Ah, here we are again...

Mellaithwen-AngelMaiden; *gasps* What's crappity?!?! Lol, I'm joking! ^_^ What do you mean a choice? I know you love Legolas cliffies honey, and I love em too – that's why I write them!

Callie3; Yeah, poor Aragorn! *giggles* Shame Ranger-Boy...

Sirithiliel; "Joyful pleasure at the misery of Legolas!" you say? That's a bit mean, don't you think? ... wait, what am I SAYING?!?! It's wonderful!!! =) You hope he has to fight when feeling icky? Ah, well, let's just say... actually no – that would be giving away the story... =)

Estel Elven Enchantress; ^_^ *laughs till crying* LOLOLOLOL!!! Aaaw Jo, don't be so mean to Arwen, she can't help going into labour right now, can she?! That advert is so sad!!! ='( Aaaw, I'm listening to "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables... It makes me so sad!!! *bursts into tears* SO SAD!!!

     LEGOLAS: Calm down deary...

Razeer; Thank you! Gimli slaughtering Orcs? I'll see what I can do... ^_~

Sparrow Greenleaf; *gasps* Don't stick your tongue out at me!!! =) *sticks tongue out at Sparrow* HA!!! ^_^ Lol, only joking! Yes... evil cliffies are GOOD... o_O Star likes evil cliffies... Star likes them very much... ^_^

The joyous pumpkin; Faramir is VERY cool! ^_^ Yup, little peep chooses now to be born... ^_^

Deana; ^_^ I'm glad to see you're happy at a new chapter!!! ^_^

Alariel; Ok, that's our little secret... *puts finger on lips* Thanks very much!!! I always get a little feeling of... well, I'm not sure what it actually is, when I realize someone who's a lot older than me is reading my story and actually enjoying it!!! ^_^ Extreme Happiness I guess... ^_~

Elfmage; LOL!!! ^_^ Yeah!!! Woah, thank you very much! I made someone care about Arwen who hates her!!! That is good news... So, let's get this straight... you'll scream, throw firebombs, and chase me with swords if I don't update? o_O' Oh, I'm scared now...

Anarya; ^_^ Aaaw, thanks! Yes, a few... rather... silly decisions in that last chappie... *glances at Aragorn and Legolas* I won't mention names...

     ARAGORN: *ahem* What am I supposed to do?!?! My hands are tied behind my back!!!

     Learn to control your temper.

     LEGOLAS: And what about me?! You poisoned me – I have an excuse!!!

     You should have been more careful... =)

Gwyn; Yup – dumb Elf. And typical Arwen... let us laugh!!! =) MWUHAHAHAHA!!!

Fritz will Get You; Stupid Orcs, yes, I agree...

Ok then everyone!!! ^_^ Just to let you know, there is this chapter, then the next where something REALLY BAD happens, and then 2 more chapters after that... so enjoy it while it lasts, because it'll be finishing soon!!! ='( I'll miss it when it's gone though...

.:Chapter 16:.

He had been walking for what felt like hours, but he knew that it was only a few minutes. Legolas felt slow and sluggish, like his arms and legs were too heavy to lift almost. He found himself in a cavern, where great pinnacles rose up above him, and deep valleys dropped below him. The floor beneath his feet was made up of tiny rocks in a steep hill that could shift at any moment.

Legolas tried to keep his balance on the shingle underneath his feet, but he put one foot wrong. Suddenly the small stones and rocks slid out from underneath the Elf, and sent him falling down the hill. The bottle of antidote slid over his head as he fell.

As he slowed to a stop, Legolas' eyes widened as he watched the antidote fly through the air, carried on the falling rocks. He grasped desperately for it, but his fingers barely brushed the bottle when it slid over the edge. The Elf watched in horror as the only thing that could possibly save his life tumbled away into the darkness.

It took a long time before the inevitable smashing sound echoed up to reach the Elf's ears. By that time, he'd already known that there was no chance of it surviving the fall.

