My Darling Lillian
Chapter 7
The Attack
On the midnight hour of the eighteenth of February, two days after the Fellowship had left Lothlorien, Aragorn found little sleep, and lay awake, wishing for some form of warmth, some form of light, some form of comfort, to give relief from the bitterly cold darkness. He finally sat up, and saw Legolas sitting, propped up against a rock. Aragorn could not distinguish weather this Elf was asleep or awake, as Elves keep their eyes open during both instances. Aragorn looked about the company; all were asleep but he and perhaps the Elf. Legolas' low voice confirmed his consciousness. "Elves need little rest; Dwarves, if Gimly is to be believed, none; but do not Men require slumber upon every eve?" "Yes, so Men are," Aragorn replied, "And if sleep were attainable for me upon this hour, I would take it, Legolas of Mirkwood." He chuckled. Legolas smiled wryly, he had never like the name bestowed upon Greenwood after the Shadow had returned. Aragorn then put his hands behind his head and looked up at the stars. Legolas watched him curiously. Up until he had come to Rivendell he'd had very little contact with mortal beings. Well, there was that one incident a few years ago when some Dwarfs had entered the woods, his father had been in a bad disposition when they had arrived, and he had sent them into the dungeons. Legolas' attention then was returned to Aragorn as he gazed mournfully at the sky. "Do you miss the Lady Even-star?" Legolas asked. Aragorn looked up surprised. "It was not a difficult riddle to solve." Legolas said, his eyes seemed to be laughing. "Yes," Aragorn replied, "I miss Arwen terribly." And sorrow covered his face. Legolas nodded in sympathy. "At one time did you not have a lover?" Aragorn asked. Legolas frowned. "No," He replied. "I have never truly sought love, and love has never seemed to search me out." Legolas continued. Aragorn was not surprised. Legolas did not seem the sort of person to have a lover. "Do you now think that you may find peace in dreams?" Legolas asked, he himself tired Elf though he was. "Perhaps; however, I doubt it." Aragorn replied, though he was asleep almost before he lad laid himself back upon the ground.
For the rest of the night, guards were posted to keep watch. Legolas had the first watch, during which nothing happened other than an occasional howl. After his watch he went to rouse Lillian, as her turn came after his. Lillian was sleeping under a small pine, wrapped in blankets so that only her face could be seen. Legolas smiled, bent and kissed her cheek, then returned to take Lillian's watch. It had not been five minutes after Legolas had returned to the post, when he heard a sound behind him. "Legolas?" A quiet voice whispered in the darkness. "Yes, Lillian?" Lillian came up next to Legolas, one blanked draped around her shoulders and one in her hands. "You took my turn." Lillian said, trying to sound gruff. "Borrowed." Legolas corrected, smiling, "I only borrowed you post." "Some things can be taken, but not returned." Lillian reminded him, as she handed him the spare blanket. "Yes." Legolas replied, taking the blanket. For a moment Legolas and Lillian stood silent, then Legolas continued his thought. "Lillian, there is a thing of mine that you have taken." Lillian looked up at Legolas, the moonlight caressing her face. "What?" She asked, though she already knew the answer. "My heart." He whispered. Legolas then briefly, but gently, pressed his lips against hers. "Go back and get some sleep." Legolas then urged her. "I'm not tired." Lillian replied. Legolas shook her head though he smiled, "If you are not the most quarrelsome person I have ever met, then I am Treebeard, himself!" Legolas wrapped one arm around Lillian when they both heard a low growl coming from the bushes behind them. Lillian started, but Legolas held her still, and put a finger to his lips. Lillian pursed her lips together and nodded slowly and grimly, though her eyes were wide with fright. Legolas and Lillian were forced to stay still, for fear of causing the wolf behind them to attack out of fear. After nearly an hour later, Lillian looked up at Legolas, then in a hurriedly whispered: "Legolas, soon it's gonna be Ori's turn for watch, and if he says anything, the wolf might attack us." Legolas nodded, "However, I know only the general direction in which the creature lies." "Then take a shot in the dark." Lillian urged, "Your arrows are quiet, and if you miss you might get another shot." Legolas nodded again, as he prepared an arrow, inwardly whispering a prayer to Ilúvatar requesting that the wolf be, and remain, asleep. He slowly turned, then released the arrow. The soft 'twang' of the string was followed by a soft groan. Death for the wolf was swift and silent. "Cummon, Legolas," Lillian whispered, "We've gotta find Gandalf." Legolas and Lillian ran swiftly through the grass back to where