Chapter Two
"Belil-Gaviel" came the strained whisper. Legolas could see the effort cost her much, so he did not ask any more of her. To his surprise, she continued.
"Where is Nilmandra?" Belil-Gaviel started to sit up again and Legolas had to push her back down again.
"n'uma, amin wanwaer" (no, my lost one) he spoke softly but firmly. "You must rest. By the rising of the sun you should be well enough to make the journey to Rivendell. Your mellon needs Lord Elrond's help." When he finished speaking he gently placed Nilmandra's hand into Belil's. The elf visibly relaxed and a small sigh escaped her lips.
Legolas bent down and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. "Rest now. You must regain your strength for the morrow." He watched as she fell slowly into a restful sleep, then turned worried eyes on the one she called Nilmandra. This one has sustained the worst of the injuries. He felt Nilmandra's fevered brow and was relieved to know the fever hadn't risen. It was still cause for worry, but at least it hadn't gotten any worse. Legolas dipped the cloth again and gently, almost reverently, bathed Nilmandra's heated forehead. She stirred but did not waken. Not for the last time did Legolas wish fervently that Aragorn were here with him. Having done as much as he could, He bent and kissed Nilmandra's forehead also, wincing at the heat that nearly burned his lips.
"Rest well, little one." He whispered. "Stay with me. Stay in the light." Legolas' senses suddenly screamed a warning. Too late! He winced as he felt an arrow point pressing into his back.
Tensing, furious with himself, for he had thought the danger long since gone. "Take my life if you thirst for one, but spare these two." He ground out through gritted teeth, and waited for the death blow.
"Ah, Legolas, ever the hero." A familiar voice chuckled as the pressure of the arrow was taken away.
"Elladen!" Legolas spun around, forgetting his frustration in his happiness to see his friends brother.
"What have we here?" Elrohir questioned, steping out of the shadows of the forest, taking in the still form at the fireside.
"My heart sings to see you" Legolas couldn't wipe the grin off his face. The twins noticed that he kept searching the shadows beyond the firelight.
"He stayed with ada, Legolas." Elrohir offered the information. "please, tell us your tale."
Legolas let out the breath he was holding, looking each twin in the eye. "These two and their party were attacked by orcs." His disgust for the creatues clearly evident in his tone. "They are the only survivors." Elladen and Elrohir had come from another direction and had not seen the bodies strewn about on the other side of the glade.
"Who are they?" Elladen asked
"All I've gotten so far are their names" Legolas rubbed his face. "Belil- Gaviel woke up crying the others name, who is named Nilmandra." He finished
"Maidens?" hissed Elrohir. "They must be the ones father was expecting to arrive in Rivendell yesterday."
The prince looked puzzled. "Elrond was expecting these two?"
"Yes, Legolas. A small party from afar was expected." Elladen sighed. "We were sent to find them."
"And see what has made them late." Elrohir finished for his twin. They had an annoying habit of finishing each others thoughts.
"So that is why you are out this way." Legolas surmised. "Good, you can help." He added with a grin.
Elrohir, knowing what Legolas was getting at, asked, "How bad are thy wounded?"
"I have not the knowledge of a healer, " Legolas answered with a wry grin, "but, Belil," he pointed her out, "seems to be a fair bit better than Nilmandra." Legolas shot a worried look that spoke volumes louder than did his words. "She needs Lord Elrond."
With that statement, Elladen gave a low whistle, and a moment later, two horses, completely free of saddle and bridle, stepped from the forest.
"Then we must get them there." Elladen stated with a no nonsense tone. "We have nto a horse for you dear Prince" He added.
Legolas put up a hand to stop him. "I can walk, mellon." He smiled mischiefously, "I am not so lazy an elf that I need the strength of a horse to carry me." He chuckled as he ducked a good natured cuff from the older twin. The relief of having them there caused him to release pent up stress with humor.
"I'll not have a prissy prince calling me lazy" Elladen grumbled as he mounted Tari (queen). "She needs her exercise too." Elladen softened his words with a smile. After the twins were mounted, Legolas gently handed the maids up to them. Belil with Elladen as Tari was a bit fo a rough ride, and Nilmandra with Elrohir. Ankalima, Elrohir's mount, was more sensitive and not as wild, thus less jarring on Nilmandra's wounds.
"I shall see you soon, nin mellon." (my friend) Legolas said, placing his hand on Tari's neck. "Keep them safe."
With a nod from Elrohir, they were off. The horses, sensing the urgency of their riders, set a brisk walk for home. Legolas watched until they had disappeared into the forest, debating whether to wait till sunrise to follow, or leave the area now. Deciding tht he wanted to be there when they awaoke, he began packing his belongings and theirs. Including the two matching swords he had found before the light failed him.
