Well, I did not except so many reviews for this story – it is after all only a story retold we all know quite
well, is it not? :-)))
So thank you so much !!!
Mira: thanks! Hope you enjoy the next chapters as well…
YunaDax: I must confess I had to ask my dictionary what spiffy means – thanks for the compliment :-)
Stormcat2002: thanks you once more for your nice words… I saw you found my other stories and
hope you like them!
Bearleft: guess this answers your question :-)
Larkalinque: *beam* thank you!
Mouse: I plan to! And yes, the Gimli/Legolas friendship is one of the best aspects of Tolkiens book…
Gwyn: I hope this chapter is more what you excepted… I for myself do like it better than the first – that
was more a warm-up to get into the thing… the real action is no doubt at Helms Deep!!!
Moonchild: I will try to slow down for the next chapters… :-) , glad you still liked it!!!
Jay of Lasgalen: yeah, I had to laugh at Gandalf's 'old man' act. The scene was hilarious – and true,
most missed it – I was the only one laughing, even my husband missed it. And the horse stunt – I have
watched it endless times since I downloaded the movie but I am still not entirely sure how he does it.
But it is great – something only an elf can do…hehe
Littlegreenleaf: hope the quick update makes up for the abrupt ending… and encounters will be
updated soon – promise!
Gemstone: thank you – and yes encounters will be updated soon – promise!
for all of you asking for a quick update: for once I managed to do it!
A big thanks goes to Little My for beta reading!!!
So, on with the story… and please do not forget to let me know if you like it!!!!
____
Long fingers curled around the silvery pendant as he stared down into the swirling
waters beneath him, his heart refusing to accept what his mind told him. Even as
sharp eyes found the markings where the warg had gone over the cliff, something
inside of him cried out in denial. Yet the pain of the Evenstar cutting into his skin as
he tightened his fingers around it was only too real.
Aragorn, lost?
It could not be.
The last from the line of Isildur, the man so much hope had rested upon. Estel.
It could not be.
How long he stood, staring down into the waters that were too far away for him to
hear what they were speaking of, to ask if it had truly happened, he knew not. And
when the king of Rohan stopped beside him, he showed no reaction.
'Leave the dead behind.'
Those words brought Legolas's head up, his eyes widening. The King's face held a
mixture of compassion and determination, his hand resting upon the elf's shoulder for
just a moment. Legolas found no words of protest as the man turned to walk away.
But the pain in his hand suddenly seemed dim against the one in his heart.
Leave the dead behind.
His eyes sought Gimli, seeing the grief and sorrow on his face, and he could no
longer deny the truth.
Aragorn had fallen.
He stood still for a long moment, watching as around him men gathered weapons
and anything that could be salvaged. Then he moved himself, collecting the arrows
he had fired, the Lorien fletching easy to distinguish from those made by the hands of
men.
Without a word he mounted Arod and waited, unmoving, until Gimli joined him. He
lifted the dwarf up and waited until he felt the by now familiar grip go around his waist
ere he rode away, following the path Eowyn had taken before them, not caring if the
other riders were ready to follow or not. He wished to linger no longer in this place of
death.
They rode in silence, the sound of hooves telling Legolas the Rohirrim were not far
behind. Yet he did neither turn nor wait for them and Gimli voiced no protest.
The deep grief he felt at the man's passing took him by surprise. He had keenly felt
the loss of Boromir as he had considered the man a friend, yet it had been nothing
compared to the deep pain Gandalf's death had caused him. He had not expected
ever to be as shaken by the death of a mortal as he was now.
He had been wrong. They had shared only a short time together, but had faced too
much peril to not grow close. Without him ever noticing, he had done what he had
always been warned of--befriending a mortal could only bring pain.
And pain it was that filled his heart. How had this come to pass? Why had he never
seen the danger Aragorn had been in?
The Evenstar was safely tucked into his tunic. Made of mithril, it weighed next to
nothing but still it seemed heavy against his heart. He knew its meaning, knew the
pledge that had been spoken between Aragorn and Arwen without ever been told.
Now he would be the one to return it to her, only to see her heart break.
His eyes roamed their surroundings, cautious of another attack although he did not
expect one. Somehow he knew the danger had passed for now. And enough
damage had been done. For not only had he lost a friend, but Gondor had lost its
King. He had never claimed his throne and there would never again be anyone to do
so. The bloodline had ended here, today, on the plains of Rohan.
For a moment Legolas shut his eyes, a wave of grief washing over him. So much,
lost. And he wondered if anyone even cared. Did Theoden realize the
consequences? There was no one left to lead Gondor. As mighty a man as Theoden
was, he was not the one to unite the armies of Rohan and Gondor, not the one to
lead them to victory. The only one Legolas would have thought capable of achieving
this no longer lived.
