Author's Note: Okay, I'm still alive then. I've actually almost finished
writing the story, I have the next couple of chapters, so be expecting
quick updates then. I think there will be about three more chapters, and
then this twisted tale will finally be over! On with the reading!
Chapter 18
By the time Legolas made it outside the trees were already cast in the deep shadows of night. Legolas gauged that there were maybe four of five more hours of darkness before the sun began to make its way back up into the sky.
A fair enough amount of time to calm himself.
Legolas wandered out towards the gates. The two elves stationed as a watch there looked at him in mild surprise but said nothing and pulled the gates open for him. Legolas went through them and then made his way deep into the forest. He held no fear of what he might encounter there since the shadow had long since been lifted, but his thoughts did turn briefly to the Lorien bow and quiver he had left behind. But a brief touch of the long knife still hanging at his side left him satisfied.
Legolas pulled himself up effortlessly into a tree and made his way to the top branches. Once there, he settled himself and gazed out into the sky above him. It was a cloudless night with only a slight breeze, leaving the moon and the stars perfectly clear. It had been a while since Legolas had done nothing more than just settle and stare at the stars and the vision soothed him at once. He felt the slight hum of the tree coursing underneath his skin before filling him with its warm and peaceful sensations of life. Feeling more relaxed than he could remember being since Sauron had once again become powerful, Legolas leaned back further and let his mind drift.
In such a relaxed and peaceable state, Legolas found himself thinking it was absurd that he and Gimli should continue to fight like this. Surely there was nothing so wrong between the two that they could not see it through. And surely there could be nothing so wrong between their two races that they could not all reach some sort of agreement. It had all been a mistake, and they would all soon see it.
The lazy calm he was feeling agreed with him whole-heartedly. This whole mess would be over soon enough. They had all been fighting hard for the last few years to restore their world to this state, this perfect and unmarred state. Surely nothing was so wrong that they would be willing to let it go again when it had only just returned.
But even as Legolas let himself be convinced that all their hard work and sacrifice was over, that there could possibly be no more problems left in the world, the hum of the tree beneath him changed slightly. It was no longer a feeling of strong and peaceful contentment but one of slight discord. It was as if a wrong note had been thrown into a small harmony and the melody could not fall back into place.
Legolas straightened, pulling away from the tree. His slow thoughts had been shattered and he was beginning to pick up on the agitation of the tree bearing him.
Something was wrong in the forest, the world had not clicked neatly back into place after all.
Legolas stood, balancing on his branch. He peered into the trees around him and tried to make out what it was that was wrong. But whatever it was was not anywhere near him, all the trees were strumming with the same tinge of worry and agitation.
More spiders? Legolas thought to himself. But that did not seem likely. The trees had grown used to the spiders and though they did not like the huge webs hanging from them still tolerated them.
No, this was something else.
Legolas began to think quickly. Normally they had some kind of guard or watch outside for just this purpose, but Legolas heard no cries of alarm, no swift bodies running through the trees to bring the rest of them news. Perhaps his father had thought there was no more need for such a watch after the fall of Dol Goldur. There was still the guards at the gate, maybe that was what all he thought to be needed.
Before Legolas was even aware of it, he was moving through the trees. He leapt lightly to the next one and continued to make his way through them, paying attention to the feel of each tree he went to. He seemed to be going in the right direction, the distress of the trees was getting worse.
And then finally, Legolas picked up on the sounds of whatever it was that caused the trees to shudder. It was the sounds of many heavy feet coming through the forest.
Legolas thought wildly for one moment that the orcs had regrouped, that they were acting independently of the Dark Lord and determined to take Eryn Lasgalen after all. But then that didn't make sense. What orcs were left did not have the intelligence or the sense of unity to be able to band together again. And they were not coming from the southern borders of the forest besides.
Suddenly it occurred to him what might be making the disturbance. For what other creature would trod so heavily even in an attempt to take an enemy by surprise.
The dwarves had come.
Legolas turned and began to make his way swiftly back through the trees. His mind was only on one thing, he had to get back to Gimli. He would make him understand that they had to stop this before more blood was spilt and the rift between their two kindreds went beyond repair.
