Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hey there people! I am so sorry about no updating any sooner, but there were some computer problems that were preventing me from doing so. The same goes for The Love of a Family which I hope to have up later today as well, barring no further computer problems. Thank you so much for your lovely reviews, they really make my day! Many thanks to my beta enb2004 who has two amazing Harry Potter stories, so read them! As promised, here is Chapter Fourteen. Enjoy!
Estel was starting to come around, though not fully. Distantly, he was aware of the sounds of blades and wondered where they were coming from.
Slowly, he opened his eyes and tried to get his bleary vision to focus in order to see where Legolas was. His eyes didn't want to focus however. All Estel saw was a blurry form coming over to him. Estel closed his eyes, thinking the form was Legolas who was coming to check on him.
Estel tried to call out to the form, not being able to see that the the blur was an orc, but no sound escaped his mouth. Vaguely he heard someone cry out "ESTEL!". It was a familiar voice though for the life of him, he could not place it, such was the state of his condition due to illness and injury.
Though he did not recognize the voice immediately, he heard the panic in it. Estel snapped his eyes open, just in time to see the blurry form take the shape of an orc looming over him, about to plunge the scimitar into his heart.
Estel's eyes widened with sudden fear and he rolled quickly to his right. His arm, leg, and head protested viscously at the sudden movement.
The orc screamed in rage that it's supposed easy prey had temporarily avoided death. The orc charged Estel, who only just managed to get out of the way of the attack.
Feeling the adrenaline course through his system, Estel used it's strength to stand up while grabbing a nearby dagger and plunge it into the vile orcs heart.
The orc screamed and convulsed briefly before falling to the ground dead.
This had not gone unnoticed by the other orcs. Enraged by their comrades death at the hands of a "simple" human, they quickly engaged him in combat as well.
Elrohir, who had shouted Estel's name as the orc had approached Estel, sighed in relief when he saw that Estel had at last regained consciousness and had managed to slay the orc who had threatened his life only moments previous.
His relief soon turned to utter horror as the orcs soon engaged Estel in combat as well.
Elrohir was not the only one who saw what was happening to Estel.
"Elladan! Elrohir! Estel will not last in this battle for long!" Legolas yelled over the cacophony of the battle.
Elladan and Elrohir nodded in acknowledgment and knew that they had to end this, and quickly. With renewed strength, born of a desire to protect their little brother, the twins quickly killed any orc that dared to get close to them, while pushing through the orcs trying to get to Estel.
Legolas too rejoined the fray with renewed vigor in an attempt to reach Estel and help him with the many orcs.
Estel saw his brothers and Legolas's attempts to reach him, and tried to make it easier on them by hacking away at the orcs who surrounded him. There were simply to many though.
For every orc that he killed, another one took its place. Estel was constantly parrying, ducking, and killing the orcs, but he could not keep up the pace. He was tiring, and quickly.
At one point, he faltered when an orc managed to cut Estel's sword arm. Estel only lost attention for one moment, but that one moment cost him.
The orcs, seeing their prey's momentary inattention, took full advantage of it. They charged upon Estel, one managing to cut Estel's already injured left arm, while another stabbed Estel in the shoulder.
Estel had seen them coming, but could only twist partially out of the way.
It was the slight twist to the right that had saved his life, for had he not seen the movement out of the corner of his eye, the stab wound to his shoulder would have hit his heart.
Estel howled in agony at the new attack on his already tiring body, but he kept parrying, despite his growing fatigue.
Legolas, Elladan, and Elrohir saw everything that had happened, but were helpless to stop it. They too were in the midst of fighting, and while they were trying to get to Estel, the orcs were many and it was taking some time.
At last, they pushed their way through the orcs, and made their way to Estel, slaughtering any orc that tried to stop them.
Estel saw them coming and was very thankful, as he was deteriorating, quickly. This battle was sapping what little strength he had left.
