Aftermath: Chapter Six
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Okay, here's the next part. I kinda ended the last one in suspense, as so many reviewers complained and whined about. ;) And since it's been a long time since I updated, this part is a bit longer than the others. I kinda left it running because I didn't know how to end it.
Author's Note: Okay, so a few of my reviews said my southrons were easterlings. Sorry. But I guess it doesn't make much of a difference, because they're almost the same thing. So we'll say that they're southrons.
Another Author's Note: There are some references to The Hobbit in this chapter.
Another Another Author's Note: Someone asked if it was a dream from when Legolas fell. I assure you, this is very real.
Another Another Another Author's Note: After this chapter there will probably be one other, and it's done. Then i'm gonna start the sequel right away. I'll have the first chapter of it posted within two to three weeks (I hope). I'll tell you the title of it in the next chapter, if I can hink of one by then.
For all other notes: See previous chapters.
***************
Chapter Six: Close Calls and Revelations
Gwvyk screamed.
It's not the kind of scream that you yell when you drop your ice cream, or if you're a newborn baby, nor is it the scream you yell until you're blue in the face because of something you really want.
It's the kind of scream you yell when an arrow pierces your back and you die.
Gwvyk fell down face-forward, dead as a stone that made up Helm's Deep. He wasn't the only one. The two dozen Southrons who were holding weapons to people's throats were shot.
The other Southrons who were standing guard (but were actually sitting) sprang to their feet, just before they were killed five seconds later.
Legolas glanced at Gwvyk's corpse. His sudden death, and the death of the others, startled him. He saw the arrow shaft protruding from his back. He noted it was of elvish design.
"What just happened?" Gimli asked, puzzled. "Who just shot these cursed southrons?"
Everyone scanned the area. In the distance, they could make out a bunch of shapes walking towards them.
"They're nearly half a kilometer away!" Legolas exclaimed.
"Then how could they shoot with such accuracy then, master elf?" Gimli growled.
Aragorn answered the question. "Because they are elves, that's why."
Thranduil snorted. "Who would be out here in the middle of nowhere?"
A few minutes later, he had an answer.
"I belive that would be us, father. The question is what are you doing out here as well?"
Thranduil did a double take. "Harathiel?"
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~
It took a very long time for everyone to get untied. Finally, everyone was free. The moment Thranduil was free, he took Harathiel in his arms and hugged her. "My dear child," he said. "Cormamin lindua ele lle. I thought you were dead." [My heart sings to see thee]
"We thought we were dead," Harathiel replied, motioning to the other elves who were with her when she fell. "We fell a great distance. It was chaos, for the orcs and wargs were still alive, biting and gnawing away at us."
"Ai Elbereth, your arm!" Thranduil couldn't help but exclaiming. It might as well have been torn off. It was all mangled and bloodied, and clumsily bandaged.
"How did you shoot with your arm like that?" Aragorn asked, utterly bewildered. Elrond and Gandalf gently took her arm and inspected it.
"I didn't," Harathiel replied bitterly. "Aruviel shot two arrows. I wanted to kill them myself, but I can barely hold my arm up, it hurts so much." Her voice held contempt, but she could not hide the look of pain in her eyes. She hissed as Gandalf touched the wound, and pulled her arm back, which made it hurt even more. Galadriel put her arm on Harathiel's shoulder to steady her.
"Well, that will need healing when we get back. But we don't know where we are, so heaven forbid if we should ever find our way back to Helm's Deep. We don't even know how we got here in the first place." Eomer said.
"I do. Or at least, I think I do," Harathiel replied. "I believe this is the work of the Necromancer."
The Mirkwood elves cringed at the sound of the name. Gandalf frowned. "But that is impossible. He was driven out of Mirkwood nearly sixty years ago."
"My dear, I think you are getting light-headed from the loss off blood," Thranduil said, concerned yet slightly irritated.
