*1 Amme= Mother
My Darling Lillian
Chapter 5
An Accident
Legolas sat by his dying mother, she had been bitten by many spiders, and it had been too long before she had been able to receive medicine for her hurts.
Legolas heard his father and Elrond, the mighty healer of Rivendell, talking in the next room. He leaned over to listen to their conversation.
"I'm sorry, Thranduil, there is nothing more I can do." Elrond said slowly.
Thranduil stood a moment, shock written all over his face.
Tears sprung to his eyes, he groped about for support and found a chair in which he seated himself.
Elrond quietly left the room, saddened.
Then Thranduil seemingly melted into a sobbing, bent over mass of sorrow.
Legolas's mother slowly sat up. "Legolas," She called. Legolas jumped, then looked over at his mother.
"Soon I shall see the halls of Namo." She said slowly.
"I'm sorry, Amme!*1" Legolas cried, suddenly weeping, "If it were not for me you would live to see many thousands of summers to come!"
"Legolas, do you think that I begun this conversation to scold you? Nay! I spake to remind you that you still have duties to fulfill to Greenwood as Prince," She stopped a moment, and looked deeply into Legolas' eyes as she continued, "And that you are my son, and that I love you."
Legolas' ears grew hot with shame, how could she love her son so unconditionally?
"Never forget that." She commanded as she left Mirkwood, and departed for the Houses of the Dead.
The battle under the Misty Mountains raged on and on, and the assembly was slowly driven back against a wall.
The whole of the fellowship was doing their best: the bows of the Elves were singing, the axes of the Dwarfs caused heavy losses for the goblins, Gandalf was striking down many with flashes from his staff, and Lillian was both startling and killing with the gun-powder bags, yet they were being forced against the wall.
They were forty feet from the wall of the cave, when Lillian looked up and saw a stalactite. She grinned. "I have an idea." She called over the noise of battle.
She quickly grabbed an arrow from Legolas' quiver, and tied one of her bombs at the end.
Legolas was about to protest, but then saw the stalactite and realized what she was doing.
When the goblins saw the combination of the arrow, and the 'fire rocks', as they called the bombs, they trembled. After Legolas took the arrow back from her, he aimed at the base of the stalactite and let it go. The goblins snickered as the arrow flew easily over their heads. "The stupid Elf" One of the snickered, "couldn't hit an Oliphaunt!" "I wasn't aiming for an Oliphaunt..." Legolas grinned as the arrow hit the base of the stalactite, causing a huge explosion. A bit of dust fell. "Oh no!" Another shouted in mock horror, "It's raining dust! Whatever shall we do?" Then came a sickening 'crack', as the stalactite broke into several pieces, and then was pulled to the ground by gravity. "To the exit!" Gandalf cried, realizing that the results would be none to cheerful if they stuck around. The sections of rock fell, and every portion wiped out at least ten goblins; however, the boulders did not seem to know that their busyness was to kill the goblins, and four or five also nearly killed a few of the dwarfs, Gandalf, and Lillian, before the Elves pulled them out of harm's way. "One left, one right, two left, two right..." Gandalf murmured as he led them down a tunnel to what the followers knew was the way out. The company had nearly reached the exit, and the roof was no longer falling apart, when out of a side tunnel, a huge lumbering shape appeared. "Cave troll!" Legolas shouted, as Phercrabanion fitted an arrow to his bow and released it faster than mortal eyes could perceive--as is the way of the elves. The arrow flew up and bounced off its protective armor, doing little more than annoying it. "Do not waste your arrows, its armor is too thick!" Hallaampion shouted. The troll stared at the group for a moment, as though trying to decide what to do with the bothersome troop. Gandalf, seizing the opportunity, lifted his staff and shouted words in an ancient toung. The tip of the staff glowed a moment before emitting a sudden and violent light that struck the troll. The troll bellowed in pain, then looked about for something, or preferably someone, to crush. It took him a few moments, because the brilliant flash left him disoriented. "Make for the exit!" Ori yelled, ducking under the troll's splayed legs, and running for a thin sliver of light that illuminated both the cavern and each individual's hopes for escape. The whole group had reached the door, and was prying it open, when the troll recovered from the temporary bewilderment and spotted the annoyances, and seized the closest one. Lillian was pulling on a small cleft in the door, trying to lever it open, when she felt a hand seeming to be made of iron to seize her. She screamed as the troll lifted her up until she was face-to-face with the horrible beast. "LILLIAN!" Legolas cried. The troll grunted, as though inquiring what he should do with her. Lillian tuned white as a sheet. 'Lillian...' A voice seemed to whisper inside her. Lillian's eyes opened wide. "Papa...?" She whispered. 