A/N1: Sorry about the delay on the update but I have not been feeling well and also real-time responsibilities have been demanding my attention for the last few days.

A/N2: When you read about Elias, Anayah's stallion "dancing in place," please understand that this is an advanced dressage skill called a piaffe, in which the horse advances approximately ½ the width of its hoof and while lifting it's "knees" sharply. If I am not mistaken, and somebody correct me if I am, the word piaffe is a French word and since French is not one of the languages of Middle-earth, the move will continue to be called "dancing in place."

WARNING: There is a medical procedure described towards the end of the story that deals with a punctured lung. I am no doctor and do not claim to be a doctor and must say that the emergency treatment for the punctured lung is pretty close to the way such a condition would be or could be conducted in the field, other than the materials used. However, heed this warning carefully. This procedure must NOT, under ANY circumstances be attempted by anyone other than a trained professional. If you or anyone else feels that they or someone they know may have a punctured lung, call your emergency number immediately as such a condition is considered to be life threatening.

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Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel.
-Shakespeare, Hamlet, I, 3

Chapter 32

Reunited

As Elias left Hoth, Anayah saw mounted Hoth soldiers riding in their direction and so she turned the big stallion back and reentered Hoth, intent on finding an alternative exit. She had liberated two of Ostara's most prized possessions – her elf slave and her "crown" – and there was no doubt in Anayah's mind that the High Chieftain of the Wainrider people was not going to be happy about that fact. Anayah knew that Ostara would do her best to hunt her down, take back her possessions and kill her for her impertinence.

She also knew that finding a way out of the city without being caught would be an arduous task but she had made a vow that Legolas would not be caught and imprisoned again, and if she died while keeping him free then she would except that act as the will of Ilúvatar. She turned her mind back to the business at hand and together with Elias worked hard to avoid the innocent citizens of Hoth who were running about in a panic, as well as the foot and mounted solders who were trying to stop them at bidding of their High Chieftain.

Elias changed leads effortlessly as he wove his way through the crowd, leaning his great body into his turns. His eyes were alert, his ears forward as he watched his surroundings and listened for anything dangerous coming in their direction and though he trusted his rider to guide him around what he didn't see, he also knew that he was responsible for doing the same for his rider. Then he stopped, snorted and flicked his ears and when Anayah looked closely at her surroundings, saw two mounted soldiers coming at them from her right. Elias danced in place, his front legs occasionally coming off the ground as the adrenaline rushed through his body, prompting him to react quickly – he was ready and only needed to know his Lady's wishes.

She and the big stallion had nowhere to turn for they had been caught between two buildings and so Anayah cued the stallion and without hesitation, he turned and headed straight for the mounted soldiers. In their efforts to avoid a collision, one rider rode into the tent of a Hoth Vendor where both horse and rider became entangled in the guide ropes attached to the tent's sides and roof. Horse and rider fell but when both rose, neither had been seriously injured.

The other soldier and his horse found themselves forced into a narrow the narrow walkway between two buildings and since there was not enough room to turn his horse around, the two headed for the opposite opening which was a street away. At one point, Anayah thought she was going to pass out from lack of oxygen but after she had patted Legolas' hands and when he had raised his head and opened his eyes, he had realized what he was doing and loosened his grip. Where the Prince felt at home and confident in a forest setting, he was finding that the retreat and escape attempt of his friend and her horse were unsettling his still-fragile nerves.

Seeing more mounted soldiers riding in her direction, Anayah headed down the only other unoccupied street in her vicinity. She swore under her breath, for the particular street she was on was one that opened on the viewing area in front of the Palace. The realization came to her at that moment that she and Elias were purposely being herded back towards the Palace and to an area where the soldiers would have the best chance of stopping her.

In front of her, a horse and rider were waiting at the head of the street, standing broadside on the narrow roadway, hoping his presence would be incentive enough to force her surrender.

"Not on my watch Master Soldier."

She turned her head and spoke to Legolas.

"Hold tight Legolas."

Legolas' eyes opened wide when he saw the soldier and also noted, much to his own discomfort, that the big stallion was increasing his speed rather than slowing down. He knew what was coming and scrunching his eyes shut, he once more hid them against the back of Anayah's neck and once more tightened his death-grip around her waist.

The eyes of the soldier were getting wider as well as he noticed that the black stallion was showing no signs whatsoever that he was going to stop or even slow down. The human shifted uncomfortably in the saddle as he began to doubt the sanity of his decision to hold his ground. Then he did what any normal person in his position would have done … he bailed out of the saddle and rolled out of the way – just before the stallion sailed over the top of his horse.