"Ada . . . but it's the only plausible reason. He must have been using dark magic to gradually get you closer to Helm's Deep, so you could be killed all at once. Like a sort of gathering. And tracking the wargs took us further south than we had hoped. We were at least one league away from Dol Guldor when there was a flash of light. It somehow transported us directly to Rohan. And when he transported you here, it must have affected us as well. We were not all that far from Helm's Deep. [Father]
"And besides, the Necromancer was a form of Sauron, was he not? If Sauron is returning to strength, he would have the power to do something like this".
"But how do we get back?" Aragorn asked.
"I do not know. The first thing we need to do is find out where we are right now. I'll go take a look around--"
"No, you won't," Thranduil interupted. "You are injured. Legolas will look around, while we look at your wounds. And don't think of arguing with me, young lady."
Harathiel opened her mouth to complain, but didn't say anything. She sighed. "Yes, ada," she grumbled. Elrond steered her towards a nearby rock. She struggled slightly at the help, but stayed silent. [father]
~~~~~*~~~~~
Legolas walked outside the circle of poles. But that alone took nearly fifteen minutes; there were alot of poles for alot of people. Finally, Legolas arrived at the edge. There was nothing to see; open plain stretched for miles, as far as Legolas could see. He looked up at the sky. The sun was slowly starting to set. Legolas estimated it was four o'clock in the afternoon. There was a slight wind coming from the east. As Legolas looked in that direction, he could just make out the outline of a row of mountains.
He walked east for another fifteen minutes. His superior vision allowed him a slightly better view of the mountains. He saw that the tallest one was the nearest, about sixty miles away. He wondered how they were going to get the people of Rohan home.
"Legolas!" Aragorn cried out. Legolas turned as Aragorn ran up beside him. "What do you see?" he asked.
"There are mountains to the east. The nearest one is sixty miles away. There is no way everyone will make it there. And if we do, we shall not know where to go next."
Aragorn nodded. "What if we went first?"
Legolas frowned. "What?"
"You and I, and possibly Gimli and Haldir, could go to the mountains. See if there is civilisation, and any enemies. It would take us a few days."
"And what of the rest? Look around, Aragorn. We will all starve soon if nothing is done."
"Maybe the dark magic that brought us here could take us back," Aragorn suggested. "It could still be in effect. Or maybe it'll do what it did for the Lorien elves, and take us there gradually."
"Or it could take us all the way to Mordor right at Sauron's doorstep," Legolas countered. "We don't know what will happen, Aragorn."
"Well there is only one way to find out," Aragorn replied. Legolas didn't say anything.
~~~~~~*~~~~~~
"You're going?" Elrond exclaimed.
"We have no choice," Aragorn said. "Either we see what's out there, or we all die together."
"And if you and the others perish, we will die anyway while waiting for your news. We can't risk that," Harathiel commented. She was perched on a rock with her arm wrapped in bandages.
"Look, we have no choice. It's either Aragorn, Gimli, Haldir and I go and find a way back to Helm's Deep, or we find out what's out there but die, or we stay, and everyone dies anyway. If we at least know what's out there--"
"--it won't make any difference," Harathiel interupted her brother.
"Look, we don't have many options. If they say they must go, they will go. Harathiel, you and I know better than anyone that both Aragorn and Legolas will never listen to reason," Thranduil said. It sounded as if he was agreeing, but the last comment lowered Leoglas' and Aragorn's hope.
"Ada..." Legolas mumbled. [Father] Harathiel grinned.
"With all due respect, Lord Thranduil, but we are planning to go, whether you like it or not. If we find a way back, I will not hold anything against you, for I understand that you feel a great risk. And there is. But some things are worth taking the risks."
Elrond sighed. "Mae govannen, Gimli," he said at last, even though Gimli didn't understand elvish. [Well met, Gimli] "I do not deny your logic, and I will leave you be, but I still do not approve of this idea."
Legolas, Aragorn, Haldir and Gimli bowed slightly and left the clearing. Harathiel glared at them as they passed.
TBC
Next chapter is probably the last!
