one of the foul creatures in the neck. He yanked it out as the Goblin crumpled to the ground and turned to face the other two. He pulled up short, however, as he saw two red-stained blades coming out the front of their throats.
Both of the creatures fell to the ground, dead. It was then that Legolas' cousin noticed him. He glanced at the two fallen elves and nodded to the blond archer. "You'll take care of both of them?" He asked. "My brother will not make it if he doesn't get help soon, yet I must return to the battle as my father is still out there."
The young prince nodded and moved towards the injured, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, his green eyes meeting the grey of his cousin.
"I am sorry we came too late." He said softly. "We were unable to save the Lady Alca."
Legolas nodded in understanding and gestured for the older Elf to go. Then he turned to his other cousin. He only had one wound that was serious, a cut across his chest. But it was the bruise on his forehead that had caused him to fall unconscious. He'd been struck by one of the Goblins, but he would survive. Knowing this, he rose and rushed to his mother's side.
She opened her eyes a little as he reached to remove the knife from her side and rested a hand on his to stop him. "Leave it." Her voice was soft and difficult to hear. "Please, Legolas, you must..." She cut off as a spasm of pain went through her body, leaving her breathless.
"Mother, you must not speak." Legolas looked around the room in search of something to close the wound. "Just rest, the healers will be here soon."
Alca shook her head. "No, you must listen." She took a slow, shuddering breath before continuing. "There is something you must do for me, once I'm gone. Promise me you will."
He nodded. "Anything, mother."
"Take the ring from my finger and carry it with all haste to Rivendell. There you will find an Elf-lord by the name of Gil-galad. You must give him this ring. Do not let this ring fall into the hands of the Dark Lord, whatever you do." She paused, another spasm of pain ripping through her body. Her eyes grew distant and her breathing slowed. " I love you... my son." It came out as a whisper, then her chest dropped and didn't rise again.
Legolas took a deep breath, forcing away the tears that threatened to fall. His mother and him had never been very close, but now that she was gone it was like another part of him was gone too. A blue glint caught his eye and he looked down at his mother's hand.
There, like she had said, was a ring. It was golden, with a blue sapphire on it. He frowned, trying to place where he'd seen the ring before. Then his eyes widened as he realized exactly what it was.
Gently, he lifted her hand and took the Ring from her finger. He slipped it in a pocket and rose. "Namarie, mother." He whispered.
Behind him, he could hear the healers coming in. They went to work immediately, reviving his still unconscious cousin. But he turned from them before they could ask questions. He knew why the Mirkwood had been attacked. It was for the very thing he now had in his pocket.
And he made a silent vow as he watched the healers lift his mother's lifeless body from the ground.
'I will avenge you at all costs.' He swore. 'I will do everything in my power to see that this Ring is safe and that Sauron falls.'
~End of Chapter~
Will I continue? I dunno. Is there anything else you want explained? Ah, well. Please review. Please!!!
By: Azra
*Yeah, I guess I'm going to make this into some kind of a series. This chapter is what happened in between Part Two and Part One, about the battle in the Mirkwood. This is my take on it, so I have no idea how close to the facts this will be*
~Part Three~
Smoke was billowing from three buildings and one had already completely gone up in flames by the time Legolas arrived back in the village. He'd been out in the forest when word of the attack had reached him, and had rushed back to the village with haste. The message hadn't said _what_ was attacking, so when the young prince spotted the fighting he was shocked. Somehow, hundreds of Orcs and a few Goblins had managed to take the village by surprise; though how the scouts did not catch them Legolas was left wondering.
As he stepped out into the clearing, an arrow shot at him. He dodged by reflex alone, the arrow barely missing his head. As it was, he got a nasty scratch across one cheek. Narrowing his eyes in anger- no Orc injured him and lived- he drew an arrow and notched it to the bow. Smoothly, he lifted the bow, drew the arrow to his bleeding cheek, and fired. It hit the Orc in the throat.
Now the battle was really on. In a matter of minutes, his quiver was empty and he'd tossed it to the ground. His bow he'd slung over his shoulders in its place, and he had drawn his two knives.
