Dragon-
The twins will return, yes, but they don't have much of a part in this story. Glad you're liking the story
Smeagol-
Hehe . . . you can't kill me . . . if you do I won't be able to post any more stories that all you wonderful reviewers enjoy . . .Yes it is rather neat to study and read TTT in class, though I am behind in reading right now . . . I catch up eventually :o)
Carrie-
Oh don't you worry, your punishment for you evil cliffie will come . . .Hehehe . . . believe me, as a warning it will be awful, even I'm amazed on how evil it will be . . . but not this chapter, no cliffie this chapter, thought everyone could use a rest so that they can prepare themselves for the next chapter! *Evil laughter*
Yes, poor impulsive Estel, he has had his hands rather full lately . . .
Anita-
Yes Aragorn is capable of caring for himself, for the most part,
Thanks to all you wonderful reviewers, you guys are great, special thanks to Balthasar for sticking with me since my first story, as well as Carrie and Anita :o)
'To have a friend, be a friend' -Ralph Waldo Emerson'
Chapter 5: A friend in need
Before Aragorn could even draw his sword more wolves had surrounded the area in which he stood. He noted with unease that they were larger than normal wolves, and their numbers were far greater than that of a normal hunting pack.
Without turning he could hear the restless pacing of the wolves behind him, their golden eyes resting on their newly found prey. No movement or sound was detected by the ranger, but he found himself suddenly on the ground as the pack raced forth.
Aragorn was able to roll to his feet, freeing himself from the deadly clutter. But the wolves had surrounded him again, unwilling to let him get free. Aragorn quickly drew his sword out, glancing around to see where he had set his bow.
A wolf lunged at him, Aragorn quickly brought his sword up as he moved aside out of harms way. The wolf landed next to his side, turning its massive head sharply and striking the man above the knee with its bony snout. Aragorn let out a gasp as his knee suddenly buckled underneath him. He landed sideways, losing the hold on his sword as his other hand landed in the still burning fire. H let out a cry as the intense heat clawed at his hand.
Before he could recover the wolves had advanced, attacking him ruthlessly. Unable to fight off the wave of oncoming attacks Aragorn could only protect himself. Curling into a ball Aragorn covered his head with his hands as he desperately tried to find his sword.
All hope seemed to be lost, as his cries went unheard through the darkness, but suddenly another cry pierced the darkness, and it took him a moment to realize that the cry came from one of the wolves and not from him. Aragorn risked look up, and saw the blades of duel knives stab into another unsuspecting wolf.
By now the others saw what was happening, and their attention was lost on the wounded human. Taking this into his advantage Aragorn crawled quickly and painfully out of the way as the wolves surrounded their new target. Trying to stand proved useless, his knee throbbed painfully where he had taken the hit and it refused to support his weight.
He rolled himself around to see the Elf still fighting off the approaching wolves. It wasn't hard to see that he was slowly losing the battle. His blonde hair flew around his face as he danced out of the way as a powerful jaw snapped down in the same spot his leg had been a moment before. Aragorn's hand landed on something smooth and looking down he found his bow resting besides him.
Grabbing it he scooted to the nearby tree that supported his quiver. Struggling to stand on his good leg he leaned against the tree, grabbing an arrow and fitting it into his bow. Aiming carefully he let it fly, and it struck deeply into the chest of one of the wolves, and it fell dead in its tracks.
Few of the wolves became weary of the situation and fled off into the darkness, but the others stayed behind certain that victory would be theirs. But within moments they lay dead at their feet as the Elf plunged his dagger into the last one.
With a sigh Aragorn let himself slide to the ground, closing his eyes as pain and fatigue washed over him. The Elf stayed in the clearing, breathing heavily from the fight and watching the young human as he tried to deal with the pain. He sheathed his knives and walked over to where the human sat against a tree, kneeling down in front of him, examining the wounds he had received.
Aragorn stiffened slightly, opening his eyes as the gentle hands touched the open wound on his shin. It bled freely, running over his leg and onto the ground. The Elf gently cleaned the wound, examining it more closely.
"This is nothing. A slight flesh wound. They sometimes tend to bleed a lot, making it look worse than it really is," he said softly. "We'll need to wrap it up."
"There's a med kit in my pack," Aragorn said, letting his head fall back against the rough bark of the tree. After a moment he let out a sigh, "Are you okay?" he asked, opening his eyes.
The Elf nodded, carrying the kit with him. "The woods here are dangerous, Why are you traveling alone?" he questioned.
"Me?" Aragorn laughed slightly. "What about you? Why are you traveling by yourself?"
