A/N: This one is long, sort of fluffy, definitely angsty, and oh
look.Legolas dies again. God, I think I'll give up writing all together.
Part 38
Aragorn waited. He sat anxiously upon Hasufel, the tall figures of Eomer and Theoden beside him. They three men waited in anticipation of the battle to come. A silence fell upon them as the army of mortals seemed to be alone. But the ranger knew better. Their enemies would be here. And he would be waiting.
Legolas no longer held himself at the head of the Elven army. Everyone was scattered in his fight. Already, many had fallen. The Uruk Hai now poured from the black gates and swarmed across the land. Everything was a blur, but Legolas could only move forward. He had set aside his bow, saving what arrows he had left for when he really needed them. At the end. Now, he used his knives. He had left Arod, and he hoped the horse had found a better place.
Aragorn was unwavering as he saw the army of Orcs come out of hiding. He knew Saruman was there, at the height of his tower, watching his beasts go forth to meet the Men. Aragorn hated him. He hated him for nearly killing Gandalf, for killing Boromir and Haldir, for tormenting Legolas, for the hundreds of Men and Elves who had died because of that despicably wizard. And of course, Saruman had not physically murdered or harmed any of those people himself. But Aragorn saw it that way. And he wanted revenge.
Legolas glanced to the wall, where many of the Orcs still stationed themselves. A fire burned in his eyes at the sight of them. He wanted to kill them, to spill their blood. He wanted to rip them apart slowly, piece by piece. He wanted to cut through their flesh and burn them to ashes. For his kin. For his friends. For Frodo the Ringbearer. For Aragorn.
Aragorn. The name pained him, and brought bittersweet memories. He wondered if he would ever see him again, and he was never more remorseful for what he had said to the ranger.
Legolas closed his eyes, as his fellow Elves fought Uruk Hai all around him. He closed his eyes and remembered.
" Legolas, catch me. Come on, Legolas, catch me now."
He had been a little boy then.
" Aragorn, stop. You're being so irrational. Aragorn, come out of the rain. Oh, why must you be so juvenile? You'll catch a cold. "
Legolas supposed it was his own fault for teaching him to embrace the rain.
" Estel, please. Stop, I surrender. I can't take it anymore. Estel. Please, stop. I surrender, you win. You win."
He had always enjoyed tickling the Elf.
" He is very ill, Legolas. We don't know if he'll make it through the night. "
Elrond had lost hope then, but Legolas hadn't.
" Promise me one thing, Estel. Promise me you will return."
Legolas had been so afraid he would never see him again after he left to be a ranger.
" Do not forget me."
He had whispered that to the prince the night he left, leaning very close to the Elf's face while the two clasped hands.
" Well, if it isn't for the heartless Elf brat of Mirkwood. I would pray you filthy creature leave this place and allow us keep our honor."
" And I would pray you silence yourself before I serve you an honorable death, for this Elf has more of a heart than the Valar would grant you."
He had been furious at that man for insulting Legolas on one of their travels.
" Why must you always scare me, Elf? "
" Yes, it seems I have a habit of scaring people."
He was always in a constant state of fear when in the company of Legolas. And he had frightened Legolas out of the Elf's wits a countless number of times himself.
" Do not forget me."
Legolas could not forget him.
" Do not forget me."
Legolas loved him.
" Cursed be the day you came into the world."
" I hate you with every fiber of my being."
Legolas wept for him.
" Do not forget me."
Legolas remembered.
Aragorn was now deeply engaged in battle. He had been separated from Eomer and Theoden, but hoped they still lived.Isengard was covered with Uruk Hai, but Saruman remained out of sight. He wielded Anduril majestically, and fueled every blow with his anger and hatred for the beasts.
His arm was bleeding from the slash of a jagged Orc blade, and he was covered in the blood of his foes. Aragorn's thoughts were with Legolas, as were his prayers.
Legolas approached the gates with speed, slaying Uruk Hai as he went. He needed to reach Mordor, to be within the wicked fortress. Legolas was smeared in Orc blood, unconsciously tired, and left unsatisfied. He kept going, his blue eyes staring through the blur of battle. He was nearly there, and the Orcs were falling back, he knew somehow.
Legolas was going to make it, going to step inside the foul place called Mordor. He could see its gates, smell it's fumes, feel it's evil.
And he was not afraid. Everything was slowed now, as the Orcs retreated, and the Elves left standing cried out in their victory. And Legolas knew it, in his mind some where, he could see it.
But he kept going. He kept running. He did not hear one of his comrades' shout at him to return. He would not turn back. He would face Mordor, face evil, face death.
And Legolas saw the massive Orc before him. He saw it staggering toward him, dying but hungry for blood. He saw it, and he did not flee.