The moment Anayah rode onto the viewing area's grassy field she knew she was in trouble. Though the number of humans had lessened dramatically from what they had been earlier in the day during the race, there were still at least 200 people milling around in their panic to get out of the way. Some people were tripping and falling while others were being pushed down and run over by others who were trying just as hard as everybody else to leave the viewing area.

There was a group of 10 mounted riders in front of the dais where Ostara stood, intently watching the chaotic happenings. When she gave her soldiers the order to advance, both the mounted soldiers and the 20 foot-soldiers began to do so in a uniform and purposeful fashion. Anayah knew deep in her heart that she was knee deep in warg droppings, for she truly had nowhere left to go.

Then luck smiled on her again and provided yet another opportunity and best possible chance to escape. Four riders on black horses broke out of the shadows of four different streets around the Palace and ran directly at the foot and mounted solders from four different directions. The soldiers scattered to avoid being run down and in so doing turned their ordered advance into a disordered and chaotic rout. With the order within their ranks having all but disappeared, they were then faced with the task of trying to try to avoid their fellow soldiers as well as those who were a part of the panicked crowd.

In the ensuing chaos, everyone lost track of the four riders who seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Captains were shouting orders at their soldiers as well as the milling crowd and the hundreds of citizens who were still trying to leave the viewing area were becoming more panicked as they now had horses and soldiers to avoid as well as their fellow citizens.

Though Ostara's archers were in position to take a shot at the stallion and his riders, they stayed their hands until they could be assured that the people in front of them were in the clear, for the soldiers still had consciences, quite unlike their leader who would have taken the shot whether her people were in the way or not. However, one of Ostara's archers was in the perfect, unimpeded spot for the perfect shot. Once more on the stone portico where he had been after the race, Garm had spotted Anayah and had just knocked an arrow.

Whether it was fate, perfect timing, coincidence or willful intervention by the Valar, just as Gam started pulling the sinew of his bow back in preparation for his "kill shot," the sun reflected off the jewel now looped around Anayah's arm and hit him in the eyes, temporarily blinding him. By the time he had blinked and dispelled the black spots dancing on the periphery of his vision, the black stallion and his two riders had disappeared.

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Garm's gaze swept over the entire Palace courtyard and beyond but could not find either the two elves or the stallion. He pointed at a mounted warrior.

"You! Which direction did they go?"

The rider shook his head.

"I don't know sir. The light was too bright – I couldn't see."

Garm swore under his breath as he summoned a different warrior who had been on the opposite side of the courtyard.

"Soldier – did you see which direction the elves went?"

The second warrior stopped his horse beneath the stone pillar Garm was standing on.

"No sir – I didn't. The sun was too bright and for a moment there, I couldn't see a thing."

Just then a big hand reached up and dragged the warrior off his horse. When he hit the ground, all the air was forced from his lungs and for a few moments, he couldn't catch his breath. Then the same hand that had dragged him off his horse grabbed a handful of the front of his tunic and jerked him roughly to his feet. Ostara brought the terrified soldier closer to her face while glaring at him menacingly.

"How could the sun have been in your eyes …" She spun toward the first soldier while still retaining the hold she had of the tunic of the second soldier. "… or your eyes?"

She turned back to the soldier she was holding.

"I saw the sun hit Captain Garm in the eyes just as he was about to take his shot. Are either of you trying to infer that my Captain and I are not telling the truth?"

The mounted soldier looked as if he was about to turn his horse and bolt for the nearest exit and leave Hoth forever and the soldier whose tunic was still firmly in Ostara's grasp, had the look in his eyes of someone who firmly believes he is about to die. However, to both their credits, they still possessed enough sanity to be able to answer their leader – in unison.

"No, High Chieftain."

With a growl of frustrated anger, she threw the soldier she had been holding, forcefully to the ground then glared from one soldier to the other.

"You two get out of my sight before I take both of you apart with my bare hands and feed you to my canines for dinner."

She looked at Garm who had climbed down off the pillar and was now walking toward his leader.

"Garm, I don't care how you do it, but I want those elves found – and quickly … and I want Greyfell. Find that traitorous dog and bring him to me … and make sure he is in good enough condition to answer my questions. I want to know why he betrayed me by helping those elves."

Ostara then whirled on the Stable Master who had been discretely standing nearby and who visibly jumped when his leader spoke to him while motioning toward Niord's dead body.

"I want you to drag that worthless grey carcass outside the city and leave him for the carnivores – he is of no more use to me."

She then turned and walked in the direction of the Palace, shoving anybody backwards who had the misfortune of coming within her reach.