Legolas was back at the gates in a matter of minutes, though he had been well over a mile away.
"Edro," Legolas said quickly and waited while the gates were pulled open.
When he was back inside, Legolas glanced up at the two posts bordering the gates. They were now empty.
Legolas counted it as a small blessing that the guards had abandoned their posts. They would not raise the alarm as soon as they saw the dwarves coming, giving Legolas more time to get to Gimli and for them to stop this whole thing from happening.
Legolas slipped quietly into his father's dark halls, grateful that everything was still silent and sleeping. His father would have wanted Legolas to come to him right away so that they could rouse and prepare all the warriors, Legolas knew. But hopefully there wouldn't be a need to fight.
Legolas made it to the door of his own chambers, the one holding Gimli inside, and pushed against the door. It didn't budge. Legolas immediately remembered that he had locked the door and pulled the key free from where it had been hanging from his belt. He turned the key in the lock and then tried again, this time with the door swinging away before him.
He was met with an unnatural silence and Legolas knew Gimli had to be awake. The dwarf always snored when he slept. What little moonlight filtered in through the window was enough for Legolas to see his friend sitting up against the headboard in bed.
"Come for the dwarves' apology?" Gimli asked gruffly.
Legolas went and knelt by the bed. "Gimli, listen to me," he said quietly. "We have both made mistakes in the matter and both been wronged, but that must all be put behind us now." Even in the dark Legolas could see that Gimli's expression was doubtful.
Legolas pressed on. "Dwarves are coming, they are marching openly against Eryn Lasgalen and will be here soon. We have to head them off and tell them anything we can to stop this. We cannot allow an open war to break out and I know you agree with me on that."
Gimli's expression changed from doubt and suspicion to concern. He leaned forward to see Legolas more clearly. "How many were there?"
Legolas shook his head. "I know not, I was not able to see them all clearly, I just heard them. But from the sounds of it it is not a simple search party, it is an army."
Gimli swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Let's go," he said.
They stood up together and immediately the pair felt as though nothing had recently happened between them. All that had been pushed aside as if it did not matter in the slightest and they were left together again, both uniting to stop something terrible from happening.
They had taken a step towards the door when it flew open. Three elves came into the room and Legolas stopped, automatically stepping to the side so that he was partially protecting Gimli.
A fourth elf stood in the doorway. " We have come to take the prisoner of war down to the dungeons where he will be held in the event that a small ransom is needed."
Legolas did not move away from Gimli. "My father said that he was to be in my care."
"That was before we learned that the dwarves were attacking. He cannot be allowed to remain in a position where he can harm us and aid the opposition."
Legolas started. How did they know of the dwarves? But then he thought back to when he had been thinking if there were anymore guards outside of the gates. Apparently there had been, and they had made their way back before Legolas had, taking the guards at the gates with them to warn everybody else.
"He will not harm us," Legolas said, still not moving.
"Step aside," the elf said, "King Thranduil told us we had to take him down. If you wish to dispute the matter, then you have to see to him."
Legolas tensed, preparing to fight them if he had to. He would not let them take Gimli as a prisoner of war.
"Stop, Legolas," said a low voice from behind him.
Legolas looked down in surprise as Gimli stepped around him and walked forward. "I will go quietly," he said.
Two of the waiting elves immediately seized him, as if not believing that he would go of his own free will. But when he put up no struggle they loosened their grips and flanked either side of him.
"Do what you can Legolas," Gimli said still facing him, "I do not blame you."
Legolas took a deep breath before nodding once. Then the elves turned with Gimli and they all walked out into the hall and disappeared.
Legolas stood still for a few moments. What was he going to do now? His original plan had been to go to Gloin with Gimli, for them to both reason with him. But now without Gimli, he didn't stand a chance. There was no way Gloin would believe anything he said now that his son had been imprisoned the same way he had been.
Feeling slightly helpless, Legolas tried to think of what to do. But any solution he came up with did not seem like it would work. Gloin would not listen to him, and even his own father would not listen to him.
