Chapter Two.

Quickly Legolas moved to the swamp's edge, his movements silently being watched by the Hobbits. He raised his hands to his lips, entwined them and placed both his index fingers against his lips and closed his eyes, begging more than praying.

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Slowly, Legolas lifted his head to the stars above him and sighed. The Elf hoped with all he could that this would work and that his friend would be ok. He felt guilty somewhat because he wasn't paying attention but was instead, daydreaming. Silently he cursed himself before settling his focus back to the swap, watching the mist hover back and forth a mere inch from the waters top. Legolas entwined his fingers together as if he were going to pray, which he was in some sort of way. He focused his mind to the deal in hand…getting Alixuss' help.

"My dear friend, I am not worthy of healing my injured comrade. I call upon you for help; I would not do this if I did not need it tremendously. Please help me and hurry Alixuss. Please?" Legolas could not believe he was reducing himself, a Prince, to the level of practically begging for help but he knew it was worth it.

After what seemed like hours, Legolas shifted his gaze to the Hobbits. Merry, Pippin and Sam were asleep but a set of curious blue eyes were watching him. Legolas smiled as if to tell Frodo everything was ok and not to worry. After losing Boromir and Gandalf, Legolas did not want to fear the young half-ling about the possibility of Aragorn dieing. Legolas watched as Frodo drifted to sleep in the compact group they had formed around the base of the tree he was sat in earlier. The Elf sighed and turned back to the swamp, no sign of Alixuss at all. Where in Middle-Earth was he? Did he not see Legolas as a friend anymore? Did he not feel like helping? Or did he not see this case as serious enough? So many questions were running wild in the poor Prince's mind that he growled in frustration. He glared at the water and kicked the ground, sending dirt clouds everywhere.

"Alixuss? Where are you? Do you not want to help? Is that it? Are you too stubborn?! You need to help me, please!" Legolas whispered fiercely as not to wake any of the Hobbits up. After a while, Legolas sighed loudly and turned around to look at Aragorn, lying helplessly on the ground, bleeding profoundly and thoroughly unconscious. Legolas' gaze softened as he cast a look at the dwarf who was in a deep slumber. Slowly the Elf walked over to his injured friend and he felt weak at the fact that he could not heal him in anyway. The dressings they had brought we soaked through from trudging through the swamp. Legolas' quick thinking did some good and he began to tear strips off his tunic. After he felt he had enough, he knelt beside his friend and slowly cleaned the blood with one of the strips. Once he felt enough was mopped away, the Elf began to pack two or three strips into each wound in hope that it would help slow the bleeding down or maybe even stop it. Once he had done that, he pushed back on his knees and sat against the rock behind him, eyeing his friend as he did so.

"I haven't got any idea how long it will be until I get you help my friend…" Legolas pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms securely around them, peering over the top to watch Aragorn closely. He cast his mind back to his friend; he had called him twice and did not get one answer or even a sign that he had heard him. "You anger me Elf." Legolas snapped and now hoping that Alixuss, if he did show up, hadn't heard him say that because he'd question him about it and probably get highly annoyed at the comment, taking it to heart. Legolas sighed and watched Aragorn's chest rise and fall slowly, marvelling in the feeling he was getting in the pit of his stomach about the man. He cared for him as he cared for the others but this sort of care felt deeper if it could get any deeper. Slowly trailing his eyes over his friends limp body, his Elven eyes stopping at the closed eyes of the man, he looked so angelic with them closed. His dark hair reminded him of his foster father Elrond, the healer. The one he couldn't get to, as they had not one horse. If he could, he would personally ride to Rivendell and explain then help would be sent out, maybe a horde would go and fetch his friend only to bring him back to be fully healed by his father. Legolas wanted to cry but his pride got the better of him at that moment and he tried for help once more. Before he opened his mouth, words echoed in his mind. 'If you need me Mellon Nin, don't not hesitate to call, I will be there as soon as I get the message. You must call me in Elven. Only then will I answer. You see Legolas, because of the meaning my name has, anyone could use it in conversation to shorten their sentence. Only the great Lords of someone who actually knows me can receive my attention, therefore they only use Elven tongue. Remember that, no forgetting Legolas.'  Legolas on hearing these words echo in his mind, almost screamed in rage. He had forgotten! Now he was slightly frightened at what he had said about his friend, if he knew he said it he was not going to get off lightly. Yet, the young Prince was very relived that Alixuss' voice rang through his thoughts, he smiled now knowing he would get his help.

