Thank you to gwyn, ZeroCool, ElveNfLoWer, Jackie and Krystal for the great
reviews!!! I hope you all enjoy this new chapter and everyone else please
review. I don't mind constructive criticism no flames please!!!
*
The dawn was crisp and cool; a fresh layer of snow dusted the ground. The troops set off quickly at a gallop. With much persuasion and the threat of being left behind the dwarfs finally consented to riding behind the men of Gondor and Rohan. It did not however stop the moans and from the looks of the men under his command Aragorn thought there might be bloodshed before they ever reached Mirkwood. Gimli was riding behind Aragorn but he had not uttered a word to the man since the confrontation in the corridor. Aragorn knew that the dwarf was suffering from tremendous grief about Legolas's captivity and torture, then to have Legolas brought back into their lives and to lose him again was slowing killing the dwarf. Sadly Gimli had no one to support him. He had Arwen and his father but Legolas was the only one close to Gimli and the only one the dwarf ever talked to. The grief was eating him up inside. Deciding to talk to Gimli later and try and get him to vent the anger that would not aid him in conflict later Aragorn turned his attention back to his surroundings. The elves had divided. Half the company rode in front and half rode in the rear. Their armour sparkling in the morning sun. As he looked around his mind drifted back to almost a year earlier when they had been doing almost the same thing.
Flashback
Aragorn rode as if Sauron himself and the Nazgul were on his tail. As did the rest of the hastily gathered elves, men and dwarfs. The memory of the Mirkwood elf staggering into the fellowship reunion, bleeding and exhausted describing the savage attack on Mirkwood and the slaughter that followed was fresh in all their minds. Balian was the elf's name and he had bleed to death in Aragorn's arms. The elf's last words were haunting and would forever remain in his head.
"We had no chance.. They.they took him. The Uruk Hai took Legolas. Sauron.*cough* has taken him, so many died. We have fallen. Mirkwood has fallen."
Balian then died as if he knew that now he had told someone of the events his duty was done and he was able to enter the Halls of Mandos with a clear conscience.
End flashback
Part of Aragorn had died that day; the same could be said for Gimli. Legolas had been Aragorn's best friend for as long as he could remember. The lighthearted mischievous elf had always seemed like a little brother to him. When they first met in Rivendell it had been Legolas's first trip outside Mirkwood and he was to Aragorn so naïve it was laughable, but what he lacked in worldliness he made up for in battle. They had gone on a hunting trip where he had teased the elf mercilessly. Legolas had taken it good-naturedly but had remained shy and quiet for the whole trip, until the orcs had attacked and then the elven prince had come into his own, saving Aragorn's life. They and the twins had remained inseparable for the rest of the visit. Learning of the capture of his best friend by Sauron had terrified him beyond all reckoning. The worst year of his life followed as rumours whispered through Middle - Earth of the terrible torture that a wood elf prince was enduring within Sauron's fortress. He had never felt agony like it as the horrific details came to his attention, he just wanted to storm the fortress and save his friend or even to his terrible guilt Legolas's death. If the elf died then he would be at peace but no Legolas lived. When he found him in the cell, terrified, beaten and broken he again wished death for his friend. Any he never felt so terrible after thinking those thoughts.
"Do not dwell on the past Aragorn." Gimli's gruff voice interrupted his thoughts. Aragorn didn't bother asking how Gimli knew what he was thinking. Recently the two could tell when either one was dwelling on Legolas and the past and would prevent them from dissolving into misery and guilt. Turning his attention back to his horse he checked its pace and slowed it slightly. It would do no good to kill the horses on the trip there.
"We cannot change it, now we must face the future." Aragorn chuckled.
"You sound like Gandalf."
Gimli smiled to himself and moved a hand to Aragorn's shoulder for a brief moment to show his support and that the argument was forgotten.
* Azian dipped the cloth back into the warm water and then continued to clean the wounds and dirt on Legolas's face. The younger elf was sleeping with his eyes closed which disturbed Azian greatly. Legolas moaned quietly and his forehead wrinkled in distress. He shifted in his sleep and whimpered. Azian gently stroked his brother's hair and began to softly sing a lullaby, which Legolas loved when he was little. He continued to clean the hands of his brother.
"How is he?" Silen asked as he joined Azian and Legolas on the platform.
"I don't know. He is exhausted and his wounds are not healing as quickly as they should. Silen knelt next to Legolas. The older warrior had been a mentor to the royal princes and he would stick with them even if it meant death.
"A dark wound of Mordor never heals Azian you know that. The poison is within his body and is damaging his healing ability. He will never fully recover my prince."
Azian sighed and sat back.
"I know that but I still hope. He is my little brother who used to climb into my bed in thunderstorms and cry. Look at him now."
"I know this is hard. These are desperate times. Jamaryn did not mean what he said."
"I know." Azian tucked a blanket around Legolas ad rose to his feet.
