Authors notes: - Thank you so much for the reviews and thank you to Ohio
Duneidin Ranger for your lovely comments. I am going on holiday for a week
soon so my next chapter will have a slight delay for which I apologise. I
hope the story is living up to expectations and that my lovely reviewers
will keep reviewing and to those who haven't please please review!!
OOOOOO
Azian closed his eyes as he waited for the killing blow to fall. He felt a calm wash over him that only one who had faced certain death could ever know. Beside him he could hear the haggard and anxious breathing of Eomer and he reached across, resting his hand on his arm trying to instil some calm into the man.
"It was an honour to know you." Eomer whispered. Azian smiled and squeezed his arm.
"You too." The two waited but nothing happened. Soon the anticipation was too much for Azian and he opened his eyes. The orcs were dead on the ground with one arrow each stuck out of their backs. Every arrow had pierced the heart of the orc killing it instantly. Azian knew of only one elf that could have made all the shots that quickly and accurately.
"Legolas?" he whispered. Across the clearing stood his little brother, a bow of orc design clutched loosely in his left hand, wavering on his feet and obviously exhausted. Azian struggled to his feet.
"Legolas?" he said again. Legolas did not respond and slowly placed his bow over his shoulder. Pulling out a knife he knelt down and cut the ropes binding Gimli and his father. He gently lowered his father to the ground, kissed his forehead and rose to his feet.
"Legolas!" Azian said desperately. "Is it you?"
Legolas stumbled and Azian dived forward in an attempt to catch his brother. He caught his brother but was unable to remain on his feet and they both fell to the ground
"Do not touch me." Legolas whispered trying to get away.
"Legolas I am not going to hurt you. It's me Azian." Azian said smoothing the dirty blonde hair out of Legolas's face. Legolas didn't respond, his head slumped to the side and he stared across the clearing watching the trees sway in the breeze.
"Leave me alone" Legolas whispered.
"We can't do that." Azian said softly as he felt Gimli and Eomer join them on the ground, one willingly and the other because his legs gave out.
"Go away and leave me alone. You all lied to me and not just once. You used me! You are worse than them for at least they did not pretend to care for me." Legolas continued and he weakly struggled to break free of Azian's grasp.
Azian flinched but it was Gimli who spoke.
"If we are as bad as them why did you save us?"
Legolas turned to face Gimli and glared at him ferociously. "I am not a monster."
oooooooo
Aragorn knelt next to Aeolian in the trees opposite the citadel. Behind them were a number of elves and Gandalf who had refused to be left behind, the wounded men had been left with a healer at the flets.
"I see nobody" Aeolian said confused. "If they had retaken the citadel they would have soldiers on the walls."
Aragorn agreed. It was eerily still. "What do you suggest? I think that walking right up to the front gate would not be a sensible idea."
"There is a secret passage about a hundred yards that way." The elf indicated to the right of the main gate. "It leads up to the servants corridors. These corridors run from the kitchens to the dining halls."
"If the citadel is back in enemy hands surely they would have been discovered."
"Only if they were looking for them. It is the only way in other than through the main gate." Aeolian stated.
Aragorn nodded again. "Fine"
Aeolian gave an indication to move to the elves behind him but before anyone could fulfil these orders Aragorn yelled.
"Legolas!" Aeolian turned at the call to see a blonde elf emerge from the trees and walk right up to the gate.
"Is it Legolas or Sauron?" Aeolian asked watching his brother carefully. Legolas halted.
"Come out and face me!" Legolas commanded.
Aragorn and Aeolian looked at each other as Gandalf sighed and bowed his head.
"What is he doing?" Aeolian questioned.
"Getting himself killed!" Aragorn exclaimed and moved to go after his friend. Aeolian pulled him down.
"As you will be if you jump out there. How do we know this is not a trap?" Aeolian questioned his concern for his brother being overwhelmed by the need to remain alive to continue the fight.
