Discovering you
Summary: At the battle for Helms Deep many lives are lost. But some are found.
Very mild Slash. Aragorn/Legolas.
"Ride out with me"
Thèoden paused. He raised his eye line at stared into the face of Aragorn.
"For death and glory" he said.
"For Rohan"
"Yes!" the Dwarf cried before running upstairs towards the Horn of the Deep, clearly delighted that he would be amongst the rocks of which he loved.
Legolas glanced nervously around the room that were filling with horses and both Men and Elves mounting, there was no horse left for him to ride. He had given Arod to the use of someone else. If the truth be told he did wish to ride out into battle where he knew he would not return.
"Master Elf," one solider called down to him from his steed, "you may share my saddle as there seems to be none left".
Legolas half smiled, it would not be polite to not accept the gesture by the young solider. He picked up a fallen sword and handed to his companion before leaping up lightly behind him and receiving the sword once more. He needed to attack the Orcs whilst riding and with his arrows spent and knives too short he would need a long handed weapon to attack with.
The sound of the horn caused the very air to tremble. The Orcs outside clasped their rough hands over their ears in an attempt to block out the sound that shook their very chest.
Out of the fortress rode many men on horseback, a stream of colour, brown, red, black and grey, and the banners of Rohan flapping in the wind as the company burst through the broken doors of the fortress beating and pushing Orcs aside as they rode along the narrow bridge out of the Keep.
The sun was raising and right on time on the hilltop stood Gandalf riding upon the Great horse of Shadowfax, behind him stood in wait the many lines of horses – the Riders of Rohan.
The King's riders smashed through the crowds of Orcs as Gandalf and the other riders galloped to the rescue down the hill. On the bay Legolas swapped hands on the sword hilt attacking on his left side as his companion attacked his right side. Arrows flew towards the King and his riders, though less then when the battle first started they still posed a danger. Far too preoccupied with his battle to stay both alive on his horse Legolas did not see or hear the arrow that whistled towards him, the arrow that unseated him as both flanks of riders attacked claiming victory…
Gandalf stopped his glistening steed beside Thèoden, the battle was over and now the tidying up would start. The celebration of victory was brief, the men were tired and wounded, the fortress broken.
The wizard patted his horse and looked around the battlefield littered with Orcs, Men and Elves.
"Elrond sent us a legion of Elven archers; I doubt we would have held much longer without them." Thèoden followed the wizard's gaze. "They were happy to die along side us".
Aragorn avoided fatigue by keep moving he helped carry and issue treatment to the wounded. Alongside Eówyen took pity on him, she insisted he rested, but more and more wounded were bought into the ruined fortress for treatment.
It was painful to work at the pace they would if they wanted to save lives, those mortally wounded with only hours left to live they would not help but find others to comfort them in their final hours. They worked maniacally switching off to those who pleaded for help knowing they would die within an hour. Outside the 'ward' soldiers were assessing the scale of injury and allow the seriously wounded to be treated first.
Inside Eówyen brushed aside a tear the slid down her cheek as the moved the limp form of a young boy out of her way to make space for an older man. On the other side of the room Aragorn asked for help form a nearby solider to restrain the women who had escaped the caves as he treated what he presumed was her husband with a arrow buried deep in his side. A flash of golden hair caught his eye, he looked up expected to see Legolas fighting his way through the crowds to help him, but instead he saw another Elf he did not know being carried, his legs limp and useable swinging underneath him.
His heat skipped a beat.
Pulling the solider he had called for towards him he demanded: "Where is Legolas, my Elven companion?"
"I don't know my Lord; perhaps he is outside helping the men bury the dead"
"Nay my Lord" his patient spoke in a croaking voice. Aragorn turned to him leaning closer as not to miss a word.
"He fell from the horse we were sharing. I … I don't know what happened after –" the rider sucked a lungful an air tightly, gasping he spoke again. "They smothered him…I'm sorry", his body shuddered and his breath faltered.
A wash of pity swept over Aragorn as the colour faded from the riders face, beside his wife cried her hands shaken and clutching her husband's cold hands.
"Do not be sorry, my friend, be at peace" Aragorn reached up and closed the rider's cold, vacant eyes.