the remainder of the company lay asleep. Lillian ran over to Gandalf and gently pressed his shoulder, while Legolas busied himself with waking the remainder of the companions. Gandalf slowly opened one eye. "Lillian?" He asked groggily then sat up, "What's wrong?" "A wolf nearly attacked Legolas and I, Legolas killed it, but they will not let us live to see the morning unless we do something now!" Lillian whispered quickly. Gandalf, realizing the threat of the situation, silently got up, and helped awaken everyone else. Legolas and Gandalf awakened everyone, until only Ori remained. All of the others had remained relatively silent when awakened, but when Legolas placed a hand on Ori's shoulder, he sprung to his feet shouting threats, though he was only half-awake. At the sound of such nose, half a dozen wolfs sprung from the shadows and the sound of a sudden chain of howling warned of reinforcements on the way! "Great play, Shakespeare." Lillian scoffed at Ori, as all took up their arms and waited for the wolves to attack. Their wait was not long, and the wolf attacked with such ferocity was would have frozen the hearts of many a man. The air was filled with noise that seemed to shake the ground! Growls and howls of anger, twang of bowstring, grunts of exertion with every thrust of ax blade, sounds of exploding powder, the thud of a staff upon unsuspecting wolfs, and the cries of wounded wolfs. Though every person put all of their strength and will into fighting, the wolves were at an advantage in number. And after a while, the strength of all began to wan. "What now?" Phercrabion asked, wearily releasing his last arrow. "How would I know?" Frór sighed, swinging his ax halfheartedly. "Any ideas?" Lillian asked, making another bag of gunpowder. Her hands were nearly completely black from stoot and the powder. "Whatever we're to do, it needs to be done soon!" Legolas called as his short bladed knives flashed red from blood spilled. No one spoke for a while, each concentrating on the battle; then suddenly Lillian had an idea. "Gandalf," She cried, throwing the last of her powder, "Hurry, use that smoke thing you do!" "Now she thinks of it..." Ori mumbled as he nearly tripped over a carcass from sheer exhaustion. "Why didn't I think of it sooner?" Gandalf exclaimed as he threw the powder onto the ground. A maroon vapor rose and Lillian, Legolas, Gimly, and Gandalf immediately ran into the cloud. Ori, Frór, Valin waited until Hallaampion, Phercrabion, and Dûrmelion had crossed over before they ran through. For five whole minutes, the wolves kept attacking, though there were no more people to attack, and kill many of their own.
Thus ends the tale of the second journey to the Lonely Mountains.
Chapter 7
The Attack
On the midnight hour of the eighteenth of February, two days after the Fellowship had left Lothlorien, Aragorn found little sleep, and lay awake, wishing for some form of warmth, some form of light, some form of comfort, to give relief from the bitterly cold darkness. He finally sat up, and saw Legolas sitting, propped up against a rock. Aragorn could not distinguish weather this Elf was asleep or awake, as Elves keep their eyes open during both instances. Aragorn looked about the company; all were asleep but he and perhaps the Elf. Legolas' low voice confirmed his consciousness. "Elves need little rest; Dwarves, if Gimly is to be believed, none; but do not Men require slumber upon every eve?" "Yes, so Men are," Aragorn replied, "And if sleep were attainable for me upon this hour, I would take it, Legolas of Mirkwood." He chuckled. Legolas smiled wryly, he had never like the name bestowed upon Greenwood after the Shadow had returned. Aragorn then put his hands behind his head and looked up at the stars. Legolas watched him curiously. Up until he had come to Rivendell he'd had very little contact with mortal beings. Well, there was that one incident a few years ago when some Dwarfs had entered the woods, his father had been in a bad disposition when they had arrived, and he had sent them into the dungeons. Legolas' attention then was returned to Aragorn as he gazed mournfully at the sky. "Do you miss the Lady Even-star?" Legolas asked. Aragorn looked up surprised. "It was not a difficult riddle to solve." Legolas said, his eyes seemed to be laughing. "Yes," Aragorn replied, "I miss Arwen terribly." And sorrow covered his face. Legolas nodded in sympathy. "At one time did you not have a lover?" Aragorn asked. Legolas frowned. "No," He replied. "I have never truly sought love, and love has never seemed to search me out." Legolas continued. Aragorn was not surprised. Legolas did not seem the sort of person to have a lover. "Do you now think that you may find peace in dreams?" Legolas asked, he himself tired Elf though he was. "Perhaps; however, I doubt it." Aragorn replied, though he was asleep almost before he lad laid himself back upon the ground.