"Look over there. In the trees." One of the elves behind him whispered. Aeolian and Aragorn both looked into the opposite tree line and saw a strange group consisting of an elf, dwarf and man crouching behind a tree.
"Its Azian, Gimli and Eomer." Aeolian said. "They haven't spotted us, they are watching Legolas"
"What is going on?" Aragorn questioned, but before they could have that question answered a sound instilling dread into the watchers.
A dull beating of wings echoed and they watched in horror as a Nazgul rose up from within the citadel. It screamed its challenge but instead of fleeing, Legolas crossed his arms over his chest and raised his head as if challenging the creature in return.
The Nazgul landed in front of the elf and screamed, moving its hideous head till it was only a hair's breath away from Legolas's face. Legolas did not flinch even the noise must have done damage to the elf's ear drums.
"You are to go to the north." He commanded.
"You are no longer speaking as Sauron. Who are you?" The creature hissed sending shivers down the spine of all those who heard it.
"Do you dare question me?" Legolas calmed asked. The wraith raised a hand intent on touching the elf to determine if it was still commanded by darkness.
"Sauron commanded that I was not to be touched by anyone. I will report your insolence. You will not like your punishment." Legolas continued calmly. The wraith withdrew.
"Now go to the north." With a scream the wraith took off. Legolas turned to look straight at the group of three.
Aeolian and Aragorn watched in stunned amazement as Eomer, Azian and Gimli staggered out of the tree line, Azian supporting King Thranduil. Aeolian and Aragorn looked at each other and then proceeded to join the group before the gate.
"Legolas!" Aragorn exclaimed running up to his friend. Legolas backed away awkwardly and Aragorn halted putting out his hands in a calming gesture.
"I am free of Sauron's possession if that is what concerns you, as undoubtedly Gandalf has informed you." Legolas snapped bitterly.
"That is good mellon. How are you feeling?" Aragorn questioned, not really sure what to say.
Legolas laughed. "Now you care. Hollow promises and sentiments." Legolas pulled out a knife and held it to Aragorn's throat.
"I should kill you for you betrayal and abandonment. What say you King of Gondor?"
OOOOOOO
OOOOOO
Azian closed his eyes as he waited for the killing blow to fall. He felt a calm wash over him that only one who had faced certain death could ever know. Beside him he could hear the haggard and anxious breathing of Eomer and he reached across, resting his hand on his arm trying to instil some calm into the man.
"It was an honour to know you." Eomer whispered. Azian smiled and squeezed his arm.
"You too." The two waited but nothing happened. Soon the anticipation was too much for Azian and he opened his eyes. The orcs were dead on the ground with one arrow each stuck out of their backs. Every arrow had pierced the heart of the orc killing it instantly. Azian knew of only one elf that could have made all the shots that quickly and accurately.
"Legolas?" he whispered. Across the clearing stood his little brother, a bow of orc design clutched loosely in his left hand, wavering on his feet and obviously exhausted. Azian struggled to his feet.
"Legolas?" he said again. Legolas did not respond and slowly placed his bow over his shoulder. Pulling out a knife he knelt down and cut the ropes binding Gimli and his father. He gently lowered his father to the ground, kissed his forehead and rose to his feet.
"Legolas!" Azian said desperately. "Is it you?"
Legolas stumbled and Azian dived forward in an attempt to catch his brother. He caught his brother but was unable to remain on his feet and they both fell to the ground
"Do not touch me." Legolas whispered trying to get away.
"Legolas I am not going to hurt you. It's me Azian." Azian said smoothing the dirty blonde hair out of Legolas's face. Legolas didn't respond, his head slumped to the side and he stared across the clearing watching the trees sway in the breeze.
"Leave me alone" Legolas whispered.
"We can't do that." Azian said softly as he felt Gimli and Eomer join them on the ground, one willingly and the other because his legs gave out.