The courtyard was filling with wounded people; soldiers were working warily to move the bodies so they could be buried, while others moved the carcasses of the Orcs into a pile where they would be burnt later.
Aragorn pushed past the pleading men, screaming women and weeping children, looking closely at every Elven face he saw. Hoping and praying that he would him alive and well.
His feet scuffed the path bringing himself to a halt next to Gandalf comfort a dying man.
"Gandalf" Aragorn cried, his emotions raw, "have you seen Legolas?" he asked fearing the answer.
The wizard glanced at him before returning his gaze at the man, "No, Aragorn I have not"
The Rangers feet scraped the cobblestones as he moved off again out onto the plains shouting his friends name as he ran.
Éomer pulled another Orc carcass off the stained grass and tossed it onto the piles. It was a sad job, moving, tossing the enemy and uncovering dead or dying soldiers both Elven and Men. He sighed spotting another golden head amongst the mass of Orcs.
"So beautiful," he sighed kneeling down, brushing the golden hair for the Elf's bloody cheek, "such as waste". He tilted the face of the Elf upwards towards the heavens where he hoped he would find a path to.
Éomer's eyes softened, he recognised the pale Elven face. Here lying before him was Aragorn's companion – Legolas. Gently he brushed his other pale smooth cheek and a deep sense of sadness filled his heart. He knew he must tell Aragorn.
Gently he lifted the lightweight form from the bloody grass and only when he pulled the limp form closer to his chest did Legolas stir – he was alive.
"Legolas, can you hear me?" Éomer asked watching the pale Elven face frown in pain. "Legolas?" he asked again. He felt dampness upon his chest, glancing down Éomer's eyes widened bright Elven blood seeped onto his battle worn clothing from what would be fatal for any mortal.
Hurriedly he left his position in pursuit of his sister the limp form of the elf swinging slightly in his arms.
Éomer jumped the broken wall of the Deep and hurried inside he dodged round the wounded and weeping forcing his way inside calling his sisters name.
"Eówyen"
She looked up from the mangled leg of a solider to her brother.
"I found him on the plains. He's Aragorn's companion"
Eówyen glanced at Legolas' bloody form and called for another healer to take over.
"Bring him over here" she called, Éomer following behind.
Leading off into a private room Eówyen flung open the door, cleared the bed of anything too precious to be ruin by blood and lit torches. Éomer lowered the Elf onto the bed and stared down at him as his sister worked at speed to assess his wounds. She glanced back at her brother's silent form. They both knew his chances were slim.
She pulled off his stained tunic and dapped at the wounds soaking up blood from the stab wounds in his left side, and arrow wound in his right shoulder. His torso bore the tale tale marks of continuous travel and battles old scratches were healing better then others though most of what she discovered were freshly made during the night and early morn. She hesitated her hands hovering over the bowls of herbs next to bed.
"I am not acquainted with Elven medicine" she whispered. She turned to her brother. "Find me Lord Aragorn and Gandalf"
"Legolas!" Aragorn shouted panting as he stood; hands resting on his knees. He was exhausted; he could not deny it, and worse more he could not find his friend. He just hopped Gilmi had better luck. He had been most distressed when Aragorn explained he could not find him.
"Aragorn!" someone shouted. He turned to see Éomer running towards him.
"My Lord you must come quickly. We have found Legolas, though he is injured."
Aragorn felt his insides turn. Legolas wounded, how badly? He wanted to ask but he couldn't bring himself to say. Éomer lead the way back into the Keep and into the chamber where Legolas lay.
Aragorn wasn't surprised to find Gandalf and Gilmi there, but the look on Eówyen's face gave in a reason for concern.
"Forgive me my Lord, I am not acquainted with Elven medicine I am at a loss"
"Do not fear, my Lady for you have done well" he thanked her with a small smile.
She had begun to treat the wounds with various herbs and scented waters as is necessary in healing any type of wound.
Legolas began to turn and moan softly as Aragorn gently worked to clean and bind his wounds. He shuddered as his hands slipped on the bloody skin, the bleeding would not stop.
"Put pressure here" he reached out and took Eówyen's hand and placed on the deepest wound on Legolas' side.