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Elias made everything in the utility shed look small but to his credit and even though he took up most of the space in the small building, he was standing calmly, alertly watching what was going on. Greyfell stood at the stallion's head, scratching behind his ears and stroking his velvety nose while Aglarion and his Master, a human by the name of Tathrin, kept watch at the window.

Anayah and Elias had been heading for an exit in the north of the city when a soft whistle caught her attention. Looking to her right where a small utility shed sat almost at the rear of a small hut, she saw Greyfell motioning to her while holding the door to the shed open with one hand. She instinctively turned towards him and while some beings may have questioned her judgement for placing her trust, at that moment, in the hands of someone she barely knew, to Anayah, she was only following her heart – she knew that Greyfell could be trusted. After patting Elias on the neck, the stallion walked inside the building as if to do so was the most natural act in the world.

Now she and Legolas sat quietly waiting for the excitement outside to die down, after which it was Anayah's intention to take the Mirkwood Prince back to their camp. Legolas had relaxed somewhat and now sat with only one arm around Anayah's slender waist. It would take him some time to learn to deal with what he had gone through – both the emotional torment as well as the physical pain.

He would never fully forget about his captivity for the rest of his immortal life, but the intensity of the emotional pain he was feeling would lessen as more time passed. He knew for a certainty that his father and the members of his extended family, both in Mirkwood as well as Imladris, would support him during his recovery. His immediate concern, however, was for Aragorn, for his heart would not, indeed it could not rest until he saw his heart-brother and could see with his own eyes that the young edan was well.

Something on the edge of his thoughts brought his attention back to Anayah and he frowned in puzzlement for a moment before the realization hit him – she was sitting with both hands stiffly braced against the pommel of the saddle and breathing as if she had just run for 50 miles. When he shifted his weight to try to get a look at her and moved his left arm in the process, it felt sticky, and when he looked at it and saw the blood, he leaned around her and gently moved her hair away from her eyes.

Her complexion was extremely pale, sweat was beading her brow and her eyes were closed. What alarmed him the most, however, was the frothy blood he saw at the corner of her mouth and the broken-off shaft of the arrow imbedded in her chest next to her heart.

"Captain Greyfell?"

Greyfell looked up at Legolas and as he did so, also saw that Anayah was in trouble. When she breathed, her chest and abdomen were laboriously inflating at different times as she struggled to draw breath and though still conscious, he could tell that she was in an extreme amount of pain. Quickly stepping to the side of the stallion, he laid a hand on Anayah's forearm.

"Anayah, I'm going to help you down off your horse."

He could tell she was trying hard to speak, each word coming with a separate breath and so faint as to be almost inaudible.

"I have to get Legolas home."

Greyfell looked at Legolas.

"Legolas, do you have any healing skills?"

"Only the basic knowledge all warriors are taught – I am sorry."

Greyfell laid a hand on his shoulder.

"That is not a problem, my friend. We will just have to go about this problem in a different way."

Walking to the stallion's head, he looked at the animal purposefully.

"Elias, I would like to know if you would be willing to take Legolas and young Aglarion back to your camp and bring someone back who has healing skills. Aglarion knows all the best hiding places and can keep both you and Master Legolas from being discovered. Your Lady is in danger of dying if she is not treated as soon as possible."

The stallion snorted twice as he looked from Greyfell to the door and back again as if asking what they were waiting for. Smiling at Elias' eagerness to help, Greyfell called Aglarion then looked up at Legolas one final time.

"I can remove the arrow and keep her alive for a time but since she needs more medical attention than I am capable of giving her, it is my suggestion that you ride back to your camp, tell them everything that happened and that Anayah desperately needs the attention of a healer. I am sure that the others will be waiting somewhere in the forest and when they see the stallion will make their presence known.

You must also tell them that they have only a short time to move their camp before Ostara's soldiers start searching the forest. Tell your friends to pack what they can and meet me or someone I send at sundown at the same entrance they were at some days ago when they took young Strider home. Aglarion will guide you to the forest and will bring the healer back here. I don't think Anayah should be moved until her lung is repaired. Do you have the strength to do this Legolas? I mean no disrespect to you by my question, but must know if you have the endurance for this task."

Legolas looked at the Captain with determination.

"Aye Captain. I have the strength to do this."

Greyfell reached up and after gently prying Anayah's hands off the saddle carefully slid her off the stallion's back. To everyone's relief, after giving a small cry of pain, she went limp in Greyfell's arms. Legolas reached down and after grabbing Aglarion's arm, pulled him into the saddle behind him.

