Hey, everyone. How are you?

It was the first time I got many reviews. Thanks you all who waste a 2-3 minute to write the comment. I'm very happy to know your idea about this fic though many threatened to kill me for delaying. ^_^;;;

Thanks:

HaloGatomon(aka Halo Son): I didn't know before that the readers can't review while the authors log in. Stupid FF.net. I would log out immediately after all done this time.

Robin Gurl: LOL, I'm still alive as you see though may die but voodoo or other curses if not updating soon.

buff200020002002: ^^ I'm trying to work this story out.

Erinamation-limited2-nothing: ^______^

Tmmeow: You don't have to wait anymore darling, the next one you want is here.

Mitsuko: Thanks for the hairbrush. I like it so much because little Frodo loves to keep his small fingers in my hair and makes it terribly tangle.

Liena: Okay, I'm waking up to do more chapters. No need to bank the pan in front of my house. Thank you. ^_^

tidus2529: Even I wonder what will become of Frodo when he grows up. Sure thing, the lasses in Shire must be melting before his eyes. ^.~

--The_Littlest _Faire--: I don't mean to make anyone die or at least I don't mean it. But…mmm…you will see.

Serena Cherry: Welcome to my story. Hope you will keep following this story.

Kattis_black@hotmail.com: ^^ I will try to update the next chapter as soon as I can.

LOTR and H.P fan: Looks like 'MORE' is the enchanting the authors will have from their readers. However, I never bored to hear it because it means you like it. Hehe….

Sagesumi: Sorryyyyyyy. I didn't meant to take this chapter long time. And well, thank you for understanding. I was busying myself with stuffs in real life.

ViNguyen: mmm…everyone seems to love hugging Frodo as well as me. My friends said that they were envied the elves for have Frodo with them.

LilPup: Yep, Aragorn is here after he was ignored so long. Hehehe….poor Aragorn. If anyone wanted a brood Aragorn, I would love to send him to you because I can't take his brooding on me anymore. _

Jaimi: Thanks for your kindness. I never imagined that it will have any people in Nindaiwe like this story because of the last terrible two comments that were given to me. Your review was a light in my heart.

shana (fairy18@msn.com): Sorry for hanging this story in the midway of a serious situation.

Salysha: I had sent you a mail before but I want to thank you again anyway. Not much people who care to write much in review.

Disclaimer : See at chapter 1

*...* for thought.
'...' for some saying but not out loud or the sentence in the past.

Chapter 12

Frodo looked at Gollum, frightened. His yellow eyes and bare sharp teeth were glittering in the soft moonlight and that made him shuddered more. The smell of earth and filth filled his nostrils. The child struggled from its grasp. His small fist hit at its face. The queer creature was taken aback a little. Its eyes flared with rage and it struck back on his cheeks.

The impact was hard. Frodo felt like he saw black and white in his head for a moment. His ivory cheek turned to red and it felt hot as if on fire. The hobbit shook his head to dispel his dizziness away. He panicked more when he tasted a copper in his mouth as the blood dripped down his chin.

Gollum caught Frodo's chin with his hand and forced the periannath to look at it.

"Stop fighting uss and be silent if you want to seee your parentsss again," Gollum hissed and threatened the scared boy.

Frodo nodded. Tears welled behind his eyes. He wanted to scream at the monster that he couldn't see his papa and mama because they had already died but he bit his tongue back because it would not help anything.

Moreover, he was afraid to get hurt again if he didn't obey its demand.

Gollum grabbed the hobbit's body with one arm and used another limb to climb down the tree slowly.

Although Frodo disgusted this creature, he feared falling down the tree. He slipped his hands around its sticky and filthy smelly neck tentatively.

The tree mumbled a soothing word and apologized for its inability to help. Frodo vaguely caught some words. His mind swam around his Uncle Bilbo, Gandalf, Elrond, Glorfindel and the twins; afraid that he wouldn't see them again. Most of all people he thought of was Legolas, the elf Prince of Mirkwood. Even though he had known Legolas such a short time, his attachment to him was great. He loved the elf as his father, brother, relative, friends, guardian; well, it didn't matter what kind of love he had for Legolas. The only thing he realised was he loved the elf and that was enough.