For the rest of the night, guards were posted to keep watch. Legolas had the first watch, during which nothing happened other than an occasional howl. After his watch he went to rouse Lillian, as her turn came after his. Lillian was sleeping under a small pine, wrapped in blankets so that only her face could be seen. Legolas smiled, bent and kissed her cheek, then returned to take Lillian's watch. It had not been five minutes after Legolas had returned to the post, when he heard a sound behind him. "Legolas?" A quiet voice whispered in the darkness. "Yes, Lillian?" Lillian came up next to Legolas, one blanked draped around her shoulders and one in her hands. "You took my turn." Lillian said, trying to sound gruff. "Borrowed." Legolas corrected, smiling, "I only borrowed you post." "Some things can be taken, but not returned." Lillian reminded him, as she handed him the spare blanket. "Yes." Legolas replied, taking the blanket. For a moment Legolas and Lillian stood silent, then Legolas continued his thought. "Lillian, there is a thing of mine that you have taken." Lillian looked up at Legolas, the moonlight caressing her face. "What?" She asked, though she already knew the answer. "My heart." He whispered. Legolas then briefly, but gently, pressed his lips against hers. "Go back and get some sleep." Legolas then urged her. "I'm not tired." Lillian replied. Legolas shook her head though he smiled, "If you are not the most quarrelsome person I have ever met, then I am Treebeard, himself!" Legolas wrapped one arm around Lillian when they both heard a low growl coming from the bushes behind them. Lillian started, but Legolas held her still, and put a finger to his lips. Lillian pursed her lips together and nodded slowly and grimly, though her eyes were wide with fright. Legolas and Lillian were forced to stay still, for fear of causing the wolf behind them to attack out of fear. After nearly an hour later, Lillian looked up at Legolas, then in a hurriedly whispered: "Legolas, soon it's gonna be Ori's turn for watch, and if he says anything, the wolf might attack us." Legolas nodded, "However, I know only the general direction in which the creature lies." "Then take a shot in the dark." Lillian urged, "Your arrows are quiet, and if you miss you might get another shot." Legolas nodded again, as he prepared an arrow, inwardly whispering a prayer to Ilúvatar requesting that the wolf be, and remain, asleep. He slowly turned, then released the arrow. The soft 'twang' of the string was followed by a soft groan. Death for the wolf was swift and silent. "Cummon, Legolas," Lillian whispered, "We've gotta find Gandalf." Legolas and Lillian ran swiftly through the grass back to where the remainder of the company lay asleep. Lillian ran over to Gandalf and gently pressed his shoulder, while Legolas busied himself with waking the remainder of the companions. Gandalf slowly opened one eye. "Lillian?" He asked groggily then sat up, "What's wrong?" "A wolf nearly attacked Legolas and I, Legolas killed it, but they will not let us live to see the morning unless we do something now!" Lillian whispered quickly. Gandalf, realizing the threat of the situation, silently got up, and helped awaken everyone else. Legolas and Gandalf awakened everyone, until only Ori remained. All of the others had remained relatively silent when awakened, but when Legolas placed a hand on Ori's shoulder, he sprung to his feet shouting threats, though he was only half-awake. At the sound of such nose, half a dozen wolfs sprung from the shadows and the sound of a sudden chain of howling warned of reinforcements on the way! "Great play, Shakespeare." Lillian scoffed at Ori, as all took up their arms and waited for the wolves to attack. Their wait was not long, and the wolf attacked with such ferocity was would have frozen the hearts of many a man. The air was filled with noise that seemed to shake the ground! Growls and howls of anger, twang of bowstring, grunts of exertion with every thrust of ax blade, sounds of exploding powder, the thud of a staff upon unsuspecting wolfs, and the cries of wounded wolfs. Though every person put all of their strength and will into fighting, the wolves were at an advantage in number. And after a while, the strength of all began to wan. "What now?" Phercrabion asked, wearily releasing his last arrow. "How would I know?" Frór sighed, swinging his ax halfheartedly. "Any ideas?" Lillian asked, making another bag of gunpowder. Her hands were nearly completely black from stoot and the powder. "Whatever we're to do, it needs to be done soon!" Legolas called as his short bladed knives flashed red from blood spilled. No one spoke for a while, each concentrating on the battle; then suddenly Lillian had an idea. "Gandalf," She cried, throwing the last of her powder, "Hurry, use that smoke thing you do!" "Now she thinks of it..." Ori mumbled as he nearly tripped over a carcass from sheer exhaustion. "Why didn't I think of it sooner?" Gandalf exclaimed as he threw the powder onto the ground. A maroon vapor rose and Lillian, Legolas, Gimly, and Gandalf immediately ran into the cloud. Ori, Frór, Valin waited until Hallaampion, Phercrabion, and Dûrmelion had crossed over before they ran through. For five whole minutes, the wolves kept attacking, though there were no more people to attack, and kill many of their own.
Thus ends the tale of the second journey to the Lonely Mountains.