Ok, I guessed it was time for me to update again. I love leaving cliffies! I had so many reviews saying "Ah, cliffie!" It was hilarious reading them all! It cheered me up no end!
Wow, loads of reviews in one go! Great, thank you all my lovely readers! You can all have cookies from me! ^_^
~Lainfaer~
Elerrina- Yay, you're back! Thanks for all your reviews! My mate got really jealous when she saw how many I had, then she found out they were all from you! Her face was a picture! Who will she go with? Will he go with anyone? Keep reading, and you'll find out! (Everyone must realise Orcs have bad breath!)
Espel- Thanks, glad you're liking it!
Sara()- Sorry, couldn't help myself! I love leaving cliffies! I have updated ASAP as you requested!
Gwyn- Heehee, oh yes they can!
Deana- I know, I thought it was sweet too! ^_^
Rori- I love leaving people hanging, sorry!
tonianne- Wow, amazing? That's a compliment, thanks! ^_^
Chapter 12: Hero's and Heroines.
Legolas momentarily forgot to breathe.
Fire, everywhere.
Flames danced around, licking at the branches of trees, burning everything in their path. The scout he had sent ahead was desperately trying to extinguish the flames, but without much success. There was only one small stream nearby, and there was not nearly enough water.
He could see the carriage, on its side, lying amongst the burning trees.
//Elrohir!//
He forgot all sense of duty and propriety, and dashed forward towards the carriage. But Nifredil, loyal as she was, refused to go anywhere near the flames. So, he jumped off, and ran towards them instead.
The heat was immense, but he carried on. The smoke choked his lungs, but he had to find his friends. The carriage door was wide open; it had obviously been flung open by someone either trying to get in, or out. The flames seemed to encircle it, and he jumped through, ignoring any pain.
Inside, he could see all the sleeping people lying across the floor and each other, oblivious to what was going on. He felt a few of their necks, and instantly knew they were dead. They had no pulses. He cursed whatever had done this foul deed.
//Orcs, it has to have been Orcs!//
But Elladan had not sent anyone back for help. He continued his search, and soon came across what he was looking for.
Elladan lay on the floor, covering his brother, protecting him from the smoke and flames. He was unconscious, but when Legolas checked, he was still alive.
//Oh thank Eru!//
He lifted Elladan, who was as light as his brother, and went back to the door. He could see more silhouettes through the smoke and flames now, and realised that Dolenmíl had gone against his orders, and come after him. But that didn't matter now. All that mattered, was getting the twins out of the carriage.
Just as he reached the door, part of the carriage gave way, and he almost fell. But somehow he managed to keep his balance, and without thinking, jumped straight out the door, through the fire, and outside.
Strong hands caught him as he jumped, and as soon as Elladan was out of his grasp, he went back for Elrohir.
"No Legolas!" he heard. He turned round. Dolenmíl came running up to him. "You cannot go back in there. You have already inhaled too much smoke. Someone else will go."
"No, I am going. I know where he is. I can get to him quicker." Before Dolenmíl could argue, he re-entered the burning carriage.
"Is he mad?" one Elf asked her.
"No," she answered, looking at him. "He just cares for his friends. He said he would die for them."
The Elves waited anxiously for their Prince to return. Water was being chucked onto the flames that enveloped the carriage, plus soil, and anything else that would smoother them.
A couple of minutes passed, and they started to fear the worst. Then, just as nearly all their hopes had faded, a shadow appeared behind the flames. Legolas' exit was now completely blocked by flames, and he would have to jump straight through them to get out.
"Come on Legolas!" Dolenmíl found herself shouting. "Wrap yourself up in your cloak. It'll protect you from the flames."
More words of encouragement were shouted to the Prince, and as the carriage started to fall apart a hooded and cloaked figure jumped through the flames, and landed perfectly on the grass. He unrolled his cloak, and a very sooty Legolas appeared, gripping an unconscious Elrohir. Everyone cheered, and many rushed forward to help as Legolas sank to his knees, coughing and struggling for air.
Elrohir was whisked away to safety away from the flames, and Legolas was half-walked, half-carried to a safe distance away. He leant back against a tree, and got his breath back. Dolenmíl sat beside him, bathing a couple of burns he had on his arms.
"You've been lucky," she informed him. "Very lucky."
"Don't forget…the other people…in the…carriage," he gasped, looking at her. The smoke stung his eyes, and they were red and watery.
"Shh, don't try and speak, get your breath back," she told him.
"But…"
"No buts! I have seen to it that the flames are put out, and the carriage will
be searched. Were there any left alive in there anyway?" He shook his head.
