Title: All of It's Washing Away

Author: boybeater3736

Rating: PG-13 (for major Leggy angsting! )

Author's Note: A complete experiment on writing styles. Also, a product of too much spare time on Easter break. Yeah, I know it's not perfect because I don't have a beta… but ya know, if you are actually offended by a few grammar and spelling mistakes… you are sad.

Elvish Translations

A Eruchîn, ú-dano i faelas a hyn, an uben tanatha le faelas! Show them no mercy, for you shall receive none!

Dartho! Hold!

Faeg i-varv... dîn na lanc a nu ranc… Their armor is weak at the neck… and beneath the arm.

Chapter One

"His faith in you is unfaltering. When I was young… like you, I would have killed for a friend like that." Haldir stated. His keen eyes scanned the pitch black horizon carefully, taking a mental note at how far the Uruks were away from Helm's Deep.

Legolas, the person whom he was talking to almost took no notice in his words. Ever since Aragorn's and his fight earlier that day, Legolas had been having a hard time concentrating on anything.

"I know." Legolas said quietly. "Are you just trying to make me guilty enough so I will go and apologize, Haldir of Lorien?"

The Elf smirked. Legolas was so young and naive. "I might be." Was all he said.

"Ugh! You all speak in riddles!" Legolas cried.

"Yes, we do. It's just how we talk. I, personally, think that you talk in a far too open manner." Haldir said stiffly.

"Speaking in riddles is too hard. You sound like Gandalf when you do that." Legolas grumbled.

Haldir didn't respond. He simply kept on studying the edge of the valley.

"It's going to start raining any time now." Haldir said flatly.

"What?" Legolas asked. Just then he heard the soft plink, plink of raindrops hitting stone and armor. He sighed. It was going to be a cold, miserable, wet, and morale-draining night… well, maybe just for the humans. For the Elves it should be nothing. They had trained in crappy weather like this. Roused at midnight in the middle of a thunderstorm and ordered to spar and fire at targets. Sound hard? Talk about a blizzard… now that was a complete different story. Long had Prince Legolas Greenleaf protected the border of his father's land fearlessly and tirelessly. He though it was going to be nothing. Thought.

"Prince, you had better take up your place on the wall. It would not do to have Aragorn order us to draw arrows with you standing here complaining." Haldir said.

Legolas snorted as loudly as he could (just so Haldir would take note of his disgust) and marched off down the row of waiting Lorien soldiers back to where Gimli was waiting impatiently.

"Where were you!" the Dwarf growled when Legolas had returned.

"Gathering advice." Legolas simply answered.

"A Eruchîn, ú-dano i faelas a hyn, an uben tanatha le faelas!" Legolas heard Aragorn yelling at Haldir's army.

He paused, silently looking around to see how the other Elves were reacting to Aragorn's statement of hard reality. In their deep, blue eyes he could sense no fear… and even as he sought deeper he still found none. Legolas felt like a fool because his own heart was racing and even with the calm, calculating look on his face and in his eyes, his palms were sweating.

Gimli was planted firmly beside him, large battle-axe at hand… ready to begin hacking furiously at the Uruk-hai and almost seeming eager. Oh, how Legolas respected him for that.

Saruman's army of minions was so close at hand now; Legolas could feel the vibrations of their heavy footfalls resonating in his chest. It was terrifying and he wished that he could just turn away from the predicament that was about to unfold. A predicament that none of them may walk away from.

"Dartho!" he heard Aragorn yell. That meant it was time to draw arrows.

Legolas, as cleanly and as perfectly as he could, pulled a single arrow out of his quiver and set it to the string. He was trying his best to seem formidable and perfect for Haldir and his warriors. Gently he pulled it back, awaiting the order to fire. The Uruk-hai were standing on the doorstep now, beating their lances into the muddy earth. The rain was chilling, seeping into everyone's armor and soaking them miserably. Legolas, even through the driving rain, could almost see all of the Uruks faces.

"Faeg i-varv... dîn na lanc a nu ranc…" Legolas whispered to himself. He was ready and it seemed that all of his fears and insecurities about this battle were washing away with the rain.