Seeing that Estel was slowly faltering, the three elves circled Estel, forcing him into the middle so that they could protect him.
With Estel secured in the middle of their protective circle, the Elves went about slaughtering the orcs that approached them.
While his brothers and best friend were fighting, Estel sank to the ground in exhaustion. He wanted to help fight, but he could not even stand anymore.
From where he was sitting, he had full view of the battle. He watched in horror as an orc clubbed Legolas's arm and Legolas howled in obvious pain.
Like Estel, Legolas did not let that deter him, and he quickly slaughtered the orc that had clubbed his arm.
Elladan and Elrohir were getting rather beat up as well, but they had no major injuries. Twenty minutes later, the three elves and one human had finished off the last of the orcs.
Seeing that the battle was finally over, Legolas sank to the ground next to Estel, groaning slightly at the pain in his arm.
Elladan and Elrohir sank to their knees in exhaustion as well. The battle had been a fierce one, but it was over now, and Legolas and Estel needed their attention.
"Estel? How do you fare?" Elrohir asked his brother, his voice full of concern.
Estel smiled and attempted to reassure Elrohir. "I am fine gwador. Legolas needs your help more than I. He took a rather hard hit with a club to his arm," he managed to say through gritted teeth.
Legolas groaned in a mixture of pain and exasperation, while the twins just shook their head.
"Nay mellon nin! My arm does pain me some, but tis nothing! You, however, have been stabbed in your right shoulder and cut once more on your left arm! Not to mention that you are still recovering from being poisoned and are ill!" Legolas exclaimed.
Estel looked down and saw the orc dagger still embedded in his shoulder. Up until now, he had barely felt the pain, such was his focus on the battle. Now that Legolas had reminded him of the injury, it was really starting to hurt.
Estel looked up and suddenly realized that he been reassuring Elrohir that he was fine.
"When did you two get here?" Estel asked the twins, slightly puzzled at their sudden appearance.
"We found you and Legolas in the cave and have been with you ever since," Elladan explained briefly.
"Elrohir, take care of Legolas while I take care of Estel," Elladan said, pursing his lips in worry at Estel's condition.
"Nay! Take care of Estel first. It will take the two of you to get that dagger out. My injury, if you could call it such, is minor. Estel needs our help more," Legolas said stubbornly.
Elrohir threw up his hands in disgust, while Elladan shook his head despairingly. "You two, I swear to the Valar that you will be the death of us one day. Very well Legolas, we will treat Estel first, okay Estel?" Elrohir asked his little brother, knowing he could not change the princes mind once it was set.
Estel didn't acknowledge what his brother was saying. His world was currently full of pain and confusion. He saw Legolas and the twins talking, but couldn't really make out what they were saying.
His shoulder ached to the bone, as did his left arm, and his head and leg were pounding. In addition, his stomach was threatening to empty its contents any second now. Estel's vision was blurry and was slowly becoming dark. Not being able to fight it any longer, Estel allowed the darkness to take him.
Elrohir and Elladan looked away from Legolas in surprise when their brother did not answer. They turned to Estel just in time to see Estel's eyes roll back into his head and collapse soundlessly to the forest floor.
"ESTEL!" all three elves yelled at the same time.
Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas were immediately at Estel's side.
Elrohir gently picked Estel's head up, and laid it back down on his lap, while brushing away Estel's hair from his face.
Elladan frowned grimly, looking at the new and old injuries that marred his little brother's body.
"Elrohir, hold him steady. I need to take the dagger out. Even unconscious, Estel will react as it will be painful. Legolas, I know you only have one arm to use currently, but see what you can do with that cut on his left arm," Elladan said.
Legolas quickly bound the cut, not being able to stitch it as was properly needed, not having the proper supplies nor the skill.
Elladan waited until Legolas had finished before turning to Elrohir.
"Alright, Elrohir are you ready?" Elladan asked. Elrohir nodded grimly.
