Chapter? I don't know, I lost count...again.
***The Main Audience Chamber of the White City***
Legolas glanced around. The battle was over. For the time being. He stood in the white hall of Gondor, with Aragorn, Gimli, and Gandalf.
He listened quietly to what they were saying with interest. Gandalf was expressing his despair over Frodo's predicament, while Gimli sat in the reagent's chair smoking a pipe and saying that the Dark Lord should rot. Typical for a dwarf.
"Than we should draw him out."Aragorn said suddenly.
Legolas looked at him, wondering just what he was getting at.
"We cannot win the battle," Aragorn said. "But we can buy Frodo enough time to destroy the Ring."
Legolas nodded. "A diversion."
Gandalf looked at Aragorn, seeing that at last the heir was accepting his role as King and Commander.
"A battle we cannot win," Gimli said shrugging. "Small chance of success." He paused, taking another puff on his pipe. "What are we waiting for?"
Legolas chuckled, smiling for the first time in what seemed like ages.
***Gondor's Lower Levels***
Orian sat with many of the Rohan troops, but while they were being seen by healers, she was simply cleaning herself up.
Grimacing, Orian wiped the last bit of the grime and orc blood off of her arms and face. Gingerly, she touched the gash in her cheek. It was already beginning to heal, and would probably not even leave a scar. Such were the niceties of being an elf.
Orian sighed, looking down at her grimmy armor. It, on the other hand, would take a lot more time to clean.
"All able-Bodied men come with me!" A Rohan lieutenant called from the doorway. "Come with me, all able-bodied men."
Orian groaned. What was all this about? She sighed, knowing that she could say that she wasn't an able-bodied MAN so the order didn't really apply to her, but still she got up. After all, she was able-bodied. Swaying, she reached for her sword which she had sat beside her. It was then she had to admit she was able-bodied, but incredibly tired. Riding for a day and then battling would make anybody tired. Even an elf.
***Outside the Black Gates of Mordor***
Orian moaned to herself. She took it all back. She was NOT an able-bodied MAN. However, as tired as she was, she hadn't lost her sense of humor, and laughed quietly. Again she was wearing the helmet of a Rohan, and the man beside her took a few steps away. He probably thought she had lost it.
Looking around, Orian knew that they could not win this battle. There were few Rohan and Gondor warriors left now, and behind the black gates were legions of orcs. Either Aragorn had lost his mind, or there was something other than winning this battle that they were striving at.
Orian watched as Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli rode towards the black gates. To see Legolas again almost brought her to tears of relief. She thanked the Valar that he was still alive and unharmed. It was a small miracle. However, as she gazed upon the black gates, she wondered if it was all for naught.
Suddenly, the gates began to open, and Orian watched as Gandalf, Legolas, and Gimli rode back to the company she now stood in. Her elf eyes adjusted, and she saw through the massive gates the beginnings of the Uruk-Hai and Orc army marching toward them. "By the Valar."She breathed.
Aragorn turned to his army, and then to the eyes of Legolas, Gimli, and the Hobbits. He remembered that he wore the armor of Gondor, and the symbol of the white tree. He was the armies's rightful king, and as such he had to act like it. Aragorn rode his horse out in front of the troops. "In your eyes I see the fear which would take the very heart of me!" He yelled, his voice carrying to every ear standing present. He rode along the rows of men, unknowingly passing Orian on the way. "There may be a day when the hearts of Men will fail, when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship!" He called. "But it is not this day. This day we fight!"
Orian saw Aragorn come up to Gandalf, and only her elven ears picked up what he said. "For Frodo." With that, to her amazement, he turned and charged. The Hobbits were the ones to follow him first, and then all of the armies. Down into the clutches of death itself.
Orian drew her sword, and charged. The army rose a great yell, and Orian joined in, raising her sword high as she ran to an almost certain doom. As she met with the first of the Orcs she put what she had learned from the former battles of the earlier day and Helms Deep together, not ever letting the enemy get too close and keeping alert. With the Valar giving her strength, there was a slim chance she might survive.
Under the gray sky, the battle commenced. The last battle. The battle to end all. Blood stained the ground, and the sound of clashing swords and breaking shields echoed off the mountains. Always the great eye stayed on the proceedings, not knowing of Frodo and Sam creeping ever-closer to Mount Doom.