"I wasn't alone until the night before. Those wolves attacked my group and we were separated," he said, binding the wound.
Aragorn couldn't help concealing a groan as the cloth pressed against the wound. It was then the Elf noticed that his knee was starting to swell. He went back to the pack and pulled out a water flask, placing it on the ranger's knee when he returned.
"The should help the swelling to go down. The night air has made it cold enough," he said, placing a few logs on the fire to keep it going. "So, why are you out here alone?" the Elf questioned again.
"I was heading to Azscverbae," he said after pondering for a moment. He didn't want to tell him that he had actually been running away.
The Elf gave him a sideways look. "I didn't know any men were going to see about the problem, have there been attacks on you village? Where do you come from?"
Aragorn laughed softly, "I come from Rivendell," he said suddenly before he was able to stop himself.
"Rivendell," the Elf inquired slowly. He was quiet for a moment, then his grey blue eyes snapped up to meet the rangers. "Estel?" he questioned softly.
"How do you know my name?" he asked, shock passing through him.
The Elf laughed. "Do not worry, the tales of Lord Elrond adopting a human son is well told in our village. My name is Legolas Greenleaf," he said, sitting down once again.
Aragorn looked at him suddenly. "Prince Legolas Greenleaf?" he asked softly.
Legolas nodded.
"My Lord . . ." he started, but Legolas cut him off.
"Please, just Legolas," he said sighing, "I get that enough at home, I don't need any men groveling."
At the statement Aragorn burst out laughing, imagining the sight of himself groveling at his feet.
"What is funny human," Legolas asked, unable to the smile of his face.
Aragorn shook his head, calming his breathing. He felt lightheaded and dizzy, his energy spent on the fight. He was unaware that he was shivering when he suddenly felt the warmth of a blanket being draped over him. He opened his eyes to see Legolas tucking the blanket around him, giving the Elf a questioning look.
"Rest, I'll keep watch," Legolas told him softly, turning to the fire.
"What if they come back?" he asked quietly.
"Don't worry, I don't think they will, just get some sleep."
Aragorn tried to protest, but Legolas shook his head, "Rest," he said forcefully.
Aragorn let out a sigh, letting his eyes close as he drifted off to sleep.
******
The night grew long and Legolas tended to the fire to keep the warm blaze going. Behind him the young human continued to sleep soundly. He had tended to the wound again not too long ago; the healing herbs had worked nicely.
During the night Legolas had worked to remove the bodies of the dead wolves so that if their fresh blood drew any predators near, the two of them would be safe from them.
Letting out a sigh Legolas leaned against a tree, watching the fire dance in the darkness. He felt his stomach turn slightly, and tried to remember the last time he had eaten. Jumping up he easily caught the branches that hung above his head, climbing the tree easily.
Despite the unnatural chill he was able to find a few apples that hung from the strong limbs, covered with a thin layer of frost. He collected a few and leaped lightly from the lower branches, allowing his knees to absorb the impact.
He sat near the fire, biting into one of the apples, his face scrunching up slightly at the bitter taste.
"There is food in the pack."
The voice startled the prince, and he turned to see soft eyes watching him.
"How long have you been awake?" Legolas asked as Aragorn struggled to his feet. He stumbled, falling against the tree. Legolas moved quickly, offering his support and guided the young human to the fire.
"Not long," he said, letting his head drop into his hands. He felt incredibly tired; his head swam as he tried to shake of the grogginess that still clung to him. "Help yourself."
"What?" Legolas asked, slightly confused on what the man was talking about.
"To the food, it's in the pack."
Legolas nodded, grabbing the pack and dragging it toward them. He pulled out a loaf of bread and some fresh fruit. The bread warmed nicely besides the fire, and Legolas split the loaf between the two of them. By the time their meal was finished the sun had began to climb into the sky, slowly chasing away the icy chill that hung in the air.
Legolas lifted his head up, breathing the fresh air in. "We should get going," he said, turning to the Ranger. "Can you walk?"
Aragorn sighed, "I don't know, I can limp," he suggested plainly.
Legolas laughed, packing up supplies and putting the fire out. He held his hand out and helped him up. "Come on, let see if you can."
Aragorn took a few steps on his own, his knee was still swollen and it slowed his progress down, but his was able to walk. Legolas nodded in satisfaction, taking the lead.
"Where are you going?" Aragorn asked, stumbling behind the Elf.
Legolas glanced over his shoulder, checking to see if he was all right. "To Azscverbae, where else would I be going?"
"But Azscverbae is that way," Aragorn said, trailing after the Elf.