Legolas picked himself up and dusted himself off.

"Great," he thought sarcastically. He hissed slightly as the sore feeling in his stomach gradually began again. That was all he needed.

All of a sudden, he heard a faint cry, away in the distance.

"Aragorn..." it wailed weakly.

Legolas recognized the voice as Arwen's. He listened intently to where the scream was coming from, and took off in a run in that direction. Suddenly his leaden limbs were forgotten, and his stomach not as painful.

"I'm coming Aragorn," he whispered. "I'm coming mellonamin..."

~*~*~*~

The cramping became worse and worse. Arwen gasped and sank to her knees on the floor. Aragorn glanced over quickly, and realized what was happening.

Cayred had blood pouring from his nose; he merely ignored it and went to hit Aragorn again. Aragorn heard the movement behind him and launched his elbow back. It caught Cayred in the ribs and winded him. Then something happened that was the last thing Aragorn had expected...

~*~*~*~

Faramir's horse cantered quickly, bearing its rider at the head of the contingent of guards. They drew ever closer to the strange travelers. He would treat this as a routine customs check. There was no need to arouse fear or apprehension in the ranks; no need to tell them that Aragorn was away in Mordor.

As they came quite close to the traveling people, he called to them to halt. They did so, peering at him with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

"Please state your business and who you are," said Faramir, a formal tone in his voice. One of the cloaked travelers stepped forward.

"We are merely merchants my Lord," he replied. "We were heading to the White City for the market tomorrow." The hooded man motioned to the carts with the big sacks on them.

Faramir eyed the man suspiciously, and then scrutinized the bags. "There are rather a lot of you merely for going to market, don't you think?" He jumped down from his horse.

"Do you mind if I take a look?" he asked innocently. The man nodded.

"Go ahead if you want, but there's nothing suspicious in there..."

Faramir walked up to the cart and placed his hands on the cord that held one sack closed tightly. Untying the knot with his fingers, he pulled it open...

~*~*~*~

Gimli saw a flickering torchlight at the top of the tunnel that he ran up. His eyes widened, and he broke into an even faster run until he finally reached the opening. The sight before him shocked him.

Aragorn's right eye was quickly bruising and his lip was split painfully. As his attacker, who sported an unusually red nose, went to bring the hilt of Andúril down on his head, Aragorn twisted and kicked it straight out of his hand.

"Aragorn!" cried Gimli. Aragorn looked up in shock.

"Gimli?!" He couldn't believe it; he had told him to stay in the City!

Gimli ran over. "Don't start on me now laddie. Quick, put your hands out." Aragorn did as he was told as the Dwarf hefted his axe up over his head. The young King shut his eyes tight as his friend brought down the sharp-edged weapon on the ropes. The cords snapped as the blade hit them, falling from around Aragorn's wrists.

"Thanks!" gasped Aragorn again, before grabbing Andúril from the floor. However, as the human turned around to face Cayred again, his head snapped back as the twisted man's foot connected with his face. Andúril flew from his hand and went skidding across the dust again.

Gimli was about to run over and help his friend, but as he stepped forward, a large shadow fell over him. He wheeled round to face what had come up behind him.

The Orc that had been holding Arwen strode over and swung his scimitar at the stout figure. Gimli jumped back, the blade just missing. He glared up at the ugly beast, looking it straight in the eyes. All of a sudden, he recognized them.

It was the same brutal Orc that had slashed him a few days ago. The wound was still tender down his leg, and this helped the rage boil up inside him.

"Not again, sonny..." growled Gimli, gripping the handle of his heavy weapon tightly. "Not this time..."

~*~*~*~

Inside the sack was flour. Faramir felt crestfallen all of a sudden, but relieved. This meant that these people were what they said they were.

The young Steward stepped back. "Indeed, all is well," he said. He extended his hand to the traveler's leader. "Allow us to escort you back to the City."

The man accepted his hand and shook it, albeit rather coldly. "That would be wonderful." he replied.