Legolas fought with the fury of a storm. An arrow loosened and a foe died instantly, and when they were too close he used one of his fighting knives. However, they were all getting too close, so he put his bow on his back, and took out both knives. A cut to one Uruk's face, and then a cut to the throat. An Orc took him by surprise, kicking him in the back, Legolas jumped away, but grabbed the orc's armor. He set the creature off-balanced and kneed it in the face.
Gimli was right beside him. Keeping count with every swing of his ax. Legolas just kept an eye on his own legs, he didn't want to accidentally be cropped-off at the knees.
Suddenly, he glanced up to see Aragorn fighting off a medium-sized troll. The troll was winning. "Aragorn!"
Orian heard Legolas's voice, and glanced up from just plowing through another Orc. She saw him trying desperately to get through the crowed, and then saw what he was trying to get to. Aragorn was on his back, and a fighting troll was crushing him.
All of a sudden the ground began to shake and tremble, and a great explosion filled the sky. Orian looked up to see that Mount Doom was erupting. Lava was pouring from it's top, and there were suddenly huge cracks in the ground, as if the world was breaking.
Legolas knocked a Uruk down with his fists, sending it to sprawl in the mud. When he looked up again he saw the destruction in Mordor. His eyes became wide, as he gazed at the fire which seemed to fill the sky behind the Black Gates. That is why he didn't expect the sudden and horrible pain of a Uruk sword slicing into the lower part of his chest. Legolas gasped in pain, looking down and pulling the sword out of his chest.
Orian watched this happen in ultimate horror. "Legolas!" She tried to run over to him, but she had the same problem he had earlier, the crowed was too thick. In her mind she couldn't believe what had just happened. It was impossible. She knew Legolas always wore a mythriel chain-mail shirt beneath his jacket. He was a prince, and it had been given to him by his father. The Uruk sword should not have even drawn blood.
Legolas fell to his knees, while the Uruk-Hai he had knocked down earlier got to his feet. Legolas looked up at the horrible creature, blood already bubbling to his mouth.
The Uruk-Hai raised his sword, which was now dripping with Legolas's crimson blood. He brought the sword down, this time it gashed the Prince through the heart.
Gimli ran forwards, ax flying through the air. "No!" He cried, and as he did he took the Uruk's legs out from under him with one swing of his mighty ax. The Uruk screamed, falling to his back, and quickly Gimli embedded his ax in it's chest. Scrambling over, Gimli cradled his friend in his arms. "No Lad." He said, "Don't do this to me laddie."
Legolas chocked on the blood in his throat, and unconsciously reached up to where the veil of life was hidden underneath his shirt, pressing his fingers against it.
Orian ran through the crowed, it was getting easier since the Uruks and Orcs were fleeing. But still she could not get there fast enough. Finally, she came to where Legolas lay on his back and the dwarf cradled him. Sliding onto her knees in the mud, Orian knelt beside them.
Gimli, not expecting this, grabbed at the visitor's throat, holding him there. "Who be ye lad?" He growled.
Orian felt the dwarf's grip, and desperately clutched at his arm. "I am Orian." She chocked. "Of Lothlorien!" With that, she pulled off her helmet, and Gimli released her.
"We thought you be dead!" Gimli breathed.
Orian ignored him, taking Legolas's hand in her own and looking into his blue eyes. "It's me Legolas." She said. "Hold on."
Legolas couldn't hear her. Or really see her either. With every instant, he was slipping faster and faster to the realm afterward. He couldn't smell orc blood anymore, but the sea. He couldn't hear the sounds of battle, but the sounds of waves crashing against rocks.
Orian could see that she was losing him, and refused to. She had lost her brother, her friends, Haldir, and her mother. She would not give up Legolas. She wouldn't! Desperately, Orian opened Legolas's shirt, searching for the golden chain she had given him when they had first been reunited in Lothlorien. After a moment, she found it.
Taking the tiny crystal veil in her blood-stained hands, Orian opened it. The contents inside bubbled and foamed. "Sit him up." She commanded, and the dwarf did so. Leaning close, Orian turned Legolas's head towards her, and tipped the liquid into his mouth.
Her heart sank as it only pooled and then ran down his face and neck. She was too late, he couldn't drink it. "Oh no." She whispered, her voice trembling. Tears sprang to her eyes, nearly blinding her.
"But there has to be some way!" Gimli insisted, not truly understanding what Orian was trying to do, but barely getting the idea. He forcibly closed Legolas's mouth. "Drink it!" He commanded. "Drink it you blasted pointy-eared elfling!"