Legolas stopped and glanced in the direction Aragorn was pointing in. "According to who?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"According to the map that's in my bag," he said, grabbing for the bag.
Legolas drew it out of his reach. "I don't think so. Azscverbae is northeast from here; the direction you wish to go is northwest. We won't reach it that way."
"Azscverbae is not in a northeastern direction. Trust me I studied the map."
Legolas shook his head, trying to keep from laughing. "Estel, trust me, I know where I am going . . ."
Aragorn cut him off, "No, listen to me," he grabbed the pack from Legolas, searching for the map. He pulled out the folded paper and quickly opened it. "See, there," he pointed to the spot on the map. "Northwest," he said, showing Legolas.
Legolas took the map from his hands. "First of all, that's not Azscverbae, that would be Askverba, sometimes know as the sister town to Azscverbae, which is right here," he pointed to the town on the map. "Northwest. Second of all, I know where I'm going, I've been there before."
He handed the map back to Aragorn, who studied it carefully, "I still say it's that way," he said, not wanting to admit he was wrong.
Legolas threw his hands up in the air, "Aragorn son on Arathorn, why do you have to argue with me?"
Aragorn stopped suddenly, confusion etching his face thoroughly. Not hearing an answer Legolas turned around to see the ranger watching him, his mouth hanging open slightly. The sight was enough to send the elf into a fit of laughter.
"It's not funny," Aragorn protested once finding his voice, "How did you know my name?"
Legolas wiped away the tears that rolled down his fair face with the corner of his sleeve, "I am sorry, " he muttered, calming his breathing. "Do you not remember me telling you that your tale was well known among my people?" he questioned softly.
"So you're telling me that an entire village knows who I truly am?"
Legolas shook his head. "No, that is only know to those of the Royal family."
Aragorn shook his head. "Well that certainly makes me feel better," he grumbled under his breath.
"Don't worry, and quit complaining. We still have a day of travel to go, and with your injury that will slow our pace down. I'm guessing a few days," Legolas said, shifting the weight of the pack to his other shoulder.
"Oh, so this is now my fault?" he asked, shaking his head.
"If you want me to place blame, then yes."
"I never said that I wanted you to do so," Aragorn protested as they made their way through the ever-continuing forest.
TBC . . .
The twins will return, yes, but they don't have much of a part in this story. Glad you're liking the story
Smeagol-
Hehe . . . you can't kill me . . . if you do I won't be able to post any more stories that all you wonderful reviewers enjoy . . .Yes it is rather neat to study and read TTT in class, though I am behind in reading right now . . . I catch up eventually :o)
Carrie-
Oh don't you worry, your punishment for you evil cliffie will come . . .Hehehe . . . believe me, as a warning it will be awful, even I'm amazed on how evil it will be . . . but not this chapter, no cliffie this chapter, thought everyone could use a rest so that they can prepare themselves for the next chapter! *Evil laughter*
Yes, poor impulsive Estel, he has had his hands rather full lately . . .
Anita-
Yes Aragorn is capable of caring for himself, for the most part,
Thanks to all you wonderful reviewers, you guys are great, special thanks to Balthasar for sticking with me since my first story, as well as Carrie and Anita :o)
'To have a friend, be a friend' -Ralph Waldo Emerson'
Chapter 5: A friend in need
Before Aragorn could even draw his sword more wolves had surrounded the area in which he stood. He noted with unease that they were larger than normal wolves, and their numbers were far greater than that of a normal hunting pack.
Without turning he could hear the restless pacing of the wolves behind him, their golden eyes resting on their newly found prey. No movement or sound was detected by the ranger, but he found himself suddenly on the ground as the pack raced forth.
Aragorn was able to roll to his feet, freeing himself from the deadly clutter. But the wolves had surrounded him again, unwilling to let him get free. Aragorn quickly drew his sword out, glancing around to see where he had set his bow.
A wolf lunged at him, Aragorn quickly brought his sword up as he moved aside out of harms way. The wolf landed next to his side, turning its massive head sharply and striking the man above the knee with its bony snout. Aragorn let out a gasp as his knee suddenly buckled underneath him. He landed sideways, losing the hold on his sword as his other hand landed in the still burning fire. H let out a cry as the intense heat clawed at his hand.
Before he could recover the wolves had advanced, attacking him ruthlessly. Unable to fight off the wave of oncoming attacks Aragorn could only protect himself. Curling into a ball Aragorn covered his head with his hands as he desperately tried to find his sword.
