Yours

by Very

Slight Spoilers for ROTK Aragorn has his first experience with an Oliphant and Legolas tries to teach him how to win against the giant beasts. Short, entertaining, one post story. :D

Title: Yours

Author: Toil and Trouble - at least that's what I think my current pen name is

Spoilers: Indeed! LoL Not too much -- but I wouldn't recommend it if you want to be absolutely surprised by everything in ROTK. Which, btw, I saw -- IT IS UNBELIEVABLE! :-D

Setting: Pre-Lotr.

Note: this is like a little short, one post story breaking off from Legolas's attack and demolition of the oliphant during ROTK, the battle of Pelennor Fields. It entertained me the way Aragorn basically simply handed the oliphant to Legolas without helping the elf at all -- and led me to thinking...

Also note, I've placed Legolas and Aragorn in the midst of a battle. I don't know what battle, and I don't really care but its a one post story and they're in a battle. I mean, the encyclopedia of Arda does say that Aragorn "experienced many great adventures, and travelled to many distant lands, before claiming his kingship." And what's adventure in distance lands if there's not blood and gory stuff? Got it? Good. :-D

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Legolas's weary eyes dragged slowly over the mangled bodies piled and scattered around him. Dirt and blood mingled with the sweat that dripped down his normally clear brow, and his eyes were drooping with exhaustion. The battle had been going on for many hours -- and yet still both sides stood at a standstill. Shaking his head slowly with disgust at the folly of war, his eyes searched for a familiar face among the rabble -- Aragorn's. It was truly the human's good natured courage that had dragged them into this battle in defense of the local villages under attack, but now the human's shaggy mane was not spotted anywhere among the sweating, steaming crush of bodies.

Blood splattered into his eyes as a human head flew past him and Legolas cringed. Thankfully, the head had blonde hair. Not dark brown.

Cursing under his breath, Legolas dodged a blow, ducking to the ground. He tucked his chin into his chest and rolled straight into the kneecaps of on unsuspecting orc, his blade catching him right in the shins. The orc gagged, dropping to the ground and Legolas stepped on top of his large body, ignorant of the battle around him as his eyes searched the crowd. "ARAGORN!" he called worriedly. "ESTEL!"

But even though he ignored the sights, sounds and smell of the war around him, he could not pretend to be ignorant of the sudden shaking of the earth. It rolled and pitched and vibrated with unseen fury and Legolas cautiously dropped off of the Orc's heavy armor and bent low to the ground, his ear pressed against the earth. The battle was drawing away from him as the Orcs surged into the villages, but the men had already burned the empty cabins and the Orcs would find nothing there. Legolas closed his eyes, his hand on the trembling ground -- and he listened. Finally, his eyes snapped open and a single word screeched through his brain -- "Oliphants!"

It appeared even the men of the South had joined the Orcs deadly battle and Legolas straightened, breaking in a dead run towards the plains. The sight of moving mountains in the distance proved he was right, and the men perched atop the animals were dark skinned -- Legolas confirmed his suspicions that the Southern men had joined the orc's effort to claim the cluster of villages. He sheathed his dagger and swung his bow over his arm, an arrow clutched between his fingers. Hundreds of men were suddenly reforming ranks and running towards the beasts -- and with a sigh of relief, Legolas saw Aragorn was among them. He quickly fell into step behind the human, who flashed him a tight smile. "Still alive, my friend?" He asked breathlessly as he raised his sword. Legolas shook his head. "I am better off than you." Aragorn ignored him, but Legolas knew that was only because the human knew it was true. Estel bled from the temple and the nose, and his eyes had darkened with bruising. A deep gash ran the length of his arm, down between his fingers and Legolas noticed the bleeding had not yet stopped -- but there would be time for injuries later and this was not it.

As the men quickly reformed their ranks, Aragorn glanced at Legolas. "When Lord Elrond described oliphants as moving mountains," he said as he slowly aimed his bow at the rapidly approaching animals, "I didn't realize he was serious."

Legolas shook his head. "Leave the oliphants to me," he said confidently. "Once I get on top, I can easily disarm the men. Climbing oliphants is just like climbing trees and well, let's face it Estel -- you've never been very good at that."

Aragorn rolled his eyes. "Prissy elf."

"Stupid human."