*Legolas, help me! Legolas!*

* * *
Nardil, Elladan's horse ran ahead of the troop of Rivendell as a guide. He was the horse that hurt less than the other two. After a healer tended to his injuries briefly and gave him some water, the horse was ready to bring the elves' force into the forest to rescue his master.

Elrond rode his horse in silence, trying hard to not think of what was happening with his children. He never approved their hunting orcs but he hadn't any reason to stop them because they returned home safely every time. However, it was changing. He would do something to make sure that the twins stayed at home more than they did in the past.

For an hour now they had ridden to the south. Elrond's heart was heavy, like it was made of iron. The old memory of Celebrian flashed into his brain. He never forgot it; his beloved lay on the bed. She looked paler than the white sheet that was surrounding her, closer to translucent than pale, looking more fragile than a glass doll. Many days she was on the edge of death. He could cure her physical pain but couldn't cure her mental injuries.

*What if this were to become of them? What if I fail to help them?*

Bitter thoughts ran into his mind and his heart hurt as if someone slit it with a knife.

Not only his sons but Frodo Baggins and Legolas Greenleaf he was worried for also. Frodo was too young to die. He should have live long and happily. As for Legolas, if anything happened to the Prince, the situation between him and Thranduil would be worse than it had already been.

All tension was over thrown at him.

Every minute he heard the horses' gallop and his heart thudded painfully in his own chest.

* * *

Meanwhile, Legolas was running back to where he had left Frodo. Many things came to his mind: First, he chided himself for leaving the kid alone. Second, he imagined what was happening with Frodo and the only scene he saw was the orcs harming the boy with their weapons; the hobbit cried out with hurt and at last he laid on the pool of his own blood with tears streaked down his cheeks.

That image frightened Legolas so much; he ran faster and faster. His hand clutched his sword tightly; he would slay any orcs who dared to block his way.

*Eru, save him please. Don't let him get hurt or die.* He prayed while he ran on the last yard.

Legolas' heart stopped for a moment and then beat again faster with the sight in front of his eyes. Frodo was there, under the tree. He was in the hands of a queer creature which had gold eyes and dirty jagged teeth. It turned to see him, alarmed when it heard his coming.

Frodo tried to struggle from Gollum's grasp and ran to Legolas but the ring lust was faster. He clutched the hobbit's arm tightly with one hand and another one clasped the fragile neck. Gollum pulled Frodo to stand in front of him; using the kid as a shield if Legolas wanted to harm him, which was the certain thing the elf wanted to do.

Legolas was stunned for a moment, aware that if he darted toward this beast, it would kill the young hobbit instantly. He tried to calm down; screaming in his mind that his careless action would end Frodo's life. However, it was hard to control his rage inside. Legolas gritted his teeth as he eyed Frodo's face. The boy's teary eyes looked at him pleadingly. His blue orbs showed many emotions inside; fear, hurt and hope. Legolas gazed down on Frodo's cheeks and winced because the halfling's left cheek was obviously red and a corner of his mouth was broken; the blood still dripped from the wound to his chin and on the top of his cloth.

"Stop where you are, elfff," Gollum said while he stepped back; dragged Frodo to go with him. His sharp finger nails scratched lightly on the boy's pale throat. The red liquid of life appeared and ran from the wounds and dripped on his pale green shirt; telling Legolas what he would do to Frodo if the elf didn't listen to him.

"What do you want from him? He is merely but a child," Legolas said, his brain was calculating the way to rescue his younger friend from this evil.

"Yesss, a child. But he isss a Bagginsss. Bagginss iss bad. Bagginss stole our preciousss," Gollum's nail imbedded deeper in Frodo's neck as he stepped back further.

"What's your precious?" Legolas asked, trying to make Gollum's attention focus on their talking as he stepped to his left. He knew this queer creature would step to its left too, where there was a rather big stone on the ground.