"Lets just get his over with," Legolas said watching apprehensively.
The twins nodded, and with one swift jerk, Elladan pulled the dagger out.
Estel moaned in pain and tried to jerk away, but Elrohir held him firmly in place while Legolas whispered soothing words in Elvish, hoping that Estel would hear his words and calm down.
Elladan threw the dagger aside in disgust, and quickly applied pressure to the wound. The blade had gone deep and had pierced through to the bone.
Once the wound had stopped bleeding, Elladan applied what little athelas they had left and bound the wound tightly.
While Elladan had been binding the wound, Legolas took it upon himself to be somewhat useful and examined the dagger that Estel had been stabbed with.
Thankfully, there was no trace of poison, for which Legolas was very relieved about. He did not believe that Estel could handle a second poisoning so soon after the first one along with all his other injuries.
Elrohir saw Legolas looking at the blade and turned to him fearfully. "Legolas, it is not..." he started to say, but could not force himself to continue.
"Nay, fear not Elrohir. The blade is not poisoned," Legolas said.
Elladan had heard Legolas's words as well and sighed in relief. He turned to his brother and friend. "I have done all I can for Estel here, but we must get him to Ada. His injuries are very serious and we do not have the supplies to heal them properly," he said remorsefully. He hated to see his little brother in pain, but there was nothing he could do about it until they reached Imladris.
Sighing, Elladan turned to Legolas. "Mellon nin, let me see your arm," he said firmly, knowing that Legolas would protest.
Sensing Elladan and Elrohir would not let him get away without an examination Legolas consented despite his better judgment.
Elrohir prodded Legolas's arm gently, trying to see the extent of the damage.
Legolas hissed and tried to keep in a slight moan of pain, but could not help moaning slightly.
"Legolas! Your arm is badly broken! And you did not want Elrohir to look at it," Elladan scolded him.
"You are just as bad as Estel is Legolas. This needs to be set and put in a sling," Elrohir said.
Legolas sighed but reluctantly agreed. His arm was paining him, but he knew that setting it was for the best, though it would hurt during the process.
"Just set it Elladan," Legolas growled.
Elladan nodded and gently grasped Legolas's arm, feeling for the broken bone, while Elrohir grabbed some cloth to make a makeshift sling.
"On three," Elladan warned.
Legolas nodded his consent and listened as Elladan counted. "One, two..." Elladan said and suddenly set the bone in place.
Legolas screamed as the bone was set. His vision had sparkles in them for a few seconds before it cleared.
When his vision had cleared, he saw that his arm had been put in the sling.
Legolas glared at Elladan and Elrohir. "I thought that you said it would be on three," he growled at the twins.
Elladan shrugged. "You would have been more tense on three. On two, you weren't as tense which made setting the bone much easier," he said.
Legolas groaned but accepted that it had been in his best interests.
"Fine, let us just depart this place," he said glaring at the dead orcs that littered the ground.
"I could not agree with you more," Elrohir said, while readying his horse.
"Legolas, you will ride double with Elrohir. You can not ride unaided as you only have one arm to use and you are exhausted Legolas," Elladan said.
"Estel," Legolas started to say but was cut off by Elrohir.
"Do not worry about Estel, Legolas. He will ride with Elladan," Elrohir said gently, for he too was greatly concerned for his brother.
"Let us make haste. I would very much like to reach Imladris before dawn," Elladan said, while carefully putting Estel onto his horse, and then mounting behind him.
Legolas and Elrohir nodded and both hopped up onto Elrohir's horse. Legolas sat in front of Elrohir, much to his disliking, with Elrohir behind him holding the reigns.
"Let us depart this place then. I too want Estel home as soon as possible," Elrohir said.
Elladan nodded and prodded his horse into a full out gallop with Legolas and Elrohir following right next to him, and Estel's horse following faithfully behind them.
Translations:
Gwador: Brother
Mellon nin: My friend