DISCLAIMER- If I owned LotR, I wouldn't have to write a disclaimer. I'd also own more than £4.32 in my piggy bank, and I'd be a famous author. I'd also be dead. So obviously, it doesn't belong to me!
Ok, time for the infamous review replies!!!
MoroTheWolfGod- I'm glad you like it, here's some more, and your cookie! (:.)
Pirate-chica- Lol, yeah, I always thought they were a bit insane! I mean, they must be, playing an Orc killing game! This isn't a torture fic as such, but he will be feeling a little worse for wear a little while later... =D I'm glad someone likes my disclaimer, I try to make them interesting as possible! I hope you like this next instalment... here's a cookie. (:.)
Callie3- I'm not sure about whether to actually kill Legolas, coz that's a bit harsh, and it wont be torture in the sense of whips and stuff, but if the fic is from me, you can be pretty sure that he's gonna get hurt! I'm an evil cow... =D Moooo! Well, first you'll have to see if I killed Gimli, then we can see whether your first guess was right. As a clue, I'll say this- have you been near my plot Nazgúl? (I don't have bunnies- too fluffy for a sadistic writer like me!) Oh yeah, and your cookie... (:.)
Hope you enjoy this chapter... I know I will... =D I'm also going to attempt (NOTE- attempt!) to do an small conversation in Elvish. I do try my hardest, but sometimes they don't have the words I'm looking for, so I have to use a rather misinformed translator. If I make any mistakes, please feel free to correct me!
.:Chapter 3:.
"Gimli!"
The Dwarf heard his friend's melodious voice calling to him, but it sounded strange- slightly tinny. His mind was fully fixed on the searing pain that ran from his stomach to his thigh; that cursed Orc's scimitar had slashed him, and the gash ran quite deeply. He knew that he was lying on his back, it seemed like the more obvious thing to do in his Dwarvish thinking, and tried to concentrate on ignoring the sharp throbbing.
He was suddenly aware of Legolas' fair face above him. The Elf was hovering, a look of great concern marring his graceful features.
"Are you alright? What happened? Where does it hurt? Is it bad?" he asked frantically.
So many questions, and Gimli couldn't keep up with them. "Legolas!" he groaned. The young Elf stopped.
"I'm sorry." he said, a little sheepishly. Suddenly, he hissed and grabbed his arm again, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. Gimli couldn't help but notice that the Elf was a little paler than normal and wondered for a moment what was wrong, and then remembered the arrow that had caught his friend so unawares. "You're hurt," he croaked, as if Legolas had forgotten.
"I'm fine, it just stings a little." said Legolas, albeit through gritted teeth. Gimli frowned, knowing that his friend was lying, but this was replaced with a heaving gasp as another wave of pain wracked his body.
Legolas moved to comfort his friend. "I know, we'll get you on Arod, and we'll ride back to Minas Tirith-" Gimli put a surprisingly strong arm up, clasping his friend's wrist tightly.
"No laddie," he sighed. "I don't think I'll be doing much riding, not like this. I have a better idea. You go back. Go and get Aragorn, and then someone can come and get me."
Legolas looked at Gimli as if he was mad. But, as he had said himself only a few hours before, they were the most insane beings in all of Middle-Earth, and taking that into account, it seemed like the better thing to do. However, he didn't like the thought of leaving Gimli here alone, on the slopes of the Eastern Mountains, with dangerous Orcs close by, injured and bloody.
Gimli caught this look in his friend's eyes. He felt the same way, but he honestly didn't think he could ride the way they had earlier without making his injuries worse, and there was one other factor which made him wish for Legolas to return first.
The arrow could have been poisoned, and whilst he knew what was wrong with himself, this poison that was possibly flowing in the Elf's veins could be highly dangerous. Of course, that was assuming that there was poison, but he didn't want to take any chances.
"I know what I'm talking about lad. There's a small hole I can lie in just over there, I'll be fine."
Legolas was in turmoil. To leave his friend and get help, or to stay with him and hope that someone would come. He thought long and hard. Eventually, he came to the same conclusion as Gimli, minus the thought about his own injury.
"Very well Gimli. I'll aid you to the hole." Dragging his friend over to the small gap in the wall, they managed to conceal the Dwarf. Legolas was still on his knees. Looking into the pain filled face of his best friend, he couldn't help but feel guilty again.
"I would ride with the speed of a thousand horses if it would mean less pain for you mellonamin." His guilt was eased slightly as Gimli nodded and replied; "I know."
As he stood, the young Elf felt a wave of nausea wash over him. The world spun in front of his eyes, and he couldn't stop it. The pain in his arm flared again, and it felt like tongues of flame were licking about his arm, engulfing the entire limb. He swayed, just managing to clasp onto a black tree's low-hanging branch to avoid crashing back down to his knees. Suddenly the pulsing throbbing was everywhere; in his head, his arms, his back and legs. There was a horrid, sickly feeling in the pit of his stomach that he just couldn't shake.