All hope seemed to be lost, as his cries went unheard through the darkness, but suddenly another cry pierced the darkness, and it took him a moment to realize that the cry came from one of the wolves and not from him. Aragorn risked look up, and saw the blades of duel knives stab into another unsuspecting wolf.
By now the others saw what was happening, and their attention was lost on the wounded human. Taking this into his advantage Aragorn crawled quickly and painfully out of the way as the wolves surrounded their new target. Trying to stand proved useless, his knee throbbed painfully where he had taken the hit and it refused to support his weight.
He rolled himself around to see the Elf still fighting off the approaching wolves. It wasn't hard to see that he was slowly losing the battle. His blonde hair flew around his face as he danced out of the way as a powerful jaw snapped down in the same spot his leg had been a moment before. Aragorn's hand landed on something smooth and looking down he found his bow resting besides him.
Grabbing it he scooted to the nearby tree that supported his quiver. Struggling to stand on his good leg he leaned against the tree, grabbing an arrow and fitting it into his bow. Aiming carefully he let it fly, and it struck deeply into the chest of one of the wolves, and it fell dead in its tracks.
Few of the wolves became weary of the situation and fled off into the darkness, but the others stayed behind certain that victory would be theirs. But within moments they lay dead at their feet as the Elf plunged his dagger into the last one.
With a sigh Aragorn let himself slide to the ground, closing his eyes as pain and fatigue washed over him. The Elf stayed in the clearing, breathing heavily from the fight and watching the young human as he tried to deal with the pain. He sheathed his knives and walked over to where the human sat against a tree, kneeling down in front of him, examining the wounds he had received.
Aragorn stiffened slightly, opening his eyes as the gentle hands touched the open wound on his shin. It bled freely, running over his leg and onto the ground. The Elf gently cleaned the wound, examining it more closely.
"This is nothing. A slight flesh wound. They sometimes tend to bleed a lot, making it look worse than it really is," he said softly. "We'll need to wrap it up."
"There's a med kit in my pack," Aragorn said, letting his head fall back against the rough bark of the tree. After a moment he let out a sigh, "Are you okay?" he asked, opening his eyes.
The Elf nodded, carrying the kit with him. "The woods here are dangerous, Why are you traveling alone?" he questioned.
"Me?" Aragorn laughed slightly. "What about you? Why are you traveling by yourself?"
"I wasn't alone until the night before. Those wolves attacked my group and we were separated," he said, binding the wound.
Aragorn couldn't help concealing a groan as the cloth pressed against the wound. It was then the Elf noticed that his knee was starting to swell. He went back to the pack and pulled out a water flask, placing it on the ranger's knee when he returned.
"The should help the swelling to go down. The night air has made it cold enough," he said, placing a few logs on the fire to keep it going. "So, why are you out here alone?" the Elf questioned again.
"I was heading to Azscverbae," he said after pondering for a moment. He didn't want to tell him that he had actually been running away.
The Elf gave him a sideways look. "I didn't know any men were going to see about the problem, have there been attacks on you village? Where do you come from?"
Aragorn laughed softly, "I come from Rivendell," he said suddenly before he was able to stop himself.
"Rivendell," the Elf inquired slowly. He was quiet for a moment, then his grey blue eyes snapped up to meet the rangers. "Estel?" he questioned softly.
"How do you know my name?" he asked, shock passing through him.
The Elf laughed. "Do not worry, the tales of Lord Elrond adopting a human son is well told in our village. My name is Legolas Greenleaf," he said, sitting down once again.
Aragorn looked at him suddenly. "Prince Legolas Greenleaf?" he asked softly.
Legolas nodded.
"My Lord . . ." he started, but Legolas cut him off.
"Please, just Legolas," he said sighing, "I get that enough at home, I don't need any men groveling."
At the statement Aragorn burst out laughing, imagining the sight of himself groveling at his feet.
"What is funny human," Legolas asked, unable to the smile of his face.
Aragorn shook his head, calming his breathing. He felt lightheaded and dizzy, his energy spent on the fight. He was unaware that he was shivering when he suddenly felt the warmth of a blanket being draped over him. He opened his eyes to see Legolas tucking the blanket around him, giving the Elf a questioning look.
"Rest, I'll keep watch," Legolas told him softly, turning to the fire.
"What if they come back?" he asked quietly.
"Don't worry, I don't think they will, just get some sleep."
Aragorn tried to protest, but Legolas shook his head, "Rest," he said forcefully.
Aragorn let out a sigh, letting his eyes close as he drifted off to sleep.