'My darling Lillian...' the voice continued. Suddenly Lillian knew what she must do. She struggled a moment to free her arms, then turned to gaze at her companions that had accompanied her thus far. They all stared back, unsure as to what they should do. Lillian looked over all their faces, the Elves were worried, and their faces troubled and frightened. The Dwarfs were also worried, but met the fear with scowls. Then she looked over at Legolas, and held him in her gaze for a few moments. The troll shifted his hold on Lillian so that her waist was now pinched between his two fingers. Lillian removed a bag from her satchel. 'Goodbye...' She mouthed as both her grip on the bag and her determination increased. "Lillian, no!" Legolas shouted, realizing what she was about to do. Lillian took hold of the bag and looked up into the troll's eyes, stern determination showed in her eyes where only pain and sorrow had once registered. She wanted to close her eyes, but instead she looked directly into the troll's eyes. "You'll not have my companions; even if it costs me my life." She murmured. Then with all the remaining will power she could muster, she brought the bag of gun-powder down onto the troll's unprotected brow. Legolas, from the ground, saw a sudden light, and heard a terrible scream of pain, agony, and death. The troll swayed only once before it fell forwards onto the door knocking it open. "Come!" Valin cried, heading for the door. "Wait!" Legolas shouted, running back to the dead carcass of the troll. Legolas silently thanked Iluvatar that it hadn't fallen on its arm, if it had done so... Legolas shook his head, clearing away the nauseous feeling in the pit of his stomach. He gently picked up Lillian, she was covered with soot and ashes, and her once long and copper hair was reduced to a bit of charred bedraggled muss. But she was not dead, for she groaned as she was lifted from the rubble and debris of the explosion. Legolas nearly wept on the spot, but the sound of the others moving about reminded him that they must leave the cave. "Quick!" Legolas shouted, taking command for the moment, "You Dwarfs, move the troll out of the door!" "What do you think we are?" Valin demanded, "Your carter ponies to do what you demand?" Legolas shot him a glance, such as which have rarely been seen, and then slowly said: "Now." With no more outright defiance, but quite a bit more grumbling Valin, Ori, and Frór shoved the carcass out of the way, then Gandalf and Hallaampion shut the doors, and Gimly took one of Lillian's powder bags, and permanently blocked the door. "A tent needs to be set up, and we need a fire if I am to make a salve for Lillian's burns!" Gandalf said, now reassuming the role as leader. Legolas nodded and gently laid Lillian under the shade of a spreading pine. Then the Dwarfs set out to find some dry foliage and wood, while the Elves busied themselves by putting up a tent. "Will Lillian be alright, Gandalf?" Legolas asked during a moment when he was not needed to help with the tent. "Only time will tell..." Gandalf murmured, as he took a damp cloth and dabbed at Lillian's face and arms. Legolas returned to the tent with Gandalf's words ringing in his ears: 'Only time will tell...'
My Darling Lillian
Chapter 5
An Accident
Legolas sat by his dying mother, she had been bitten by many spiders, and it had been too long before she had been able to receive medicine for her hurts.
Legolas heard his father and Elrond, the mighty healer of Rivendell, talking in the next room. He leaned over to listen to their conversation.
"I'm sorry, Thranduil, there is nothing more I can do." Elrond said slowly.
Thranduil stood a moment, shock written all over his face.
Tears sprung to his eyes, he groped about for support and found a chair in which he seated himself.
Elrond quietly left the room, saddened.
Then Thranduil seemingly melted into a sobbing, bent over mass of sorrow.
Legolas's mother slowly sat up. "Legolas," She called. Legolas jumped, then looked over at his mother.
"Soon I shall see the halls of Namo." She said slowly.
"I'm sorry, Amme!*1" Legolas cried, suddenly weeping, "If it were not for me you would live to see many thousands of summers to come!"
"Legolas, do you think that I begun this conversation to scold you? Nay! I spake to remind you that you still have duties to fulfill to Greenwood as Prince," She stopped a moment, and looked deeply into Legolas' eyes as she continued, "And that you are my son, and that I love you."
Legolas' ears grew hot with shame, how could she love her son so unconditionally?
"Never forget that." She commanded as she left Mirkwood, and departed for the Houses of the Dead.
The battle under the Misty Mountains raged on and on, and the assembly was slowly driven back against a wall.
The whole of the fellowship was doing their best: the bows of the Elves were singing, the axes of the Dwarfs caused heavy losses for the goblins, Gandalf was striking down many with flashes from his staff, and Lillian was both startling and killing with the gun-powder bags, yet they were being forced against the wall.
They were forty feet from the wall of the cave, when Lillian looked up and saw a stalactite. She grinned. "I have an idea." She called over the noise of battle.
She quickly grabbed an arrow from Legolas' quiver, and tied one of her bombs at the end.
Legolas was about to protest, but then saw the stalactite and realized what she was doing.