Men were doomed, and with them Middle Earth.
He shook himself out of his dark thoughts. Not all was lost yet--there was still hope
left. The ring could still be destroyed and with it Sauron would fall. The grief he felt
was deep and heavy, but there was no time to give in to it now.
@@@
Helm's Deep was a place Legolas would not have chosen to enter had the situation
not forced him to do so. But the thick walls spoke of protection, and the elf could not
shake the feeling that this would be needed soon.
Gimli seemed to visibly relax as he found ground beneath his feet once more, and
the look he cast around told Legolas he did not share his ill feelings. But grief still
shone from the dwarf's eyes and it was too much a reminder of his own pain for
Legolas. So he turned away without a word to lead Arod to the place that was used
as a stable.
The dwarf's concerned look followed him for a moment before Gimli turned to step in
front of Eowyn, his heart heavy with the news he had to tell the shieldmaiden of
Rohan.
@@@
The walls were pressing in on Legolas, and the stares and looks that seemed to
follow him made him feel even more caged. For a moment the grief that filled his
heart mixed with a deep longing to be among his own kin, to share his pain with
someone. Among men as he was, he could not allow himself to let down his guard, to
show the depth of emotion burning inside.
So he fled, finding the steps that took him up to the battlement and stepped outside.
Guards stood there, watching out, and they cast him curious looks. An elf among
men was not oft seen and little did they know of how he had come to be here at all.
They knew not of the quest and no explanations had been given of how an elf, a
dwarf and a man had come to travel together.
His obvious friendship with Gimli eased their minds, for dwarves were well respected,
but still they were wary and Legolas could feel it. He ignored them and found a place
where he would be undisturbed, his eyes searching the horizon. A frown appeared
upon his face as he saw the shadow there but he stayed where he was.
He took off his quiver and taking a seat on the parapet, started to check the arrows
he had collected--a task so unspectacular that he could feel the guards' interest in
him quickly waning. At least he felt no eyes upon him anymore and finally was able to
relax. His hands continued their work, but his mind drifted as he tried to let go of his
grief and prepare himself for the battle he knew was to come.
@@@
The elf had disappeared.
He had not returned after leading the horse away and Gimli started to worry. He
remembered the elf's grief in Lothlorien well, and feared the effect it would have on
him now. Taking one last look around, he could still not spot the familiar tall figure
and with a sigh he left his place at the table, taking his mug of ale with him. Fighting
always left him hungry, and thirsty even more so, and after a moment's hesitation he
asked for a goblet of wine. Having found a reason to look for Legolas that would not
seem as if he cared about the elf's well being overly much, he made his way back
into the wide hall.
He knew the elf's mind by now, all his quirks and strange habits, so it took him not
long to find himself taking the stairs leading up.
Halfway up, the soft sound of a song reached his ears and its sadness made his
heart clench. A lament sung by an elf could move the coldest heart and he was not
surprised to see the enchanted looks upon the guards' faces as he stepped out onto
the battlement.
Legolas did not look up when he stopped in front of him and after a moment Gimli
shrugged, putting down the goblet next to the elf. Then he leaned against the
breastwork, his eyes searching the fair features of the elf. He did not understand the
words of the song but there was no need to.
In silence he stood, listening until the last note faded. With a soft smile of gratitude
Legolas picked up the goblet and sipped the wine, his eyes wandering towards the
horizon once more.
Gimli's eyes followed his glance, his brow furrowing.
'What is it you see there?'
'A shadow is creeping over the land,' Legolas answered. 'It draws nearer.'
He let out a sigh, his eyes dark.
'Many will fall, Gimli. I sense death looming over this place, and it will claim them.'
'We have faced much where others would despair. Let not your dark mood sway you,
Legolas.'
'We have lost much,' the elf answered quietly.
'And gained much as well,' the dwarf answered, his voice calm.
Their eyes met for a long moment and finally Legolas smiled.
'Ai, Gimli,' he said. 'You comfort me. And you speak wisely. I will not wallow in my
grief but wait for the moment I can repay these foul beasts for the hurt they have
inflicted.'
'Well spoken,' Gimli grinned. 'And I will aid you in this. Your arrows might be swift and
your knives sharp, but an axe will prove to be a mightier weapon in a fight like the
one I fear we will face.'
This time, the elf laughed. 'Your words are even mightier than your axe, my friend.
We will see if they hold true.'
'I will prove it you,' the dwarf responded, accepting the challenge.
Raising his goblet the elf smiled sadly.
'To Aragorn.'
A mug was raised in answer, a silent promise made.
