Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hi there people! Well, I said that I would update soon and here we are, just one day later! Aren't you proud? Many thank to all your lovely reviews and many thanks to my beta enb2004 for helping me out. So, here is the Chapter Nine and enjoy!
Estel was traveling at full speed, despite the strain it was putting on his injuries. Legolas was in danger. He just knew it.
The bond Estel had with Legolas was very similar to the one Elladan and Elrohir shared. Estel could tell when Legolas was in trouble and vica versa. The same went for the twins as well.
Estel could not begin to count the number of times he and Legolas had been told that they should have been twins, despite the difference in species and looks. Their personalities were so much alike, they practically were twins.
Estel pushed the horse even further. He knew that he was tiring the poor beat but he could not help it. If he was to reach Legolas in time, neither man, nor beast could afford to rest for very long.
Coming to a clearing, Estel saw something that made his heart jump into his throat and beat wildly.
Legolas was on his horse and was surrounded by orcs and wargs, all shooting at him while Legolas dodged and urged his horse to move.
Estel watched with horror as the horse that Legolas was on, fell underneath the barrage of poisoned arrows, trapping Legolas underneath the horse.
Seeing that an orc was about to take aim at a defenseless Legolas, Estel let out a war cry and rushed the orc.
Surprised at the sudden sound, the orc faltered for a moment. A moment was all that Estel needed. He took his sword and decapitated the orc that had dared to try to kill Legolas. He heard Legolas yell out his name, as did the other orcs and wargs apparently as they turned to him.
Seeing a new quarry, the orcs and wargs lost interest and forgot about Legolas, and quickly headed for Estel.
As the orcs came up to Estel, he slaughtered them, his adrenaline allowing to temporarily forget about his sickness and injuries.
Two orcs came up and Estel parried the blow of their swords and thrusted his sword into one of the orcs stomach, while throwing one of his hidden daggers into the other orcs neck.
"WATCH OUT," Estel heard Legolas yell. Estel turned just in time to see the warg that had been aiming for his neck miss and instead bit Estel's left forearm.
Estel hollered out in agony but quickly thrust his sword into the warg, while warily watching his back for any more orcs or wargs that would attack while his back was toward them.
A flash of blonde went by him and Estel relaxed, knowing that Legolas was now with him and free from the fallen horse. Now they could fight back to back, as they usually did, protecting one another from unseen enemies.
Together, the two best friends slaughtered the rest of the foul orcs and wargs within another twenty of minutes of fighting.
The remaining orcs and wargs, seeing that they were no match for the two warriors, quickly scampered away from the sight of the battle and back into whatever hole they had sprung from.
Seeing that the battle was over, the adrenaline that had kept Estel on his feet throughout the battle and his search for Legolas was wearing off.
Estel felt his legs crumble underneath him and the darkness that he had held off for so long, now beckoned to him. Estel welcomed the darkness and allowed it to take him.
Legolas sighed in relief when he saw that the battle was over and the rest of the foul creatures were retreating hastily. Legolas turned to Estel, to once again congratulate him on his impeccable timing, only to see Estel crumble to the floor and remain unmoving.
Legolas cursed, this time in Quenya, and hastily made his way to Estel. He had seen the warg bite Estel's arm, but he had not thought that it was that serious. Apparently he was wrong if Estel had fallen unconscious.
Upon reaching his best friend, he gently rolled Estel on to his back, hoping to get a better look at what was ailing his friend.
What Legolas saw, shocked him. Estel had a bandage on his forehead that was leaking blood from being reopened, the gash on his arm from the warg which looked quite deep and painful, and another bandaged yet leaking gash on his leg that could be seen through the torn leggings.
"Mellon nin, what in Arda happened to you?" Legolas said out loud as he took in all of Estel's injuries.
Apparently, all but the injury on his left forearm were old and had been wrapped by Lord Elrond. Legolas could recognize the half-elfs bandages instantly, having been tended to by Lord Elrond far to many times to count.
Gently brushing away a stray piece of Estel's hair from his face, Legolas frowned when he felt the heat on his hand. Putting the back of his hand to Estel's forehead, Legolas could easily feel the heat that the young human was radiating.