The Orc growled as it came upon the Elf. It thrust its tainted dagger deep into the prince's stomach, leering at him as he held it there. Legolas' eyes went wide as the Orc glared at him through wicked slits. He could not really feel the pain or the blade plunged into his flesh. He could not hear the cries of his kin or the retreating Uruk Hai. Only the face of Aragorn filled his head as the Orc pulled the dagger from his stomach, before sinking to the ground and dying.
Legolas collapsed as well, slowly falling to his knees, his eyes fixed on the sky above him. He lay upon the blood stained earth, knowing death was now his fate, and closed his eyes as his tears mixed with the rain that fell lightly from the gray clouds.
As Aragorn ran, it seemed that time had stopped to mourn. He ran frantically through the rain that now washed away the blood of both Elf and Orc. He prayed to the Valar he wasn't too late. Please, God, let it not be too late.
He stumbled over bodies and mud, as his eyes darted wildly about, searching for Legolas. And then his greatest fear was so brutally confirmed.
There, a distance away from him, was a body on the ground, it's head adorned by silvery blonde tresses around it as a halo. It could have been any Elf, but Aragorn knew in his heart who it was. He rushed to the still form lying just feet away from the gates of Mordor, every bone in his mortal body screaming within him, but he could not find it in himself to bring the sound forth from his lips.
Aragorn fell to his knees beside the body, shaking with fear and grief, dropping his sword and forgetting the world. He slid his arm beneath the Elf's body and lifted him up into his hold.
Legolas' pale face stared at him lifelessly, choking the ranger. A strangled cry escaped him. The Elf was deeply wounded in his stomach, and the rain washed away his blood slowly. Legolas neither stirred nor breathed.
" Oh, God, no ", Aragorn cried. " Please, by the Valar, no."
He held the Elf in his arms, conveying a passionate sorrow.
" Legolas, please don't go ", he whimpered " I'm sorry. I don't want you to die. Please forgive me. Don't go, Legolas, I'm sorry."
Aragorn sobbed as he rocked Legolas back and forth. He cradled the Elf's body in his arms and wept as the rain came down harder, and darkness hung over them there.
" Oh, God, I'm sorry ", he moaned to some invisible person. " I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry", he repeated in his grief. " Legolas, I'm sorry. I love you, please forgive me. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't go ", Aragorn whispered. And he rocked the Elf there as the rain fell, washing away blood and tears.
Part 38
Aragorn waited. He sat anxiously upon Hasufel, the tall figures of Eomer and Theoden beside him. They three men waited in anticipation of the battle to come. A silence fell upon them as the army of mortals seemed to be alone. But the ranger knew better. Their enemies would be here. And he would be waiting.
Legolas no longer held himself at the head of the Elven army. Everyone was scattered in his fight. Already, many had fallen. The Uruk Hai now poured from the black gates and swarmed across the land. Everything was a blur, but Legolas could only move forward. He had set aside his bow, saving what arrows he had left for when he really needed them. At the end. Now, he used his knives. He had left Arod, and he hoped the horse had found a better place.
Aragorn was unwavering as he saw the army of Orcs come out of hiding. He knew Saruman was there, at the height of his tower, watching his beasts go forth to meet the Men. Aragorn hated him. He hated him for nearly killing Gandalf, for killing Boromir and Haldir, for tormenting Legolas, for the hundreds of Men and Elves who had died because of that despicably wizard. And of course, Saruman had not physically murdered or harmed any of those people himself. But Aragorn saw it that way. And he wanted revenge.
Legolas glanced to the wall, where many of the Orcs still stationed themselves. A fire burned in his eyes at the sight of them. He wanted to kill them, to spill their blood. He wanted to rip them apart slowly, piece by piece. He wanted to cut through their flesh and burn them to ashes. For his kin. For his friends. For Frodo the Ringbearer. For Aragorn.
Aragorn. The name pained him, and brought bittersweet memories. He wondered if he would ever see him again, and he was never more remorseful for what he had said to the ranger.
Legolas closed his eyes, as his fellow Elves fought Uruk Hai all around him. He closed his eyes and remembered.
" Legolas, catch me. Come on, Legolas, catch me now."
He had been a little boy then.
" Aragorn, stop. You're being so irrational. Aragorn, come out of the rain. Oh, why must you be so juvenile? You'll catch a cold. "
Legolas supposed it was his own fault for teaching him to embrace the rain.
" Estel, please. Stop, I surrender. I can't take it anymore. Estel. Please, stop. I surrender, you win. You win."
He had always enjoyed tickling the Elf.
" He is very ill, Legolas. We don't know if he'll make it through the night. "
Elrond had lost hope then, but Legolas hadn't.