"I checked about three. None had pulses," he replied slowly.
She lowered her head. "I thought as much." She continued to check him for burns.
"We have to get out of here," he told her. "We cannot stay. Are there any signs of Elladans' party?"
She shook her head. "None. A couple of horses have been found, but no people. Dead Orcs flood the outside of these trees though. There seem to be hundreds of them."
"No bodies?"
"No. No bodies."
"Right…" Legolas, using the tree as support, got to his feet.
"Oh no you don't," Dolenmíl argued, setting her hands on his shoulders. "You stay away from that carriage, you understand me?" Legolas looked a bit shocked at being talked to like this, but the look in her eyes made him feel rather small. "Why?"
"I have trained as a healer Legolas, and I know that you are in no fit state to go looking for people when there are loads of Orcs around. You need rest," she added in a softer tone. He looked at the floor.
"But these are my people Dolenmíl…"
"And mine too," she agreed,
slowly lowering him back to the ground. "I know how you feel Legolas, but if
you are unfit, then there is absolutely no point in you looking for them. You
could miss some serious signs in your state. Just give it a while, and you will
feel better. You inhaled far too much smoke. It all has to leave your body."
"You went against my orders," he suddenly said, looking up at her. "I told you
to stay back there, with the others, but you followed."
"How could I not? I watched you leave, then looked up. The smoke had reached us by then, and we could smell it. We had no choice but to follow. We had no idea where the fire actually was, so had to keep moving. And it was a good thing we did."
"I suppose so, but you were riding right into the danger. Didn't you think of the others that were with you?"
"Of course I did. I informed them of the smoke, and they all agreed that we should follow you. They had more or less guessed what had happened anyway. It was a group decision to follow you, not just mine." She stood up. "I must go and help with the searching. Stay here until you can breathe normally again. In fact no, wait until I come to check you over. If I come back and find you gone, Lord Elrond will be having some serious words with you when we reach him. Understand?"
"Yes Dolenmíl," he replied quietly. Exhaustion had now caught up with him, and he felt tired and drowsy. He was in no mood for arguing any more.
Once she had disappeared from his view, only then did Legolas take in his surroundings. He could just about hear the shouts of his people fighting the fires, but he couldn't see them. He could faintly smell burning wood on the air, and it sickened him to realise what else could be burning. Thank goodness they had reached that clearing in time. If they had been any later, the twins would be dead, suffocated by the smoke. Many others had already suffered that fate, and he felt sad, for he knew every single one of them. They were his fathers' people, his people, and any loss, was a sad one.
He felt like he had been sat there for an age when Dolenmíl finally returned. She was covered in soot from the smoke, and Legolas could see a burn on her right forearm.
"Dolenmíl, your arm!" he exclaimed when she reached him. He stood up, swaying a little. She rushed forward and held his arm. "Be careful Legolas, you're still unwell."
"I'm fine, but you are injured," he said, shrugging off her hand, and examining her arm.
"It is nothing," she argued, pulling it away.
"Just let me have a look. I let you look after me, and now I must do the same for you." Without waiting for an answer, he held her arm in his strong grip, and looked it over. She sighed, trying to wriggle free, but he was having none of it.
"There is no need to fuss.
It is only a small burn. It will soon heal."
"That was not what you said about mine," he said accusingly, looking up at her.
"Where's that cloth gone. I want you to bathe this, or else I'll do it myself."
She scowled at him, but found the cloth, and wetted it in the stream. She tried
to do it herself, but winced when she rubbed too hard.
"Oh come here," he eventually said exasperatedly, and softly washed it for her.
She smiled. "Diolla lle." He smiled back.
"No problem."
A short while later they returned to the burning clearing. The carriage was now smouldering, and many people were laid out on the grass. They had all been rescued from the carriage, but whether they were still alive or nor was another matter.
"Wouldn't this creature, the Dagnir-o Lóre protect them from dying? He wants them as his slaves doesn't he? So why didn't he keep them safe?" Dolenmíl asked Legolas. He shrugged.
"I don't know. He's a strange creature. How much do you actually know about him?"
"He puts his victims to
sleep, then takes over their homes when he has everyone."
"Well that's all you need to know for now," he said, going nearer the carriage.
"Have messengers been sent ahead to the other groups?" he asked Alagcelon.
"Yes my Lord. We sent the
fastest riders we could spare."
"Good, well done. Where are the twins?"
"Through here my Lord." Alagcelon led Legolas back out of the clearing and into a small cluster of trees. The twins were here, being seen to.