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Okay, here's the next part. I kinda ended the last one in suspense, as so many reviewers complained and whined about. ;) And since it's been a long time since I updated, this part is a bit longer than the others. I kinda left it running because I didn't know how to end it.
Author's Note: Okay, so a few of my reviews said my southrons were easterlings. Sorry. But I guess it doesn't make much of a difference, because they're almost the same thing. So we'll say that they're southrons.
Another Author's Note: There are some references to The Hobbit in this chapter.
Another Another Author's Note: Someone asked if it was a dream from when Legolas fell. I assure you, this is very real.
Another Another Another Author's Note: After this chapter there will probably be one other, and it's done. Then i'm gonna start the sequel right away. I'll have the first chapter of it posted within two to three weeks (I hope). I'll tell you the title of it in the next chapter, if I can hink of one by then.
For all other notes: See previous chapters.
***************
Chapter Six: Close Calls and Revelations
Gwvyk screamed.
It's not the kind of scream that you yell when you drop your ice cream, or if you're a newborn baby, nor is it the scream you yell until you're blue in the face because of something you really want.
It's the kind of scream you yell when an arrow pierces your back and you die.
Gwvyk fell down face-forward, dead as a stone that made up Helm's Deep. He wasn't the only one. The two dozen Southrons who were holding weapons to people's throats were shot.
The other Southrons who were standing guard (but were actually sitting) sprang to their feet, just before they were killed five seconds later.
Legolas glanced at Gwvyk's corpse. His sudden death, and the death of the others, startled him. He saw the arrow shaft protruding from his back. He noted it was of elvish design.
"What just happened?" Gimli asked, puzzled. "Who just shot these cursed southrons?"
Everyone scanned the area. In the distance, they could make out a bunch of shapes walking towards them.
"They're nearly half a kilometer away!" Legolas exclaimed.
"Then how could they shoot with such accuracy then, master elf?" Gimli growled.
Aragorn answered the question. "Because they are elves, that's why."
Thranduil snorted. "Who would be out here in the middle of nowhere?"
A few minutes later, he had an answer.
"I belive that would be us, father. The question is what are you doing out here as well?"
Thranduil did a double take. "Harathiel?"
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~
It took a very long time for everyone to get untied. Finally, everyone was free. The moment Thranduil was free, he took Harathiel in his arms and hugged her. "My dear child," he said. "Cormamin lindua ele lle. I thought you were dead." [My heart sings to see thee]
"We thought we were dead," Harathiel replied, motioning to the other elves who were with her when she fell. "We fell a great distance. It was chaos, for the orcs and wargs were still alive, biting and gnawing away at us."
"Ai Elbereth, your arm!" Thranduil couldn't help but exclaiming. It might as well have been torn off. It was all mangled and bloodied, and clumsily bandaged.
"How did you shoot with your arm like that?" Aragorn asked, utterly bewildered. Elrond and Gandalf gently took her arm and inspected it.
"I didn't," Harathiel replied bitterly. "Aruviel shot two arrows. I wanted to kill them myself, but I can barely hold my arm up, it hurts so much." Her voice held contempt, but she could not hide the look of pain in her eyes. She hissed as Gandalf touched the wound, and pulled her arm back, which made it hurt even more. Galadriel put her arm on Harathiel's shoulder to steady her.
"Well, that will need healing when we get back. But we don't know where we are, so heaven forbid if we should ever find our way back to Helm's Deep. We don't even know how we got here in the first place." Eomer said.
"I do. Or at least, I think I do," Harathiel replied. "I believe this is the work of the Necromancer."
The Mirkwood elves cringed at the sound of the name. Gandalf frowned. "But that is impossible. He was driven out of Mirkwood nearly sixty years ago."
"My dear, I think you are getting light-headed from the loss off blood," Thranduil said, concerned yet slightly irritated.
