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** Azian slowed his horse as he approached the Glittering Caves. He did not want to ride full pace into the caves as dwarfs were still more than a little wary of elves. Slowing the horse to a walk he made his way down a well-worn path to a large set of gates.
"State your intentions elf." A gruff voice called. Azian smiled as he saw a group of dwarfs hidden behind a rocky outcrop.
"I wish to request a meeting with your lord Gimli son of Gloin. I am Azian and hail from Mirkwood." The elf called in a loud voice.
"For what reason?" the dwarf called back.
"A matter of great importance concerning a request from the King of Mirkwood and Prince Legolas." He added in an afterthought, thinking that his brother's name and friendship with these dwarfs might gain him entry.
"Wait there."
Azian sighed and tiredly climbed off his horse letting it graze on the scarce green grass on the sides of the path. The gates suddenly gave a loud groan and began moving slowly inwards.
"Leave the animal and follow me." The dwarf that had issued the commands earlier called appearing in front of the gates.
"Thank you Master Dwarf." Azian said. He had met Gimli when Legolas had brought the dwarf to Mirkwood. Azian had grown fond of the gruff dwarf and was pleased that his little brother had a friend as good as Gimli. Azian quite liked most dwarfs; he found them to be a curious species and quite amusing.
He followed the dwarf down into the caves. In their own way they had a beautiful quality to them but he still preferred the outdoors, the trees and the stars. Many dwarfs dwelled within and all stopped and watched the strange elf as he was led deep into the caves. Azian if he had not been so tired would have marvelled at the strange place. Loud voices called instructions back and forth. The sound of metal on rock echoed throughout the great caverns. He had never seen such a place.
The dwarf walked up to another set of doors and hammered loudly on them.
"Enter." A voice called. The dwarf pushed open the doors and beckoned the elf to follow. Azian stepped into the room. It was sparsely decorated with a sole ornately carved desk at the far end. Two chairs, dwarf size of course sat one in front and one behind the desk.
"Lord Gimli will be here shortly." The dwarf that was reading a scroll by the desk said. He followed out the dwarf that had shown the elf to the room and left Azian alone. Azian looked around the room; there were few decorations other than the table and chairs. A few scrolls littered the desk, but on the wall behind the desk an object caught his eye. A small dagger of elvish design. Studying it he smiled as he recognised it. It had belonged to Legolas and on the blade was inscribed in elvish the words.
To Gimli, friend of elves May your axe and my bow forever fight beside each other to the bane of all who stand against us. Legolas, son of Thranduil
Smiling at the words of his brother he turned and stood tall awaiting the dwarfs arrival.
Gimli entered his main chamber and looked for the elf. He recognised the elf as one of Legolas's brothers but his name eluded him.
"What can I do for you Master Elf?" Gimli enquired as he moved towards the elf.
"Azian, my name is Azian." The elf replied. "I come here as a representative of Mirkwood to appeal for the aid of the dwarfs to help us in our fight against a large army of darkness from Dol Guldur."
Gimli paused and raised his big bushy eyebrows in surprise. That was honestly the last words he expected to come forth from the elf's mouth.
"You wish aid from us?" he asked.
"Yes, if you can give it."
"That is something I thought never to hear from an elf's mouth." Gimli admitted. Azian smiled a small smile.
"Aye and I never thought I would be the one to say them either."
Gimli chuckled.
"What of Legolas? He is well? Because if that dratted elf has gotten himself into more trouble."
Azian laughed and held up his hands.
"He was injured in the initial attack but he was still alive when I saw him last. He had been sent to appeal for aid from Rivendell."
"Initial attack?" Gimli questioned.
"Orcs and fire breathing creatures attacked a warrior party and the warrior parties sent out to find the first one, including the one Legolas commanded. There were many casualties. Scouts were sent out to find the origins of the attack and discovered a huge army amassed, poised to attack our realm. The force is massive, thousands strong. We cannot hope to defend against it. We need the aid of the rest of Middle - Earth." Azian said not doing anything to hide his desperation. He felt his head swim and he wavered, paling. Gimli had become very adept at detecting when something was amiss with an elf and he saw the elf waver.
"Are you well master elf?" he inquired.
"I am fine." Azian replied quickly standing tall again.
"Sit down before you fall down." He snapped indicating the chair. "It is obvious that you and Legolas are related." The dwarf muttered as Azian sank gracefully into the chair. He had to bite his cheek to stop himself from laughing at the site of the tall elf sat on a small chair.
"We need the aid Gimli." Azian said tiredly.
"I know. Elves do not come to dwarfs for aid if they can help it. I do not know what we can do," Gimli said sitting on the other chair.