Like Legolas surmised, Gollum stepped back the way he wanted. Only a step and then he would hit the rock.

"It'sss a…aahhh . . . " Gollum hadn't time to finish his sentences. His legs hit the stone hard. He released Frodo immediately to catch onto the nearby tree. However, he still fell to the earth anyway on his backside while Frodo too fell to the ground but on his front side before Gollum's body.

Legolas didn't let this gold time waste. He pulled his small dagger from his tunic and threw it at Gollum with accuracy.

"Aggrrrhhh!" Gollum cried as the dagger stabbed into his right shoulder. The elven blade hurt him too much and he felt like his body was burning. He pulled the small blade out and hurled it away disgustingly. His eyes gazed at the Baggins but he couldn't get the boy back as his hostage because Legolas was running to the child. He gritted his teeth and flew away from the elf's rage, vowing to himself : *We will come back again, Bagginsss*

Legolas hurried to Frodo's side and helped him sit up from his prone state.

"Legolas!" The hobbit cried and threw himself into the elf's arms.

The Prince of Mirkwood embraced the boy for a moment before pushing Frodo out so he could see his injuries. He looked at the wounds on his throat first and felt relieved when he saw Gollum's nail didn't make the fatal cut on the artery, though it was still bleeding. He tore his own sleeve off and ripped it into a long strip before wrapping it around Frodo's neck.

Legolas was so preoccupied with his young friend that he didn't notice a group of orcs behind him.

"Whoop…" An arrow pierced Legolas' back, then another one.

The blond haired elf fell forward, trying to cover Frodo with his own body. From the corner of his eyes, he saw at least ten orcs came toward him, each aiming their arrows at his back. Frodo cried silently under him. Legolas squeezed the boy's hand one last time.

*I hope they won't see Frodo.* was his only wish before unconsciousness took him.

* * *

Aragorn gazed around him, trying to track Legolas with his ranger eyes. Even though he always thought he was the fast one when it came to running, he still couldn't outrun the elf and now the elf Prince wasn't anywhere to be seen. This was one of many times that he really wished he was an elf, not a man.

His foster family was soooo good to him. Elrond was very generous; a good teacher and ready to protect him from harm and take care of his wounds himself. Elladan and Elrohir were the best brothers, who taught him many things from small such as their many pranks to great think, for an example, how to survive in the wild. For Arwen, she was the best member of this family. She was the first and only person who could warm his heart. The other elf lords in Rivendell were nice to him too. However, their niceness and kindness couldn't delete the suffering he had experienced from the teasing he got from the other children in Imladris.

*This is not the time for you to brood over the thing you can't be, Aragorn.* The man shook his head and concentrated on finding the prince of Mirkwood.

Elf's feet were light and so was Legolas'. The grass told him a little where he went. Moreover, it wasn't only Legolas' footprints but orcs' also and that made his tracking more difficult.

Aragorn chose to follow the lightest footprints. He ran past many trees, deeper into the forest for about half an hour and then he saw a group of orcs at a small open area. They had their bows and arrows in their hands, aiming at something on the ground while their feet moved closer to it. From the gap of their legs, Aragorn could see blond hair on the grass. No need to analyze any more, Legolas was lying there and must be hurt because if not, he would spring to his feet and fight the orcs right now.

"Yah!!" He shouted and sped to the evil servants.

The orcs startled when they saw him and rushed forward. The group was broken up in every direction before they attacked the newcomer.

Aragorn cast his sword to his left as an orc dashed to him. His eyes caught on an orc that seemed to be the oldest and the head of this group because he was the one who stood outside the ring and ordered the others with 'No, you fool! Stab him at his right!' or 'Left, stupid!' Aragorn managed to knock or slay the orcs before him easily before he reached the leader. With one blow, the head orc crumpled to the floor as his head rolled on the ground and stopped at his follower's foot. The rest of the orcs that were still alive moved back with fear and then fled away to their hole at the Misty Mountains.