"Please do everything you can to save her, Captain."

Greyfell nodded and after Legolas had touched his forehead in respect and farewell and Tathrin had opened the door, the stallion and his riders left.

After they were lost to sight and after making sure the coast was clear, Tathrin, followed by Greyfell carrying Anayah, left the utility shed and soon after walked through the doorway of Tathrin's home. The two went into the back room where Aglarion usually slept and the Captain carefully laid Anayah on the bed.

The first thing the elf did was assess Anayah's overall condition. Besides her labored breathing and the sweat on her brow which indicated shock, she was starting to take on a pale blue color around her lips and when he took one of her hands and looked at the fingernails, saw the blue cast there as well. When he laid his ear over her right lung, he heard the normal sounds of breath being taken in then being forced out but when he listened to her left lung, he heard only silence. When he saw Tathrin looking at him, he explained.

"When the arrow entered her chest it caused a pocket of air to form inside the chest cavity which pressed against her lung and caused it to collapse. I need to remove the arrow then release the air in this pocket so her lung can once more inflate. If I can do this, there is a good chance that she will live until help arrives."

If the situation had not been so dire he would have laughed at the way Tathrin was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. In turn, he just shrugged his shoulders.

"I had a friend a few centuries ago who was a talented healer and taught me some of his skills before he died."

The human nodded.

"What do you need to do this thing, Captain?"

Greyfell looked around the room.

"I will need some kind of clean waterproof material, a small, hollow reed, cloth for bandages and some sort of disinfectant – perhaps some of that strong ale that you are so fond of." He winked at the human to show that he was only teasing.

Tathrin left but returned a few moments later and laid several items on the small table beside the bed – a new piece of tent fabric, linen for bandages, the hollow reed the Captain had requested as well as the ale for the disinfectant. He left once again and returned with two basins of water and while Greyfell started his work, Tathrin wiped the sweat off Anayah's brow and held her hand.

The first thing the Captain did was open her tunic and take her left arm out of the sleeve, then after laying a towel discretely across the front of her, closely examined the arrow, its location as well as the angle at which it was sitting.

"The arrow penetrated too deeply, Tathrin, and to pull it out the way it went in would only cause further damage to her lung. I am going to have to push it through her back then grab it and remove it when it exits."

Tathrin helped the Captain raise Anayah into a sitting position and while he held her securely, Greyfell poised the palm of his hand over the broken-off arrow shaft. He struck the shaft sharply and drove the arrow the rest of the way through and out of her back. She suddenly regained consciousness and screamed and when she did, Tathrin pulled her head to his chest in an effort to muffle her cries but because she did not recognize him, tried to push him away. Her panic combined with her previous lack of oxygen was only harming her further, so after Greyfell had pulled the arrow free of her body then had put a folded-up piece of linen as a pressure bandage over the exit wound, he took Anayah from Tathrin. Wrapping his arms around her, he rocked her soothingly and spoke to her quietly. After a time, she began to calm and it wasn't long after she had calmed that she once more lost consciousness.

After laying her back down then turning her on her side, Greyfell first made sure the bleeding was under control on the exit wound then stitched it closed. Gently turning her onto her back, he took his knife from his belt and after disinfecting it thoroughly, enlarged the entrance wound on her chest until it was large enough to accommodate the reed. After cutting a square piece of the tent fabric, he cut a tiny hole in the center that was slightly smaller than half the width of the reed, and after disinfecting the waterproof material, he put it over the arrow wound in Anayah's chest. After thoroughly disinfecting the reed, he pushed it through the hole in the fabric and into the chest cavity beneath it.

At first, he couldn't feel anything when he held his hand over the top of the reed. Looking around him he saw a small pinfeather from a chicken sticking out of the pillow Anayah's head was laying on and after pulling it out, held it close to the reed. Both beings smiled at each other as they saw the delicate edges of the feather begin to flutter – the procedure had been successful and the trapped air was now being released through the hollow reed. After carefully bandaging her chest to keep the device in place, Greyfell sat back in his chair.

"So that's it?"

Greyfell's smile was grim.

"For now – yes. But her lung is still bleeding, Tathrin, and will have to be repaired – and that I cannot do."

"Then all we can do is wait and try to encourage her to live until help gets here."

"Aye, Master Tathrin. That is all we can do."

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Aragorn, the twins, Halgar and Lothur were sitting around the campfire when they heard the sound of returning horses. They all stood in anticipation, hoping and praying that everything had gone as planned and everyone would be safe and well. Elias was the first horse that came into view and when Legolas slid from the stallion's back and slowly began to walk towards the others, Aragorn found his own eyes filling with tears as the realization of his highest hopes finally came to fruition. The two met midway between the horses and the fire and after stopping and spending a moment looking into each other's eyes, threw their arms around each other's necks and hugged, both unashamedly sobbing.