"Hold him Éomer" Aragorn instructed and Legolas turned to roll away from the pain and pressure.
"Seere mellon min" //peace my friend// Aragorn soothed him. As he dapped the wound with an Athelas soaked cloth.
"Awrarim" //hurts// Legolas muttered straining away from the cloth.
"Iston, Iston" //I know, I know// Aragorn soothed him again as Gandalf handed him a bandage after looking up from Legolas' wounded shoulder.
"Orcs delight in watching their enemy suffer" he said seeing Eówyen's frightened and disgusted face. "Especially any Elf kind"
Legolas shifted his weight and rolled unexpected, Éomer pushed him down.
"Stop!" Aragorn cried sharply. "Hold him there." Gilmi held him firm with Éomer. The bed linen beneath him was strained red, and the strain grew with each second.
The colour in Aragorn's face faded as his hands cleared away the mass of blood in an attempt to find a wound somewhere on his companions back.
Next to him Eówyen whispered a pray for him and cursed the Orcs for the death and destruction they had bought to Rohan.
Aragorn's eyes narrowed with hatered and he ordered Éomer and Gilmi to change Legolas' position: "Sit him up" and dipped his cloth in the ready bloody water in an attempt to clean it. As gently as he could he ran the cloth down the length of Legolas' spine following the deep cut there. Sobs escaped Legolas' throat as Aragorn worked.
"Tessa, Legolas" //Hold on, Legolas//. "Neva eller" //nearly there// he called softly.
Legolas jerked away as the cloth as bought again to his skin but the firm hands of Éomer and Gilmi held him still but could not withhold his next action.
Knife wounds on his side bleed freshly again and Eówyen swooped to bind them and add pressure to reduce the bleeding. Beneath her hands she felt a change in Legolas he had stopped moving from their healing hands but fell against them. She looked up and saw his eyes become distant. He was fading.
"Legolas!" she cried, but he could not longer hear her.
Gandalf looked up sharply at Eówyen's call and into Legolas face as his head dropped onto his chest.
"Legolas" he rose, cupping the elven face in his hands. "Hold onto the light, my friend. Don't let go" but Legolas' breath was begin to falter.
"Dam Elf, don't die!" Gilmi muttered holding grip firm as Legolas' limp body began to sway.
"Eówyen find me some more Althelas and clean water" Aragorn instructed as he exchanged cloth for bandage and began to bind Legolas's torso tightly. "Hurry" he called as she left the room.
"I'll kill them, I'll hunt them down, the murdering scum even if it's the last thing I do" Gilmi cursed supporting Legolas' weight so Aragorn could bandage his wounds.
Slowly Gandalf began to chant ancient Elvish words Elrond had taught him. His chant became slowly louder and firmer each time he recited it. Eówyen returned her face pale and stretched. She placed the bowl of warm water next the bed and crushed the Athelas leaves into the steaming water, listening to Gandalf's soothing and uplifting chanting. She watched Legolas face, still cupped in the wizards hands closely. The once deathly pale colour that had remained on his face since he entered the room began to lift, though little colouring returned his breathing became more rhythmical and stronger.
Just as she began to fall victim to the rhythmical and soothing affects of the wizard's chants on her overtired and overworked mind Gandalf stopped. And the room was silent and still save the water vapours that swirled around the room.
"We have done all we can for him. He must decide if he wishes to live or die. There is nothing more we can do for him" Gandalf said lightly laying Legolas down on the blooded sheets.
Aragorn watched the sun set and sighed. Eówyen had forbidden him to return to the wounded insisting he rested. He could not find peace within himself to sleep. His mind was troubled and nothing could be done to sooth it. He thought of Frodo and Sam somewhere out in the wilderness, alone, afraid and in danger and the Ring constantly challenging Frodo's resistance and control. Aragorn shifted his gaze and his mind changed once more this time to Merry and Pippin in the care of Treebeard and the Ents. He wondered what would become of them, would they stay with the ancient creatures of the Earth or would they stay into danger of some sort?
"What are you singing my Lord?"
Aragorn spun and smiled slightly as he saw Eówyen in the doorway half smiling at him.