With a heavy sigh, Aragorn bent down and wiped the foul orcs' blood that covered his blade on the grass. He sheathed his sword and turned his attention to Legolas for the first time since the battle between him and the orcs began. He had just noticed that the elf prince was lying on the earth with two arrows embedded in his back.

The ranger rushed to him and turned Legolas to his side and that was the first time he saw a pair of big blue orbs staring at him fearfully. Though this little one was certainly in elf clothes, Aragorn could tell from his experience of guarding the Shire many years that this was a child hobbit. He had black hair and the fairest face of all the halflings he had ever seen, even though one cheek was swollen and his mouth was broken.

The man understood now that his must be the one who had screamed 'Legolas' less than an hour ago, making the elf rush to this area, get hurt and lay near death.

"Hello," Aragorn smiled at the little hobbit before him, hoping that the boy would calm a bit.

Frodo didn't reply to that greeting. He eyed the strong and scruffy man suspiciously. His tiny arms snaked around Legolas' neck and held the blond head close to his chest. If this man wanted to hurt Legolas, he must pass him first.

"Who are you?"

"Don't fear, child. My name is Aragorn. I'm Legolas' friend," Aragorn was relieved to see the boy's tension and fear subside.

"I'm Frodo Baggins," Frodo said, his eyes gazing at the arrows in the elf's back. Elrohir had told him that he had shot many orcs with his arrows. The orcs would fall on the ground, groaning 'arrrrhhh…' and then die. Would Legolas…

Aragorn saw that fear from the boy's eyes too.

"Baggins? How do you relate to Bilbo?" He tried to make some distraction from Legolas and from the corpses that were not far from them. The last thing he wanted right now was to scare Frodo furthermore. Beside, such a terrible scene as this would surely lead to many nightmares for any child in Middle Earth.

"He is my uncle."

Aragorn nodded in acknowledgement. His mind was worried about Legolas. The prince's pulse was too weak for his approval. He must get these arrows out and heal the elf as quickly as he could. The problem was that he needed the herbs and some clean strips of cloth in his pack, which he had thrown somewhere near the river when he jumped into the battle. It might be very risky to go back but he had no choice.

"Close your eyes, little one, please," he said

Frodo obeyed docilely.

The man draped Legolas over his shoulder and held on to his legs tightly. He carried the hobbit with another arm and set off; praying to Illuvatar that they wouldn't meet any orcs on the way back.

* * *

Frodo didn't know how much time had passed since he closed his eyes. They traveled silently due to the fact that Aragorn didn't want any attention from orcs that might have strayed around the area, and Frodo was too exhausted to talk. His tiny arms circled the ranger's neck for support and one of his tiny hands clutched the fabric of Legolas' clothes, who was on the other side of Aragorn's shoulder. At least, his elf friend was here and that made him feel a little better.

The halfling felt himself moved up and down with every step of Aragorn, who was walking so fast. Tiredness began to take its toll on him. The jostling was like the comforting and swaying arms of his mother. The hard shoulder blade became softer like a pillow on his bed, and the crying of cicadas and others insects in the forest became a lullaby for him.

Soon Frodo's head was on Aragorn's shoulder.

"Estel!"

Frodo opened his eyes immediately. His sleepiness disappeared immediately when he heard a familiar voice. Before him were Elladan and Elrohir, who were running toward them. Their tunics were dirty with blood like Legolas' and Aragorn's.

" 'rohir! 'ladan!" Frodo cried. He released Aragorn's neck and opened his arms to the elf.

Elladan was faster than his brother and came to Frodo first. He scooped the boy into his arms and looked down at his bruised face and cut throat with worry for his wound and rage toward the one who did such a savage thing to a five-year-old boy. Elladan's eyes went darker when he saw what had befallen Legolas. The orcs' arrows that were still stuck in his friend's back told him the story better than anything. He counted the orcs Elrohir and he had slain today and who had now fled back to their hole after they lost many. After Frodo and his uncle left Rivendell, he and his brother would make sure that the orcs got their lesson to dare not attack his kindred again.

" 'rohir?"

Frodo's voice pulled Elladan back to earth.

"Yes?"

"Will Legolas be all right?" Frodo asked.