"A fever as well? You never do anything half way do you mellon nin?" Legolas muttered out loud, knowing that the ranger couldn't hear him, but said it anyway.
Legolas looked around the clearing, hoping to spot Estel's horse but saw nothing. Legolas's own horse was dead, and he desperately needed Estel's horse if he was to get them both to safety.
Legolas whistled, hoping that Estel's horse was only in hiding, and not dead like his own. He was unsure how he would get Estel and himself back to Imladris if he didn't have a horse.
Thankfully, Estel's horse appeared and nickered softly seeing her master unmoving on the ground. Seeing that her master needed help, she knelt, allowing Legolas to mount with Estel with little difficulty. Slowly, the mare stood up, cautious of the injured man of her back.
"Thank you mellon nin," Legolas told the horse gratefully. "Oh by the Valar Estel, your Ada is going to kill us both. When he sees me dragging you in again, he'll flay us both alive," he said, shaking his head in worry.
"Hurry my friend, Estel is need of your speed," Legolas whispered to the horse. The horse snorted and took of at a gallop, fully intent on reaching Imladris and soon as possible.
King Thranduil of Mirkwood was in his study and was pacing around the room constantly. "Adar! Please, pacing will not let us know if Estel is okay, which I am sure he is. Legolas was just over reacting," the crown prince Iaurdil said.
"I am not so sure ion nin. You know how close those two are. If Legolas thought that there was something was wrong, he was probably right, which is why he left," Thranduil said.
"Ada, perhaps it would ease you mind to send a letter to Lord Elrond. Surely he would know if his son was in danger," Iaurdil said.
Thranduil relaxed at his sons logic. Of course Elrond would know if Estel was all right.
"I'll send him a letter, maybe then we can all relax," Thranduil thought to himself, not really paying attention to what was happening around him.
"Ada, there is a messenger bird here for you. It is from Imladris," Iaurdil said with puzzlement and a hint of worry.
Jerking out of his thoughts at his eldest sons statement, Thranduil retrieved the message from the bird and thanked it for delivering the letter. Thranduil undid the wax seal and began to read.
King Thranduil
Mirkwood
Greetings mellon nin. I am sorry to disturb you with this letter by my youngest son insisted that I send it to you. Estel had a particularly horrifying nightmare where he saw Legolas being attacked by wargs and orcs, and he wanted me to make sure that Legolas was all right. I have no doubts that Legolas is fine, but I know it would ease Estel's heart if he heard from you or better yet, Legolas himself that he was fine. Hannon le mellon nin.
Lord Elrond of Imladris
Thranduil's face paled at Elrond's letter. "Oh sweet Valar, those two are going to be the death of me," Thranduil moaned.
"Ada? What did the letter say?" Iaurdil asked. "Oh nothing much, only that Estel had a nightmare about Legolas being attacked by orcs and wargs," Thranduil said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Both Estel and Legolas had dreams of the other in peril? Oh sweet Valar, those two will be the death of us and themselves as well!" Iaurdil said slightly panicked. His little brother, and Estel, who might as well be his little brother, were always in some sort of danger and forever giving their respective siblings heart attacks.
"Don't I know it," Thranduil muttered under his breathe, his thoughts going in the same direction as his eldest sons. His youngest son and Elrond's youngest son were constantly giving their respective fathers heart attacks.
"Iaurdil, I place you in control of Mirkwood during my absence. I am going to try to catch up to Legolas and then make sure he gets safely to Imladris. Don't worry, I shall take Delelen and Thilloth with me," Thranduil said.
"All right Ada. Please, bring both Legolas and Estel back here safely," Iaurdil begged.
"Oh don't worry, I shall bring them back safely even if it takes an army to that,"Thranduil said hugging his eldest son.
He left the room with Iaurdil at his heels, in order to inform his other children what was happening before departing.
Translations:
Adar: Father
Ada: Dad/Daddy
Ion nin: My son
Hannon le: Thank you
Mellon nin: My friend