The knives had been a gift from his father, Thranduil, at his five-hundredth birthday. They were Elvish work, with gold handles and bright silver blades that would never grow dull.
"The palace is under attack!"
The call came quite unexpectedly as Legolas found himself facing three Orcs by himself. But when he heard the cry, the Orcs were forgotten and he turned and dashed off towards the largest structure in the village.
The gate had been utterly destroyed, reduced to a pile of junk metal. A trail of destruction led through the main doors and throughout the palace rooms. It was in one of these rooms that he found a small group of Goblins. All of them carried a long sword and were fighting fiercely with a two other Elves while a third elf lay wounded on the ground behind them.
Legolas recognized the Elves immediately. The two that were still standing were his cousins, both of them older than he. As he looked at the third elf, however, his heart stopped and he almost screamed out.
There on the ground, covered in her own blood, was his mother, Alca. She had a wound in her side, the knife's handle still embedded deep in her body. Her skin had turned deathly white and her breathing was shallow and harsh.
His attention was brought away as one of his cousins fell. The other cousin was now left with three Goblins to face. He had yet to notice Legolas as his attention was totally focused on the fight.
His short-sword whipped out and struck one of the foul creatures in the neck. He yanked it out as the Goblin crumpled to the ground and turned to face the other two. He pulled up short, however, as he saw two red-stained blades coming out the front of their throats.
Both of the creatures fell to the ground, dead. It was then that Legolas' cousin noticed him. He glanced at the two fallen elves and nodded to the blond archer. "You'll take care of both of them?" He asked. "My brother will not make it if he doesn't get help soon, yet I must return to the battle as my father is still out there."
The young prince nodded and moved towards the injured, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, his green eyes meeting the grey of his cousin.
"I am sorry we came too late." He said softly. "We were unable to save the Lady Alca."
Legolas nodded in understanding and gestured for the older Elf to go. Then he turned to his other cousin. He only had one wound that was serious, a cut across his chest. But it was the bruise on his forehead that had caused him to fall unconscious. He'd been struck by one of the Goblins, but he would survive. Knowing this, he rose and rushed to his mother's side.
She opened her eyes a little as he reached to remove the knife from her side and rested a hand on his to stop him. "Leave it." Her voice was soft and difficult to hear. "Please, Legolas, you must..." She cut off as a spasm of pain went through her body, leaving her breathless.
"Mother, you must not speak." Legolas looked around the room in search of something to close the wound. "Just rest, the healers will be here soon."
Alca shook her head. "No, you must listen." She took a slow, shuddering breath before continuing. "There is something you must do for me, once I'm gone. Promise me you will."
He nodded. "Anything, mother."
"Take the ring from my finger and carry it with all haste to Rivendell. There you will find an Elf-lord by the name of Gil-galad. You must give him this ring. Do not let this ring fall into the hands of the Dark Lord, whatever you do." She paused, another spasm of pain ripping through her body. Her eyes grew distant and her breathing slowed. " I love you... my son." It came out as a whisper, then her chest dropped and didn't rise again.
Legolas took a deep breath, forcing away the tears that threatened to fall. His mother and him had never been very close, but now that she was gone it was like another part of him was gone too. A blue glint caught his eye and he looked down at his mother's hand.
There, like she had said, was a ring. It was golden, with a blue sapphire on it. He frowned, trying to place where he'd seen the ring before. Then his eyes widened as he realized exactly what it was.
Gently, he lifted her hand and took the Ring from her finger. He slipped it in a pocket and rose. "Namarie, mother." He whispered.
Behind him, he could hear the healers coming in. They went to work immediately, reviving his still unconscious cousin. But he turned from them before they could ask questions. He knew why the Mirkwood had been attacked. It was for the very thing he now had in his pocket.
And he made a silent vow as he watched the healers lift his mother's lifeless body from the ground.
'I will avenge you at all costs.' He swore. 'I will do everything in my power to see that this Ring is safe and that Sauron falls.'
~End of Chapter~
Will I continue? I dunno. Is there anything else you want explained? Ah, well. Please review. Please!!!