Authors notes: - Thank you all again for the great reviews. I am currently
writing a prequel to this story if anyone is interested please say so.
Enjoy!!
The weary army moved out. The wounded were in the centre protected by the most able. In the mass of walking wounded were the horses pulling litters where the seriously wounded were located. One of these was Legolas. Gimli was walking beside him. Aragorn was riding up front with Glorfindel, Elladan and Elrohir. Gimli glanced across at his friend. Legolas had not woken since the incident in the clearing and the fever had increased. The elf's breath was rattling in his chest and he was gasping. It was a terrible sight to see, an elf that had seemed untouchable now reduced to a weak, sick and mentally traumatised creature. Gimli clutched his axe angrily wishing he could bury it in Sauron. How dare he hurt his friend. Vengeance would be his. Legolas moaned and Gimli reached out his hand brushing his forehead gently to sooth him. He hoped Lord Elrond would be able to heal the elf and return him to the annoying elf he had grown fond of. Dark clouds were moving across the sky causing darkness to fall early. Gimli glanced behind them at the dark tower that was disappearing from view. He knew the orcs would come again and more valiant men and elves would fall. It was almost winter and the air was growing cold. Snow would fall. He hated the stuff but Legolas loved it. Last winter he and the elf had been making their way to Mirkwood, the last time he would see his friend before the terrible attack on his friend's home. The elf had been dancing around like a small child and had buried Gimli 'accidentally' he claimed under a huge snowdrift. Gimli had been enraged to put it lightly and had refused to speak to Legolas for the rest of the day. Legolas moaned again disturbing Gimli's thoughts.
"Orcs!" A call went up across the lines. Gimli raised his axe as he watched Aragorn gallop past.
"Form a defensive line. Wounded to the centre." He yelled. There was a burst of activity as the men leading the horses who pulled the litters lead them to the back of the lines. The walking wounded formed lines in front of them and in front of them were the able men. 'It would be a slaughter' Gimli mused 'if the number of orcs who faced them last night attacked again.'
The orcs attacked. Their numbers were huge and the front line crumpled at the ferocity of the attack. Aragorn tried to rally the troops but the assault had been too much. Gimli pulled his axe out of an orc and whirled to take on another. The battle was going ill. The horses that carried the litters in their terror took off. Some of the litters broke away leaving the wounded at the mercy of the orcs. Smoke from the orcs torches covered the battlefield thickly. The screams of the wounded mingled with the shrieks of the orcs. Gimli had lost sight of Legolas. The horse bearing his litter had gone. Gimli cursed himself bitterly and the world. He heard Aragorn's call and followed his voice. He found him surrounded by 20 men.
"Gimli." He cried. "We're retreating. Head for the trees. Behind the waterfall. Direct anyone there. We need to regroup and then wait for dawn. GO!!" The dwarf took off. He had no idea where the waterfall was but Aragorn had ordered him to find it and for the want of anything apart from more killing to do he went. The waterfall was surprisingly easy to find. Crouching down he waited watching. He saw several troops stumble over the rocks into the waterfall and disappear.
"Gimli." A voice whispered. "We'll cover you. Get inside and get a couple of guards to watch the entrance." Gimli looked around but saw no one. 'Elves' he thought 'probably Elladan or Elrohir'. The dwarf scrambled to his feet and dived into the waterfall. He expected to be met by guards but instead there was no one. Walking back into the cave slowly he was halted by an arrow brushing past his head.
"Hold. I am a friend." He called. The archer stepped out. He recognised it as an elf from Rivendell.
"Gimli. The main hall is 100 paces down the passage to the left." The elf disappeared back into the darkness. Following the elves instructions he entered a huge hall. Gimli stopped in shock. It was almost as big as the halls of Moria supported by huge columns. Wounded soldiers sat slumped against the columns and the walls. Others were bandaging the wounded.
"Glad you could make it master dwarf." A voice said. Glorfindel.
"Why are we here?" Gimli demanded.
"Because the orcs do not know of its presence and even if they discovered it, it is a maze and there are passages that lead to the other side of the range of mountains. We are safe for the time being." Glorfindel said. He whirled as more soldiers entered including Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir. The trio headed over to the two.
"How many made it back?" Aragorn asked.
"About a hundred."
Aragorn sighed. "The wounded need to be treated. Get a guard party together. I want them changed every two hours. By dawn I want everyone to have had some sleep. Pass out rations as well."
"We need to go and get Legolas." Gimli said quickly.
"There are orcs everywhere Gimli. We will have to wait until dawn."
"What!!" Gimli roared. "He is in no fit state to fight."
"Gimli there is nothing we can do. It pains me to because he is my best friend and he is out there ill and alone but I cannot risk you or any troops to go and find him. I am so sorry. Get some rest Gimli and I promise you at first light we will find him." Gimli growled and stomped off far from satisfied. Aragorn watched him go. 'Please live Legolas. I promise you after this I will never again leave your side.' He prayed silently hoping that for once his prayers would be answered.