Making a sudden decision, Legolas went out the door and then down the long hallway. He would not take the elf's suggestion and see his father, there was no point in that, he knew. He had to do the only thing he could, he would have to sacrifice himself to the dwarves.
Chapter 18
By the time Legolas made it outside the trees were already cast in the deep shadows of night. Legolas gauged that there were maybe four of five more hours of darkness before the sun began to make its way back up into the sky.
A fair enough amount of time to calm himself.
Legolas wandered out towards the gates. The two elves stationed as a watch there looked at him in mild surprise but said nothing and pulled the gates open for him. Legolas went through them and then made his way deep into the forest. He held no fear of what he might encounter there since the shadow had long since been lifted, but his thoughts did turn briefly to the Lorien bow and quiver he had left behind. But a brief touch of the long knife still hanging at his side left him satisfied.
Legolas pulled himself up effortlessly into a tree and made his way to the top branches. Once there, he settled himself and gazed out into the sky above him. It was a cloudless night with only a slight breeze, leaving the moon and the stars perfectly clear. It had been a while since Legolas had done nothing more than just settle and stare at the stars and the vision soothed him at once. He felt the slight hum of the tree coursing underneath his skin before filling him with its warm and peaceful sensations of life. Feeling more relaxed than he could remember being since Sauron had once again become powerful, Legolas leaned back further and let his mind drift.
In such a relaxed and peaceable state, Legolas found himself thinking it was absurd that he and Gimli should continue to fight like this. Surely there was nothing so wrong between the two that they could not see it through. And surely there could be nothing so wrong between their two races that they could not all reach some sort of agreement. It had all been a mistake, and they would all soon see it.
The lazy calm he was feeling agreed with him whole-heartedly. This whole mess would be over soon enough. They had all been fighting hard for the last few years to restore their world to this state, this perfect and unmarred state. Surely nothing was so wrong that they would be willing to let it go again when it had only just returned.
But even as Legolas let himself be convinced that all their hard work and sacrifice was over, that there could possibly be no more problems left in the world, the hum of the tree beneath him changed slightly. It was no longer a feeling of strong and peaceful contentment but one of slight discord. It was as if a wrong note had been thrown into a small harmony and the melody could not fall back into place.
Legolas straightened, pulling away from the tree. His slow thoughts had been shattered and he was beginning to pick up on the agitation of the tree bearing him.
Something was wrong in the forest, the world had not clicked neatly back into place after all.
Legolas stood, balancing on his branch. He peered into the trees around him and tried to make out what it was that was wrong. But whatever it was was not anywhere near him, all the trees were strumming with the same tinge of worry and agitation.
More spiders? Legolas thought to himself. But that did not seem likely. The trees had grown used to the spiders and though they did not like the huge webs hanging from them still tolerated them.
No, this was something else.
Legolas began to think quickly. Normally they had some kind of guard or watch outside for just this purpose, but Legolas heard no cries of alarm, no swift bodies running through the trees to bring the rest of them news. Perhaps his father had thought there was no more need for such a watch after the fall of Dol Goldur. There was still the guards at the gate, maybe that was what all he thought to be needed.
Before Legolas was even aware of it, he was moving through the trees. He leapt lightly to the next one and continued to make his way through them, paying attention to the feel of each tree he went to. He seemed to be going in the right direction, the distress of the trees was getting worse.
And then finally, Legolas picked up on the sounds of whatever it was that caused the trees to shudder. It was the sounds of many heavy feet coming through the forest.
Legolas thought wildly for one moment that the orcs had regrouped, that they were acting independently of the Dark Lord and determined to take Eryn Lasgalen after all. But then that didn't make sense. What orcs were left did not have the intelligence or the sense of unity to be able to band together again. And they were not coming from the southern borders of the forest besides.
Suddenly it occurred to him what might be making the disturbance. For what other creature would trod so heavily even in an attempt to take an enemy by surprise.
The dwarves had come.
Legolas turned and began to make his way swiftly back through the trees. His mind was only on one thing, he had to get back to Gimli. He would make him understand that they had to stop this before more blood was spilt and the rift between their two kindreds went beyond repair.
Legolas was back at the gates in a matter of minutes, though he had been well over a mile away.