"I am tired. We are so tired. Time and time again we have had to fight alone. Legolas has never known peace in his lifetime; darkness was infiltrating Mirkwood before his birth. We are scattered. We cannot reach the haven for fear of revealing its place to Sauron's spies. We are getting picked off slowly one by one. People look to me and now to Legolas to lead them out of this darkness and I don't know how"
Silen rose and stood next to his prince. "We will follow you. We may not defeat this darkness but we will certainly go down fighting. No one could ask anymore of you."
"Legolas has led the spies to us. It will not be long before he sends an army and we cannot defeat him."
"That is of no surprise to us. We knew that the army would come eventually. Whether it comes now or later means nothing the outcome would be the same."
"We should ride out and face them, to protect the haven. They will not expect that. Gather the leaders or representatives of surviving war parties together at the waterfall." Silen nodded and disappeared. Azian sighed deeply and turned back to Legolas. He was startled to see his brother awake, sitting up and looking straight at him.
"I am sorry." Legolas said
"What for?" Azian questioned moving to sit next to his brother.
"For coming back and leading them to you."
"They would have come anyway Legolas. You are not to blame."
"I only wanted to see what my failure has caused our people."
Azian shook his head vigorously. "You have failed no one. Everyone knows that you were captured. You have suffered more than any of us."
Legolas looked away tears forming in his eyes. Azian leant forward and tilted Legolas's chin back to face him.
"I am so sorry my brother. I tried to reach you. I failed you and for that my sorrow cannot be expressed in words."
Azian felt tears flood down his face as he wiped Legolas's tears from his. Legolas leaned forward and the two brothers hugged and cried, letting out their grief and sorrow.
* Naema and Criyn halted a few leagues away from Mirkwood. They had been sent 3 days before the advanced party and were due to report back with their observations. Naema shifted position and her horse danced nervously. They could feel the darkness and evil radiating from the forest.
"I feel great evil but I can see no movement." She said after a few minutes. Criyn nodded.
"It is too quiet." He said. They moved their horses forward planning to get closer but approaching howls caught their attention.
"Wargs." Criyn cried and he turned his horse in an attempt to run back the way they had come but the creatures were approaching from behind.
"They circled behind us. They are forcing us into the forest." Naema cried as she and Criyn sped towards the dark trees. The darkness hit them like a lead weight as they entered. The wargs close behind.
"Split up, circle back around and head back." Naema yelled to the younger elf. Criyn nodded and the two disappeared in opposite directions both missing the eyes that watched them from the trees.
*
The dawn was crisp and cool; a fresh layer of snow dusted the ground. The troops set off quickly at a gallop. With much persuasion and the threat of being left behind the dwarfs finally consented to riding behind the men of Gondor and Rohan. It did not however stop the moans and from the looks of the men under his command Aragorn thought there might be bloodshed before they ever reached Mirkwood. Gimli was riding behind Aragorn but he had not uttered a word to the man since the confrontation in the corridor. Aragorn knew that the dwarf was suffering from tremendous grief about Legolas's captivity and torture, then to have Legolas brought back into their lives and to lose him again was slowing killing the dwarf. Sadly Gimli had no one to support him. He had Arwen and his father but Legolas was the only one close to Gimli and the only one the dwarf ever talked to. The grief was eating him up inside. Deciding to talk to Gimli later and try and get him to vent the anger that would not aid him in conflict later Aragorn turned his attention back to his surroundings. The elves had divided. Half the company rode in front and half rode in the rear. Their armour sparkling in the morning sun. As he looked around his mind drifted back to almost a year earlier when they had been doing almost the same thing.
Flashback
Aragorn rode as if Sauron himself and the Nazgul were on his tail. As did the rest of the hastily gathered elves, men and dwarfs. The memory of the Mirkwood elf staggering into the fellowship reunion, bleeding and exhausted describing the savage attack on Mirkwood and the slaughter that followed was fresh in all their minds. Balian was the elf's name and he had bleed to death in Aragorn's arms. The elf's last words were haunting and would forever remain in his head.
"We had no chance.. They.they took him. The Uruk Hai took Legolas. Sauron.*cough* has taken him, so many died. We have fallen. Mirkwood has fallen."
Balian then died as if he knew that now he had told someone of the events his duty was done and he was able to enter the Halls of Mandos with a clear conscience.