"Forgive me, my Lady I did not know I was singing"
"It sounded sad and troubled"
"I do not know what I was singing, my Lady. My mind is troubled I was not concentrating on my voice" Aragorn shrugged returning his gaze to the setting sun.
"You sing beautifully my Lord, where was it you learnt such songs, it sounded Elven"
"I suspect it was. I have spent many years amongst the Elves of Rivendell" he said.
"You grieve for those lost this night, don't you?"
"Many Men and Elves lost their lives this night; many of them did not have to die."
"Thank you" she said suddenly.
Aragorn turned to face her: "Why are you thanking me?"
"Without your help many more live would have been lost. You warned us to the orc army that headed towards us. Rohan would have fallen if you had not bought Gandalf to Edoras. Thèoden would have remained in shadow and confusion. The country would have fallen, but you saved it and moved us here. You fought with the men and gave them courage and inspiration and victory was ours"
"Not everything was my doing. Gandalf bought salvation to your country he saved Thèoden, he bought Éomer and the riders here not I. He bought us victory. The wolves of Isnegard claimed lives as we travelled here and they would have taken even more – but his archery skills saved many of them!"
"You care greatly for him, don't you?" Eówyen said softly.
"I have known him all my life, it is the least I can do."
"Then go to him, if you wish. You are inseparable from your work"
Aragorn nodded: "I only do as much as I can, and my skills have been invaluable today"
"We thank you for it, my Lord"
His room lay silent lit in dim candle light. The sweet smelt of Athelas still hung in the air. Luckily the stench of death that built in the 'ward' had not travelled into Legolas' room; though Aragorn felt a pang of guilt realising the conditions and gruesomeness of the hurried treatment the wounded had received compared to the comfort and attention Legolas had received.
Aragorn looked down on the pale and still face of his friend and sighed. He hoped it was worth the valuable energy of himself, Eówyen, Éomer, Gandalf and the healers plus the invaluable limited supplies of Athelas.
Of course it was worth it! It was Legolas' life he was talking about!
A friend that he could not afford to lose, a friend that you could not put a price on, and if there was there would not be enough gold in the world to match it.
He sat on the edge of Legolas bed watching his chest heave slightly with each breath, as he lay on the blood stained sheets which no one had changed. He watched in silence, he felt hopeless and useless as his friend battled to live.
"He must decide if he wants to live or die" Gandalf had said. And silently Aragorn prayed that Legolas would decide to live and blossom rather then sink into the shadows and remain cold and forgotten. Just another victim of Saruman's battles. Another innocent life lost to the growing evil of Sauron like many others to come Aragorn feared.
Gently he stroked Legolas' cold hand, and began to talk without realising it.
"What would your father say if he saw you like this?" he said. "He would call you a fool for allowing this to happen and me too. He'd criticise your riding I expect, he always did mine.
"We shall see the woods if Mirkwood again, and we will see it returned to its glory its original name restored. For it's you who make the woods greener, even Thranduil said so. He loves you, Legolas. Though he doesn't always show it, he does. Not just because you are his heir but because you are his son. All you need to do it survive this and the world is yours to rule and explore. I know you can do it, because you won't allow orcs to destroy your life and dreams. I know you, just be strong and live" Aragorn paused realising that he had been talking without meaning to, a tear slide down his cheek. Wiping it away it dawned on him suddenly what Legolas means to him. He is more then just a friend. He was a beacon or light. His beacon. Mine. Did Legolas feel the same way? Was his heart with someone else?
But it seemed none of the questions really bothered him as his body began to move on its own. He lowered himself gently down onto Legolas' chest and kissed his cold face. Then again on the lips.
"I wish you were here to feel this" he whispered kissing him again. But something happened. Excited their lips met again provoking a warmer, larger, stronger response. Aragorn raised his eye line and stared into Legolas open blue eyes.
Parting the kiss quickly Aragorn sat up not sure of Legolas reaction.
"Legolas!" he said sounding surprised to see him awake. "How do you feel?" he asked, stupidly.
"Like I've just been thrown from a horse and attacked" Legolas smiled. "But much better now" he whispered tracing his lips with his tongue.
"Now I have you"