***
The weary army moved out. The wounded were in the centre protected by the most able. In the mass of walking wounded were the horses pulling litters where the seriously wounded were located. One of these was Legolas. Gimli was walking beside him. Aragorn was riding up front with Glorfindel, Elladan and Elrohir. Gimli glanced across at his friend. Legolas had not woken since the incident in the clearing and the fever had increased. The elf's breath was rattling in his chest and he was gasping. It was a terrible sight to see, an elf that had seemed untouchable now reduced to a weak, sick and mentally traumatised creature. Gimli clutched his axe angrily wishing he could bury it in Sauron. How dare he hurt his friend. Vengeance would be his. Legolas moaned and Gimli reached out his hand brushing his forehead gently to sooth him. He hoped Lord Elrond would be able to heal the elf and return him to the annoying elf he had grown fond of. Dark clouds were moving across the sky causing darkness to fall early. Gimli glanced behind them at the dark tower that was disappearing from view. He knew the orcs would come again and more valiant men and elves would fall. It was almost winter and the air was growing cold. Snow would fall. He hated the stuff but Legolas loved it. Last winter he and the elf had been making their way to Mirkwood, the last time he would see his friend before the terrible attack on his friend's home. The elf had been dancing around like a small child and had buried Gimli 'accidentally' he claimed under a huge snowdrift. Gimli had been enraged to put it lightly and had refused to speak to Legolas for the rest of the day. Legolas moaned again disturbing Gimli's thoughts.
"Orcs!" A call went up across the lines. Gimli raised his axe as he watched Aragorn gallop past.
"Form a defensive line. Wounded to the centre." He yelled. There was a burst of activity as the men leading the horses who pulled the litters lead them to the back of the lines. The walking wounded formed lines in front of them and in front of them were the able men. 'It would be a slaughter' Gimli mused 'if the number of orcs who faced them last night attacked again.'
The orcs attacked. Their numbers were huge and the front line crumpled at the ferocity of the attack. Aragorn tried to rally the troops but the assault had been too much. Gimli pulled his axe out of an orc and whirled to take on another. The battle was going ill. The horses that carried the litters in their terror took off. Some of the litters broke away leaving the wounded at the mercy of the orcs. Smoke from the orcs torches covered the battlefield thickly. The screams of the wounded mingled with the shrieks of the orcs. Gimli had lost sight of Legolas. The horse bearing his litter had gone. Gimli cursed himself bitterly and the world. He heard Aragorn's call and followed his voice. He found him surrounded by 20 men.
"Gimli." He cried. "We're retreating. Head for the trees. Behind the waterfall. Direct anyone there. We need to regroup and then wait for dawn. GO!!" The dwarf took off. He had no idea where the waterfall was but Aragorn had ordered him to find it and for the want of anything apart from more killing to do he went. The waterfall was surprisingly easy to find. Crouching down he waited watching. He saw several troops stumble over the rocks into the waterfall and disappear.
"Gimli." A voice whispered. "We'll cover you. Get inside and get a couple of guards to watch the entrance." Gimli looked around but saw no one. 'Elves' he thought 'probably Elladan or Elrohir'. The dwarf scrambled to his feet and dived into the waterfall. He expected to be met by guards but instead there was no one. Walking back into the cave slowly he was halted by an arrow brushing past his head.
"Hold. I am a friend." He called. The archer stepped out. He recognised it as an elf from Rivendell.
"Gimli. The main hall is 100 paces down the passage to the left." The elf disappeared back into the darkness. Following the elves instructions he entered a huge hall. Gimli stopped in shock. It was almost as big as the halls of Moria supported by huge columns. Wounded soldiers sat slumped against the columns and the walls. Others were bandaging the wounded.
"Glad you could make it master dwarf." A voice said. Glorfindel.
"Why are we here?" Gimli demanded.
"Because the orcs do not know of its presence and even if they discovered it, it is a maze and there are passages that lead to the other side of the range of mountains. We are safe for the time being." Glorfindel said. He whirled as more soldiers entered including Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir. The trio headed over to the two.
"How many made it back?" Aragorn asked.
"About a hundred."
Aragorn sighed. "The wounded need to be treated. Get a guard party together. I want them changed every two hours. By dawn I want everyone to have had some sleep. Pass out rations as well."
"We need to go and get Legolas." Gimli said quickly.
"There are orcs everywhere Gimli. We will have to wait until dawn."
"What!!" Gimli roared. "He is in no fit state to fight."
"Gimli there is nothing we can do. It pains me to because he is my best friend and he is out there ill and alone but I cannot risk you or any troops to go and find him. I am so sorry. Get some rest Gimli and I promise you at first light we will find him." Gimli growled and stomped off far from satisfied. Aragorn watched him go. 'Please live Legolas. I promise you after this I will never again leave your side.' He prayed silently hoping that for once his prayers would be answered.
***