'To Aragorn.'
well, is it not? :-)))
So thank you so much !!!
Mira: thanks! Hope you enjoy the next chapters as well…
YunaDax: I must confess I had to ask my dictionary what spiffy means – thanks for the compliment :-)
Stormcat2002: thanks you once more for your nice words… I saw you found my other stories and
hope you like them!
Bearleft: guess this answers your question :-)
Larkalinque: *beam* thank you!
Mouse: I plan to! And yes, the Gimli/Legolas friendship is one of the best aspects of Tolkiens book…
Gwyn: I hope this chapter is more what you excepted… I for myself do like it better than the first – that
was more a warm-up to get into the thing… the real action is no doubt at Helms Deep!!!
Moonchild: I will try to slow down for the next chapters… :-) , glad you still liked it!!!
Jay of Lasgalen: yeah, I had to laugh at Gandalf's 'old man' act. The scene was hilarious – and true,
most missed it – I was the only one laughing, even my husband missed it. And the horse stunt – I have
watched it endless times since I downloaded the movie but I am still not entirely sure how he does it.
But it is great – something only an elf can do…hehe
Littlegreenleaf: hope the quick update makes up for the abrupt ending… and encounters will be
updated soon – promise!
Gemstone: thank you – and yes encounters will be updated soon – promise!
for all of you asking for a quick update: for once I managed to do it!
A big thanks goes to Little My for beta reading!!!
So, on with the story… and please do not forget to let me know if you like it!!!!
____
Long fingers curled around the silvery pendant as he stared down into the swirling
waters beneath him, his heart refusing to accept what his mind told him. Even as
sharp eyes found the markings where the warg had gone over the cliff, something
inside of him cried out in denial. Yet the pain of the Evenstar cutting into his skin as
he tightened his fingers around it was only too real.
Aragorn, lost?
It could not be.
The last from the line of Isildur, the man so much hope had rested upon. Estel.
It could not be.
How long he stood, staring down into the waters that were too far away for him to
hear what they were speaking of, to ask if it had truly happened, he knew not. And
when the king of Rohan stopped beside him, he showed no reaction.
'Leave the dead behind.'
Those words brought Legolas's head up, his eyes widening. The King's face held a
mixture of compassion and determination, his hand resting upon the elf's shoulder for
just a moment. Legolas found no words of protest as the man turned to walk away.
But the pain in his hand suddenly seemed dim against the one in his heart.
Leave the dead behind.
His eyes sought Gimli, seeing the grief and sorrow on his face, and he could no
longer deny the truth.
Aragorn had fallen.
He stood still for a long moment, watching as around him men gathered weapons
and anything that could be salvaged. Then he moved himself, collecting the arrows
he had fired, the Lorien fletching easy to distinguish from those made by the hands of
men.
Without a word he mounted Arod and waited, unmoving, until Gimli joined him. He
lifted the dwarf up and waited until he felt the by now familiar grip go around his waist
ere he rode away, following the path Eowyn had taken before them, not caring if the
other riders were ready to follow or not. He wished to linger no longer in this place of
death.
They rode in silence, the sound of hooves telling Legolas the Rohirrim were not far
behind. Yet he did neither turn nor wait for them and Gimli voiced no protest.
The deep grief he felt at the man's passing took him by surprise. He had keenly felt
the loss of Boromir as he had considered the man a friend, yet it had been nothing
compared to the deep pain Gandalf's death had caused him. He had not expected
ever to be as shaken by the death of a mortal as he was now.
He had been wrong. They had shared only a short time together, but had faced too
much peril to not grow close. Without him ever noticing, he had done what he had
always been warned of--befriending a mortal could only bring pain.
And pain it was that filled his heart. How had this come to pass? Why had he never
seen the danger Aragorn had been in?
The Evenstar was safely tucked into his tunic. Made of mithril, it weighed next to
nothing but still it seemed heavy against his heart. He knew its meaning, knew the
pledge that had been spoken between Aragorn and Arwen without ever been told.
Now he would be the one to return it to her, only to see her heart break.
His eyes roamed their surroundings, cautious of another attack although he did not
expect one. Somehow he knew the danger had passed for now. And enough
damage had been done. For not only had he lost a friend, but Gondor had lost its
King. He had never claimed his throne and there would never again be anyone to do
so. The bloodline had ended here, today, on the plains of Rohan.
For a moment Legolas shut his eyes, a wave of grief washing over him. So much,
lost. And he wondered if anyone even cared. Did Theoden realize the
consequences? There was no one left to lead Gondor. As mighty a man as Theoden
was, he was not the one to unite the armies of Rohan and Gondor, not the one to
lead them to victory. The only one Legolas would have thought capable of achieving
this no longer lived.