Elladan had awoken already, and was checking Elrohir over. Legolas grinned. "How are you feeling Dan?"
Elladan spun round. "Legolas? You're ok? Thank goodness!" He ran over, and they held each other.
"The others in your group told me what happened. What did you go straight in there for? You should have waited you idiot!"
"Excuse me, but I just
saved your lives back there! Have a bit of remorse, as I have suffered many
burns."
"Where?" Elladan immediately started checking Legolas'
arms.
"Isn't my healing good enough then my Lord Elladan?" a soft voice asked. They turned round. Dolenmíl stood there, a small smile on her fair, but rather sooty face. Elladan smiled back. "And who is this charming young lady Legolas?" he asked, raising one eyebrow slightly. Legolas scowled at him.
"This is Dolenmíl, one of Mirkwood Army's very best Corporals." He was sure a faint blush rose to Dolenmíls' cheeks, but she concealed it well.
"Prince Legolas is over-exaggerating it would seem my Lord. I do not know why he has said I am one of the best."
"I have known Prince Legolas for a very long time my Lady, and I know it when he really means what he says. This is one of those times," Elladan replied. Dolenmíls' cheeks did go red then.
"Well that is a very kind compliment my Lords. Now, if you must excuse me, I have work to do." She bowed her head, and walked back towards the clearing.
"She's nice," Elladan said quietly as she walked away. Legolas looked at him sideways, then hit him round the head. "Come back to Earth Elladan! Stop daydreaming!" Elladan scowled at him.
"I was not daydreaming, I
was merely observing that she is a very nice girl."
"Sure you were," Legolas replied, and narrowly missed a slap. "Come on, these
people need help. How's Elrohir?"
"The only trouble with him is, we can't tell if he is
actually unconscious, or whether it is just the effect of the Dagnir-o Lóre
over him. What do you think?" They walked over to the other twin, and Legolas
crouched down beside him.
Elrohir was also very
sooty, but seemed to be breathing at a normal rate. He felt his pulse. "I think
he's just asleep. But we'll have to
check with your father first. I'm not an expert on these things."
"Dolenmíl is, or so it would seem," Elladan suggested as Legolas got back to
his feet. Legolas rolled his eyes. "Any excuse to see her again."
"No, but she's a healer isn't she?"
"How can you tell?"
"I don't know, I just can. Is she?"
"Yes actually she is. For now, lets just concentrate
on these other people, finding the rest of your group, and getting back to
Mithrandir and your father."
****
"Mithrandir, what is that? See, back through the Pass?" Elrond asked.
Gandalf looked in the direction Elrond was pointing. His eyesight wasn't as keen as that of the Elves but he could see what it was.
"Smoke. Its smoke!" he exclaimed.
"The
twins, Legolas!" Elrond cried,
getting to his feet. "They are in trouble. Where could the
smoke be coming from?"
"There's no smoke without fire," Gandalf said, also standing. He was
smoking his pipe again.
"We should go back for them," Elrond told him.
"No, we cannot re-enter the
Pass," Gandalf argued. "If they need help, they will send for it."
"But they are my sons Mithrandir," Elrond said exasperatedly, sinking back onto
the tree stump on which he had been sitting. Gandalf crouched down beside him.
"I know Legolas is not my real son, but he is like one to me. I have known him since he was a young elfling, and he and the twins have been best friends for as long as I can remember. If anything happens to any of them, I worry. He has spent so much time in Imladris with us, he is like part of the family. And I do not know what the twins would do without him. And Thranduil as well. What would his father do?" Elrond hung his head in his hands.
"This is all a mess now Mithrandir. It has all gone so horribly wrong."
"Do not fret my friend. We do not know for certain that the smoke comes from Elladan or Legolas' group. It could just be a forest fire that will burn itself out, and they are perfectly safe. You worry far too much, even for a father of three and a half." Elrond smiled.
"Yes, Legolas is the half.
I know I worry a lot Mithrandir, but I cannot help it. The worries and strains
all come with being a parent. I am sure that they are fine. They will be here
soon, and all will be safe and well."
"Of course they will, Gandalf agreed, hiding his doubt from the Elven lord.
Elrond was under a lot of pressure, and he did not wish to worsen it.
"I expect they are waiting for the flames to subside and then they will be here," he added.
"Yes, they will," Elrond agreed, looking at the old wizard. "Everything will be fine."
How was that? A fire! That was fun writing! So, what's going to happen next? Only one way to find out. Review, and I'll tell ya! Heehee. ^_^ See you all soon.
~Lainfaer~