******
The night grew long and Legolas tended to the fire to keep the warm blaze going. Behind him the young human continued to sleep soundly. He had tended to the wound again not too long ago; the healing herbs had worked nicely.
During the night Legolas had worked to remove the bodies of the dead wolves so that if their fresh blood drew any predators near, the two of them would be safe from them.
Letting out a sigh Legolas leaned against a tree, watching the fire dance in the darkness. He felt his stomach turn slightly, and tried to remember the last time he had eaten. Jumping up he easily caught the branches that hung above his head, climbing the tree easily.
Despite the unnatural chill he was able to find a few apples that hung from the strong limbs, covered with a thin layer of frost. He collected a few and leaped lightly from the lower branches, allowing his knees to absorb the impact.
He sat near the fire, biting into one of the apples, his face scrunching up slightly at the bitter taste.
"There is food in the pack."
The voice startled the prince, and he turned to see soft eyes watching him.
"How long have you been awake?" Legolas asked as Aragorn struggled to his feet. He stumbled, falling against the tree. Legolas moved quickly, offering his support and guided the young human to the fire.
"Not long," he said, letting his head drop into his hands. He felt incredibly tired; his head swam as he tried to shake of the grogginess that still clung to him. "Help yourself."
"What?" Legolas asked, slightly confused on what the man was talking about.
"To the food, it's in the pack."
Legolas nodded, grabbing the pack and dragging it toward them. He pulled out a loaf of bread and some fresh fruit. The bread warmed nicely besides the fire, and Legolas split the loaf between the two of them. By the time their meal was finished the sun had began to climb into the sky, slowly chasing away the icy chill that hung in the air.
Legolas lifted his head up, breathing the fresh air in. "We should get going," he said, turning to the Ranger. "Can you walk?"
Aragorn sighed, "I don't know, I can limp," he suggested plainly.
Legolas laughed, packing up supplies and putting the fire out. He held his hand out and helped him up. "Come on, let see if you can."
Aragorn took a few steps on his own, his knee was still swollen and it slowed his progress down, but his was able to walk. Legolas nodded in satisfaction, taking the lead.
"Where are you going?" Aragorn asked, stumbling behind the Elf.
Legolas glanced over his shoulder, checking to see if he was all right. "To Azscverbae, where else would I be going?"
"But Azscverbae is that way," Aragorn said, trailing after the Elf.
Legolas stopped and glanced in the direction Aragorn was pointing in. "According to who?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"According to the map that's in my bag," he said, grabbing for the bag.
Legolas drew it out of his reach. "I don't think so. Azscverbae is northeast from here; the direction you wish to go is northwest. We won't reach it that way."
"Azscverbae is not in a northeastern direction. Trust me I studied the map."
Legolas shook his head, trying to keep from laughing. "Estel, trust me, I know where I am going . . ."
Aragorn cut him off, "No, listen to me," he grabbed the pack from Legolas, searching for the map. He pulled out the folded paper and quickly opened it. "See, there," he pointed to the spot on the map. "Northwest," he said, showing Legolas.
Legolas took the map from his hands. "First of all, that's not Azscverbae, that would be Askverba, sometimes know as the sister town to Azscverbae, which is right here," he pointed to the town on the map. "Northwest. Second of all, I know where I'm going, I've been there before."
He handed the map back to Aragorn, who studied it carefully, "I still say it's that way," he said, not wanting to admit he was wrong.
Legolas threw his hands up in the air, "Aragorn son on Arathorn, why do you have to argue with me?"
Aragorn stopped suddenly, confusion etching his face thoroughly. Not hearing an answer Legolas turned around to see the ranger watching him, his mouth hanging open slightly. The sight was enough to send the elf into a fit of laughter.
"It's not funny," Aragorn protested once finding his voice, "How did you know my name?"
Legolas wiped away the tears that rolled down his fair face with the corner of his sleeve, "I am sorry, " he muttered, calming his breathing. "Do you not remember me telling you that your tale was well known among my people?" he questioned softly.
"So you're telling me that an entire village knows who I truly am?"
Legolas shook his head. "No, that is only know to those of the Royal family."
Aragorn shook his head. "Well that certainly makes me feel better," he grumbled under his breath.
"Don't worry, and quit complaining. We still have a day of travel to go, and with your injury that will slow our pace down. I'm guessing a few days," Legolas said, shifting the weight of the pack to his other shoulder.
"Oh, so this is now my fault?" he asked, shaking his head.
"If you want me to place blame, then yes."
"I never said that I wanted you to do so," Aragorn protested as they made their way through the ever-continuing forest.
TBC . . .