FOR DISCLAIMER SEE CHAPTER ONE
A/N I know this chapter is slow, but it had to be in here b/c of something that happens later, i promise everything will start moving faster soon though! please trust me!
Chapter Nine: The Ride to Helm's Deep
It had been a little while since Legolas had last ridden. He was glad to be able to again, for elves have a gift for riding, and they enjoy it greatly. He kept half an eye on Alatariel as he thought about what he would be riding into. From all that he had heard, he figured that the army would be lucky if half the men survived; though he tried to push such negative thoughts from his mind. Gimli's voice cut through the windy silence,
"I know you have taken quite a liking to the elf-maiden. I am surprised you did not have her ride behind you in place of me!" said the dwarf merrily.
Legolas smiled to himself, "I can hide nothing from you, dear friend. I have taken quite a liking to her indeed. You are also correct about the latter, I wanted her to ride behind me but she refused to," he said chuckling.
"Are you going to ask her to return to Mirkwood with you?" questioned the dwarf.
Legolas sighed, "I do not know. I only wish to know if she feels as greatly for me as I do for her."
"And how is it that you feel for her?" pried Gimli, his eyes sparkling.
Legolas turned his blonde head once again to look upon his love. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, then reopened them.
"I love her, Gimli. I love her more than my own soul, more than I have ever loved anything before. More than the forest, and the trees, and the rivers...more than the breath that fills my lungs."
Gimli was quite taken aback by this and he fumbled for the right words to speak,
"Well, elf, I guess I am not your dearest friend anymore am I?" he said sarcastically.
Legolas smiled and let out a melodious laugh that could be heard by many of the riders around him. Though, he laughed not because of the words Gimli had spoken. He laughed because it was in that moment, all the joy he had stored deep in the depths of his heart had been set free.
Alatariel had been deep in thought while she was riding. She could not help but to think of what was ahead of her. She had fared well during the battle at Amon Hen, but this battle was going to be far worse. Troubled thoughts filled her mind; thoughts about loosing Legolas in battle, thoughts about not being able to defend herself properly. As the dark thoughts started to disperse throughout her conscious thought, they were interrupted by a joyful laugh close by. Alatariel turned her head and caught sight of Legolas. She had never heard him laugh so heartily until now; and she was glad for it. It calmed her soul and strengthened her. Suddenly, King Theoden called the company to a halt.
"Some of our riders have fallen back, I wish to wait for them; we need every man that we can for this battle!" shouted Theoden loud enough for the warriors to hear.
The King walked his horse over to where Alatariel had halted. She was speaking with Legolas, and though he hated to interrupt them, he did. "Lady Alatariel, I wish to have a word with you in private please. It will not take long."
Alatariel glanced over at Legolas and he nodded back to her. She then dropped from her horse and followed the king.
It was not long before the all of the riders were regrouped. They would reach Helm's Deep before dusk. With each hoof beat, they were ever closer to the battle grounds; and with every hoof beat, the nervousness and the tension grew. Finally, Legolas gave out a cry, "I see the gate!," he shouted, "It will come into vision shortly!"
When they reached the gate, Legolas jumped off of his horse, along with many of the men. He rushed over to Alatariel, who was trying to contain her nervousness.
"Alatariel," he began, "I wish to tell you something before we go into battle."
She looked into his blue eyes as he cleared his throat and put his strong hands on her cheeks, "Alatariel, I love you. I love you more than the beating of my heart, more than the trees and the forest, more than the flower loves the spring."
She gazed at him, tears filling her eyes, "I love you too, my dear Legolas!" she said.
Legolas pulled her face closer to his own and their lips met once again. Though, this kiss was filled with much more passion. Alatariel felt as if she was melting into the depths of his soul as his strong arms wrapped around her slim waist. She wrapped her own around his neck and tried to pull herself ever closer to her love.
When he broke off their kiss he whispered, "Stay close to me!" They then ran off, weapons in hand, towards the screams of the battle.