"Edro," Legolas said quickly and waited while the gates were pulled open.
When he was back inside, Legolas glanced up at the two posts bordering the gates. They were now empty.
Legolas counted it as a small blessing that the guards had abandoned their posts. They would not raise the alarm as soon as they saw the dwarves coming, giving Legolas more time to get to Gimli and for them to stop this whole thing from happening.
Legolas slipped quietly into his father's dark halls, grateful that everything was still silent and sleeping. His father would have wanted Legolas to come to him right away so that they could rouse and prepare all the warriors, Legolas knew. But hopefully there wouldn't be a need to fight.
Legolas made it to the door of his own chambers, the one holding Gimli inside, and pushed against the door. It didn't budge. Legolas immediately remembered that he had locked the door and pulled the key free from where it had been hanging from his belt. He turned the key in the lock and then tried again, this time with the door swinging away before him.
He was met with an unnatural silence and Legolas knew Gimli had to be awake. The dwarf always snored when he slept. What little moonlight filtered in through the window was enough for Legolas to see his friend sitting up against the headboard in bed.
"Come for the dwarves' apology?" Gimli asked gruffly.
Legolas went and knelt by the bed. "Gimli, listen to me," he said quietly. "We have both made mistakes in the matter and both been wronged, but that must all be put behind us now." Even in the dark Legolas could see that Gimli's expression was doubtful.
Legolas pressed on. "Dwarves are coming, they are marching openly against Eryn Lasgalen and will be here soon. We have to head them off and tell them anything we can to stop this. We cannot allow an open war to break out and I know you agree with me on that."
Gimli's expression changed from doubt and suspicion to concern. He leaned forward to see Legolas more clearly. "How many were there?"
Legolas shook his head. "I know not, I was not able to see them all clearly, I just heard them. But from the sounds of it it is not a simple search party, it is an army."
Gimli swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Let's go," he said.
They stood up together and immediately the pair felt as though nothing had recently happened between them. All that had been pushed aside as if it did not matter in the slightest and they were left together again, both uniting to stop something terrible from happening.
They had taken a step towards the door when it flew open. Three elves came into the room and Legolas stopped, automatically stepping to the side so that he was partially protecting Gimli.
A fourth elf stood in the doorway. " We have come to take the prisoner of war down to the dungeons where he will be held in the event that a small ransom is needed."
Legolas did not move away from Gimli. "My father said that he was to be in my care."
"That was before we learned that the dwarves were attacking. He cannot be allowed to remain in a position where he can harm us and aid the opposition."
Legolas started. How did they know of the dwarves? But then he thought back to when he had been thinking if there were anymore guards outside of the gates. Apparently there had been, and they had made their way back before Legolas had, taking the guards at the gates with them to warn everybody else.
"He will not harm us," Legolas said, still not moving.
"Step aside," the elf said, "King Thranduil told us we had to take him down. If you wish to dispute the matter, then you have to see to him."
Legolas tensed, preparing to fight them if he had to. He would not let them take Gimli as a prisoner of war.
"Stop, Legolas," said a low voice from behind him.
Legolas looked down in surprise as Gimli stepped around him and walked forward. "I will go quietly," he said.
Two of the waiting elves immediately seized him, as if not believing that he would go of his own free will. But when he put up no struggle they loosened their grips and flanked either side of him.
"Do what you can Legolas," Gimli said still facing him, "I do not blame you."
Legolas took a deep breath before nodding once. Then the elves turned with Gimli and they all walked out into the hall and disappeared.
Legolas stood still for a few moments. What was he going to do now? His original plan had been to go to Gloin with Gimli, for them to both reason with him. But now without Gimli, he didn't stand a chance. There was no way Gloin would believe anything he said now that his son had been imprisoned the same way he had been.
Feeling slightly helpless, Legolas tried to think of what to do. But any solution he came up with did not seem like it would work. Gloin would not listen to him, and even his own father would not listen to him.
Making a sudden decision, Legolas went out the door and then down the long hallway. He would not take the elf's suggestion and see his father, there was no point in that, he knew. He had to do the only thing he could, he would have to sacrifice himself to the dwarves.