::Mellon nin muin Alixuss, amin taur baur o lle. Amin mellon beleg; ho polod haim ho kuith o nin olm. Maus nin, amin tural ho amin daedelos. Amin tural eriol…Maus Alixuss, nin:: Legolas sighed and began to wait for help to arrive. After a few seconds of sitting completely still and silent, he heard the leaves on the tree the Hobbits were sleeping under rustle in a small breeze. Legolas lifted his head slightly a smelt his surroundings…it smelt of honey and vanilla? He knew that smell, he had smelt it before…as he had walked through the doors of the great hall where his first meeting with the magical creature had been. It was the smell he knew all to well and his hopes rose, he was coming. Legolas let his gaze wander to a near by bush and his face fell, a small vanilla plant grew beside it.

After a few more minutes, Legolas checked his friend once again and also noted that the fire had gone out. As the Elf went to lift Aragorn's arm, he heard a light rumbling sound in the distance. His Elven hearing picked up stronger, it sounded like four horses in a strong, fast gallop heading in his direction. Fear immediately filled his normally bright eyes and his ears dropped somewhat. Another attack? He knew deep in his heart that he wouldn't be able to survive another one. He had no help at all, Aragorn was unconscious still, the Hobbits weren't much help as the usually fled as the first sign of danger and the dwarf was too far gone in his slumber to be able to help, leaving the Elf alone and frightened. Legolas listened, as the rumbling became a louder thudding sound, getting ever more closer to his designated spot. For the first time ever, Legolas didn't know what to do except to grab his bow and a few arrows from off the floor where he had dropped them. He grabbed two arrows and held them in place, as he stood firm in the centre of their small campsite, aiming them into the dark clearing ahead of him where the sound was coming from. His hands began to sweat; his body tremble as the sound became almost unbearably deafening.

"Please…oh please don't let this happen, please say I'm dreaming…" he mumbled to himself as he held his aim the best he could, his hands were shaking so bad that his aim wasn't straight and would probably miss the attacker. Thundering out of the darkness were three horses, catching Legolas completely off guard and knocking him and his bow and arrow to the ground. The Elf let out a cry of pain as he forcefully hit the hard ground, noting that his bow and arrow were to far out of his reach to get now so he sat half upright and waited for the last part of the noise to show itself. A quick glance at the three horses made him sigh in relief somewhat because they had no riders, they wore saddles and bags but were also sniffing the water, inspecting it and trying to acknowledge whether it was safe to drink or not. Legolas snapped his head back to the clearing as the last horse came bolting through it, coming to an immediate halt 10 feet in front of him. Legolas gulped down some air and prayed his friend would get here and help before it was too late for any of them.

"Mmm…" the Elf whined as he realized that there was something riding this horse and whatever it was didn't look friendly at all. What or whoever it was wore a long black cloak that spread out like butter across the stallion's back, dark leggings and boots. The hood on the cloak shaded the figures face from view. It wore long black gloves that tucked the tunic sleeves away. Legolas didn't care much for the appearance this…thing gave. Mustering up his courage and pushing himself into an upright sitting position, Legolas spoke up.

"Who…who are you?" he couldn't help but stammer in fear. The fear grew a little more as the figure let out a slight cackle and dismounted the horse, sending over to the others by the swamps edge. The figure stood on the spot and Legolas could feel the eyes burning into him, as if it were trying to kill him without touching him. Legolas slowly scrambled to his feet and stood spread legged in front of the figure.

"I said, who are you? I order you to show yourself!" Legolas barked and wished he hadn't. The figure stood still on the spot they had chosen and Legolas could hear them smile even though he could not see it. The figure did not answer him but instead moved slightly to the right, showing both his front, back and right side to the Elf before him. Slowly, Legolas watching with curious eyes, the figure lifted the cloak high enough to show the weapons they carried on their back. They revealed two silver knives with black grips and handles, a long sword in the sheath at their side and a bow much larger than Legolas' Lothlorien bow and set arrows larger than his strapped the their back. The sight of the bow made Legolas want to walk up to this figure a smack them across the face.