As Faramir mounted his horse again, he did not notice the dark look that the traveler shot at him.

'This is going to be even easier than we first thought!' thought the Orc, still hiding behind his enchanted mask. The human had chosen to look in one of the few sacks that was not concealing an Orc. They would be able to get right into Minas Tirith, and if the guards suspected them? Well, there were enough of them with weapons beneath their cloaks to take them out...

He grinned. 'Pathetic humans,' he whispered to himself. 'You will soon know what fear is...'

~*~*~*~

Aragorn shook his head blearily. As his vision swam back into place, he barely had time to let the look of shock cross his face as Cayred grabbed him around the throat, yanking him up to his feet.

The man pushed Aragorn back towards the edge of the cliff, lifting him fully off the floor. Aragorn's feet kicked the air uselessly, his lungs burning.

Cayred's eyes lit up with madness as he held Aragorn over the edge.

"Now where have I seen this look before?" he mused aloud. Aragorn was still coherent enough to hear him. The young King gasped for air that would not come, and black spot danced like fireflies in front of his eyes.

"Oh yes!" said Cayred in mock realization. His manic grin contorted into a purely evil smirk. "That's the exact same look of terror your father had on his face before he died..."

Aragorn just managed to glare at Cayred with a look of hate before his head span too much and dizziness took over.

"Never mind..." soothed Cayred, laughing under his breath. "At least you can die like him; a coward."

Aragorn's world began to fade away. His whole body suddenly felt light as a feather as everything became dark...

Cayred watched his enemy's eyes drift slowly shut and put his mouth close to Aragorn's ear.

"Long live the King..." he hissed...

~*~*~*~

Arwen knew that the bulky Orc had left her side, but where he had gone she did not know. Another contraction caused her to dig her fingernails into the dirt.

She forced her eyes to open and she saw what was happening to Aragorn.

"ARAGORN!"

Her love was going to die... they all were...

She doubled over again as the baby became even more determined to make its arrival now...

~*~*~*~

Gimli ducked underneath the Orc's scimitar as it nearly cleaved his head from his shoulders. He swung at it with his axe, scratching a deep gash along its belly.

The Orc screeched loudly, its red eyes gleaming dangerously.

"Ah, now you know how it feels!" roared Gimli. He was about to finish the Orc off when he heard a gasp. Looking around his foe, he saw Aragorn kicking out wildly in mid-air as he was slowly strangled.

That split-second distraction was all the Orc needed to knock Gimli to the floor and stand above him, his scimitar raised above his head, ready to strike...

~*~*~*~

Legolas stumbled over more rocks before running up a steep slope. The voices were closer than ever before; he had to keep going.

As he reached the top of one of the lower pinnacles, he looked up. There, on a ledge just a little higher than the one on which he stood, was Aragorn.

He could see his best friend slowly choking; Cayred's gloved fingers tightening around his neck and white marks appearing around the places where his fingers dug in.

Legolas whipped out an arrow from his quiver and notched it to his bow. He aimed...

And hesitated.

In that fraction of a second, so many thoughts raced through his mind. This shot meant everything. He could miss and hit Aragorn. He could miss and not hit anything. He could kill his best friend, by either shooting him or not being able to do anything as the young King suffocated. This decision could affect, possibly destroy, all of their lives.

The Elf inhaled deeply and sent a quick word to Elbereth, before releasing the taught bow string.

All seemed to go in slow motion as the green-shafted arrow flew through the air...

That's it!!! That's all you're getting!!! =) So, will Aragorn get shot or suffocate, or will he die at all? Will Arwen's baby be ok? Will Arwen?! What about Faramir and Legolas and Gimli? Hmmm... find out next chapter... and to get that, you have to review...

Oh yeah, I heard that the Mithril Awards were opening on the 8th of April... could someone tell me what you need to do to submit a story, or at least nominate this for me?! I have no idea what to do...

Oh, and a quick note to Anarya... are things still looking so easy now?! ^_^ Lol!!! I like being evil... =)