"Go away and leave me alone. You all lied to me and not just once. You used me! You are worse than them for at least they did not pretend to care for me." Legolas continued and he weakly struggled to break free of Azian's grasp.
Azian flinched but it was Gimli who spoke.
"If we are as bad as them why did you save us?"
Legolas turned to face Gimli and glared at him ferociously. "I am not a monster."
oooooooo
Aragorn knelt next to Aeolian in the trees opposite the citadel. Behind them were a number of elves and Gandalf who had refused to be left behind, the wounded men had been left with a healer at the flets.
"I see nobody" Aeolian said confused. "If they had retaken the citadel they would have soldiers on the walls."
Aragorn agreed. It was eerily still. "What do you suggest? I think that walking right up to the front gate would not be a sensible idea."
"There is a secret passage about a hundred yards that way." The elf indicated to the right of the main gate. "It leads up to the servants corridors. These corridors run from the kitchens to the dining halls."
"If the citadel is back in enemy hands surely they would have been discovered."
"Only if they were looking for them. It is the only way in other than through the main gate." Aeolian stated.
Aragorn nodded again. "Fine"
Aeolian gave an indication to move to the elves behind him but before anyone could fulfil these orders Aragorn yelled.
"Legolas!" Aeolian turned at the call to see a blonde elf emerge from the trees and walk right up to the gate.
"Is it Legolas or Sauron?" Aeolian asked watching his brother carefully. Legolas halted.
"Come out and face me!" Legolas commanded.
Aragorn and Aeolian looked at each other as Gandalf sighed and bowed his head.
"What is he doing?" Aeolian questioned.
"Getting himself killed!" Aragorn exclaimed and moved to go after his friend. Aeolian pulled him down.
"As you will be if you jump out there. How do we know this is not a trap?" Aeolian questioned his concern for his brother being overwhelmed by the need to remain alive to continue the fight.
"Look over there. In the trees." One of the elves behind him whispered. Aeolian and Aragorn both looked into the opposite tree line and saw a strange group consisting of an elf, dwarf and man crouching behind a tree.
"Its Azian, Gimli and Eomer." Aeolian said. "They haven't spotted us, they are watching Legolas"
"What is going on?" Aragorn questioned, but before they could have that question answered a sound instilling dread into the watchers.
A dull beating of wings echoed and they watched in horror as a Nazgul rose up from within the citadel. It screamed its challenge but instead of fleeing, Legolas crossed his arms over his chest and raised his head as if challenging the creature in return.
The Nazgul landed in front of the elf and screamed, moving its hideous head till it was only a hair's breath away from Legolas's face. Legolas did not flinch even the noise must have done damage to the elf's ear drums.
"You are to go to the north." He commanded.
"You are no longer speaking as Sauron. Who are you?" The creature hissed sending shivers down the spine of all those who heard it.
"Do you dare question me?" Legolas calmed asked. The wraith raised a hand intent on touching the elf to determine if it was still commanded by darkness.
"Sauron commanded that I was not to be touched by anyone. I will report your insolence. You will not like your punishment." Legolas continued calmly. The wraith withdrew.
"Now go to the north." With a scream the wraith took off. Legolas turned to look straight at the group of three.
Aeolian and Aragorn watched in stunned amazement as Eomer, Azian and Gimli staggered out of the tree line, Azian supporting King Thranduil. Aeolian and Aragorn looked at each other and then proceeded to join the group before the gate.
"Legolas!" Aragorn exclaimed running up to his friend. Legolas backed away awkwardly and Aragorn halted putting out his hands in a calming gesture.
"I am free of Sauron's possession if that is what concerns you, as undoubtedly Gandalf has informed you." Legolas snapped bitterly.
"That is good mellon. How are you feeling?" Aragorn questioned, not really sure what to say.
Legolas laughed. "Now you care. Hollow promises and sentiments." Legolas pulled out a knife and held it to Aragorn's throat.
"I should kill you for you betrayal and abandonment. What say you King of Gondor?"
OOOOOOO