When the goblins saw the combination of the arrow, and the 'fire rocks', as they called the bombs, they trembled. After Legolas took the arrow back from her, he aimed at the base of the stalactite and let it go. The goblins snickered as the arrow flew easily over their heads. "The stupid Elf" One of the snickered, "couldn't hit an Oliphaunt!" "I wasn't aiming for an Oliphaunt..." Legolas grinned as the arrow hit the base of the stalactite, causing a huge explosion. A bit of dust fell. "Oh no!" Another shouted in mock horror, "It's raining dust! Whatever shall we do?" Then came a sickening 'crack', as the stalactite broke into several pieces, and then was pulled to the ground by gravity. "To the exit!" Gandalf cried, realizing that the results would be none to cheerful if they stuck around. The sections of rock fell, and every portion wiped out at least ten goblins; however, the boulders did not seem to know that their busyness was to kill the goblins, and four or five also nearly killed a few of the dwarfs, Gandalf, and Lillian, before the Elves pulled them out of harm's way. "One left, one right, two left, two right..." Gandalf murmured as he led them down a tunnel to what the followers knew was the way out. The company had nearly reached the exit, and the roof was no longer falling apart, when out of a side tunnel, a huge lumbering shape appeared. "Cave troll!" Legolas shouted, as Phercrabanion fitted an arrow to his bow and released it faster than mortal eyes could perceive--as is the way of the elves. The arrow flew up and bounced off its protective armor, doing little more than annoying it. "Do not waste your arrows, its armor is too thick!" Hallaampion shouted. The troll stared at the group for a moment, as though trying to decide what to do with the bothersome troop. Gandalf, seizing the opportunity, lifted his staff and shouted words in an ancient toung. The tip of the staff glowed a moment before emitting a sudden and violent light that struck the troll. The troll bellowed in pain, then looked about for something, or preferably someone, to crush. It took him a few moments, because the brilliant flash left him disoriented. "Make for the exit!" Ori yelled, ducking under the troll's splayed legs, and running for a thin sliver of light that illuminated both the cavern and each individual's hopes for escape. The whole group had reached the door, and was prying it open, when the troll recovered from the temporary bewilderment and spotted the annoyances, and seized the closest one. Lillian was pulling on a small cleft in the door, trying to lever it open, when she felt a hand seeming to be made of iron to seize her. She screamed as the troll lifted her up until she was face-to-face with the horrible beast. "LILLIAN!" Legolas cried. The troll grunted, as though inquiring what he should do with her. Lillian tuned white as a sheet. 'Lillian...' A voice seemed to whisper inside her. Lillian's eyes opened wide. "Papa...?" She whispered. 'My darling Lillian...' the voice continued. Suddenly Lillian knew what she must do. She struggled a moment to free her arms, then turned to gaze at her companions that had accompanied her thus far. They all stared back, unsure as to what they should do. Lillian looked over all their faces, the Elves were worried, and their faces troubled and frightened. The Dwarfs were also worried, but met the fear with scowls. Then she looked over at Legolas, and held him in her gaze for a few moments. The troll shifted his hold on Lillian so that her waist was now pinched between his two fingers. Lillian removed a bag from her satchel. 'Goodbye...' She mouthed as both her grip on the bag and her determination increased. "Lillian, no!" Legolas shouted, realizing what she was about to do. Lillian took hold of the bag and looked up into the troll's eyes, stern determination showed in her eyes where only pain and sorrow had once registered. She wanted to close her eyes, but instead she looked directly into the troll's eyes. "You'll not have my companions; even if it costs me my life." She murmured. Then with all the remaining will power she could muster, she brought the bag of gun-powder down onto the troll's unprotected brow. Legolas, from the ground, saw a sudden light, and heard a terrible scream of pain, agony, and death. The troll swayed only once before it fell forwards onto the door knocking it open. "Come!" Valin cried, heading for the door. "Wait!" Legolas shouted, running back to the dead carcass of the troll. Legolas silently thanked Iluvatar that it hadn't fallen on its arm, if it had done so... Legolas shook his head, clearing away the nauseous feeling in the pit of his stomach. He gently picked up Lillian, she was covered with soot and ashes, and her once long and copper hair was reduced to a bit of charred bedraggled muss. But she was not dead, for she groaned as she was lifted from the rubble and debris of the explosion. Legolas nearly wept on the spot, but the sound of the others moving about reminded him that they must leave the cave. "Quick!" Legolas shouted, taking command for the moment, "You Dwarfs, move the troll out of the door!" "What do you think we are?" Valin demanded, "Your carter ponies to do what you demand?" Legolas shot him a glance, such as which have rarely been seen, and then slowly said: "Now." With no more outright defiance, but quite a bit more grumbling Valin, Ori, and Frór shoved the carcass out of the way, then Gandalf and Hallaampion shut the doors, and Gimly took one of Lillian's powder bags, and permanently blocked the door. "A tent needs to be set up, and we need a fire if I am to make a salve for Lillian's burns!" Gandalf said, now reassuming the role as leader. Legolas nodded and gently laid Lillian under the shade of a spreading pine. Then the Dwarfs set out to find some dry foliage and wood, while the Elves busied themselves by putting up a tent. "Will Lillian be alright, Gandalf?" Legolas asked during a moment when he was not needed to help with the tent. "Only time will tell..." Gandalf murmured, as he took a damp cloth and dabbed at Lillian's face and arms. Legolas returned to the tent with Gandalf's words ringing in his ears: 'Only time will tell...'