"Alixuss! Don't ever do that again friend! You terrified me!" Legolas almost yelled, fists curled at his sides as he kicked the floor. Alixuss removed his hood and grinned at Legolas and waved his hand.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you Legolas. Anyway, friend, you called for help? I am here, what do you need me to do?" a glance from the sleeping hobbits to the man on the floor answered the question for him. Quickly he walked over to the man and knelt beside him, checking his pulse and temperature from his wrist. Legolas followed and settled on the opposite side of his dieing friend, looking at Alixuss for that all-important question. He was the decider…what was his decision?

"Hmmm…he is in bad shape Mellon Nin. It is not his fate, this was a freak of nature, he will not die by my hands. I will heal him for now and we shall ride to Rivendell, there his father and I will join forces and double the healing, making his recovery faster. I thought you may need some horses…" Alixuss nodded his head side wards at the horses while keeping his gaze on the gashes and lacerations on the mans body, "…so you will be able to ride to Rivendell with me. I will take Aragorn on my horse, you can take whomever you like, same with Gimli. But for now, you will have to wake the dwarf and Hobbits, I will introduce myself once I am sure that the man is stable and that we are ready to leave." The Elf moved quickly from the man to his horse and gathered up some fresh dressings, sterile patches and mixtures of what Legolas thought would be antibiotics. Alixuss walked swiftly back over to the man on the ground and placed all of his things on the floor beside him before staring right into the blue eyes opposite him. Legolas nodded, understanding the silent order and hurried over to the dwarf, shaking him roughly to rouse him. The dwarf woke shortly and sat up, letting his eyes adjust to their surroundings and the new figure by Aragorn. Gimli grabbed his axe and began to move towards Alixuss but Legolas grabbed him by the collar of his tunic and gave him a stern look.

"Do not think of doing anything to that Elf dwarf! He is a friend of mine and is here to help, do you not remember me telling you of a red haired Elf Gimli?" sudden recognition shone in the smaller ones eyes and he dropped his axe, landing with a small thud.

"Ay, I am sorry but after the attack I am a little too weary of sudden arrivals. Forgive me Elf, you too Lord." Gimli bowed somewhat and acknowledged the slight nod from the new Elf who was now busy packing the wounds with dressings and patching them over with the sterile patches he had. Legolas let go of his comrade's collar and sighed slightly before turning to wake the Hobbits.

"Legolas? Let me wake them, you go and help your friend. I'll explain who he is to the Hobbits." Gimli smiled as Legolas wandered back to his friend who was about to ask him to help him sit Aragorn up. Gimli made his way to the small huddle of half-lings and shook his head in disbelief. The Elf Legolas had told him about was real? At first he thought it was a story Legolas was telling to keep them amused on their journey but alas he was real and was here, helping them.

"Ah, Mellon Nin, could you lift him so I can give him this antibiotic?" Legolas nodded and lifted Aragorn up the best he could and slid behind him, holding him upright better. He watched as his friend slowly opened the mans mouth and poured a good amount in before closing it carefully. They waited a few seconds for a reaction.

"He is not swallowing, what do we do now?" Legolas asked but his reply came in the form of Alixuss putting one finger in the air and nodding slightly towards the mans throat. Legolas noticed the intense stare the Elf had on the man and it made him feel somewhat uneasy but what happened next made him feel slightly freaked out. As Alixuss' stare grew stronger, his eyes went from green to yellow. Legolas' eyes grew large and he went rigid. Alixuss blew the softest breath of air anyone could possibly do on the Rangers throat, causing it to move and let him swallow. Legolas let out the breath he had held in as a sigh of relief. Alixuss moved to stand and smiled at Legolas, his eyes now green again. 'How strange' Legolas thought as Alixuss gathered up his things and walked back over to his horse, placed them all back in one of the bags and pulled out a tunic from the other, walking back over to Legolas.

"Help me put this on him, it'll keep him warm considering the condition he's in. Once this is on him and everyone is awake, we will arrange who is to ride with who and we will be on our way to Rivendell." Legolas smiled as he and his friend lifted the unconscious male into a sitting position, Legolas held him still while Alixuss pulled the tunic over his head and fastened it.

"Right…done." Alixuss stood and snapped his fingers. All four horses slowly came over to them and knelt down, ready to be mounted. Legolas looked over at the dwarf and the four Hobbits, all stood in a line, ready to go. All the horses were considerably easy to know which was which. Alixuss smiled and walked over to a black and white male, patting him gently.