Both dwarf and elf sat in silence for a while. A dwarf brought ale and food on a platter. Azian tucked into the food with relish, hungry after the long ride.
Gimli stood up and walked up to the knife hung on the wall. He remembered when Legolas gave it to him, at the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen. Gimli had been touched but he was loath to admit and had muttered words concerning elves and their sentimental habits. Legolas just smiled and walked away. He felt bad now that he had not thanked the elf.
"He knew." Azian said startling the dwarf.
"Who knew what?" Gimli asked wondering if it was due to immortality that elves always spoke in riddles, it must get boring to ask straightforward questions. He supposed that there were only a certain amount of questions that could ever be asked.
"Legolas. He knew you were grateful for the knife and in your own way you said thank you."
"I do wonder what goes on in that mind of his sometimes."
The two-lapsed back into silence.
"I cannot linger here Gimli. I must return to fight with my people."
"I will talk to my people. I will not let Legolas fight alone. Even if it only me who comes, I will not leave him. I am sure Aragorn will answer the call as well."
"Thank you Gimli, Legolas has picked a good friend in you."
Gimli growled and muttered about sentimental elves. Azian laughed as he caught sight of the dwarf's cheeks reddening.
Gimli walked back to the main gates with Azian. The elf tiredly climbed back on board his horse.
"Fight well Master Elf." Gimli said.
"Could we do any less?" Azian asked and then nudged his horse into a gallop, quickly disappearing from view.
** Legolas woke to the nudging of his horse. It was raining and he was soaked. The cold had infiltrated deep into his bones and his muscles ached.
"Are you rested my friend?" Legolas whispered. Voronwer softly whickered and nudged him again. Packing the saddlebags, he placed them on Voronwer's back. He stood up and stretched wincing as his bones clicked and popped. Voronwer groaned and climbed to his feet. Legolas turned and pulled himself onto Voronwer, his normal grace deserting him.
Voronwer started walking. Legolas could not push him too hard before Voronwer's muscles had warmed up because it could injure the horse severely. So they walked slowly in the driving rain towards home. Legolas's spirits fell ever lower and dark thoughts clouded his mind, thoughts of the destruction of his home. Lightening tore through the sky, thunder rattled the ground and the rain fell even harder.
**
** Azian slowed his horse as he approached the Glittering Caves. He did not want to ride full pace into the caves as dwarfs were still more than a little wary of elves. Slowing the horse to a walk he made his way down a well-worn path to a large set of gates.
"State your intentions elf." A gruff voice called. Azian smiled as he saw a group of dwarfs hidden behind a rocky outcrop.
"I wish to request a meeting with your lord Gimli son of Gloin. I am Azian and hail from Mirkwood." The elf called in a loud voice.
"For what reason?" the dwarf called back.
"A matter of great importance concerning a request from the King of Mirkwood and Prince Legolas." He added in an afterthought, thinking that his brother's name and friendship with these dwarfs might gain him entry.
"Wait there."
Azian sighed and tiredly climbed off his horse letting it graze on the scarce green grass on the sides of the path. The gates suddenly gave a loud groan and began moving slowly inwards.
"Leave the animal and follow me." The dwarf that had issued the commands earlier called appearing in front of the gates.
"Thank you Master Dwarf." Azian said. He had met Gimli when Legolas had brought the dwarf to Mirkwood. Azian had grown fond of the gruff dwarf and was pleased that his little brother had a friend as good as Gimli. Azian quite liked most dwarfs; he found them to be a curious species and quite amusing.
He followed the dwarf down into the caves. In their own way they had a beautiful quality to them but he still preferred the outdoors, the trees and the stars. Many dwarfs dwelled within and all stopped and watched the strange elf as he was led deep into the caves. Azian if he had not been so tired would have marvelled at the strange place. Loud voices called instructions back and forth. The sound of metal on rock echoed throughout the great caverns. He had never seen such a place.
The dwarf walked up to another set of doors and hammered loudly on them.
"Enter." A voice called. The dwarf pushed open the doors and beckoned the elf to follow. Azian stepped into the room. It was sparsely decorated with a sole ornately carved desk at the far end. Two chairs, dwarf size of course sat one in front and one behind the desk.
"Lord Gimli will be here shortly." The dwarf that was reading a scroll by the desk said. He followed out the dwarf that had shown the elf to the room and left Azian alone. Azian looked around the room; there were few decorations other than the table and chairs. A few scrolls littered the desk, but on the wall behind the desk an object caught his eye. A small dagger of elvish design. Studying it he smiled as he recognised it. It had belonged to Legolas and on the blade was inscribed in elvish the words.