Finally, Aragorn pushed his friend away from him and looked at Elias and beyond him to the solemn looking guards. He looked back at Legolas as tears began to run freely down his cheeks. He slowly shook his head.

"No." He whispered softly as he looked at Legolas, silently begging him to tell him it wasn't true.

Elladan and Elrohir quickly walked to their younger brother's side and wrapped their arms around him in support. Legolas understood his friend's distress and after making sure that he had his attention, smiled encouragingly.

"She took an arrow in the left shoulder, near her heart, but as of the time Aglarion and I left, was still alive. Greyfell is with her and gave his oath that he would do what he could for her until our healer – that would be you – arrived. Your sister is still alive Strider – and as long as she continues to draw breath, there is still hope."

Aragorn took deep a breath then stepped back.

"Then I suggest we go to her immediately. This time it will be me that brings her home.

Turning away, he began to gather what supplies he would need.

TBC

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Karone Evertree: I am so absolutely mortified that I misplaced your review and didn't acknowledge it when I updated. Please forgive me! I do want you to know that I appreciated, as I always have, the time that you spend reading each chapter then sharing your thoughts.

As do you, I hate animal cruelty as well and really don't like to emphasize it. In the case of Niord, he was Ostara's pampered possession and she never really recognized that the grey stallion was one of Ilúvatar's silent creations, no less his child than any of the others. And even though we might say that Ostara broke her toy and so can't play with it anymore, I also think it might be fitting to say that Ilúvatar may have used this opportunity to call his creation home.

I am also glad that you enjoyed the repartee between Anayah and Ostara. And yes, Legolas and Aragorn are finally back where each wants most to be - with each other.

Thank you again for your review and once more, I am so sorry for forgetting to respond to it.

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Nanahalfelven: I am definitely losing it … sorry about forgetting what we talked about … or as Homer Simpson would say … "Doh!" Thanks, as always for your encouraging review.

Kelsey Minnick: Thank you for your review, Kelsey, it is much appreciated. To answer your question on whether it is possible for a person to live if they've been struck next to their heart … the answer is yes, under the right circumstances and with prompt and correct treatment. As long as the heart is getting enough oxygen through the blood and nothing is interfering with its function the probability is high that the person would survive. While I was doing my research for this story, I actually read incidents of many survivors of this condition, many of whom received their injuries in car accidents while some were even injured while playing professional sports. Prompt, professional treatment always weighs heavily in the balance, however. I hope I was able to answer your question. 8-)

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kukumalu: Thanks for reviewing again. You always make me smile!

(Darn stupid Garm. (hey it rhymes a little!) Try saying "Darn Garm" three times. LOL! I can't even say it once without tripping over my tongue.

Alas, poor Niord, I knew him well … not really, but the sentiment holds true. Ostara cheated and lost in every way … wench! No, Niord didn't deserve an owner like Ostara but she ultimately got hers … her horse lost … he was beat by a horse belonging to an elf, she lost her elf … to an elf and (Heeheehee) she also lost her crown. She is not having a good day!

(should have grabbed some of her hair as well) Just blame it on the intensity of the moment. Under any other circumstances Anayah would have probably done just that.

Yes, I own the DVD of "The Last Samurai." Wonderful movie even though it was only loosely based on the real character. Bushido, the code the Samurai warrior lived by was pretty well shown in the movie. As far as the fighting style of the Samurai being so precise … yes indeed. It is called Kendo and one of its main philosophies is for the swordsman to control the space around him and when he does just that, his movements are fluid and continuous. It is a beautiful and fascinating thing to watch as is the style of archery they use which, if I am remembering correctly, is called Kyudo.

( Hey, how did she manage to find her way back from the sea anyway:) I forgot all about that. LOL! Probably all those Lilliputians built her a large raft and helped her to set sail … they probably didn't want her around either!

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CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Thank you for your review. Yes, Ostara was either incredibly brave, incredibly stupid or too scared to move. That horse stands almost six feet tall and weighs 1700 pounds so to see that animal come charging at you and then you stand your ground … aieeeeee! I had that happen to me when I was just an itty bit only my excuse was I was too scared to move. And really, when you think about it for a moment, staying put is probably the safest thing to do. It is not in the nature of a horse to hurt anyone but if a person tried to get out of their way they could accidentally step into the animal's path whereas if they stayed where they were, they might not get run down at all.