Men were doomed, and with them Middle Earth.
He shook himself out of his dark thoughts. Not all was lost yet--there was still hope
left. The ring could still be destroyed and with it Sauron would fall. The grief he felt
was deep and heavy, but there was no time to give in to it now.
@@@
Helm's Deep was a place Legolas would not have chosen to enter had the situation
not forced him to do so. But the thick walls spoke of protection, and the elf could not
shake the feeling that this would be needed soon.
Gimli seemed to visibly relax as he found ground beneath his feet once more, and
the look he cast around told Legolas he did not share his ill feelings. But grief still
shone from the dwarf's eyes and it was too much a reminder of his own pain for
Legolas. So he turned away without a word to lead Arod to the place that was used
as a stable.
The dwarf's concerned look followed him for a moment before Gimli turned to step in
front of Eowyn, his heart heavy with the news he had to tell the shieldmaiden of
Rohan.
@@@
The walls were pressing in on Legolas, and the stares and looks that seemed to
follow him made him feel even more caged. For a moment the grief that filled his
heart mixed with a deep longing to be among his own kin, to share his pain with
someone. Among men as he was, he could not allow himself to let down his guard, to
show the depth of emotion burning inside.
So he fled, finding the steps that took him up to the battlement and stepped outside.
Guards stood there, watching out, and they cast him curious looks. An elf among
men was not oft seen and little did they know of how he had come to be here at all.
They knew not of the quest and no explanations had been given of how an elf, a
dwarf and a man had come to travel together.
His obvious friendship with Gimli eased their minds, for dwarves were well respected,
but still they were wary and Legolas could feel it. He ignored them and found a place
where he would be undisturbed, his eyes searching the horizon. A frown appeared
upon his face as he saw the shadow there but he stayed where he was.
He took off his quiver and taking a seat on the parapet, started to check the arrows
he had collected--a task so unspectacular that he could feel the guards' interest in
him quickly waning. At least he felt no eyes upon him anymore and finally was able to
relax. His hands continued their work, but his mind drifted as he tried to let go of his
grief and prepare himself for the battle he knew was to come.
@@@
The elf had disappeared.
He had not returned after leading the horse away and Gimli started to worry. He
remembered the elf's grief in Lothlorien well, and feared the effect it would have on
him now. Taking one last look around, he could still not spot the familiar tall figure
and with a sigh he left his place at the table, taking his mug of ale with him. Fighting
always left him hungry, and thirsty even more so, and after a moment's hesitation he
asked for a goblet of wine. Having found a reason to look for Legolas that would not
seem as if he cared about the elf's well being overly much, he made his way back
into the wide hall.
He knew the elf's mind by now, all his quirks and strange habits, so it took him not
long to find himself taking the stairs leading up.
Halfway up, the soft sound of a song reached his ears and its sadness made his
heart clench. A lament sung by an elf could move the coldest heart and he was not
surprised to see the enchanted looks upon the guards' faces as he stepped out onto
the battlement.
Legolas did not look up when he stopped in front of him and after a moment Gimli
shrugged, putting down the goblet next to the elf. Then he leaned against the
breastwork, his eyes searching the fair features of the elf. He did not understand the
words of the song but there was no need to.
In silence he stood, listening until the last note faded. With a soft smile of gratitude
Legolas picked up the goblet and sipped the wine, his eyes wandering towards the
horizon once more.
Gimli's eyes followed his glance, his brow furrowing.
'What is it you see there?'
'A shadow is creeping over the land,' Legolas answered. 'It draws nearer.'
He let out a sigh, his eyes dark.
'Many will fall, Gimli. I sense death looming over this place, and it will claim them.'
'We have faced much where others would despair. Let not your dark mood sway you,
Legolas.'
'We have lost much,' the elf answered quietly.
'And gained much as well,' the dwarf answered, his voice calm.
Their eyes met for a long moment and finally Legolas smiled.
'Ai, Gimli,' he said. 'You comfort me. And you speak wisely. I will not wallow in my
grief but wait for the moment I can repay these foul beasts for the hurt they have
inflicted.'
'Well spoken,' Gimli grinned. 'And I will aid you in this. Your arrows might be swift and
your knives sharp, but an axe will prove to be a mightier weapon in a fight like the
one I fear we will face.'
This time, the elf laughed. 'Your words are even mightier than your axe, my friend.
We will see if they hold true.'
'I will prove it you,' the dwarf responded, accepting the challenge.
Raising his goblet the elf smiled sadly.
'To Aragorn.'
A mug was raised in answer, a silent promise made.
'To Aragorn.'