He felt awful.
Gimli watched this with concern. "Go on lad. You need to get back." As these words emerged from Gimli's mouth, Legolas finally understood why his friend was willing to wait. He didn't want to hold him back, because he feared for him.
"I'll be back soon." he promised. Regaining his balance, he staggered over to Arod, who whinnied and nuzzled his head into his master.
"Noro lim mellonamin!*" he whispered softly, and pulled himself wearily up onto the steed's back.
Arod could sense his master's pain almost immediately. He knew that the Elf that had cared for him and tended him throughout the last three years was ill, but he would not let this rider fall.
Gimli watched as the pair galloped off. Legolas turned his head back to see his friend's form slowly shrinking away into the distance. He wanted to watch until it was no more that a dot on the horizon, but suddenly the dark venom coursing in his system took hold again, more severely this time, and black spots danced before his eyes. He felt his muscles tensing up, and he gripped Arod's neck tightly. Leaning forward on the stallion, he rested his head against its neck, closing his eyes and praying to the Valar it would stop soon...
~*~*~*~
Aragorn woke again in the early hours of the morning. He found himself alone, the space next to him empty. Sitting up, he glimpsed Arwen through the lace netting that was draped down in front of the window, out on the balcony. Her beautiful face was troubled, yet still looked as fair and ethereal as the day he first set eyes on it.
"Melath nin," he whispered. "Naa ta i'hoviel au'?*"
She turned to him, a frown set on her brow that seemed so out of place there. "Nár. Amin dele ten' sen, Aragorn.**" she replied.
"Amin luu, melath nin.***" said Aragorn. He had also had disturbing images littering his dreams, though not as disturbing as Arwen's had been. He just prayed to the Valar that their friends were safe and sound. "Although considering those two," he thought. "Something has bound to have happened." He was pulled out of his thoughts by Arwen.
"Aragorn?"
He looked at his wife and followed her gaze out onto the plains. A dark shape was thundering over the land, clearly a horse. Dust plumes were being kicked out far behind it, rising up to the starry sky, showing that it travelled at quite a high speed. Yet there was something wrong...
As he watched, Aragorn noticed that the horse occasionally slowed down, almost to a walking pace, and would often pitch to the side, as though balancing something on its back that was liable to fall off.
Arwen, whose eyesight was far superior to the Kings, gave a gasp. "Aragorn, that horse is Arod."
He found himself flying down the corridors of Minas Tirith in the dead of night, still in his nightwear, towards the gates of the city...
~*~*~*~
Legolas could only see the land around him as it whizzed past. The colours mingled into one another and heightened his dizziness, forcing him to shut his eyes tighter.
By this time, his whole entire left arm was numb, save for the area which surrounded the scratch causing his misery. It now hung limply by his side, useless. He felt freezing cold, yet the sweat dripped from his brow and splashed onto Arod's white coat. He felt continuously sick, his vision was blurred, and his head was pounding. He grit his teeth again as the pain flowed through his helpless body again.
He felt himself slipping to the side again, but he just felt too weak to do anything about it. Thankfully, Arod side-stepped and kept his master up.
"Tineng mellonamin.****" he groaned, feeling himself slip further into darkness.
As he shut his eyes again, he felt Arod stop. He didn't care why, whether it was friend or foe, it wouldn't matter much.
"Legolas!" someone cried. The voice sounded distant and far away, but it was familiar.
"Aragorn?" he mumbled groggily, lifting his head slightly, then letting it fall back down. It couldn't be his friend; it must just be another side effect of this terrible poison.
~*~*~*~
"Legolas!" cried Aragorn on seeing his friend. The Elf was deathly pale, a fine bead of sweat covered his entire body, and dark rings gathered under his eyes. He was slumped over Arod, barely clinging on. An incoherent mumble signalled that he had heard him, and he raced over to his friend.
He touched Legolas lightly on his shoulder, but drew back as his friend grimaced. He obviously hurt all over. Suddenly he noticed; Gimli wasn't there. The panic he already felt inside increased ten fold.
"Oh, Legolas, mani marte?!*****"
~*~*~*~
.:Elvish Translations:.
*Is it the dreams again?
**Yes. I am worried about them, Aragorn.
***I am too, my love.
****Thanks my friend.
*****Oh, Legolas, what happened?!
Well, that wasn't filled with much action, but I believe that there was plenty of angst in there... ain't I evil?! =D
LEGOLAS: You can say that again!
Anyway, leave me a review and I will give you a fresh, chocolate chip cookie and a new chapter! All you have to do is press that little button... pwetty pweese?!