" Promise me one thing, Estel. Promise me you will return."
Legolas had been so afraid he would never see him again after he left to be a ranger.
" Do not forget me."
He had whispered that to the prince the night he left, leaning very close to the Elf's face while the two clasped hands.
" Well, if it isn't for the heartless Elf brat of Mirkwood. I would pray you filthy creature leave this place and allow us keep our honor."
" And I would pray you silence yourself before I serve you an honorable death, for this Elf has more of a heart than the Valar would grant you."
He had been furious at that man for insulting Legolas on one of their travels.
" Why must you always scare me, Elf? "
" Yes, it seems I have a habit of scaring people."
He was always in a constant state of fear when in the company of Legolas. And he had frightened Legolas out of the Elf's wits a countless number of times himself.
" Do not forget me."
Legolas could not forget him.
" Do not forget me."
Legolas loved him.
" Cursed be the day you came into the world."
" I hate you with every fiber of my being."
Legolas wept for him.
" Do not forget me."
Legolas remembered.
Aragorn was now deeply engaged in battle. He had been separated from Eomer and Theoden, but hoped they still lived.Isengard was covered with Uruk Hai, but Saruman remained out of sight. He wielded Anduril majestically, and fueled every blow with his anger and hatred for the beasts.
His arm was bleeding from the slash of a jagged Orc blade, and he was covered in the blood of his foes. Aragorn's thoughts were with Legolas, as were his prayers.
Legolas approached the gates with speed, slaying Uruk Hai as he went. He needed to reach Mordor, to be within the wicked fortress. Legolas was smeared in Orc blood, unconsciously tired, and left unsatisfied. He kept going, his blue eyes staring through the blur of battle. He was nearly there, and the Orcs were falling back, he knew somehow.
Legolas was going to make it, going to step inside the foul place called Mordor. He could see its gates, smell it's fumes, feel it's evil.
And he was not afraid. Everything was slowed now, as the Orcs retreated, and the Elves left standing cried out in their victory. And Legolas knew it, in his mind some where, he could see it.
But he kept going. He kept running. He did not hear one of his comrades' shout at him to return. He would not turn back. He would face Mordor, face evil, face death.
And Legolas saw the massive Orc before him. He saw it staggering toward him, dying but hungry for blood. He saw it, and he did not flee.
The Orc growled as it came upon the Elf. It thrust its tainted dagger deep into the prince's stomach, leering at him as he held it there. Legolas' eyes went wide as the Orc glared at him through wicked slits. He could not really feel the pain or the blade plunged into his flesh. He could not hear the cries of his kin or the retreating Uruk Hai. Only the face of Aragorn filled his head as the Orc pulled the dagger from his stomach, before sinking to the ground and dying.
Legolas collapsed as well, slowly falling to his knees, his eyes fixed on the sky above him. He lay upon the blood stained earth, knowing death was now his fate, and closed his eyes as his tears mixed with the rain that fell lightly from the gray clouds.
As Aragorn ran, it seemed that time had stopped to mourn. He ran frantically through the rain that now washed away the blood of both Elf and Orc. He prayed to the Valar he wasn't too late. Please, God, let it not be too late.
He stumbled over bodies and mud, as his eyes darted wildly about, searching for Legolas. And then his greatest fear was so brutally confirmed.
There, a distance away from him, was a body on the ground, it's head adorned by silvery blonde tresses around it as a halo. It could have been any Elf, but Aragorn knew in his heart who it was. He rushed to the still form lying just feet away from the gates of Mordor, every bone in his mortal body screaming within him, but he could not find it in himself to bring the sound forth from his lips.
Aragorn fell to his knees beside the body, shaking with fear and grief, dropping his sword and forgetting the world. He slid his arm beneath the Elf's body and lifted him up into his hold.
Legolas' pale face stared at him lifelessly, choking the ranger. A strangled cry escaped him. The Elf was deeply wounded in his stomach, and the rain washed away his blood slowly. Legolas neither stirred nor breathed.
" Oh, God, no ", Aragorn cried. " Please, by the Valar, no."
He held the Elf in his arms, conveying a passionate sorrow.
" Legolas, please don't go ", he whimpered " I'm sorry. I don't want you to die. Please forgive me. Don't go, Legolas, I'm sorry."
Aragorn sobbed as he rocked Legolas back and forth. He cradled the Elf's body in his arms and wept as the rain came down harder, and darkness hung over them there.
" Oh, God, I'm sorry ", he moaned to some invisible person. " I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry", he repeated in his grief. " Legolas, I'm sorry. I love you, please forgive me. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't go ", Aragorn whispered. And he rocked the Elf there as the rain fell, washing away blood and tears.
