Title: Ray of Hope
Author: Keithan
Disclaimers: Lord of the Rings and its characters belongs to their respective
owners.
Rating: PG
Series: 2/2 (?)
Warnings: This fic is based on the second movie and might contain
hints of slash, yet nothing more than pure and honest love and devotion that
could be viewed as love for a friend. If you're hesitant, proceed with caution.
Summary: Legolas despairs as Aragorn was lost in the battle on their
way to Helm's deep, yet he is not without hope.
RAY OF HOPE__________
When all he has left is hope
The transition of the sky's color was clearly seen. The orange hue of the setting sun was slowly being chased away by the first signs of the night. The light in the sky was slowly fading as the first touches of dark was making itself seen.
The fading light threatened to rob the people of their hope, threatened to take with its passing the light in their hearts as the darkness slowly appears. It was successful. For everywhere, people feared, feared for themselves, their loved ones and their country.
And yet his hope still remains, burning inside him like a fire that kept him going. A fire that when once put out, would never again be rekindled.
A foot in front of the other...
...he was watching with unseeing eyes,
...walking with no definite direction.
Ignoring all happenings, all the activities going on around him, he walked aimlessly through the stoned passages of Helm's Deep.
Not seeing...
Not thinking...
Not listening...
Not feeling anything...
It was as if he was not there at all. Or he was in an entirely different place. Not in the city where every turn of his head he was reminded of war, the fight for their very existence. Every glimpse to his side he would see men preparing for battle. And it dampened his heart so look he did not or at least tried to do so.
He remained to be a light in the darkness despite of it all. Of course it was also because he was different. He wasn't a native of the land.
Indeed he was not.
Blond hair, instead of dark.
Fair face, instead of rough.
Slender frame, instead of muscular form.
And also different..
Because he hoped.
Yes, the people hoped. But they also despair. Their hope was but a tiny seed in the black ashes of despair.
But he was hoping to win no battle, for battle was very far from his mind at the moment. For if he thought of battle right then, then he, as well, would have drowned in despair.Be suffocated by its strangling hands and totally lose hope.
But he hoped. Hoped that he, who was lost, would come back. He, who was his hope, his estel, would come back.He hoped with every step he was taking that his hope, Estel, was also taking a step towards them.
...towards him.
He not only hoped but he was actually waiting for him to come back. He was waiting the instant they had been parted.
He was waiting that very moment when he was walking in the streets of Rohan's fortress.
...Rohan's last stand.
The Helm's Deep.
And what happens when Helm's Deep fall? What happens then?
...would their help yield to nothing?
Despair for their victory suddenly gnawed at him for the first time. The man he relied on for hope was no where to be found and it was because of this that he refused to think of battle. These people were no Elves! They were not even warriors. Their chance to victory was close to none or none at all.
And now that he thought of it, every second, with every scene unfolding in front of him, of women and of children and of soldiers and of elders, his hope for their victory was thinning.
From the people he passed by, he heard despair. As they were arranging things in preparation for an inevitable battle, they despaired.
Despair that they may not see the dawn of a new day where their children would play and peace reigns throughout their land. Despair that they would not live to see the light of tomorrow, when all the other people would. Despair that they might be separated from their loved ones not only for the battle but for eternity.
He understood then.
Understood what he, his estel, once said to him.
"We are their hope, Legolas. 'Ttis us that brought them hope."
Indeed they were.
The hope amidst the faltering steps of the common folk forced by need to be soldiers and bear arms. The hope amidst the women and children who would have their husbands, fathers and brothers separated from them by the cruel hands of battle.
If they gave them hope, if he was one of the people that gave these Rohan folk the hope to fight… then who gave him, an Elf in the midst of men, hope?
A child carrying spears was running in his direction, spears too big for his small physique. Too long for him enough to hinder his sight of his footing.Because of this, the young one tripped.
... his unseeing eyes was then focused once more.
Reflexes faster than anyone there, he caught the lad before he could fall face first on the cold and hard stone floor.
"I..I..I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to.." The boy stuttered words that seemed to be borne out of fear of being reprimanded by one of those who ride with their king.
His eyes softened. And in a soothing voice, he calmed the fearful child, "Hush now, little one. You did nothing wrong."
And he carried the load, the load too much for such young a boy.
"Now let me help you there alright?" he said gently, smiling. "Where are you taking these?"
Those words soothed the child, and the little one smiled back.
"To my father, there over there." He answered, pointing. "He will fight. He said we will win." He continued, his speech carrying a Rohan accent. "He said we must not fear but hope because we have great friends."
He looked at the child for a while, before smiling softly to himself.
He calmed the child alright.
And the child calmed him.
He knew all he had to do was to wait.
And wait he would do with these people.
They were the hope for these people.
...a light amidst darkness.
He must not show despair.
"That's right little one. You must not fear. We have come to help you in this battle." he said before starting to make his way to the child's father.
Stopping briefly, he looked down once more on the child and transferred the load in his hands into one hand. He laid his then free hand to the child's head and in the native tongue of his people he said, 'Let hope fill your hearts that has been darkened with despair and fear with light. Light of a new dawn that would arise if not now, then tomorrow.'
The child looked at him, puzzled.
He ignored the look, and just smiled reassuringly. The boy, although unaware of what was said just nodded.
And now if only his hope return.
"Let's go then now, shall we?"
08.22.03
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