Elladan eyes met his twin's, who was now relieving Aragorn's burden from him. It didn't show any hope at all. But what could he do? Would he tell Frodo that Legolas might die? He couldn't. The boy would burst into tears if he told him that. Besides, he still had some hope for Legolas but they must hurry.

"We will try our best, little one," Elladan soothed the little hobbit. "Can you tell me what happened after Legolas took you from us?"

Frodo nodded and began his story. "After Legolas carried me and ran….."

The others listened to the melodic voice of Frodo all the way back with heavy weights in their heart.

* * *

Frodo's throat began to dry when his story was finished and they neared their encampment. Elrohir stopped when he smelled blood strongly in the air.

"Estel, go get your pack and ours. We will wait for you in the north," Elladan said.

Aragorn only nodded curtly and disappeared between the trees. No reasonable adult wanted any child to see such an evil scene of blood and corpses.

"Estel?" Frodo looked at Elladan confusingly. "He said his name is Aragorn,"

"It's another name of his, dear one," Elrohir explained.

They walked as fast as they could along the river for a few minutes until they found a place. Elrohir laid Legolas on his stomach while Elladan deposited Frodo as well and went into the forest to gather some wood to make a fire.

Frodo sat on the ground and watched Elladan tear Legolas' shirt to examine the wound. Legolas' pale skin now was red because of the blood that trickled from his injuries. Frodo averted his eyes from the unconscious elf; unable to bear seeing him anymore. The blond haired elf in this state reminded him of his parents. The memory that the hobbit tried so hard to forget and almost succeeded at sprang out again. The pale faces and blank eyes of his father and mother after the Brandybucks got them from the bottom of the river were like Legolas' wan face.

The little halfling shuddered with fear. He heard someone scream 'DIE' again and again in his mind. Though Elrohir said Legolas would be all right, Frodo couldn't make himself believe the elf entirely.

From the corner of his eyes, Frodo saw Elrohir come back. The bundle of wood was loaded in his arms. The elf set it on the ground and began to make a fire. Soon the orange flame shone at the same time they heard some voice from the forest. The twins stood up immediately, each pulling their swords out, ready to attack any orcs that would come. However, it was Aragorn; his hands and arms were full of their bags. The brothers sighed and sheathed their blades quickly before hurrying to unload some of the packs from their foster brother.

The boy looked at their ministrations curiously and moved near the fire. A pot was pulled out from their pack while Aragorn picked a sharp knife, a strip of cloth and a wooden box from his bag out.

Before too long, the water was boiling in a pot. Aragorn pulled some leaves from his pack, crushing them before he put them in the pot, followed by his knife. The fragrance of it made Frodo's heart lighter.

"What's the leaf?" the hobbit asked the ranger as he looked in the pot. The leaf was dancing in the boiling water with a strong rhythm.

"It's Athelas or Kingsfoil. It has powerful healing qualities," Elrohir replied and lifted the hobbit to sit in his lap.

Opposite them, Elladan laid a blanket on the ground while Aragorn carried Legolas from where Elrohir had left him. The ranger laid the injured elf on the blanket carefully. Within the light of the fire, the orcs' arrows looked even fouler than before.

"Frodo, turn to me," Elrohir said and turned the hobbit slowly until Frodo's face was buried in his chest and his back was to Legolas' prone form.

"Why?" the hobbit asked as he looked up to see the elf.

"It's not suitable for you to see, young one." Elrohir hugged the hobbit. One of his hands held Frodo's face still, so the boy didn't have any chance to see what Elladan and Aragorn were doing to Legolas.

Frodo listened to the calm beating of Elrohir's chest as well as tried to catch the sound behind him. He heard many sounds but he couldn't imagine what they were doing to Legolas.

"No…" It was Elladan's voice.

Frodo cocked his ears to hear; his heart thudding painfully in his chest. *What did he mean 'no'?*

"What is it?" Elrohir asked above his head.

"Legolas…" Frodo had never heard his voice hoarse like this. "He's . . . he's gone."

To be continued....