"Ada . . . but it's the only plausible reason. He must have been using dark magic to gradually get you closer to Helm's Deep, so you could be killed all at once. Like a sort of gathering. And tracking the wargs took us further south than we had hoped. We were at least one league away from Dol Guldor when there was a flash of light. It somehow transported us directly to Rohan. And when he transported you here, it must have affected us as well. We were not all that far from Helm's Deep. [Father]
"And besides, the Necromancer was a form of Sauron, was he not? If Sauron is returning to strength, he would have the power to do something like this".
"But how do we get back?" Aragorn asked.
"I do not know. The first thing we need to do is find out where we are right now. I'll go take a look around--"
"No, you won't," Thranduil interupted. "You are injured. Legolas will look around, while we look at your wounds. And don't think of arguing with me, young lady."
Harathiel opened her mouth to complain, but didn't say anything. She sighed. "Yes, ada," she grumbled. Elrond steered her towards a nearby rock. She struggled slightly at the help, but stayed silent. [father]
~~~~~*~~~~~
Legolas walked outside the circle of poles. But that alone took nearly fifteen minutes; there were alot of poles for alot of people. Finally, Legolas arrived at the edge. There was nothing to see; open plain stretched for miles, as far as Legolas could see. He looked up at the sky. The sun was slowly starting to set. Legolas estimated it was four o'clock in the afternoon. There was a slight wind coming from the east. As Legolas looked in that direction, he could just make out the outline of a row of mountains.
He walked east for another fifteen minutes. His superior vision allowed him a slightly better view of the mountains. He saw that the tallest one was the nearest, about sixty miles away. He wondered how they were going to get the people of Rohan home.
"Legolas!" Aragorn cried out. Legolas turned as Aragorn ran up beside him. "What do you see?" he asked.
"There are mountains to the east. The nearest one is sixty miles away. There is no way everyone will make it there. And if we do, we shall not know where to go next."
Aragorn nodded. "What if we went first?"
Legolas frowned. "What?"
"You and I, and possibly Gimli and Haldir, could go to the mountains. See if there is civilisation, and any enemies. It would take us a few days."
"And what of the rest? Look around, Aragorn. We will all starve soon if nothing is done."
"Maybe the dark magic that brought us here could take us back," Aragorn suggested. "It could still be in effect. Or maybe it'll do what it did for the Lorien elves, and take us there gradually."
"Or it could take us all the way to Mordor right at Sauron's doorstep," Legolas countered. "We don't know what will happen, Aragorn."
"Well there is only one way to find out," Aragorn replied. Legolas didn't say anything.
~~~~~~*~~~~~~
"You're going?" Elrond exclaimed.
"We have no choice," Aragorn said. "Either we see what's out there, or we all die together."
"And if you and the others perish, we will die anyway while waiting for your news. We can't risk that," Harathiel commented. She was perched on a rock with her arm wrapped in bandages.
"Look, we have no choice. It's either Aragorn, Gimli, Haldir and I go and find a way back to Helm's Deep, or we find out what's out there but die, or we stay, and everyone dies anyway. If we at least know what's out there--"
"--it won't make any difference," Harathiel interupted her brother.
"Look, we don't have many options. If they say they must go, they will go. Harathiel, you and I know better than anyone that both Aragorn and Legolas will never listen to reason," Thranduil said. It sounded as if he was agreeing, but the last comment lowered Leoglas' and Aragorn's hope.
"Ada..." Legolas mumbled. [Father] Harathiel grinned.
"With all due respect, Lord Thranduil, but we are planning to go, whether you like it or not. If we find a way back, I will not hold anything against you, for I understand that you feel a great risk. And there is. But some things are worth taking the risks."
Elrond sighed. "Mae govannen, Gimli," he said at last, even though Gimli didn't understand elvish. [Well met, Gimli] "I do not deny your logic, and I will leave you be, but I still do not approve of this idea."
Legolas, Aragorn, Haldir and Gimli bowed slightly and left the clearing. Harathiel glared at them as they passed.
TBC
Next chapter is probably the last!