End flashback
Part of Aragorn had died that day; the same could be said for Gimli. Legolas had been Aragorn's best friend for as long as he could remember. The lighthearted mischievous elf had always seemed like a little brother to him. When they first met in Rivendell it had been Legolas's first trip outside Mirkwood and he was to Aragorn so naïve it was laughable, but what he lacked in worldliness he made up for in battle. They had gone on a hunting trip where he had teased the elf mercilessly. Legolas had taken it good-naturedly but had remained shy and quiet for the whole trip, until the orcs had attacked and then the elven prince had come into his own, saving Aragorn's life. They and the twins had remained inseparable for the rest of the visit. Learning of the capture of his best friend by Sauron had terrified him beyond all reckoning. The worst year of his life followed as rumours whispered through Middle - Earth of the terrible torture that a wood elf prince was enduring within Sauron's fortress. He had never felt agony like it as the horrific details came to his attention, he just wanted to storm the fortress and save his friend or even to his terrible guilt Legolas's death. If the elf died then he would be at peace but no Legolas lived. When he found him in the cell, terrified, beaten and broken he again wished death for his friend. Any he never felt so terrible after thinking those thoughts.
"Do not dwell on the past Aragorn." Gimli's gruff voice interrupted his thoughts. Aragorn didn't bother asking how Gimli knew what he was thinking. Recently the two could tell when either one was dwelling on Legolas and the past and would prevent them from dissolving into misery and guilt. Turning his attention back to his horse he checked its pace and slowed it slightly. It would do no good to kill the horses on the trip there.
"We cannot change it, now we must face the future." Aragorn chuckled.
"You sound like Gandalf."
Gimli smiled to himself and moved a hand to Aragorn's shoulder for a brief moment to show his support and that the argument was forgotten.
* Azian dipped the cloth back into the warm water and then continued to clean the wounds and dirt on Legolas's face. The younger elf was sleeping with his eyes closed which disturbed Azian greatly. Legolas moaned quietly and his forehead wrinkled in distress. He shifted in his sleep and whimpered. Azian gently stroked his brother's hair and began to softly sing a lullaby, which Legolas loved when he was little. He continued to clean the hands of his brother.
"How is he?" Silen asked as he joined Azian and Legolas on the platform.
"I don't know. He is exhausted and his wounds are not healing as quickly as they should. Silen knelt next to Legolas. The older warrior had been a mentor to the royal princes and he would stick with them even if it meant death.
"A dark wound of Mordor never heals Azian you know that. The poison is within his body and is damaging his healing ability. He will never fully recover my prince."
Azian sighed and sat back.
"I know that but I still hope. He is my little brother who used to climb into my bed in thunderstorms and cry. Look at him now."
"I know this is hard. These are desperate times. Jamaryn did not mean what he said."
"I know." Azian tucked a blanket around Legolas ad rose to his feet.
"I am tired. We are so tired. Time and time again we have had to fight alone. Legolas has never known peace in his lifetime; darkness was infiltrating Mirkwood before his birth. We are scattered. We cannot reach the haven for fear of revealing its place to Sauron's spies. We are getting picked off slowly one by one. People look to me and now to Legolas to lead them out of this darkness and I don't know how"
Silen rose and stood next to his prince. "We will follow you. We may not defeat this darkness but we will certainly go down fighting. No one could ask anymore of you."
"Legolas has led the spies to us. It will not be long before he sends an army and we cannot defeat him."
"That is of no surprise to us. We knew that the army would come eventually. Whether it comes now or later means nothing the outcome would be the same."
"We should ride out and face them, to protect the haven. They will not expect that. Gather the leaders or representatives of surviving war parties together at the waterfall." Silen nodded and disappeared. Azian sighed deeply and turned back to Legolas. He was startled to see his brother awake, sitting up and looking straight at him.
"I am sorry." Legolas said
"What for?" Azian questioned moving to sit next to his brother.
"For coming back and leading them to you."
"They would have come anyway Legolas. You are not to blame."
"I only wanted to see what my failure has caused our people."
Azian shook his head vigorously. "You have failed no one. Everyone knows that you were captured. You have suffered more than any of us."
Legolas looked away tears forming in his eyes. Azian leant forward and tilted Legolas's chin back to face him.
"I am so sorry my brother. I tried to reach you. I failed you and for that my sorrow cannot be expressed in words."
Azian felt tears flood down his face as he wiped Legolas's tears from his. Legolas leaned forward and the two brothers hugged and cried, letting out their grief and sorrow.
* Naema and Criyn halted a few leagues away from Mirkwood. They had been sent 3 days before the advanced party and were due to report back with their observations. Naema shifted position and her horse danced nervously. They could feel the darkness and evil radiating from the forest.
"I feel great evil but I can see no movement." She said after a few minutes. Criyn nodded.
"It is too quiet." He said. They moved their horses forward planning to get closer but approaching howls caught their attention.
"Wargs." Criyn cried and he turned his horse in an attempt to run back the way they had come but the creatures were approaching from behind.
"They circled behind us. They are forcing us into the forest." Naema cried as she and Criyn sped towards the dark trees. The darkness hit them like a lead weight as they entered. The wargs close behind.
"Split up, circle back around and head back." Naema yelled to the younger elf. Criyn nodded and the two disappeared in opposite directions both missing the eyes that watched them from the trees.