To Gimli, friend of elves May your axe and my bow forever fight beside each other to the bane of all who stand against us. Legolas, son of Thranduil
Smiling at the words of his brother he turned and stood tall awaiting the dwarfs arrival.
Gimli entered his main chamber and looked for the elf. He recognised the elf as one of Legolas's brothers but his name eluded him.
"What can I do for you Master Elf?" Gimli enquired as he moved towards the elf.
"Azian, my name is Azian." The elf replied. "I come here as a representative of Mirkwood to appeal for the aid of the dwarfs to help us in our fight against a large army of darkness from Dol Guldur."
Gimli paused and raised his big bushy eyebrows in surprise. That was honestly the last words he expected to come forth from the elf's mouth.
"You wish aid from us?" he asked.
"Yes, if you can give it."
"That is something I thought never to hear from an elf's mouth." Gimli admitted. Azian smiled a small smile.
"Aye and I never thought I would be the one to say them either."
Gimli chuckled.
"What of Legolas? He is well? Because if that dratted elf has gotten himself into more trouble."
Azian laughed and held up his hands.
"He was injured in the initial attack but he was still alive when I saw him last. He had been sent to appeal for aid from Rivendell."
"Initial attack?" Gimli questioned.
"Orcs and fire breathing creatures attacked a warrior party and the warrior parties sent out to find the first one, including the one Legolas commanded. There were many casualties. Scouts were sent out to find the origins of the attack and discovered a huge army amassed, poised to attack our realm. The force is massive, thousands strong. We cannot hope to defend against it. We need the aid of the rest of Middle - Earth." Azian said not doing anything to hide his desperation. He felt his head swim and he wavered, paling. Gimli had become very adept at detecting when something was amiss with an elf and he saw the elf waver.
"Are you well master elf?" he inquired.
"I am fine." Azian replied quickly standing tall again.
"Sit down before you fall down." He snapped indicating the chair. "It is obvious that you and Legolas are related." The dwarf muttered as Azian sank gracefully into the chair. He had to bite his cheek to stop himself from laughing at the site of the tall elf sat on a small chair.
"We need the aid Gimli." Azian said tiredly.
"I know. Elves do not come to dwarfs for aid if they can help it. I do not know what we can do," Gimli said sitting on the other chair.
Both dwarf and elf sat in silence for a while. A dwarf brought ale and food on a platter. Azian tucked into the food with relish, hungry after the long ride.
Gimli stood up and walked up to the knife hung on the wall. He remembered when Legolas gave it to him, at the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen. Gimli had been touched but he was loath to admit and had muttered words concerning elves and their sentimental habits. Legolas just smiled and walked away. He felt bad now that he had not thanked the elf.
"He knew." Azian said startling the dwarf.
"Who knew what?" Gimli asked wondering if it was due to immortality that elves always spoke in riddles, it must get boring to ask straightforward questions. He supposed that there were only a certain amount of questions that could ever be asked.
"Legolas. He knew you were grateful for the knife and in your own way you said thank you."
"I do wonder what goes on in that mind of his sometimes."
The two-lapsed back into silence.
"I cannot linger here Gimli. I must return to fight with my people."
"I will talk to my people. I will not let Legolas fight alone. Even if it only me who comes, I will not leave him. I am sure Aragorn will answer the call as well."
"Thank you Gimli, Legolas has picked a good friend in you."
Gimli growled and muttered about sentimental elves. Azian laughed as he caught sight of the dwarf's cheeks reddening.
Gimli walked back to the main gates with Azian. The elf tiredly climbed back on board his horse.
"Fight well Master Elf." Gimli said.
"Could we do any less?" Azian asked and then nudged his horse into a gallop, quickly disappearing from view.
** Legolas woke to the nudging of his horse. It was raining and he was soaked. The cold had infiltrated deep into his bones and his muscles ached.
"Are you rested my friend?" Legolas whispered. Voronwer softly whickered and nudged him again. Packing the saddlebags, he placed them on Voronwer's back. He stood up and stretched wincing as his bones clicked and popped. Voronwer groaned and climbed to his feet. Legolas turned and pulled himself onto Voronwer, his normal grace deserting him.
Voronwer started walking. Legolas could not push him too hard before Voronwer's muscles had warmed up because it could injure the horse severely. So they walked slowly in the driving rain towards home. Legolas's spirits fell ever lower and dark thoughts clouded his mind, thoughts of the destruction of his home. Lightening tore through the sky, thunder rattled the ground and the rain fell even harder.
**