Legolas only lay limp in his friend's arms, his blond hair in the mud of the battle-field, and his eyes staring up into nothing.
Orian looked at the tiny veil in her hands, then at Legolas, who's eyes were losing their light in front of her. "There might be." She said after a moment. Then, quickly, she undid Legolas's green jacket, only to find some ancient Rohan chain-mail beneath. Tearing it away she opened his blue blood-soaked undercoat. Orian took in a deep breath, seeing the deep gashes in his chest. However, she took the remainder of the silver liquid in the bottle, and tipped it onto the bloody wounds where it hissed and fizzed. A white foamy substance sprang up on his chest, and covered the wounds momentarily. After a few seconds, Orian hesitantly wiped away the foamy liquid, and beneath it were no-longer the wounds of the Uruk-Hai sword, but smooth skin. Not even a scar remained.
Gimli hollered with joy, but Orian quickly silenced him. She knew you could heal a body, but you couldn't put the spirit back into it once it had left.
"Legolas?" She asked, peering into his eyes. "Legolas?"
He didn't stir.
Orian couldn't hear the beating of his heart, or feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. Despairing, Orian lay her face upon his neck, and began to weep. "Return to me." She whispered. "Return to me."
It was then that the earth shook again, and Orian looked up to see a giant hole open in the ground not fifty feet from them. It swallowed the armies of Mordor with a great rumbling sound. With the great shrieking of the doomed enemy, Orian knew that the war was over. The horizon was dark with fire, but at that moment the sun burst through the clouds, warming her skin. Orian glanced down, where it also touched Legolas, filling his eyes and dancing on his face.
A human wouldn't have noticed, but as the sun touched him, Legolas took in a small, feint, breath. Then, he exhaled, his chest beginning to yet again rise and fall, filling his lungs with air. He had come to death's door, and was now back again. Because he had been called back, and his duty was not yet done. It's that way with a surprising amount of people. "He's breathing!" Orian cried, "He's breathing!"
Gimli laughed, deep and rumbling in his chest. The dwarf wouldn't admit it later, but he had never been this worried or relieved in all of his life.
Orian let tears of joy fall down her cheeks, and she kissed Legolas on the forehead, her tears falling on his sleeping face.
To Be Continued
(Just go on to next chapter)
***The Main Audience Chamber of the White City***
Legolas glanced around. The battle was over. For the time being. He stood in the white hall of Gondor, with Aragorn, Gimli, and Gandalf.
He listened quietly to what they were saying with interest. Gandalf was expressing his despair over Frodo's predicament, while Gimli sat in the reagent's chair smoking a pipe and saying that the Dark Lord should rot. Typical for a dwarf.
"Than we should draw him out."Aragorn said suddenly.
Legolas looked at him, wondering just what he was getting at.
"We cannot win the battle," Aragorn said. "But we can buy Frodo enough time to destroy the Ring."
Legolas nodded. "A diversion."
Gandalf looked at Aragorn, seeing that at last the heir was accepting his role as King and Commander.
"A battle we cannot win," Gimli said shrugging. "Small chance of success." He paused, taking another puff on his pipe. "What are we waiting for?"
Legolas chuckled, smiling for the first time in what seemed like ages.
***Gondor's Lower Levels***
Orian sat with many of the Rohan troops, but while they were being seen by healers, she was simply cleaning herself up.
Grimacing, Orian wiped the last bit of the grime and orc blood off of her arms and face. Gingerly, she touched the gash in her cheek. It was already beginning to heal, and would probably not even leave a scar. Such were the niceties of being an elf.
Orian sighed, looking down at her grimmy armor. It, on the other hand, would take a lot more time to clean.
"All able-Bodied men come with me!" A Rohan lieutenant called from the doorway. "Come with me, all able-bodied men."
Orian groaned. What was all this about? She sighed, knowing that she could say that she wasn't an able-bodied MAN so the order didn't really apply to her, but still she got up. After all, she was able-bodied. Swaying, she reached for her sword which she had sat beside her. It was then she had to admit she was able-bodied, but incredibly tired. Riding for a day and then battling would make anybody tired. Even an elf.
***Outside the Black Gates of Mordor***
Orian moaned to herself. She took it all back. She was NOT an able-bodied MAN. However, as tired as she was, she hadn't lost her sense of humor, and laughed quietly. Again she was wearing the helmet of a Rohan, and the man beside her took a few steps away. He probably thought she had lost it.