"I can handle the Oliphants just as well as you," Aragorn insisted, but Legolas shook his head as the beasts came closer. "Aragorn, they are dangerous and you've never fought them before. I'm older, I know what I'm doing--"

"You are not so old yet, nin mellon," Aragorn reminded him. Legolas let out a frustrated breath. "If you insist on fighting them, remember one thing: Never take your eyes off of the animal. It will be the last decision you ever make. But Estel, you'd be better off slaying the orcs who ran rapid through the animal's legs--"

But the conversation was cut short by the cry to charge, and the words Legolas had been about to speak were lost in the fray. Oliphants crushed men like ants; horses fled from the beasts and from their perch atop, the Southerners fired arrow after arrow. There were only three oliphants, but that was more than enough and the thick hides of the animals refused to be pierced by arrows. Aragorn headed straight towards the thick leg of the nearest beast, but Legolas called out to him. "ARAGORN! DEAL WITH THE EVILS ON FOOT, I SHALL DEAL WITH THE BEASTS!" But Aragorn shook his head, waving Legolas and many other men off. "I can take this beast!" He replied loudly, "You take the others!" Legolas grimaced - he had been taught how to deal with beasts like these, but Aragorn was young and never had. He could easily be crushed. Several of the men had tossed ropes around the baskets on top of one of the oliphants, and it looked perilously close to falling, so Legolas chose to leave them to it. Aragorn was trying the same idea -- but unsuccessfully. Legolas headed towards the human, but suddenly the elf's body was cast in shadow and Legolas froze -- and looked up. A foot the size of a large tree was rushing straight towards his skull -- the ground was lurching -- Aragorn was screaming --

Legolas dove, rolling as the oliphant, irritated by the arrows like a human is irritated by flies, stomped around in agony. He narrowly missed crushing the elf again, and Aragorn rushed forward, trying to drag Legolas to safety.

But the elf was fine, quickly sprinting to his feet and rushing underneath the belly of the Oliphant. Without stopping, he fired two arrows into the fleshy underside of the beast, and he heard with grim satisfaction the animal's moan. "Aragorn, back away!" He yelled as the animal spun around, furious. The men on top of the beast were firing at the young edan, and Legolas's heart froze as he saw the human had his hand over his head, trying to dodge arrows. "Never take your eyes off of it!" Legolas whispered horrified. "ARAGORN, YOUR EYES! YOUR EYES!"

Aragorn realized his mistake a second too late -- the large trunk of the animal was wrapping around his body, squeezing the life out of him. It swung it's prey up and down -- slammed the young human into the ground -- arrows slammed into his legs and arms -- one came perilously close to his heart -- this was it, it was all going to end like this, in a forsaken town by forsaken beasts owned by forsaken men--

Or was it? The arrows had stopped coming and the grip on his chest was loosening -- Aragorn tried in vain to see the men atop the beast but they were out of side -- he could hear them screaming -- a blonde blur was swinging by his face -- the oliphant was dropping him -- he was falling --

He hit the ground with a thud, moaning. He coiled up into himself, trying to recover from the injuries as he squinted vainly upwards to see a miniature battle taking place a top the animal. Legolas had successfully climbed a top the Oliphant, and had already killed four of the fifteen men fighting him. Carefully scooting out of harms way, Aragorn watched as Legolas swung from the back of the animal to the front. The Southerners gathered inside the basket, dodging his arrows before popping up to send some of their own back. Legolas shook his head, his teeth grimaced as he slashed the ropes holding the basket. With a well aimed kick, the basket toppled to dust and ruin. Now alone, perched on the giant beast, Legolas slowly walked up towards the head. With a sigh of pity, as he hated to kill a living thing, Legolas swiftly released an arrow directly into the Oliphant's skull. It moaned once -- then it's knees began to crumble. Legolas threw himself down the trunk as the animal came crashing down to the ground, the elf landing nimbly on his feet directly in front of the ranger. Breathless, Legolas smiled.

Aragorn stared. "How," he asked, amazed - not even thinking about the amount of blood he was losing, "Did you do that, my friend?"

Legolas laughed, shaking his head as he slowly dropped to Aragorn's side. The battle had been drawn away from them now, and with a violent shake, the earth told them that another Oliphant had fallen. There was only one left, and they would deal with that one in a moment. "I told you. Don't take your eyes off of it."

Aragorn nodded, closing his eyes faintly. "Right." They rested, for a few minutes, before the earth rolled violently again and they both looked at each other. The last Oliphant came rushing towards them, trumpeting dangerously and Aragorn smiled weakly. Legolas glanced at him. "Would you like to practice?" Aragorn shook his head. "That ones yours."