A/N I know this chapter is slow, but it had to be in here b/c of something that happens later, i promise everything will start moving faster soon though! please trust me!
Chapter Nine: The Ride to Helm's Deep
It had been a little while since Legolas had last ridden. He was glad to be able to again, for elves have a gift for riding, and they enjoy it greatly. He kept half an eye on Alatariel as he thought about what he would be riding into. From all that he had heard, he figured that the army would be lucky if half the men survived; though he tried to push such negative thoughts from his mind. Gimli's voice cut through the windy silence,
"I know you have taken quite a liking to the elf-maiden. I am surprised you did not have her ride behind you in place of me!" said the dwarf merrily.
Legolas smiled to himself, "I can hide nothing from you, dear friend. I have taken quite a liking to her indeed. You are also correct about the latter, I wanted her to ride behind me but she refused to," he said chuckling.
"Are you going to ask her to return to Mirkwood with you?" questioned the dwarf.
Legolas sighed, "I do not know. I only wish to know if she feels as greatly for me as I do for her."
"And how is it that you feel for her?" pried Gimli, his eyes sparkling.
Legolas turned his blonde head once again to look upon his love. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, then reopened them.
"I love her, Gimli. I love her more than my own soul, more than I have ever loved anything before. More than the forest, and the trees, and the rivers...more than the breath that fills my lungs."
Gimli was quite taken aback by this and he fumbled for the right words to speak,
"Well, elf, I guess I am not your dearest friend anymore am I?" he said sarcastically.
Legolas smiled and let out a melodious laugh that could be heard by many of the riders around him. Though, he laughed not because of the words Gimli had spoken. He laughed because it was in that moment, all the joy he had stored deep in the depths of his heart had been set free.
Alatariel had been deep in thought while she was riding. She could not help but to think of what was ahead of her. She had fared well during the battle at Amon Hen, but this battle was going to be far worse. Troubled thoughts filled her mind; thoughts about loosing Legolas in battle, thoughts about not being able to defend herself properly. As the dark thoughts started to disperse throughout her conscious thought, they were interrupted by a joyful laugh close by. Alatariel turned her head and caught sight of Legolas. She had never heard him laugh so heartily until now; and she was glad for it. It calmed her soul and strengthened her. Suddenly, King Theoden called the company to a halt.
"Some of our riders have fallen back, I wish to wait for them; we need every man that we can for this battle!" shouted Theoden loud enough for the warriors to hear.
The King walked his horse over to where Alatariel had halted. She was speaking with Legolas, and though he hated to interrupt them, he did. "Lady Alatariel, I wish to have a word with you in private please. It will not take long."
Alatariel glanced over at Legolas and he nodded back to her. She then dropped from her horse and followed the king.
It was not long before the all of the riders were regrouped. They would reach Helm's Deep before dusk. With each hoof beat, they were ever closer to the battle grounds; and with every hoof beat, the nervousness and the tension grew. Finally, Legolas gave out a cry, "I see the gate!," he shouted, "It will come into vision shortly!"
When they reached the gate, Legolas jumped off of his horse, along with many of the men. He rushed over to Alatariel, who was trying to contain her nervousness.
"Alatariel," he began, "I wish to tell you something before we go into battle."
She looked into his blue eyes as he cleared his throat and put his strong hands on her cheeks, "Alatariel, I love you. I love you more than the beating of my heart, more than the trees and the forest, more than the flower loves the spring."
She gazed at him, tears filling her eyes, "I love you too, my dear Legolas!" she said.
Legolas pulled her face closer to his own and their lips met once again. Though, this kiss was filled with much more passion. Alatariel felt as if she was melting into the depths of his soul as his strong arms wrapped around her slim waist. She wrapped her own around his neck and tried to pull herself ever closer to her love.
When he broke off their kiss he whispered, "Stay close to me!" They then ran off, weapons in hand, towards the screams of the battle.