Legolaslover – I love writing about the camaraderie between A L. As for the Orc stuff, you'll soon learn where they fit into all of this. Oh, and I will definitely take those kisses from Leggy:o)

Linilya elf – Glad you like "protective Legolas". Love your story more and more. Get writing already, will ya:o)

YueMichiruNaragisawaMiko – Lots more cliffies to come. Glad you like it.

Maren P and Dark Elvish Angel of Shadow – Here's another update. I may have told someone else this, too, but I committed myself to doing at least two updates a week, if not more. It all depends on the plot bunnies that invade my head when I to and from work in the morning. That's where I get all my ideas. Except sometimes I forget them by the time I get to my destination.

Romy – I love writing cliffies. But don't bite your nails!

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

Chapter 6 – Blood Soaks Through

Legolas ran down the narrow corridor, no longer waiting for the Kozari handmaiden to show him the way and so he left her behind. His ears had picked up the distant sounds of Aleera's cries and he forced his feet to carry him faster, knives in his hands, prepared to use them if anyone so much as stepped in his path. He rounded a corner, her cries louder now. Up ahead was a door and he could feel her presence on the other side. Without missing a step, he slammed himself full force at the closed door. It swung open, the doorframe nearly coming down from the extraordinary strength of the elf's force.

The scene that greeted Legolas would be forever imprinted in his mind. Aleera's arms were tied to the post at the foot of the bed and she was naked and rolled up in a ball on the floor beside it. Gwinn stood several feet away, a whip with three tails in her hand.

Gwinn whirled toward the door when it slammed open and seeing the elf's hostile look, she swung the whip at him as he approached. Legolas held both knives in one hand and used his free hand to grab the end of the whip as it reached him. He yanked the whip right out of Gwinn's hand. The startled queen backed away a couple steps before Legolas came up and slammed both knife handles into her face. She fell unconscious several feet away, blood draining from her splattered nose.

Aleera sobbed uncontrollably, unable to catch her breath as the fiery pain ate into her back and shoulders. She had no strength to move, not even to see what was transpiring behind her. All she knew was that Legolas was there. She had felt his presence seconds before she heard the sound of the door crashing open.

Legolas glanced around quickly, expecting Hurrnäd to lunge out at him from some hidden location. But the Kozari ruler was not in the room. Then he finally focused his attention on Aleera. The cuts on her back and shoulder, caused by the multi-tailed whip, were deep and bleeding. Her entire back was covered in blood. He sliced at the leather binds on her wrists where she was tied to the bedpost. As he crouched behind her and touched his fingers to her arms, she cried out in pain, causing him to release her immediately. Legolas knew he had to get her out of this room, but he did not want to cause her any further pain. He was at a loss as to why they had brought lashes upon her back. What could she have done to displease them?

"Aleera, lasto beth nin. I must take you from here. Forgive me for any further pain you feel from my actions." (hear my voice)

Aleera nearly screamed in pain when she felt something come around her back. It was a sheet from the bed. She allowed Legolas to help her to her feet and gritted her teeth to the unbearable burning in the lacerations brought upon her by Gwinn's whip. He wrapped the sheet further around her. She bit down on her lower lip to keep from crying out as he lifted her up in his arms. The blinding pain caused her to black out.

Legolas was thankful that she had lost consciousness. Her cries as he carried her through the corridors would have alerted every guard in the Keep. Luckily Legolas had not come across any. He had been forced to strap his knives to his belt since he needed both hands to carry Aleera and as he walked, he tried to prevent the sharp blades from digging into his thigh.

Along the way, Legolas came across Roxana, who had decided to seat herself on a bench in the corridor leading to the tower. She quickly stood up at his approach. "What has befallen her?"

Legolas did not stop to explain. The girl had eyes. She could see the blood stains on the sheet. He kept moving down the corridor and finally came to the tower lobby. Then he paused at the wooden door of Aragorn's room, rapping on it with his boot.

A moment later the door opened revealing Aragorn. He stared at Legolas with a questioning look. "What is this, Legolas?"

"Aragorn, Aleera is in dire need of aid." Legolas carried Aleera into the room when his friend stepped aside. Then he turned to Roxana. "Go to my room and retrieve my things quickly."

Roxana nodded and rushed out of the room.

"What has happened?" asked Aragorn, seeing the blood on the sheet. As Legolas gently laid Aleera face down on the bed and gently pulled the sheet aside, Aragorn saw the wounds that had been inflicted upon her back and shoulders. "Ai, Elbereth. Who did this to her?"