"Belil-Gaviel" came the strained whisper. Legolas could see the effort cost her much, so he did not ask any more of her. To his surprise, she continued.
"Where is Nilmandra?" Belil-Gaviel started to sit up again and Legolas had to push her back down again.
"n'uma, amin wanwaer" (no, my lost one) he spoke softly but firmly. "You must rest. By the rising of the sun you should be well enough to make the journey to Rivendell. Your mellon needs Lord Elrond's help." When he finished speaking he gently placed Nilmandra's hand into Belil's. The elf visibly relaxed and a small sigh escaped her lips.
Legolas bent down and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. "Rest now. You must regain your strength for the morrow." He watched as she fell slowly into a restful sleep, then turned worried eyes on the one she called Nilmandra. This one has sustained the worst of the injuries. He felt Nilmandra's fevered brow and was relieved to know the fever hadn't risen. It was still cause for worry, but at least it hadn't gotten any worse. Legolas dipped the cloth again and gently, almost reverently, bathed Nilmandra's heated forehead. She stirred but did not waken. Not for the last time did Legolas wish fervently that Aragorn were here with him. Having done as much as he could, He bent and kissed Nilmandra's forehead also, wincing at the heat that nearly burned his lips.
"Rest well, little one." He whispered. "Stay with me. Stay in the light." Legolas' senses suddenly screamed a warning. Too late! He winced as he felt an arrow point pressing into his back.
Tensing, furious with himself, for he had thought the danger long since gone. "Take my life if you thirst for one, but spare these two." He ground out through gritted teeth, and waited for the death blow.
"Ah, Legolas, ever the hero." A familiar voice chuckled as the pressure of the arrow was taken away.
"Elladen!" Legolas spun around, forgetting his frustration in his happiness to see his friends brother.
"What have we here?" Elrohir questioned, steping out of the shadows of the forest, taking in the still form at the fireside.
"My heart sings to see you" Legolas couldn't wipe the grin off his face. The twins noticed that he kept searching the shadows beyond the firelight.
"He stayed with ada, Legolas." Elrohir offered the information. "please, tell us your tale."
Legolas let out the breath he was holding, looking each twin in the eye. "These two and their party were attacked by orcs." His disgust for the creatues clearly evident in his tone. "They are the only survivors." Elladen and Elrohir had come from another direction and had not seen the bodies strewn about on the other side of the glade.
"Who are they?" Elladen asked
"All I've gotten so far are their names" Legolas rubbed his face. "Belil- Gaviel woke up crying the others name, who is named Nilmandra." He finished
"Maidens?" hissed Elrohir. "They must be the ones father was expecting to arrive in Rivendell yesterday."
The prince looked puzzled. "Elrond was expecting these two?"
"Yes, Legolas. A small party from afar was expected." Elladen sighed. "We were sent to find them."
"And see what has made them late." Elrohir finished for his twin. They had an annoying habit of finishing each others thoughts.
"So that is why you are out this way." Legolas surmised. "Good, you can help." He added with a grin.
Elrohir, knowing what Legolas was getting at, asked, "How bad are thy wounded?"
"I have not the knowledge of a healer, " Legolas answered with a wry grin, "but, Belil," he pointed her out, "seems to be a fair bit better than Nilmandra." Legolas shot a worried look that spoke volumes louder than did his words. "She needs Lord Elrond."
With that statement, Elladen gave a low whistle, and a moment later, two horses, completely free of saddle and bridle, stepped from the forest.
"Then we must get them there." Elladen stated with a no nonsense tone. "We have nto a horse for you dear Prince" He added.
Legolas put up a hand to stop him. "I can walk, mellon." He smiled mischiefously, "I am not so lazy an elf that I need the strength of a horse to carry me." He chuckled as he ducked a good natured cuff from the older twin. The relief of having them there caused him to release pent up stress with humor.
"I'll not have a prissy prince calling me lazy" Elladen grumbled as he mounted Tari (queen). "She needs her exercise too." Elladen softened his words with a smile. After the twins were mounted, Legolas gently handed the maids up to them. Belil with Elladen as Tari was a bit fo a rough ride, and Nilmandra with Elrohir. Ankalima, Elrohir's mount, was more sensitive and not as wild, thus less jarring on Nilmandra's wounds.
"I shall see you soon, nin mellon." (my friend) Legolas said, placing his hand on Tari's neck. "Keep them safe."
With a nod from Elrohir, they were off. The horses, sensing the urgency of their riders, set a brisk walk for home. Legolas watched until they had disappeared into the forest, debating whether to wait till sunrise to follow, or leave the area now. Deciding tht he wanted to be there when they awaoke, he began packing his belongings and theirs. Including the two matching swords he had found before the light failed him.