Looking around, Orian knew that they could not win this battle. There were few Rohan and Gondor warriors left now, and behind the black gates were legions of orcs. Either Aragorn had lost his mind, or there was something other than winning this battle that they were striving at.
Orian watched as Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli rode towards the black gates. To see Legolas again almost brought her to tears of relief. She thanked the Valar that he was still alive and unharmed. It was a small miracle. However, as she gazed upon the black gates, she wondered if it was all for naught.
Suddenly, the gates began to open, and Orian watched as Gandalf, Legolas, and Gimli rode back to the company she now stood in. Her elf eyes adjusted, and she saw through the massive gates the beginnings of the Uruk-Hai and Orc army marching toward them. "By the Valar."She breathed.
Aragorn turned to his army, and then to the eyes of Legolas, Gimli, and the Hobbits. He remembered that he wore the armor of Gondor, and the symbol of the white tree. He was the armies's rightful king, and as such he had to act like it. Aragorn rode his horse out in front of the troops. "In your eyes I see the fear which would take the very heart of me!" He yelled, his voice carrying to every ear standing present. He rode along the rows of men, unknowingly passing Orian on the way. "There may be a day when the hearts of Men will fail, when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship!" He called. "But it is not this day. This day we fight!"
Orian saw Aragorn come up to Gandalf, and only her elven ears picked up what he said. "For Frodo." With that, to her amazement, he turned and charged. The Hobbits were the ones to follow him first, and then all of the armies. Down into the clutches of death itself.
Orian drew her sword, and charged. The army rose a great yell, and Orian joined in, raising her sword high as she ran to an almost certain doom. As she met with the first of the Orcs she put what she had learned from the former battles of the earlier day and Helms Deep together, not ever letting the enemy get too close and keeping alert. With the Valar giving her strength, there was a slim chance she might survive.
Under the gray sky, the battle commenced. The last battle. The battle to end all. Blood stained the ground, and the sound of clashing swords and breaking shields echoed off the mountains. Always the great eye stayed on the proceedings, not knowing of Frodo and Sam creeping ever-closer to Mount Doom.
Legolas fought with the fury of a storm. An arrow loosened and a foe died instantly, and when they were too close he used one of his fighting knives. However, they were all getting too close, so he put his bow on his back, and took out both knives. A cut to one Uruk's face, and then a cut to the throat. An Orc took him by surprise, kicking him in the back, Legolas jumped away, but grabbed the orc's armor. He set the creature off-balanced and kneed it in the face.
Gimli was right beside him. Keeping count with every swing of his ax. Legolas just kept an eye on his own legs, he didn't want to accidentally be cropped-off at the knees.
Suddenly, he glanced up to see Aragorn fighting off a medium-sized troll. The troll was winning. "Aragorn!"
Orian heard Legolas's voice, and glanced up from just plowing through another Orc. She saw him trying desperately to get through the crowed, and then saw what he was trying to get to. Aragorn was on his back, and a fighting troll was crushing him.
All of a sudden the ground began to shake and tremble, and a great explosion filled the sky. Orian looked up to see that Mount Doom was erupting. Lava was pouring from it's top, and there were suddenly huge cracks in the ground, as if the world was breaking.
Legolas knocked a Uruk down with his fists, sending it to sprawl in the mud. When he looked up again he saw the destruction in Mordor. His eyes became wide, as he gazed at the fire which seemed to fill the sky behind the Black Gates. That is why he didn't expect the sudden and horrible pain of a Uruk sword slicing into the lower part of his chest. Legolas gasped in pain, looking down and pulling the sword out of his chest.
Orian watched this happen in ultimate horror. "Legolas!" She tried to run over to him, but she had the same problem he had earlier, the crowed was too thick. In her mind she couldn't believe what had just happened. It was impossible. She knew Legolas always wore a mythriel chain-mail shirt beneath his jacket. He was a prince, and it had been given to him by his father. The Uruk sword should not have even drawn blood.
Legolas fell to his knees, while the Uruk-Hai he had knocked down earlier got to his feet. Legolas looked up at the horrible creature, blood already bubbling to his mouth.
The Uruk-Hai raised his sword, which was now dripping with Legolas's crimson blood. He brought the sword down, this time it gashed the Prince through the heart.
Gimli ran forwards, ax flying through the air. "No!" He cried, and as he did he took the Uruk's legs out from under him with one swing of his mighty ax. The Uruk screamed, falling to his back, and quickly Gimli embedded his ax in it's chest. Scrambling over, Gimli cradled his friend in his arms. "No Lad." He said, "Don't do this to me laddie."