"Need I tell you, Aragorn?"

Aragorn understood. Hurrnäd had done this to her. Him or the queen. "Has she any other wounds besides these on her back?"

"I know not. I have not examined her." Legolas could see that Aragorn's expression had turned dark. The ranger was now as angered as he was.

"Clean the wounds as best as you can. I will gather my things. We will take Aleera to the Lady of the Wood. She may be able to help her."

Legolas nodded. "I agree."

Aragorn could not take his eyes off the bloody lacerations on Aleera's back. Finally he turned to Legolas who sat at the edge of the bed beside her. "We will ride hard on this night for I am certain they will pursue in the morning when they discover Aleera is gone and so are we. She may not be able to withstand the harsh pounding of a galloping horse with her injuries."

"She will ride with me, Aragorn. I will protect her from any jarring."

While Aragorn gathered his things, Legolas carried the basin of water near the bed and soaked a towel in the tepid water. He gently began to cleanse the blood from the wounds. Again he was thankful that Aleera was not conscious for she would have been in terrible pain over his ministrations.

When Aragorn had his things together and Roxana had brought down Legolas's, Aragorn turned to the elf. "I will get the horses ready. Complete your examination and tell me what you find."

Legolas nodded, understanding what Aragorn was asking of him.

Aragorn turned to Roxana. "I thank you for your help, but there is one more thing I would ask of you."

"Anything, my lord," replied Roxana.

"I need you to distract the guard at the palace gates."

Roxana nodded. "I know the guard. You will be able to pass unnoticed." She turned to the elf and saw the grateful look on his face. She had made up for her ignorance of what befell Aleera. Had she known sooner, she would have warned them all. Roxana quickly departed to do Aragorn's bidding.

When Aragorn left, Legolas proceeded with examining Aleera thoroughly. She had other minor wounds on her back that had been in the process of healing and some on her thigh. Previous injuries that included the one on her forehead. There were two cuts on her cheek that were already starting to bruise. After the inspection he found that she had no other wounds. His next task was to determine if she had been defiled and he had no idea what to even look for as evidence. As he gently tried to turn her over on her back, he only managed to get her on her side as she stirred and came awake.

Aleera jolted as she felt hands upon her. But she quickly relaxed when Legolas came into her view. She was lying on her side as he crouched in front of her beside the bed. "Legolas…"

"I am taking you out of here, Aleera. Aragorn has gone to prepare the horses."

"Nay, they will pursue us."

"Every bit of strength I possess keeps me from slashing their throats. To even think about committing such vile acts upon an elf. Nay, we must go before I kill every last one standing within the walls of this palace."

"I am frightened."

Legolas brought his hand up to cup her cheek and his expression quickly softened. "Have no fear, Aleera. I will let nothing more happen to you. This I promise." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers in a soft yet possessive kiss. Then he reached for the nightgown Roxana had brought down. "Come, we must go quickly."

Aleera felt slight trepidation at finding herself so completely bare before his eyes. He gently helped her to sit at the edge of the bed and she slowly raised her arms so he could slip the nightgown on her.

"What happened?" Legolas asked, trying to distract her from the seething pain she felt as the material touched her wounds.

"I would not willingly do what they asked of me," she said in a whisper. "When Hurrnäd came toward me, I kicked out, purely out of instinct, and my foot landed hard upon his…privates, forcing the breath from his lungs. Unable to function any longer, he angrily left the chamber. The queen felt cheated and gave me these lashes." Aleera's eyes watered as she recalled the incident and from the pain in her back and shoulders as the material soon clung to her flesh. "I have never felt such pain before in my life. I am sure of it."

Legolas frowned, feeling guilty over the fact that he could have prevented this from happening. He could have done something in the dining hall. Anything at all to stop what had transpired. But he was utterly relieved to hear that she had not been touched in any other way. He reached down and caressed her cheek, his thumb brushing over the cuts there. "Let us be gone from this place."

Aleera accepted Legolas's help to stand up. He tugged the nightgown down to cover the rest of her. Then he pulled a heavy blanket from the bed and gently rested it around her. She winced in pain, but quickly became accustomed to the weight. He carefully picked her up and carried her out of the room.

Aragorn was astride his chestnut, while Legolas was on the unsaddled back of his grey, with Aleera seated and nestled in his arms in front of him. They moved their horses at a slow walk, keeping to the shadows. It was late and there was not much activity outside in the courtyard of the Keep.