 "This…is Thinal," he smiled, then walked to the brown male and did the same, "This is Amik," he walked over to the grey male and padded it, "This is Dust because he looked dusty and I wasn't in the mood to be thinking of unusual names," Alixuss then walked over to an all white male, "This is my horse, he is called Avondale." After he had finished introducing the horses he walked up to the Hobbits and Gimli and bowed.

"Greetings, I am Alixuss and I'm pleased to meet you all. Now then," he said, turning to Legolas, who was still holding Aragorn in his lap, "Who shall ride with who? I need to take the man obviously. Legolas and Gimli, you will both need to take a Hobbit and two of you will have to ride together. We will not be under attack at all on the way for we will reach Rivendell by dawn. These horses are very friendly and are we trained; they will not jolt out of control because they all follow me.  They have ultimate stamina, being under my care, and do not need to rest every so often like other horses, these will ride until you reach your destination. Now, chose carefully…" Alixuss smiled, walked over to Aragorn and pulled him up, catching his body in his arms as it fell against him before listing him over to his horse and carefully placing him on it's back before mounting himself, clutching Aragorn in his arms between the reins and his chest. Once he was sure the man was not going anywhere, he whispered something in Elvish to the horse and it stood. Legolas had chosen to take Merry and Gimli had Pippin, leaving Sam and Frodo to ride together.

"Now mount. We need to be going." The Elf said as each pair went to a horse. Legolas mounted Amik with Merry straddling his waist, hugging tightly to his chest. Gimli mounted Dust so he could remember the name with Pippin up front and Sam and Frodo mounted Thinal, Frodo as the main rider, Sam sat up front. Alixuss looked at each pair and raised an eyebrow.

"All set?" a nod from each and he whispered the Elvish again causing all three horses to stand. Alixuss slapped the stallion's hip to send it into a trot through the trees and out into a large clear area, the other three males followed without command. Once out in the open, both Elves instinctively listened. Alixuss looked over his shoulder and nodded to Legolas who in turn, smiled back and held onto Merry as tight as he could. Knowing that these horses held strong stamina, they must go fast causing a bumpy ride for their riders.

"Hold on to your rider tightly, we do not want to lose anyone on the way. I'm saying this because you are not used to these horses like Legolas and I." Alixuss called and Gimli's mouth fell open.

"You never said he had ridden these before!" he roared causing Pippin to duck as he tightened his grip on the Hobbit, Sam and Frodo did the same but in silence. They had never been on a horse without either Legolas or Aragorn with one of them because of their size. First time for everything.

"It doesn't matter Gimli, just hold on to Pippin please. As soon as I go these horses will follow pursuit quickly so be ready." Alixuss called and turned to face to open land, illuminated by the soft glow of the moon above them. Now sure that everyone was ready, he nudged his horse into a fast, lightening like gallop towards Rivendell, Aragorn in his lap in a vice like grip, and as he had said, the other three shot after him. Merry clutched Legolas' chest for dear life as the rode through the darkness. The Elf smiled and wrapped one arm around the small Hobbit for extra security, his blond hair spraying out behind him. Gimli held onto Pippin tightly as they rode beside Legolas and Merry, Sam and Frodo a mere inch behind them. Alixuss' hair flew out behind him like a role of silk, his cloak flowing out behind him, still covering his horses rear. They would reach Rivendell within a few hours; normally it would have taken a whole day on another horse. Legolas smiled to himself, he was truly grateful for having a friend as good as Alixuss.

"Elrond is expecting us!" he heard a yell come from up front and couldn't help but laugh. He knew his friend would live now, and for that he was thoroughly pleased.  

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Translations:
Mellon nin muin Alixuss, amin taur baur o lle. Amin mellon beleg; ho polod haim ho kuith o nin olm. Maus nin, amin tural ho amin daedelos. Amin tural eriol…Maus Alixuss, nin.
My dear friend Alixuss, I am in dire need of your (help). My comrade (is in) grave (danger); he may lose his life (because) of my (stupid) daydreaming. Please (help) me, I cannot (help) him (and) I (am) (in) fear. I can't (do) (it) alone…please Alixuss, (help) me.