Legolas chocked on the blood in his throat, and unconsciously reached up to where the veil of life was hidden underneath his shirt, pressing his fingers against it.
Orian ran through the crowed, it was getting easier since the Uruks and Orcs were fleeing. But still she could not get there fast enough. Finally, she came to where Legolas lay on his back and the dwarf cradled him. Sliding onto her knees in the mud, Orian knelt beside them.
Gimli, not expecting this, grabbed at the visitor's throat, holding him there. "Who be ye lad?" He growled.
Orian felt the dwarf's grip, and desperately clutched at his arm. "I am Orian." She chocked. "Of Lothlorien!" With that, she pulled off her helmet, and Gimli released her.
"We thought you be dead!" Gimli breathed.
Orian ignored him, taking Legolas's hand in her own and looking into his blue eyes. "It's me Legolas." She said. "Hold on."
Legolas couldn't hear her. Or really see her either. With every instant, he was slipping faster and faster to the realm afterward. He couldn't smell orc blood anymore, but the sea. He couldn't hear the sounds of battle, but the sounds of waves crashing against rocks.
Orian could see that she was losing him, and refused to. She had lost her brother, her friends, Haldir, and her mother. She would not give up Legolas. She wouldn't! Desperately, Orian opened Legolas's shirt, searching for the golden chain she had given him when they had first been reunited in Lothlorien. After a moment, she found it.
Taking the tiny crystal veil in her blood-stained hands, Orian opened it. The contents inside bubbled and foamed. "Sit him up." She commanded, and the dwarf did so. Leaning close, Orian turned Legolas's head towards her, and tipped the liquid into his mouth.
Her heart sank as it only pooled and then ran down his face and neck. She was too late, he couldn't drink it. "Oh no." She whispered, her voice trembling. Tears sprang to her eyes, nearly blinding her.
"But there has to be some way!" Gimli insisted, not truly understanding what Orian was trying to do, but barely getting the idea. He forcibly closed Legolas's mouth. "Drink it!" He commanded. "Drink it you blasted pointy-eared elfling!"
Legolas only lay limp in his friend's arms, his blond hair in the mud of the battle-field, and his eyes staring up into nothing.
Orian looked at the tiny veil in her hands, then at Legolas, who's eyes were losing their light in front of her. "There might be." She said after a moment. Then, quickly, she undid Legolas's green jacket, only to find some ancient Rohan chain-mail beneath. Tearing it away she opened his blue blood-soaked undercoat. Orian took in a deep breath, seeing the deep gashes in his chest. However, she took the remainder of the silver liquid in the bottle, and tipped it onto the bloody wounds where it hissed and fizzed. A white foamy substance sprang up on his chest, and covered the wounds momentarily. After a few seconds, Orian hesitantly wiped away the foamy liquid, and beneath it were no-longer the wounds of the Uruk-Hai sword, but smooth skin. Not even a scar remained.
Gimli hollered with joy, but Orian quickly silenced him. She knew you could heal a body, but you couldn't put the spirit back into it once it had left.
"Legolas?" She asked, peering into his eyes. "Legolas?"
He didn't stir.
Orian couldn't hear the beating of his heart, or feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. Despairing, Orian lay her face upon his neck, and began to weep. "Return to me." She whispered. "Return to me."
It was then that the earth shook again, and Orian looked up to see a giant hole open in the ground not fifty feet from them. It swallowed the armies of Mordor with a great rumbling sound. With the great shrieking of the doomed enemy, Orian knew that the war was over. The horizon was dark with fire, but at that moment the sun burst through the clouds, warming her skin. Orian glanced down, where it also touched Legolas, filling his eyes and dancing on his face.
A human wouldn't have noticed, but as the sun touched him, Legolas took in a small, feint, breath. Then, he exhaled, his chest beginning to yet again rise and fall, filling his lungs with air. He had come to death's door, and was now back again. Because he had been called back, and his duty was not yet done. It's that way with a surprising amount of people. "He's breathing!" Orian cried, "He's breathing!"
Gimli laughed, deep and rumbling in his chest. The dwarf wouldn't admit it later, but he had never been this worried or relieved in all of his life.
Orian let tears of joy fall down her cheeks, and she kissed Legolas on the forehead, her tears falling on his sleeping face.
To Be Continued
(Just go on to next chapter)