From various places, Legolas could hear the snores of those asleep. He hoped that he had knocked out the queen hard enough to keep her unconscious for a long time. He would have carved out her entrails if he had not been so concerned about Aleera's condition. The fact rested uneasily in the back of his mind that Hurrnäd could at any moment walk into the bed chamber and find the queen. The guards would be called and they would be hunted. Legolas instinctly drew an arrow from his quiver. With his bow in one hand and his free hand holding Aleera against him, he guided his stallion by voice.

As they silently approached the inner gates of the Keep, Aragorn noticed that they were unguarded. He glanced over at Legolas who gave him a bit of a smile and motioned with his head. Aragorn turned to where Legolas had indicated and he saw something in the shadows. Roxana was distracting the guard successfully, holding him firmly as he was kissing her neck and facing away from the gates. She saw them approach and gave Aragorn an indication that all was well. Then he saw her draw the guard into a passionate kiss, just as they passed the gates.

Moments after passing the unguarded gates of the outer wall of the Keep, they were galloping full speed through the darkened woods, stopping only briefly to water the horses at the Kozarin River before taking up a gallop again.

They rode continuously through the night in the desert sands. Aragorn wanted to be beyond the desert wastelands and in the cover of mountains before the sun came up. But they continued on through most of the next day. Only when darkness came again did Aragorn call for them to stop.

Aleera's back burned terribly, but she had hid her agony from Legolas, fearing that it would have slowed them down. In truth, she had slept many of those hours, leaning against him comfortably. Now that they had stopped, Aleera had an opportunity to assess her pain at great length, cringing with every movement.

Aragorn made a small fire inside a small alcove at the foot of a steep mountain where they took shelter, while Legolas removed the blanket from around Aleera to lay it on the ground.

Legolas noticed the blood on the back of Aleera's nightgown. "Blood soaks through."

"I have athelas," suggested Aragorn.

Aleera cowered behind Legolas as Aragorn approached with a small bag of paste. She did not know the man as well as Legolas and was reluctant to let him even come close to her.

"It is all right, Aleera. Aragorn is a healer," Legolas assured her. He took her by the hand and lowered himself down on the blanket, pulling her down with him. While he sat cross-legged with his back against the stone wall, Aleera was on her knees before him. He unclasped the front of her nightgown and gently lowered it off her shoulders and down her arms.

With her back to Aragorn, Aleera sat down on her heels and leaned forward on Legolas's lap, taking hold of his hand. She felt Legolas move aside the hair that draped over her back while Aragorn knelt behind her.

"It will sting at first, Aleera. But it will heal your wounds quickly with several days of application," stated Aragorn.

As Aragorn gently applied the cool paste upon her deep wounds, the stinging made Aleera whimper in pain and squeeze Legolas's hand. Legolas tried to comfort her by caressing her head and the back of her neck. The paste seeped into the deep cuts and soon she could feel its healing power. But it did not stop the pain immediately and she sobbed quietly.

Legolas leaned over Aleera when Aragorn was finished and he whispered into her ear. "Allow it to work for several moments, Aleera. I know it hurts."

Aragorn walked up again. "Legolas, here are trousers and a tunic. It will be better than the slight shift she wears. And here's my cloak for extra warmth. I will take first watch."

Legolas watched as Aragorn left the small alcove. When Aleera's sobs slowly died down, she slowly raised herself up on her heels. He studied her face and wiped at the tears there. Then he reached for the cloak Aragorn gave him and gently draped it over her shoulders and back. Aleera moved toward him, crawling up to straddle his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck, seeking his comfort and warmth. He carefully embraced her in return, conscious of where he placed his hands on her back.

"Hannon le, Legolas, for getting me out of there," she said. (thank you)

"Do not thank me, Aleera. I would never have left you to endure the humiliation they had in store for you."

Despite the intense pain on her back and shoulders, Aleera was mildly aroused by the feel of her bare breasts pressed against the soft suede of Legolas's tunic. But she found a warm comfort being in his arms.

As Aleera rested her head upon Legolas's shoulder, he tucked the cloak around her further. Within minutes he heard the steadiness of her breath as she fell into deep sleep. He wanted to embrace her harder to him, but he did not want to cause her any further pain. Instead he opted to just being able to look at her. He slowly reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear and gently caressed the tip of it. She uttered a small moan in her sleep and the pleasant sound tugged at the corner of his lips. He lowered his face down so that his lips were near her shoulder. There he gently placed a kiss upon her flesh and closed his eyes, inhaling her scent into his lungs.